OSHB 07

Chapter 7

‘……He’s not wrong. Damn it.’

His irritation only lasted a moment. Thermion rubbed his forehead with a bitter expression.

Even if he was the Grand Duke of Lethis and Eleonora’s uncle, he was still lacking in many ways.

Just because he loved his niece fiercely did not mean he was good at raising her.

While he had been away, Eleonora had even gone missing. That meant he had failed to properly secure his own household as well.

“Uncle is mean. He threatened Teacher with his sword, shouted, and made scary faces.”

“E-Elly.”

“Ellie likes Teacher. Ellie wants to live with Teacher.”

With even his niece driving another nail into his chest, Thermion was unable to speak for a while.

‘……This is a bit much.’

This was on a completely different level from when Ailesia had spoken to him. Thermion’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck them.

“Haa……”

Soon after, he slumped weakly into his chair.

Ailesia felt a little sorry, though this was not her intention. At this rate, it really looked like he might cry.

It would certainly be a sight to see those beautiful features covered in tears, but still, that would be a little much, wouldn’t it?

Ailesia leaned close to Eleonora’s ear and whispered loudly on purpose.

“Why don’t Teacher go with Ellie too? But you still have to go home.”

“Go together?”

Eleonora, who had been pouting unhappily, brightened up instantly.

Then she fiddled with Ailesia’s hand and turned to look at Thermion.

“Uncle, can Teacher come home with us?”

“What?”

When Thermion and Eleonora met eyes, a cold silence settled between them.

‘This is fun.’

Ailesia watched the staring contest between the two with great interest. Surprisingly, it was turning into a fairly even match.

‘No need to even ask. Ellie will obviously win.’

Wasn’t the result already decided? At this point, he should probably just surrender.

“……I’ve been wanting to ask this since earlier.”

Perhaps it was awkward to answer directly, because Thermion turned his head slightly away.

“What is it?”

“Why do you keep speaking informally to me?”

That was the best complaint he could come up with? She had been expecting some kind of counterattack, but that was rather abrupt.

Ailesia answered with an incredulous expression.

“So that’s what upset you? You came at me with a sword the moment we met, and that’s the part you found unfair?”

“……”

“I don’t use polite speech with children.”

“You say that as though you’re a terribly mature adult.”

“I probably am, compared to you.”

“Compared to me? How old are you, then? A few hundred years old, since you’re a witch?”

“……Huh? How did you know?”

Good heavens, he guessed that? She spoke before thinking, momentarily flustered.

“……Are you mocking me?”

Thankfully, Thermion seemed to take even that as another joke.

‘Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn’t believe it either.’

If she said she was 1200 years old with this face, of course he would think it was a lie.

But now that it had come to this, it would be awkward to back down so easily.

It would be better to make it clear right now. Then there would be no need to fuss over age or manners later. If even the Grand Duke stayed silent, who would dare interfere?

“What matters is that I’m an adult, and you’re a child.”

Ailesia answered as if it were obvious, and Thermion’s face twisted.

“I’m not a child.”

“If you’re under twenty, you’re still a child. You’re only seventeen.”

“……How do you know my age?”

Thermion’s eyes widened, genuinely surprised this time.

Of course she knew because she had read the original story, but she could hardly reveal the truth that way. Feeling her playful side return, Ailesia answered.

“Because I’m a witch. Why else?”

“No, that…… ha.”

At this point, he didn’t even have the energy to get angry.

Thermion could only let out a long sigh.

It was obvious she was teasing him, but he had already been rude first, so he could hardly protest.

“How should I put this, child?”

“What is it?”

What interrupted his complicated thoughts was the conversation between the two seated across from him.

Just moments ago she had been playing with words at his expense, yet now Ailesia wore a sorrowful expression and spoke in a pitiful voice.

“Uncle must dislike Teacher. Looks like Teacher can’t go with us.”

“Teacher is disliked?”

“Uncle says he doesn’t want to be friendly with Teacher because Teacher is a witch. He said he doesn’t even want to see me.”

“Wha—?”

“W-wait, when did I say that much!”

Thermion jerked his head up in alarm.

He had heard every word exchanged at this table from the beginning, yet Eleonora was acting as though she had no idea, and that made him feel even more aggrieved.

Was his niece on his side or the witch’s side? For now, he had no choice but to somehow appease her.

“Ellie, that’s not what I meant.”

“Uncle! You’re not going to go with Teacher?”

With a determined expression, Eleonora clenched her tiny fists and pounded the table with a soft thump.

At the sight, Thermion flinched before he could help it.

“What if you hurt yourself doing that!”

She had already suffered because of the bump on her forehead earlier, so whose example was she following to be so reckless?

Afraid that reacting would only make her behave even more wildly, Thermion could do nothing but fall silent.

“If Teacher doesn’t go, then Ellie won’t go either! Ellie will live here with Teacher! And play with Wolfie and Bearie and Deerie and Snakey!”

“Ellie, you really……”

What exactly was he supposed to do? Thermion shut his eyes tightly and covered his face with both hands.

‘Make a decision already, decide, decide, decide.’

Watching him struggle, Ailesia muttered those words over and over in her head like a spell.

There was no way that niece-obsessed fool could possibly win against Eleonora’s stubbornness.

The answer was already decided, so instead of dragging things out, he would be better off making the choice.

“So, Milenov-nim?”

“Just call me by my name. That kind of formality feels awkward.”

Though he was still speaking informally in every sentence, Thermion decided he could no longer concern himself with minor things.

What did it matter whether she was a witch or not? Fighting over every little thing with her suddenly seemed pointless.

After all, the only reason he had come here was one thing: to safely bring his niece Eleonora home.

‘……Was I the one who was on edge?’

Ailesia had been kind to him from the very beginning.

If she had not stopped that serpent when it burst out of the lake, who knew what would have happened.

Even after he had pointed his sword at her without warning, she had still served lunch to him and his knights.

‘She doesn’t have a normal generous personality.’

She would have every right to get angry if he kept calling her a witch, yet she had even brushed it off like a joke.

And the way she carefully looked after Eleonora… especially her reaction when Eleonora had gotten hurt earlier.

‘Her face went completely pale.’

He did not know why, but her concern for Eleonora seemed genuine.

“Ailesia.”

After sorting through his thoughts, Thermion bowed his head once more.

Unlike the earlier gesture, which had been only partly formal, this one carried true sincerity.

“Regarding everything, including what I said just now, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.”

“Really? Even though I’m an unidentified witch?”

……His fists trembling on their own were just his imagination. All of this was for Eleonora.

Thermion forcibly restrained his irritation with sheer love for his niece.

“I said it was rudeness.”

Even so, a trace of resentment remained in his voice, which trembled slightly.

‘He really does seem his age when he acts like this……’

Ailesia could not help but truly admire Thermion.

She had been the one to provoke him first, and fairly harshly at that. Yet he still showed this much courtesy and self-control.

His love for his niece and upright nature reminded her of her aunt and her teacher. Admiration quietly bloomed in her chest.

“Teacher, why is Uncle acting like that?”

Still nestled in her arms, Eleonora tugged at her collar with both hands. Being so young, she did not seem to fully understand the situation even while watching it unfold.

“He got scolded by Teacher.”

“That’s right, Uncle was wrong, so he has to be scolded!”

……Wouldn’t that hurt Thermion a little?

Thinking that she should at least take his side once, Ailesia stroked Eleonora’s head and added,

“Since Uncle said he was wrong too, can Ellie stop hating him now?”

“Yes!”

Eleonora answered bravely and hopped down from Ailesia’s lap.

Ailesia wondered what she was going to do, but Eleonora walked around the table and approached Thermion across from her.

“Uncle, didn’t you miss Ellie?”

“……Huh?”

“Didn’t you miss Ellie?”

“Of course I missed you.”

“Then why didn’t you greet me?”

Eleonora planted a hand on her hip and scolded him with impressive boldness. Watching his niece, Thermion slowly stood up.

‘Oh my……!’

Quietly observing them, Ailesia suddenly felt emotional and covered her mouth with her hand.

Thermion dropped to both knees on the floor.

That was not in the original story.

‘This is making me tear up.’

Ailesia focused intently on the scene before her, holding her breath.

“Have you been well, Ellie?”

Matching Eleonora’s eye level, he spread his arms and spoke softly.

“I really, really missed you, Ellie.”