Chapter 15: The nobles are on a different level, huh?

Aside from the strange state in which Thadeus had found Maru when he went to invite her, he also noticed how she seemed very distracted, as if she were thinking deeply about a very complex matter that escaped her understanding.

When I asked her what was wrong, she just said it was nothing, even though it was obvious that wasn't true.

That worried him more than he let on, but the appearance of the Wyrvens made Thadeus put the subject aside for the moment to enjoy the view by his side.

Thadeus could only celebrate seeing that the old seer was right about the Wyrvens flying near the village this year, instead of elsewhere. 

He didn't quite understand what kind of magic you'd have to use to know such things yet, but he was grateful that this year he was able to witness the phenomenon—especially seeing how Maru gazed at the Wyrvens with almost as much admiration as he did, her delicate little mouth slightly agape.

It was kind of cute, he had to admit, and seeing her showing that emotion so openly made him feel strangely proud, maybe like he was watching his little sister grow up?

In any case, when the Wyrvens left and Maru's younger sister, Lily, came all cheerfully to tell them to come for breakfast, Maru's behavior seemed no different from usual. So Thadeus, once again, forgot the feeling of strangeness.

It was only when they started eating that things started to feel strange again.

Of course, it was very strange that Maru would start crying when she ate the simple soup that was prepared every morning at her mother's inn, and of course, it was even more absurd that she would call "Delicious" that simple food to which her delicate, noble tongue had to adapt over time.

Thadeus became seriously worried again and wondered if it was some strange dream or nightmare causing her to act like this. Of course, it was embarrassing that his concern was mistaken for flirting by the others, and he had to feign ignorance to spare them both the embarrassment... although being seen as an idiot by Maru and the others almost destroyed his facade.

No, maybe it was too much pretending not to know what flirting is... how embarrassing....

Anyway, concern for Maru grew within her chest, but due to the Magic study that Canelia wanted Maru to do every morning, she straightforwardly sent him home.

Of course, I couldn't accept such a thing. I still had to clarify what was wrong with Maru, obviously. I simply couldn't ignore whatever was happening.

That's why, even though he knew it could cause trouble, Thadeus quietly returned to the inn and peeked through the window into Maru's room. There he found her, clumsily holding her hand mirror in the air while she thought about what seemed like a very serious problem.

….Was his appearance being checked?

He wondered for a moment, thinking that Maru didn't seem like the vain type; though again, it would be odd if a girl as pretty as her didn't feel some pride in her appearance.

And among the nobility, Thadeus heard that being beautiful made women more attractive as brides. Well...though it was the same among commoners, so it wasn't a big deal.

Leaving those unimportant thoughts aside, Thadeus called out to Maru, causing her to jump in fright and fly from the mirror to the bed… Wow, he didn't expect that, and Maru herself didn't realize it as she angrily pointed at him for the involuntary scare he gave her.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you studying?” Holding back the amused laughter that he felt was threatening to rear its ugly head, Thadeus threw out the question with apparent indifference. He had to say it was very good, if he could say so himself.

“I was thinking about something very important until you scared me, idiot!” She exclaimed, annoyed by his blatant interruption of her thoughts.

That took him a little by surprise. Even when she'd rejected him so much in the past, he hadn't been this emotional…he felt strangely moved for a moment at the thought of her emotional growth, but he held it back.

She hated that he treated her like the village children, looking after them like an older brother.

“Didn’t I miss you, Mom?”

“And what could that be?”

Thadeus asked her curiously, leaning his hands against the window and deliberately ignoring her suspicious question.

“It’s none of your business—” Ñe shouted in annoyance, surprising him again with those reactions of hers that were so different from normal, before stopping for a moment.

His expression, which had been blank, seemed to lighten a little with some kind of realization, as if he'd just realized something important. And then, he spoke to her.

“Actually…I have something I want to ask you.”

She looked at him with a strangely serious expression, and Thadeus, absolutely intrigued, looked back at her expressionlessly.

What came out of his mouth in an uncertain voice that feigned indifference, of course, was totally unexpected. “You remember what my elemental spirits are, right?”

Do I remember what their elemental spirits are? Why are you asking me that?

He could only tilt his head for a moment in confusion, staring with his eyes at Maru, who blushed a little for some reason.

“Wasn’t it Light and Earth? Why are you asking me about Poshi and Tama anyway?” 

She immediately seemed relieved by that answer.....

Pochi and Tama, the sincerely ridiculous, extremely generic though no less cute names that Maru had given to his own Spirits, something that Thadeus couldn't help but see as adorable.

They were strange Spirits, resembling dogs and cats. Only instead of common animals... they were quite large and majestic. It made him wonder why Maru had such impressive Spirits, who seemed as defined as High-ranking Spirits, at least as far as he understood from his studies.

When he remembered those beings, he thought to himself, nobles are on a different level, huh?

It's not that Thadeus's own spirit wasn't great, it just didn't seem as intimidating as Maru's. Honestly, I was a little jealous…

Although he would never admit it.