“Once Lord Kais regained his memories, he had to hear unfortunate news right away. The subordinate he cherished dearly... lost his life.”
“A subordinate he cherished?”
“Yes. While searching for Lord Kais after he went missing, he was attacked and died. That subordinate had one son he’d been raising alone.”
“Then that child is....”
“Yes. That is Lord Jainer. Lord Kais took him in as an adopted son.”
Camilla looked at Sharua with a newly sharpened gaze.
Kais—if the subordinate he cherished died because of him, then taking in the child left behind as his own was understandable, at least as a matter of conscience.
But Sharua’s position is different, isn’t it?
Wouldn’t it have been hard to accept a child with not a drop of blood shared?
[I agreed too.]
Sharua read Camilla’s expression and smiled shyly.
[I didn’t have a child for a long time. Jainer filled that empty space, so I truly loved that child.]
Well—if she herself felt that way, then fine.
[Jainer was really kind from the time he was little. He followed me like I was his real mother, and he was such a good child who never caused trouble even once.]
“At first, the family opposed it strongly, but now everyone acknowledges Lord Jainer’s abilities.”
Listening to their barrage of praise, Camilla recalled Jainer as she’d seen him.
Just as they said, his first impression hadn’t been bad.
He ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) seemed to take good care of the child, and the way he approached her first and greeted her kindly was hard to fault.
But somehow, it irritates me.
The eyes that smiled at her—somehow, they were oddly unpleasant.
It was even more frustrating because she couldn’t pinpoint why she felt that way.
“He’s very considerate, so I believe he’ll get along well with Miss Camilla too.”
“Good, then.”
“Lord Kais called for you as well, so let’s go together.”
It sounded like he intended to introduce Jainer formally.
Camilla nodded without resistance and went with Count Alton to Duke Kais Escra’s office.
KNOCK KNOCK.
“Come in.”
When Camilla entered Duke Kais Escra’s office, she could see Jainer already seated.
“Welcome, little sister.”
He smiled and gave her a small wave.
And anyway—why does that man throw around “little sister” so easily? Isn’t it awkward at all?
“Did you know?”
“That you gained a new family?”
At Duke Kais Escra’s question, Jainer nodded right away.
“Everyone already knew. I heard something happened while I was gone.”
“Something?”
“Lady Sebinne.”
“Ah.”
Right—there had been a lot of ears around then. She’d been so furious at seeing Lady Sebinne abusing the child that she hadn’t thought about people watching.
She hadn’t said directly that she was blood of this house, but everyone had picked up on it—like Dive had.
“I heard you completely destroyed her.”
He let out a small laugh.
Camilla said nothing, lifted the teacup a maid had set down, and took a sip.
“So are you going to keep living here together from now on?”
“No.”
Camilla shook her head immediately, without any hesitation.
There was absolutely no reason to leave her own home behind and keep living in someone else’s.
[You’re going back?]
But it seemed other people didn’t feel the same.
[Why? Stay here with us!]
The first to react was Sharua.
No—why have you been trailing after me this whole time? Aren’t you going to Dive?
“Miss Camilla...”
Count Alton, too, put on a teary face like he was disappointed.
Camilla stared at him with a slightly stunned look, then quickly averted her eyes.
When a good person made that kind of expression, her heart went soft.
“...?”
Then Camilla met Duke Kais Escra’s eyes and had to tilt her head slightly.
Why is that man’s forehead furrowed like that again?
“You’re saying you’ll go to where the one who sent the assassin is?”
“But you said the mastermind was already caught.”
You were the one who said Marquess Gabuel was behind it. You said he was already caught and dead.
“There could be another enemy.”
“Are you hoping there is?”
Duke Kais Escra didn’t answer. He still wore a displeased expression.
Meanwhile, watching the two of them, Jainer kept laughing like it was all so entertaining.
“Anyway, you’re not leaving right away, are you?”
“I’m going to check up through the third order sheet, then go back.”
“That’s a relief. If my new little sister said she was leaving right away, I think I would’ve been really sad.”
They said he was sociable, and he really seemed to be.
At the news she’d be here for a while, he looked genuinely happy.
Then why do I feel so weird?
His eyes were still full of delight as he looked at Camilla.
It feels off.
*****
“Dorman.”
“Yes, miss.”
“You’re hiding something from me again, aren’t you.”
“No.”
“Really nothing?”
Shake shake.
Even with Dorman shaking his head hard like he was wronged, Camilla didn’t soften her sharp gaze at all.
“If you confess right now, I’ll let it slide.”
“Really?”
“Look at this, look at this!”
“No! There really isn’t anything!”
“Really nothing?”
“Yes!”
“Then what is all that.”
Camilla pointed to the wardrobe room.
“Where did all my shoes go?”
It had seemed like unfamiliar shoes were increasing one by one—and now, before she knew it, all the shoes she originally owned were gone, nowhere to be seen.
And the funny thing was, all the new shoes sitting there had low, blunt heels.
Seeing that her original pointed heels had vanished, Camilla couldn’t help suspecting Dorman.
“Did you get rid of all my shoes because you did something wrong?”
Because you didn’t want to get beaten with them!
“No. I thought shoes that were too high would strain your feet, miss, so I prepared lower shoes on purpose.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
I don’t buy it. There’s definitely something there.
Camilla feigned indifference, but she kept staring—Dorman still couldn’t properly meet her eyes.
KNOCK KNOCK.
At that moment, there was a knock, and Dorman—like he’d been waiting for salvation—opened the door quickly without even checking who it was.
“May I come in?”
“Come in.”
It was Jainer.
“This is a gift.”
He was holding a bouquet.
But it wasn’t the kind of bouquet you usually saw. It was small, made of wildflowers she didn’t even recognize.
“Isn’t it interesting? If you look closely, the garden is full of these flowers, blooming everywhere.”
“It smells nice.”
She wasn’t lying. They looked plain, but the wildflowers’ distinct scent was better than she’d expected—enough to surprise Camilla a little.
“Could you give me a cup of tea?”
“Please sit here.”
Camilla offered him a seat and brewed tea herself.
She’d learned from Derrin, the butler spirit, so she was confident about making tea.
“The tea tastes good.”
As expected, after one sip, Jainer gave an immediately satisfied review.
But after that, he didn’t say much at all as he kept drinking.
“Mana Stones, and even a diamond mine.”
After a while, the words that came out of his mouth were an unexpected topic.
Setting down his teacup, Jainer smiled at her.
“You’ve been really lucky.”
“I’ve got luck.”
“Especially that Areas Mine you purchased not long ago.”
“.......”
“It was a really slim difference from the amount Duke Jevillan offered.”
Camilla set her teacup down as well.
She couldn’t guess why he was bringing this up.
“It sounds like you did a lot of investigating.”
“Ah—sorry. If it bothered you, I’ll apologize. I’m just so curious about my new little sister.”
And he wasn’t done.
“And I hear you secured a very big deal with our empire too?”
“Sounds like I really am lucky.”
“Luck...”
He let out a small laugh again.
“I heard you have prophetic ability. Did that help?”
“Well. It might have.”
Camilla nodded vaguely and lifted her teacup again.
Yeah—this guy feels unpleasant.
Those eyes, that expression. She couldn’t read what he was thinking at all.
In her experience, getting tangled up with someone like that never led to anything good.
“I thought maybe...”
He paused, then looked at her steadily.
“...you might be repeating the same life over and over.”
What?
What did you just...
For once, Camilla failed to control her expression.
Honestly, the fact she didn’t drop the teacup she was holding was praise-worthy on its own.
“I’m joking.”
Jainer, thoroughly enjoying her expression, gave a small smile like he truly meant nothing by it.
“Thanks for the tea.”
Then he stood up just like that.
Camilla couldn’t say a single word until he was completely gone.
“...What the hell is that bastard?”
Only after quite some time did she finally manage to open her mouth.
Even then, she couldn’t easily relax her expression.
*****
“The ice wall in the Scholtz Mountains finally melted completely.”
“Hmm.”
“With only the soldiers we have now, defense will be difficult.”
“That’s why His Majesty is also asking Lord Kais for help.”
It was a breakfast table, but Duke Kais Escra, Count Alton, and Jainer spoke about work like they were barely eating at all.
“King! Want some strawberries?”
[Gyuu!]
Whether they cared or not, Camilla, Dive, and King were eating hard.
More than anything, Camilla was in quite a shock right now.
King, you can eat food too?
She’d thought Guardians were beings not much different from ghosts, so she’d never imagined they’d eat.
She hadn’t even offered—King had never made a gesture asking for food in the first place.
But now, watching King happily taking fruit from Dive and eating it, Camilla felt absurd.
Is it because he’s in a growth phase?
No, that’s not it.
She was sure she’d heard Guardians grew by receiving the chosen one’s energy.
Does eating help with growth too?
“This time, apple.”
[Gyuu!]
Well—he’s eating well, so that’s nice.
Watching King gobble up rare fruits and vegetables grown in the greenhouse, Camilla briefly wondered if she should start preparing separate snacks for him going forward.
