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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: A Simple Birthday Wish
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Hmm?
“I can keep it safe for you.”
Winter hesitantly reached out her hand.
“Oh, do you like this artist's work? You can have it.”
It was an easy decision.
I held out the portrait.
Winter took the portrait and hugged it to her chest. Her delight was palpable.
I should have asked him to paint Mother instead of me.
Menelik chuckled softly.
Winter shot him a glare and composed her expression.
“Well…, it's not as good as the real thing, but it's not bad. I'll have to give the artist a bonus.”
I tilted my head.
I thought the painting looked much better.
In the portrait, I was smiling with the sunset and the garden in the background.
At the time, the corners of my mouth were about to twitch, but the delicate brushwork made it look natural.
Menelik spoke, a playful look on his face.
“Are you sure you don't want to give it to Kivrin?”
Huh?
“He wouldn't ask for it anyway. He only took the weird-looking photo.”
I said simply.
Reports were always made about how Kivrin and I spent our time at the castle.
He really didn't need to take that spirit photo.
I told him he could just throw it away, but Kivrin handled it with such care, as if afraid it would get wrinkled.
“He may be my son, but his taste is certainly unique…”
“Ric?”
At Winter's call, Menelik quickly changed his tune.
“I meant he has an excellent eye for aesthetics.”
After that, Menelik didn't show any more interest in the spirit photo.
I was relieved he seemed to be treating it as just a minor incident.
* * *
We departed for the villa the day before Kivrin's birthday.
Traveling by carriage would have taken several days, and I didn't want Kivrin to spend his birthday in one.
Of course! It was his birthday, after all!
Kivrin had wished me a happy birthday the moment it turned midnight, so I wanted to do the same for him.
I convinced my parents-in-law that a short-distance warp would be fine, cutting our travel time down to eight hours.
With both Mera and Yelena accompanying us this time, I was confident it would be alright.
Although I couldn't avoid being completely exhausted, the rush was worth it.
A gasp escaped me as I saw the pink beach, glittering even at night.
I should have asked Emil to lend me a camera.
I couldn't seem to close my mouth.
Moreover, the coral villa was decorated with seashells, pearls, and emeralds, and all its windows were enormous.
There were even ornaments shaped like seafoam.
The whole place exuded a cool, refreshing atmosphere.
The caretakers of the coral villa were an elderly couple who had lived on this estate their entire lives.
Everything was perfect, except for the fact that they tried to call me “master.”
“Wow, whoa, wow.”
Seeing me happily entertaining myself, the old woman asked.
“Is it to your liking?”
“Yes! Very, very much!”
Winter smiled and led me to my room.
“Since Cheria is the owner, you should have the best room.”
Again, the word “owner” sounded awkward.
Kivrin did give it to me as a gift, but I've never even paid the maintenance fees…
Gasp! Wait a minute, what's happening with the maintenance fees then?
Surely they aren't being deducted from Kivrin's assets?
It was the first time that thought had ever crossed my mind.
My eyes, reflected in a glass ornament, trembled uncontrollably.
After I finished briefly unpacking and Mera had gone to rest, I went to find Kivrin.
“Um… Young Lord…”
As I hesitated, Kivrin spoke first.
“The m-maintenance fees will be deducted from the allowance allocated to you, Lady Cheria.”
Huh. My eyes went wide in surprise.
“How did you know that's what I came to ask?”
A small smile formed on Kivrin's lips.
“Even at dinner, whenever the word ‘maintenance’ came up, you seemed t-tense.”
…So that's why Father-in-law kept smiling!
No, more importantly, how big is my allowance that it can cover the maintenance fees?
Question marks floated up in my mind.
Of course, the position of Young Lady was more than just a title.
It came with rights I could exercise and things I could possess.
Although, due to an imperial law preventing the exploitation of child marriages, I would have to be fifteen to physically handle them or exercise those rights myself.
For now, I was just grateful not to be kicked out…
Hmm, now that the fear of being kicked out is gone, I suppose I can look into it more closely.
Relieved for the moment, I asked Kivrin another question.
“Young Lord, are you going to tell me what you want for your birthday now?”
Kivrin nodded.
Then, for some reason, he avoided my gaze as he spoke.
“…My name.”
Name?
Seeing I didn't understand right away, Kivrin explained.
“Call me by my name.”
Is that all?
I was so taken aback my mouth fell open.
“I would have granted a request like that anytime. Is there nothing else you want?”
“Nothing.”
I, who had been considering a second branch of the Crescent Moon Castle, felt a bit deflated and scratched my head.
“Alright. Um… Kivrin…?”
“…”
His expression wasn't good.
I took the hint and corrected myself.
“Kivrin.”
This time, a bright smile returned.
“Yes, Lady Cheria.”
That was the right answer.
But why am I still “Lady” Cheria?
“Young Lord—no, Kivrin, you should just use my name too!”
“…”
Come to think of it, Viscount Rose called me Cheria.
And I called them Rose casually.
Kivrin might have felt left out since I kept calling him “Young Lord.”
Hoping to close the distance between us, I took a bold step toward Kivrin.
“Hmm? Try calling me Cheria! Or should we make up a nickname?”
Suddenly, Kivrin became shy.
“That's a little… I think I need to, to mentally prepare myself.”
Why?!
I stared, aghast, as Kivrin took a step back.
“Then I'll also do it later…”
“But it's my, birthday, present.”
What is this. What am I supposed to do.
On the off chance I was misunderstanding, I reviewed Kivrin's request.
“…Fine. I alone will call you by your name, familiarly. And without any title.”
“Yes.”
Why are you smiling so brightly!
Faced with Kivrin's pure joy, I was at a loss for words.
I returned to my room with a subtle question mark floating in my head.
A bed decorated with starfish-shaped jewels greeted me.
My cat doll was also resting soundly next to the pillow.
Oh, whatever. I decided to just enjoy my room, the best one in the coral villa.
“Mhm, it's so pretty. This villa is the best.”
I threw myself onto the bed.
The window was so large I could admire the strawberry-milk-colored beach even while lying down.
My parents-in-law must have thought I'd be scared if the night sea was just pitch black.
Subtle lights I hadn't noticed before were illuminating the shore.
The lights, just bright enough not to disturb one's sleep, were all shaped like different fish.
Ugh, how could I not love my in-laws when they're this thoughtful!
I rested my chin on the pillow and gazed out the window.
To my eyes, the scenery was endlessly new and beautiful. It was all sparkling, as if stars were floating in the sea.
But Kivrin hadn't even glanced out the window.
…He had said it was boring because he'd already seen it all.
Unlike me, who had no memory of being Del, Kivrin had recalled some of his past life.
Animals followed him so readily that it was almost a nuisance.
Is that why he's unimpressed?
Because he's already one with nature?
I rubbed my face against the cat doll next to me.
The weather is warm here, so it would be nice if Kivrin could have a good time too.
This great Lady Cheria will have to put her mind to it and come up with a groundbreaking plan…
But before I could come up with any groundbreaking plan, a wave of drowsiness washed over me.
“Yawn.”
I yawned again and again.
In the end, I closed my eyes, planning to just sleep for a little while and think about it when I woke up.
And after falling into a deep sleep, when I suddenly lifted my eyelids, Winter was lying next to me.
“…Mother?”
Is this a dream?
My voice was faint with sleep.
Winter made an excuse.
“I was worried you weren't breathing. You sometimes sleep so deeply, it's like you're dead.”
Her tone suggested she hadn't just heard a report from Mera.
As I stared into her bright blue eyes, Winter grew flustered.
“I don't peek in often. Maybe twice a week?”
“…”
“…Three times?”
“…”
