Chapter 129: Each Family’s Reaction
Scott held up the azure feather attached to the acorn against the sunlight and gazed at it.
“Is this what the azure feathers popular in the Royal Capital look like? Father?”
“…From what I’ve heard, they’re described as ‘a vivid blue that seems transparent,’ so it must be this colour. The ones purchased at the Adventurers’ Guild were this colour as well.”
Stefan answered Scott’s question. Theo dropped the azure-feathered acorn into the box and smiled.
“Jodie would probably want one. If she does, I’ll give her mine. We can just play together.”
“No, I’ll give her mine, so it’s fine.”
Scott and Theo were talking about giving their Acorn Feather Drops to someone named Jodie.
Wondering who that was, Ren listened on, and Scott looked at Ren and explained.
“My sister Jodie is staying behind in the territory capital with Mother. She said she wanted an azure quill pen as a souvenir, so Father went to buy one.”
“I wish Jodie could have come too.”
“She said it was a bit far, and Mother said it’s not good to travel with too many people.”
It seemed Scott and Theo had a younger sister who was staying at their territory with the Caramel Viscountess. Come to think of it, it appeared no wives had come from the Margrave’s house either.
Long carriage journeys are physically taxing, so wives often avoid long trips with children. The fact that they limited the number of people was probably consideration for the Cream baronial house.
“…If you have a younger sister…”
Ren looked at Eugene as if asking permission. He wanted to give an Acorn Feather Drop to Scott and the others’ younger sister too. He had made plenty of them. However, since it was established that Eugene had prepared the Acorn Feather Drops, he couldn’t simply say “Here, take this.”
Eugene seemed to understand what Ren wanted to say, gave a small nod, and conveyed it to Stefan and the others.
“Then by all means, please take one for your sister as well.”
“Oh, you’ve gone to such trouble. My thanks.”
“Huh, we can get one for Jodie too?”
“She’ll be so happy!”
Stefan expressed his gratitude, and Scott and Theo looked at each other with delight.
“Jodie will be thrilled.”
“We can play together regardless of skills.”
Scott happily accepted the additional Acorn Feather Drop. Theo was smiling too.
After being warmly received by the Margrave’s family and the Caramel Viscount’s house, they headed towards the Noisette Count’s house and the Vanille Count’s house.
The Noisette Count’s house was Ren’s grandmother’s birth family, and the Vanille Count’s house was where Ren’s grandmother’s younger sister had married into, so the two families’ tables arranged in the garden were positioned close to each other. As they headed that way, Ren was surprised and stopped for a moment when he saw them.
He had spotted his grandmother, Liese, and Yona.
“Neeue, Yona…”
“Oh, Ren.”
“Ren-niisama.”
Liese and Yona noticed Ren approaching and turned around. Grandmother also directed her gaze towards Ren.
“Oh my… whatever is the matter? …The Sucre Viscount as well?”
Grandmother looked at Ren with cold eyes, then saw the Sucre Viscount and Eugene standing beside Ren, and made a puzzled face.
The Sucre Viscount greeted them with a gentle smile.
“My younger brother Eugene arrived late, so we came to pay our respects. Eugene seems to have become acquainted with Ren-kun at the Adventurers’ Guild.”
“Ren is an adventurer, you say?”
Grandmother’s eyebrows twitched slightly. She fixed Ren with a sharp glare, and Ren held his breath. Eugene bowed towards Grandmother and the assembled families of the Noisette Count and the Vanille Count.
“I’m Eugene Sucre, younger brother of Cornelius, the Sucre Viscount. I formerly served as a knight in the Royal Capital, but now serve as Materials Procurement Overseer for the Adventurers’ Guild, Eastern District. I met Ren-kun when I visited the local Adventurers’ Guild. He’s been working hard organising the reference room.”
“Oh my, the reference room…”
Grandmother narrowed her eyes, hiding her mouth with her fan.
“Ah, the child with the ‘Small Box’ skill, was it?”
“Can one really be an adventurer without a combat skill?”
Ren overheard the Noisette Count and the Vanille Countess—his grandmother’s younger sister—muttering quietly.
After the Noisette Count’s house and the Vanille Count’s house returned their greetings, Eugene took out a set of Acorn Feather Drops from his bag.
He explained it the same way as when he had presented it to the Margrave’s house.
“Ren-kun consulted with me about wanting to give souvenirs to the children, so I’ve brought an item currently under consideration for sale at the Adventurers’ Guild. It’s a toy for children, but as it hasn’t yet been released, we’re providing it to you ahead of time.”
“Hmm.”
The Noisette Count stood up and gazed at the Acorn Feather Drop. Then he turned to Marcus and Frank.
“Marcus, Frank, this seems to be for you.”
“James and Jack should take theirs too.”
The Vanille Count spoke to James and Jack.
The Noisette Count’s house consisted of the Noisette Count and Countess, the next count and his wife, and their children Marcus and Frank.
The Vanille Count’s house had the Vanille Count and Countess, the next count and his wife, their children James and Jack, and one additional young man. Ren thought he might be James and the others’ older brother, but he seemed to be the younger brother of the next count.
“Wow! It’s got some kind of beautifully coloured feather on it!”
“What’s this, it spins round and round!”
When they assembled it on the spot and handed it over, Marcus and the others received it with interest.
Yona was watching this scene intently.
Eugene held one out to Yona as well.
“We have prepared one for all the children. Please, go ahead.”
“Wow… Thank you very much!”
Yona broke into a bright, sparkling smile. Ren thought she was cute. Eugene also handed an Acorn Feather Drop to Liese.
A smile appeared on Liese’s face as well.
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”
Grandmother expressed her thanks to Eugene in a calm voice. Ren observed Grandmother’s demeanour and that of both count families, as if gauging the situation.
(Somehow… the adults don’t seem very interested in the Acorn Feather Drop…)
Perhaps because he had seen the reactions of the Margrave’s family and the Caramel Viscount’s house first, Ren felt that while the children of the Noisette Count’s house and the Vanille Count’s house were delighted, the adults’ reactions were subdued.
(Well, it’s a toy, after all.)
Ren thought that this was probably just how adults reacted.