Chapter 107
From the very first meeting, the older brother was annoyed by his younger sister’s badmouthing, yet she moved the tableware without paying him any mind.
And the Gwen Count and Countess watched the siblings with anxious eyes.
It seemed likely that the next moments would be somewhat precarious.
“Are all siblings like this?”
Only one person, Yuri, observed the scene with a look of genuine curiosity.
If the Count had known this, he probably wouldn’t have known whether to be pleased or not.
Yuri sipped some water as she watched the subtle power struggle between Cecilia and Pierre unfold.
Being an only child, he could only find it fascinating.
“Why don’t we sprinkle some cheese on the salad? Maybe even some jalapeños.”
“Cecilia… you know I can’t handle spicy food, don’t you?”
“Oh? Was that you, big brother? I remembered that Leona doesn’t like spicy food.”
It was such a childish quarrel that calling it a “power struggle” seemed almost ridiculous.
Yet, the siblings’ eyes were completely serious.
Cecilia poked at a piece of lettuce with her fork and let out a small, mocking laugh.
She turned her head coquettishly and only realized her faux pas after making eye contact with Yuri, a look of “oops” crossing her face.
“Oh… my husband.”
“My husband? What a scene this is.”
While Cecilia rolled her eyes, clearly flustered, Pierre seized the opportunity to tease her, clearly delighted.
He calmed down immediately after making eye contact with Yuri, though.
“…We don’t usually fight like this. Really.”
“Then again, it’s childish at worst.”
“Mother…!”
Cecilia pressed a finger to her lips, signaling for quiet, her cheeks reddening.
Perhaps the tension in the siblings’ little battle had eased, because the Count and Countess’ faces softened as well.
“So they try to stay calm… but the moment they see each other, they start fighting again.”
“Mother, this isn’t fighting. I’m just giving advice to a rude younger sibling.”
“Rude? I only said it for his own good.”
As if she had forgotten her earlier embarrassment, Cecilia raised her voice again.
There was no trace of dignity left in the display.
Yuri enjoyed the strange familiarity of it, mixed with the novelty of seeing a side of his wife he had never seen before.
“I’m sorry. My children can be a bit noisy. I hope you can be patient with them.”
The Count spoke quietly while the siblings squabbled.
Though he was wary of Yuri at first, the comfort of familiar chaos seemed to put him at ease, and a smile spread across his face.
Yuri hesitated but answered politely:
“I didn’t find it rude… and you speak so naturally as well.”
Perhaps because he seemed like another parental figure to him, Yuri spoke respectfully.
He hoped his in-laws would lower their tone when speaking to him as well.
However, the Count shook his head at the suggestion.
“Hm, I’m still not used to it… I’ll let it come slowly.”
Though it sounded like he wanted to keep some distance, the curve of his smile suggested no ill will.
“The youngest is mature for his age, but when he plays with my older brother, he shows such childish behavior. I thought it was cute and left it be, but now I worry if it’s a flaw.”
“Again, I don’t think it’s a flaw at all. I can even understand that it looks nice.”
Yuri had seen his wife play tricks on him before. She would tease him occasionally.
But the way she treated her blood relatives was… different.
“…It seems your wife likes your older brother a lot.”
“Mm. She sometimes raises her voice, but it’s not too bad. Sometimes it’s a bit troublesome when she comes asking me to side with her, though.”
The Count chuckled heartily, looking quite pleased.
He didn’t seem genuinely troubled—more like he found it amusing.
The satisfaction of a parent toward their children filled his face.
Watching him, Yuri’s expression softened as well.
“She’s been mature from a young age, which worried me. But sometimes, I think she’s better off now.”
Cecilia, younger yet more mature than before.
Yuri thought carefully about the Count’s words.
Even now, his wife seemed sufficiently grown-up to him.
Her determination to push through anything she sets her mind to, and her sense of responsibility…
‘She’s too capable, that’s the problem.’
Even Olga had faced trouble trying to handle everything on her own.
‘…Am I a husband she can’t really rely on?’
Yuri had thought that, having spent many years as Lord of Lotreben, he would seem dependable enough, but now he questioned himself.
While Yuri was lost in these untimely thoughts, the Count continued to reminisce happily.
“She’s been weak since childhood… Pierre was always worried about the youngest, crying and fussing.”
“Father, when did I ever do that?”
“I heard rumors that even before I married, you soaked handkerchiefs with tears every morning.”
“That was just because I was particularly exhausted at the time!”
“If you yawn twice, Eldova will be submerged in water.”
“Kids.”
The siblings, who had tried to join the conversation like a tidal wave, went silent.
Though the Count’s tone was calm and even, it carried a power that demanded silence.
At that point, he looked at his son-in-law with a faint smile, having mediated the quarrel.
“I think it’s better to separate them for now. After the meal, why not take a walk around Eldova with your daughter? They look strong enough to be shouting all they want.”
“I’ll do that.”
Cecilia, who had tightly closed her mouth, didn’t seem to mind at all.
‘No.’
If anything, she looked excited.
The look of discontent gradually shifted to liveliness.
Her hands moved faster with the tableware.
Pierre, momentarily surprised by his sister’s sudden calm, shook his head and refocused on eating.
With the noisy atmosphere settled, the meal gradually came to an end.
After clearing the table, the Count and Countess quickly took their eldest son aside.
“Hmm, maybe it’s best to change clothes before heading out?”
“Isn’t this fine?”
“True… but since it’s your first time seeing your hometown with her, why not?”
Cecilia whispered that she wanted to tidy her hair, her ears turning red.
Seeing this, Yuri felt a sudden, inexplicable embarrassment and cleared his throat.
“Yes, then… see you shortly.”
Watching his wife hurry back to her room, Yuri’s expression softened.
Perhaps it was the gentle Eldova weather. Even such mundane conversation made his cheeks warm and his chest flutter.
The blazing sun above might also be making his head dizzy.
After changing into a thin shirt, Yuri toyed with the idea of unbuttoning one more button before ultimately messing up his hair.
‘Damn it.’
…He told himself that even spending time fretting over such trivialities was probably due to the unfamiliar weather.
Biting his lip, he glared at himself in the mirror, leaving the undone button as it was, and strode out of the room.
Upon meeting his wife, who had already come out to wait, his body froze again.
“You took longer than I thought. The texture must feel strange, right?”
A shirt texture, a shirt texture—forget that.
“…Why are you dressed like that?”
Yuri stammered, astonished.
Cecilia twirled once with the airy hem of her skirt in hand, looking sheepish.
The ankle-length skirt made her seem almost fairy-like.
The problem was, it wasn’t just that thought that struck him.
There was also one more thing that left him utterly shocked.
