Chapter 8

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Mikaelis, who was already showing signs of premature aging and a deathly appearance despite being in his teens, was taken to a hot spring with an excuse. I just couldn't bear to see him like that. The serious Mikaelis, while being annoyed by his self-proclaimed fiancée who waved around a non-existent promise, had always endured it with a gentlemanly spirit, unable to treat a lady rudely. So, a lady of a noble family, who has a debt of gratitude, can't be treated rudely, right?

Ohoho, try to get rid of this arm if you can!

I grabbed her arm firmly and dragged her along, just like Seira. Is my chest touching hers? I'm touching it! But it's not much!

With a spirited air, I pulled her along, and Mikaelis, who was dragged along obediently, groaned in discomfort the whole time.

Mikaelis is older and a boy, so he has much more strength than a hikikomori lady, but he doesn't resist. Or rather, he can't resist.

Suddenly, I noticed a somewhat fragrant and pungent smell coming from Mikaelis as we were in close contact, and I tilted my head in confusion.

“Mikaelis, I smell something. Did you put on a new perfume?”

Mikaelis doesn't seem like the type to wear strong perfumes.

To my knowledge, only two people use perfumes. My father, of course, has a sweet and elegant scent that also feels somewhat sharp and alluring. Julius also wears perfume, which is similar to my father's but has a slightly sweet and soothing aroma with a deep forest-like scent.

In my childhood, I have a good memory of being grabbed by the face by an elite servant when I sniffed around like a dog. It was not something a lady should do, and I was scolded. Indeed, it was.

My father always hugs me whenever we meet after being apart for even a short time, which is how I noticed his scent. Julius, who looks slender, is actually quite strong, and I learned this when he picked me up during my midnight delirium or when I had a fever.

However, Mikaelis' scent is more refined and even has a wild feel to it.

“...It's not perfume, this is.”

Mikaelis said with a bitter expression, seemingly knowing the source of the smell but not wanting to reveal it.

The smell disappeared while we were enjoying the hot spring. However, it reappeared not long after we returned to the Dimitrius residence. Sometimes, I could even smell it from the Dimitrius residence itself.

I wandered around Mikaelis to confirm the source of the smell, but it varied in intensity. It was usually strongest during the afternoon tea party, and occasionally in the morning.

And when the smell was strong, Mikaelis often looked tired.

As a noble lady, I can't sniff around like a dog, but I can't help but be curious. Seira, as usual, often clashes with me, glares at me, and earns disapproving looks from others. Just leave her alone; she's just a minor character.

More importantly, I'm curious about the source of the smell. Did he plant some new kind of plant?

Kistaria, who looks worried, watches me as my curiosity grows. I won't collapse at the sanatorium. We have Julius, a capable stopper, so it will be fine.

Today, the smell is particularly strong.

I set a goal to figure out the source of the smell before returning to the Latitsche residence and spotted Mikaelis. He was leaning against a window frame, looking somewhat melancholic. Jibril, who looked flustered, was standing next to him.

“You don’t seem to be in a good mood, Mikaelis. What’s wrong? Jibril, what happened?”

“B-brother ate my portion of the meal too...”

Jibril, with tears in his eyes and a quivering voice, answered. So, he's crying because his meal was taken? It doesn't feel right. Mikaelis is very protective of his sister and cherishes Jibril. But if Mikaelis is unwell, it might be because he overate?

I see, but I don't understand.

However, Mikaelis really does look terrible.

“You look really bad, Mikaelis. Why don’t you lie down? Maybe we should call a doctor...”

“That might be best. I’ll go call one.”

“Thanks. I’ll look for someone to carry you, so Alber and Jibril, wait here.”

Julius and Kistaria seem to agree with me. Mikaelis looks pale and is sweating, holding his mouth. His eyes are slightly downcast, and there are clear lines of pain on his forehead.

It's unusual for him, who is always polite, to not greet us at all.

“You look terrible, Mikaelis. Why don’t you sit down?”

Mikaelis, leaning against the wall, collapsed into a sitting position. This looks worse than just overeating. It's more like he was poisoned. When I pressed a handkerchief to his sweating forehead, he shuddered.

“Mikaelis?”

“Alber, stay... back...”

I supported his tilting body, and he shivered violently. Then, he let out a strange, muffled sob and vomited profusely. The vomit flowed onto my high-end rose brand silk dress. The unique, acidic smell of vomit filled the air.

Mikaelis, trying to suppress the next wave, but the nausea didn’t stop. Once it starts, it doesn’t stop, no matter how many times it happens. I felt a sense of confusion and enlightenment as I patted Mikaelis' trembling back with compassion and resignation.

After vomiting, Mikaelis looked pale in a different way. He had vomited on a noble lady's dress. Of course, he looked pale. But even after the vomiting, his condition didn’t improve. Instead, he was apologizing incessantly, as if in a delirium.

“I... I’m so sorry... I’m sorry, I’m sorry...”

“You were unwell, so it couldn’t be helped. Do you feel any better?”

“But, Alber’s dress...”

“I’m very particular about my clothes. I have many more dresses like this.”

It’s not a lie. But this blue and white striped Empire-style dress is one of my favorites among the ones I brought for the trip.

But if I show any concern, Mikaelis will worry.

So, I smiled and said it firmly. I patted his head as if comforting a child who had an accident, and he looked dazed.

“Why don’t you rinse your mouth? Can you walk?”

Mikaelis looked like he might faint, but I’m not a monster who would beat a sick person.

I spoke to him with a gentle smile, but it’s unclear if he heard me in his dazed state.

“Mikael-sama, if you’re feeling well, would you like to go for a walk with me...? Ew! Gross! What is this? You vomited... No, it’s the worst...”

Seira, with her sweet voice, came over but recoiled at the sight of my dress and Mikaelis' condition. Honesty is a virtue, but you should at least try to be tactful, Miss.

But, Jibril immediately got angry.

“It’s not your fault! You always make weird dishes and force him to eat them!”

“W-Weird dishes!? They are high-end dishes with spices from the Goyuran country, very popular in the capital! Even commoners and lower nobles can’t afford them!”

“Even if they were in the Latitsche residence, even rats wouldn’t eat them! They’re just spicy, smelly, and painful, like torture!”

“You’re criticizing my cooking!?”

“Then, you eat them all! Every time you bring a dish, the whole house smells of spices!”

It all made sense.

It seems Seira was proudly serving Mikaelis dishes loaded with spices, directly attacking his taste buds and probably his stomach as well. The exhausted Mikaelis, after enjoying the fine cuisine at the Latitsche residence, was suddenly subjected to a spice hell. And, worried that his sister would also be subjected to the spice hell, Mikaelis probably ate Jibril’s portion to protect him. Despite his clumsiness, he sacrificed himself to protect his sister’s health.

I understand... that high-end dish with spices was violent in taste. It taught my senses that high-end doesn’t always mean delicious. It made me eager to revolutionize the food. Because if the food isn’t delicious, it’s a form of torture.

If he had refused the dish, the polite and serious Mikaelis wouldn’t have been able to be rude to a lady, even if she was annoying.

The pungent smell I often noticed was from this.

While Seira and Jibril were fighting, I comforted the mentally broken Mikaelis and escaped into my own thoughts.

Julius, Kistaria... come back quickly!! I can’t stand up with vomit on my dress from my knee down. And I can’t leave Mikaelis, who is about to faint. So, I could only watch the small ladies fighting and throwing insults at each other.

The fight continued, even as their dresses were torn and ribbons were pulled. It only stopped when adults intervened and restrained them.

After that, I made sure Mikaelis, whose cause of illness was clear, followed a gentle diet of pureed fruits, well-soaked oatmeal porridge, and well-cooked vegetable soup for a week. By the third day, he was looking at me with a face that said he wanted more meat and hearty food, but I didn’t give in. Because there was red in his vomit, which could be spices or blood, either way, it was too dangerous.

I personally wrote a letter to Seira’s parents, asking how they were raising their daughter, and added that I would make her my friend. Julius, who reviewed it, made sure it was polite but cutting.

The weakness of the Tengallon family, which Julius found, became useless. If I used it, it would be too much against the Tengallon family. Julius was not convinced, but I don’t want to make a big deal out of it—do I? I hope not.

“Jibril, as a lady, you shouldn’t fight like a boy.”

“But that woman insulted Alber-sis and bullied my brother! I can’t forgive her!”

Jibril, who sent Mikaelis’ soul to the universe, turned her cute face, now covered in bruises, with a look of anger.

I feel it’s a bit dangerous for her to punch Seira in the face, causing her to bleed from the nose. If it becomes a problem, the duke’s power can cover it up. But Jibril is just a bit brother- and sister-loving. That’s all.

The bloodlust is because the Dimitrius family, despite being a baron family, also produces excellent and brave knights. Don’t think too deeply about it.

But in the future, Jibril must not have any flaws as a lady. I apply healing ointment to her wounds, but does she understand?

“I’ll knock out that ‘Nose Breaker’ next time!”

“...Anna, Julius—Jibril’s teacher should be the same as mine, right? As a lady, she should have received the best education, right?”

Is this not bad? She’s saying it with all her might, but how does a lady learn words like ‘nose breaker’?

If it were the hikikomori lady Albertina, it would be one thing, but is it good for Jibril, who will enter society, to be this wild? I’m worried as an older sister.

Anna tilts her head in confusion, and Julius nods solemnly, as if announcing a death. So, this is the best lady education? I’m even more worried.

“My dear Jibril, you shouldn’t use such violent words. You are a baron’s daughter. But you shouldn’t stoop to Seira’s level.”

“...If Alber-sis says so...”

With a slight pout, my beloved Jibril agreed. Please don’t do it.

That day, I was unexpectedly praised by Julius and Kistaria. I didn’t know, but Jibril is actually a very mischievous lady, and they thought it would take a lot of effort to persuade her.

I didn’t know. I had a preconception. The original Jibril was, well, plain.

Despite having the same hair and eye color as the charming Mikaelis, she harbored feelings of inferiority, envy, and admiration for her brother, which led to a complex and twisted adolescence. The current Jibril is a bright and beautiful young lady, like a shining ruby.

Jibril’s adorable smile was a wonderful coolant amidst the heavy love of her father, the seemingly obedient but sometimes scary super servant Julius, and Kistaria, who is now close but might lead to destruction in a few years.

Mikaelis is a bit strange. Since the vomiting incident, he seems to feel inferior to me and is a bit awkward. But I think our relationship is good enough that he calls me Alber.

Only my father, Kistaria, and Mikaelis call me Alber. Isn’t it a bit dry? The women around me are only Anna, Lady Latitsche, and Jibril.

And Jibril, due to the Tengallon incident, and Mikaelis, who is recovering as a baron, will soon return to the Dimitrius territory. I’m so sad...

Later, my father asked if I wanted to punish Mikaelis for vomiting on me.

Please don’t!! I was shaken. I almost nodded when he charmingly tilted his head and asked if I wanted to punish him. The power of a handsome face is scary.

It was an unfortunate accident. An unforeseen accident.

To distract my father, I pouted cutely and said, “If you have time for that, why don’t you play with me?” My father immediately forgot about the Mikaelis vomiting incident.

Out of curiosity, I asked Julius what would have happened if I had said yes.

Julius, adjusting his glasses, which weren’t even crooked, and looking away, said:

“...The Dimitrius family would definitely be erased from the noble registry.”

Please don’t, Father!

It’s not just about becoming distant or losing a title.

I later learned that my father was ready to burn everything down as soon as he got my approval. Where? What? He was fully prepared. Scary. What did he prepare?

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