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Chapter 6
There really are a lot of people here. No wonder Kai looks so surprised.
There were many people lined up on both sides of the entrance to the mansion.
They all seemed to be servants who worked at the estate.
“Young Lady, I’ll take my leave now.”
Liliana approached me and spoke.
“You worked hard. Thank you.”
After giving her a brief word of thanks, Liliana and her knights saluted me.
After returning their greeting, I slowly walked toward the entrance of the mansion.
Just then, Ren, who had gotten out of the carriage, approached me and spoke.
“Young Lady, wait. There’s something I need to tell you before you enter the Duke’s residence.”
“What is it?”
“Just for a moment.”
Ren pointed toward a corner, apparently because there were too many people around us.
Liliana and Annie, who were nearby, immediately understood and moved away.
“We’re still keeping the fact that Kai is a dragon hidden from the servants of the estate.”
“So they mustn’t find out.”
“Yes. We should probably keep it hidden for the time being, until the Duke informs the Emperor. Given the circumstances, we won’t be able to keep it secret for very long.”
It would definitely become a huge scandal.
If it became known that the Duke’s residence was raising the rare dragon that even the Imperial Family couldn’t hope to obtain……
From the Imperial Family’s point of view, they might practically interpret it as an act of rebellion.
Dragons were that powerful.
Keeping it hidden shouldn’t be difficult.
Kai was a young dragon and could be unpredictable, but from my experience, I had never seen him deliberately do something I told him not to do.
If I asked him to remain in human form as much as possible, he would probably listen.
“Besides Captain Liliana and Annie, is there anyone else who knows?”
“We plan to tell Young Masters Edward and Theodore. Everyone else will be told that he is your younger brother.”
“Understood.”
Edward and Theodore.
The Duke had two sons, if I remembered correctly. Those must be their names.
They’ll probably be the most difficult ones.
“That’s everything, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll go now.”
After finishing our conversation, I headed toward the mansion with Kai.
After arriving, Annie guided me to the room I would be using.
“This is one of the guest rooms, but since this will be your room from now on, we’re going to change the entire interior.”
“You don’t have to. I’m fine with it as it is.”
“No, Young Lady. Please don’t hesitate and decorate it however you like. What color do you prefer? Pink? Sky blue?”
Annie became excited and began giving me a long explanation about which bed we should replace it with and what kind of wallpaper would look best.
I nodded appropriately whenever she mentioned something, saying that everything sounded fine.
If I do that, she’ll take care of everything herself.
“Oh, and Young Lady, the Duke said that you should have dinner with him and the young masters tonight.”
“The Master of the Magic Tower told you before we left?”
“Yes. Is there anything you can’t eat?”
“No, nothing in particular.”
“Okay. I’ll let the head chef know.”
“Wait. I have something I’m curious about.”
I stopped Annie as she was about to leave and asked,
“Where is Kai’s room?”
“It’s the room next to yours.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome! If you need anything else, just let me know.”
Annie smiled brightly.
The little freckles scattered across her cheeks formed a lovely curve when she smiled.
I smiled back and told her I understood.
She bowed her head and quickly left the room.
Annie is…… really cheerful.
I stared blankly at the door she had left through.
She had been bouncing around excitedly the whole time, while all I had done was talk.
Somehow, I felt tired.
I sat on the bed and rested for a while.
Kai, who had been staring at me silently with his lips tightly closed, came over and sat beside me.
“Talk now?”
“Yes, you can talk now.”
Just as Kai smiled brightly and began saying something, there was a loud knock on the door.
Kai frowned and looked annoyed before standing up and walking toward the door.
“Who is it?”
I waited, but there was no answer.
I opened the door and looked at the person who had knocked.
A boy who looked three or four years older than me was standing there with an irritated expression.
So he’s Luke’s son.
The boy had platinum-blond hair and blue eyes like Luke, but his eyes were even sharper.
Although he still had some baby fat because of his young age, he had a handsome face with a sharp and cold impression.
If he grows up looking like this, he’s going to make quite a few young ladies cry.
Though that had nothing to do with me.
“Are you the girl who just came here?”
Looking at his expression, which seemed to contain every complaint in the world, I calmly greeted him.
“Hello.”
“I’m not saying hello.”
“What should I call you?”
“Don’t call me anything.”
What a prickly personality.
He was still just a child, though.
He turned his head away haughtily while glaring at me.
He reminded me of a small puppy barking louder than necessary just to look intimidating.
Judging by how much he resembled Luke, he must be his son.
It had to be either Edward or Theodore.
“Young Master Edward?”
“No! That’s my older brother’s name. I’m Theodore.”
Theodore snapped angrily and glared at me.
“Have you already investigated everything about me?”
It wasn’t an investigation. Your secretary told me.
I sighed inwardly and observed him.
His golden hair, which resembled Luke’s, was completely messy, and his clothes were covered in dirt, unlike what one would expect from a nobleman’s son.
He either liked running around and playing roughly, or he had just come from some kind of physical activity, such as swordsmanship training.
Another noticeable feature was the simple silver locket hanging around his neck.
Judging from both his personality and appearance, he didn’t seem like the type to pay attention to jewelry.
“Don’t look at it. It’ll wear out.”
While I was observing Theodore, he seemed to notice my gaze and frowned.
Theodore tucked the locket inside his clothes.
He seemed to treasure it quite a lot.
Still, necklaces were meant to be looked at.
How could looking at one make it wear out?
This prickly young master seemed to dislike me quite a lot.
I wondered whether I should play along and pretend to be frightened, or whether I should take the initiative and push back.
While I was thinking, Theodore walked past me into the room.
Then he pointed at Kai and asked,
“Is he ‘that thing’?”
Kai’s gaze toward Theodore immediately became fierce.
I quickly stepped between them and said,
“Young Master Theodore, entering a lady’s room without permission is very rude.”
“W-What did you say?”
“Young Master Theodore, entering a lady’s room without permission is rude—”
“I heard you the first time!”
“If you heard me clearly, then please leave my room.”
Theodore looked as though he had just been hit by a strong counterattack.
He argued again, though his attitude was slightly more subdued than before.
“No. I’m staying.”
“I’ll call Annie.”
“……Ugh! What kind of kid are you? You don’t give in even once!”
“Then why haven’t you left my room yet?”
“Because I’m curious!”
“About what?”
“You and him!”
Theodore’s face became bright red as he said it.
Is this really something worth getting so angry about?
I hadn’t even done anything since coming here.
How much must he dislike me to get this worked up?
I glanced at Kai behind me.
Theodore was raising his voice and pointing at both Kai and me.
Kai seemed to sense the hostility and had stiffened his entire body.
Then wings and a tail suddenly appeared from Kai’s back.
For a newly hatched young dragon, it was the strongest threat display he could make.
Though his appearance was far too cute to be genuinely threatening.
Kai exposed his tiny fangs and raised his claws.
Theodore saw Kai’s half-human, half-beast form and began stammering in surprise.
“H-He really is one. He’s really a dragon?”
It seemed that he had finally realized he was looking at a real dragon right in front of him.
Theodore stared at him in shock before quietly asking me,
“……Then is he really strong? Could our father lose to him? Even though he’s that young?”
For a moment, I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t say anything.
Why would he ask such a completely useless question?
While I was trying to figure out how to answer him and somehow felt my intelligence decreasing in real time—
“Theodore, don’t be rude.”
A gentle, youthful voice came from behind Theodore.
I turned my head toward the sound.
A boy with neatly combed golden hair was standing a short distance from the doorway.
Edward Croyman?
“B-Big brother.”
Theodore immediately stiffened as if he were nervous.
