‘Bad guy. How can he torment someone like this?’
So Sephiel was forced to take a bath at the crack of dawn, play ball, and eat a mountain of sweets.
“Haaah…”
Bounce. Bounce.
Sephiel lazily bounced the ball while accepting cookies from Berry’s hand.
‘Very sleepy…’
Her head nodded sleepily, and Marie and Berry patted her head gently.
“Drink some cocoa before you sleep. It’s an order from the Young Master.”
“Uh…..”
Sephiel chewed on a chocolate chip cookie and burrowed into Berry’s lap.
Unfortunately, even at that moment, the chocolate chips melted sweetly in her mouth.
“You protected Marie today, didn’t you, Miss baby? Thank you.”
“No, it’s my fayult.”
“You worked hard today. You don’t have to brush your teeth today. But just for today.”
That was very encouraging news. Rubbing her eyes, Sephiel asked,
“Is he ryeally that scayi? That Er…”
Marie and Berry looked at each other.
“It’s not even about being scary or not.”
“Why?”
“He’s like a god in this place. His family’s entire lineage is. They’re a superior race.”
Sephiel nodded. ‘I see.’
‘If he’s that kind of being, I should never cross paths with him again.’
Sephiel thought that it was over now, since they would never meet again.
‘It was weird that I met him twice in the first place….’
“Hoammm…”
Sephiel yawned.
‘It’s a relief that today passed without trouble.’
‘However, it seemed like he didn’t kick me out right away.’
She decided to stay in the annex and not step outside at all.
‘My honey place.’
Sephiel made up her mind seriously.
“But, has he alyways byeen like that?”
“Ah. You mean the Young Master?”
“Yeah…”
“Try to understand. Look, even though he’s the same age as you, he’s twice as big as you and talks like an adult.”
“Yes…”
“Those with dragon blood are like that. But that abnormal growth rate puts a strain on both their body and mind.”
“So that’s why he’s kiynda cyazy?”
‘Ah. That made sense.’
Berry tried to suppress a laugh but failed.
Sephiel, on the other hand, started thinking.
‘One day, he will leave this world.’
‘But then… What would happen to Berry and Marie?’
Sephiel blinked.
“If.…”
“Yes?”
“If the Gyand Duke disappewars, wheyre will Beyyi, Mayyi, and the people livving heyer go?” (If the Grand Duke disappears, where will Berry, Marry, and the people living here go?)
“That….”
Berry hesitated before answering.
“…..We would have to leave this place too.”
“……”
“It’s possible something like that could happen, so you need to learn more and grow stronger. You’re still so young. Even in ten or twenty years, you’d still be a baby.”
A dull ache spread in Sephiel’s chest, and her sleepiness faded.
‘Not ‘if.’ That’s definitely going to happen…’
Hiding her thoughts, he answered,
“I wyon’t be a bawby then.”
“You will. To us, you will always be a baby.”
Berry chuckled.
“Now, get some rest.”
She patted Sephiel’s chest rhythmically.
Sephiel slowly closed her eyes.
* * *
And the next day.
“Huh?”
Sephiel slowly opened her eyes. Marie and Berry were moving busily.
“What’s gyoing on?”
“Ah. Miss Baby.”
Berry and Marie looked somehow happy.
“It’s good news.”
“Gyood nevws…?”
“The Young master Erga feels sorry for you. He said that you could stay in the main building until the other members of the Grand Duke’s family returned!”
“…..”
“Aren’t you happy?”
Marie also nodded excitedly.
“The main building is bigger and has better facilities!”
Sephiel jumped out of bed.
“No! This isn’t wight!” (No! This isn’t right)
“Huh?”
But her few belongings were already being packed up and moved.
‘This isn’t what I wanted! I just wanted to quietly borrow the title and live comfortably!’
Sephiel was devastated as her dream of an easy life crumbled before her eyes.
“Hiekk…”
But she couldn’t even protest properly. All she could do was lightly punch the bed with her tiny fists.
“Oh Miss Baby, you don’t have to be that happy!”
“She must be so touched she’s about to cry.”
“Miss Baby, there will be so many people in the main house who will adore you!”
Sephiel just rubbed her eyes with her small fist.
‘I, the evil one, tried to trick him and got stabbed in the back of the head.’
As expected, it’s not easy to suck honey with someone else’s money.
“My… my comfortable life…”
Sephiel muttered sadly.
‘Ah, how am I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding?’
But the one-way carriage had already left.
* * *
As the luggage was gradually carried away… only Sephiel, who was tightly holding Berry’s hand, remained as the last item to be moved.
“I thyink… it’s better if I dwon’t go aftyer all. The Gyand Duke and all those high-yanking people… they’ll cwome back somweday, right? If they see me livving in the main byuilding, they’ll get angyi.” (I think it’s better if I don’t go after all. The Grand Duke and all those high-ranking people, they’ll come back someday, right? If they see me living in the main building, they’ll get angry)
“Don’t worry. Once they leave, they don’t return for years! When the Grand Duke or the first Grand Duke comes back, you can move to the annex then.”
‘Ah… why was Berry so clueless today?’
Sephiel wanted to sigh.
‘Berry, why is life like this?’
“This is your new room, Miss Baby.”
When Sephiel saw the room prepared for her in the main house, she was shocked.
‘I’ve never seen such a nice room.’
All she could say was, Wow.
The furniture was low and had rounded edges for safety. The walls were covered in pastel-colored wallpaper with clouds and rabbits, perfect for a child’s room.
‘And silk blankets too….’
And a room full of colorful toys.
“Is this rweally my ryoom?” (Is this really my room?)
What if they realized it was a mistake and told her to leave?
Sephiel was getting nervous.
Berry smiled brightly.
“Of course! You’re the only little lady in this huge Grand Duke’s castle. Go ahead, lie on the bed, roll around on the sofa. If you don’t like any of the furniture, we can replace it.”
‘There’s no way I wouldn’t like it.’
Sephiel threw herself onto the bed and rubbed her cheek against the fabric.
‘Back when I slept under a linen blanket, I thought that was the most luxurious experience in the world.’
‘But now, a silk blanket? Was it okay to enjoy such luxury? It was almost frightening.’
Clearly, there must have been some influence from those in power behind the sudden change in treatment.
And in that house, only one class of people had that much power: members of the Grand Duke’s family.
‘Hmm… Erga… I guess he’s not all bad.’
Sephiel thought to herself.
“Young Master.”
“You’re here, Young Master.”
Berry and Marie quickly bowed.
‘Wow, Berry and Marie are really scared of Erga.’
As Sephiel thought about that, she got up from her seat in surprise.
‘Is he here to bother me?’
Her heart pounded as she looked at Erga.
The bright sunlight highlighted his sharp nose and doll-like face.
‘A soft, pink doll?’
‘Could it be… for me?’
Sephiel’s eyes sparkled without realizing it.
‘He really is unpredictable.’
‘No, it might not be for me. Don’t get your hopes up.’
But she couldn’t take her eyes off it.
“Miss Baby, say hello.”
“Um… hewwo.”
Sephiel greeted him cautiously.
Erga looked at Sephiel without saying a word and nodded.
‘Wow. He’s in a surprisingly good mood today.’
‘He even accepted my greeting!’
Then Berry looked at the doll in Erga’s arms and said.
“Oh my, did you bring a gift for Miss Baby?”
“It’s a cute raccoon doll.”
The doll looked fluffy at first glance. It had a plump, fluffy tail and pink eyes.
“It’s a doll that looks like you.”
Erga spoke bluntly.
Sephiel began to feel suspicious.
“Why?”
“Here, look.”
“Uh….”
Sure enough, the raccoon doll had really big ears.
With a single flick of Erga’s hand, its head popped off.
“…..”
“If you behave well, you can grow up to be a warm and cute raccoon like this.”
“But if you disobey my father or grandfather, you could end up like this. Got it?”
“……”
‘What the heck.’
“You like it, don’t you? Take it.”
“…….”
Sephiel received the doll with a sad face.
“Hiiks…..”
Sephiel hugged the doll and burst into tears.
“Huaahh….”
“Oh no, Young Master!”
“You shouldn’t make Miss Baby cry, Young master!”
‘….This kid. I will take revenge.’
Sephiel thought, hugging the doll tightly and squeezing it.
‘You ruined my first doll ever!’
* * *
As Erga turned around and left the room, a smile slowly appeared on his lips.
‘…It’s funny.’
‘A little cute, maybe.’
That’s what he thought.
* * *
