As soon as I got off the carriage, what I saw was Older Brother Gabriel with cold eyes.
Masha, who was next to me, was surprised.
“Y-Young Master Gabriel.”
She quickly bowed her head, her body shaking.
‘Huft. Martha is also very… she can’t believe it even though I already said that Older Brother Gabriel isn’t a scary person, different from his cold looks.’
Okay. Then let’s mediate and show that Older Brother is a soft person if you come to know him!
“Older Brother! It’s good that you came. I just came after meeting a management deputy, who is not a scammer. I think he’ll be able to greet you soon.”
At my report, Older Brother’s eyebrows scrunched up.
“Did you say you got a deputy?”
“Yes! Although he is now the owner of a small bookstore, he was already with several merchants when he was young because of his mixed Sid race blood. Our territory’s people—”
“It seems that you’re only thinking of useless things with that little head of yours.”
The loudly babbling me paused.
Gabriel’s eyes which were looking at me were unusual.
That expression is definitely…
“It’s better for you to stop and stay home calmly while I’m still saying it nicely.”
“….”
Next to me, Masha quickly opened her mouth on behalf of me, who wasn’t saying anything.
“I-I apologize, Young Master Gabriel! I will immediately send the Young Miss to her room and watch—”
“Older Brother El.”
“…!”
When I called Older Brother Gabriel by his nickname, not only Masha but also Older Brother Gabriel looked surprised.
Although it was only for a very short moment.
I spoke towards him, who was stunned,
“I’m sorry, but I’m a little busy for the time being, so it seems that I won’t be able to stay at home.”
“What? What does that mean? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go to the Capital.”
Older Brother Gabriel’s face hardened at my answer.
“The Capital? Why would you go there?”
“We have to give a report to His Majesty the Emperor that we will run the mana stone mine earnestly.”
Although the mana stone was found in our land…
To sell it, it required the Imperial Family’s permission.
In other words, I had to go to the Capital no matter what.
‘And there are also things I need to do privately.’
“Just why in the world would you go for that? What does a young child like you—”
“Then, would Older Brother go? You know it’s the red wolf hunting season soon. Older Brother surely has to lead that hunt.”
After all, it was very important to hunt the red wolves that often came down from the mountains to harm people during this period.
“Since I can’t possibly replace you for that, I’ll be the one to go to the Capital.”
“So, you’re saying that you’ll go? That’s nonsense.”
Raised eyebrows.
Cold eyes which are as frosty as ice.
His voice, which was just as cold as his eyes.
Anyone with eyes could see that he was angry.
But I wasn’t fooled by that face.
“Thank you for your worry.”
“Worry? Who is worrying—”
“The fact that you’re worried about me so you don’t want to send me alone, I know everything.”
“…!”
Yeah. I said that I know everything.
The future in which Older Brother El, who seemed to hate me more than anyone else, died to save me.
Of course, I couldn’t say that openly in front of Older Brother.
‘I’ll be treated as a crazy kid because I hurt my head, right?’
“Hm.” I cleared my throat and said.
“Anyway, since Older Brother El is busy and can’t go to the Capital, and we don’t know when Older Brother Noah will be back… I’ll go!”
“….”
“It’s better than other people going, right?”
“….”
Even though he knew that I was right, Older Brother Gabriel shut up as if he was unwilling.
‘Anyway, since he’s stubborn.’
I stealthily approached him, who didn’t show any sign of giving permission anytime soon, and grabbed his hand.
‘Whoaa. His fingers are really big and firm…!’
Unlike my soft hands, I admired his hard calluses.
When I pulled his hand, Older Brother El flinched and froze.
That image was certainly…
‘He looks like a big-built lion, it’s cute!’
If I could, I would have liked to pat his head, too.
But, let’s give it up because my hand can’t reach.
Instead.
“I’ll be back safely. Until then, please protect our house well, Older Brother!”
After patting the back of his big hand a few times.
Smiling, I walked away with quick and short steps.
Behind me, Masha followed urgently.
“O-oh my! Young Miss! Isn’t Young Master Gabriel scary?”
After walking for a while, when Gabriel’s figure completely couldn’t be seen anymore, Masha carefully asked.
“Huh? Not at all.”
“Not at all? Are you saying that you’re really not scared?”
Masha made an expression like she didn’t believe me.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand such a reaction.
‘Since in the past, I couldn’t even speak properly in front of Gabriel.’
From a child’s perspective, Gabriel didn’t seem to be a good adult.
‘Since his eyes are scary, his expression is cold, his voice, and his tone, too. All of them are unfriendly.’
What was worse, he often even said words such as ‘useless’, ‘pointless to do’ towards me.
But I know now.
“Yup. Older Brother El is just a little unskilled in expressing himself, but he’s a good person.”
“….”
Masha was still giving me a look like she didn’t believe my words at all.
“What’s this, Masha. Are you doubting me? I’m telling you it’s true.”
I recalled what Older Brother El had said to me earlier.
“You know, Older Brother said it earlier. He said, ‘It seems that you’re thinking useless thoughts with that little head’.”
“Yes, he surely did say that. That was a warning not to act recklessly, right?”
At Masha’s question, I shook my head.
“No, no. That’s his words. But what he means is that, ‘Since you are still young, don’t worry about difficult things and make yourself comfortable, my dear Younger Sister’.”
“Yes..? Are you saying that that’s what it means?”
At my interpretation, Marsha looked like she couldn’t believe it at all.
“That’s what I’m saying. And, again, from what Older Brother said…”
It’s better for you to stop when I’m saying it nicely = Don’t do anything dangerous because I’m worried.
“… Are you saying that Young Master Gabriel really said it with that kind of meaning!?”
Masha, too, oh my. Did she live all this time fooled by his cold facade?
Well… Older Brother Gabriel was indeed the type that gets a bit misunderstood by people around him. However,
If you know him, he’s a good person, my Big Older Brother.
“Older Brother El is a thoughtful person even though he’s a little bit blunt.”
“…Young Miss.”
For some reason, Masha looked at me with a very sad face.
‘Just what in the world is with that expression?’
It was like she was feeling bad, like the feeling one feels when one sees someone playing only with their imaginary friends because they don’t have any real friends though… Or is it just because of my feelings?
“The Young Miss is really…”
Masha, who sighed, said,
“I will serve you better from now on. So that you don’t get lonely…”
Masha, who said so, diligently took me back to my room.
She even braided my hair prettily again.
She also made me sit on a chair with a soft cushion.
Being left alone, I screamed after a while.
“No, I’m telling you it’s true that Older Brother El really likes me a lot…!”
***
Inside the office.
Sitting in front of his desk, Gabriel Cartier silently looked down at his right hand.
“Older Brother El.”
It seemed that the feeling of the small, warm hand tapping him still remained.
“….”
A tiny smile raised on his lips which seemed to have never made a smile other than for ridicule.
But the smile was quickly erased.
Tok. Tok.
“Come on in.”
At his permission, Chedes, the butler, appeared with silent steps.
“Young Master Gabriel. The fraud fainted.”
“…How weak.”
Gabriel, who mercilessly interrogated Jay, the fraud, just a few minutes ago, said coldly.
“No matter how I think about it, it seems that it’s true that he’s an insignificant petty fraud.”
“Then, considering that he is such a person, the forged position was a little too perfect.”
“Do you suspect that by any chance there’s a force behind him?”
“Indeed. Looking at the materials that Diana gave, no matter how much I think of it, I still think so.”
“What? Don’t tell me, did the Young Miss find all the materials herself?”
“Yeah. It was impressively complete and earnest.”
A faint smile spread on his cold face.
But soon his cold face came back as if he was asked when did he ever do that, and said.
“Keep his breath in moderation. Let’s dig a little more before we hand it over to the Capital Security.”
“…Yes.”
The butler, who answered politely, took a moment to read the air before opening his mouth.
“Uh, Young Master Gabriel. Will it be alright?”
“What will?”
“I’m talking about the Young Miss going to the Capital. No matter how different she is these days, can she really have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor alone…?”
The butler, whose words lost strength at the end, was worried.
It was natural to worry.
If one knew the Diana Cartier from the past, then even, even more.
But that child really changed.
“I’ll be back safely. Until then, please protect our house well, Older Brother!”
One by one, the changed figure of his youngest sister after the accident came to mind.
She went through the law book, read the gold magic skill book, and looked at the family ledger.
And her sulky figure when she got scolded after she was caught stealing snacks from the kitchen…
“…urely was cute.”
“Yes? Young Master Gabriel? What did you say just now?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Before he knew it, Gabriel was murmuring with a soft and relaxed face.
“Let’s trust her once. That child is cut– hm. That child is my younger sister.”
***
It has been three days since I met Tezent Poe.
I still haven’t heard from him.
But I wasn’t very worried.
‘After all, the distribution of mana stones is a big deal, and it will not be easy to make up one’s mind.’
Still, I’m saying that it’ll be better if he could come before I go to the Capital.
Two days later, it was time for me to head to the Capital.
Of course, it did not matter if I met Tezent after I came back.
Still, it was better to organize my work before I went to the Capital.
Even now, I was still busy packing my things.
“Uhmm, let’s see. Another thing to bring…”
I thought while secretly putting a cookie jar into the luggage bag which was prepared by Masha.
‘As expected, two jars of cookies must be not enough, right? If I add one more bottle, uhmm… But I have to bring a whole jar of candy, too, though!’
I didn’t put much in my luggage, but it felt like my bag was going to explode already.
“Huft. Why is the bag so small?”
When I pouted–
Tok. Tok.
“You can come in— AH! Hold on! Don’t come in yet!”
I needed to hide the cookie jar that I had yet to put in!
If I didn’t, then it would be taken away by Masha again!
‘Before it gets taken away, there’s not enough time to eat it all and clean it up!’
Darn it!
First of all, as I was in a hurry, I hid the cookie jar, which I hadn’t packed, by my bed.
“Okay! Now you can come in— huh?”
