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“I think you already understand… but in our position, we often have to socialize with others. If possible, I wanted you to learn the proper etiquette for those occasions, Susie.”

Mama Sonia took another step forward, held my hand, and went on.

“Of course, I know you’re not comfortable with such things. If you truly dislike it, you don’t ever have to show your face in such places! …But you see, we really do want to do everything we can for you.”

As she spoke, Mama Sonia lifted my hand, the one she held, and pressed it gently to her chest.

“Either I or Elrose can teach you etiquette, but I thought it might be easier on you if you were taught by an older sister figure closer to your age. After all, Anne-Marie’s knowledge of manners is impeccable.”

When Mama Sonia said that, Miss Anne-Marie smiled and nodded, saying, “Leave it to me!”

All I could manage was a faint, “Ah… yes…” in reply…

“Now, now! Let’s not linger here any longer—let’s go inside! Susie, go and wash up in the bath and get changed. Anne-Marie, I leave her to you.”
“As you wish, Madam. Now then, young lady, shall we?”

Miss Anne-Marie slipped an arm lightly around my waist and guided my hand as if escorting me to a dance, leading me toward the house.

“I shall polish you up perfectly, young lady!”
“What? P-polish? …Wait, the bath? Miss Anne-Marie… you aren’t going to—?”
“Just Anne-Marie, young lady. Please rest assured. I’ll polish you thoroughly… carefully… every last corner…”

Miss Anne-Marie leaned close to my ear, whispering softly.

“Eh?! Wh-what?! N-no, I—I can wash myself…! Wait, hold on!”

Flustered and flapping in panic, I could only struggle helplessly while Miss Anne-Marie, looking delighted, dragged me along toward the bath.

◆◆◆◆◆

The Amukham House, formerly the Amukham Margrave’s estate, was one of the grandest architectural works in the nation, nicknamed the Northern Palace.

Its design consisted of a main hall with two wings stretching outward toward the gates, enclosing a square courtyard. It resembled a developed form of fortress architecture. The outer walls were built of cut stone with an uneven relief pattern that gave the entire structure a sense of formidable weight and presence. At the four corners of the walls surrounding the main building stood outer towers, set slightly to the side, giving some the impression of a great beast crouching on four legs. The steeply sloped slate roofs added to the impression of height and majesty. The dark, lacquer-like sheen of the roof tiles caught the sunlight, adding a quiet radiance to the already imposing structure, making it stand out all the more on the northern land.

At the very back of this heavy, monumental palace lay a single chamber, known among the staff as The Inner Room, the largest meeting hall in the Amukham House, the Amukham Council Chamber.

The council chamber was reserved only for members of the council, composed of the twelve Amukham families. It was, in short, the very heart of the Amukham Village Guard.

Located on the third floor of the main hall, facing north, the room’s large windows gave a sweeping view of the Daypahra Mountains.

Each of the chamber’s walls stretched over ten meters in length. On the southern wall, opposite the windows, a massive board was mounted, lined neatly with small wooden plaques. These plaques bore the names of the Village Guard’s warriors.

Unlike the nameboards seen in Japanese dojos, these plaques were slotted horizontally, arranged in vertical lines, then stretched across the wall like wide bands. Three tiers filled the wall—lower, middle, and upper.

The lower row held names from 1st to 3rd rank. The middle row, 4th to 7th. The upper row, 8th to 10th. These rows were the origin of the terms Higher Rank and Middle Rank. Today, yet another new nameplate was to be added to the far end.

On the east wall stood an enormous mantelpiece. Above it hung a portrait in a thick, richly gilded frame, the fine goldwork intricate and imposing. The figure in the painting seemed to gaze down over the entire chamber. The dignified figure with a white beard bore a faint resemblance to Howard Cloud.

And before the portrait, gazing forward with equally piercing eyes, sat Howard Cloud himself. The chair he occupied was made from thick mahogany, its tall, straight back adorned with ornate carvings that marked it unmistakably as the seat of the room’s master.

Howard now sat with his left fist propping his cheek against the table, quietly overseeing the progress of the council.

“…So? Who was the Grader sent to investigate?”

Harry Haggard asked. He was the head of the Haggard family and famed as the strongest warrior of Amukham, standing well over two meters tall.

“Lyam, son of Ramjin.”

It was August Dulles who answered his question.

Father of Ryder and Irvine, Harry shared their dark-blond hair and wolfish amber eyes that at times gleamed gold, a trait of the Haggard line. His eldest son, Bard, though absent from the village, bore the same features.

With his long hair slicked back, Harry truly carried the leonine presence that earned him the moniker of The Golden Lion.

“If it’s the Campbell’s oldest boy, there should be no problem,” said Silense Croque, seeking Harry’s agreement. Harry simply nodded.
“Then the Overflow is stable for now?” Richard Matheson, head of the Matheson family, asked the question.
“We can’t be sure yet. All we know is that it’s calmed for the moment.” August shook his head as he replied and then added, “So we can’t be careless.”

Father of Mia Matheson, Richard bore the same ultramarine eyes as his daughter, with soft, wavy chestnut hair and a neatly kept mustache. His slender frame belied his power. Richard was known as The Ultramarine Annihilator. He held the Akashic Lord class and was among Amukham’s strongest destructive forces.

“Requests for aid are still coming in from the other villages, aren’t they?” Frank Long asked.
“Veird Village especially. Their chief, Bram, reports the mines are unusable.” Silense explained.
“Kobolds have apparently appeared in the mountains. There are simply too many, and they lack the manpower…”
“Much the same everywhere. They’re all desperate for more fighters.”
“And we, too, are short-handed,” Alphonse Beers added grimly after August’s comment to Silense’s explanations.

Hearing this, Gary Meyers folded his arms with a scowl.

“Even so, we must send aid. August, what are our remaining forces?” Howard asked.
“Yes, well—as you can see, nearly half the twelve family heads are already deployed. This means that less than half of the Graders remain.”

August answered Howard’s question while glancing toward the wall of nameplates.