Chapter 50
"Did you...... learn etiquette? From the South?"
"Yes! That's right-nimida!"
Watching Iri eat neatly, Milligan let out a short exclamation of admiration.
Her spoon and fork usage was perfect.
Her movements and the way she carried herself had proper restraint.
But he calmed his mind.
*'She came from the South, so she must have learned manners.'*
However, it wasn't just her etiquette that pleased him.
What he wanted was a deep conversation with someone who 'knew the family's roots.'
*'She learned superficial etiquette from the South, so no way she'd understand that kind of talk.'*
Even thinking objectively and cynically, a grandfather is still a grandfather.
He watched Iri eat well and contentedly chewed and swallowed his soup.
Meanwhile, Iri was observing her (prospective) master's expression.
*'Will Master accept me as a disciple!'*
It was right then, as she keenly watched his demeanor.
Iri spotted something strange from her prospective master!
*'Shirt pocket wriggling!'*
It looked just like a king earthworm. Iri narrowed her eyes further.
*'What's that white round thing trying to come out of that pocket?'*
The moment the round something in his bosom was sharply captured in Iri's eyes.
Milligan's cheek twitched, and he abruptly stood up.
"I know it's not polite, but I have urgent business and must excuse myself first. I hope you have a proper meal."
"Farewell-nimida. It was an honor to meet you-nimida!"
Milligan, nearly swayed again by the polite Iri, came to his senses, nodded, and left the seat.
Right after, Declan glanced at Iri and the empty seat, muttering.
"What is it? This feeling that you two get along so well."
"Gasp, does it look that way-nimikka?"
"Yeah."
"Wow! That's great-nimida! I want Grandpa's approval-nimida!"
Unlike the joyful Iri, Declan felt strangely unsettled.
What was it?
*'Why is Father Grandpa?'*
When he himself was the elder.
Seraphin felt similarly unsettled.
What? That little ground sprite.
Absurd thought, but.
Seemed to like Grandpa more than this great body?
That's illegal?
* * *
The next morning, Milligan was lightly inspecting the castle after 10 years.
The first place he visited was the Northern Magic Tower that supplied him with magic tools.
When he visited the underground of the Magic Tower with resolve in his heart after looking around the ground floor.
He was shocked to see a pleasant space smelling of flowers instead of the musty stench.
"What's this? What happened here?"
At that time, a certain wizard—who 10 years ago had done a strip show in front of the Magic Tower and burned research results, supposedly done by a professor—smiled refreshingly.
"Ah, Lady Iri helped us. With a lifestyle of waking in the morning and sleeping at night, everyone became milder and secured time to wash."
His once murky eyes now shone with clear madness.
Milligan unwittingly stepped back and left the Magic Tower.
Then, when he visited the kitchen to encourage the head chefs.
They had often sent food even to the sea regions.
*'Those two skilled ones always fought. It was a castle specialty of sorts. Wonder how they've changed.'*
But when he arrived at the kitchen.
"Ah, good! Let's try making a grain dessert."
"Mix the rice and sugar well. Lady Iri will like it more this time, right?"
"Yeah."
He muttered in bewilderment.
"Why aren't those two fighting again?"
At his puzzled expression, another kitchen maid rapid-fired back.
"Not long ago, Lady Iri found the golden mean between those two. Ever since, they've had no time to fight, all huddling to discuss how to make Lady Iri plump and chubby."
At those words, the advisor Kalben behind him muttered.
"This is thanks to Lady Iri too?"
He fell silent in bewilderment.
The most shocking event happened when he visited the Training Hall, the sprouts to lead the North.
A clean Training Hall where no one carried clubs?
Where kids didn't spit or grab collars to fight?
His pupils shook violently.
It was natural.
Because Milligan too had endlessly tried to turn the North's madmen into humans.
But efforts were just efforts.
No matter how hard, it only bore fruit like chick tears.
"I, for one, worked so hard to make the Blue Knight Order at least pretend to uphold chivalry......"
"Yes, nearly 10 years. So now they curse less. Used to be beasts, now monkeys in human skin."
But the North after passing through Iri's hands had changed dramatically.
*'And a five-year-old kid accomplished what I couldn't.'*
He even felt somewhat amazed.
*'Is she really that great? Not just a South kid knowing superficial etiquette?'*
Even applying considerable objectivity to his own granddaughter, he thought.
*'Definitely, her chubby cheeks are cute, though.'*
He paused while looking up at the second-floor window of the Training Hall.
He was curious what kind of child she was.
But testing the child's etiquette right now seemed difficult.
He didn't have much time now.
Milligan shook his head and headed to the office.
Because he had an afternoon appointment with a very disagreeable person.
At the same time.
At the Training Hall, Iri was looking down busily at the window below.
*'Why is (prospective) Master here?'*
She was so curious she couldn't concentrate at all.
Kalben hurriedly entered alone and whispered something in Milligan's ear.
In a very low voice inaudible to Iri.
Then Milligan's eyes widened hugely, and he abruptly stood up?
And strode away.
Iri, in class upstairs, couldn't follow.
But even then, Iri saw it.
*'What's that white round thing hugged to his bosom?'*
The reason her personally chosen (prospective) Master suddenly busied himself.
The reason there was no chance to talk about family etiquette.
Clearly, that round egg hid a secret!
Iri clenched her fist.
Absolutely won't miss it!
*'I'll definitely make him mine! (Prospective) Master!'*
* * *
After class ended.
Iri headed straight to Karhen.
"Karhen! Found someone to explain the etiquette ancient tome in detail!"
"Pardon? What do you......"
"Come on, let's go! You were curious too, right!"
Karhen wasn't actually that curious about etiquette, but nodded as a 'protector.'
Thus, Iri and Karhen sat side by side on the sofa in Milligan's room.
Milligan, waiting uncomfortably for the afternoon visitor.
He couldn't help but quite like the appearance of Iri visiting during spare time to ask about etiquette.
*'Shall I check if this child is 'genuinely' sincere.'*
Sitting side by side with the children, he adjusted his work glasses and muttered.
"Curious about this etiquette book?"
"Yes, exactly-nimida!"
"It's a book noting our family tree. From 200 years ago. Want to see the family tree first?"
"Yes! Knowing the family's roots is very important, my old master said-nimida!"
Milligan looked at Iri with a shocked expression.
Eyes wide, lips agape in an 'O.'
Breath bursting out was natural.
Iri even carefully examined the family tree and added one more thing.
"Wow! This seems to be the family tree noting the great achievements of the 32nd generation ancestor-nimida!"
The appearance of a 'child who truly knows how to revere elders' for the first time.
Milligan unwittingly stuttered.
"The achi, achievements of the 32nd ancestor, noted there, you're inte, interested in......?"
