Kays Translations

Chapter 35: The Daughters of Marquis Mulan Arrive!

A few days after Brother Alex returned home for summer vacation, the Mulan family arrived in the Heine Margraviate. They hadn’t come merely to escape the summer heat; they also wanted to see what our territory was like.

The lands of Marquis Mulan lay east of the royal capital at a major distribution hub. Merchants passed through constantly, and the family collected abundant tax revenue almost without effort. What an enviable location.

Because of that wealth and influence, many eastern nobles wished to form connections with the daughters of House Mulan. They were valuable marriage prospects. Yet somehow, Brother Alex appeared to be on close terms with the marquis’s eldest daughter.

From my perspective, an alliance with a margrave family on the far northern frontier offered House Mulan little practical benefit.

The two daughters of Marquis Mulan soon arrived at our residence. The elder girl, Hilda, had blond hair arranged in elaborate ringlets and carried herself with commanding confidence. A maid stood behind her.

Beside Hilda was a younger girl who seemed about my age. She looked thoroughly intimidated.

Her timid manner reminded me of Lady Fabienne when we first met.

“I’m Hilda Mulan. Alex, I’ve come to visit as promised. This is my younger sister, Carolina.”

“H-hello. I’m Carolina Mulan.”

The contrast was exactly as it appeared: Hilda had the presence of a large, energetic animal, while Carolina resembled a small creature that had been dragged along until all its spirit was gone.

I maintained a polite smile, but Brother Cain and Rosalia failed to hide their alarm.

Girls like Hilda were rare in our territory, so I understood their reaction. Still, as nobles, they needed to control their expressions.

Brother Alex, who was already accustomed to Hilda, greeted the sisters with an easy smile.

“Welcome, Lady Hilda and Lady Carolina. Please make yourselves comfortable. This is my second brother, Cain; my third brother, Julius; and our younger sister, Rosalia.”

We exchanged formal greetings. During the introductions, Hilda noticed the stuffed cat Rosalia was holding.

“Rosalia, that’s an exceptionally well-made stuffed animal. Where did you buy it?”

“Big brother Julius made this cat for me.”

Rosalia hugged it tightly, as though afraid Hilda might take it. At her answer, Hilda’s evaluating gaze shifted to me. I didn’t enjoy being inspected like merchandise.

“Ah, so you’re the ‘slightly unusual younger brother’ Alex told me about.”

What? Had Alex been saying things like that at the academy? I didn’t appreciate rumours about me circulating in places I had never visited.

When I looked at him, he quickly averted his eyes. We would be having a private conversation later.

Thus began our first real encounter with the daughters of Marquis Mulan. Rosalia remained wary, Cain was bewildered by a type of girl he had never dealt with, and I had already attracted Hilda’s attention.

Why had Alex invited her? Was he courting her, or did she have feelings for him? I couldn’t tell.

We moved to the salon for tea. Father and Mother came to greet our guests, handling children from a family of equal rank with effortless grace.

Then they left almost immediately. As expected of them. They must have sensed the troublesome atmosphere.

Only the children remained. Since Hilda was Alex’s friend, we couldn’t simply ignore her. I considered starting a conversation, but Alex was sipping his tea with perfect elegance.

No, this was his guest. He needed to do something about the strained atmosphere.

“Rosalia, do you have any other stuffed animals?” Hilda asked, looking at the cat again with obvious interest.

Rosalia tensed.

“Rosalia, Lady Hilda isn’t going to take it. She’s merely curious. Why don’t you tell her?” Alex said gently.

Perhaps Hilda was simply the kind of person others easily misunderstood.

“Big brother…”

Rosalia looked up at me anxiously. Hilda wouldn’t truly behave so rudely, but my sister needed reassurance. I smiled, and she reluctantly began listing her collection.

“A bear, a cat, a dog, a sheep, a rabbit, and a guinea pig.”

“You have so many. Um… would you mind showing us a few of them?”

Hilda’s voice had softened considerably. She must have realised Rosalia was frightened and was now choosing her words carefully.

Rosalia didn’t answer.

“Carolina, wouldn’t you like to see them too?” Hilda asked.

“Y-yes. I would.”

The younger sister agreed at once. She had been watching Rosalia’s cat closely, so she was probably interested as well.

Or perhaps Hilda had noticed Carolina’s interest and was asking on her behalf. That seemed equally possible.

“It’s all right, Rosalia. Why don’t you introduce your stuffed-animal friends to everyone?”

“Okay. I will.”

At last convinced, Rosalia asked a servant to bring the others from her room.

My sister trusted my judgment a little too completely. I should probably help her become more independent before that dependence caused problems later.

The servants arranged the stuffed animals across an empty sofa. Hilda and Carolina took one look and cried out in delight.

Both sisters had clearly been fascinated by them from the beginning.

Stuffed animals really were irresistible to girls.

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