Chapter 15
It had been a week and two days since Kiel started avoiding me.
Except for mealtimes, he avoided me without exception.
Even during meals, he didn’t just sit quietly. Whenever I stared at him persistently, he would dodge my gaze, hurriedly finish eating, and immediately bolt.
After playing this endless game of catch me if you can, I’d basically memorized his entire schedule.
I went to wait for him right around the end of his sword training. And just as it fully wrapped up, I rushed over—but he blatantly ran away from me.
Why are my legs so short?! Ugh!
I chased him during other times too, but every attempt ended in failure.
Naturally, I tried tempting him with food. Kiel loved apple jelly and pudding, so I used those to threaten—no, negotiate with him.
It failed spectacularly.
How could anyone refuse apple jelly, their absolute favorite?
“Haah… what do I even do now?”
“Shuri!”
Just as I was deep in thought, Lotte burst into my room. Of course, we’d already made up during snack time. It barely even counted as a reconciliation—she’d simply thrown herself into my arms and cried her eyes out.
A baby. She’s a baby.
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“Let’s go on a trip! With Mom and Dad, and Brother too! Then you and Brother can talk more, right?”
Oh—she was right. I admired her inwardly.
Just moments ago she was an eight-year-old little kid, yet where did she even get an idea like that? There must’ve been some kind of setting related to this… so why can’t I remember it?
“Okay! Then let’s go ask Auntie!”
At some point, the Duchess’s title had changed to “Auntie.” We’d been living together for a few weeks now, and when she looked dejected saying “Duchess” sounded too stiff, I reacted immediately.
I really was soft when it came to this family.
Ah—except for the female lead’s dad.
“Mom!”
The moment the door opened, Lotte ran straight to the Duchess and clung tightly to her leg.
So cute.
She was cute even to me—how unbearably adorable must she be to her mother?
I glanced at the Duchess. She looked completely overwhelmed by Lotte’s cuteness. Love practically overflowed from her eyes.
Both the Duchess and Lotte wore their emotions plainly on their faces. One look was enough to tell.
“Let’s go on a trip!”
Honestly, I didn’t think Lotte’s words were even reaching the Duchess’s ears. It felt more like she was just watching her daughter act cute.
“Mom?”
“Hm? Ah—Lotte, where would you like to go?”
The Duchess lifted Lotte onto her lap. Seeing Lotte kicking her feet in happiness made me clutch my chest.
…A fairy? No, an angel. Definitely.
Or maybe a half-breed between heaven and the human world.
Without realizing it, I started gushing internally. But really—wasn’t it only human to do so? A creature that cute was right beside me, kicking her feet happily!
If anything, I wanted to know how not to gush.
Give me back my composure. Please. Sob.
“Umm, somewhere Shuri wants to go!”
Lotte beamed at me.
Why does it feel like the surroundings just got brighter?
Does our female lead come with buffs like this…?
I stared blankly for a moment before coming to my senses. Not only did I feel purified—my mind felt clearer too.
“Well, I’d like to visit the countryside! Isn’t there a region under the ducal territory?”
The Duchess nodded—and immediately summoned the butler to put it into action.
…Was it always this easy?
“And have the best restaurant in that area reserved. Tell them to close the shop that day. No other guests.”
Wait—what? You’re buying out an entire restaurant just to eat?
The wealth of House Richard was on another level.
I glanced at the others. Lotte was smiling brightly, and the Duchess looked perfectly unfazed.
The butler, as if used to this, wore a resigned expression.
…So it really was just me who was shocked.
“Shuri, are you bringing your friend Ventus too? If so, let him know as well.”
The Duchess said this with a kind smile. Strangely enough, that gentle smile sent chills down my spine—but I nodded anyway.
After hearing the plans come together effortlessly, I returned to my room. As expected, Ventus was there again, causing chaos with the Holy Sword.
Ventus… getting beaten up and still coming back for more.
“Ventus, we’re going on a trip to the countryside the day after tomorrow. Get your things ready.”
I said this as I plopped down on my soft bed.
Hm? A leaf?
I beckoned Ventus over. Though confused, he obeyed.
Because of our height difference, I had to stand on my toes and reach out to touch his head. I plucked the leaf stuck there and held it up in front of him.
“You had a leaf on you.”
Ventus suddenly shook his head violently from side to side, probably thinking there were more.
“Pfft.”
—Pfft.
Both the Holy Sword and I burst out laughing.
Since Ventus maintained a child’s body, he really acted like one. It was hilarious how badly it didn’t suit him. Only then did he realize what he’d done, and his face flushed red.
“Don’t laugh!”
That just made us laugh harder.
God, this is too funny. The gap is insane.
The guy who always pretends to be dignified… everyone needs to see this!
—This is hilarious! Alena, but why are you going on a trip?
“How many times do I have to tell you it’s Shuri? You two should get checked for early-onset dementia.”
At that, both of them clammed up. The sudden silence felt refreshing.
Ah… now I can breathe.
“I’m trying to make sure Kiel doesn’t avoid me. If we travel, we’ll have to move together—he won’t be able to avoid running into me. The range of movement will be smaller than in the mansion.”
“Honestly, why are you trying so hard with him?”
“It’s a secret.”
After saying that, I sent Ventus out of my room.
How could I explain that this world was a novel I wrote in my previous life, that he was the female lead’s brother, and that I was fated to die by his hand…?
And besides—I’d grown attached to him now.
I stared blankly out the window when I spotted dark blue hair. Kiel was practicing his sword in the area Ventus had cleared of weeds earlier.
“You could at least stop avoiding me.”
I absentmindedly tapped on the window and watched him swing his sword for a while.
* * *
“Head Butler, what do you think of that boy, Ventus? Is he better than our Kiel?”
The Duchess, Clarier, asked the butler. At some point, the child Shuri had brought—Ventus—had grown quite close to her.
Though she never made it obvious, her concern for Kiel was immense.
She always worried about whether the expressionless child was hiding something, or if he was sick. Especially since even when he was ill, he never showed it.
And yet—that stone-faced child was acting like he liked someone! He’d clearly baked cookies with ulterior motives.
Observing her son, she felt secretly pleased, thinking he might have found someone he liked.
“Well, I’m not sure. But he seems kind-hearted. The other day, he was sweating while pulling weeds in an unused area. More importantly, he seems very close to Miss Clamback.”
The white-haired butler adjusted his monocle, clearly understanding her feelings. At his words, she groaned softly.
‘At that rate, he is better than our Kiel. Haa… If you realize you like someone, you shouldn’t avoid them—face them head-on!’
Clarier felt extremely frustrated.
How was he exactly like his father in this regard? She’d hoped he wouldn’t inherit that trait. It made her stomach churn.
The child Kiel liked—someone who Lotte relied on the most, aside from her little sister. She’d hoped the two would get along well, but now a major obstacle had appeared.
‘More accurately—a rival.’
“I’ve also heard reports that he frequently visits Miss Clamback’s room. There are even rumors circulating among the maids and attendants.”
“Rumors?”
“Yes. Everything from them being promised to marry… to claims that the young master has become a tragic male lead.”
At that, she grabbed her head.
The Duke had never looked at anyone but her. And once he realized his feelings, he avoided her just the same.
In the end, he only stopped running after she grabbed him first. The problem was that he’d stiffen up whenever she spoke to him—so she had to teach him how to act naturally.
Now she had to educate her son too.
* * *
“Shuri! What are you bringing?”
Lotte asked as she approached me while I was packing.
I looked at what I’d prepared: motion sickness medicine, emergency first-aid supplies, potions for scrapes…
…Shouldn’t we protect our tiny one’s dreams and hopes?
Without realizing it, I packed the same way I used to in my past life. In my first life, I packed because I lived on battlefields. In my second, because I fell and got hurt often.
Bringing habits from a past life into the present was the real problem. Sigh.
“…A teddy bear?”
“The same one I got before? Like mine?”
Lotte asked, eyes sparkling.
“Yeah.”
So sparkly it hurts to look at… how can someone look like this?
Before I knew it, I was packing the teddy bear I hadn’t even planned to bring. Wasn’t it just taking up space?
“I’m bringing my unicorn doll too! And my storybook! Shuri, read it to me! Okay? Hehe.”
So cute!
I forgot what I was thinking and poked Lotte’s chubby cheek with my finger. She tilted her head and smiled sweetly.
The strongest cuteness in the universe—no, the world.
And poking her cheeks was ridiculously addictive.
“Okay.”
When I agreed, Lotte cheered excitedly.
And just like that, the day of the trip drew near.
