“Maybe I should have thought twice before doing it.
Watching the people passing by my cradle made me ponder seriously.
‘Did I relax too much?’
Maybe I’ve become relaxed because no one is stabbing me.
Even if my sister was cute, seeing her burst into laughter made me smile.
Let’s not get too attached. That was my top principle, learned through many lives.
It might be because I couldn’t pass the age of twenty, but one-sided love was just tormenting.
Because when I was living a single-digit life, I had hope and worked hard.
‘I just knew that people who already thought of me as a monster wouldn’t look back no matter how hard I tried.
No, instead, that affection became a guarantee for harsher conditions.
So, whether giving or receiving, not doing it was my serious principle.
But…
‘Those who are trying to give affection like this are new…’
Even though I’ve been cautious all my life, I couldn’t help but be unaware of it.
The fact that my sister saw my smile as a result of the “peek-a-boo game” quickly spread.
“Miss, look here! Peek-a-boo!”
“I can make even weirder faces! Look at me!”
The maids presented bizarre faces as if challenging me.
No, it wasn’t just the maids.
Even the family physician, who regularly examined me.
“Hmm, hmm. When my daughter was young, if I made a face like this, she would go from crying to laughing in no time.”
Of course, my father also participated.
“Our youngest, look at this!”
While wasting his majestic handsome face to the fullest.
Of course, everyone failed to make me laugh.
‘…They’re trying so hard to show affection.’
Even when I tried to suppress my smile, I found it increasingly difficult.
I was gradually losing the ability to hold back laughter.
‘Is it possible to tell these people not to give affection?’
I made a serious effort to suppress my smile, but deep down, I wondered if it was futile.
I originally didn’t express much emotion.
I was like that in my first life, and the more I lived, the more dull I became.
I thought that if I continued to struggle with each and every one of them, I might end up letting myself go before my reincarnation was over.
I didn’t want to live long, but I also didn’t want to give up.
So there were times when I wondered if they would bother me more persistently.
However…
‘People here are so different, trying to make me smile…’
I’ve seen many people who, when their efforts don’t bear fruit, get frustrated.
But these people…
“As expected, compared to Miss Laurencia, I must be lacking! I’ll practice more!”
“Hmm, hmm. I should compete in making faces with my daughter.”
“I should ask Laurencia to teach me again.”
Even though I didn’t laugh, they didn’t seem disappointed. On the contrary, they seemed to be more focused on perfecting funny faces.
‘Can I tell these people not to give me affection?’
While forcing a smile, I couldn’t help but think that maybe I should consider a different plan.
A gentle voice reached my ears. It had a similar tone to my mother’s, but it was younger and warmer.
As I opened my eyes, still in a daze, I realized who the owner of that voice was.
“Are you awake, Anastasia?”
It was my brother, Damian, five years older than me.
Neatly combed rose-golden hair, and eyes a bit darker than our sister and father, Damian exuded a calm aura.
“Awake and not crying, our Anastasia is exceptionally well-behaved.”
My six-year-old brother spoke in a refined manner, smiling with a tiny hand reaching towards my forehead.
“I was really worried when Mother said you had a fever yesterday.”
It was just a slight fever common in babies.
Of course, the whole household went into chaos all night, and the family physician rushed over with fever-reducing medicine.
Mother didn’t leave my side all night.
“Our baby, it’s so tough for you. I wish I could take your pain away…”
With those words of genuine concern…
‘People here are really overprotective… … .’
To call it overprotection in my life…
Thinking about it made me feel strange, but it was nice.
‘I will never die from something like this…’
It has already been four months since I was born and lived in this house.
At this point, I decided to just accept the good things in life.
‘Father is such a good person… but that’s probably limited to family.’
Judging by how the family physician acted, there wasn’t much to worry about.
Family…
“Our Anastasia, what are you thinking about?”
While I was deeply contemplating my life plans, my brother asked with a small smile, “Why such a serious face?”
He touched my cheeks with his fingertips.
” Your brother brought you a present, will that make you feel better?”
A present?
I blinked and stared at him.
Taking that as an expression of anticipation, he raised the corner of his mouth and held the gift out in front of him.
“It’s a stuffed tiger for you.”
I saw him gently shaking the stuffed animal, feeling very confused.
“That’s your brother’s stuffed animal…….
Of course, he didn’t carry it around all the time like my sister.
My brother was very respectful for his age and was already undergoing various training as the heir to the dukedom.
He was so mature that when my sister scribbled on his books, he didn’t get angry, but asked her why.
“Why did you want to scribble in the book I’m reading?”
“Because, Brother, it seems hard for you to read… so, um, you need a break too.”
“I see, my Laurentia wanted me to give you a break, but that’s okay because I love books, so if you want to play with me, can you stop being a book bully and ask me to play with you?”
I could hear it all vividly because it happened right next to my crib, and I couldn’t help but doubt my ears.
What kind of six-year-old can be so open-minded as that?
No sixteen-year-old could do that.
The only thing he had childlike was that stuffed tiger.
‘My sister took back the deer doll because she couldn’t sleep…’
For reference, I also had a doll that my parents provided for me.
I just wasn’t that interested in it.
‘Why on earth do you want to give it to me?’
Should I cry? If I cry, would he be scared of the tiger and take it away? I might get scolded instead of being comforted, unlike my sister.
Instead… Unlike my sister, he genuinely considered my feelings.
At that moment, my brother, noticing my hesitation, spoke with a bright smile.
“Laurencia said the same. She talked about Anastasia’s funny expressions when she laughed and also mentioned the story of my tiger doll.”
Wait, is this…?
“I tried to make a funny face too, but it didn’t work well…”
The reason he wanted to give me the doll was –
“Since Brother will give you this, would you show me your smiling face, our youngest?”
Saying that he carefully placed the tiger doll next to my head.
‘What on earth are these siblings…’
I shook my soul, and it was undoubtedly a well-prepared plan to shake me.
How could I refuse this?
Should I cry because it’s so precious, and I want to see it, but is not smiling more important than that?
‘There’s no way I can refuse…’
But…
‘They’re protecting the world of a child.’
Even though I knew it was an excuse, I surrendered to it.
“Kyaah.”
Unconsciously making a strange sound, just like a child.
However, there was no embarrassment or regret left.
“Wow, you really smiled. Our Anastasia…!”
My brother, who usually restrained his emotions, now had an innocent expression like a child.
And I made one resolution.
In this life, unless my family turns away from me, let’s try to live with a bit more enthusiasm because of these people.
