~Chapter 6~
Magnum looked at him with a stiff face.
“If the child gets hurt, I’ll comfort her well, so just leave it at that. Then she won’t come back again.”
Magnum opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he shut it without a word.
“She’s running a high fever today, so I’ll be going. I only came by because I needed some herb seeds.”
“She’s sick?”
“Yes, maybe because she stayed out too long yesterday, she’s running a bit of a fever.”
“The doctor?”
“I’ll treat her myself. I’ve got a healer’s license.”
Klein gave a half-hearted answer, spun around, and walked straight out of the mansion without looking back.
“…Ha.”
Magnum roughly ran his hand through his white-streaked hair.
Now that his anger cooled a little, his vision felt clearer.
“You should really think before you speak, sir.”
“…Shut it. Just send the herbs.”
“Yes, understood.”
Bell chuckled faintly and bowed.
Regretting his words after blurting them out was one of Magnum’s oldest habits.
***
After I got better, Dad scolded me for going to the main building.
He said those people didn’t like us and asked me to be careful.
He looked so miserable saying that, so I just nodded.
I told him I only wanted to read the newspaper, so he promised to order it separately for me from now on.
I agreed.
“Tch.”
I pouted.
‘Well, it’s not like I can blame Dad for this.’
I went there on my own, after all!
Pow! Pow!
I punched my pillow while thinking about it.
I didn’t expect Dad would go to the main building and get caught like that.
Still, thanks to him, I now had my own newspaper subscription, so I finally had a rough idea of what time period I was in.
While I’d been sick, it stayed cold for days. And when I woke up this morning, the world outside was all white from heavy snow.
Dad gave me permission to go out, so I decided to make a snowman.
I said I could do it alone, but I guess he was still worried.
I’m not a little kid though.
I just wanted to try the things I used to hold back from doing before, so Dad wouldn’t worry.
If I wasn’t going to live long anyway, why not do everything I want?
I clenched my fists and glanced at the annex door—it was still closed.
‘When’s he coming out?’
While I was rolling snowballs, I heard someone entering the annex.
I quickly turned my head—it was the butler.
“Lady Redea.”
“Oh… Butler!”
I abandoned my half-made snowman and ran over to him.
“Careful, you’ll fall. Don’t run.”
“What brings you here? Is my dad—, I mean, is Father busy inside?”
He smiled kindly, pressed a candy into my hand, then slowly shook his head.
“You don’t need the third young master. The Duke has sent you a gift.”
“A gift…?”
“Yes, some medicinal herbs and toys. Will you accept them?”
“Uh…”
Why would Grandpa suddenly send me something? I heard he really hated me.
‘No, wait. If I accept, Dad will be furious…’
I frowned, thinking hard. The butler, Bell, spoke up first.
“Just so you know, the young master has already refused three times.”
Ah, so Grandpa wanted to give it to Dad, but Dad kept refusing, so now he was trying to use me?
Yeah, that must be it. He wouldn’t give it to me otherwise.
‘But if I refuse, will he get mad, like—”How dare you refuse my gift?”’
Hmm…
Hmmm…
After a long moment of thinking, I bowed politely.
“Young lady…?”
“Honestly, this isn’t my gift, right? Grandpa just wants to win over my dad, but he hates it, so you’re trying me instead, aren’t you? Heh, I’m not the kind of kid who falls for one piece of candy!”
I shook my head and puffed out my chest proudly.
The butler’s face turned strangely stiff as he stared at me.
“Anyway, I’m sorry! Dad wouldn’t like it, so I’ll politely refuse too.”
I added that last part to really make it clear.
“…”
Now the butler’s eyes widened like he was shocked.
‘Heh, guess he didn’t expect me to figure it out?’
Well yeah, who’d think a five-year-old could put that together?
But I wasn’t really a kid on the inside.
“Pfft, this kid’s hilarious, Bell.”
I flinched at the familiar voice.
What—what the heck?
Why was he here?
“…My lord, didn’t you say you wouldn’t come inside?”
The one who appeared suddenly, hands in his pockets and a mischievous grin on his face, was Valux Tigreto.
He had a huge fluffy scarf wrapped around his neck, looking perfectly ready for the cold.
“You didn’t come out, so that’s on you.”
“Well… understood. I’ll relay your refusal to the Duke then.”
“Oh, yes, thank you. Goodbye!”
I bowed and waved my arms.
“Hey, you’re my cousin, right?”
“Huh? Me? Nope.”
Dad told me we weren’t part of the Tigreto family. We were just freeloading here.
“…Not true? Bell, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is, my lord, but…”
“Dad said we’re not Tigreto family. Um… what was the word again… Ah! Guests! We’re just guests, so I must never go to the main house. I got in huge trouble for that the other day.”
Valux blinked, like he was surprised—guests?
“Sorry if I caused you trouble too, Butler. Grandpa really hates me. He seemed mad that day… I won’t go there again. The newspaper’s fine! Dad bought it for me.”
Yup, Dad’s the best.
I only realized it after dying once, but Dad was super weak when it came to me.
I gave a big thumbs up.
Valux froze a little.
“That’s…”
The butler looked tongue-tied, so I just grinned and raised my fist confidently.
“It’s fine. As long as I’ve got my dad, I don’t need anyone else.”
As long as Dad was happy, I was happy. This time, I’d leave home before turning fifteen.
“…So, what were you doing?”
“Getting ready to make a snowman!”
“A snowman? What’s the point of that?”
“Because it’s cute! Dad said he’d bring me the stuff, but he’s late… Oh, you should go before he gets mad—”
Click.
The door opened.
Uh-oh.
Too late.
“Dad!”
“Redea, sorry I’m late. I couldn’t find any carrots in the kitchen, so I had to grow some aga—”
Dad froze when he spotted the butler standing there.
His face instantly hardened.
Bell gave an awkward smile and bowed slightly.
“Neither you nor the Duke listen to a word I say, huh.”
“Good afternoon, young master.”
“Thanks to you, mine’s not so good. I told you we don’t want it. Now le—… no. Just go.”
Dad glanced at me and rephrased his words.
“I’ve been refusing, but the master keeps ordering me. I’m only a servant, so I have no choice but to follow orders. Why don’t you go and reject him yourself?”
“Nonsense. I’m not stepping foot in that place.”
With a cold, blank face, Dad knelt on one knee and carefully placed the ingredients in my arms.
They were a tomato and a carrot.
