Episode 13: A Friend My Age?
I didn’t expect him to like it that much.
“I’m proud of myself!”
Back in my room, I threw both arms into the air and buried my face into a pillow. Azelta let out a small laugh.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen His Grace the Duke that happy.”
I turned to look at her, still hugging the pillow. *That* small smile meant he was *that* happy?
“Really?”
“Yes. He normally hardly smiles at all.”
Her expression made it obvious she meant it. I tightened my hold around the pillow.
“Next time, I’ll make a much longer necklace for him.”
No more mistakes like today’s flower crown! I vowed, and just then—my eyes fell on the nightstand beside me.
“Huh?”
The tall brown nightstand had disappeared, replaced by a bright-white, short one with rounded edges—just my height. *Flop!* I dropped the pillow and jumped to my feet. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed when I came in. The entire room had changed. In both my previous life and my current one, I was always surrounded by furniture made for adults. Five-drawer dressers where I could only reach the second drawer at best, tables that I could bump my head on… Even chairs were so tall I couldn’t sit on them myself.
But now, everything was changed to my height.
“Wow!”
In one corner was a little shoe cabinet filled with slippers—maybe because I like walking around. Colorful bear, rabbit, and squirrel slippers lined up in neat rows. And that wasn’t all. Every piece of furniture near it was also tiny and adorable, sized perfectly for me. There must be adult-sized tables and chairs somewhere for when guests visited, but right now all I saw were things meant for *me*. The table beside Azelta honestly looked like a toy from a pretend tea party. The rounded edges probably meant they didn’t want me getting any scrapes.
“Do you like it?”
Azelta asked.
I couldn’t speak for a moment. In my last life, it was too long ago to remember anything like this. In this life, the barony would’ve never done something like this for me. This was something prepared **only for me.**
“…Thank you.”
I said quietly. Azelta blinked, then smiled warmly.
“It was His Grace who ordered the changes.”
The Duke of Iter. His face from earlier came to mind. He had a surprisingly considerate side.
“And… I think he’s preparing an even bigger gift.”
Azelta whispered in a very small voice.
“Bigger?”
I looked up at her. Who doesn’t like gifts?
“Yes. *A really big one.*”
She spread her arms as wide as she could. Just how big was this thing?!
“…It can fit in the room, right?”
Judging from that shield-sized candy from before, it couldn’t be something normal. Azelta tilted her head.
“Probably?”
Even she didn’t know what it was.
“Then what should I give him…?”
There’s only so much I can do in such a small body. As I agonized, Azelta spoke gently.
“You could try getting healthier than you are now.”
She lowered her head to match my eye level. I shook mine.
“That only benefits *me*. I mean something for the Duke.”
In relationships, you can’t just receive. That automatically puts you beneath the other person. In both my past and current life, I have never lived indebted. That was my belief.
“His Grace wishes for that.”
But Azelta—and the Duke—seemed to want something different from me.
“Huh?”
“He wants nothing more than for you to become healthier.”
Her clear eyes didn’t seem to be lying.
“And I do, too. Then we can go on lots and lots of outings together.”
She said it casually, as though there was no other wish. I suddenly lost my words. This unfamiliar warmth filled my chest.
*“You only receive. I’ll be the one who gives.”*
That’s what the Duke seemed to say.
There is no such thing as endless affection without price. I knew that too well. In both lives, I was basically an orphan. Random kindness can make you addicted to it, unable to live without it. That’s why I shook my head.
“I still want to give something back.”
Then I remembered—
“Azelta! Here!”
It used to be in the lowest drawer—the only one I could reach—of the adult dresser. Maybe it was still placed the same way? I pulled open the new short drawer—*so easy to pull!*—and sure enough, the necklaces were still inside. I took one and handed it to Azelta.
“For me?”
Her eyes widened. I took out the rest.
“Yep. I planned to give them after I gave the Duke his.”
“Thank you, my lady.”
Azelta happily lifted the necklace and placed it on her head like a crown. Of course, it didn’t go down to her neck.
“It’s… a necklace…”
It just became a flower crown again. I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
“In that case—like this.”
Skilled as ever, Azelta loosened the string and tied it behind her neck. It wouldn’t last long since it was made of grass, but it looked lovely.
“I’ll make a sturdier one next time!”
*Promise!* I hooked my pinky toward her. She hooked hers with mine, smiling.
“Then who will get the last one?”
The pastel-colored shell on her necklace swayed. I tilted my head.
“Hmm… Sir Lotia, for sure…”
Of course I’d give him one. Next, that tired-looking doctor—Delpiro. I wasn’t fond of meeting doctors, but he *was* helping my health, after all. It would be rude to discriminate by profession!
“And Delpiro… uncle?”
*Pfft.*
Azelta burst into laughter.
“What?”
She waved her hand.
“Delpiro is younger than he looks.”
Really? His face looked like someone who’d seen the weight of life. Maybe mid-thirties? I rubbed my chin.
“He’s still an uncle.”
I’m five. Mid-thirties = uncle. I declared firmly. Azelta tried not to laugh again.
“So one necklace is left.”
She pointed to the remaining one.
“Right. Who should I give it to?”
I stared at the necklace. The grass string would dry soon. I should give it before it wilted.
“Hmm…”
Just then, Azelta asked cautiously:
“In that case… how about giving it to someone your age?”
“Huh? I have a friend?”
There’s another child nearby? I blinked.
“Yes. A little far from here.”
“Where?”
“The Deas household.”
The Deas house? My eyes widened.
“Lotia has a son?”
Married?! Azelta finally gave up and burst out laughing.
“He has a *younger sibling.* Same age as you, Lady Nasia.”
“Five?”
I held up all five fingers. My last year using the “five years old introduction hack.”
“Yes.”
Azelta nodded.
“Okay.”
I’d check if that kid was nice—wait.
“But you said something’s going on at the Deas house? Is… that about the kid?”
Azelta’s smile faded.
“…Probably.”
Her expression dimmed. I looked at her until she finally sighed.
“Sir Lotia’s younger sibling was born very sick.”
Born sick. That hit me harder than I expected. In my case, I only had to grow up since I remembered my past life. But a child who was *born* sick…
“Are they too sick to meet?”
Azelta widened her eyes.
*
Everything was arranged in a rush. Still, Deas would be notified—breaking into a noble house unannounced feels rude, even if status allows it. While the maids packed to leave, I said:
“Make sure to tell my friend I’m coming!”
“Shall we?”
Azelta blinked, then smiled.
“Yes, my lady. We’ll send a messenger ahead.”
Even when I spoke in five-year-old language, she understood perfectly.
But I had one more hurdle: the Duke of Iter.
“…You want to go to the Deas house?”
He looked displeased that I wanted to leave the estate.
He stroked his chin, then said:
“It is the season when monsters overflow. Soon, mist will surround the estate, and a sea fog will settle between here and the Deas territory. Visibility will drop to nearly nothing.”
He looked at me. I blinked.
**…Okay?**
I could guess what he *really* meant.
“It’s dangerous.”
He could’ve said that from the beginning.
“I’ll only be gone a little bit.”
Just to see the kid and give the necklace! I lifted the box containing the necklaces.
“I’ll give the present and come right back.”
Finally discovering someone my age—I had to at least see them. The Duke sighed, then nodded.
“…The sea fog is still at a manageable level. Very well. But two conditions.”
He held up two fingers.
“One. You will travel with at least one division of soldiers. Two. Doctor Delpiro must certify that you can endure a long journey and travel with you.”
He definitely forgot I was five. Or he didn’t realize his words were complicated.
I blinked.
“Bandages?”
His face stiffened.
“A **division**.”
Azelta stepped in.
“His Grace means he wants ten knights to escort you. He’s very worried.”
I widened my eyes and nodded energetically.
“Okay!”
That’s how you talk to a child!
The Duke seemed to realize his mistake and rephrased again:
“And—you must obtain Delpiro’s formal documentation that your health can endure travel—”
Even harder. I looked to Azelta. She interpreted again.
“He means, if Delpiro says ‘yes,’ then you can go.”
“Aha!”
*See? Talking like that is easier.*
I glanced back at the Duke. His expression grew grim.
“And Delpiro must accompany you.”
So many complicated conditions.
“Okay!”
I agreed quickly this time. The Duke finally looked relieved.
“Then, you may go.”
He said. I bowed deeply.
“I’ll be back, Duke!”
He looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead he turned back to his documents. I tilted my head. Whatever. I grabbed Azelta’s hand.
“Let’s go! Quickly!”
With my healthiest-looking posture, I marched forward. *Click.* The office door closed.
. . .
Only after the door closed did Ain look toward the space where Nasia had stood.
*‘I’ll be back, Duke!’*
She was in such a good mood. If Delpiro said no… she’d be disappointed. Maybe she’d whine like a child. Ain narrowed his eyes. If she did, he would’ve let her go anyway. The fog wasn’t thick yet, and with Azelta, she’d return safely. But—
*‘I’ll just give the present and come back.’*
She wasn’t whining. She was **convincing** him. Expecting to be refused, and trying to negotiate a small exception.
Ain had never forbidden her from doing anything. He wanted her to think of this estate as *home*. But the girl seemed to assume that her wishes would be ignored or rejected.
She wasn’t ready to trust yet. Not fully.
He ran a hand across the papers.
“‘Duke.’”
A common title. Duke. Your Grace. His Grace.
He was called that by everyone. More often than his name.
*Duke?*
But coming from Nasia’s mouth, it wasn’t pleasant.
“We clarified this on the first day.”
^[Starting today, Lady Nasia de Lebois will be treated as Nasia von Iter in this mansion.]^
He was unmarried, but their large age gap clearly implied: he would adopt her as a daughter if she wished. They had talked about it on day one.
So why was she still calling him “Duke”?
“…Was my declaration too difficult?”
He suddenly remembered her asking:
*‘Bandage?’*
Too hard. Too formal. She probably didn’t understand.
He grabbed blank sheets and began rewriting the adoption document.
[*Nasia von Iter*]
No—she was *Nasia de Lebois* when she arrived.
He crumpled the paper. Again.
[*I officially make Nasia de Lebois my adopted daughter and rightful heir*]
“Rightful heir” might be hard.
Crumpled again.
[*Nasia de Lebois is now a member of House Iter*]
—*Crack!*
He crumpled that one too.
Ain stared down at the last blank sheet.
He needed to write it in words a child could understand.
