CHAPTER 18………………………………………….
Kautz was struck dumb, unable to say a word.
To her, I explained honestly.
“You probably figured it out when you came here, Kautz, but I’m only staying here temporarily. After my parents died, I was thrown out of my home with nothing, and even the uncle who was supposed to take care of me sold me to the Kerace family.”
“Miss…”
“Being passed around like that made me think… I want to earn my own money. And with that money, I want to live freely with the people I care about. That’s all I want.”
As I spoke, my true feelings came out without realizing it.
I really wanted to live comfortably, freely.
Kautz’s expression grew solemn.
After a moment of thought, she slowly lifted her head and said,
“I’ll guide you to the Patra region, Miss.”
Her rough hand covered my small one.
I could feel each other’s warmth.
“Thank you, Kautz. Let’s do our best.”
At that moment, there was a flurry of excited footsteps outside the bedroom.
I knew that sound well.
Was he still awake so close to midnight?
Soon, I heard the head maid’s voice, and the door opened.
“Krimu!”
“Nuu-naa!”
In his pajamas, Krimu came running and leaned on my knees.
I gently stroked his hair with my hand.
“He must have woken up. Maybe because he fell asleep without dinner earlier.”
The head maid replied, part worried, part smiling like a mother.
“I see. Krimu, aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m hungryyy.”
Krimu pouted his tiny cherry-like lips.
His small hands tapped his stomach.
The head maid let out a slightly exasperated sound.
“I offered him soup and milk, but today he wouldn’t take any of it.”
Raising a small tongue-click, as if raising a child was never easy, the maid seemed a little frustrated.
I could understand that feeling.
“So he couldn’t sleep because he was hungry.”
“That, and… actually, Miss…”
“Hm?”
The maid came closer and whispered in my ear.
“Earlier, Young Master Sherbert came by, and well… he took Young Master Krimu’s cookies, you know?”
“What? That brat…”
I couldn’t help cursing before quickly covering my mouth.
Krimu blinked his round eyes.
“Ahahaha.”
I laughed as if it were nothing and listened to the maid continue.
“So after the brothers fought a little, that’s why Young Master Krimu fell asleep early.”
The eldest, at seventeen, fought with the little youngest…
Wasn’t that just him bullying Krimu?
I felt a surge of anger.
The gift I gave Krimu was stolen, and he caused all this trouble!
“Oh, Krimu. That’s why you were upset, huh?”
After hearing what happened, I thought for a moment and then had the maid fetch one of the cookie bundles I bought from the South.
“Miss, you don’t mean…”
Hearing the rustle, the maid turned serious.
She looked like she would never allow this before bedtime.
Krimu, smartly understanding the situation, clung to me.
“Choco.”
I cut the round chocolate cookie into several pieces.
And I said to Krimu,
“Only one, okay? No more. Promise me, Krimu.”
He looked at me pleading for more, but I couldn’t let him.
If he ate too many, he’d get sick later.
“Promise.”
Seeing him nod, I placed a piece of cookie into his mouth like feeding a little bird.
His chubby cheeks, with tiny downy hairs, chewed adorably.
“Then I’ll eat too. Here, head maid, try some.”
The maid initially refused, but I insisted.
“You have to try to understand Krimu’s feelings.”
Even the head maid, who disliked chocolate, brightened after tasting the extreme sweetness.
As for that Sherbert… I would make him pay for this soon.
After all, I’m Krimu’s sister.
No one in the mansion could miss how close Krimu and I had become.
Whenever he had free time, Krimu followed me everywhere, and even during magic lessons with Kautz, he would fall asleep leaning on my knees.
The most noticeable change was at breakfast.
“Krimu, go to your seat.”
He was stubborn as ever.
I tried lifting his round little body to move him, but seeing him pout and about to cry, I gave up.
He looked just like a marshmallow shaped into a person.
From some point, Krimu insisted on sitting next to me, not opposite Sherbert.
This made the seating arrangement awkward.
The Duke sat in the center, with Sherbert to the right, then me, and Krimu next to me.
No one sat opposite us.
“Hm.”
The Duke frowned, noticing the change in seating, and looked at me.
Sherbert, also displeased, turned his head to glare openly.
“You should know your limits. Staying in someone else’s house, yet acting like this.”
If only the Duke weren’t there, I would’ve pulled his hair immediately.
Just wait, you brat.
I glared at him, silently warning.
Ignoring all the silent looks, Krimu happily popped a cherry into his mouth.
Rolling it between his plump cheeks like a candy, they puffed up adorably.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Yes, as long as Krimu was happy.
“Eat a lot, Krimu.”
Somehow, Krimu had taken my side.
Of course, among the men of the Kerace family, he was the weakest.
Being only four, he wouldn’t be much help for now.
But that was fine.
When I first came here, I was alone.
Now, I was truly grateful that Krimu had opened his heart to me.
A few days later, Kautz and I left the mansion for “outdoor lessons.”
The Duke had assigned five attendants to me.
Still, fewer than when going to the city, which was a relief.
The carriage ran and ran, finally stopping near the Patra region.
“Wait here for a moment.”
“What do you mean?”
One of the attendants asked in a sour tone.
Their duty was to protect me, so their reaction was understandable.
I stepped forward before an argument could start.
“It’ll only be brief. The magic we’re doing today could be dangerous to those around us. If you don’t mind losing a leg… or even an arm… then you can follow us.”
“Yikes!”
The burly attendants hesitated and stepped back.
Kautz, who was beside me, glanced in surprise.
She knew I was extraordinary, but also clever to this degree?
Seeing the attendants back down at my words, Kautz truly admired me.
“Miss, that was incredible.”
“Pfft, that’s nothing. Shall we go?”
I dusted my small hands and led the way.
The Patra region lake stretched out before us.
The lake was enormous—almost the size of two mountains combined.
A large signboard stood by the transparent, clear waters.
“Don’t enter recklessly. Must be dangerous.”
“Miss, it looks normal, but… can you see the water bubbling over there?”
“Oh my. Really?”
Where Kautz pointed, the water was bubbling violently.
“Is it hot?”
“No. But it’s so cold it could burn you. Be careful not to touch it.”
It was a mysterious lake, so cold it could scald.
Existing only in Patra, within the Empire.
Then, suddenly—
“Ah! Miss, that’s the plant used for the dye!”
Following Kautz’s gesture, we saw sparse leaves growing a little distance from the lake.
Used for purple dye, the leaves had both green and purple colors.
“With just that, we could make the dye.”
“That’d be great, but Miss… these leaves wilt immediately once taken out of Patra. They can only be harvested and processed here.”
“I see. Can I touch them?”
As Kautz nodded and reached for a leaf—
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
An angry voice rang out.
We froze in place.
A burly man suddenly rushed over and snatched the leaves from our hands.
