Just after the New Year, the expansion of the Laws household began.
Although the design had already been commissioned in late autumn the previous year, winter had arrived soon after.
Of course, even after the expansion, the house only went from being one of the smallest in the village to merely “decent.”
With neighbors on both sides, the house was extended backward, using farmland Laws had purchased from villagers, with an additional section enclosed for a garden and backyard.
In terms of private land, it had doubled in size, though the indoor space had increased by less than fifty percent.
Specifically, two new rooms were added at the rear.
The new bathroom and toilet were expansions of the original, connected to the main house by a fully enclosed corridor—so technically not part of the main building.
According to Laws and Debbie’s plan:
Of the four rooms, the large one near the entrance would remain theirs.
The old bedroom would still belong to Sylphiette.
Although Gawain preferred quiet, for the sake of family atmosphere, the new room closer to Sylphiette’s was assigned to him—and it was also designed to be more spacious and practical.
The fourth room, deepest inside, would temporarily serve as a guest room—perfect for hosting Teacher Roxy in the future.
Yes.
Hosting Teacher Roxy.
What left everyone both amused and helpless was that Gawain’s previously agreed AA system not only covered the teacher’s salary but also included “food and lodging, plus bonuses for good performance.”
In other words, Roxy would stay at the Laws house for two months, then at the Greyrat house for one month—an arrangement that was, frankly, absurd.
At present, since the Laws house expansion wasn’t finished yet, she continued staying at the Greyrat house.
However, because the matter was too awkward to bring up, no one had actually told Roxy.
Each side assumed the other had done so.
Frankly, from the standpoint of etiquette and dignity, both families should have stopped Gawain’s ridiculous idea long ago.
Even converting food and lodging into shared expenses would have been more reasonable.
But people have selfish desires, don’t they?
Zenith might have only a little—but Paul definitely hoped Roxy would move to the Laws house and stop interfering with his daily life.
If not for the fact that his son no longer disrupted him during the day, he might have wanted Rudeus sent over too.
As for the Laws family, they genuinely wanted to host Roxy.
Letting the Greyrats cover everything made them uneasy—they worried about taking advantage.
Yet proposing to split the costs felt stingy.
Among the children—
Rudeus had come to view Roxy as an evil homeroom teacher.
Even though she no longer targeted him, her mere presence was enough to terrify him.
When everyone was together, it was fine—Lord Gawain would protect him—but at home, it felt like stepping into a horror movie.
A strict teacher living in your house?
That was a nightmare scenario.
Even his usually kind parents sided with her.
Meals felt like parent-teacher conferences—private ones.
I want to die.
A legal loli, cute middle-school appearance, teacher—if this were his previous life, Rudeus felt he could’ve gone three rounds in a row just thinking about her.
But in reality… absolutely not.
Recently, even seeing the color blue gave him ED.
Even the sky.
In short, Rudeus was probably the one who most wanted Roxy out of the house.
As for the other child—
Sylphiette didn’t exactly want Roxy to come live with them.
But at just over three years old, and not a reincarnator, her thinking was limited.
She hadn’t forgotten Roxy’s age—thirty-eight.
Older than her parents.
Practically grandmother level.
Though Roxy had recently begun taking up more of her brother’s time, Sylphiette didn’t see her as a threat like Rudeus.
If Rudeus were to comment, he’d call it “a different ecological niche.”
Moreover, Sylphiette liked Roxy.
She might be strict with Gawain and Rudeus, but she was kind to her—and even secretly apologized for scolding her brother.
Being harsh to her brother was understandable, after all.
Gawain didn’t treat Roxy nearly as well as he treated Rudeus—or especially herself.
Roxy often looked like she was about to cry.
Her brother really was bad at relationships.
But if Roxy moved in…
Then Gawain would spend nights discussing things with her too, wouldn’t he?
Because for him, discussing problems was the most important thing.
More important than telling her stories.
More important than teaching her words and math.
If that happened… he wouldn’t have time for her anymore.
She absolutely didn’t want that.
But she was a good girl.
So as long as her brother wanted it, she would accept it.
And so—
Everyone’s attitudes toward Roxy, and Roxy’s attitudes toward everyone, slowly changed.
Meanwhile, the village’s wheat and herbs continued to grow.
By early February—
The expansion of the Laws house was completed.
“Little Gawain, this will be your new room from now on.
Pretty nice, right?”
Laws and Debbie led Gawain by the hand, covering his eyes, bringing him to the newly finished room.
When they released him, a spacious wooden bedroom appeared before his eyes.
It was well-lit, with a view of the garden and distant fields—and beyond them, the faint outline of the Red Dragon Mountains.
Below the window was a large desk, flanked by low bookshelves.
On it were new organizers, pen holders, and a vase.
Two chairs stood before it—clearly prepared with Sylphiette in mind.
Beside it was a large double bed—apparently considering future growth… and even bringing a partner home someday.
Further inside was a wall-sized wardrobe, along with a weapon rack and coat stand.
Near the door was a large worktable—something Gawain had specifically requested—currently empty except for storage crates beneath it.
“Thank you, Debbie Mom.
Thank you, Uncle Laws.”
Gawain expressed his thanks in a very human manner—though his tone remained cold.
That alone was enough for Laws and Debbie to smile happily at each other.
As for Sylphiette, left behind:
“What about me?”
“”Sylphie gets her own room again, you know?””
“No!”
In the end—
The siblings continued sleeping together.