The arrival of the younger brother and the grandfather’s rampage.

Lovell stood with a cold gaze fixed on Agiel and the others when a frantic man’s voice rang out from outside.

"Lord Brother has returned, I heard!"

The man who burst into the entrance hall was broad-shouldered, his face shadowed with a beard that echoed Lovell’s father’s likeness.

"...Sauvel? You’ve grown to look just like Father."

Sauvel stammered, catching sight of Lovell turning to greet him with open arms.

"What... what on earth... Brother... your appearance... it’s..."

"Thank the gods you’re safe. I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long. I’ve put you through hell."

"Ah... Brother..."

Sauvel wrapped his arms around his younger brother’s broad shoulders, gently patting the bent back with affection. He’d somehow grown taller than Lovell—something that made the passage of ten years suddenly, painfully real.

It was a touching reunion, yet a shrill, out-of-place voice tore through the moment.

"Ah, Sauvel, perfect timing!! Hurry up and divorce me already!!"

The servants around them stirred in murmurs at Agiel's words.

"...You haven't changed at all, have you."

Sauvel narrowed his eyes, glaring at Agiel the moment he laid eyes on her.

"Again, you've been spending the household funds without permission. How many times do I have to tell you your brain won't understand this?! That money is for the people, not you!!"

"What are you talking about? Isn’t this normal? If I don’t dress up, this house will be trampled on! Honestly, I’m doing you a favor—shouldn’t you be grateful?!"

Lovell calmly observed the two arguing as if it were routine, right in front of the servants.

Their bickering was clearly nothing new. The servants looked uncomfortable, but there was also a strange familiarity in their expressions—like they’d seen this act a hundred times before.

I’d always thought children were blameless, but seeing Agiel look down on his younger brother with such contempt—well, if Agiel’s been raised like that, then he’s just as guilty as Sauvel. Lovell decided he’d have no mercy.

“Sauvel, Agiel. Don’t parade the family’s shame. Save it for later.”

“Brother!”

“Oh my! You’re quite the perceptive one, Lovell-sama, aren’t you? Truly understand me.”

“Whatever you say won’t matter. You don’t even have the brainpower to understand.”

Sauvel sighed, admitting Lovell was right.

Agiel, meanwhile, didn’t seem to realize he was being spoken about at all—grinning like he’d won some great victory. Probably thought Lovell had taken his side because of his self-centered logic.

“Sauvel, I need to talk to you.”

“Y-yes, Brother…”

“Lauren, I’m leaving for the castle tomorrow. Send word ahead. And notify the judicial office too.”

The butler named Lauren bowed low, replying, “Yes, my lord…”

“Brother… the judicial office…”

“It’s your divorce proceedings. Agiel wants it.”

Beside Sauvel, who sucked in a breath, Agiel was cheering happily.

The judicial office wasn’t the church—it was a separate organization. When disputes arose, it made legal judgments based on rules, such as breaking a magical ceremony that had been formally approved. Marriage was a vow to God, so the church handled that. Divorce, though, fell under the jurisdiction of the judicial office.

But when dissolving a marriage, the one responsible was judged as having broken their oath to God.

“Tomorrow, you two will go to the judicial office. I’ll be there to witness it.”

No one dared object to Lovell’s words, the one who ruled this place.

“Sauvel, let’s go.”

With his younger brother beside him, Lovell headed upstairs.

＊＊＊

Lovell headed toward the men-only cigar room, plopping down onto the sofa and crossing his legs. Leaning against the armrest, he pressed a hand to his forehead, as if suppressing a headache, and let out a deep breath—expelling the pent-up frustration he’d been carrying.

I’ve heard the general idea from Albert...

Ah… I’m sorry she’s been running your house like it’s her own.

Lovell ordered the younger brother to sit down.

That broad frame of his—look at him from the side, and he’s a perfect mirror of Father.

I remember my father’s heroic form, fighting beside me in that monster storm. He died protecting his subordinates. He died protecting Albert.

My brother, who couldn’t be more different from Father in personality, was naturally timid.

The look on her face—exhausted from all the trouble that woman keeps stirring up—is painfully, painfully awful.

"Even that won't last past tomorrow. Tomorrow, we’re kicking those women out."

"...Even the child?"

"Isn’t that child clearly not yours?"

"...I don’t know."

"What do you mean?"

"...The day that woman came here, I lost it. Drank myself into a stupor..."

The moment I heard that, I realized it.

"Ah. I was set up."

"Learned something useful, really—when you’re in a situation like this, men just… collapse. Literally."

I can already picture it—waking up to Agiel sneaking into my bed. The thought makes me shiver.

Lovell pats Sauvel’s shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Aguel claims that child isn’t Sauvel’s."

"...Huh?"

"Probably arguing that if she’d married me, it’d be mine by default. Honestly, though? Perfect timing."

"Brother?"

"Tomorrow, I’ll have to explain the reason for the divorce at the Ministry of Justice. You keep your mouth shut. Got it?"

"Wh-what do you mean? Am I gonna get punished or something?"

"Of course not. That woman’s gonna destroy herself. If you don’t want to get dragged into it, don’t say a word. Understood?"

Sauvel had no choice but to nod, silenced by Lovell’s tone—no room for argument.

Seeing Lovell abruptly shut down the conversation, Sauvel stared at his brother, really stared.

The man hadn’t changed a bit in ten years. Or… wait. There *was* a difference. His hair. His eyes.

"Ah… Brother… Where’ve you been these past ten years…?"

"Ah. The Spirit World."

"…What kind of form is that…?"

"…………"

Sauvel sank into silence, suddenly realizing he shouldn’t have asked.

"Let’s have Lauren and Albert join us too."

With that, Lovell rang the built-in bell.

He ordered Lauren to fetch Albert, and when the two entered the room, he commanded them to take seats at the table.

Once everyone was present, Lovell cast a soundproof barrier around the room. No listening in, not even a whisper.

The spirit mirror of the Spirit World reflected absolute truth. Even with the barrier up, his wife and child would keep watching from the other side.

"I spent ten years in the Spirit World. Waking up every year or so. This is my apology... I refused to return, thinking I’d be forced into marriage with Agiel if I did."

Lauren and the others seemed to understand his pain—deeply.

They all knew, viscerally, the burden Lovell had carried since childhood, constantly followed by Agiel. They each inhaled sharply, then nodded in quiet understanding.

"Never thought that woman would end up marrying my brother... Not only left the family affairs to her, but her too... I’m sorry, Sauvel. You truly kept the house together."

"Ah, Brother...!"

Sauvel was overwhelmed by Lovell’s bowed head. For a moment, Lovell looked unexpectedly gentle.

"I found someone I love out there. We’re already married."

The bombshell announcement left Lauren and Sauvel frozen in shock.

"Please, keep this quiet until the time comes. My wife is the Queen of the Spirit World, Origin."

Lovell continued, as the three of them stood speechless.

"I became a son-in-law in that world. I even have a daughter now. She’s incredibly cute—just like her mother."

Lovell smiled on, and the three of them could only stare, mouths agape, utterly stunned.

Lovell had changed so much. No—this was Lovell’s true self. Here, beneath the shadow of Agiel, was the real Lovell, long hidden away.

“Sauvel, I’ve heard you’ve got a family now. If that woman vanishes, bring your household here.”

“Eh…?”

“Doesn’t matter if she’s from the common folk. In fact, nobility’s been more trouble than help.”

Lovell chuckled at Sauvel’s stunned silence, words failing him entirely.

Lovell’s words amounted to the same thing as handing the household over to Sauvel.

“I—I’m not fit to be master… I’ve learned that painfully over the past ten years! Won’t you come back, brother?!”

“I won’t inherit this house. …You understand, don’t you? Seeing me like this?”

The same face. Unchanged. Still young.

“I’ve become half-spirit. The world of mortals must be run by mortals.”

Lauren was already quietly dabbing at her overflowing tears with a handkerchief, her voice tinged with a faint sadness.

Albert clenched his fist, biting his lip. But Sauvel didn’t back down.

“But! But you should still be able to stay by my side!! Humans and spirits can coexist!! Please… don’t take my family away anymore… I want to stay with my family!! Don’t leave me alone again!!”

Sauvel’s desperate words made Lovell’s eyes widen in shock.

After losing both his father and older brother, Sauvel had been so lonely.

Then, just as his mother had sunk into silence and despair, Agiel had shown up—ripping through their home like a storm.

Sure, there had been allies. But Agiel’s presence only twisted everything worse.

When asked about his mother, she’d moved to a separate cottage, refusing all contact with them now.

Sauvel had spent the past ten years—alone, separated from his family, holding the household together all by himself.

“Can’t you help, brother?! I can’t do this on my own! The vassals are cheering, saying you’ve come back!”

“……”

True enough. Thanks to the servants’ commotion, Lovell had been dragged back into the public eye.

If he vanished now, the uproar would only start again. What was Lovell supposed to do about this, he wondered, caught in a knot of thought.

Across the water mirror, Mother and I exchanged glances.

“Papa, you’re worried, aren’t you?”

“Ah, what’s there to worry about?”

“Shall we go check on the herb? The woman you promised to meet isn’t here, after all.”

“Why, that’s a lovely idea! Nice one, Elen-chan!”

Mother beamed, hugging me tightly before teleporting us away.

From midair, the sudden appearance of those women made Sauvel and the others stagger back in shock.

"You. What's got you so worked up? You can't just ignore the family you love, now can you?"

"Papa, you don't have to worry about it."

Mother and I cornered Father, and Lovell just gave a strained smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Your heart’s already made up, isn’t it?"

"Yeah... I can’t win against this."

Father wrapped both Mother and me in a single embrace, then kissed us both, softly.

"Yeah, I get it. Sauvel."

Lovell, having made up his mind, spoke to his brother in a gentle voice.

"I’ll be your aide. I’m not disappearing. You can rest easy."

With that, Lovell declared he’d stand guard over the territory protected by the Monster Tempest, and together with the people, bear the burden.

"Anyway, the real fight’s tomorrow. Got it?"

His eyes sharpened with resolve. The three men, overjoyed to tears, could only nod in agreement.

＊＊＊

When the three men’s tears had finally settled, Lovell introduced his wife as Origin.

“Introduce her at all? I’ve been right beside you all along, haven’t I?”

“True enough.”

“Why… Lovell-sama, you were bound to that Spirit King all along…”

“Yeah, well, it’s not like I’m surprised.”

“Even more—your heir…”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Elen, my father’s daughter.”

As the lady bowed, I noticed Lauren’s face go all soft and dreamy.

“Why, why, what a darling. So like her mother, utterly sweet, and her father’s hair quirks just as they were… How kind of you to introduce me. I’m Lauren, the household steward. Please, call me Grandpa.”

“Grandpa?”

I tilted my head, confused, and Lauren just cackled, “Hohoho,” her face all mushy.

"Good heavens!! I’ve got myself a cute, cute grandchild!! Wonderful, Lovell-sama, Origin-sama!!"

"Lauren, don’t go off the rails."

"No, no!! This is it!! This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for all these years!! I won’t give this up for anything!!"

Staring straight at the runaway grandpa.

Funny how it felt like watching my own dad lose it—somehow, it made him feel familiar.

"Miss Elen, please, tell this grandpa anything you like. Grandpa’ll do his best!!"

With eyes sparkling with excitement, I decided to finally say what I’d been holding back.

"Grandpa..."

"Yes? What is it?"

"This room... it stinks."

Pinching my nose and pouting, I spoke. Lovell and the others suddenly seemed to remember something and started panicking.

"Move the room!! This room’s bad for Elen’s body!!"

That’s when I found out—this room was a men-only smoking room.