Chapter 32….
It was a story even Princess Ellia herself didn’t know — Madame Laval’s story.
“So, Your Highness, I’ll be by your side. I may not be your brother, but still.”
“…Madame Laval…”
Ellia’s nose stung again.
She still missed her brother dearly, but that crushing loneliness — that sense of being left alone in the world — had faded.
“Hic… sniff…”
Ellia began to cry again, softly this time.
It wasn’t the kind of desperate, chest-tearing sob she’d cried before.
Madame Laval’s eyes glistened as well.
“I’m here beside you, Your Highness…”
She held Ellia close and gently patted her back.
Ellia’s heart trembled once more.
Was this truly the world she was meant to lean on?
Was her brother really gone?
Madame Laval’s embrace was warm and comforting — but she still missed her brother’s rough, firm arms more.
“Huuu…”
Just as Ellia was about to open her mouth wide and wail again—
Bang!
“Y-Your Highness! I brought your brother!”
Marquis Simon burst through the door as if to break it down.
He had Clearus dangling under his arm like a sack of goods.
Clearus’s face, wedged under the marquis’s arm, was bright red with humiliation.
“B-brother?”
That wasn’t her brother — that was Duke Berndt.
Ellia pointed at Clearus and looked at Simon questioningly.
“Can’t he be your brother from now on? He’s qualified — he’s male and a year older!”
“…”
No… that’s not how it works.
The duke is the duke, and brother is brother.
Ellia stared blankly at Simon, dumbfounded by his ridiculous idea.
“T-then should I find another brother for you?”
Flustered by Ellia’s reaction, the marquis quickly set Clearus down.
Now free from being carried like luggage, Clearus glared daggers at the marquis.
“Ahem. I only did it for Your Highness…”
“…”
Adults were sly, cowardly, and shameless.
With that kind of excuse, how could she even scold him for treating Duke Berndt like baggage?
“I’ll let it slide just this once.”
Clearus gave Simon a sharp look, then turned and bowed to Ellia.
“Clearus von Berndt, greets Your Highness.”
“Berndt Duke…”
He wasn’t her brother, but he was her closest friend — and just seeing him made her feel safe again.
Now that her heart had calmed, her tears welled up once more.
Today, Ellia’s tear ducts seemed truly broken.
“…Are you crying?”
Though they’d cried together before, Clearus looked utterly shocked, as if seeing her tears for the first time — as if something unthinkable were happening.
“Berndt Duke… my brother, my brother…”
Ellia repeated the word “brother” as tears dripped from her eyes.
“Uh, Y-Your Highness… brother, you mean…?”
“I miss my brother… my brother… huuuh!”
Clearus turned toward Simon with the same baffled look everyone else had shown.
The marquis had dragged him here in a hurry without explaining anything.
“Um… Her Highness is sad because she misses her brother.”
“? But Her Highness doesn’t ha—”
“Exactly! Missing someone is a sad thing no matter what!”
The phrase “she doesn’t have a brother” was forbidden.
Simon cut Clearus off mid-sentence, shouting with such urgency that Clearus didn’t even think to be offended at being interrupted.
Clearus’s eyes darted nervously.
He didn’t really know what “brother” meant in this situation, but even now, Princess Ellia was crying sorrowfully.
“Uh… please, stop crying.”
“Uwaaaah!”
“….”
Of course that didn’t work.
Clearus himself, as a child, couldn’t stop crying until the feelings passed on their own.
But he couldn’t exactly go find her a real brother either….
“Your Highness, if you keep crying like that, your head will start to hurt.”
“Sniff-sniff! Huuuh!”
“Um…”
Clearus wasn’t good at comforting people with words.
But he believed his heart would somehow reach hers.
He hesitantly reached out and patted her back.
Held in Madame Laval’s arms, Ellia hiccuped and looked up at him.
“It’s working.”
Encouraged, Clearus continued patting her back — then gently took her hand.
Even as tears rolled down her cheeks, Ellia looked at him.
Without words, Clearus squeezed her hand tightly, as if to share his warmth.
“…”
Ellia looked down at their joined hands, then squeezed back softly.
Clearus smiled faintly.
“When you miss someone, sometimes crying a lot helps.”
“Berndt Duke…”
Ellia called him in a nasal voice.
His single sentence brought fresh tears to her eyes — not from sadness this time, but from warmth and comfort.
“Huuuuh!”
Ellia suddenly threw herself into his arms.
The force of it made Clearus fall backward onto his backside, but he didn’t loosen his hold on her.
His butt would probably ache later, but he didn’t show it.
If he did, Ellia might pull away — and right now, he just wanted to hold and comfort her.
Pat, pat.
Clearus patted her back earnestly.
Finally, she cried herself out.
“Hic… sniff…”
Ellia lifted her head; her nose was so stuffed she could hardly breathe.
Madame Laval quickly fetched a handkerchief and held it under Ellia’s nose.
“Blow.”
“Honk!”
Watching her obey so obediently made Clearus grin.
Is this what it would feel like to have a little sister?
Even her tear-streaked, messy face looked adorable. Her tousled pink hair was soft and fluffy — he almost wanted to touch it.
“Shall we go for a walk?”
“Mm…”
“Maybe a walk will make you feel better.”
Ellia pouted indecisively.
She wasn’t calm enough yet to go outside, but walking with Clearus did sound nice.
Seeing her hesitate, Clearus made another suggestion.
“If you don’t want to walk, I can carry you on my back.”
“!”
She hesitated — and then decided instantly.
That one powerful offer tipped the scales completely.
When Clearus saw the sparkle of light replace the tears in her eyes, he smiled brightly.
A crying princess was cute, but a smiling, lively one was even better.
“D-Duke Berndt, are you sure it’s all right?”
Even with the sturdy blood of House Berndt, he was still just a boy.
The adults fretted that something terrible might happen if he tried to carry her.
“Yes.”
But Clearus confidently turned his back to Ellia.
Compared to his daily training, carrying her would be easy.
Though he’d never actually given anyone a piggyback ride before….
“Climb on.”
He crouched down just like the knights used to do for him as a child and offered his back.
Ellia wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
He could feel her warmth cling to him.
“—!”
That warmth spread hotly through his chest.
Her body was softer and warmer than he expected.
And the arms around his neck were gentle and smooth.
He was soft too, since they were both children — but compared to Ellia, he was firmer and rougher.
“Let’s gooo!”
Ellia cheered excitedly, as if riding a horse.
Her breath brushed against his ear.
Now even his earlobes were burning.
At this rate, his whole body might catch fire.
Clearus exhaled slowly, wrapped his arms around her legs, and stood up.
“Hup!”
“Kyaaah!”
Ellia’s body lifted into the air.
It wasn’t as high as when her brother carried her, but to Ellia, it felt way up high.
She wiggled gleefully.
“Ugh, w-wait—”
He could manage the lifting part easily thanks to his training — but Ellia bouncing up and down on top of him was another story.
Clearus’s legs wobbled. So did his pride.
I can’t even carry the princess properly?!
A mortal blow to his manly dignity.
Seeing his trembling legs, Madame Laval forced a bright smile and tried to help.
“No matter what, Duke, you have your image to maintain. Shall I take her instead?”
“Nooo!”
But Ellia refused.
“It’s fine,” Clearus said firmly, standing tall.
This was training. Yes — part of his training.
He would do it. No matter what.
“If you bounce too much, the duke will get tired,” Marquis Simon cautioned gently.
“Oh! Sorry… are you tired?”
“No! You could jump rope on my back and I still wouldn’t be tired!”
Clearus’s stubborn bravado exploded.
“…Ahem.”
“…Heh.”
Both adults barely managed to stifle their laughter.
Clearus’s face flushed red again — for an entirely different reason this time.
This cursed pride… Why did it always come out in front of the princess?
