"And the honorary award goes to...Adam Von Dawson! With daunting resilience and an unbending spirit to never give up, Adam has managed to climb up as the most noteworthy contestant out of all. Give it up for the heroic boy, everyone!!" Cheered Howard like some seasoned TV show host from my previous life.

We concluded the game with Adam as the protagonist. Well, he lost all the time, but since his enthusiasm was so over the top, Howard wasn't lying when he said Adam was the most noteworthy player.

Adam ran around with his arms up in the air, celebrating the time of his life. Since the boy was having such a blast, it was safe to say that we made the right call to invent the honorary award thing out of the blue just for him.

"Children, it's late. Time to freshen up and go for dinner." Maya, who had been watching us since a while ago, fetched the excited Adam and led the way inside.

"Helena...? I can push my dear brother, so can you scooch over there and leave him alone? It's not like anybody is here to see us, so there's no need to keep up the pretense anymore." Alyson sneakily sauntered and tried to push Helena away from the wheelchair's handle.

"He is my fiancee, Alyson. It is my duty, and I don't care whether someone can see it or not. I do what I want to do." And Helena, firm as a boulder, kept her hands tightly clutched on the handle.

"Oh my, quite shameless, especially after losing to me."

"I didn't lose! You used magic so that one didn't count!"

"Didn't everyone use them, though?"

"We only used them because you used them first, you snake-like woman!"

"Huhu, funny to hear you complain about that. Tell me, Helena, why don't I hear a peep out of you when Alex does it?"

'Hey, leave me out of this...'

"Alex is Alex. He can't help it..." Argued Helena.

Her argument felt bland and out of sense, but nothing about their fight made any sense in the first place...

Howard sneaked me a knowing look from the side. Yeah, at least I have another comrade in arms in this.

"Girls, save the quarrels for later. Take a bath and make sure you aren't late for dinner."

"Yes, mother..."

"...Okay..."

Following Maya's words, the two girls ceased their fighting albeit reluctantly, and we went our separate ways, each to our own rooms.

Renata then took over Helena's duty to push me. Going through long winding corridors and sets of guards along the way, we finally arrived back at my room.

Without a moment to waste, she pushed me straight into the bathroom.

After cleaning up, I came out and put on the comfortable and fresh attire Renata had prepared beforehand. Of course, as comfortable as I think it was, the clothes still look so luxurious nonetheless.

Maybe it felt good on my body because it was expensive. I don't know. And honestly, I think I don't care.

It is what it is, I guess...

So, I put them on, and after one or two finishing touches from Renata, we were ready to go eat.

'Wonder what's for dinner today?'

With a light heart, I hummed quietly and trained my Mind's eye. Of course, I did it while trying not to disrupt the mana flow around me. Or rather, I tried to unravel the disturbance the word magic caused and scattered them away.

It's a very complicated process, and I was quite proud of the progress, to be honest.

Why go through such a hassle in the first place? Well, other than it would help me use spells stealthily, I didn't want anyone to know that I was basically training all the time.

It'd be a headache trying to explain to my family. Moreover, the repercussion that followed was something I didn't even want to imagine.

Thus, while I was lost in my routine, we finally arrived at the dining hall.

And as usual, I was the first one to get there.

'Nice! Now I have time to focus on grinding before the others get here.' It felt nice.

Was I a training pervert...?

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Damn, I might just be...

----------------------------------------

"Alyson, how's the study going?" Asked George after putting a piece of the tender and juicy steak into his mouth.

"It's great, Father. Although, I do have some concerns I wish to convey...I am considering replacing the piano class with more sessions of violin. May I?"

"You don't like playing piano?" Replied George back.

"Rather than not liking it, I think it's more accurate to say that I'm more talented in violin, and I wish to hone my skills further."

"...Alright. Byron, make sure to inform Alyson's teacher and make the necessary adjustments."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Alex. How about you? Anything new?" George then turned to me after he'd finished with Alyson. He always did this once a week, where he would ask for updates from us, his children. I doubt he didn't have a clue without us telling him ourselves, but that, in a way, showed what kind of a father George was.

"Hm...Other is fine, except for the etiquette class...I think I have it easy with the gestures, considering I'm in a wheelchair, so it's a bit confusing. But other than that, everything is good, Father. Sir Lodrick is amazing at teaching."

"We played hide-seek today!!" Adam then screamed in delight, a bit tongue-tied.

"Was it fun?" Voiced George tenderly.

"So fun! We ran and hid! A lot!!"

"Oh, dear. Don't get me started on this naughty rascal. He would jump and roll in the bushes or dirt and later hug the other. They would get so dirty I have to bring them in early less we are late for dinner." Sighed Maya, pinching Adam's rosy cheek and wiping the mess around his mouth while she was at it.

"Do forgive him if my youngest troubles the Prince and Princess." George smiled faintly toward the twins.

Helena immediately winced back, finding it hard to open her mouth. And as usual, she left the job of answering to the more sociable Howard.

"You are too polite with us, Duke. Adam treats us with nothing but warmth and passion. It might seem improper to think of him this way, but we really consider him a precious little brother of ours."

I could see Helena nod faintly, trying hard not to be so obvious.

"Oh, my. How sweet of you, Prince Howard." Maya's eyes turned crescent, beaming brightly at the twins.

"I am glad if both the Prince and Princess think that way. If there's anything both of you need, do make sure to tell me. It will be ill of me to make our guests uncomfortable."

"There's no need-"

"I have something, Duke."

Just as Howard was about to decline, Helena swooped in and hung on to George's words.

"...Do tell, Princess Helena." Said George after a while.

"I need a teacher to teach me magic."

"Helena?"

Howard's eyebrows rose high, confused by his sister's sudden action.

"I believe the Prince and Princess already have someone like that. Prepared specifically from the royal palace."

I didn't know if I was right or not, but strangely enough, I believed there was a bit of accentuation in George's tone when mentioning Helena's magic teacher.

'Renata, have a shadow or two and look into the twins' magic teacher.' So I have to make sure about it.

"We do. But he's a boring man. Everything he teaches is something I can study on my own. He does not have what it takes to teach me."

'Damn. Look at her talking. Now, that's Helena for you.' She was arrogant, that's for sure, but I didn't think she was lying. That's why it can only be Helena to nail such a level of arrogancy and make it feel natural.

"Do you want me to find a teacher for you then, Fifth Princess?"

"You don't have to, Duke. I need only your permission and the teacher's."

"I have to know more about this first, Princess Helena. It would be very irresponsible on my part to recklessly give you my word before knowing all the details. I hope you can understand this." Refuted George back.

"It's Maya Von Dawson. I am planning to ask her to teach me about magic." Declared Helena firmly.

"My wife?"

"Oh, my!"

"Oh, my!!"

George, Maya, and then Adam parroting her. It was funny seeing their reactions, but I guess it was only me who thought that way.

"I wish to learn Kareya's Martial Magic."

'In other words. You want to learn Maya's path of magic so you can beat up people however you like with it, ain't you?'

I threw an elongated stare in Howard's direction, and he caught it.

He knew exactly why I was looking at him. And he knew the exact reason why I was smirking at him.

'My job is to hold her off if she's flinging magic and burning shits. If she gets physical instead, then that's on you, punk...'

Horror. His face was full of unblemished horror, imagining what it would be like if his already monstrous talented sister could learn to use magic like Maya did. That sharp and precise movements she showed at the Festival of Light, and the power that came out after it.

"I have no problem with it, George dear." Answered Maya lightly.

"Mother!"

Instead of George, the opposition came from Alyson, who's been eyeing Helena snappily since a minute ago.

Seeing as Maya only nodded in reply, Alyson furrowed his eyebrows and glared at Helena.

And then that glare melted soon before long...It was odd...

"Hey. You know, I'm learning magic from my Mother, don't you? Do you really want to see my face that much, Helena?" Her tone was playful.

"I don't care."

Meanwhile, Helena, who was still true to her character, barely noticed the change in Alyson's attitude.

"Um, can I also go and learn-" I tried my chance.

"No!" Barked Helena.

"It's unnecessary for you, Alex." Followed by Alyson in tandem.

Only on some strange things like this that the two seem to have similarities.

"Ha..." A long winding breath escaped George's lips.

"Children, what say you we have an outing next week if Alexander is feeling well?" Sensing the tired look on her husband's face, Maya then switched the topic.

"Play!!"