Anyone would be glad if someone had comforted them. It was the same for Mathias. After all, wasn’t Lestia comforting him right now? This was also the first time that someone from his family had cuddled with him. When he thought about it, he realized that neither his mother, father nor brothers did this for him. Because of this, Lestia was the first person and the only family member to ever worry and comfort Mathias.
When Mathias realized that, he couldn’t help but lift Lestia in the air. He turned around and around with joy. Everything that his little sister did was touching and moving.
“Liti, I like you so much. My little sister!”
“Br… brother! Please stop!”
“I’ll stop when Liti also tells me that she likes me.”
Lestia was grinning widely without even realizing it. Her smile was especially wide with Mathias’ forced claims.
“Phew. Yes, I also like Brother Mathias.”
“I’m so pleased, Liti! As expected, my little sister’s smile is very pretty!”
Only then did Mathias place Lestia back on the bed. The two of them looked at each other and giggled happily.
Knock, knock.
A knock was heard once again. Mathias and Lestia both looked at the door at the same time. There, they saw Lysian with his arms folded together as he stood there and looked at them.
“Mathias, I sent you to console her but it seems like you’re the one being comforted.”
Mathias smiled as he scratched the back of his head at Lysian’s words.
Thanks to Lysian, he was able to honestly express his feelings to Lestia and exchange comfort and consolation with each other. Somehow, he felt embarrassed when he realized that he was an older brother to two younger siblings in the Verchester household.
“Since you’re both feeling better, let’s go and eat something.”
Dora, who looked extremely worried, pushed the trolley into the room after seeing Lysian’s nod.
Dinner was actually prepared on the trolley. Lysian had instructed her separately after dumping Mathias in Lestia’s room.
“My lady, even if you don’t feel like it, please have a spoonful of soup before sleeping.”
“Dora. Thank you, but…”
Lestia looked a bit awkward.
However, as if he wanted to stop her from refusing any further, Lysian immediately sat down on the table for four placed on one side of the room.
“Ly, Lysian-nim!”
She was not given any more time to dissuade him. This was because Mathias had grinned and hugged Lestia and brought her to the table.
“Huh… Huh! Brother Mathias!”
Before she knew it, Lestia was already seated in front of the table as if she was ready to eat. Mathias spread a table napkin on Lestia’s lap before begging her with a wide smile on his face.
“Liti, let’s have dinner together. This is our first time eating together like this. Please.”
“Ah…”
Lestia could not refuse in this situation anymore. She had been waiting for this time when she could eat with her family ever since she came to Verchester Duchy.
“Heok. Don’t tell me… Liti, do you hate eating with me and Lysian?”
“N, no! That’s not it! I really like it!”
Lestia had no other choice but to agree loudly after hearing Mathias’ fuss.
“You’ve thought well, my lady!”
Dora quickly set the table in case Lestia began to refuse again. In a blink of an eye, the table was filled with steaming warm soup, bread and sweet fruits.
“What are you doing? Let’s eat.”
Lestia carefully picked up her fork at Lysian’s words. Then, she heard Joel’s voice from behind.
“Smells good. Can I join too, Lestia?”
“Brother Joel…?”
Joel smiled softly as he asked politely. He was more noble than a nobleman as he asked her for a seat following the correct etiquette.
“My lady, excuse me for coming at this late hour. I would like to ask you for your permission. Will you allow me?”
“Yes…? Yes…!”
“Thank you, Lestia.”
Lestia nodded shyly as Joel sat down. She shyly glanced at the men of Verchester who joined her for dinner.
‘I’m really going to eat with my family.’
Up until this morning, she thought that it would be nice if Lysian would be able to eat with her. Everything felt like a dream. Just like that, the sad and depressing thoughts that made her suffer were slowly being forgotten.
“Ah…!”
Lestia’s eyes widened when she suddenly remembered something. Then, she hurriedly talked to her brothers.
“That… Do you think we should also have dinner with the duke too?”
Silence fell down on the table for a moment.
“Duke?”
“Aaah. Gerard?”
Lysian and Joel looked at each other, not knowing what to do. However, Mathias smiled and spoke bluntly.
“Liti, Liti, look. This is a table for four. There’s no space. He’s going to eat on his own so you don’t have to worry about him.”
Then, he continued to speak loudly. He looked like he would not give Lestia any chance to think and ask about Gerard any longer.
“Liti, since the mansion and the things have been burnt down, let’s go out and shop again. I’ll always stay next to you this time. Promise!”
“Dxmbxss. If you’re going to the casino again, then, dream on.”
Lysian shook his head while Joel just sat there smiling gently.
“Let’s go out together. Never go out alone with Mathias. Understand? Lestia.”
“Yes… Yes!”
Lestia nodded as she ate the food that her three brothers put on her plate.
“Liti, eat what I gave you first. This meat is really good.”
“Lestia, you can’t be picky with food. Try this vegetable salad.”
“Hey, drink water first. Don’t eat everything that they give you like a fool.”
The chaotic night somehow deepened like that.
✢✢✢✢✢
Chapter 4 (1)
It has been decided that Lestia will go to the northwest. Gerard arbitrarily decided it but no one opposed his decision. Right now, it would be much safer if she was in their territory instead of staying in the capital where the prime suspect, the crown prince, was.
Lestia stood by the window and watched the busy servants and knights going back and forth early in the morning.
She had never left the capital in her entire life. Not too long ago, her world only consisted of the hut that she called home, the slums and the back alleys but… Lestia somehow felt afraid. She felt like her small world was growing bigger at a faster rate than she could imagine.
“Liti, Liti. It’s going to be alright. Brother will be with you this time.”
Mathias held Lestia’s shoulders tightly and smiled at her. Perhaps he had noticed her nervousness.
In fact, he had a fairly excited expression on his face. Even his pale lemon-colored hair looked a lot more lively under the dazzling light of the morning sun.
“Me and Lysian will go together with you. Joel is on vacation too so he will go with us. We’re all going together so you shouldn’t worry.”
Lestia pondered for a moment before asking.
“That… then… the duke…”
“Huh? Brother? Who knows.”
Mathias’ lips turned flat as he shrugged his shoulders as if he did not know.
It was not that difficult for Lestia to notice that Mathias was not close to Gerard.
“Gerard’s going too.”
Lysian, who was sitting somewhere behind them, answered her question briefly.
Lysian had actually grabbed his sword. But after that, he immediately skipped morning training to go and visit Lestia.
“That’s right, Lestia. If you’re not in a good mood, shall we take a morning walk? There’s a small pond behind the villa.”
Joel approached her. He smiled gently as he stroked her head lightly and gently.
Mathias, Joel and Lysian were all taking care of Lestia as if she was a small tit that was yet to fly from their hands. Because of this, Lestia was surrounded by her three older brothers early in the morning.
“Ah, that’s right. You said that there’s a pond, right? Liti, Liti! Let’s go. I think it would be perfect if we go on a walk for a bit before eating breakfast.”
Lestia eventually stepped out of her room at Mathias’ encouragement. Lysian and Joel also followed behind them. However, Lestia made eye contact with cold, blue eyes as soon as she went down the stairs.
“Oh… Duke.”
It was Gerard.
He was dressed perfectly down to a T even though it was still early in the morning. He looked like he was ready to leave the villa at any given moment.
Lestia was at a loss of what to do. All she could do was look around the room helplessly before breaking the silence and greeting him first.
“Uhm… Duke, hello. Good morning.”
“……”
However, Gerard still did not return her greetings. He just looked at Lestia for a moment before turning to Halo, the butler standing next to him, and speaking in a low voice.
“Halo, find an instructor that will teach my younger sister manners.”
“Yes.”
Lestia’s lips turned dry at his instructions. She had thought that he had already recognized her as a Verchester but it seemed like she was still lacking in Gerard’s eyes.
How should I greet you? Was I that bad?
Her small heart thumped.
Mathias’ forehead wrinkled as he looked at the scene in displeasure.
“Liti, Liti, t’s alright. Brother is your usual stuck-up person. Don’t mind him.”
Anyone would be glad if someone had comforted them. It was the same for Mathias. After all, wasn’t Lestia comforting him right now? This was also the first time that someone from his family had cuddled with him. When he thought about it, he realized that neither his mother, father nor brothers did this for him. Because of this, Lestia was the first person and the only family member to ever worry and comfort Mathias.
When Mathias realized that, he couldn’t help but lift Lestia in the air. He turned around and around with joy. Everything that his little sister did was touching and moving.
“Liti, I like you so much. My little sister!”
“Br… brother! Please stop!”
“I’ll stop when Liti also tells me that she likes me.”
Lestia was grinning widely without even realizing it. Her smile was especially wide with Mathias’ forced claims.
“Phew. Yes, I also like Brother Mathias.”
“I’m so pleased, Liti! As expected, my little sister’s smile is very pretty!”
Only then did Mathias place Lestia back on the bed. The two of them looked at each other and giggled happily.
Knock, knock.
A knock was heard once again. Mathias and Lestia both looked at the door at the same time. There, they saw Lysian with his arms folded together as he stood there and looked at them.
“Mathias, I sent you to console her but it seems like you’re the one being comforted.”
Mathias smiled as he scratched the back of his head at Lysian’s words.
Thanks to Lysian, he was able to honestly express his feelings to Lestia and exchange comfort and consolation with each other. Somehow, he felt embarrassed when he realized that he was an older brother to two younger siblings in the Verchester household.
“Since you’re both feeling better, let’s go and eat something.”
Dora, who looked extremely worried, pushed the trolley into the room after seeing Lysian’s nod.
Dinner was actually prepared on the trolley. Lysian had instructed her separately after dumping Mathias in Lestia’s room.
“My lady, even if you don’t feel like it, please have a spoonful of soup before sleeping.”
“Dora. Thank you, but…”
Lestia looked a bit awkward.
However, as if he wanted to stop her from refusing any further, Lysian immediately sat down on the table for four placed on one side of the room.
“Ly, Lysian-nim!”
She was not given any more time to dissuade him. This was because Mathias had grinned and hugged Lestia and brought her to the table.
“Huh… Huh! Brother Mathias!”
Before she knew it, Lestia was already seated in front of the table as if she was ready to eat. Mathias spread a table napkin on Lestia’s lap before begging her with a wide smile on his face.
“Liti, let’s have dinner together. This is our first time eating together like this. Please.”
“Ah…”
Lestia could not refuse in this situation anymore. She had been waiting for this time when she could eat with her family ever since she came to Verchester Duchy.
“Heok. Don’t tell me… Liti, do you hate eating with me and Lysian?”
“N, no! That’s not it! I really like it!”
Lestia had no other choice but to agree loudly after hearing Mathias’ fuss.
“You’ve thought well, my lady!”
Dora quickly set the table in case Lestia began to refuse again. In a blink of an eye, the table was filled with steaming warm soup, bread and sweet fruits.
“What are you doing? Let’s eat.”
Lestia carefully picked up her fork at Lysian’s words. Then, she heard Joel’s voice from behind.
“Smells good. Can I join too, Lestia?”
“Brother Joel…?”
Joel smiled softly as he asked politely. He was more noble than a nobleman as he asked her for a seat following the correct etiquette.
“My lady, excuse me for coming at this late hour. I would like to ask you for your permission. Will you allow me?”
“Yes…? Yes…!”
“Thank you, Lestia.”
Lestia nodded shyly as Joel sat down. She shyly glanced at the men of Verchester who joined her for dinner.
‘I’m really going to eat with my family.’
Up until this morning, she thought that it would be nice if Lysian would be able to eat with her. Everything felt like a dream. Just like that, the sad and depressing thoughts that made her suffer were slowly being forgotten.
“Ah…!”
Lestia’s eyes widened when she suddenly remembered something. Then, she hurriedly talked to her brothers.
“That… Do you think we should also have dinner with the duke too?”
Silence fell down on the table for a moment.
“Duke?”
“Aaah. Gerard?”
Lysian and Joel looked at each other, not knowing what to do. However, Mathias smiled and spoke bluntly.
“Liti, Liti, look. This is a table for four. There’s no space. He’s going to eat on his own so you don’t have to worry about him.”
Then, he continued to speak loudly. He looked like he would not give Lestia any chance to think and ask about Gerard any longer.
“Liti, since the mansion and the things have been burnt down, let’s go out and shop again. I’ll always stay next to you this time. Promise!”
“Dxmbxss. If you’re going to the casino again, then, dream on.”
Lysian shook his head while Joel just sat there smiling gently.
“Let’s go out together. Never go out alone with Mathias. Understand? Lestia.”
“Yes… Yes!”
Lestia nodded as she ate the food that her three brothers put on her plate.
“Liti, eat what I gave you first. This meat is really good.”
“Lestia, you can’t be picky with food. Try this vegetable salad.”
“Hey, drink water first. Don’t eat everything that they give you like a fool.”
The chaotic night somehow deepened like that.
✢✢✢✢✢
Chapter 4 (1)
It has been decided that Lestia will go to the northwest. Gerard arbitrarily decided it but no one opposed his decision. Right now, it would be much safer if she was in their territory instead of staying in the capital where the prime suspect, the crown prince, was.
Lestia stood by the window and watched the busy servants and knights going back and forth early in the morning.
She had never left the capital in her entire life. Not too long ago, her world only consisted of the hut that she called home, the slums and the back alleys but… Lestia somehow felt afraid. She felt like her small world was growing bigger at a faster rate than she could imagine.
“Liti, Liti. It’s going to be alright. Brother will be with you this time.”
Mathias held Lestia’s shoulders tightly and smiled at her. Perhaps he had noticed her nervousness.
In fact, he had a fairly excited expression on his face. Even his pale lemon-colored hair looked a lot more lively under the dazzling light of the morning sun.
“Me and Lysian will go together with you. Joel is on vacation too so he will go with us. We’re all going together so you shouldn’t worry.”
Lestia pondered for a moment before asking.
“That… then… the duke…”
“Huh? Brother? Who knows.”
Mathias’ lips turned flat as he shrugged his shoulders as if he did not know.
It was not that difficult for Lestia to notice that Mathias was not close to Gerard.
“Gerard’s going too.”
Lysian, who was sitting somewhere behind them, answered her question briefly.
Lysian had actually grabbed his sword. But after that, he immediately skipped morning training to go and visit Lestia.
“That’s right, Lestia. If you’re not in a good mood, shall we take a morning walk? There’s a small pond behind the villa.”
Joel approached her. He smiled gently as he stroked her head lightly and gently.
Mathias, Joel and Lysian were all taking care of Lestia as if she was a small tit that was yet to fly from their hands. Because of this, Lestia was surrounded by her three older brothers early in the morning.
“Ah, that’s right. You said that there’s a pond, right? Liti, Liti! Let’s go. I think it would be perfect if we go on a walk for a bit before eating breakfast.”
Lestia eventually stepped out of her room at Mathias’ encouragement. Lysian and Joel also followed behind them. However, Lestia made eye contact with cold, blue eyes as soon as she went down the stairs.
“Oh… Duke.”
It was Gerard.
He was dressed perfectly down to a T even though it was still early in the morning. He looked like he was ready to leave the villa at any given moment.
Lestia was at a loss of what to do. All she could do was look around the room helplessly before breaking the silence and greeting him first.
“Uhm… Duke, hello. Good morning.”
“……”
However, Gerard still did not return her greetings. He just looked at Lestia for a moment before turning to Halo, the butler standing next to him, and speaking in a low voice.
“Halo, find an instructor that will teach my younger sister manners.”
“Yes.”
Lestia’s lips turned dry at his instructions. She had thought that he had already recognized her as a Verchester but it seemed like she was still lacking in Gerard’s eyes.
How should I greet you? Was I that bad?
Her small heart thumped.
Mathias’ forehead wrinkled as he looked at the scene in displeasure.
“Liti, Liti, t’s alright. Brother is your usual stuck-up person. Don’t mind him.”
