Chapter: 11
“I don’t think Uncle is going to let me go.”
My shoulders slumped, and I couldn’t even think about eating.
Zenda bent down, tilted her head, and met my eyes.
“Then… would you like me to go ask him for you?”
“You…? But what if you get scolded?”
I lifted my head at once.
“To be honest, while you were away for that half day, the mansion felt so empty. At first I thought it was a good thing since you were returning to a bigger, nicer place… but it really was lonely. I think, before I even realized it, I’d grown very attached to you over the past few days, Miss.”
“I like you too, Zenda.”
It made me happy to know that Zenda felt the same way I did.
She folded both hands neatly on her lap and looked oddly determined.
“I may not be very strong, but I’ll do everything I can to protect you, Miss. If there’s somewhere you don’t want to go, I’ll do my best to stop it. And if there’s somewhere you want to go, I’ll plead with His Grace as much as I can.”
“But I don’t want you to get scolded.”
“I’ll make sure to ask in a way that won’t get me scolded. Would that be all right?”
“Mm! Then I’d like that.”
Just hearing Zenda say she’d be on my side made me feel incredibly reassured.
Then another thought suddenly flashed through my mind.
What if I got everyone else on my side too…?
Then, if Uncle tried to scold me or send me away again, wouldn’t they all stop him?
If Grandma Sophie the head chef stopped him…
If Zenda stopped him…
If everyone stopped him…
The more I thought about it, the bigger the smile that spread across my face.
“Zenda.”
“Yes?”
“I want to make everyone my friend too, just like you.”
“So they’ll help persuade His Grace instead of letting you get scolded?”
Zenda asked with a smile.
I nodded vigorously, and her smile grew even warmer.
“Then leave Gerard to me.”
“Gerard?”
“We’re practically siblings. Not by blood, of course… but we grew up in the same orphanage.”
Zenda explained that she and Gerard had both come from the same orphanage. Gerard had shown extraordinary talent with the sword even at a young age, so an elderly patron who supported the orphanage noticed him and brought him to the Valiert family.
Once Gerard had settled in, he came back to bring Zenda with him. Since she would have nowhere to go once she became an adult, she’d followed him without hesitation.
Later, when Uncle moved into a separate residence, Gerard and Zenda had come to this mansion together.
“Zenda… Gerard…”
“All the children who arrived the same year had names starting with the same letter, so people often mistook us for real brother and sister.”
“I see. Zenda, Gerard… you’re right! And geranium flowers too! They’re all pretty and wonderful, aren’t they? That’s why you and Gerard are both pretty and cool!”
Zenda froze for a moment before smiling sweetly.
“You’re right. I never thought of that.”
As we talked, a brilliant idea for getting everyone onto my side popped into my head.
“Zenda, lend me your ear.”
“Like this?”
I cupped my hands around her ear and whispered.
Zenda burst into laughter.
“Then shall we eat now? We have Operation Make Everyone My Ally to carry out, after all. The soup is going to get cold.”
Before I knew it, a fork and spoon had naturally found their way into my hands.
For the first time in several days, Kassel was enjoying a little peace and quiet.
He’d even found himself wondering if he’d actually have to lock his bedroom door in his own house just to get some sleep.
That tiny little brat had ridiculous stamina. She’d run around until she was panting, collapse dramatically because she was exhausted, then the moment she woke up she’d be back at it again.
But today she hadn’t appeared at all.
Maybe I’d gone too far.
The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside.
He’d always been this kind of man. It wasn’t anything new.
After returning from taking care of business, he wandered down the hallway, only to find the atmosphere in the mansion strangely different.
Every servant he passed wore an inexplicable grin.
The whole place seemed oddly soft and sweet, almost dripping with happiness.
There was no way that sugary aura he’d always associated with that child could possibly be coming from these gloomy-looking servants.
What is this unpleasant feeling…?
He didn’t have to wonder for long.
Every servant who greeted him had a red flower pinned over the left side of their chest.
It looked like a brooch made from soft lace.
Whatever it was, they seemed to treasure it. They kept absentmindedly stroking the flowers while smiling to themselves.
His niece was nowhere to be seen today.
The servants all looked as though they’d melted into puddles of happiness.
Everyone clearly knew why…
Except him.
Naturally, that began to irritate him.
Then—
Patter, patter, patter!
Tiny but noisy footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Aika came running from the far end, hugging an enormous armful of something red.
Her black pigtails bounced with every step.
There she is.
Kassel deliberately rubbed his temple as though she were already giving him a headache and watched her approach with a crooked look.
“Hi, Uncle! Did you get back safely?”
“I told you to stop running around.”
“I’ve been busy! Hi, Gerard! Gerard, this is for you!”
Hardly finishing her greeting, Aika darted right past Kassel and stopped in front of Gerard.
Still catching her breath, she thrust one of the red flowers she’d been carrying into his hands.
It was the very same lace flower brooch Kassel had seen on the servants.
So this was the source.
A flower bloomed across Gerard’s face as well.
“Good day to you too, Miss. Surely… this isn’t for me?”
“Yep! It’s a present! It looks nice if you wear it here. I even prayed over it so lots of good things would happen to you!”
She proudly patted the left side of her own chest.
“Thank you very much. I’ll treasure it forever.”
Gerard bent one knee in a knight’s salute.
Aika’s smile became even brighter.
Then she slowly looked up at Kassel.
If you’re going to give me one, hurry up.
I’ll just take it and pretend to wear it. That should keep her from whining.
Thinking that, Kassel abruptly held out his hand.
Instead, Aika’s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly took a step backward.
“Uncle, I’m sorry! I won’t bother you anymore!”
She spun around and vanished like an arrow.
Kassel’s eyebrow shot up so high it nearly disappeared into his hairline.
His outstretched hand remained completely empty.
…What?
He slowly turned around.
The first person to tense up at the sudden murderous aura was Gerard.
Kassel twisted his lips into a smile that wasn’t a smile.
“Must be nice.”
His voice dripped with displeasure.
Gerard bowed his head.
“…Yes, it’s very ni— I mean, no, sir.”
The honest answer instantly dropped the surrounding temperature by several degrees.
“I see. Enjoy it.”
Kassel turned sharply and strode away.
“…Ah.”
Zenda had specifically told Gerard to make sure His Grace stayed in a good mood today.
This was bad.
Sensing the darkness looming over his future, Gerard scratched the back of his head before hurrying after him.
From that moment on, even more servants appeared before Kassel with red flowers pinned to their chests.
Yet until dinnertime…
Kassel’s own chest remained completely bare.
That evening.
The very culprit behind all of it sat across from him at the dinner table, looking as innocent as though she knew absolutely nothing.
The tiny shred of hope he’d been clinging to was utterly crushed.
“Wow! What’s this?”
The moment I entered the dining room, I spotted a tree standing proudly in the middle of the table.
It looked like a winter tree covered in snow, except the “snow” was made of fried batter.
“This dish is made by attaching root vegetables together and deep-frying them. It’s a thank-you gift for the flower brooch you gave us, Miss. Would you like to try some?”
Grandma Sophie, the head chef, snapped off one of the branches and handed it to me.
“Can I really eat this? If you hung fruit on it, it’d look just like a Christmas tree!”
I popped the fried root vegetable into my mouth.
Crunchy on the outside.
Crisp and tender inside.
The outside was savory with just the right amount of salt, while the inside was warm and naturally sweet.
It was so delicious my nostrils flared with excitement.
“It’s delicious!”
I couldn’t believe something without meat could taste this good!
“Next time, shall we make a tree using fruit and leafy vegetables too?”
“Yes!”
“You’re so noisy.”
Just then Uncle walked into the dining room.
“Sophie, don’t let this kid rope you into her nonsense.”
