Clutching my stinging back, I glared at my brother with moist eyes.

“Why did you hit me…?!”

“You have the nerve to talk after disappearing yesterday without a word and not even showing your face?”

“…I forgot.”

Having nothing to say in response to my brother’s words, I just rubbed my back and muttered.

Then, with a wide grin, my brother put his arm around my neck and led me.

“Let’s go, Father is waiting.”

“Why is he up so early?”

“Father’s lifestyle pattern is always like that.”

… You’re the one who went out to exercise this early in the morning, right?

Of course, if it were me, I would have been exercising at this time under normal circumstances. Come to think of it, our entire family consisted of upright and diligent men.

Helena, watching us with a small smile and a satisfied look, greeted my brother.

“Long time no see.”

“Oh, Helena…!”

Alternating his gaze between me and Helena with a grin, my brother raised his hand and nodded to Helena.

“This is very desirable.”

“…What exactly?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“It seems to be about me, so why…?”

Grumbling with a feeling of being left out for some reason, my brother poked my side and staggered towards the inn.

“You must be having a hard time because of my clueless brother!”

“That’s right.”

Frowning slightly at the conversation between my brother and Helena, I shook my head and followed behind.

In the first place, the Felix that Helena liked was already dead, so what were they talking about?

Following my brother and Helena, who were entering the inn in a friendly atmosphere while leaving me out, I found the first floor empty.

It looked a bit run-down for the residence of an earl and the next head of the family.

Entering the inn late and looking around, I noticed my father talking to Helena and let out a small sigh.

“Helena, you’re here.”

“Uncle! Long time no see!”

“Indeed. Some rascal and you never came to see me.”

“…Hehe, sorry about that.”

My father, with his smooth skin and a charming middle-aged impression unbefitting his age, was talking to her with a sullen expression.

She tried her best to appease my father’s mood by acting cutely beside him.

“Try to keep in touch more often.”

“Of course!”

Seeing Helena’s behavior, elongating her words and acting cute, I shook my head and approached my father as the corners of his mouth twitched.

“…Father.”

“Felix, you’re here. You ungrateful rascal.”

“Ahem.”

The problem was that I had no rebuttal to my father or brother’s words.

Even though I possessed Felix’s body, from their perspective, I hadn’t contacted them for a month since entering the academy.

At the same time, I disappeared from yesterday’s banquet without showing my face, so I had no choice but to accept this scolding.

I made a small cough and avoided my father’s gaze. Clicking his tongue, he looked at me with a disapproving expression.

“…Yesterday was hectic.”

“Yes, I can understand that. After all, you were in charge of escorting Her Highness the Crown Princess.”

“……”

At my father’s words, my expression hardened. My father, still looking at me with the same gaze, opened his mouth.

“Zenon.”

“Helena, we should give them some space for a moment.”

“Ah… Okay.”

Helena, blankly blinking and staring at us due to the suddenly changing atmosphere, followed my brother’s words and stepped aside.

Without even glancing in that direction, my father spoke to me.

“Sit down.”

“…Yes.”

At my father’s words, I carefully sat in front of him. He looked at me with his usual expression and continued calmly.

“I heard about the Third Prince.”

“……”

“It seems you’re involved with him.”

This is unexpected.

At my father’s words, I couldn’t say anything like a mute who had eaten honey.

Was there anything for me to be scolded about regarding Leonhardt’s matter? Wasn’t it clearly Leonhardt’s fault?

“…Felix.”

“Yes.”

“You are an Astria. Don’t forget that.”

“…Yes.”

I slightly bowed my head in agreement with my father’s words. My father looked at me with an infinitely serious expression and continued.

“A single word from you could represent all of Astria.”

“I understand.”

“Regarding the Third Prince. From starting a fight with him to stabbing him.”

Ugh…!

At my father’s words, I had no choice but to frown.

Did he know about Leonhardt’s matter to that extent…?

“You should know that your life isn’t the only thing at stake with your words. Even if you’re not the next head of the family.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

When I heard my father’s words, I could only nod and do nothing else.

…I was careless.

I had to realize again that I wasn’t responsible only for myself. This was an aristocratic society, not the democratic society I was familiar with.

As long as I bore the name Astria, each of my actions could represent the name of Astria.

Even if I didn’t intend to act that way, the world could push it in that direction.

Moreover, I had to know that the number of people bound under the name was not small.

“Aristocrats are responsible beings. Keep that in mind, Felix von Astria.”

“…I will engrave it deeply in my heart.”

“Your actions may have been righteous, but be aware of the consequences.”

“I understand.”

From insulting the prince to stabbing him. Those could have been big problems if it hadn’t been for Ashillya.

“… It’s enough that you’re reflecting on it.”

Looking at my father, who let out a small sigh, I bowed my head and stood up.

I realized once again that everyone could be in danger if I made a mistake. At my appearance, he waved his hand and saw me off.

Opening the door of the inn with mixed feelings, I found Helena and my brother standing there, quietly looking at me.

“Did you have a good talk?”

“…Yeah.”

My brother must have known everything too. Judging by his bitter smile, he pretended not to know even though he did.

As I smiled slightly at his appearance, he patted my shoulder and silently comforted me.

Thud…! Thud…!

…It felt like he was scolding me too.

My brother, who was patting my shoulder as if he was going to crush it with his large hand, finally grabbed my shoulder and spoke in a low voice.

“Don’t forget, Felix. You are an Astria.”

“…Yeah.”

With his usual smile, my brother lightly ruffled my hair and raised his voice, trying his best.

“Now, go ahead.”

“Okay….”

“No, don’t go back to the dormitory.”

“…Huh?”

My brother interrupted my words and spoke firmly.

As I blinked slowly and asked back at my brother’s words, he shook his head and continued.

“You have too much on your mind right now. Even if you go today, you won’t be able to do anything.”

“……”

“Since you’ve come out like this, go play with Helena for a bit before returning. There are quite a few things to see here.”

At the sight of my brother winking playfully, I backed away from him with a distorted expression and looked disgusted.

“Don’t do that, it looks ugly.”

“…Ugly? Coming from brother? I’m hurt?”

“Ah, forget it. I’ll get going.”

Seeing my brother treating me no differently than usual, I let go of my heavy heart and waved my hand slightly.

My brother smiled at me and waved back.

“…But where’s my opinion in all this?”

Helena, who failed to keep up with the flow of the conversation and had just finished greeting my brother and father, hurriedly caught up with me and asked.

I smiled playfully at Helena’s appearance and shrugged my shoulders.

“Since when was your opinion important?”

“…What did you say?”

I poked Helena’s side with a chuckle and quickly walked away.

“When I say let’s go, we go.”

“Haha… You’re always doing whatever you want.”

I engrave my father’s words deeply in my heart and my brother’s words deeply in my mind.

I was Felix, and Felix was me. So, the heavy shackles of Astria were something I had to bear as well.

Seeing me trying hard to refresh my heavy heart, Helena also smiled brightly. At her appearance, I spoke in a brighter voice than usual.

“So, where should we start?”

It had been a long time since I went out, and it was my first time freely exploring a city in this world.

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t excited.

“Felix, you’re not good at this kind of thing, right? Just follow me.”

Helena, who was somehow reliably taking the lead, exaggeratedly bent her waist.

“But of course. How could I reject!”

“… Don’t make fun of me!!”

And so, my outing in the city with Helena began.

Translator’s Corner

I double-checked the ending for chapter 36. We got robbed of the dance. Booooooo~

We already have best girl. Let her win already!

-Ruminas