Translator: Blushy
Editor: Sam
âTheyâre noth here yeth?â
âSoon,â Nii-sama answered gently as I waited impatiently for our guests outside the entrance. Lately, I feel like all the fun has been happening outside.
âThey couwd have jushth shthayed here.â
âI know how you feel. But, you know, the Lisburns are Alistairâs family.â
I knew that Nii-sama was right. Alistair and I arenât real family even though we had lived together for months like a family.
âBut I canât keep up with this either.â
âNii-syama.â
âI know that Alistair is Gillâs uncle. But Alistair being Stan-ojisamaâs brother, even though they have different mothers is a little...â
âYouâre righth.â
The thought of Otou-sama suddenly having a stepbrother, and it being a boy oneâs own age, would be complicated, I think.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âStan-ojisama said he was used to it, but even I was surprised at how much he looked like Gill. Stan-ojisama must have been very surprised.â
âAi.â
While we were talking about this, Otou-sama staggered out of the front door.
âDonât come out first without Otou-sama.â
âBut Otou-sama, you seem tired.â
Yeah. He finally came home yesterday, told us that Alistair would be coming this evening, and fell asleep. Today, he woke up and ate, but fell asleep again afterwards, so Nii-sama and I quietly waited outside.
Otou-sama hugged Nii-sama first and Nii-sama laughed shyly. Then, he picked me up.
âI always wanted to leave the capital when I was younger, but now Iâm so tired that I think it would be fine for me not to leave for a while.â
âItâs rare to hear you whine, Otou-sama.â
Nii-sama tilted his head, but I didnât think so. Nii-sama lives in the dormitory and only sees Otou-sama once in a while, so he probably only saw the cool parts of him, but Otou-sama is just a normal guy who is tired from work. He always says heâs tired and spoils me.
Jude, the butler, who was standing a few steps behind us with a complicated look on his face, thinks like me. I looked over Otou-samaâs shoulder and exchanged an exasperated look with Jude, then heard the sound of the carriage, so I quickly turned towards the gate while still in Otou-samaâs arms. I was very sensitive to the sounds of the carriage since I always wait for Otou-sama and Nii-sama.
âOh, Lei, the carriage Is here!â
âAi!â
Two carriages bearing the Lisburn crest rushed nimbly towards us and stopped in front of us. The person who jumped out of the carriage before the servant could open the door was...
âLei!â
âAwishthair!â
Otou-sama gently lowered me to the ground and I ran to Alistair. Alistair kneeled to the ground with his arms outstretched to me. It has been more than half a year since we last met, so Alistair must have grown taller and a little more mature like Nii-sama. But at that time, I just wanted to be close to Alistair and didnât have time to look at him carefully.
I ran up to him and he immediately picked me up in a big hug. His strength, which was different from Nii-samaâs, hadnât changed. I can still smell the faint scent of leather when I buried my face into his shoulder.
âAh, ah, youâre still tottering like always.â
That was probably Bart. When I looked up from Alistairâs loose arms at the nostalgic voice that was mixed with a smile, I saw Alistair, who had become a little more boyish, laugh with a face that said, âHeâs still the same as always.â I have to say this.
âI washnâth thoththering!â
âOf course not. Now, show me you walk briskly over here.â
That carefree voice was Mill. Judging from his teary voice, he must have forgotten his handkerchief again.
Alistair turned towards the carriage with me still in his arms. Next to Gill and Stan-ojisama, four people were standing there carefreely. These four always act relaxed no matter where they are.
âBarth! Miww! Kyaro! Cwyde!â
Other than the slightly teary-eyed Mill, they all nodded at me while smiling. Alistair gently lowered me to the ground, and I rushed over to everyone as quickly as a released fish.
âYou can really walk fast now. Youâve gotten big.â
Bart scooped me up in his arms and held me high in the air. I couldnât help but laugh. He used to hold me up like this a lot. But I have to say something important.
âLei washnâth wawwing, Lei wash running.â (Lei wasnât walking, Lei was running)
âHahaha. It might have looked like you were running. Here.â
I was handed to Mill like a piece of luggage. I pushed Millâs face before he could get snot on me, pulled out a handkerchief out of my pocket and wiped his face with it.
âMiww, handwerchiefsh are importhanth.â (Mill, handkerchiefs are important)
âI only forget it once in a while. Youâre as cute as always, Lei.â
âAi.â
There was no point in denying this because I am cute. Mill hugged me a little as if he was worried about his runny nose and then Clyde picked me up.
âHiggh.â
Clyde didnât say anything, but looked at me kindly, then passed me to Kyaro.
âWah, shmaww.â (Wah, small)
âIâm not small. Itâs because you were passed to me after you were held by Clyde.â
Of course, the fact that heâs small is something that only he was worried about. Heâs just a normal man with a handsome face.
âYou donât have to say I have a pretty face.â
âI didnâth shay thhath.â
âYour face is saying that you were thinking it.â
I put my hand on my cheek.
âSee.â
âI washnâth thhinwing ith.â
There was laughter all around me and I was finally put back onto the ground.
âEveryone sheemsh weww.â
âWe are.â Bart chuckled and squatted down in front of me.
âItâs good to see you being taken care of by your Otou-sama and Nii-sama. Iâm happy for you.â
âAi.â
I replied to Bartâs whisper with a small, but firm, voice. Theyâre taking good care of me.
âBut, Lei, youâre really a girl from a good house.â
Mill whistled as he looked at the mansion in front of him and the maids and servants.
âI was really doubting that you were a Four Marquisâs daughter when you stuffed the dry bread into your pockets.â
âYou. I havenât heard that story yet.â
âEh. Hyah. No, itâs not something I can tell to Leiâs Otou-sama.â
Mill panicked when Otou-sama spoke to him. Otou-sama was also squinting a little.
âMiww.â
I hit Millâs legs.
âGive up.â
âIâm not.â
It feels like a fun summer is finally about to begin.