Chapter 81
81
"I asked what happened."
As Javelin's voice turned cold, Leah hesitated and said,
"It was an accident during a conversation. The young lady is still young and cannot control her emotions."
"So you're covering for her because she's the Child of Destiny."
"……It's my fault."
Javelin glanced at me, but only swallowed a sigh and said nothing.
Meanwhile, Mireille stared intently at the beautiful woman who was hugging her.
"Who are you……?"
"Javelin Ariege. Lisette's close friend, and your Aunt."
Mireille gasped at the meltingly tender smile.
"Are you really Mireille's Aunt?"
Mireille, who had regained her energy as if she had never been about to collapse, beamed in Javelin's arms.
"Yes. I'm your Aunt."
"Mireille, I didn't know I had such a wonderful Aunt. I'm so excited!"
Javelin smiled and rubbed Mireille's cheek with her knuckles.
"To show up so late and say you're excited after worrying your Aunt so much."
"But it's not Mireille's fault."
Leah's eyes clouded at those words. But she quickly smiled and replied, "That's right."
The maids, who were standing by the door, said in small voices to me, who was standing there, "Shall we go, Baby Bird?"
I nodded and stepped out the door.
When I went out into the hallway, Chairman was standing there.
"Chairman!"
I greeted him brightly on purpose, but Chairman's face was stiff. He must have been watching the situation inside through the open door, just like me.
Chairman and I headed to the greenhouse.
In the greenhouse, where we were alone, I picked up a glass of juice that the maids had brought.
"It's already spring. Time flies, doesn't it?"
"……."
"Oh, I said I had to choose a Familiar. Who do you think would be the best, Chairman? I think an angel holding a torch would be nice."
"Don't force yourself to smile."
I stirred the orange juice with a straw.
"It's nothing. I just, fought with my sister for a moment."
"If it's nothing, why do you look so miserable?"
"No, I'm not. I'm just reminded of the old days."
The longer I spend alone, the more sorrowful I become. It was because I was reminded of the old days.
The first life, watching Duke Amitié and Mina from behind, and the second life, watching the excited Valua family preparing for a meal out while swallowing dry bread.
'Let's not be depressed.'
Positive thinking.
Positive thinking!
The Dubled family loves me very much. It's just that Mireille hasn't been here for long, but they will soon share their attention with me.
Even now, Henri and Isaac often come to check if I've eaten.
"I heard that Javelin reassigned the maids to Mireille. Why are you staying still this time when you usually turn things upside down?"
"Because she's Dad's daughter."
Because I know how much Dad, who is more precious to me than anything, missed the Baby Bird.
The brothers didn't show it, but they sometimes stared blankly at the Baby Bird, who resembled the Duchess.
As I looked at Chairman with clear eyes, he sighed softly.
"A letter has arrived from Seria. It seems they have caught the tail of the 'guest' who ordered the abduction of the Baby Bird five years ago."
"How?"
"They found someone who worked at the House of Hope and was involved in the slave auctions. They said they would inform the Baby Bird as soon as they made contact."
I nodded.
I discussed a few more things about Chairman and the Hope Merchant Group, and asked him to check on the progress of the Long-Distance Teleportation Array that Veronica was making.
After finishing the conversation and coming outside, the sun was already setting.
While walking down the red-tinged hallway, I ran into Yohan.
"Yohan."
"What are you doing here."
"I just came from talking to Chairman. Have you had dinner?"
Because Javelin came today, the family will have dinner together.
When I was in the greenhouse, a maid came to pick me up, but I refused because it seemed like it would be an uncomfortable place.
"No."
"Why?"
"I hate noisy places."
"I see."
"Have you eaten?"
"Not yet."
"Let's eat together."
"……Pardon?"
"Let's eat together."
My eyes widened.
'It's the first time Yohan has asked me to eat together.'
I grabbed a passing servant, saying, "J-Just a moment!" and asked them to prepare dinner.
"Where shall I set it up?"
"Hmm, that's……."
While I was pondering, Yohan said,
"The third-floor herb garden."
"Yes."
There was an herb garden in the castle?
Seeing me looking at him with such eyes, Yohan passed by me and said,
"The place my mother used to manage when she was alive. It's not used now."
"Ah."
I replied and followed Yohan.
I wondered where there could be a place on the third floor that could be used as an herb garden, but it was at the end of the hallway. There was even a tapestry hanging there, so I didn't even know there was a door there.
'This is my first time here.'
The field was not maintained at all. The soil was parched, and the surroundings were all withered grass.
At the right edge of the field, there was a strange table that looked like a gazebo or a flatbed.
Only this place was cleanly wiped.
I was surprised when Yohan took off his shoes and went up.
"Is it okay?"
"This is where my mother said she wanted to lie down when she got tired of tending the field."
I've felt it since I saw the Duchess and Dad's notes in the Capital mansion, but the Duchess is a very interesting person.
I chuckled. Then Yohan asked, "Why?"
"Because she's unique."
"She resembles you."
"Me? I resemble Mireille."
The gentle-looking Mireille seemed to be modeled after the Duchess.
"Well. I think you look more like my mother."
"Yes, yes. Let's go with that."
I didn't feel too bad being told that I resembled the Duchess, who was a beautiful and charming person.
While I was having a casual conversation with Yohan, the food arrived.
When I put a caprese, with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese neatly stacked on a biscuit, into my mouth, my mouth was ecstatic.
'The West Wing chefs are really skilled.'
The Dubled's cooking ingredients are of really good quality, so whatever you make tastes the best.
After finishing all three caprese on my plate, I picked up a fork to attack the pasta.
At that moment, Yohan wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin.
"You eat with it smeared on your face. That's the same as my mother."
Yohan seemed to remember the Duchess vividly, as he was the oldest of the three brothers.
I thought he wouldn't have met her often because he was educated under the previous generation, but I'm glad he seems to have many memories.
"The Duchess was an adult, but she ate with it smeared on her face?"
"Especially watermelon. It's a fruit that only grows in the Ruskun region, and my mother liked it so much that my father often got it for her."
"I know watermelon too. I eat it often in the summer. I really resemble her in that I like watermelon."
Just as I said that.
"Yaa-!"
A scream-like shout was heard.
I was startled and looked at the door, and Mireille, whose face was flushed red, was panting.
"Who do you think you are! Who do you think you are to say you look like Mom!"
"……."
"You don't have a drop of Mom's blood in you! Mireille is Mom's daughter, so why are you saying you look like her!"
As she said that, Mireille ran over and pushed me! In an instant, I fell to the floor and rubbed my throbbing tailbone.
"What are you…… Ugh!"
Pasta noodles, basil, and lettuce from the salad flew everywhere.
Mireille, who was very excited, grabbed the food and threw it.
"Take it back! Take it back! You secretly stole Big Brother and are talking nonsense! You fake!"
"Stop it!"
"Did you think I wouldn't find you if you were hiding? You're like a mouse!"
I clenched the soil tightly.
"A mouse?"
"That's right! People said that. They said you were adopted because Mireille wasn't there. They said Dad brought you in as Mireille's replacement! If you were adopted thanks to Mireille, you should at least try to make an effort- Kyaak!"
Mireille's body floated into the air.
It was due to Yohan's magic.
He frowned and stared at Mireille, who was clutching food in both hands.
"Let me go. Let me down, Big Brother! Uwaaaang-!"
As Mireille began to cry loudly, people who heard the commotion rushed in.
"Young Lady, what…… Oh my!"
The employees who found the child floating in the air turned pale and tried to pull her down.
But Mireille, who was floated by magic, was not easily pulled down.
Clang-!
A cracking sound was heard from somewhere. It was the sound of Javelin cutting off Yohan's magic with her aura.
Mireille fell to the floor with a thud. Mireille, who landed on her butt like me, cried even louder.
"Heoeong, sob sob!"
"Young Lady……."
Leah quickly hugged the child.
Before I knew it, the other family members had also entered the herb garden. Dad narrowed his brows, and Henri and Isaac stared at the chaotic herb garden with dumbfounded expressions.
I dusted off the food and got up.
Even during that time, Mireille cried as if the place would collapse.
"It hurts! It hurts-!"
Seeing the child crying as if screaming, Dad frowned and gestured to Henri.
Henri swallowed a sigh and reached out to Mireille.
Guuung-.
With a small vibration, a Catalyst rose on Henri's hand and Mireille's reddened leg returned to its color.
'Ah, that's right.'
Henri was a very rare possessor of healing abilities among wizards.
Because it's not Divine Power, he can only heal small wounds, but Mireille's butt probably won't hurt anymore.
"What's going on."
At Dad's words, Mireille sniffled and said,
"Big Brother said she was here…… But……."
"Speak properly."
"Sister said she looked like Mireille's mom."
Yohan said in a toneless voice.
"-So you pushed LeBlaine and threw food, you did."
The family's faces hardened. Mireille trembled weakly and mumbled.
"But she's Mireille's mom. Sister has been with the family for a long time, so she's close to everyone, but Mireille isn't. The only one who cherishes Mireille is Mom, but if Sister takes Mom away, Mireille……."
Isaac shouted angrily.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"That's not a reason to push LeBlaine and throw food."
Even Henri added coldly, and Mireille's shoulders shrank.
Javelin opened her mouth.
"Stop it. Isn't it something a child did because she was anxious?"
"Aunt!"
"Aunt."
Henri and Isaac called out, but Javelin silently looked at Dad.
"If Your Excellency had paid more attention to the Baby Bird, this child would not have been so anxious and picked a fight with the Child of Destiny."
"You have a talent for talking nonsense."
As Dad retorted in a low voice, a sharp glint flashed in Javelin's eyes.
"If the Baby Bird had grown up in Dubled as she should have, would this have happened? It's all our fault for not protecting the Baby Bird."
Dad and Javelin's gazes collided sharply.
"It's okay!"
Everyone's attention was focused as I shouted.
"I'm okay."
"But, Little One……."
"It wasn't a big deal. It was just food, so it didn't hurt much. So please don't fight, okay?"
Everyone was silent.
I approached Leah and looked at Mireille, who was hugged by her.
"Mireille."
Leah carefully let go of the child. The child, who met my gaze, stubbornly stared at the floor.
I pretended to gently stroke the child's shoulder and whispered.
"What's your relationship with Duke Valois."
"……!"
Mireille stiffened for a moment.
[Did you think I wouldn't find you if you were hiding? You're like a cheeky mouse.]
[If you were lucky enough to be adopted into a prestigious family that has produced so many great scholars, you should at least try to make an effort.]
The words the child shouted were all Duke Valois's pet phrases.