I had heard that Craig would be visiting during the festival period, but I didn’t expect to run into him like this.
Even Yuli seemed to not have anticipated this, as her eyes widened in surprise.
“Father!”
Realizing that she wasn’t mistaken, Yuli immediately threw herself into her father’s embrace.
Craig, too, greeted his long-lost daughter with a gentle smile, tenderly patting her back at her affectionate approach.
This was a side of Craig not seen before their emotional gap had closed—a version of him whose emotional expression had become far richer compared to the past.
“But didn’t you say you’d come tomorrow?”
By chance seated together, Yuli sat beside me and asked Craig, who sat across from her.
“Hmm… It just happened this way.”
Craig covered his mouth with his thick fist and cleared his throat before averting his gaze and changing the subject.
“Where are your entourage? You’re here alone? I don’t see Sir Lupin either.”
“Heh heh… Isn’t the fact that we’ve had a rare father-daughter reunion all that matters?”
For some reason, Craig continued evading the questions.
His evasive nature made Yuli tilt her head inquisitively while maintaining eye contact with him. It was clear she wanted Craig to directly answer her inquiries.
“…They should be handling my duties at the estate in my stead.”
In essence, it meant he had come alone. Given that Craig didn’t have any particular business at the Celestial Festival, his statement implied he had abandoned his responsibilities just to see Yuli’s face.
“And anyway, it seems both of you have been doing well during my absence. Especially Alicia—your presence feels much stronger now. Despite how young you are, your growth is unbelievable. As for Yuli…”
Though he seemed a bit embarrassed, Craig found a way to deflect the conversation.
But even though his intent was initially to sidestep embarrassment, the gaze he cast on me and Yuli was unmistakably sharp.
Craig, who had lavishly praised me earlier, glanced at Yuli, adopting a somewhat stern but incongruous expression as he refrained from saying much.
Her tilted head bore a resemblance to Yuli’s but had a completely different feel to it.
“Hmm… Not quite sure. Sure, you still emanate the same aura and your movements are consistent, but it seems not so much about the power intensifying as it is about your quantity of energy expanding…”
Linne and the ghostly friends were so well-hidden that even the keen eye of Sword Master Craig couldn’t detect them.
“Uh… There’s actually something I’d like to talk about.”
“Hmm?”
After confirming no one was looking at her, Yuli brought Linne and the three ghostly companions outward at her signal.
“-Ah, hello…”
“Hmm…!”
At the sudden appearance of the ghosts next to and behind Yuli, Craig squinted his eyes and circled them with his gaze.
“…Some explanation will be necessary, I guess.”
At Yuli’s motion, Linne remained while the ghost trio discreetly went into stealth mode again. Yuli then began narrating to Craig what had happened: visiting the old school, meeting Linne and her ghostly friends, giving Linne her name, and making contracts with the other ghosts…
Of course, the act of making contracts was solely up to Yuli, so there was no need for her to seek approval from Craig.
However, Yuli gave Linne not only a name but also the surname “Atillea,” the name of their House.
Since the head of the Atilea House was Yuli’s father, Craig, her action essentially overstepped her authority—an infringement on the head of the house’s rights.
“Tsk… Tsk tsk… This is certainly an unexpected situation, and I’m rather flustered.”
After hearing Yuli’s explanation, Craig couldn’t hide his bafflement, chuckling nervously.
Leaving the tense Yuli to the side, Craig intercepted a passing waiter.
“Here, set up the most expensive dishes for three… no, four people. And bring us a bottle of the finest wine, please.”
Although such ostentatious orders usually leave a bad impression, the prestige of a Sword Master negated any such feelings.
Once the waiter left with the order, Craig leaned back casually in his chair.
“Right, you’re Linne, correct?”
“Yes, Yes, sire!”
Whether it was due to the tension of addressing Yuli’s father or the sharp aura of the Sword Master, Linne’s response was filled with alertness.
“Hmm… Although you’ve technically existed since the old school was built, you’re effectively older than me, but because you’ve only recently regained your self-awareness, I can presume we can dispense with formalities?”
Even though he was already using casual speech, he asked for permission anyway.
“Mut, of course!”
“Thanks. Even though such occurrences aren’t exceedingly rare, having to use formalities with a girl the same age as my daughter is rather awkward.”
“The wine you ordered will be served first. This is the premium wine from our store—the 21-year-old Blue Rain.”
Upon receiving the wine bottle and glass from the waiter who had arrived just in time, Craig filled the glass to the brim with wine.
“For the first time ever… Raising Yuli alone after her mother passed was no easy task. While my son was always self-sufficient and required little supervision, I failed in many ways with Yuli.”
“Father…”
Though the recent gap between father and daughter had closed rapidly, it seemed they had never had such a serious conversation before, for Yuli looked taken aback as she stared at Craig.
“Still, it seems Yuli has an eye for people. Thanks to her new friends, we’ve reconciled—even if it’s still an incomplete one.”
This must refer to me.
“As for that daughter of mine, she now even brings her own ‘Linne’ and introduces her as a friend, even as family. That’s the same girl who used to only know how to stubbornly follow without standing her ground.”
Craig slowly sipped the wine from his full glass.
Silent for a moment as if savoring the wine, Craig resumed speaking to Linne.
“For the first time, even though I don’t fully understand Linne, her innate qualities and aura seem more discernible given her incorporeal nature. My apologies for sensing your energy without permission, but it’s almost a habit now.”
“-No, it’s perfectly fine!”
“Anyway, Linne carries a remarkably pure energy. You must also be genuinely sincere towards my daughter, towards each other. Indeed, my daughter has an excellent eye for people.”
Though he could either tell a story or boast about his daughter, it was beyond my place to criticize the Sword Master.
Craig tilted his glass further and downed the remaining drink.
“Though I may not be skilled at expressing myself, I hope we cooperate well going forward, Linne. No, Linne Atillea, daughter of mine.”
“I’m sorry to take your time, but if it’s not too much trouble, would you care to go through a practice match with me? I’m quite curious about Miss Alicia’s swordsmanship since she’s now a hero.”
After spending a long time enjoying dinner while discussing various topics concerning Linne, Craig stepped outside the shop and addressed me directly.
“Actually, I’d be honored to ask the same. Is that okay with you, Yuli?”
A sparring match with Sword Master Craig would be more than welcome from my side.
Though Selian is also a Sword Master, sparring with Craig, who wields a different type of sword, would undoubtedly benefit me.
“…But today is our only day to enjoy the festival together. I want to spend as much time as possible together, which is why we left so early.”
However, thanks to Yuli’s insistence on staying together, it was hard to insist on my own stubbornness.
“Hmm, true. Sparring itself takes time, but considering the time needed to shower and change afterward… Maybe next time for the match…”
“A-Ah, no! When else will we spar together, father and the two of us? I’m fine, so please go ahead with it!”
Though momentarily thrown off by Yuli’s sudden change of attitude, thanks to her consideration for me, I managed to have my much-anticipated sparring session with Craig.
“I’ll just be a bit, let me freshen up and come back out.”
Back in the dormitory room.
With Selian and Anne both out on their own errands, the room was empty.
As we needed to get ready to watch the festival and cheer for Anne’s competition later in the afternoon, I quickly grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Click.
I locked the door as usual and started peeling off my clothes layer by layer, dropping them into the laundry bin.
Pouring cold water over myself, I replayed my match with Craig from earlier.
I had crossed swords with Craig a few times during the summer break, but the insights gained from this match felt quite different.
Since I became a hero, thanks to sparring with Selian, I have improved, allowing me to observe my opponent’s swordplay with a more discerning eye.
As I was replaying the match’s specifics and cooling down my still-heated body under the cold water,
Knock Knock.
“El? I’ll come in too.”
Caught off guard by the sudden knock and Yuli’s voice, I ought to have immediately dissuaded her, but the unexpected moment left me momentarily flustered as I heard the door handle turning.
Phew, at least the door is locked…
Click, Creak.
The doorknob turned, and Yuli came in.
What… What kind of idiot forgets to lock the door!?
