CHAPTER 13………………………………………
The maid brought out two cups of warm tea.
Chebert’s sharp red eyes swept across the room before landing on the young girl sitting demurely and sipping her tea.
What on earth is she plotting?
He had come into the room out of curiosity, but he couldn’t guess what kind of words would come out of Maryann’s mouth.
Could it be… she’s going to bring up the engagement Father mentioned?
If that was the case, he’d have to cut it off immediately — Chebert thought, frowning fiercely.
But the words that broke the silence were far from what he expected.
“Do you know what Creamu’s favorite toy is?”
“…What? What kind of question is that?”
“Then, do you know what his favorite snack is?”
“You little—! …U-uh, pudding? Maybe?”
Thirteen-year-old Maryann’s expression instantly sank.
“You really don’t know… even though you’re his brother.”
“Hey! There’s no rule that says I have to know that! I’m not his babysitter.”
Chebert said that, but his mind was already scrambling — What was it that Creamu liked again?
Nothing clear came to mind.
Frustrated, he ended up shouting.
“The Kereis brothers are enemies to one another. Only through competition can we earn the right to inherit this family. Not even brothers bound by blood trust each other — that’s the Kereis way! You wouldn’t understand!”
Maryann’s black eyes quietly met his.
“But Creamu is just a child. He’s only four years old.”
Chebert’s mouth clamped shut.
Annoyance furrowed his brow, yet before his eyes flashed an image of a tiny toddler toddling about — the little boy who had laughed so purely when tasting soup for the first time, the baby who used to clutch his pant leg and whine, Hyuung.
“…”
A sharp ache pricked his chest.
As he replayed his own harsh words, Chebert felt ashamed.
Why had he said something so pointless? Competing… with a four-year-old?
But instead of showing it, he lashed out again — that was simply how he communicated.
“So what are you supposed to be, questioning me like this?”
A freeloader living off our family, he nearly added — and did.
Once the words left his mouth, he felt a fleeting sense of victory.
But Maryann, even after hearing such cruel words, remained composed.
Then she spoke firmly:
“You can say whatever you want to me. I can endure it.”
“…What?”
“But please, I have one request.
Just one day a week — please play with Creamu. You’re the only brother he has left in this mansion.”
“Y-you—!”
Chebert tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat again.
The first time she had caught him off guard, he had managed to recover.
But not this time.
No words came from his slightly parted lips.
His mind was blank.
He simply stood there, stunned — a situation he’d never experienced before.
The only brother he has left.
Those words echoed in his ears.
The only one… his only brother…
Chebert’s crimson eyes blazed as he abruptly stood.
“Don’t tell me you think I’m actually going to do what you say!”
Maryann didn’t answer.
Her face was cute, but the way she calmly gestured with her hand wasn’t cute at all.
“W-what! What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just… lower your head for a second.”
That small hand gesture clearly meant bow your head.
Chebert was taken aback — in his seventeen years, no one had ever told him to do that.
“D-did you just tell me to bow to you?”
Maryann nodded, and his red pupils quivered violently.
He swallowed hard, lost on what to do, and before realizing it, he bent down slightly.
Their faces were now only a hand’s width apart.
In his scarlet eyes, the girl’s angry expression was reflected — her brows furrowed just so, as if to say, I’m mad now.
“I’ll say this once more. If you don’t, I’ll— I’ll poke holes all over your body…”
“Eek! O-okay! Enough!”
“So just be nice and play with him!”
Having said her piece, Maryann pressed her flushed cheeks with both hands and lowered the heels she had been standing on to reach his height.
Though it was her own room, she stormed out with an indignant huff.
Left behind, Chebert’s eyebrow twitched.
What just happened? Did I… lose again?
It had been a long time since all four of them had shared breakfast.
Since that incident, the Duke seemed to be paying slightly more attention to Creamu.
But “more attention” meant glancing at him twice instead of once — nothing else had changed.
The silence at the table was the same as ever, broken only by the occasional clink of cutlery.
Yet amid that stillness, I felt something strange — both brothers kept staring at me.
The eldest, Chebert, was slicing his meat roughly, his eyes full of barely restrained hostility.
When I looked away from him, Creamu was next.
“Heehee.”
Throughout the meal, Creamu peeked at me with his ruby-like eyes.
I was glad those eyes no longer looked like they might burst into tears at any moment, but still — why did he keep staring?
Cute as he was, it was a little overwhelming.
Hey, stop staring already.
When the Kereis men finished eating, they left one by one — leaving me alone… or so I thought.
But no, Creamu was still there, his small head just peeking over the edge of the table.
“Haven’t you finished your meal yet?”
At my question, Creamu stomped his little feet.
Tap tap tap! The loud sound brought his nanny over.
“Would you like more soup, young master?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then shall I help you down from the chair?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Once lifted from his chair, Creamu toddled halfway around the long dining table.
I frowned — what was this kid up to now?
Had his fever gone down only for him to revert to his old troublemaking ways?
He was coming closer and closer.
What’s going on? Why is he coming toward me…?
And what was with that tightly clenched little fist?
Why was he puffing his cheeks and charging at me?
I’d almost forgotten — Creamu was the biggest little rascal in the Kereis family.
Even if he called me “noona” now and we’d grown closer, a rascal was still a rascal.
And a four-year-old’s actions were impossible to predict.
My eyes trembled as I grabbed my new dress.
He might throw food again. Or worse, spit the milk he just drank all over me.
I’d just washed and changed — I couldn’t go through that again.
I was about to call the maid behind me, but Creamu was faster.
“Noonaaa!”
He ran up and thrust out his clenched fist.
Gasp! Don’t tell me— was there a frog in there? Or a worm? A spider?
Panicking, I called out,
“H-hey! Bring me something to wipe with!”
“Something to wipe, miss?”
The maid looked around, confused — everything was spotless.
“Something to wipe or block or— anything! Just hurry! Now! Throw it!”
While the flustered maid fumbled, Creamu opened his fist.
“Noona, pwesent!”
Aaaah! No! I don’t want your present!
I squeezed my eyes shut — I hated frogs!
That slimy texture, those staring eyes, that unpredictable boing!
Absolutely not!
After what felt like ages, I realized it was… quiet.
Cautiously, I opened one eye.
Huh? No frog.
Just Creamu’s big, innocent eyes — and in his hand, a cookie.
“C-cream… that’s a cookie?”
“For Noona.”
A slightly melted chocolate cookie, crumbling in his tiny, messy hand.
The chef had made those specially for him.
“You’re… giving it to me?”
He nodded once and grinned.
That pure smile made me speechless for a moment. I took the cookie from him.
He’d been holding it so tightly, it had lost its shape.
“Miss, here are some dry towels!”
The maid arrived with three towels, looking panicked.
“Oh, thanks… but I don’t think I’ll need them. No frog this time.”
“Frog…?”
“Haha, never mind.”
I shrugged and popped the cookie into my mouth.
Crunch — sweet chocolate filled my mouth.
Mmm, it was pretty good.
“Creamu, you’re kind of adorable, you know that?”
“Noona! Luv you!”
The little rascal cried out happily and threw himself into my arms.
He… loves me?
From the same kid who used to spit at me?
Looking down at his blue hair nestled against my knees, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Then I noticed the chocolate stains from his hands all over my new dress — and laughed even harder.
It was the kind of laughter that bubbled up warm and bright from deep in my chest.
