Mushoku Tensei: Sword, Magic Hats, and the Romance System [115]

Lunch passed in an oddly quiet atmosphere after the round of introductions.

Eris, full and satisfied, glanced at Hilda—who was still absentmindedly stirring her untouched bowl of soup—then at the others across the table.

—Except for Ghislaine, who’d finished eating at lightning speed and was already wiping her mouth, Allen, Sylphy, and Rudeus barely touched their food. They looked more like they were here out of politeness than appetite.

With that, Eris sprang from her seat, announcing her desire to take the others out, and bolted from the dining room with Hilda’s gentle “it’s fine” trailing behind her.

She then spent the entire afternoon dragging the group through a whirlwind tour of the estate.

By sunset, they were introduced to Eris’s etiquette tutor—Edna.

She was a middle-aged woman with gentle crow’s feet framing her round face, and her eyes narrowed kindly when she smiled. She radiated an approachable, motherly warmth.

Edna hailed from a noble household in Roa City and was said to have re-educated Hilda from top to bottom on the intricacies of high Asuran noble protocol before her marriage into the Boreas family.

Hilda had been so pleased with her that, when it came time to choose an etiquette tutor for Eris, she personally requested Edna for the job.

Thanks to both her mother’s preference and Edna’s naturally gentle demeanor, Eris—though still her usual blunt self—never truly gave the woman a hard time. Unlike her usual attitude toward instructors, she had a sort of unspoken respect for this teacher who was so close to her mother.

After introductions, Edna—having already heard bits and pieces about the family's turbulent outing the day before—noticed the fatigue on everyone’s faces. She kept things brief, simply teaching the three new tutors a few basic etiquette points. They agreed to finalize schedules the next day, and she made a hasty but courteous departure.

It was worth noting that, in the short time they spent together, Edna praised Allen’s learning aptitude quite highly. Her compliments were frequent—he was quick to absorb, his posture was more correct than Sylphy’s or Rudeus’s, and his mannerisms were already well-refined.

This delighted Lady Eris.

Amid the steady stream of compliments, she leaned against the wall, arms crossed, lips pursed in pride. With her head tilted higher and higher—practically gazing at the ceiling—her smug expression practically screamed: “See? This is the tutor I chose myself. Not bad, right?”

She was visibly pleased with herself.

That might’ve been Edna’s true talent: the rare ability to be loved by both Hilda and Eris. No wonder she was the only tutor besides Ghislaine who’d “survived” this long.

Eventually, in her soaring good mood—and with two days and a night of poor sleep catching up to her—Eris fell asleep on her feet, slumped against the wall.

Very much in character.

She was the mad dog who slept on haystacks in the stables, after all.

The strong don’t complain about their environment.

...

By the time Allen, Sylphy, and Rudeus had finished their baths, the moon was already high in the night sky.

The darkness outside hadn’t crept into the Boreas estate—candle sconces lined the hallways on both sides, flickering orange light stretching gently down the corridor.

Three shadows swayed in the firelight.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

After the chorus of goodbyes, silence.

No one moved.

All three of them stood with hands on their doorknobs, but no one turned them.

Rudeus glanced at Allen and Sylphy, then withdrew his hand and scratched the back of his head.

“You know… this feels kinda weird. It’s nothing like Buena Village. I guess the last time we lived this close together was when Roxy-sensei came to visit… Actually, that’s not quite right. Back then, both Father and Mother were still around. Now it’s just the three of us. Feels… different.”

Sylphy’s white hair was still damp. She looked sideways at Allen, then at Rudeus.

“Mm. It’s my first time away from my parents too. A lot happened today, didn’t it? And sleeping alone tonight… feels strange. I always sleep with Mom.”

As soon as they finished—

They heard Allen chuckle.

They both looked up.

Allen was rubbing his chin, shaking his head slightly. A faint smile tugged at his lips—the same familiar smile he used to wear back in Buena Village.

They looked at one another.

Then burst into quiet laughter.

They didn’t know why.

But it was comforting.

That moment of warmth—so simple, so real—melted the tension that had hovered over them all day.

The discomfort of stepping into a new environment, the pressure, the unspoken weight—gone, just like that.

Because right now, even in an unfamiliar place, even with uncertain days ahead, the people around them were still familiar.

There were no strangers.

It almost felt like they were back in Buena Village—in the Greyrat household—just having another little reunion after two years apart.

A strange, wonderful feeling.

Rudeus watched Allen’s expression relax, and he too felt the tightness in his chest ease.

The mood softened.

He paused, then asked the question that had been on his mind all day.

“Allen… you didn’t seem like yourself today. Was it because you’re back with your real family? Also—about time you finally smiled. You had me worried all day. You sure you’re okay?”

Sylphy nodded beside him. A few strands of damp white hair swung forward and stuck to her forehead, still slick with post-bath moisture.

“I was worried about Allen too.”

Allen shrugged, letting his gaze linger on Sylphy’s face for a moment before replying.

“I guess I felt a little out of place. Even though I’m here as a tutor… still, being here makes you think. You saw how Sauros looked—he clearly doesn’t want me around. But I’m really fine.”

He looked at them both and smiled.

“Sorry to make you worry.”

He glanced at Sylphy, then Rudeus.

“Get some rest, alright? None of us really slept well last night.”

He paused, then said:

“Instead of ‘good night’—how about we say, ‘see you tomorrow’?”

“Makes it feel like there’s something to look forward to. Don’t you think?”

Sylphy and Rudeus exchanged a look. The concern on their faces faded just a bit. Sylphy blinked.

It was just a simple change of words.

But thinking about seeing Allen and Rudeus again tomorrow—just that thought—was enough to wash away her nervousness. It was her first time leaving home. First time being truly on her own.

She looked at Allen’s smiling face.

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

Rudeus let out a goofy chuckle.

As an old neet, new environments didn’t faze him. He didn’t feel the anxiety of a kid staying at school overnight or being far from home. He’d just been worried about Allen, that was all. Now that he saw Allen’s mood had improved, he finally relaxed.

Sure, Allen acted like the de facto leader of their little trio—but Rudeus still liked to think of himself as the eldest.

So he couldn't help feeling like the “dad” watching over the others.

“Alright~ see you tomorrow.”

With those varied voices, the door handles began to turn.

Rudeus and Sylphy stepped into their rooms one after another.

Allen and Sylphy exchanged a brief glance.

Allen on the left, Sylphy on the right.

Her white hair swayed, then settled.

The doors closed.

Allen shook his head slightly.

Lowered his gaze.

Turned the handle.

Opened the door.

Stepped into his room—

And stopped.

He blinked.

Then looked up.

Standing in front of him—

Were four beastkin maids, neatly lined up in a row.

They bowed in perfect unison.

Each voice unique in timbre, but delivered with synchronized harmony:

“Good evening.”

“Allen-sama.”

---

T/N: OHOHOHOHO

This is a fan translation of 无职转生：剑，魔法帽与恋爱系统 by 意外火灾 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!