TGHB 32

Chapter – 32

‘…Did you just laugh?’

My eyes widened and I lifted my head.

But there was not a hint of a smile on the face of the former Duke.

Strange. I definitely heard laughter.

‘Did I mishear…?’

The moment I tilted my head in confusion, my body lifted into the air.

“Well, if that’s what you want, I suppose I have to grant it. A Panteybe cannot speak with two mouths.”

He held me securely in his sturdy arms and glanced down at me.

“Do I just go straight to the backyard like this?”

“…Huh?”

“What. You don’t want to?”

“N-no! G’reat! S’good! Hehe.”

When I answered energetically, his straight lips twitched upward for a moment before returning to normal.

“You rascal. Silly.”

Holding me in his embrace, the old man advanced, tapping the ground with his cane.

I cautiously leaned my back against the firm hold.

Hmph.

I could feel tension in his shoulders, but no scolding followed.

‘Again.’

Louis, who had been swinging a wooden practice sword, wiped the sweat from his brow.

At the same time, his eyes quickly darted to the side.

“Ugh. Hmph-”

Where his gaze landed, a little girl was spreading out a mat.

Even though it was just a matter of laying out the mat, the child struggled on her own for quite a while.

“Whew. Doneit.”

Having successfully spread the mat, the child began pulling various items out of her small teddy bear backpack.

Cookies studded with chocolate chips and a bottle of orange juice.

A neatly folded pink handkerchief and a thin storybook.

The child, settling in with a pleased expression, turned her head this way.

Simultaneously, Louis swiftly averted his eyes.

‘Hmph. Almost got caught…’

Wait a minute.

Got caught doing what?

This made it seem like he was the one sneakily watching her, didn’t it?

In reality, it was the little one who was openly observing *him*.

Just as Louis, gritting his teeth, was about to turn away abruptly—

“Big brother, fightin’. Meloni brought snackies today too!”

“I said I don’t need any.”

“But… you do it every day.”

“That’s because you keep bringing them, and if I don’t eat them…!”

Louis, flaring up to retort, abruptly pressed his lips shut.

‘I almost got pulled in again.’

The cheeks above his firmly closed lips flushed red.

“Don’t talk to me, dummy!”

“Okay. I’ll be quiet quiet here then.”

A pure voice tinged with laughter answered the sulky remark.

Louis, who had hesitated, clenched his fists tightly.

“…D-do whatever you want.”

It had already been a week since Meloni started following him around.

How on earth did she figure out he was training in the backyard?

Efficiently bringing a mat and even setting up a spot for herself.

“Big brother, here’s a snackie.”

“Big brother, wipe sweat with this!”

“Whoa. So cool. Big brother so cool.”

She kept talking to him.

And it wasn’t just that.

Even after training ended, she would hurriedly pack her things and follow him, trailing along.

“Let’s go, big brother.”

“Wanna play with Meloni?”

“Meloni likes what big brother likes.”

Even if he didn’t respond, she would chatter away to herself.

If he did respond, she’d get even more excited and chatter even more.

No matter how prickly he was, no matter how often he pushed her away with a “Dummy!”

The child followed him with a “Hehe~” and a smile.

‘Truly like a dummy.’

But the real dummy was…

“Big brother, so cool today too! Awesome!”

…himself, for not finding the child’s chattering unpleasant.

Louis’s footsteps subtly slowed down.

To a degree so slight that neither Meloni, trotting along behind him, nor Louis himself would notice. Ever so subtly.

“Big brother.”

“…What.”

“You still wearing gloves.”

“Ah, forgot to take ’em off. Gotta use ’em carefully.”

“Gloves precious to big brother?”

At Meloni’s question, Louis nodded.

A beaming smile blossomed on his hardened face.

“Yeah. My brother gave them to me as a present.”

“Brother… Big brother Aster?”

“Right. Big brother Aster gave them to me.”

Answering in an affectionate voice without realizing it, Louis’s face suddenly stiffened.

He froze.

At the halted footsteps, Meloni looked up and called, “Big brother?”

“…Don’t follow me anymore today. I’m not in the mood to deal with you.”

Suddenly?

Round eyes filled with confusion, but Louis turned his back and started walking quickly.

“Big brother…”

A dazed mutter came from behind, but Louis didn’t stop his hurried pace.

‘Damn it…’

*Slam.*

Returning to his room, Louis roughly closed and locked the door.

His heart was pounding.

Guilt and confusion filled his eyes as he looked down at the gloves tightly gripped in his hand.

“I can’t betray my brother…”

For his brother’s sake, he shouldn’t acknowledge that child as his uncle’s daughter.

If that child really is his uncle’s daughter, then his brother’s position…

The boy, who had been gnashing his teeth, slowly sat down on the floor, pulling his knees up.

The boy, burying his dry eyes into his knees, muttered quietly.

“…Mom, please wake up soon. I miss you.”

His voice was full of longing.

“Sky looks like rain.”

Pressing my face close to the window, the hazy sky came into view.

“It does. Do you think it will rain in the afternoon?”

“If rain comes, big brother still do sword practice?”

At my question, Aina frowned and made a thoughtful expression.

“Hmm, he probably will? Of course, if it’s a downpour, he probably can’t.”

Oh, what a diligent child.

Well then, I can’t lose.

“Then I gotta go out too.”

I’m a child with my own determination too, you know.

Despite Aina suggesting I skip today since the weather is gloomy, I shook my head vigorously.

Fortunately, instead of trying to stop me further, Aina found me clothes easy to move in.

It was a plain-design dress in a mix of dark brown and beige, with no frills like lace at all.

“How is it?”

“Mm. I likeit.”

“Hmm. But it’s a bit big on you, miss. I chose it generously for comfort, so…”

It was indeed a little big on me.

The shoulder line drooped a bit, and the cuffs covered my hands.

Aina neatly folded up the fluttering cuffs.

“Ta-da! All done, miss!”

“Thanks, Aina.”

“Kehehe. Our miss looks too cute in anything. You perfectly pull off even this country girl look…”

As Aina said, the me in the mirror did look like a country girl.

Hmm, even I think it’s kinda cute…?

Filled with unwarranted satisfaction, I gave a proud smile.

I had no idea what events awaited me today.

“Absent again today?”

Contiye muttered, glancing down at his strangely empty lap.

Since when had it become so natural for that tiny child to be sitting on this knee?

Now it felt empty to the point of feeling lonely…

“Did Marshmallow go to Louis again?”

“Well, probably, yes.”

“It looks like it might rain.”

“Young Master Louis is diligent enough to train even in a drizzle, and the young lady also has the willpower not to be deterred by a little rain, after all.”

Unlike someone lazy and indolent.

Hudson, subtly adding that last part, glanced at Contiye’s reaction.

Expecting a retort about hearing everything, the Duke just rested his chin on the desk with a vacant expression.

A hint of displeasure was evident from his wrinkled nose bridge.

“…Your Grace, surely not.”

“What.”

“Surely… you’re not harboring some vulgar jealousy just because the young lady seems to be getting closer to Master Louis, are you?”

“……”

“Ah, you’re not, right?”

At the repeated question, Contiye slowly straightened his posture.

“Of course not.”

“Haha, right? What a relief. That would have been truly dreadful!”

“I find your mouth more dreadful.”

“Huh?”

“Stop the unnecessary talk and do your work, why don’t you. Bored to death? Lack of work? Want me to give you more?”

“No, sir. I’ll shut up and work.”

Hudson answered swiftly, pressed his lips shut, and buried his head in his desk.

Contiye, roughly running his hand through his hair, also twitched his eyebrows and moved his hand.

Only the sound of pens scratching filled the silent study.

The sound stopped when a maid came in with urgent news.