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Chapter 7
I almost laughed because he looked shy. Still, since a sensitive seven-year-old could suddenly start screaming at any moment, I held it in. Instead, I brought a piece of sun-dried meat to my own mouth and took a bite.
A rich, slightly sweet flavor spread through my mouth.
I nodded seriously.
“It really is delicious.”
“Right?”
Callisto’s eyes sparkled. Just moments ago he claimed he was full, yet now he licked his lips, savoring the taste.
He reminded me of a black kitten that used to live near my studio apartment in my previous life. It had been wary of people and very sensitive. It would hiss sharply and raise its claws, but after I kept bringing it food, it gradually softened.
That kitten had loved churu treats the most. Once I figured that out, I bombarded it with churu until I finally won it over.
I picked up two pieces of lamb at once and brought them to Callisto’s mouth. Despite refusing earlier, he immediately opened his mouth.
His thin cheeks puffed out like a squirrel storing acorns.
Watching him chew diligently, I muttered to myself,
“Your cheeks should look that full even when you’re not stuffing them.”
Callisto narrowed his eyes.
“What? Are you trying to fatten me up to eat me later?”
I burst out laughing.
Even though he was clearly picking a fight, my laughter made his eyes widen. I gently patted his head and thought:
You’re finally coming back to life, huh?
This prickly, kitten-like expression was far better than the way he used to curl up alone and cry. From now on, no matter how much trouble he caused, I decided I would treat him kindly.
“I won’t eat you, so eat a lot. I don’t really like this anyway.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. If you don’t eat it, it’ll all go to waste. You shouldn’t waste food.”
“Then… should I eat it for you?”
“Sure, sure.”
Callisto grinned and opened his mouth again, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be fed.
I sighed in disbelief but still placed another piece of lamb into his mouth.
After chewing until his cheeks were full, he swallowed and asked,
“Then what do you like?”
“Me? I like…”
Ramen, hamburgers, fried chicken…
Thinking of foods I could no longer eat made me a little sad. So I gave a vague answer instead.
“Spicy noodles, black bread with meat inside, and fried chicken…”
“Do dishes like that even exist?”
“Of course they do. Probably…? I’ll make them for you later.”
“You? Personally?”
“Yeah. I’m good at cooking.”
After all, I had eight years of living alone experience.
It wouldn’t taste exactly the same as modern food, but I could probably make something close. As I mentally experimented with recipes, I noticed Callisto staring at me with wide eyes.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Is it real food… not poison?”
“You little— Seriously. I’ll taste it first before giving it to you. Happy now?”
“…You’re really weird.”
“What’s weird? You don’t want to eat what I make?”
For a moment, I worried he might reject anything I made. But he shook his head.
“No, it’s just…”
“Just what?”
“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”
“How do you know that without even trying, you brat—”
Oops. I had just promised to be kind ten minutes ago.
I forced a gentle smile.
“I mean… you could at least try telling me, Callisto.”
“You’ve been weird since earlier.”
He snapped, but there was no real strength in his voice.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“…I just remembered something. Someone took my food while I was eating.”
“Who does that? You don’t even bother a dog while it’s eating.”
As soon as I said it casually, Callisto shot me a sharp glance.
I flinched.
A scene from the original story came to mind—Etienne flipping over Callisto’s plate, mocking him like a beggar.
I quickly corrected myself.
“I mean… that didn’t really happen, right? Don’t confuse it with a dream.”
“It wasn’t a dream.”
He said that, but his expression was conflicted. The future he remembered and reality were clearly not lining up, and it was confusing him.
I subtly pushed my theory.
“It was just a bad dream. A nonsense dream.”
“A nonsense dream?”
“Yeah. A ridiculous, meaningless dream.”
“…If I think about the people in it, I guess it does feel like a dog dream… but everything else was right…”
Did he just call me a dog?
I felt my temper flare, but I forced a smile and slid the plate toward him.
“If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me anytime. I’ll ask Mrs. Johns to prepare it.”
“Okay.”
Callisto lowered his head, deep in thought. Then he glanced at me and muttered softly,
“…Thank you.”
That surprised me.
I never thought I’d hear gratitude from Callisto.
I stared at him with wide eyes.
He quickly looked down at his plate, but his round ears had turned red.
“For the clothes earlier… and treating my hand… all of it.”
“It’s nothing. That’s just normal.”
Was he finally starting to trust me?
Kids really were easiest to win over with food. I should’ve fed him well from the beginning.
Smiling, I reached out and cupped his cheeks.
Startled, he looked up at me.
His face instantly flushed peach-pink.
I gently patted his cheeks.
“So stop calling me a villain now, okay?”
“If someone’s a villain, what else would you call them?”
Seriously, this kid never backs down.
My sympathy started to fade a little.
A few days later, a tailor visited the mansion.
He seemed to be planning to make two or three everyday outfits for Callisto.
Standing beside him, I shook my head.
“Make seven sets of daily clothes. It’ll get cold soon, so add about five winter cloaks and outdoor outfits. Hats and shoes too. Oh, and gloves. In colors that match each outfit.”
“That many, young master? He’ll grow soon.”
The tailor smiled.
Callisto looked at me in surprise.
In the future he remembered, even the few clothes made for him would have been torn apart by me.
But I had no intention of letting things follow that path.
I smiled brightly.
“If he grows, we’ll just make new ones. He’s this cute—more clothes are better.”
“You should show that much interest in your own wardrobe too, young master.”
Elsie chimed in.
I shrugged.
When I had my own clothes made earlier, I had just left everything to the tailor because it was too bothersome. I wasn’t particularly interested in dressing myself, and Etienne wasn’t exceptionally handsome anyway.
If I was going to put effort into someone, it was far more enjoyable to dress up Callisto.
He muttered quietly,
“I only need one outfit.”
“Who said I’m doing it for you? I’m doing it because I want to see it.”
That was the truth.
I loved children, and Callisto was especially doll-like and beautiful. Even wearing oversized hand-me-downs, his looks stood out. If he wore properly fitted, beautiful clothes…
Just imagining it made me excited.
However, Elsie and the tailor seemed to interpret things differently.
“It seems the young master is very happy to have a younger brother.”
The tailor said warmly.
Callisto immediately protested.
“I’m not little. I’m fully grown!”
“But… aren’t you five years younger than Etienne?”
The tailor asked, confused.
Elsie smiled and nodded.
“That’s right. But Sir Callisto is fully grown, aren’t you?”
Callisto nodded firmly.
“That’s right. And…”
He grabbed my sleeve.
I bent down, and he whispered softly in my ear,
“I’m not your little brother.”
“Hm? Being grown is one thing, but you’re still my younger brother, right? No?”
I had been working hard to win him over these past few days with lamb dishes. I thought he had opened up a bit, but maybe not.
I felt a little disappointed.
Callisto glanced at me with a sulky expression, saying nothing.
But his cheeks were flushed red.
