episode_0061

The day when I decided to meet Nia and Bena after a long time.

Elin, who tossed and turned all night, fell asleep late.

“Princess, wake up quickly.”

“Ummm… … .”

In the end, I couldn’t avoid oversleeping.

“Sup… I don’t think you came home that late yesterday. Your Majesty, what did you do yesterday?”

“Ugh… … .”

“I’m not in a position to answer.”

Anne sighed and put her hand under Ellen’s armpit.

He lifted me up and took me to the bathroom.

“Okay, cheers.”

“Yeah… … .”

Anne washed Elin with skillful hands and applied lotion thoroughly.

“Haaam… . Thank you.”

“I see you’ve come to your senses now. Here, have this.”

“Um… .”

At the same time, he put some freshly baked bread into Elin’s mouth.

Before she knew it, Ellen was eating breakfast with shiny skin.

While Anne was busy combing my hair from behind.

Click.

Luke came into the room.

“We’re about to leave, Your Majesty.”

“Eummummum.”

“I’m almost done. Just wait a minute.”

Elin swallowed every last piece.

After brushing her teeth neatly, Dodo runs to Luke.

“I will open the portal.”

Hug.

Elin holding his hand to avoid getting lost while moving.

“!”

My mind suddenly came to me as I felt a firm and warm sensation.

Thump, thump.

Again, without realizing it, my heart started pounding loudly.

Now that I think about it, the reason I couldn’t sleep well last night was because of Luke.

When I pray that Luke doesn’t hear the sound.

Shu-

The view was reversed.

Fortunately, it took less than 3 seconds to move to the portal.

I was able to let go of Luke’s hand in an instant.

“… Ah.”

“Why are you like that?”

“… … It’s nothing.”

When I finally let go, I felt both relief and regret.

Even Elin herself couldn’t figure out why.

But that’s okay.

I came here to ask about this unidentifiable feeling.

“Your Highness, please go in first. I will go see my brother.”

The place we arrived was the Bucklin family.

The family of Luke and Nia.

It was the most frequently used meeting place.

It can’t be helped.

The Nissen family is not located in the center of the capital.

Elin doesn’t have enough power to invite Nia and Bena to Bertain on a regular basis.

Naturally, Berkeley became the meeting place.

“Okay.”

Elin moved away from Dodo Luke.

Somehow, the more I became conscious of it, the more difficult it was to look at its face.

“Your Highness. I think it would be better for me to avoid your presence, right?”

“… Yeah, sorry.”

“No, what would I do with kids that age? I find it much more comfortable this way.”

Anne slipped away, being considerate.

Originally, she was a dedicated maid, so she had to stay by her side.

It’s not like Bucklin is a dangerous place.

It would be better for both of us if we didn’t interrupt the girls’ time.

“I’ll pick you up a little later.”

“Thank you.”

Anne waved and walked away.

I heard you’re learning how to cook these days because you became friends with the chef in Berkeley.

Still, I feel fortunate that I’m not just wandering around the mansion with nothing to do.

Knock knock knock.

I walked down the hallway.

The hallways of the Bucklin mansion were now more comfortable than those of Bertain.

As I turned around at the end of the hallway, I saw the VIP room.

Knock knock knock.

I knocked on the door with my small fist.

Squeak.

The door opens slightly.

sudden!

The protruding arm dragged Elin away.

It was a sudden situation though.

Ellen wasn’t surprised.

Her arms were also very thin.

“Who is staying up so late!”

Nia Bucklin.

Because she was someone I considered to be more of an older sister than my own.

“Miang… .”

As soon as I entered, I held the ball tightly with both hands, so my pronunciation leaked out.

“Did you sleep in late again today?”

“Yeah.”

“Why do you always do that when you have plans? Do you want to show off to your sister?”

Nia sighed deeply and wiped Elin’s eyes.

Worry dripped from his amber eyes.

“… Heh.”

“What did you do well enough to make you laugh?”

Elin laughed without realizing it.

It’s good to be with the teacher, though.

It was nice spending time like this.

When you’re here, Nia shows her true colors without wearing a mask.

In this warmth, Ellen vaguely felt what ‘family’ was.

“Long time no see, Your Highness!”

Prison.

I felt a cushioned feeling from behind.

It was Bena who hugged Elin.

“!”

Elin, with her hair sticking up.

I turned my head, startled by the softness I felt from behind.

“Bena.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

Bena shows a pure smile.

Although she was still timid outside, she was a very pure girl when the three of them were together.

… no, now she was a goddaughter.

“It got bigger again?”

It wasn’t Ellen’s mistake.

It wasn’t like that when we met two months ago.

I had to raise my head a little more to make eye contact with Bena.

Of course, that wasn’t the problem.

“… Isn’t it heavy?”

Compared to the chest which has become even heavier.

“Oh, you’re going to sexually harass me as soon as I get here?”

Bena blushed and covered her chest.

Although it was the largest in size, its actions were no different from those of a timid small animal.

“And also Nia unnie.”

“Huh?”

Elin narrowed her eyes and turned her head back to Nia.

Two years ago, we were definitely flat together.

But before I knew it, it had become this pretty water drop shape… .

“You said you were flat with your sister. What kind of a catchphrase is that?”

“Ubure… .”

“Now I’m old enough to enter the academy. It’s time to grow up.”

Nia stretched Elin’s cheek.

Because it stretched so well like cheese, it didn’t really hurt.

“… … ”

Ellen looked down at the floor quietly.

… the instep was still visible.

Even Nia has grown so much in two years.

Ellen is the only one who remains the same.

For a moment, I felt worried.

Have you stopped growing?

That won’t do.

Aren’t you going to become like Sister Dien?

What good is it if you’re just good at using magic?

I don’t like things this small… .

Ellin, who had been secretly dissing Dien, raised her head.

“What on earth do you eat to grow that big?”

There was a gloomy note in his voice.

“What do you eat…? I didn’t eat anything to grow big… .”

As always, Bena was deceitful.

“gi, a lie! Really―”

I lied and pretended to be wronged.

“Well, I just grew up slowly. I’m sure it’s the same for Elin, so just wait a little bit.”

Nia said some really comforting words.

Since there is already a case like Nia, isn’t that proof that Elin can also grow sufficiently?

“Please stop comparing me to others… .”

Nia, who still hadn’t let go of Elin, was fiddling with the ball.

“And it’s okay if it doesn’t grow right away. Elin is cute.”

“Ma, that’s right! I’ve never seen anyone cuter than you in my life. I think you’ll be sad when you grow up… … .”

Nia and Bena say that and caress each other’s cheeks.

It was definitely a compliment, but I didn’t feel very good about it.

If you only eat the side dishes you usually eat, you’ll get sick of them, right?

Praise is the same.

Since I met Luke, I’ve heard him say I’m cute more than ten thousand times in the two years since I met him.

Now I want to get other charms too.

“Um… .”

But please eat well too.

I don’t neglect my exercise, but judging by this, I don’t think there’s any hope for the time being…

Chuuk.

As soon as I arrived, I felt an overwhelming difference and my hair grew dull.

* * * * *

one side.

Luke came into the office.

“Are you here?”

Still, my parents haven’t returned to the family home.

Victor, who returned from the North, welcomed Luke.

“… What is it?”

“I prepared it because you said you like coffee. I think our family used to like tea.”

Even offering me coffee.

And it wasn’t even hot coffee.

Luke’s favorite iced Americano.

“I will eat it gratefully.”

I eat it gratefully because it’s given to me.

Something felt uneasy.

Even if I search my memories, I can’t remember ever being intimate with Victor.

In the first place, Luke lived without any contact with his family for four years.

But why are you being so kind to me?

“I heard you just got back from the North.”

“That’s right.”

Victor nodded and took something out.

Bam.

On the surface it looked like a thick stack of documents.

It’s not like I’m going to ask you to do family business right away.

“What is this?”

“This is a report written in the North. I thought there would be a lot of questions, so I organized it in advance.”

“… … ?”

Luke frowned without realizing it.

This was beyond suspicious, it was strange.

Why on earth are you being so kind?

When a person suddenly changes, one of two things happens.

It’s time to die.

“… Is there anything you would like to ask?”

If you have something you want.

“Ahem. Are you willing to listen?”

Victor was the latter of the two.

“Please tell me.”

Rather, I felt at ease because I could see the purpose.

Luke quickly gathered up his Northern Report and sat back comfortably.

“An alchemist active in the North. I heard he is close with Dien.”

… Dien?

I nodded, feeling puzzled by the world’s awkward title.

“You’re a close senior. Did something happen between you and Senior Dien?”

I sent Dien to the North at Victor’s request.

I heard that Dien has changed the situation in the North a lot.

Was there any fighting in the North?

“No, that’s absolutely not it.”

Victor shook his head firmly.

“I just became interested because he was a great alchemist.”

“… I see?”

“… … ”

Victor, who was staring at Luke, covered his face with his hand.

“Do you really need me to speak directly for you to understand?”

“I’m just staying still because I don’t think so.”

“After… .”

Victor sighed.

I took a deep breath and looked straight at Luke.

“I like Dien. Can you help me?”

“Oh my god.”

I almost swore.

I had my doubts.

I can’t believe such words actually came out.

Victor, who doesn’t seem like he’d bleed even if you stabbed him with a spear, is interested in Dien?

Two people standing side by side naturally come to mind.

Victor is much bigger than Luke.

Dien, similar to Elin.

No matter how I think about it, it’s a visual that makes it seem like Victor will be unilaterally imprisoned.

Originally I was going to talk about Elin’s curse.

A terrible situation arose where my older brother liked my close senior.

It’s something I really don’t want to get involved in.

I also received the northern report.

“… What the hell happened in the North?”

I decided to give it a listen.