I parted from Simon, and I returned to the mansion by carriage.
Though I didn’t notice it myself, I seemed to have been considerably tense. Looks like I fell asleep rather quickly in the carriage and I just noticed when the coachman Max opened the door and called out to me.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
He shook his head a little anxious and helped me out of the carriage. Then Claire came to meet me there.
“Welcome home. “
Claire looked at me worried again as well.
Out of habit I wanted to hug her. I was tired, I couldn’t act like a man anymore.
But I barely endured it and smiled at her.
Max was still behind me and I could see other servants coming out of the mansion’s entrance.
“Where there any changes during my absence?”
I asked her as brightly as possible. Then Claire gave a small nod.
“Elizabeth is in the detached room”
“She came, huh?”
I smiled wryly and nodded back.
“I leave providing sweets to you. I’d like to drink my tea with milk.”
“Certainly”
After I saw Claire entering the mansion I turned to go to the detached room.
I found someone I could grumble to!
I opened the entrance of the detached room while thinking about such things.
“I think I gradually lose sight of myself-”
I put my face on the table and started to complain in my usual fixed position.
“Even if I’m not acting as a guy I feel like I’m not like I was before this performance.”
Elizabeth who sits in front of me didn’t change and smiles.
It seems like she waited for me here for a little while, three stacks of empty plates were before her.
Normally a lot of sandwiches, scones and cakes would fit on these plates.
“You surely changed”
Elizabeth took a sip from her teacup.
“The atmosphere around you seems different from the past, kind of, if you ask me.”
“So it’s like I thought after all?”
I said so as I raised my head, but I noticed Elizabeth’s slightly sharp eyes and got a little scared.
Sometimes I forget because of these childish looks. She was a magical law enforcement investigator, I better do good to remember that.
“Are you going to the counselling?”
Elizabeth leans her head to one side. Though it was a very cute gesture, the question wasn’t as nice.
“I go for the time being”
As I pulled my body away from the table I sighed.
“I kind of don’t want to go. I know what Elizabeth wants to tell me somehow.”
“Talk to the counsellor”
“Right”
I bit my lips.
“But it is scary to talk with him.……Because our conversation is based on the premise to remember something unpleasant”
Of course, there was another big reason though it’s one of the reasons.
“It’s surely like that.”
Elizabeth groans a little.
“But I think it’s hard on you if you don’t talk to someone when you’re troubled.”
“That’s why I’m talking now.”
“But I’m not an expert. Big sis and Sid will be angry if I give you some strange advice.”
She sulked. Her expression was obviously troubled.
“I don’t want an answer.”
I shrugged.
Recently I played the role of “Ace Riot” in the mansion, the time for my mind to relax runs short. That time was limited to when I’m alone with Claire and two more people.
That’s when I can be myself.
“I just want to talk. If it’s annoying you I’ll stop.”
“It’s not annoying!”
As soon as I said that Elizabeth had teary eyes. Doesn’t it kind of look like I’m bullying her?
“I’m going to the counselling as much as possible.”
I said that out of guilt.
“But after I enter the Academy it will become more difficult. Studying will be really difficult after all.”
“You’re right……”
Elizabeth mutters as if she was at a complete loss.
“Now that I think about it”
I quickly changed the subject.
“When I’m starting school how can I contact the Judiciary Station if there is a problem at the Academy? I mean you’re not watching me all the time, right?”
“……Certainly”
She was lost in thought for a while. Then she looked around and took a book out of a bookshelf hastily.
“May I have this?”
The book which she took was a normal, ordinary novel. One of many thrown into the bookshelf for killing some time.
When I nodded, she put the book on her palm and chanted an incantation. The whirlpool of magic signs danced around lightly. It then flared up brightly.
The book was floating in the air and after some time the pages fell out separately. And when they gathered up again they changed their form.
There were two notebooks on Elizabeth’s palm which I saw the same time the light dimmed.
She handed me the one with the red cover and then she turned up a page.
I open the cover, too and tried to look at the insides. The pages were pure white with nothing written on them.
“If there is anything, please use this notebook to call. Or write something no matter when or what. I’m keeping the other one as you can see.”
“Thank you, you saved me”
At the time I closed the notebook a sound like that of a doorbell resounded through the area. It seems like someone was at the entrance of the detached room for some reason. I mentioned before that Elizabeth set up magic to inform us with a ting-a-ling if a visitor were to approach the room.
That reminds me Claire had yet to bring the tea. I felt like a lot of time passed.
“Excuse me, young lady”
Soon after she knocked on this room’s door Claire entered. However, she didn’t hold anything in her hand.
“Miss Rachel has come to the main building. Do you wish to meet her?”
“Rachel has?”
I was troubled for an instant. As Elizabeth saw this she bowed her head and started laughing with a smile.
“Then I’ll return! Let’s continue studying magic at another time”
“I’m sorry”
“No! I was the one that came without any prior notice, too! Next time I’ll inform you though the notebook. Even though it looks like I just came here to eat sweets, but it’s not like that!”
After she left pretty energetically, I left the room as well.
“Oh my.”
I went to the main building’s guest room together with Claire, when Rachel saw my figure she stood up from the sofa and let out her voice.
“Though I heard the story, but it’s really a boy”
Her hair grew since I last saw Rachel Harris. It barely reached her shoulders, but it suited her.
“Long time no see! I mean, nice to meet you or something.”
I said so while smiling at her and sat down on the sofa on opposite side. Though Rachel sat down on the sofa, she observed my figure steadily and seemed to be looking for words.
Well, it wasn’t really surprising.
“From whom did you hear it?”
When I asked this, Rachel let out a breath as if trying to pull herself together.
“From Aunt……That’s your mother”
“I see”
Mother did say something about this a little while ago.
If we would go to the same Wexford Academy some of my circumstances should be explained.
They would surely cooperate. Even school life was full of anxiousness.
“What a disaster. Didn’t they catch that criminal who kidnapped you yet?”
“No”
I smile awkwardly.
In fact, it was covered up by the Judiciary Station that Gray Sterling’s first aim was Rachel, so this story didn’t reach her.
It should only have been told that I, Ariel Augustine, was kidnapped by a transforming magician and made to swap bodies with him.
People knowing about Gray Sterling are in the minority and the details about his murders were just known by the Judiciary Station. Of course it seems like they do inform the families of the crime victims, still, minors should be protected by the Judiciary Station.
Human rights and youth rehabilitation opportunities seem to be the reason.
However, it’s a ridiculous story. How could someone rehabilitate a monster such as Gray?
“But you’re quite courageous to enrol in such a state. If it was me I would lock myself up in the mansion.”
Rachel seemed to be slightly amazed. Well, it’s understandable.
I think I would have done that, too, staying inside a safe mansion. But I wouldn’t have a chance to get my body back if I did that.
There is some – – maybe great – – danger followed by this decision.
“I might be annoying, I’m sorry”
When I said this and lowered my head lightly, she laughed happily.
“You can’t find such an interesting story anywhere else. Wasn’t it decided that I would cooperate with you with all my power? First of all, is a strategy meeting necessary?”
“Thank you. Yes, I want to match up our stories.”
Claire carried tea with milk and a tea stand to the place we were talking at.
The sweets were very attractive when I became tired. I picked up one cup of milk tea and drank my share.
Then I notice Rachel staring at my gesture.
“What’s the matter?”
When I looked puzzled, Rachel returned with a wry smile.
“No, it’s just, I thought that your masculine gestures became so natural.”
“Because I was taught”
I snorted.
“I’m like this right now because only Rachel and Claire are here, but outside I completely change into a man.”
I looked at Claire waiting in the corner of the room and grinned.
Claire’s expression turned sour.
Then Rachel laughed and raised a quiet voice.
“You should join the drama club after all. I’ll welcome you.”
Rachel seemed to enjoy this situation. I groaned a little.
“I’ll think about it.”
I parted from Simon, and I returned to the mansion by carriage.
Though I didn’t notice it myself, I seemed to have been considerably tense. Looks like I fell asleep rather quickly in the carriage and I just noticed when the coachman Max opened the door and called out to me.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
He shook his head a little anxious and helped me out of the carriage. Then Claire came to meet me there.
“Welcome home. “
Claire looked at me worried again as well.
Out of habit I wanted to hug her. I was tired, I couldn’t act like a man anymore.
But I barely endured it and smiled at her.
Max was still behind me and I could see other servants coming out of the mansion’s entrance.
“Where there any changes during my absence?”
I asked her as brightly as possible. Then Claire gave a small nod.
“Elizabeth is in the detached room”
“She came, huh?”
I smiled wryly and nodded back.
“I leave providing sweets to you. I’d like to drink my tea with milk.”
“Certainly”
After I saw Claire entering the mansion I turned to go to the detached room.
I found someone I could grumble to!
I opened the entrance of the detached room while thinking about such things.
“I think I gradually lose sight of myself-”
I put my face on the table and started to complain in my usual fixed position.
“Even if I’m not acting as a guy I feel like I’m not like I was before this performance.”
Elizabeth who sits in front of me didn’t change and smiles.
It seems like she waited for me here for a little while, three stacks of empty plates were before her.
Normally a lot of sandwiches, scones and cakes would fit on these plates.
“You surely changed”
Elizabeth took a sip from her teacup.
“The atmosphere around you seems different from the past, kind of, if you ask me.”
“So it’s like I thought after all?”
I said so as I raised my head, but I noticed Elizabeth’s slightly sharp eyes and got a little scared.
Sometimes I forget because of these childish looks. She was a magical law enforcement investigator, I better do good to remember that.
“Are you going to the counselling?”
Elizabeth leans her head to one side. Though it was a very cute gesture, the question wasn’t as nice.
“I go for the time being”
As I pulled my body away from the table I sighed.
“I kind of don’t want to go. I know what Elizabeth wants to tell me somehow.”
“Talk to the counsellor”
“Right”
I bit my lips.
“But it is scary to talk with him.……Because our conversation is based on the premise to remember something unpleasant”
Of course, there was another big reason though it’s one of the reasons.
“It’s surely like that.”
Elizabeth groans a little.
“But I think it’s hard on you if you don’t talk to someone when you’re troubled.”
“That’s why I’m talking now.”
“But I’m not an expert. Big sis and Sid will be angry if I give you some strange advice.”
She sulked. Her expression was obviously troubled.
“I don’t want an answer.”
I shrugged.
Recently I played the role of “Ace Riot” in the mansion, the time for my mind to relax runs short. That time was limited to when I’m alone with Claire and two more people.
That’s when I can be myself.
“I just want to talk. If it’s annoying you I’ll stop.”
“It’s not annoying!”
As soon as I said that Elizabeth had teary eyes. Doesn’t it kind of look like I’m bullying her?
“I’m going to the counselling as much as possible.”
I said that out of guilt.
“But after I enter the Academy it will become more difficult. Studying will be really difficult after all.”
“You’re right……”
Elizabeth mutters as if she was at a complete loss.
“Now that I think about it”
I quickly changed the subject.
“When I’m starting school how can I contact the Judiciary Station if there is a problem at the Academy? I mean you’re not watching me all the time, right?”
“……Certainly”
She was lost in thought for a while. Then she looked around and took a book out of a bookshelf hastily.
“May I have this?”
The book which she took was a normal, ordinary novel. One of many thrown into the bookshelf for killing some time.
When I nodded, she put the book on her palm and chanted an incantation. The whirlpool of magic signs danced around lightly. It then flared up brightly.
The book was floating in the air and after some time the pages fell out separately. And when they gathered up again they changed their form.
There were two notebooks on Elizabeth’s palm which I saw the same time the light dimmed.
She handed me the one with the red cover and then she turned up a page.
I open the cover, too and tried to look at the insides. The pages were pure white with nothing written on them.
“If there is anything, please use this notebook to call. Or write something no matter when or what. I’m keeping the other one as you can see.”
“Thank you, you saved me”
At the time I closed the notebook a sound like that of a doorbell resounded through the area. It seems like someone was at the entrance of the detached room for some reason. I mentioned before that Elizabeth set up magic to inform us with a ting-a-ling if a visitor were to approach the room.
That reminds me Claire had yet to bring the tea. I felt like a lot of time passed.
“Excuse me, young lady”
Soon after she knocked on this room’s door Claire entered. However, she didn’t hold anything in her hand.
“Miss Rachel has come to the main building. Do you wish to meet her?”
“Rachel has?”
I was troubled for an instant. As Elizabeth saw this she bowed her head and started laughing with a smile.
“Then I’ll return! Let’s continue studying magic at another time”
“I’m sorry”
“No! I was the one that came without any prior notice, too! Next time I’ll inform you though the notebook. Even though it looks like I just came here to eat sweets, but it’s not like that!”
After she left pretty energetically, I left the room as well.
“Oh my.”
I went to the main building’s guest room together with Claire, when Rachel saw my figure she stood up from the sofa and let out her voice.
“Though I heard the story, but it’s really a boy”
Her hair grew since I last saw Rachel Harris. It barely reached her shoulders, but it suited her.
“Long time no see! I mean, nice to meet you or something.”
I said so while smiling at her and sat down on the sofa on opposite side. Though Rachel sat down on the sofa, she observed my figure steadily and seemed to be looking for words.
Well, it wasn’t really surprising.
“From whom did you hear it?”
When I asked this, Rachel let out a breath as if trying to pull herself together.
“From Aunt……That’s your mother”
“I see”
Mother did say something about this a little while ago.
If we would go to the same Wexford Academy some of my circumstances should be explained.
They would surely cooperate. Even school life was full of anxiousness.
“What a disaster. Didn’t they catch that criminal who kidnapped you yet?”
“No”
I smile awkwardly.
In fact, it was covered up by the Judiciary Station that Gray Sterling’s first aim was Rachel, so this story didn’t reach her.
It should only have been told that I, Ariel Augustine, was kidnapped by a transforming magician and made to swap bodies with him.
People knowing about Gray Sterling are in the minority and the details about his murders were just known by the Judiciary Station. Of course it seems like they do inform the families of the crime victims, still, minors should be protected by the Judiciary Station.
Human rights and youth rehabilitation opportunities seem to be the reason.
However, it’s a ridiculous story. How could someone rehabilitate a monster such as Gray?
“But you’re quite courageous to enrol in such a state. If it was me I would lock myself up in the mansion.”
Rachel seemed to be slightly amazed. Well, it’s understandable.
I think I would have done that, too, staying inside a safe mansion. But I wouldn’t have a chance to get my body back if I did that.
There is some – – maybe great – – danger followed by this decision.
“I might be annoying, I’m sorry”
When I said this and lowered my head lightly, she laughed happily.
“You can’t find such an interesting story anywhere else. Wasn’t it decided that I would cooperate with you with all my power? First of all, is a strategy meeting necessary?”
“Thank you. Yes, I want to match up our stories.”
Claire carried tea with milk and a tea stand to the place we were talking at.
The sweets were very attractive when I became tired. I picked up one cup of milk tea and drank my share.
Then I notice Rachel staring at my gesture.
“What’s the matter?”
When I looked puzzled, Rachel returned with a wry smile.
“No, it’s just, I thought that your masculine gestures became so natural.”
“Because I was taught”
I snorted.
“I’m like this right now because only Rachel and Claire are here, but outside I completely change into a man.”
I looked at Claire waiting in the corner of the room and grinned.
Claire’s expression turned sour.
Then Rachel laughed and raised a quiet voice.
“You should join the drama club after all. I’ll welcome you.”
Rachel seemed to enjoy this situation. I groaned a little.
“I’ll think about it.”
