Chapter 15
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Bree ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
I awkwardly smiled and said, “Hey, everything’s great and all, but can you guys let go of sister’s clothes?”
Upon hearing this, Ermano and Julios asked sullenly.
“…Does sister not want to be with us?”
“Not want to?”
Slightly drooping eyes sparkled. The hands tightly holding the dress showed the traces of rigorous training.
How could I say no to the kids looking at me like wounded puppies?
“No, it’s not that I don’t want to… It’s just that I thought you might feel uncomfortable.”
“…Sister thinks we’re uncomfortable?”
Ermano asked. Tears welled up in his eyes again.
“It’s not that I’m uncomfortable…”
Welling up.
“You should move around more comfortably, and most of all, being stuck together like this makes it difficult to move.”
Choking up…
“Ahhh, it’s not uncomfortable! Not at all! I’ll keep holding it!”
In the end, I had to shout like this.
‘If they want to be together, what can I do?’
Moreover, looking at the kids who were quickly becoming bright and cheerful, it seemed fine.
Then, a rumbling sound came.
Julios shuddered and covered his stomach.
‘Oh, come to think of it, the kids haven’t eaten yet.’
It was not just any food but a meal. Having survived on the love of food, the notion of starving was something I couldn’t fathom.
“Let’s go have dinner.”
“…Are you coming with us?”
Julios looked at me with a hint of hesitation.
‘Guess he’s just a kid after all.’
Without realizing it, the corners of my mouth lifted slightly.
As the eldest sister, I had been tormented by my siblings from my past life quite a bit, but I still liked kids.
So, this kind of reaction was somewhat pleasing. I asked playfully.
“Why, do you want to eat with sister?”
Despite appearing tough on the outside, Julios was quite shy.
Unlike Ermano, he had never called me ‘sister’ even once before.
That’s why I purposely lengthened the ‘sister’ in my sentence to tease him…
“…Yeah.”
“Huh?”
“I want to eat with sister.”
Julios blushed and fidgeted with his fingers.
Filled with the intention to tease, I couldn’t say anything and just grinned.
It was such a straightforward admission.
‘Is this the feeling when a cat that used to hide its face suddenly rubs its head against you?’
Even though the word ‘cute’ almost slipped out of my mouth, I resisted.
Think about it.
If a cat that never showed any affection suddenly approached, rubbing its head against you, what kind of reaction would people have?
They would probably be pleased internally but would remain silent, mouth sealed.
If you revealed your excited feelings and the cat ran away, you would be the one at a loss.
That’s exactly how I felt.
“Alright, let’s go.”
So, I responded like an adult, in a strict and serious tone.
“Oh? Do you have an umbrella?”
“Is this yours, sister?”
“…”
Of course, the umbrella sprawled on the floor was a reminder of losing my reason…
Anyway, since it seemed like our relationship had improved in its own way, it should be fine.
“Sister, let’s share this.”
“I’m going to use it with you! Brother, use that one.”
The twins, grabbing my umbrella, started bickering. I crossed my arms and said.
“If you fight, sister will go separately.”
“…You use the umbrella. It’s fine if I get wet.”
“No. I’ll concede as the younger one…”
Then, as if they had never done it before, the twins suddenly became quiet.
I smiled and gently patted their heads.
“Let’s share.”
The faces of the kids, who had looked sulky, brightened up in no time.
I shared the umbrella with the kids.
The mansion was so spacious that when we arrived at the dining room, the dress was already quite wet, but it was fine in its own way.
***
Meanwhile, while the sky was still pouring rain.
A carriage swiftly approached through the fog.
The place where the carriage stopped was in front of Duke Peregrine’s residence.
Soon after the door opened, Flora Sallertail descended from the carriage.
With a face strained like the harsh weather, she scolded the servants rushing towards her.
“What took you so long! Is it so difficult to wait with an umbrella!”
“Sorry, sorry!”
“Will you take responsibility if my dress gets wet?”
In response to her hysterical voice, the servants quickly lowered their heads.
If it were the usual Flora, she wouldn’t have been angered by such a small matter, but she was in quite an irritated state right now.
‘I never thought I would hear that Her Majesty was disappointed in me…!’
Once a nameless orphan, the fact I could enter the clergy under the name Flora Sallertail was all thanks to Her Majesty.
So, to repay that trust, I came to the Duke’s residence.
On the surface, the purpose was to teach lessons on becoming a saint, but actually, it was to monitor Peregrine and manipulate Daphne as I pleased.
Daphne was truly foolish and naive, and it took no effort to control her.
Roderick would never love anyone else.
Even if something happened, all men were like that. There’s no helping them.
Most would easily brush off such words, “Well, that’s true, isn’t it?” and move on.
But everyone was unaware of how much Daphne relied on Flora.
Many admired Flora’s educational methods.
The temple and the imperial decision to appoint her as the tutor for the noble children received praise as well.
Therefore, Flora thought everything was going according to her plan.
But Daphne was gradually slipping out of her control.
She developed a pathological obsession with Roderick, and tried to control and attack any woman who had any connection with him.
Flora thought this couldn’t continue.
Now was the opportune time, with Duke Peregrine going down to his territory.
But Daphne was not dead. No, it was the aftermath of her awakening that posed a greater problem.
“Well then, Grandma should pay more attention too. Visual appeal is one of the things men like most, isn’t it?”
She scraped at my insides with a term I had never heard before.
“Oh, speaking of which, there’s a shop I frequent, and I hear they take special care of you when you come with family.”
She even daringly suggested beauty care to me.
Flora grinded her teeth, asking a servant.
“Have you heard from the Duke yet?”
“Yes. Since the place where the late miss stayed is quite far, it might take some time for the letter to arrive.”
Upon hearing this, Flora snorted.
‘You try to forget, but you still long for your deceased daughter.’
The deceased Lady Peregrine, or rather, Daphne’s mother, Amila Peregrine, was an extremely fragile person.
Unlike her two adept brothers in magic, she couldn’t use any magic.
This was a disgrace to the heroic family. While pretending otherwise, everyone called her “Earthquake” behind her back.
And at the center of that reputation were Flora and the “benevolent” maidens she taught.
After all, it wasn’t entirely untrue. Flora was confident, and Amila’s heart grew sicker.
Unable to adapt to society, Amila, using her health as an excuse, went to live separately in a distant provincial territory.
‘Of course, she died leaving only a daughter.’
And the current Duke Peregrine had a strong sense of guilt towards her.
If only he had paid a little more attention to her.
Then Amila wouldn’t have left his side…
‘…What a cliché story.’
Hidden in her thoughts, Flora chuckled sarcastically.
In any case, even if that old coot was present, all he can do is watch over me without doing anything.
‘He’s an old man that no one would find it strange if he died soon.’
Her goal was not such an old man.
The person who would become the new leader of the Peregrines, the one who once made Flora fall into the fever of love.
‘Lyas Peregrine.’
Just thinking about it brought a smile to Flora’s lips involuntarily.
“While I was away, nothing happened, did it? The children didn’t get into any trouble?”
At her question, the servants hesitated and exchanged quiet glances.
When she mentioned the children, she was referring to Ermano and Julios, the twin brothers and sons of Lyas.
Flora was oddly concerned about the education of Ermano and Julios.
As if she were really their mother.
But they couldn’t say this out loud.
It was when the servants struggled to answer.
“They refused lessons today and went late.”
A maid reported the truth with her gaze fixed on the floor.
It was the red-haired maid, Malbera, who had made Daphne uncomfortable today.
“They refused lessons again today?”
Flora visibly frowned.
It didn’t make sense. She knew that the previous teacher who taught the twins was terribly incompetent.
The family had nothing to boast about, and their only asset was knowledge.
‘To think someone of such low caliber taught our young masters. It’s unthinkable.’
So, she gathered evidence to dismiss the teacher and then fired him.
Next, for a more sophisticated education, she directly requested assistance from Count Mentis.
She asked him to teach not only the children but also to be strict about manners so as not to disgrace the name of Peregrine and their father.
To nobles, time was more precious than money. She asked them to spare time. Some high-nosed individuals might have spouted complaints about being rude, but she successfully brought Count Mentis as a teacher thanks to her title, ‘The Angel in the Clergy.’
After taking so much care, why were they running away!
“Why? What’s the problem?”
“I don’t know why but…”
Malbera trailed off, receiving an annoyed glare from Flora.
“…But lately, it seems like they are getting close to the Lady.”
“What?”
“Today, we noticed that they were all together again.”
At Malbera’s words, Flora swallowed the forced laugh that was about to burst out.
‘I didn’t think she’d even interfere with the children’s education just because she’s not good enough.’
She didn’t like her arrogant behavior, especially since she started calling her a grandma.
Now, that troublemaker was even trying to ruin Lyas’ children.
Suppressing the irritation welling up inside her, Flora asked, “Where is the Lady?”
“Well, um…”
The servant looked hesitant. It was not a good sign. Flora narrowed her eyes.
“Did she happen to go out?”
“N-No, not at all!”
The servant quickly replied.
“The Lady is currently having a meal with Master Ermano and Master Julios in the dining room of the annex.”
