BDBF 15

chapter 15

I stayed out on the terrace for quite a while before going back inside. It felt like about thirty minutes had passed. At this point, Hale should’ve had enough time to reflect on what he did, right?

But when I looked back to where we had been before going out to the terrace, Hale wasn’t there. Had he moved somewhere else?

I scanned around through the crowd, searching for him.

“Who are you looking for so intently?”

A voice came from behind me. I quickly turned around and looked up.

“Papa!”

It was Hale—the very person I had been desperately searching for in the crowd.

I stretched my arms out, asking to be held. Just by looking at me, Hale immediately understood what I wanted and lifted me up effortlessly.

“What were you doing?”

“I was with Jaeus….”

I tried to explain what had happened with Jaeus, but stopped mid-sentence. I suddenly remembered that I had been sulking at Hale earlier.

Hale, who was looking at me closely with his large eyes, let out a soft laugh as if he could see right through me. He had already figured out what I was thinking back and forth.

For some reason, I felt embarrassed. My cheeks grew warm.

“You’re not even upset anymore.”

“……”

“You were alone with Jaeus?”

“…He followed me.”

At the words “alone together,” a faint crease briefly formed between his brows. But it smoothed out almost immediately, disappearing as quickly as it came.

“What did that guy do to you?”

His tone was gentle—but why did it feel so scary? Calling Jaeus “that guy” also felt… a bit much.

It felt like if I said even one wrong word, something bad might happen to Jaeus.

That expression I saw earlier… it was real. I wasn’t imagining things!

“…He apologized.”

“An apology?”

“Jaeus said I was small. He said he was sorry for that.”

“I see.”

“Mm.”

I had more to say about Jaeus, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it in this situation.

Hale carried me around the banquet hall for a long time, smiling and chatting with others while occasionally handing me tasty food.

Even though I was still a child, holding me like this for so long should’ve made his arms tired. Was he really okay? If so… maybe I could say it now?

I wanted to change people’s perception of the Black Dragon family. It wasn’t like they were purely a bad family.

“Papa.”

“Yes?”

“Um….”

I trailed off, checking his expression one last time.

Hale looked at me with curious round eyes, as if wondering what I would say next.

Okay. Now’s the right time!

“Jaeus… doesn’t seem like a bad kid after all.”

“……”

There was no immediate reply.

Instead, his steady walking came to a halt.

Huh…? Was this not the right moment?

“Papa?”

I called him carefully, unsure what was going on. He glanced at me briefly, then looked down again. I followed his gaze.

And there I saw a girl with sky-blue hair.

It was Shireia of the Blue Dragon family.

Slightly taller than me, she was gripping the hem of Hale’s clothing tightly. Her violet eyes were fixed on me beneath her blinking lashes.

“What is it?”

“Head of the household. I want to talk to Senica.”

Shireia spoke clearly, stating her request.

I was already surprised by her sudden appearance, but she wanted to talk to me? About what?

Unlike me, Hale smiled softly, his eyes curving gently. Somehow… that smile felt unsettling.

It didn’t feel like my imagination that he was about to hand me over to her.

“Very well.”

Ah—my prediction was right!

Hale slowly set me down on the ground. Then, telling us to enjoy ourselves, he stepped away.

I stared at the direction he left, then let my eyes wander aimlessly. That’s when I met Shireia’s gaze.

Even though she was still a child, she looked like a textbook example of a cold beauty—and it felt… a little intimidating.

“…What do you want to talk about?”

“It’s too noisy here. Come with me.”

Without realizing it, I spoke informally due to how flustered I was. But Shireia also spoke casually, so I didn’t feel the need to correct it.

As she turned around, her flowing blue hair looked like waves rolling across the sea.

I couldn’t help but stare for a moment before hurriedly following her.

Somehow, she seemed more familiar with the place than I was.

We pushed through the crowd for a while until we reached a wall lined with doors I had never even noticed before.

What even is this place?

“I asked the staff to prepare a space just for the two of us.”

“Oh… really?”

“Let’s go in.”

Shireia opened the innermost door and stepped inside. I followed her in.

Inside was a cozy sofa and a table set with refreshments.

It suddenly came to me that this was a resting room meant for young ladies and young lords attending the banquet.

In my previous life, I only knew such places existed. I had never once been inside one, since I always had to deal with nobles instead.

“Sit.”

Somehow, it felt like our roles were reversed. I was supposed to be the daughter of this estate’s lord, yet she looked far more at ease than I did.

“Now talk.”

“Drink this first.”

Shireia poured tea from a white teapot into a cup and handed it to me.

What was she plotting? Was she trying to lure me in with food first?

Still, I accepted it. I couldn’t refuse tea brewed by the imperial household’s own chef.

What exactly did she want from me?

…Ah!

Was she trying to extract information about my family? Judging from those ambitious eyes, I couldn’t completely rule it out.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh? M-me?”

I thought she couldn’t tell since I was looking down, but apparently she noticed everything. What, did she have eyes on the top of her head or something…? Well, she is a dragon, even if she’s in human form.

After pouring her own tea, Shireia leaned back on the sofa. One arm crossed, the other holding her cup.

“You think I wouldn’t notice that suspicious look?”

“I-I’m not looking at you like that!”

“You can be honest when it’s just the two of us.”

“……”

How did she know I was lying? Could she see right through me? Maybe those deep violet eyes really had some kind of ability.

Shireia tilted her head slightly, frowning a bit. Did she notice I realized something about her eyes?

I bit my lower lip nervously.

Was she reading my mind—

“Let’s skip the introduction. I’ll get to the point. I like you. Want to be friends?”

“…Huh?”

Friends? Suddenly?

The word “friends” wasn’t even remotely part of what I had expected.

“Fr…iends?”

“You don’t seem childish in mind, even if you talk a bit strangely.”

“I’m super smart!”

“Then you should know what friends are. So why do you look so reluctant? Don’t you have any friends yet?”

She casually poked at me while sipping her tea.

Haa… so she wasn’t trying to extract information—she just wanted to be friends? And she came all the way here just to say that?

I couldn’t understand her at all.

“Why say that… here?”

“Because it’s quiet.”

“Is that it?”

“Do you need another reason? It’s better if we can focus.”

Shireia really was different from other kids my age. Very different.

Ah, but there was another one like that too.

Jaeus.

Those two were similar in how unusual they were, but their personalities were different. The only similarity was that they both seemed quiet, yet said whatever they wanted anyway.

“Okay. Let’s be friends. I’ve been wanting friends too.”

“In friendships, people call each other by nicknames.”

“Really?”

“You can call me Sia.”

“Okay, Sia!”

Sia. It was a cute nickname and easy to say.

“And you?”

“Me? I….”

I didn’t really have a nickname.

Rita and others all called me “young lady,” and only Hale called me by my name—and even he just used my real name.

My name wasn’t long anyway, so I never really thought about it.

If I had known nicknames were important for friends, I would’ve prepared one!

But did friends even need nicknames? I never really had friends in my past life, so I wasn’t sure.

“I don’t really have one…”

“Then what should I call you?”

“Um… call me whatever you want, Sia!”

If anything, getting a nickname now might be nice. Especially if it’s given by my first friend—it would feel meaningful.

Shireia picked up her teacup again, thinking deeply. Her violet eyes slowly scanned my face.

It didn’t feel unpleasant. In fact, I was curious how she saw me through those eyes.

“Got it.”

“…Sen?”

For the first time, she spoke with uncertainty.

“Sen”…?

I thought about it for a moment.

I liked it. I would’ve liked any nickname she chose.

“Nice! You’re the only one who calls me Sen!”

“Good.”

Yay! I finally made a friend!

Honestly, when I first met the heirs of other families, I thought I might never make friends. They were all so… unique.

I popped a biscuit into my mouth. The salty crunch was exactly my taste.

“Sen.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Suddenly?”

“All the other heirs are males, so I’ve been a bit lonely.”

…Huh?

“M-males?”

I froze mid-reach for another biscuit and turned to look at her.

“Are you unable to reach it?”

“That’s not it…”

The word “males” came out so naturally that it seemed like something she was used to saying. In the Blue Dragon family, did they say males and females instead of boys and girls? It wasn’t wrong… but still.

Shireia, thinking I couldn’t reach the biscuits, placed one in my hand.

“T-thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

Maybe in other families they really did speak like that. Maybe it was only my family that used “boy” and “girl” because I was human.

…Yeah. I’ll just leave it at that. I’ll get used to it.