Chapter 4
By the time dinner ended, a sweet dessert had been brought out onto the table cleared by the servants.
Father had coffee, Kizef and I had tea, and Verner…
‘…Just looking at it makes my teeth hurt.’
It was thick chocolate milk so rich it almost made my tongue ache just by looking at it.
“Ah, I shouldn’t be like this…”
But Verner, whose appetite had sharply dropped after hearing about Kizef’s early advancement, looked gloomy even in front of his favorite dessert.
His fork moved slowly, and the chocolate milk barely decreased.
“If it keeps going like this, Big Brother will end up monopolizing Rowel…”
He muttered something barely audible, then eventually stood up without finishing a single bite.
“Father, I’ll go up first. Eat a lot, Rowel…”
Verner, who could normally eat four or five pieces of dessert in one sitting, left without anyone having time to stop him.
The reason was obvious.
Ever since hearing about Kizef’s early advancement, his attitude had clearly changed.
“…It looks like Verner’s feeling down,” I muttered.
Kizef sighed at my words.
The Imperial Academy accepted students starting at age twelve.
That meant Verner, who was eleven this year, would be of academy age next summer.
But Kizef, who entered two years early and now topped every ranking and was even being offered early advancement, made him feel discouraged…
“It’s not that he’s discouraged. He just doesn’t like the idea of me graduating early. My goal is to attend four years and graduate early.”
“…Huh?”
Isn’t that the same thing?
As I blinked in confusion, Kizef added:
“He doesn’t like the idea that while he’s still at the academy, I’ll graduate early and monopolize you at home.”
“…Ah.”
The explanation was so unexpected that I lost my expression control for a moment.
That couldn’t really be it… could it?
After finishing the meal, I walked up the stairs with Kizef but then stopped.
“I think I’ll pass.”
“Rowel?”
Letting go of his hand, I looked up at him.
“You go ahead. I’ll just go to the kitchen for a bit.”
“The kitchen?”
“Yeah. Verner didn’t even finish his cake earlier.”
It was a rather strange reason, but remembering his downcast face made me feel concerned.
Normally I would’ve ignored it, but it had been two months since I last saw him, and today’s dessert was chocolate cake—his favorite.
Kizef smiled softly.
“Then if you take it to him, Verner will be really happy.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Okay! I’ll go then!”
I waved at him and headed straight to the kitchen.
Peeking inside, I saw the staff busy cleaning up.
‘Looks busy…’
I didn’t want to disturb them.
As I was wondering who to approach, a face suddenly appeared right in front of me.
It was Chef Huey.
“Huey!”
I smiled brightly, glad for the timing. Huey straightened up awkwardly.
“Well now… you never seem surprised, do you, young lady?”
“Why would I be surprised?”
“Ah, well… I suppose I look a bit intimidating. I think you’re the only child who doesn’t react to my face.”
Huey scratched his chin sheepishly.
The servants behind him overheard and shouted:
“It’s not ‘a bit’! Chef, you’re scary!”
“Exactly!”
“Hey you lot!”
As Huey scolded them, everyone burst into laughter.
I tilted my head.
Maybe he did look a bit rough if you only judged appearances… but—
“I’m not scared of Huey. I think he’s pretty, actually.”
“…Pardon?”
“Pretty.”
My words froze Huey’s expression, stunned the chefs, and left the servants gaping.
“Y-young lady… did you just say Chef Huey is pretty?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded without hesitation.
Chaos erupted again.
‘He really is pretty…’
More precisely, the fire spirits fluttering around Huey, laughing brightly, were beautiful.
Spirits, beings of nature itself, favored those with pure souls.
Meaning those loved by spirits often had clean souls.
Of course, spirit affection alone wasn’t enough to become a spirit mage, but still.
Flutter—
Noticing my gaze, the fire spirits around Huey flew over.
The small red lights rubbed against my cheeks as if greeting me.
Their warmth carried joy.
They spun around me once or twice, as if dancing, then returned to Huey.
“What was that? I suddenly feel… warm?”
Huey blinked, looking around.
“Are you happy because the young lady called you pretty?”
“No, that’s not it… or is it?”
He coughed awkwardly, suddenly embarrassed.
I smiled and spoke:
“Huey, could you pack three slices of the cake I had earlier on a plate? I want to share it with Verner.”
“Of course! Just a moment, young lady!”
He strode back inside energetically.
Someone murmured behind him:
“Looks like the young lady praising him really boosted his mood.”
“Yeah, no kidding.”
“…Hey, young lady. Is Chef Huey really pretty? I won’t tell anyone.”
“You guys don’t think so?”
“Well… objectively speaking… not really, right?”
“Everyone has different tastes.”
I shrugged.
From that day on, rumors spread that the youngest lady of the Valentine ducal family had rather peculiar aesthetic standards.
When I came out holding the tray Huey prepared, Brillin was waiting for me.
“I’ll carry it for you, young lady.”
“I can carry it myself… but thank you, Brillin.”
After accepting her help, we quickly reached the third floor.
“Now I’ll take it from here!”
“Be careful with it.”
“Brillin, you really treat me like a child.”
I sighed dramatically, and she chuckled.
But she didn’t deny it—which meant she definitely agreed.
Well, she had been with me since I was born, alongside my nanny Basha.
Still, mentally I was older.
Even so, my body was six years old, so I couldn’t really argue.
“Then I’ll go in.”
I confidently carried the tray to Verner’s door.
Just as I raised my hand to knock, I noticed a problem.
‘…I don’t have a hand free to knock.’
Even after seven years living as a child, my thinking still occasionally glitched.
A habit from an adult mind trapped in a child’s body.
Hundreds of years of experience wouldn’t disappear in just seven years.
The solution was simple.
‘If I don’t have a hand, I’ll use my foot.’
After checking that no one was around, I lifted my leg.
Knock knock—
“Brother, are you inside?”
Fortunately, one kick was enough.
There was a crash inside, and Verner opened the door.
“Rowel?”
He peeked out, his silver hair even messier than usual, as if he had been tearing it up or rolling in bed.
I lifted the tray instead of commenting.
“I brought this to eat together. Can I come in?”
“Oh—yeah, of course… ah, I’ll take that.”
“Okay.”
Despite his dazed answer, his hands moved quickly, as if used to it.
I followed him inside.
Books were scattered across the bed, suggesting he had been reading there until recently.
“Rowel, want something to drink?”
Verner asked after placing the tray down.
I thought for a moment and shook my head.
“I’m fine. I actually brought the cake for you. You barely ate earlier.”
“Rowel…”
In an instant, Verner’s eyes turned red.
