TCHB 11

Chapter 11

It was an ordinary afternoon. Lately, the only unusual thing had been that the kid who had deliberately spilled tea on Lotte suddenly became tame, apologized, and started getting along with her.

“Strange.”

There had to be some ulterior motive. I watched from a tree as they played through the window. Lotte was smiling happily, and the strange kid was smiling too.

Then, unexpectedly, the kid I couldn’t recognize as Lotte’s friend turned her head. Our eyes met exactly at that moment. She hopped over to the window and pounded on it with a “thump-thump-thump.”

She blew on the glass and wrote, “Kiel oppa! Can you see me?” with a bright grin. Why bother doing that instead of just opening the window and speaking? Was she not very smart?

“I never allowed you to call me oppa. Don’t call me that.”

I approached her and said it directly. I expected her to sulk or get angry, but to my surprise, she just laughed.

“Then can I call you brother?”

“No.”

“Then what should I call you?”

I was momentarily at a loss. What do you call someone you aren’t close to and don’t want to become close to? All I could think of were “hey” or “you.” But telling her to use that would feel rude.

I had never been called that way by anyone, which made it even more unpleasant.

“Prince Richard.”

After careful consideration, I chose a formal title. Since we weren’t going to be friends, it was better to draw the line clearly. After saying this, I turned my back and tried to go back to the tree, remembering that I’d been spotted, and returned to my room.

I thought she wouldn’t come to see me again, but to my surprise, she appeared again the next day.

“Why?”

“Do you want some cookies?”

“No.”

Why should I trust you?

Even if she pretended to be innocent now, she had already spilled tea on Lotte. What if there had been poison in it? Of course, she probably wasn’t that stupid, but one never knew.

“They’re really delicious. You’re not thinking there’s poison in them, right? If so, I’ll try one first. I just want to be friends!”

She was desperate, and her earnest gaze made me relent this time. It wasn’t because the cookies smelled sweet or anything.

The cookies were a little sweet, but still edible, and I emptied the bag.

“I’ll bring more next time!”

The kid smiled brightly, holding the empty bag. From then on, I thought of her as a strange kid.

The next day, she brought me something to eat again.

Was she planning to slip poison into something normal while I was distracted? My mind was chaotic, but my actions were simple.

I just ate it. It was a bit sweet.

“Which one did you like best from what I brought this week?”

Her expectant eyes reminded me of Lotte, and for once I answered honestly.

“The chocolate muffin.”

“If I bring it again next time, you have to eat it with me!”

And off she ran again. Strange kid.

Usually, someone who’s treated you coldly and harshly would ignore you completely, or run away, right? When she spilled the tea, I’d been so scary she should have lost her nerve. So is she acting all loose because she’s missing a screw somewhere?

It’s irritating. Normally, I wouldn’t be shaken by something like this. Her strangeness was rubbing off on me, so I shut off my attention and returned to my usual position.

“Brother! Today Shuri read me a storybook! Wasn’t it great? Hehe.”

Before going to bed, Lotte would chatter to me about Shuri—Shuri did this, Shuri did that.

I learned her name entirely because of Lotte. Lotte spoke about her effortlessly, and if you just listened, she wasn’t a bad kid. But I didn’t like that she was closer to Lotte than I was.

Time passed, and one day we went to Shuri’s house. While Lotte was briefly away, the kid approached me about what she could call me.

“Can you let me call you oppa?”

“No.”

I refused firmly.

I knew we had grown slightly closer. Just remembering her name after only two weeks showed that. Normally, I didn’t waste memory unnecessarily.

And changing what I was called? That could make me careless and let her take advantage of me.

“Really, no?”

“Yes, no.”

Shuri didn’t give up. I wondered why she had brought her bag, and inside were various snacks.

She probably wanted to tempt me with them, but no way… apple jelly?

“If you allow me… I can give you all of these!”

I gave in at the apple jelly. Damn.

It was almost impossible to get in the county, practically a specialty. She was giving me so much, so I thought I could take it and recover later. I underestimated her plan.

Then she even handed me the bag herself. She acted as if she had no ulterior motive, but I could see through her.

Her actions reminded me of the schemes my mother taught my father—clearly, she wanted me to look at her at least once.

First, I made sure my parents wouldn’t notice, then took the bag and left immediately.

Five days after leaving the county house, I finished the cookies she had given me. The nearly empty bag caught my attention. I kept putting my hand in out of habit when my mouth was idle, forgetting it was empty.

I had to return it anyway. We’d meet at the tea party eventually. Even though there was sword training, I could go afterward, so it didn’t matter much.

“…I might be reproached for owing a debt.”

It was an excuse. Still, I ignored that I was making excuses to myself. Upon reflection, it seemed reasonable.

Perhaps all the desserts she had given me were meant to make me indebted.

She had previously spilled tea on Lotte and had the potential for poison. She even pretended to be sweet while giving me the bag.

Thinking this way, it made perfect sense.

I no longer considered it an excuse and went to my mother. Repaying her properly was the best course of action.

“Mother. I want to go to the Klambach county house.”

For some reason, she wanted to be friends with me.

If the reason had been clear, I could have ignored it easily. It wasn’t because I was the duke’s son, nor did it seem like she liked me.

I didn’t know why she wanted to be close to me. But as we were doing business with the county house, I’d see her frequently. It could be seen as an extension of business.

A small voice of conscience whispered in my head, asking why I cared about such things, but I ignored it. Ignoring was something I did well.

“Oh? Are you serious?”

“I just want to return something I borrowed last time. I hope you don’t get the wrong idea, Mother.”

The curiosity in her eyes didn’t vanish easily, even after my sharp reply. Her face twisted into a knowing smile, which annoyed me, but I kept my composure.

There was no need to prove otherwise. My actions would speak for themselves.

“So what did you borrow? Hmm… the bag of snacks Shuri gave you?”

“…You saw me take the bag?”

“Yes. I watched from afar. You rarely speak to anyone except Lotte.”

Ah, that’s why she was slightly apart from my father and Lotte. My fleeting doubt was cleared.

I still didn’t feel particularly good about it, though.

“First, we’ll set a date. It won’t take long. And Kiel, why don’t you try baking cookies with me?”

“No, I won’t.”

Rarely caught off guard, I immediately erased the expression from my face. Showing emotion was forbidden. In heirship lessons, controlling one’s expression was considered important.

Mother looked like she expected my answer.

“Since Shuri gave you the snacks, you should return the favor.”

Her tone had a slight reproach. I intended to end it by giving in to her suggestion to repay, but now I considered baking cookies. She didn’t seem like she would demand I spit out the snacks I ate, but who knew.

…If I’m going to repay it, I might as well do it thoroughly.

“Very well.”

“Good! I’ll send word around then. Rest for now.”

Mother left. I spent the time reading. The county house responded quickly.

Thus, an unplanned schedule arose.

The day we were to bake cookies was the day before I was to go to the county house. While heading to the kitchen with my mother, a teasing voice came from the side.

“Puhuhu. Kiel baking cookies? Masterpiece material!”

“Shut up, Lucain.”

“Hmm. And if I don’t, friend?”

“Friend? Don’t talk nonsense.”

I brushed Lucain’s hand away and closed the door. Even with the door shut right in front of him, his laughter somehow leaked inside.

Mother looked somewhat pleased. She didn’t scold him, though I had told him not to speak nonsense to royalty. She was probably used to situations like this.

I found it more comfortable this way. I’d rather cut ties than show courtesy to that brat.

“The chef prepared all the ingredients. We just need to follow the recipe.”

“Yes.”

Following the recipe, I started baking cookies with Mother. Mixing dough, rolling, shaping, baking. I understood why it required care.

I probably wouldn’t do it again.

Because we rested occasionally while waiting for the dough, it wasn’t too hard. It took a long time. Just as I was about to return to my room, Mother stopped me.

“You need to finish the packaging too. Aren’t you going to?”

“…Fine, let’s do it.”

I sighed and nodded, acknowledging that one debt would be properly repaid.

Mother placed the cooled cookies into a bag she had prepared and tied a ribbon. Since I had tied Lotte’s hair before, it wasn’t difficult.

“My son is… perfect, isn’t he?”

“Don’t say strange things with a profound face.”

“Aren’t you being too harsh on me?”

“If not me, who would say these things to you, Mother?”

“That’s true.”

Mother agreed.

In our family, I was the only one who could say such things to her. No one else in the world could.

Who could tell a duchess not to say weird things without risking their life? Father would make an example of you before your turn.

“All that’s left is to take them tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“You really resemble him, my son. How can you be so clueless about your own feelings?”

“You seem upset by what I just said.”

My mother’s sudden barb didn’t faze me.

We knew we loved each other as family. That wall of care wasn’t going to collapse from her words.

“Not at all. I’m not that petty.”

“…Yes.”

“Late in replying, you little rascal.”

I didn’t avoid Mother’s hand. She tugged at my cheek and released it, leaving me to rest before walking away.

“Oh? Are these the cookies you made?”

“I’m not giving them to you.”

“Probably your little sibling, the one you love so dearly.”

It was wrong, but I didn’t correct her. I didn’t want to give him (Lucain) any reason to bother me further.

After sending Lucain away, I put the cookies in the bag. That settled the debt. Now I could ignore her as usual.

Oddly, my heart was restless even though it should have been at ease. I quieted it and closed my eyes with mixed feelings.