Kays Translations

Chapter 260: We’ll Sleep in the Same Bed, Right?

The low rumble of the drum turning echoed through the salon. It wasn't especially loud, but when everything around it was quiet, the sound was still noticeable.

"It doesn't look as though it'll finish anytime soon," Brother Alex said.

"It takes about thirty minutes. That's already much shorter than it used to be."

"That's right!" Rosalia said. "At first it took almost two hours to finish. But thanks to Brother Julius's brilliant idea, we cut it down to thirty minutes!"

Uh-huh. Rosalia's "Brother Julius is the best" bias was as strong as ever.

It was true that the method which dramatically shortened the drying stage–the longest part of the process–had been my idea.

It wasn't anything that impressive. Rosalia had originally tried to dry everything using hot air alone, so I simply combined the hot-air system with a dehumidifying magic tool.

I just hoped nobody noticed that I'd casually invented a dehumidifying magic tool while I was at it…

"You can finish washing clothes in only thirty minutes?" Sister-in-law Meeka asked. "And that includes drying them?!"

"Yes. Everything is finished in half an hour. All you have to do is put the laundry in the washing machine and press a button."

"Wh-what did you say?!"

Sister-in-law Meeka cried out in shock and opened her mouth wide.

That's not something a proper lady should do. At least cover your mouth with a fan.

While I was wondering whether I should say something, Sister-in-law Daniela gave her a sharp little reprimand. As expected of the older sister. Brother Alex could only smile wryly.

While we were talking, the washed handkerchief came out of the machine.

It was completely dry.

Needless to say, Brother Cain, Sister-in-law Meeka, and the servants were delighted.

"You can wash everything that fits inside this machine at once, correct?" Brother Cain asked. "And all of it in thirty minutes?"

"That's right. Isn't it amazing, Brother Cain?"

"Amazing! That's incredible, Rosalia! You're a genius magic-tool maker!"

Brother Cain was so happy that he lifted Rosalia high into the air.

It sounded as though he'd had a rough time at the academy. He trained hard in swordsmanship there, so he must have produced an enormous amount of dirty clothing. His friends probably did too.

The indoor training hall must have smelled wonderfully fragrant–just like a kendo dojo.

…Let's not think about that any further.

"Would this magic tool be useful to all of you?" Brother Alex asked.

He turned toward the servants waiting along the wall. They raised their heads and nodded eagerly.

"Very much so, my lord. This is a wonderful magic tool. Even though we can now use hot water freely, laundry is still extremely demanding work."

"Do you have any requests?"

"If possible… it would be helpful to have one large enough to wash many bed sheets at once."

The servant said that hesitantly.

Brother Alex turned toward me.

"What do you think? Can it be done?"

"Of course. This model was developed for ordinary household use. We'll prepare a larger washing machine for a large mansion too. Rosalia, you can handle that, right?"

"Of course I can!"

All right, all right. Now I could dump that entire job on Rosalia.

I'd make the liquid detergent as a magic-potion product while I was at it. Since it was a consumable, it might become a nice little source of income.

After the washing-machine demonstration, it was time for dinner.

Naturally, Sister-in-law Daniela was delighted. She'd been in a good mood ever since arriving at House Heine. Apparently, having dinner together with a family had always been another dream of hers.

"I'm looking forward to sleeping with Brother Julius tonight!"

"Kyu!"

"Julius?"

"Wait, Brother Alex. There's a deeper reason behind this!"

Rosalia, still excited after the washing-machine demonstration, had loudly announced something I really didn't want everyone else to hear.

I'd hoped she'd forget about that promise, but apparently she hadn't.

No such luck.

"Oh? Then let's hear this deeper reason."

"Well… Father and Mother are attending an evening party tonight, remember? I didn't know about it."

So I explained the entire sequence of events to Brother Alex.

His answer was painfully blunt.

"Then this is your fault, Julius."

Yeah. He was right.

But I'd already made the promise, so there wasn't much I could do now. Hopefully somebody would stop her for me.

"Brother Alex, can't you do something?"

"…Does Brother Julius not want to sleep with me?"

"It's not that I don't want to. I was just wondering whether it might look bad in the eyes of society…"

"But it's perfectly natural for family members to sleep together," Sister-in-law Daniela said.

She had joined the discussion with completely serious eyes.

But that's from a story, isn't it? It isn't actually how ordinary families throughout the Spencer Kingdom behave, right?

Somebody stop my sister-in-law. And while you're at it, please teach her some common sense.

"It's true that ordinary people often sleep together with their families," Brother Alex said.

He lifted his brows and checked with the servants. Several of them nodded and said that was indeed the case.

Oh, really?

Maybe I was the one lacking common sense.

Since when had I deluded myself into thinking I was the person with common sense around here?

This was another world. Maybe it really was fine?

"Then there isn't a problem… right?"

"Hmm. That may be true for commoners, but among nobles it could be a little more complicated. Still… you are family."

Brother Alex seemed genuinely troubled too.

Even if we were family, was it acceptable for an unmarried young lady to sleep beside a man? Perhaps he was worried Father and Mother would complain later.

With Father away, Brother Alex was the person in charge of the house. In other words, if anything went wrong, it would become his responsibility.

I'm glad I'm the youngest brother.

"Why is it a problem?" Rosalia protested. "Father and Mother sleep in the same bed. Brother Alex and Sister-in-law Daniela do too. Brother Cain and Sister-in-law Meeka do too. So why am I the only one who isn't allowed to sleep with my own brother?"

Rosalia complained as though this were the most unfair thing in the world.

…Huh?

My brothers weren't denying what she just said?

And neither were my sisters-in-law?

I couldn't believe something like this had apparently been happening without my knowledge.

While I stood there stunned and confused, Brother Alex finally gave Rosalia permission to sleep beside me for that one night.

He also warned her over and over never to repeat what she'd just said about other people's sleeping arrangements in public.

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