The Softest And Cutest Of The Dukes - Chapter 74

CHAPTER 74

Rafi always used to sleep with Duke Panteur, and when Eugene came, she would share a bed with Eugene. However, today, Duke Panteur couldn’t sleep with her due to being very busy.

Alone in bed, Rafi was easily overwhelmed by history lessons and magic practice. Seeing the deeply asleep Rafi, Ciel, who had been lying on the floor cushion, jumped up.

Even though Rafi was sound asleep to the point that you wouldn’t notice even if you tickled him, Ciel placed his head on Rafi’s face.

“Ugh, Ciel, I like i.”

Even in his sleep, Rafi, feeling Ciel’s fur, smiled sweetly.

Seeing Rafi’s hand naturally reaching out, Ciel placed his pink jelly paw on Rafi’s small hand. Ciel’s body suddenly felt a strange sensation when looking at Rafi. 

The tiny kitten’s silhouette slowly began to grow, until it transformed into a cute little boy who looked about five years old.

His black fur disappeared, revealing fair white skin. A long tail swung back and forth between the pointy ears that had risen between his black hair and his buttocks.

“Rafi….”

Rafi was the only one in the room, his golden eyes dazed. The moon shifted in position, casting shadows, but Ciel’s eyes remained fixed on Rafi. Ciel’s reddish-gold lips curved in a gaze so sweet and sticky that golden honey dripped from them.

He traced Rafi’s chubby cheeks.

The soft and squishy feeling made Rafi’s ears tremble slightly.

“Rafi, I like you….”

The low voice, as if resonating in the air, quietly spread around but disappeared. Instead, Ciel, who had turned into a human shape, embraced Rafi and fell sound asleep.

* * *

My Ciel has changed.

The cat who used to always go outside now enters the room when it’s time for lessons with Edward. Then, he sits down at the desk, and we study together.

Usually, cats would get bored and fall asleep while listening, but Ciel’s eyes were sparkling.

“All right! We’ll end today’s lesson with this. See you next time.”

“Yes, teacher.”

As soon as Edward’s lesson ended, I immediately packed my things. It was time to go to the Duke Tigris’ estate to study magic. I filled my bag with colorful jelly and candy, a masterpiece from the Agape.

“Are you going to the Duke Tigris’ estate now?”

“Yes.”

Just as my father came inside, he took a deep breath and picked me up.

“I don’t want my daughter to have to do anything.”

“I’ll be a mage.”

“Why don’t you become a knight like mother and father? It takes a long time to become a mage.”

He told me that becoming a knight was possible after ten years at the academy. But the path of a magician is hard and I have to study until I die.

“But, Rafi wants to become a magician.”

I had never even dreamed of becoming a knight. Moreover, my physical strength was weak and I was clumsy. The thought of taking knight lessons and rolling in the training grounds was terrifying to me.

On the other hand, studying at the Duke Tigris’ estate, where I had previously experienced being a magician, was very easy. It was more like a review. 

If only I had an abundance of mana, I would quickly rise to the ranks of magicians. But that wasn’t the case. 

In reality, those who fell into a different world or became possessed seemed to have an abundance of talent. Otherwise, they used their knowledge of the future for business or other means.

I had to climb step by step for the first time. Fortunately, what’s more important to me than anything else is having a family that supports me more than anything else.

“Rafi, if becoming a magician is ever too hard, just let us know. Father doesn’t like the idea of our Rafi struggling to learn something.”

“Yes.”

“By the way, how is Edward’s lesson?”

“I like it. It’s fun.”

“Just as Edward always says, our Rafi is so smart that it’s a problem. Haha, maybe you could try some other lessons this time. For example, politics, economics…”

He said I didn’t have to do anything, but it seemed like he was trying to tie me down with studying as if he didn’t want me to go to the Tigris Duchy so often. I understood my father’s ploy and nodded, smiling.

I had no intention of delving into subjects like politics, but I had no choice but to take the succession lessons. For now, studying magic was the most comfortable and enjoyable.

“Well, then, let Colin learn it. Rafi loves magic.”

“Who wouldn’t like Rafi going? But still, don’t forget to keep in touch with Erika. Lately, she seems a bit upset because you’re busy.”

“I also keep in touch with them.”

These days, I had lessons with Edward in the morning, and I studied magic at the Duke Tigris’ estate in the afternoon. If I calculated my travel distance, I might have crossed this continent several dozen times.

“Still, don’t forget to keep in touch with your sister. See you tonight, then.”

“Yes, Father, bye!”

When we arrived at the warp gate, I quickly exchanged a brief farewell and hug with my Father. Then I stepped inside the warp gate, leaving him behind. 

Suddenly, Ciel jumped into my arms. For a moment, my Father’s eyes seemed to slightly furrow, but in the blink of an eye, we were already leaving the Panteur’s estate.

“Welcome! Our young lady! We’ve been waiting for you.”

Today, Helena was waiting for me. As expected, there were many family members in this household, so I was never alone.

“I’m here, Helena.”

“Oh, welcome! Our young lady, you’re a bit late, aren’t you?”

With a smile, Helena reached out her hand to me. I held her hand, and we took small steps together. Helena’s face lit up with a smile as she matched my pace.

“Today, you’ll be studying magic. By the way, Grandfather’s birthday is in a few days.”

“Grandfather’s birthday?”

“Yes, that’s right. So, we’re going to get you a special dress. You see, I have a little wish—I want to match dresses with our young lady!”

I remembered seeing Helena’s bucket list in her room a while back. It mentioned matching couple dresses with her daughter.

“Sounds good. After studying, let’s go.”

“Yes, my dear, see you later.”

“Yes. Grandfather! Rafi is here!”

“Oh, our Rafi, you’re one minute and fifty seconds late today.”

I called out while running to my grandfather, who had been waiting at the building entrance. He embraced me and, as usual, took me to my grandmother. Since I had come here, it was customary to pay my respects to my grandmother.

“Grandma!”

“Our sweet little bean is here.”

My recently healthier grandmother kissed my cheek softly and then gently stroked my hair as if to say I looked pretty.

“Hehe, Grandma, I like it.”

“I love our Rafi the most.”

After the simple greetings, I settled into my grandfather’s embrace and started studying magic. Normally, I was taught by Daniel or Aiden, but today, my grandfather took the lead.

“Isn’t studying magic the best, our Rafi?”

“Yes, studying magic is fun.”

“That’s right! It’s such a relief you didn’t take after your mother. Now, shall we get down to serious study?”

I was in awe of my grandfather, who effortlessly cast high-level spells as if he were having a meal. I had never seen a magician like him, even in the Benedict Empire.

“Wow! Grandpa, you’re amazing!”

“Am I? Isn’t Grandpa the coolest? Hehe.”

With a few extra wrinkles on his shoulders, my grandfather began teaching me intermediate-level magic. I had already moved past the beginner level, but the problem was that I lacked the mana to cast spells.

“I wonder who Rafi takes after to have reached this level so quickly.”

“Grandpa’s great.”

“Is that so? Are you like Grandpa? Look, aren’t our eyes and hair color exactly alike? Haha.”

Patting my back for a moment, my grandfather wandered off into a tangent, lost in laughter. The chief advisor and closest confidant of my grandfather, Count Cellis, couldn’t help but smile silently at the sight.

“Miss Rafi, it seems you’ll need to focus on increasing your mana.”

The amount of mana was paramount for a magician. No matter how skilled you were, if you lacked mana, you could only cast a spell once and that was it.

“I hope it accumulates naturally… but that’s probably just wishful thinking.”

Mana usually accumulates naturally but in very minuscule amounts. To reach my grandfather’s level, I might need to live for his age if not more.

“Rafi, do you want to increase your mana?”

“Yes, I want to be as powerful as Grandma and Grandpa.”

“Oh, dear, you flatter me with such beautiful words.”

“Hehe.”

With a suitable nod and a sense of timing, I continued to keep my grandfather in high spirits. As a result, the bag filled with colorful candies and jelly was brimming with brightly colored stones, just like his.

Holding the bag that looked satisfying even just to look at, I smiled at Ciel and then took a short break before resuming my magic studies.

“Magicians have special rivals.” 

“Rivals?”

“That’s right. My rival was that guy. He’s dead now, but… Anyway, if you ever meet a rival, they can either become a friendly competitor or an explosive enemy. It’s one or the other.”

In this world, I learned that magicians had equals, known as rivals.

“Who’s my rival?”

“You’ll probably know when you meet them. When you meet a rival, you’ll feel something hard to put into words.”

After my grandfather’s vague explanation, I shook my head in understanding. As soon as our study time was over, I was led by Helena to sit in front of the tailor.

“Oh my. She looks so much like Duke Panteur that I almost thought she inherited his blood.”

People who didn’t know the circumstances often mistook me as Helena and Daniel’s daughter.

“Well, I want her to be my daughter, but it seems we can’t.”

“Yes, yes? If… if I may ask, is she… Lady Seraphina’s daughter, who married Duke Panteur?”

“That’s right. She’s our aunt’s daughter. So, measure our young lady’s size right away. We’ll use the same design as mine.”

“Ho ho ho, these days it’s fashionable for parents and children to wear matching designs. I’ll make it with great care. So don’t worry too much.”

The tape measure, which seemed to be stretching tightly between the seamstress’s skilled hands, was laid out. After taking measurements for a while, the seamstress brought a design book, which she showed to us.

“Can we choose just one?”

“Oh my, what’s that?”

In a whisper to her ear, Helena’s laughter grew richer, and then she lightly kissed my forehead as she nodded.

* * *

Several weeks passed, and it was finally my grandfather’s birthday. The entire family gathered for the celebration. As my father held me in his arms, we entered the birthday banquet hall. As we entered, the northern nobility stepped aside and whispered to each other.

“Oh my, what’s this? Our attire…”

“Isn’t it too obvious that we’re a family?”

Indeed, at my request, our entire family wore matching outfits, both formal attire and dresses. Even Ciel was dressed in the same design. No one could mistake us for anything other than a united family.

The nobility present were taken aback by our matching ensembles. Their stares pierced through us. Feeling their gazes, I shrugged my shoulders and took a deep breath, and my father patted my cheek.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go carefully.”

Boosted by my father’s words, I held a flower basket in both hands and squeezed the mana in my body, then shouted, “Fly!”.

In an instant, I was lifted off the ground. Although I couldn’t perform a proper flight, I managed to hover unsteadily and made my way towards my waiting grandparents at the head table.

“Oh, our Rafi!”

My grandfather jumped up from his seat. Witnessing this, I couldn’t help but recall a memory that was almost beyond my grasp. I even had the urge to suck my thumb.

“Grandpa, I brought a gift! Today, I brought a gift.”

I activated my “Grow Up Quickly” spell, but my grandfather and grandmother just burst into hearty laughter.