♧ Chapter 5 ♧
If I had known I would meet all three male leads at the same time, I never would have begged to go outside because I was bored this morning.
Our neighborhood was in a busy part of town, but it wasn’t the kind of place where all the male leads would suddenly appear together.
“I had something to take care of, so I arrived earlier than planned. But what about you two? Why are you already in Trovanza?”
“We came a few days early so we could do some sightseeing.”
“I see. Well then, enjoy your meal.”
François was about to leave coldly, but then he noticed me staring at him with my mouth wide open.
“Hello, little lady.”
“…Hic!”
I was truly afraid of François Cassel.
In the original story, not only did he lock the heroine inside the Magic Tower…
He also threw me into the tower as the heroine’s maid after I was taken to the Empire as a prisoner.
And when the heroine refused to eat properly…
He forced me to drink a poison that would slowly and painfully dry me to death unless I regularly took the antidote.
Then he only gave me enough antidote to survive half a day if the heroine finished her meals.
To save innocent me…
The heroine forced herself to eat, even though she felt so sick that she threw up.
“A-A-Hello.”
Without realizing it, I shrank back.
I put down my fork and grabbed the edge of my Second Sister’s clothes.
She raised one eyebrow.
“Hello. It’s nice to see you again.”
My Second Sister greeted François Cassel politely.
“So you know our youngest?”
“Our youngest? Then you’re her older sister? That means you’re Emilia Berkio’s sister.”
“Emilia is my twin younger sister. We don’t look alike, do we? People always say that. Hohoho. But how do you know Liliana?”
“Second Sister…”
I gently tugged on her clothes, trying to tell her to stop.
Although she smiled warmly, I could tell she was on guard.
François Cassel naturally pulled out a chair and sat down at our table.
Marius watched us with interest.
Leopold quietly looked at me.
“Didn’t Emilia tell you? She made a contract with me because of her youngest sister’s health.”
“A contract? What kind of contract?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It isn’t something I should talk about so freely.”
“I see. Then I’ll ask Emilia later.”
Even after the conversation ended, François Cassel didn’t get up.
Since he had come alone anyway…
It seemed he intended to quietly join our table.
In the original story, he wasn’t interested in other people at all.
Was he acting like this because the other male leads were here?
“By the way, how do the three of you know each other?”
“We know each other through work.”
“I see. Lily, hurry and eat before your food gets cold.”
My Second Sister placed my fork back into my hand.
I glanced at François Cassel before forcing myself to start eating.
It was the children’s meal I usually loved so much.
But because I was nervous…
Everything felt dry inside my mouth.
I completely lost my appetite.
François Cassel quietly watched me.
My Second Sister noticed his gaze and smiled.
“Our youngest is cute, isn’t she?”
“She is. When she grows up, she’ll probably make every boy in town cry.”
“That’s right…! When I grow up, I’ll become the strongest fighter in town and make everyone cry!”
The moment I said that…
Marius, who had been quietly eating, burst out laughing.
He covered his mouth so food wouldn’t fly everywhere.
Even so…
It looked messy.
“Mister. That’s dirty.”
“Hahaha! The strongest fighter? Your little fists are only bean-sized fists.”
“My fists aren’t bean-sized.”
“They are.”
“No! They’ll become hammer fists!”
Seriously…
Why did the Emperor keep teasing me every time he saw me?
I puffed out my cheeks and glared at him.
Then Leopold spoke.
“If you finish all your food without leaving anything behind, your fists will become hammer fists.”
I immediately stuffed food into my mouth.
François Cassel looked at me and smiled.
“Little one, what do you want to become when you grow up?”
Ugh.
Little one again.
I was already six years old.
“I’m going to become a sister like my sisters.”
“Which sister? Your Second Sister?”
My Second Sister’s eyes sparkled.
My eyes rolled around.
Of course my Second Sister was kind, beautiful, cool, and confident…
But to me…
Big Sister would always come first.
“U-Um… What do you want to become, Mister?”
“I’m not a mister. Those two are misters. I’m Oppa.”
Clearly drawing a line between himself and Marius and Leopold, François Cassel wrapped his fresh pasta around his fork before continuing.
“Your sister?”
“Her name is Regina. Regina Berkio.”
“Miss Regina. When you get home, please ask Emilia to explain everything properly. It seems your family are her guardians, and if she pushes ahead with this on her own, she’s going to get scolded badly.”
“Hmm… Alright, Mr. François.”
Somehow…
My Second Sister’s smile didn’t seem ordinary.
She looked just as cheerful as always.
But because I was her family…
I could tell she was very angry.
‘Emilia… you’re finished…’
Without even worrying about François Cassel…
I was too busy watching my Second Sister’s expression to know whether the food was going into my mouth or my nose.
“Ugh…”
When I opened my eyes…
I found myself on Leopold’s back.
As I tried to remember what had happened…
Everything from a few hours ago came back to me.
After we finished eating at the restaurant…
François Cassel left because he had work to do.
The rest of us went to the nearby beach.
I happily ran around on the white sand.
Then I plopped down beside Marius and secretly stared at the grape juice he was drinking.
I had already drunk grape juice that morning…
But watching someone else drink it made it look even more delicious.
“Do you want some?”
“Mm… I like grape juice too…”
“If you admit that this Mister is more handsome than Mister Leo, I’ll give you one sip.”
“But that’s a lie… My sisters said I shouldn’t tell lies.”
I quickly turned my head away from the grape juice.
I swallowed my saliva.
“Hahaha. Then I’ll just let you have a sip anyway.”
“Mm. No thank you. I don’t want your pity.”
I copied the way my Second Sister always acted and proudly lifted my chin.
But the grape juice kept floating in front of my face.
“Pfft! She said pity!”
I heard Marius trying to hold back his laughter.
In the distance…
My Second Sister and Leopold were walking side by side along the beach.
The two of them looked really good together.
Using her natural friendliness…
My Second Sister kept talking to Leopold without stopping.
The waves came in…
Then rolled back out again.
Whoosh…
The sound of the waves was like a lullaby.
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
‘I’ll just rest until my sister comes back.’
I lay down on the soft sand.
My sisters always told me not to lie down anywhere.
But the sand was so soft and comfortable.
That…
Was my last memory.
‘Ah! I drooled!’
When I fully woke up…
I noticed a round drool stain on Leopold’s back.
I wanted to see his face.
But since I was riding on his back, I couldn’t.
Feeling guilty…
I hurriedly rubbed the stain with my hand.
But it only seemed to make it smell even more like drool.
‘What should I do? He won’t get angry because it’s disgusting… right?’
I pressed my sleeve against his back, trying to soak up the drool.
But it didn’t help at all.
‘It’s Leopold, not François Cassel… He probably won’t get angry…’
While I was desperately thinking…
Leopold slightly turned his head.
“Are you bored?”
“Huh?”
Since I had been touching his back over and over…
He must have thought I had woken up and was playing around.
“Our youngest is awake. Mr. Leopold, you must be tired. You can put Liliana down now.”
“It’s alright.”
“But she must be heavy.”
“Heavy? She’s far too light. That’s what worries me. I have a cousin around her age, but the difference in weight is unbelievable.”
“Mister… I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t pretend I hadn’t drooled on him.
So I apologized first.
“For what?”
Huh?
Did he not notice the drool?
Then maybe…
It was better to pretend nothing had happened.
“Mmm… Nothing.”
I quickly covered my mouth to stop myself from smiling.
Then I heard someone quietly giggling beside me.
When I turned my head…
Marius was looking at me with a face that clearly said,
“I know everything.”
Seriously.
Even as the Emperor…
He never missed a chance to tease someone.
Embarrassed…
I buried my face in Leopold’s back.
Then I heard my Second Sister.
“We’re almost home. From here, we’ll walk by ourselves.”
“I’ll escort you to your house.”
“No, it’s alright. Only women live there. My sisters would probably feel uncomfortable if men came too close.”
“I understand. I wasn’t thinking carefully enough.”
Leopold gently put me down.
A moment ago…
I had been so high up that I could see over my Second Sister’s head.
Standing on the ground again felt strangely disappointing.
The air up there had been nice.
“U-Um… Miss Regina.”
Leopold looked unusually nervous as he spoke.
“Would it be possible for you to guide us again another day?”
Beside him…
Marius gave a long whistle.
Leopold’s neck immediately turned even redder.
Realizing Marius was teasing him…
I quietly stepped on Marius’s foot.
I even put my weight into it.
But apparently…
It didn’t hurt at all.
Instead…
He simply pressed his large hand onto my head and messed up my hair.
“Stop it!”
“Stop it.”
“Don’t copy me!”
“Don’t copy me.”
“Y-You…”
Now I was really angry.
Leaving Leopold and my Second Sister to continue talking…
I charged toward Marius and tried to bite his hand.
But Marius easily grabbed my wrist…
And lifted me into the air.
My feet dangled helplessly off the ground like I was hanging from a pull-up bar.
“Put me down!”
My feet swung in the air.
I twisted my body because I was scared.
But Marius didn’t loosen his grip at all.
He’s really bullying me now!
“Mister! You’re so annoying!”
“I’m still the most handsome, right?”
“No! You’re a goat pig!”
“There’s no such thing as a goat pig.”
“Then you’re a lizard!”
“Do you even know what a lizard is?”
“I do! Don’t treat me like I don’t know!”
“Wow. Not bad for such a little one.”
“I’m not little!”
“I heard that everyone who refuses to admit they’re little is actually little.”
“I-I…”
Unable to hold back my anger any longer…
I burst into tears.
“Waaah!”
This is so unfair! It’s completely unfair!
“…Ah, our youngest is crying. We should go now. Then let’s meet again at the same café three days from now at two o’clock.”
My Second Sister quickly wrapped up the conversation.
Then she picked me up and took me home.
She spent the whole way trying to comfort me.
But after I finally calmed down…
I became even more upset because I had lost to the childish Marius.
So…
I started crying all over again.
It really was a day when nothing went my way.
