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Chapter 30
What is happening?
When Lucillea looked at Serdian, he asked,
“Meeting again? Have we met before?”
Lucillea nodded with a dazed expression.
“Yes, we ran into each other last night while leaving the Glass Garden.”
“Last night?”
“With Marquis Sidrat.”
Ah… Serdian nodded.
After a brief explanation, Lucillea and Raiden formally greeted each other.
“So, you really were chosen to join the elite unit, huh?”
Raiden smiled brightly, and Cookie muttered,
[The guy’s handsome, Luci. Don’t fall for him!]
“Don’t worry. I told you yesterday—he’s not my type.”
[You’re just staring blankly.]
“Well, Cookie, it’s like admiring a piece of art. You can drool a bit over a beautiful sculpture, but you don’t dream about the future with it or get your heart racing.”
Raiden kept talking to Lucillea.
“Is it rude to ask what kind of abilities you have?”
Well, it’s not really rude.
“Magic.”
For some reason, Raiden’s face lit up even more at that answer.
“I have magic too.”
Lucillea’s eyes widened.
“Magic?”
“Yes. Our family has been a family of wizards for generations.”
Oh… that was unexpected.
‘I thought since they sponsored Cynthia, it would be a family connected to divine powers.’
It was strange indeed.
Wizards and temples usually didn’t get along. The temples of the Seraphium Empire didn’t recognize abilities other than divine power. Anything else was considered impure or unnatural.
‘They’re extremely arrogant and narrow-minded.’
Since Lucillea also had magical abilities, she didn’t feel particularly fond of such temples.
‘Anyway, the Sidrat family, a family of wizards, is sponsoring a girl who will become a saint.’
This might be a setup for the meeting between the secondary male protagonist, Raiden, and Cynthia.
‘Quite a dangerous rival, huh?’
Since the original story’s beginning had already been altered, there was no guarantee Raiden would remain the eternal secondary male lead.
‘Especially with that friendly, kind personality and bright appearance.’
Lucillea glanced at Serdian.
He had brought a book even to the dining table, reading as if Lucillea and Raiden’s conversation didn’t concern him at all.
‘Someday Serdian will meet Cynthia too. What if he’s just as blunt and indifferent then?’
Lucillea silently vowed while looking at Serdian.
‘Don’t worry, Serdian. Once I feel my life is somewhat safe, I’ll actively help with your love life.’
So, don’t lose to that kind and sparkling Raiden, Serdian!
‘You have your own blunt and dark charm!’
[…]
Ignoring Cookie’s incredulous stare, Lucillea silently cheered for Serdian’s romantic prospects.
At that moment, Raiden noticed the parrot perched on Lucillea’s shoulder and said,
“I’ve been curious about that parrot since yesterday.”
Lucillea placed Cookie on the table.
“His name is Cookie. He’s a parrot, but please don’t ask if he can talk.”
He might say something unpleasant.
Raiden raised his eyebrows at the warning.
“I’ll keep that in mind. But… Cookie, huh? That’s a name you won’t forget once you hear it.”
When Raiden smiled at Cookie, commenting on his cute name, Cookie growled.
[Stay away, or I’ll bite!]
Who said you’re cute?! Want to experience the parrot’s aggressive beak?!
Unlike last night, Cookie was wary of Raiden.
‘When he said my face shines or I’m blessed… what happened, Cookie?’
[I don’t like that smiling face! Don’t you remember? I didn’t like Mei either!]
‘…But you ended up getting along with Mei.’
After a few fruits, Cookie had opened up.
[Argh, I’ll bite!]
Pretending not to hear Lucillea, Cookie loudly threatened Raiden again.
Lucillea quietly offered a red fruit to Raiden.
“He really likes this.”
“Ah…”
Raiden murmured briefly in admiration, took the fruit, and began gently peeling it.
“You could’ve just given it,” Lucillea said.
“I thought it might be tough to eat,” Raiden replied with a kind smile.
After peeling it all, he offered it to Cookie.
[I said I’ll bite! Do you think I’ll fall for a few scraps of fruit—!]
Raiden carefully inserted pieces of fruit into Cookie’s tiny, threatening beak.
Cookie, who had been growling as if ready to peck, finally gave in to a few pieces of red fruit.
[Wow, Luci! Eating it peeled is a whole new experience! So soft, so soft!]
The fruit went down smoothly.
Enthusiastically, Cookie pushed more fruit towards Raiden.
Squeak!
[Peel more!]
Raiden laughed.
“I guess he wants more. Right?”
Lucillea nodded, embarrassed.
“…Yes. Looks like he likes it.”
Raiden willingly peeled the fruit.
His long, pale fingers, which seemed to handle only precious items, were now stained red with juice.
Still, Raiden didn’t mind. He just looked amazed and delighted that Cookie was enjoying it.
Lucillea swallowed, watching him.
She was about to get close to Serdian, but an unexpected obstacle appeared.
Until just now, Raiden had only seemed like an interference.
But…
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
Even in that brief moment, his attitude toward Lucillea and Cookie changed her perception slightly.
Cookie loudly agreed.
[He’s not bad! Someone who peels fruit so carefully, even fruit Luci wouldn’t peel, can’t be bad!]
An angel, an angel!
Cookie’s evaluation of Raiden flipped instantly.
Soon, Cookie sat next to Raiden’s plate and began eating the fruit.
Just then, food for the children arrived.
Only then did Serdian close his book.
As the food was laid out, the dining hall quickly filled with appetizing aromas.
The three children began their meal.
Clink, clink.
A familiar silence settled.
‘This calm… seems familiar.’
Ah, right! It was exactly like this when dining with His Grace the Duke recently!
Lucillea remembered feeling frustrated watching Elbadin and Serdian eat without conversation.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen friendly Raiden speaking kindly to Serdian.
‘I thought they were close since they were staying at the Duke’s, but… apparently not.’
The two boys across the table silently ate their food.
It was slightly lighter than the silence with Elbadin, but still uncomfortable.
‘Why are they staying at the Duke’s for a while?’
At that moment, Raiden wiped his mouth and spoke.
“You said seven years old, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“My younger sister is a year older.”
Serdian paused mid-meal, looking at Raiden.
“Younger sister?”
Raiden sighed briefly and lowered his eyes.
“I guess I didn’t mention it. My father recently adopted her. After my mother passed, he seemed quite lonely.”
“….”
Raiden gave a bitter smile.
“The Duke also takes in and sponsors children in need. That influenced him a bit.”
He looked at Lucillea, giving her a gentle smile.
“Last night, he thought of my sister and spoke to you. So please don’t think of him as too strange.”
“Ah… I see.”
I get it now. I thought he was just a frivolous, scatterbrained pervert.
He was talking because he remembered his adopted daughter.
Listening to Raiden, Lucillea could somewhat understand Diego’s behavior.
‘He really cherishes his adopted daughter.’
He did seem kind.
Even in the original story, he supported the female protagonist, so he had more good reputation than bad.
Lucillea smiled.
“Adopted, huh? That’s a good thing you did.”
“Yes, having a girl in the family changes the atmosphere.”
Raiden truly cared for his adopted younger sister.
Every word he spoke when thinking of her was warm.
“Actually, the reason I decided to stay at the Duke’s is because of my sister.”
Huh? Because of his sister?
‘What does staying at the Duke’s have to do with a recently adopted sister?’
Lucillea asked,
“Because of your sister?”
