Subaru Natsuki, who returned from the new Three Kingdoms

Since the person who planted the tree was able to leave his name in the world for four hundred years, the fate of this name must be quite good.

"Fluguerre".

Subaru Natsuki made a decision immediately.

"From now on, let's call our family Flügel."

Betty frowned slightly.

"You even use other people's names so casually?"

"That's a bad word."

Natsuki Subaru raised his hand to tidy up the white hair on his forehead.

"There are so many names in the world. If Freuger could use one four hundred years ago, then naturally we can use one four hundred years from now."

"Betty can't argue with you anyway."

Betty gave a soft hum and turned her face to the side.

A new appearance, a new name, and a way to hide Capela are all ready.

It was time for Natsuki Subaru to leave.

He put away the mirror and the Sacred Sword, and put his cloak back on.

Betty sat back in the high-backed chair, crossed her arms, and watched him pack his things, her displeasure growing more and more obvious.

"You've been bothering Betty as soon as you got back."

"You refuse to learn human transmutation, yet you force Betty to teach you such difficult magic."

"You must leave immediately after you learn it."

"You only know how to take advantage of Betty!"

When Natsuki Subaru heard her start to feel sour again, his expression became serious.

“We’ve said it before, we’re not afraid of sourness, not afraid at all.”

"Don't worry, Teacher Beatrice. We remember everything you've done for our family. If you ever need us in the future, even if it means going against the heavens, we will go through fire and water for you!"

Seeing Subaru Natsuki's heartfelt gaze, Betty's cheeks quickly flushed red.

Her prepared complaints were all shut down by those two sentences, and she could only look down at the tips of her shoes.

After a moment, she whispered:

"Then I have one request! Please stop calling me 'Teacher Beatrice' all the time."

"She called Betty like an old woman..."

"From now on... just call her Betty."

Betty.

Emperor, that is the mark of an emperor!

Natsuki Subaru paused for a moment, realizing he couldn't just call him that...

But Betty kept her head down, clearly waiting for his answer.

Natsuki Subaru hesitated for a moment, then tentatively called out:

"Betty."

"Humph."

Betty turned her face to the other side.

Her legs dangled gently under the chair, and a slight smile crept onto her lips.

When Natsuki Subaru saw her like this, he laughed along with her.

"Why don't you come with me, Betty? You're getting a bit so sour from always being immersed in books."

Subaru Natsuki extended another invitation.

Betty stopped moving her legs.

She paused for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"No."

Betty will stay here and wait for that person.

"What if that person comes looking for Betty, but Betty isn't here?"

Natsuki Subaru's smile faded slightly.

He couldn't understand who could possibly be worth Betty waiting four hundred years in a room where there was no day or night.

Do you still want to live for others?

You wouldn't understand.

Betty hugged the book tightly, not intending to explain further.

Seeing that she was determined, Natsuki Subaru did not force her to leave.

"Alright then, although our family can't be that person."

"But once we've settled down in the capital, we'll come back to visit you often through [Starry Night]."

"Who wants you back?"

Betty immediately retorted.

The voice, however, did not convey much of a sense of refusal.

She had personally witnessed Natsuki Subaru's condition when he returned to his residence from the capital.

As long as he possesses that speed, distance cannot stop him.

Perhaps this person really will be able to come back often.

This thought stirred a secret expectation in Betty's heart.

She suddenly realized that Natsuki Subaru's deliberate delay in learning Human Transformation upon his return might not be due to a reason that could be solved by a street-side pub, such as wanting to drink.

Or is it simply that they want to leave behind a pretext, a reason to come back and find themselves again from time to time?

The thought made Betty's heartstrings tremble uncontrollably.

Subaru Natsuki had already reached the doorway, and he had tied Capela, who had been turned into beads by [Or Shamu], into a necklace and hung it around her neck.

Natsuki Subaru turned around and waved to Betty.

Betty sat in the high-backed chair with her book in her arms, still looking nonchalant.

Only after the door closed did she gently raise her head and look at the spot where Natsuki Subaru had just left.

The forbidden library fell silent again.

Betty felt that the silence was becoming even more unbearable.

……

Outside the mansion, it was another starry night.

Subaru Natsuki is preparing to return to the royal capital.

Natsuki Subaru patted his clothes to make sure the bead sealing Capella wouldn't fall out, and then tidied his white hair.

【Starry Night】 is then activated.

The next morning arrived in the blink of an eye.

The gates of the capital remained tightly sealed, but this could not stop Subaru Natsuki from traveling through the night.

A white-haired figure dressed in simple clothes silently passed through the city gate guards and arrived at the center of the commercial street.

The Hexin Merchant Guild's stronghold in the capital has just opened its doors.

The demi-human shop assistant in charge of cleaning moved the door panel and looked up to see the white-haired young man standing outside.

The other party seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

A morning breeze swept through the streets, and the aroma of wine stored deep within the Chamber of Commerce wafted out from under the door.

The white-haired youth's nostrils twitched slightly, and his eyes immediately lit up.

He stepped forward and solemnly bowed to the wary shop assistant.

"Hello, we heard you're hiring servants here!"

"We want to give it a try!"

"What's your name?"

"Fluguerre".

The demi-human shop assistant in charge of recruitment was taken aback.

"Flugel..."

He subconsciously scribbled two lines on the roster in his hand, then looked up.

"This is your surname, right? And your given name?"

The composure on the white-haired youth's face instantly froze.

Natsuki Subaru stood at the doorway, his mind racing as he thought of the enormous tree.

Freuger.

He borrowed the name casually after seeing the Flügel tree.

As for how people in this world distinguish between surnames and given names, he had never seriously studied it, let alone prepared a complete identity for himself.

The shop assistant waited a moment, only to see him open his mouth, then swallow his words back, as if he had thought of something.

"that……"

The shop assistant lowered his voice.

Don't you have a name?

Natsuki Subaru hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

“Fluguerre was also a name I chose myself.”

He had already prepared himself to be kicked out.

A person without even a full name applying for a job would seem like an unknown troublemaker anywhere.

Sigh, I can only blame myself for not being well prepared.

You haven't even prepared your name yet, and you want to apply to become a noble servant?

Let's start over with a different face next time.

Unexpectedly, the demi-human shop assistant's expression gradually softened, and even the hand holding the pen stopped.

Most of the employees of the Hexin Chamber of Commerce come from humble backgrounds, and it's not uncommon for them to choose their own names.

Some crawled out of slums, some survived war and exile, and some didn't have a name they could say with dignity until they joined the Chamber of Commerce.

Even the name of their guild leader, Lady Anastasia, is said to have been chosen by her personally later on.

Therefore, having no family, no elders to rely on, or even a complete name is never something to be ridiculed here; it is even something to be pitied.

After all, people who suffer hardship are naturally inclined to sympathize with others who suffer hardship.

"I see."

The shop assistant closed the register, her tone becoming more serious.

“Then let’s remember Flügel for now. However, we don’t have any positions specifically for servants here.”

"According to Lady Anna's orders, everyone who joins the Chamber of Commerce is family. There are only differences in responsibilities, not in status!"

Subaru Natsuki was taken aback.

No servants? All family members? How is that possible?!

He had already inquired about it; the Hesin Merchant Guild in Anastasia was incredibly wealthy.