The one pulling the strings behind the kidnapping was the butler, Thomas.
He had connections with the scumbag noble that those lowlifes had mentioned.
That perverted noble had had his eye on the young miss for a while now, apparently wanting to have his way with that fierce, defiant little beast to his heart's content.
Thomas was blinded by greed, and he incorporated two men the perverted noble had provided into his plan.
Man, there really are some lowlifes out there.
Next time you do something like this, I'd really appreciate it if you'd give me a heads-up.
As for miscalculations—there was the fact that he didn't think I could use magic well enough to escape those two, and also that those two weren't exactly the most loyal employees.
The perverted noble managed to weasel his way out and never faced charges.
Something about Thomas's testimony not being enough, and both men being dead so they couldn't establish a connection to the perverted gentleman. Apparently there were various reasons.
I wasn't going to poke at the gray areas. It's all political maneuvering, you know.
The official story became that Ghislaine had solved the entire incident.
The idea was to make it known that the Sword King Ghislaine had been invited as a house guest to the
When I was questioned, I was also strictly ordered to say that Ghislaine had done everything.
Apparently, having my existence known to the other Greyrat families would be a bit problematic.
More political maneuvering, I suppose.
Wait— there are other branches...?
"So that's the situation. Understood?"
"As you wish~... sir."
I was receiving this explanation from Philip in the drawing room.
I'd always thought Philip was just the lord's son.
But it turned out he also held the position of mayor of Roa.
Apparently, the entire incident had been handled under Philip's oversight.
"Your daughter was kidnapped, and yet you're remarkably calm about it."
"Well, if she were still missing, I'd be panicking."
"Fair point."
"Now then, about the matter of
BANG!
Just as Philip and I were about to discuss future plans, that energetic old man burst through the door again, flinging it open with reckless force.
"I heard!"
It was Sauros.
He barged into the drawing room, walked right up to me, and grabbed my head in a firm grip.
Then he started ruffling my hair.
"So you're the one who saved Eris!"
"Wh-what, what are you talking about?
The secretary did it on her own. I didn't do anything!"
Sauros's eyes glinted dangerously.
S-scary!
"You! You dare lie to this old man!"
"N-no, Philip told me to say—"
"PHILIP!"
Sauros spun around and threw a punch.
There was a sickening thud.
Philip took the fist right to the face and tumbled behind the sofa.
How was he so fast?!
He punched Philip at a speed that made Eris's punches look like nothing.
Without a moment's hesitation...
"You! The man who saved your own daughter doesn't even get a word of thanks! You make him put on this ridiculous act of nobles exchanging pleasantries?!"
Philip, still on the floor, answered without missing a beat.
"Father.
I considered it proper etiquette to treat him with the warmth of family rather than through superficial courtesies and rewards."
He's used to this...
"Very well then!
By all means, put on your little noble act!"
Sauros dropped heavily onto the unoccupied sofa.
He apparently wasn't going to apologize for the punch.
Come to think of it, I never got an apology from Eris for hitting me either.
Or thanks for saving her... well, whatever.
"Rudeus!"
Sauros crossed his arms, tilted his chin up, and looked down at me with that condescending gaze.
I've seen this somewhere before.
"I have a favor to ask!"
Is that really how you ask someone for a favor?
And he looks just like Eris...
Well, I guess he's the original. Kids do imitate their elders, after all.
"I want you to teach Eris magic."
"That's—"
"Just a moment ago, Eris asked me to ask you on her behalf. She says the magic you used is burned into her eyes and she can't forget it."
I mean, it was literally burned into her eyes, so there's that.
"Of cour—"
I was about to agree immediately when I suddenly stopped myself.
Eris had probably turned out the way she did because Sauros spoiled her rotten.
I can't say that was the only reason, but judging from how she imitates him, the influence must be enormous.
If I wanted Eris to grow as a person, I'd have to put a stop to the spoiling.
If I wanted to raise Eris properly...
No, wait. I had no obligation to raise Eris properly.
But at this rate, I wasn't sure if I could even conduct proper lessons.
I should start tackling things one by one, beginning with the most visible issues.
"That's not something you should be saying, Lord Sauros. That's something Eris herself should be asking me."
"What did you say?!"
Sauros suddenly flew into a rage and raised his fist.
I hurriedly shielded my face with my hands.
What is he, a nuclear bomb, this old man...?
"Y-you want to ask a favor, but you're too proud to bow your head? Is that really the kind of adult you want to raise Eris to be?"
"Hoh! Now that's what I'm talking about! You're absolutely right!"
Sauros brought his raised fist down on his knee with a thud and nodded grandly.
Then, at the top of his lungs: "ERIIIIIS! Get in here right now!"
I thought my eardrums were going to burst.
What kind of lung capacity do you need to produce a shout like that...?
But just like Eris, did this mansion seriously have no culture of relaying messages through the servants?
Barbarians...
Philip sat back down on the sofa, and a different butler—I'd later learn his name was Alphonse—closed the door that had been left wide open.
I found out later that since Sauros tended to arrive like a storm and leave like a storm, they didn't bother closing the door right away.
Apparently he liked to fling doors open by pushing, but wasn't fond of pulling them open. The whims of a spoiled old man.
After a while, I heard the pitter-patter of running footsteps.
"I'm here!"
She didn't have quite the same force as her grandfather, but Eris threw open the door energetically and strode in.
Apparently, all of Eris's behavior was modeled after her grandfather.
Kids really do imitate their elders.
If I hadn't been punched on the first day, I might have found it endearing.
But let me say this plainly.
This needed to stop too.
When Eris saw me sitting there, she jutted her chin up and glared at me.
Was that some kind of intimidation pose passed down directly from the Boreas family?
"Grandfather, did you talk to him about what I asked?!"
Sauros sprang to his feet, crossed his arms, and looked down at Eris.
"ERIIIIIS! If you want to ask a favor, then bow your own head!"
Eris's mouth pressed into a tight frown.
"But Grandfather, you said you'd ask for me..."
"If you won't ask yourself, then Rudeus's employment is off the table!"
Huh?
...Wh-what did he say?!
Wait, it... it leads to that?
Oh, right, of course it would... yeah, I see...
That's a problem...
Is this what they mean by "you reap what you sow"...?!
"Grrr...!"
Eris's face turned bright red as she glared at me.
That wasn't embarrassment. That was pure rage and humiliation.
If her grandfather weren't here, that look said she'd chase me to the ends of the earth and grind me into mincemeat.
Scary...
"P-please..."
"Is that how you ask someone a favor?!"
Sauros roared.
That's rich coming from you, I thought.
No, well, surely when he's the one asking, he's perfectly sincere...
Or so I thought, until Eris grabbed her long red hair right at the roots.
She twisted it into two buns at her temples.
Makeshift twin tails.
And in that exact pose, she delivered a sparkling wink.
"E-Eris would like you to teach her magic, nyaa~☆"
--- Hah!
It was a dream.
I'd blacked out.
Must have been a nightmare.
"Reading and writing aren't necessary, nyaa~☆"
Uwaaaahhh!
It's not a dream!
Wh-what. What is happening?!
Did the Dimensional Link System activate on its own?!
Someone hurry up and develop the Two-Dimensional Link System and send me to an anime world already!
"Arithmetic isn't necessary either, nyaa~☆"
In any case, this is terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
It's supposed to be a cute pose, but all I feel is primal fear.
Her mouth is smiling, but her eyes aren't.
Those are the eyes of a predator.
Wait—is THIS what "asking for a favor" looks like in this world?!
Huh?
Huh?
"Just magic is fine, nyaa~☆"
Wait, are you kidding me?!
This is actually worse than before!
Look at Eris's face!
Her face is flushed red with rage!
If we weren't in this situation, that look said she'd uppercut me from the depths of hell all the way to heaven!
That's anger at 8, humiliation at 2, and embarrassment at 0...!
S-Sauros, grandpa, please, lay it on her for real!
"Oh my, my~ Little Eris is just adorable! Of course that's just fine! Right, Rudeus~"
Who is this man?!
Where did my stern, reliable grand-uncle go?!
"The old master absolutely adores beastfolk. When Lady Ghislaine was hired, it was decided on the spot with a single word."
The butler helpfully explained.
Ah, I see now. Those things on the side of her head are ears, not a tail. Now that he mentions it, they do look like floppy ears.
There were a lot of maids who were beastfolk too.
Ohhh, I get it now.
Oh boy...
"Eris."
And now Eris's father makes his entrance!
Oh, you're here too!
Come on, lay it on her for real, Philip!
"You need to push your hips forward more and arch your back, don't you?"
Right, got it.
So the Greyrat family—Paul included—is basically a collection of people like this.
Paul might actually be the most normal one in the bunch.
"Um, Lord Sauros...
May I... ask you one thing...?"
"What is it?"
"Do... do men use that method of showing gratitude too?"
"You fool! A man should act like a man!"
I got scolded, though I'm not entirely sure why.
He's the most normal after all.
In terms of sexual preferences, Paul's the most normal one.
That guy just likes big boobs.
B-but calm down.
Think about this calmly.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing for me?
"...I see~"
I took another calm look at Eris.
She had that expression of someone barely holding back rage and humiliation.
Like a lion biting at iron bars...
But if you don't think about the consequences, this isn't exactly a bad deal?
No, wait—think about it the other way.
Think about the consequences.
Right, Eris doesn't want this!
She's opposed to this custom!
If I were to demand this kind of favor from her when we're alone...
A few minutes later, there'd be nothing left of me but a shredded mess.
Right, the opposite. I need to abolish this custom!
"IS THAT HOW YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR A FAVOR?!"
My booming voice echoed throughout the mansion.
After that, I launched into an extended speech that lasted for hours.
In the end, my passion got through, and the Boreas-style of "asking for favors" was completely abolished.
I received words of praise from Ghislaine.
And for some reason, Eris looked at me with cold, piercing eyes.