TCHB 43

Chapter 43

“Shu…ri?”

A trembling voice came, along with a single tear, sending waves of emotion through me.

D-don’t cry… I didn’t expect you to cry, so why now?

“Lo-Lotte… sniff, sniff!”

Her words seemed to trigger more tears, and I started to move frantically. Seeing Lotte cry was shocking enough, but realizing I was the cause hit me even harder.

“Why… why did you come now?”

There was a hint of resentment in her voice. Before I could answer, I stopped Lotte from roughly wiping her eyes and cheeks.

“First, calm down and stop crying. Okay? And rubbing like that will make it sting later.”

I took out a handkerchief and gently dabbed her tears. She didn’t answer but let me continue, as if that was enough.

I thought about Dad, but Lotte didn’t come to see me even when I was sick… Wait, thinking about it now, something feels off. Even if Kiel couldn’t come, Lotte wouldn’t have skipped it, right?

Back then, I had a bet with Ventus, and I trusted she’d come, so I didn’t check anything else. But thinking again, it felt strange.

Could it be that Lotte didn’t come during my illness on purpose?

I paused, but I wasn’t naive enough to voice that suspicion while she was crying.

“The door didn’t open for four days, so I couldn’t come in, and when it finally did… Shu…ri wasn’t there… I really wanted to see you, it’s so unfair…”

Wait… what did she just say?

“L-Lotte! The door didn’t open for four days?”

What am I hearing? Could that Ventus…

I grabbed her hands in a panic, and she sniffled before explaining.

“Sniff. Back then, since Shu-ri was sick, I held your hand so you wouldn’t feel pain, but suddenly the door wouldn’t open! I remember being frustrated for all four days!”

Ventus… just you wait.

I muttered a line worthy of a B-movie villain in my head, then hugged Lotte tightly. I felt very sorry for doubting her.

Damn Ventus and his tricks. I ground my teeth.

Wait, what about Kiel?

“I’m really sorry, Lotte. But did Kiel also plan to come see me?”

“Oh? Mm-hmm. But Shu-ri, where have you really been all this time?”

“J-just! I went to nearby kingdoms and empires… There was a little misunderstanding. I’m sorry for leaving like that.”

I had nothing else to say. The word “sorry” just floated around in my mind.

I trusted Ventus more than the two of them for a reason. He’s known me far longer.

But that trust was shattered completely, wasn’t it?

“Why are you here today? Judging by your surprise, you didn’t come for me, right? Sniff.”

Since she sniffled, I handed her something to wipe her nose with. Definitely not because her words made me flustered.

“True… but, Lotte, do you know Rachel too?”

“Oh? Lady Rachel?”

Her eyes widened at the name. Even now, still wet from tears, it hurt my heart.

I never thought I’d make Lotte cry… Ugh, the guilt.

“She arrived about a week ago! I don’t know why she came to the Duke’s house, but she said seeing Onii-san made her magic overflow and told him to become her disciple. She left to train now.”

She even calls it “training”?

At that moment, I realized how much I had underestimated Rachel. But thinking back, can anyone really blame me?

I mean, she suddenly barged in with magic at night, barely knew my name, called herself “your friend,” and even asked to borrow the dragon as if it were an object.

Thinking about it now, she’s beyond imagination.

I refocused and asked the question that had been on my mind.

“So Kiel became Rachel’s disciple?”

“Yes! Aren’t you curious? You are, right? Yes, yes?”

She looked like she wanted me to ask “why,” and when I nodded, her face immediately lit up.

Her smile was exactly the same as five years ago. Still cute.

“Onii-san said he remembered Shu-ri when learning!”

Huh?

“He said every time he practiced magic, he thought of you, Shu-ri! That magic that suddenly grew so fast! It reminded him of Shu-ri, and he liked that!”

Huh?

“So even though he doesn’t like my personality, he decided to learn! Only because of Shu-ri! He wouldn’t say it, but I pushed him, and finally heard it!”

Lotte looked proud, as if she had said everything she wanted. I quickly hid my face and ran away.

I left the reception area and ran without thinking, forgetting I was in someone else’s house.

Why is my face suddenly so hot? I don’t like Kiel! I don’t like him!

—Ugh. Shu-ri, you’re an idiot. Anyone can see you like him, but you keep denying it.

“Quiet, Lel. I said I don’t like Kiel.”

“Ah…”

Wait… why today, God? Why did Kiel appear exactly at this timing?

My busy steps stopped, and I froze. Meeting Kiel was bad enough, but why now?!

“T-then this is—”

Before I could explain, Lel’s voice rang in my mind.

—What’s the problem, Shu-ri? You said you don’t like him. So why explain? You like him, right?

I couldn’t argue. I said I didn’t like him, but the moment he appeared, everything went dark.

Seeing his slightly hurt expression, I opened my mouth to explain but closed it. If I didn’t like him, I should keep my distance.

To cool down my feelings, I should hide them and take three steps back when he moves one forward.

But…

“Shu-ri, do you want to have tea with me if you have time? There’s cake you’d like. Don’t you want to?”

I couldn’t refuse.

“Huh?”

“…I have time. I’ll guide you.”

I couldn’t push Kiel away. Even if he looked so innocent, it was Kiel. Saying no felt impossible.

Just this once, I told myself. Keep distance later.

I reminded myself that this was an unlikely promise to fulfill.

“This isn’t the Richard Prince’s reception room?”

“Yes? Right.”

“Wasn’t it supposed to go to the reception room?”

“Mm.”

In the Ferolos Empire, nobles usually don’t invite someone into their room unless very close. Same in other kingdoms.

Inviting a member of the opposite sex? Only if engaged or married.

Even as a child, that might happen, but now Kiel must know. What is he thinking?

“Maybe you already met Lotte, but I don’t want anyone disturbing our time… If you’re uncomfortable, we can go to the reception room. Would that be better…?”

Kiel asked, blushing slightly. I shook my head, trying to calm my heated face.

Since when did I like Kiel?

Even though I planned to ignore this feeling, I couldn’t understand myself.

I had always firmly refused when others tried to tempt me with food or attention. Some moments in the past were gentler, but mostly hard.

Why now?

Thinking deeply, I went back to square one. I liked his face but not his personality, which only made it more confusing.

My taste cells didn’t answer. Maybe it was the mix of chaos and other situations, but I knew I wasn’t thinking straight.

“Then, I’ll excuse myself.”

The room was very neat. The calm tone somehow fit Kiel.

It even looked a bit like a scholar’s room.

“Do you want to sit and wait? I’ll send a maid outside to call someone—it might get noisy if they come in here.”

“Oh, yes.”

Kiel seemed worried that false rumors might spread. When he left, I was alone in the empty room.

“Hmm…”

I didn’t know where to look and began inspecting the room. Mostly plain, not patterned. It didn’t feel boring.

It was very different from my messy room. Ah, so tidy.

I remembered the tears of the maids who had cleaned my pigsty-like room. Sorry, Heather.

“Huh?”

While looking around, I found a pink box with letters and a doll. It didn’t match the room at all. Why had I noticed it only now?

I thought hard and realized I recognized it. My eyes widened.

Those… are things I gave him?

Next to it were transparent envelopes with ribbons, all empty. I remembered picking those ribbons too.

Seeing Kiel gather what I gave him made my heart beat uncontrollably.

“It’s real…”

I lifted the strings of the bag and flipped it slightly. “Kiel” was embroidered.

It’s really what I gave him.

He always acted like he didn’t receive them but kept them just as they were.

The letters too. I opened one and immediately noticed the handwriting and burst out laughing.

“Hey! I like Kiel Onii-san, but do you like me? 8ㅁ8”

…Not “Hey,” it’s “You know…”

Ugh. Seeing the letters I had painstakingly written made me want to die from embarrassment.

But the comments he left below, almost like a final review, made me laugh.

“And this is…”

I picked up another letter next to the box and froze at the name written in Kiel’s handwriting:

To Shu-ri.

Why is my name here?