Chapter 31
“Really? In the annex?”
“Yes.”
“W-why all of a sudden do you want to eat in the annex…?”
Elly asked, unable to hide her surprise.
It was natural for her to react this way. She had also witnessed what happened yesterday firsthand.
“You’re not… planning to go see him from yesterday, are you, Miss?”
“That’s right.”
At my firm answer, Elly’s eyes went wide.
I had to meet him today. I needed to get an answer to my question.
I slowly recalled what happened yesterday.
After Herald followed Mom and disappeared, only cold air remained where we were.
I glanced at the cause of all the commotion.
The boy was just staring blankly into space.
“Hey.”
“……”
At my call, the boy slowly turned his eyes toward me.
And when I saw his face, I flinched.
Why doesn’t he show any expression? It’s really frustrating.
I pushed aside my mixed feelings and spoke slowly.
“You… really aren’t… I mean, are you really Dad’s son?”
“……”
Finally, the boy’s expression cracked at my question. He furrowed his brow as if asking, What are you saying?
Yeah, from that reaction, I could tell he wasn’t.
“Haa…”
I pressed my palm to my forehead and sighed deeply.
Of course… Mom had misunderstood.
I thought of Herald, who had looked noticeably flustered when he saw this boy earlier.
He could have just said no right there… Why stammer like someone caught off guard?
Judging from Herald’s reaction, he probably forgot this boy even existed.
No wonder he got so flustered.
Ugh… seriously!
Thunk, thunk, thunk!
I smacked my forehead with my palm in frustration.
If I didn’t, the tangled frustration inside me would never loosen.
Just as a dull ache started to form on my forehead, my wrist was grabbed.
When I opened my eyes, the boy was staring at me like he wanted to see everything about me.
“Your forehead’s red.”
“…Yeah, thanks.”
Even after I let go, the boy didn’t release my wrist.
His hand wasn’t much bigger than mine, but somehow it looked strong. I looked at his hand, then up at his face.
His black eyes were calm but sharp.
He looked about my age, but such a gaze at that age… it didn’t make sense.
And more than that…
He was really handsome.
“How old are you?”
“Six.”
Six years old…
He looked young, but I expected him to be a year older than me. At least three or four years older, maybe. He was taller than me by a head, and his aura didn’t feel like a preschool child’s.
Well, in a place without elementary school, calling someone preschool or not didn’t matter much.
“And you… how old are you?”
“Me? I’m…”
For some reason, I didn’t want to answer honestly.
I had already called him you, but calling him brother now felt weird.
“Uh… I’m… about the same as you!”
“……”
The boy tilted his head in confusion but didn’t comment further. He just looked at me with a slightly annoyed gaze.
I didn’t look away. I stared at him. Too intently, maybe.
Black hair, black eyes, pale skin, a strong body, and even at that age, outstanding looks.
The more I looked, the more he reminded me of someone.
Could it be…?
“Um… are you—”
“Miss!”
Just as I was about to ask him, Elly’s voice rang out.
I naturally turned toward where the voice came from.
Wow, déjà vu? First Mom, now Elly?
Oh no… could it be again?
I quickly turned back to where the boy had been.
Of course, he was gone. There was nothing there at all.
“Ha… again.”
So yesterday, I had failed to clearly find out his identity.
Today, I intended to confirm if he really was Cassio. And why he was here.
Elly, unaware of my thoughts, didn’t know what to do and stomped her feet nervously.
“Miss, if the lady finds out, she’ll be very upset.”
“…Elly.”
“Yes?”
“The boy who lives in the annex… do you know who he is?”
Elly shook her head.
“No, I only learned yesterday that there was a child there. Of course, I don’t know who he is…”
Just as I expected. She had been confused when she had rushed to fetch me yesterday.
To find out his identity, I would have to ask him directly.
“I’m going to the annex to eat! Get it ready.”
“Are you really going to eat in the annex?”
“Yes!”
“Oh….”
A troubled sigh came from behind me.
Elly was following, dragging a tray with two lunches.
“You can’t just go to the annex without the Duke’s permission…”
“Dad isn’t here… you just keep quiet, Elly.”
“Miss….”
Elly called after me desperately, but I ignored her and walked faster.
When I was out of breath, we arrived at the annex.
The large door was firmly locked, with a golden doorbell like the main house.
I reached to press the doorbell but realized I couldn’t reach it.
“Elly, press it for me.”
Elly reluctantly stepped forward and pressed the bell.
-
Ding-ding-ding-ding –
The light doorbell sounded, and the door quickly opened.
“Yes.”
A young man appeared, expressionless, glancing between me and Elly. His shoulders twitched in surprise.
“Wh-who…?”
“I came to meet the boy who lives here!”
“Y-yes…?”
“Oh! My name is Chloe Erayton.”
When I said my name, his eyes widened.
“Y-you? But how… no, why…?”
“I came to eat.”
I pointed to the tray Elly brought and said brightly.
“Here? Really?”
The man slightly closed the door, speaking cautiously.
I nodded and studied him carefully.
He wore rimless glasses, his long dark green hair loosely tied, and it suited his pale skin well.
But my first impression: He looks really cranky.
Annoyance was clearly etched into his face and movements.
From this, I guessed one thing:
He didn’t know me at all, and he wasn’t pretending with Elly either. So he wasn’t an Erayton servant.
I could tell I wouldn’t get in easily, but I couldn’t back down.
“I want to have lunch with the boy who lives here.”
“…Yes?”
“I brought really tasty sandwiches… please let me in.”
“Huh….”
The man looked speechless at my confident request.
Then he shook his head quickly and stepped forward to block me completely.
“Excuse me, are you the Erayton Lady?”
He asked, looking at Elly, not me.
“Yes, that’s right. She’s our only Erayton Lady.”
“Huff… didn’t you tell the Lady she needs the Duke’s permission to enter here?”
The man snapped at Elly, who lowered her gaze and barely moved her lips. She didn’t say a word.
I felt my anger flare.
“Elly came because of me! She had no choice!”
At my sharp words, the man rubbed his forehead and muttered:
“I’m just saying you shouldn’t come here…”
“I can go wherever I want.”
“……”
“My dad said so.”
I didn’t even blink, using Herald as my excuse.
