A Summons from My Father
A month had passed since the resolution of Craig's incident.
While working on an assignment in my room, I found myself reflecting on my life as a student so far.
When we first enrolled, Connie and I were outsiders in our class, but now we had fully integrated.
Connie, in particular, had drawn attention from many male students who had finally noticed her charm.
For a while, she was receiving daily confessions, but she turned them all down with, “Everything about me belongs to Young Master Lake.”
This naturally earned me some resentment from the guys, but in the end, their conclusion was to leave the "commoners" to handle things among themselves.
Lately, the confessions had dwindled to almost none.
Talk about sour grapes.
Not just the guys—Connie’s looks, style, and her talent as a mage had begun captivating even the girls.
The fact that someone as exceptional as Connie was so devoted to me made me wonder if I wasn’t a bit of a sinful man myself.
Still, I preferred to avoid any actions that might stoke animosity.
To me, these people were more than peers—they were future business partners, essential to my plans.
By winning their favor now, I would pave the way for their support later.
After graduation, when they faced challenges, they’d turn to the Gallard Company for solutions.
Others in the company would handle the problem-solving, and I’d simply sit back and enjoy the hefty profits.
A flawless plan, if I do say so myself.
I’d already secured two valuable allies in Lucina and Connie.
Their loyalty to me seemed to grow stronger with each passing day.
My plans were proceeding so smoothly it was almost unsettling.
The last piece of my pre-enrollment strategy awaited execution.
I had already received approval from the academy, so now it was just a matter of preparation.
Yes, everything was coming together.
My vision of a life of indulgence and ease in this world was nearly within reach.
“Master Lake, may I have a moment?”
I was mid-assignment when Lucina knocked at my door.
Though I’d asked her to leave me alone until I’d finished, her timing suggested something important had come up.
Opening the door, I found Lucina holding a small piece of paper.
“What’s that?”
“A letter from the master.”
“From Father?”
That was unusual.
Even if trouble arose, I wouldn’t have expected him to call on me.
Taking the letter from her, I unfolded it on the spot.
The contents read:
“Return home the day after tomorrow during your break.”
“That’s quite sudden.”
“Indeed… Could something have happened?”
The academy schedule allowed for one day of rest after five days of classes.
Any additional absences required special approval.
With many students frequently stepping out for noble obligations, absences weren’t uncommon, though supplementary lessons were often required afterward.
Leaving Lucina to handle the necessary arrangements for my leave, I contemplated my father’s abrupt summons.
“What about Connie?”
“Connie?”
“I think she’d be delighted to accompany you if invited.”
“Hmm… introducing her to Father isn’t a bad idea.”
Once I officially took over a branch of the trading company after graduation, Connie would become an indispensable asset.
A prior introduction might make things smoother later on.
“Alright, I’ll invite her tomorrow.”
“Understood. Please make sure to phrase it in a way that avoids any misunderstandings.”
“Misunderstandings? What do you mean?”
“… Never mind.”
What kind of reaction was that?
I’m just inviting her to meet my father. How could that be misconstrued?
Lucina’s as sharp as ever, but sometimes I just don’t get her.
◇◇◇
“An introduction to Young Master Lake’s father at his family estate!?”
The next day, when I brought up the idea to Connie in class, she seemed stunned, and the other students nearby were equally abuzz.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“N-No, not exactly, but… it’s all so sudden…”
“I see. I won’t force you. If it’s too much—”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t go!”
Connie raised her voice unexpectedly, then took a deep breath, muttered something under her breath, and steeled herself with a determined “Alright!”
Does she really need that much resolve just to visit my family?
“I understand. I’ll do my best to earn your father’s approval!”
“Good. –Wait, what?”
Something about her tone felt a little off at the end… Maybe it was just my imagination.
Even the surrounding students were reacting strangely.
“So they’re already at the ‘introduce to the parents’ stage?”
“Ugh, so jealous…”
“Well, with them winning the Best Couple Award at the ball, it’s just a matter of time before they officially end up together.”
Let them talk. I wasn’t going to dwell on the gossip.
All I could hope was that my father’s summons didn’t involve some unpleasant complication.
What do you think about this chapter?
