Chapter 11

***

Sadly, my babble was still barely distinguishing the vowels.

To be honest, the ‘you’ was closer to ‘uh’.

However

“You hate me?”

I felt strangely annoyed at that precise answer.

Mikhail Leventis had the ability to interpret my babbling that neither my family nor even the maid next to me could.

‘My sister and brother were upset because of this.’

The two people who would be smiling all the time were sad.

“Shasha is….But Shasha is my little sister….”

“Can you really understand Anastasia……?”

Even my mother and father had a grave expression.

“It seems that our studies as parents weren’t enough.”

“I, It’s because I’m lacking. Wife. I should have listened to Anastasia’s voice more.”

It wasn’t a big deal, but my family was shocked.

Because of this, I didn’t have a positive view of Mikhail.

I know you saved me, and I know you’re doing this for me but.

‘It’s hard for me to think positively of it.’

It’s not, It’s not just because he keeps on saying ‘small’ all the time!

‘It’s because my family is depressed about that little thing.’

Of course, this little boy was unaware of it.

‘It’s the first ever family that’s been nice to me, you know.’

I fluttered my hands along with the resentment that overthrew me and said again.

“uh eya.”

“What do you mean by go away, I was wrong. Hm? Baby, because you’re small, I thought it would be cute if you tightly held a big ruby…..”

“eh uh.”

“Don’t say no.”

The maids in the room who knew me murmured as if they were both fascinated and jealous.

“It’s still amazing, how can you understand the lady’s words so well?”

“Even though we’ve been with the lady longer!”

I don’t think this is the time to compete like that.

Mikhail went after me when I strongly turned my back on him, then followed me again when I came forward and sat down.

“Don’t be like that, I’ll help you walk. You want to stand up right.”

“eh uhhh.”

“Don’t say you don’t need it, but, baby you’re very good at talking. It’s amazing. You even have a small mouth, how can you talk so well?”

This jerk, hearing that I have good pronunciation from you who’s good at speaking, doesn’t make me happy at all.

No matter what you say, I won’t fall for it.

‘I don’t want my family to look sad again!’

But then.

“I can really help you though, Because I was outstanding, I walked in less than half a year.”

What?

You walked in less than half a year?

I mean, no matter how much of a scam it is.

“There are some drawings left, I was the best at walking when I was a baby, you really don’t need my help?”

Then he suddenly held out his hand to me.

It was ridiculous, but truthfully, it was tempting.

Because I wanted to stop living my life rolling around on the floor.

‘More than anything…… It’s my first time  growing up normally like this.’

I don’t know how to be a baby.

Maybe that’s why I can’t walk, I unconsciously thought of an absurd reason.

While I was hesitating, Mikhail waved his hands once more.

As if seducing me with an appetizing snack.

“Hm? I can teach you well.”

Are you really Mikhail Leventis?

Why are you talking so cutely all of a sudden?!

At that moment, I thought about what my brother said.

When you hear him speak, you’d think he wasn’t a child, but an adult who had spent several years in the social world.

‘It was like that last time with ‘that lady has plans with me today’.

Mikhail Leventis had a rather clear and blunt tone.

But right now……

‘What, that smile again?’

Is he trying his best to copy my brother right now?

He was trying hard to look the same as how my older brother usually looked at me.

It was such a rare and cute expression that the maids who were holding me let out a small sigh.

‘Yeah, knowing I’d betray you when needed, you still held my hand.’

It’s definitely not because he looked like my brother.

Mikhail can’t even be close to my brother’s toes.

‘It’s okay as long as my brother and sister don’t see, right…….?’

I tried to ignore my little anxious feeling.

Fortunately, it was my older sister’s nap time and my older brother was in class.

‘Normally, he should be in class as well.’

As if he was skipping class, he comes to my room faster than my brother every time.

Just like hundreds of years ago, when I held the hand of a traitor for a plan, I felt the same when I reached out to Mikhail.

However–

‘………Really, what day is it today?’

I could not believe my eyes.

A little while ago, the smile was the same as brother Damian’s.

But right now.

‘It was a face that I’ve never seen before.’

I don’t know if he was really surprised that I reached out my hand or if he was touched.

Mikhail paused for a moment, then smiled triumphantly as if he had achieved his goal.

No wonder I felt out of breath, the slightly arrogant yet foolish smile blended perfectly with his face.

Especially because he was a boy who doesn’t usually smile.

“Wow–”

Even the maid, who was just watching, lightly exclaimed.

‘Because his face is really pretty.’

Even that modifier will not be appropriate in ten years.

By that time, I’ll have to describe him with more words like ‘handsome’.

To that extent, Mikhail possessed a beautiful appearance that I could count in my hand even in my long experience.

[– meaning that his beautiful appearance was very rare]

Anyone who had no immunity to a person with a beautiful appearance would do them a favor if they just smiled.

‘I did the reverse.’

I hoped that it wouldn’t work with a little spiteful feeling and tapped the palm of Mikhail’s hand.

“ho eh he oh.”

“I’ll make you stand, I promised. I’ll make you walk.”

Mikhail said, holding my other hand tightly.

‘It’s not much different from the maids and my family.’

So I didn’t expect much.

Because up until now I couldn’t give my legs any strength—

‘Huh?’

What’s going on here?

The moment Mikhail grabbed and strongly pulled my arm, I felt a different sensation in my legs.

‘I really didn’t know about this?’

I just have to do this to put strength on my legs.

Come to think of it, for nearly two thousand years, it was a different body then, but I always walked on my own.

Even so, I had forgotten all those sensations and seemed to have just remembered them.

“Gasp…..My Lady….. She’s flexing to her legs properly.”

“You always stood up as if you were hanging from our arms…….”

The maids were surprised and whispered quietly.

“I told you right? I told you I’d let you stand.”

‘I know right, what are you really?’

I looked at Mikhail as if I was possessed.

He had mana, but he didn’t know how to use any magic, and there was no sign of him using any special power.

Mikhail just held my hand like any other family member or maid.

If it was about strength, it would be more effective with my parents, who are adults, why…..?

While I was puzzled, Mikhail took a step back and said.

“Since you can stand now, you’ll be able to walk as well, now…”

‘It’s my first time having strength in my legs, what are you–!’

I was going to yell that I couldn’t.

However.

‘Huh?’

I can even walk…..?

As soon as one step was taken, despite his slightly quick stride, by hanging onto his hand, I was able to walk properly.

‘What the hell is it?’

I can’t believe I succeeded in walking that I couldn’t do even if I tried so hard!

It wasn’t just Mikhail pulling me, but I was really gaining strength in my legs and was able to walk after him.

“My lady, My lady’s first steps…..!”

“I can’t believe we’re seeing this, I can’t believe I’m seeing her first steps! You don’t know how glad we are to serve you, My Lady.”

The maids made happy noises as if they were gonna pass out.

Focusing on that sound and the fact that I really took my first steps, I didn’t notice.

“Ana, stasia……?”

At some point, it was time for my brother to finish his class.

Together with my brother’s sound of disbelief, Thud! was the sound of a heavy book falling to the floor.

‘B, Brother?’

Like a child caught doing something bad, I hurriedly tried to shake Mikhail’s hand away.

However–

“No, baby. You’ll fall.”

This guy is really slow-witted.

My brother’s in shock right now!

But once again, Mikhail was just talking to my brother with a proud and triumphant look.

“Look, isn’t the youngest lady walking so well like this while holding my hand?”

Hey! Are you making fun of my brother right now?

I shook Mikhail’s hands right away to shake it off.

“You’ll go bam(!) again, baby.”

[–meaning she’ll fall again]

It wasn’t a bam(!) you know? It was a thud(!) okay?!

I complained inside at the exaggerated sound of shock.

In the first place, it was your fault that I fell–!

Then, my brother came running in surprise.

“Anastasia, did you fall?”

My brother hurriedly took me away from Mikhail and asked, hugging me.

“Where? Didn’t it hurt? Didn’t you cry?”

“She didn’t cry and she didn’t fall that hard.”

“How did she fall down like that.”

My older brother asked the maids in an unusually cold way.

Then Mikhail spoke an excuse instead.

“It’s because of me, To the youngest lady I–.”

“What? You’re the reason our Anastasia fell?”

In an instant, my brother’s expression hardened.

“She didn’t fall that hard, I quickly supported her head so—.”

“She almost hurt her head?”

My brother was even more surprised and hugged me.

Then he spoke in a cold tone, warning Mikhail.

“You, don’t come to see Anastasia from now on.”

Uhh? Brother?

Unlike my usual gentle brother, his tone was very cold and chilly.