Chapter 20
The next day.
“Hyung! Mine is better, right?”
“Oba! Nae-ge deu! (Big brother! Mine’s better, right?)”
Levi and I were once again clinging to Iello, demanding that he choose one of our drawings.
“I told you, you both did well. Didn’t we finish talking about the drawings yesterday?”
“It ended because you ran away!”
“Ma-eu! (That’s right, you ran away!)”
Ever since that day, Iello had been busy avoiding us whenever he saw us.
Even at meals.
“Hyung!”
“Oba! (Big brother!)”
“Ah, I just remembered I have something to take care of. Father, I’ll eat later.”
“Very well.”
During walks, too.
“Oh? Hyung!”
“Obaeu! (Big brother!)”
“Sir Plio. I have something to ask you.”
“Pardon? Me?”
“Yes. I have a question. Let’s go together.”
Even during snack time.
“Oba! (Big brother!)”
“Hyung!”
“Dana, I’m not feeling very hungry today. I’ll pass on the snacks.”
“Yes, young master. Please let me know if you get hungry later.”
Every time Iello saw Levi or me, he would hurriedly leave as if he had urgent business.
“Stop running away!”
“Abuu! (That’s right, no more running away!)”
When we both held up our drawings and glared at him, Iello let out a long sigh.
“I really don’t know. It’s too close to call. How am I supposed to choose just one?”
At his words, Levi frowned and grumbled.
“Come on, anyone can see mine is better! Even if you adore Alle, wrong is wrong!”
“Mwe? (What did you say?)”
There’s a limit to delusion! How dare he compare that flaming sweet potato to my drawing?
Stunned by Levi’s words, I shot him an annoyed look.
‘He has absolutely no sense of aesthetics.’
I narrowed my eyes at him. He let out a dry laugh and asked,
“Alle? Are you looking down on me right now?”
“U! (Yes!)”
“Ha, unbelievable.”
‘That’s exactly how I feel.’
I pouted up at him. He shrugged and sneered.
“Well, what can I expect from a baby with no artistic sense?”
“Mweu? (No what?)”
“There’s clearly a difference in level.”
At the word “difference in level,” my brows furrowed.
“Abuu? (Are you done talking?)”
“You’re asking if I’m done? Yeah. I’m done. What are you going to do about it?”
Levi crossed his arms and looked down at me arrogantly.
‘Oh? So that’s how you’re going to play?’
His shamelessness made irritation surge inside me.
‘Then I have no choice.’
I didn’t want to go this far, but I had to make it clear this time.
‘If I can’t express myself properly with words, I’ll just have to show it like this.’
Angry, I grabbed a black crayon nearby and drew a big X over Levi’s drawing.
Levi shoved me and shouted,
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
He pointed at his drawing with a scowl.
“Are you kidding me? What are you going to do about this?!”
“Bbu! Bbuueu! (You started it! You were the one who looked down on me!)”
“Even if you’re my little sister, there’s a limit to how much I can let slide!”
“Abuu! (Same goes for me!)”
As Levi and I growled at each other, Iello quickly stepped between us.
“That’s enough. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Stay out of it!”
“Ma-eu! (Yeah, stay out of it!)”
When we both shouted at him to back off, Iello warned us in a chilling tone.
“If you two keep this up, I’ll use my ability and tie you both up.”
“……”
The room fell silent instantly.
“Whew, finally some peace. Stop fighting and get along.”
Iello tried to lighten the mood, but Levi and I were too busy glaring at each other.
How long had it been? A few minutes later, Levi spoke.
“I’m leaving.”
“You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah. Because of someone, I don’t feel like staying.”
‘He’s obviously making it clear he means me.’
“Buu! (Fine, go!)”
I pointed toward the door with the paper in my hand.
“Fine! I’m going! I said I’m going!”
Perhaps upset that no one stopped him, Levi flared up and ran toward the door.
Just as he opened it—
“Alle, from now on it’s war. Until you apologize first! I will never! Say a single word to you!”
Levi declared war on me.
“Buuueu! (Same here!)”
And just like that, our war began.
Two days later.
While eating dessert in the dining room of the Granato ducal house, Levi spoke with a prim expression.
“Molly, ask her if she still has no intention of apologizing.”
“Young lady, do you intend to make up with Young Master Levi?”
“Buuueu! (No, absolutely not!)”
“Molly, ask her if she isn’t tired of being so stubborn.”
“Young lady, the young master is asking to reconcile.”
“Molly, what are you saying! Why would I reconcile with her? Unless she bows her head first!”
“Mweu? (What did you just say?)”
Bow my head first? That means he’s telling me to give in!
At Levi’s words, I shook my head fiercely, strongly declaring I had no intention of apologizing. Molly hesitated for a moment, then suddenly clapped her hands and raised her voice.
“Wow, you do? That’s great!”
“Heuu! (No, I don’t!)”
I shook my head again to deny it.
“Aeuu! (I won’t apologize!)”
“But it’s already been two days…”
“Molly, can’t you see her face? Anyone can tell she has no intention of apologizing.”
Levi clicked his tongue, giving Molly a crooked look.
“I’ve been so magnanimous, waiting like this! And look at her puffing up her cheeks like that! She looks like such a brat!”
“Young master!”
“Mweu? (What brat?)”
“Oh? You’re frowning? You look ugly!”
“Bu! (No I don’t!)”
Ugly?! Father and the maids all say I’m pretty! As if he’s that handsome—well… he is handsome.
I wanted to snap back, but his looks were undeniably flawless.
“Well, since I’m the older one, I’ve been waiting. But for a baby, you’re really stubborn.”
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
Anyone listening would think this was entirely my fault!
Sure, drawing an X with a crayon was my fault…
But he insulted my drawing first!
I know I’m not acting my age… but having something I worked hard on mocked made me feel hurt, annoyed, and upset all at once.
Because of that, I’d been unusually stubborn lately, locked in this battle of nerves with Levi.
“I’m done mediating! From now on, you two handle it yourselves!”
Drained by our tension, Molly raised both hands and stepped away.
“……”
The dining room grew quiet after she left.
Levi, seemingly unbothered, continued eating the pudding on his plate.
Meanwhile, I fidgeted with my fingers, deep in thought.
‘Hng, how long is this going to last?’
It had already been two days. For over two days, Levi and I had been bristling at each other, waiting to see who would apologize first.
I had thought about going first, but—
“Because someone keeps being stubborn, the whole house feels tense. It’d be over with just one apology!”
‘Hearing him say things like that makes it hard to open my mouth!’
Every time I considered apologizing, his attitude made the thought disappear. So we kept fighting whenever we met.
‘I need to make up today.’
Feeling troubled, I poked at my pudding.
Just then—
“Your Grace! Your Grace! Where on earth are you?!”
Plio ran through the corridor in a panic, his face pale as he called for Lucero.
At the same time, in the office, Flynn was giving her report to Lucero.
“The young lady ate breakfast and lunch well. Young Master Levi overslept and had lunch only. Young Master Iello had brunch and went to his lessons.”
“What are Alle and Levi doing now?”
“They are currently having dessert in the dining room, with Molly waiting nearby, Your Grace.”
“Good. Nothing unusual?”
“No, Your Grace. Same as yesterday.”
“Still like that today?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Just moments ago they were growling at each other again.”
Lucero let out a shallow sigh.
“I thought it would end in a day, but it’s lasting longer than expected.”
These days, the entire Granato ducal household had been busy watching Allegria and Levi’s moods.
Since they bared their teeth at each other every time they met, the servants were constantly trying to keep them apart.
“They are my children… but honestly, who did they take after?”
Lucero shook his head in exasperation.
Flynn’s lips twitched as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed the words.
‘Anyone can see they take after you, Your Grace.’
The words rose to her throat, but saying them would surely result in punishment.
Afraid of accidentally speaking out and getting disciplined, Flynn quickly bit her lip and composed herself.
Fortunately, Lucero didn’t notice her expression and changed the subject.
“Flynn, how is the banquet preparation going?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Everything is proceeding smoothly. We expect all the toys to arrive by tomorrow!”
“Good. It may be tight, but do your best. It must be perfect.”
“Of course, Your Grace! It’s the young lady’s birthday, after all.”
At Flynn’s excited tone, Lucero smiled in satisfaction.
“As expected, I have a good eye for people.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. Ah! How many portraits of the young lady will you need?”
“Gather them all. Not a single one left out.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“Very well. You may go.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Flynn bowed and moved to open the office door.
Or rather, she tried to.
“Your Grace! Why are you here of all places?! This is no time to be sitting around!”
Because Plio burst in before she could.
