Chapter 13

In the usual dining room, the sound of Marie维尔's cutlery clinking echoed.

Her expression was dark.

It grew darker day by day.

For Marie维尔, breakfast without Eidan seemed to leave her with no appetite. She held the fork and poked at the food, but showed no sign of eating.

The door to the dining room was knocked, and with a creak, it opened.

Seeing the figure that entered, Marie维尔's expression changed instantly.

She literally beamed with a bright smile.

"Ni-cha!"

She threw the fork and was about to jump off the chair when Lena hurriedly helped her down.

Marie维尔 dashed straight at Eidan.

Eidan effortlessly picked up Marie维尔.

"Ni-cha, you're up!"

"Yeah, I'm up. Good morning, Marie."

"Good morning!"

Marie维尔 clung to Eidan's neck and rubbed her face against him.

"Hehe... Marie, that tickles."

"Ni-cha, I like... I really like you."

"Me too. I really like you, Marie."

Eidan hugged Marie维尔 tightly in return.

Seeing the passionate reunion of the siblings, Rias and Cynthia exchanged smiles.

Eidan walked to the table with Marie维尔 still in his arms.

"Father, Mother, I apologize for the worry I caused."

Eidan held Marie维尔 with one hand and bowed his head.

"Ah. ——Let's eat."

"Yes."

Cynthia was a bit surprised and froze.

A six-year-old was holding a two-year-old with one hand, and quite easily at that.

Rias didn't seem to think anything of it.

It seemed Eidan had fully mastered body strengthening.

—No, I can't help but imagine a muscular Eidan.

It's a complicated feeling.

"Mother."

Called, Cynthia was startled and smiled at Eidan.

"What is it?"

"Thank you."

Cynthia raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you? That's so formal."

She reached out and pinched Eidan's smooth cheek.

Eidan smiled, looking embarrassed.

"I was happy that you came."

"Eidan..."

During his confinement, Cynthia visited Eidan's room every day.

At first, Eidan didn't speak for a while when she visited. He seemed depressed, sitting with a dark expression.

Cynthia just sat beside him, unable to find the right words.

For two days, she couldn't say anything and just sat beside him, holding his hand.

She didn't know how to comfort him, and didn't know how to approach him during his confinement.

She couldn't tell him it was okay when Rias hadn't forgiven him.

Eidan's depression was so severe that it worried her.

Finally, on the third day, Eidan spoke softly.

"Mother, are you disappointed in me...?"

"Oh, Eidan—!"

Cynthia quickly hugged Eidan.

"I've never been disappointed in you, not even once."

Even as she hugged him, Eidan's body was stiff.

"Eidan. I was just worried sick. I couldn't bear it."

Holding him in her arms, she still wanted to feel his presence. The thought of losing him made her want to hold him forever.

Just thinking that you might be in pain is unbearable. ——So, even though it ended well, the thought of you both desperately trying to escape...

Cynthia held Eidan's face in her hands. His face was still small enough to fit in her hands.

"Were you scared?"

Eidan's eyes widened.

"You must have been scared when you left the mansion. You've never gone out alone before, and you must have been anxious."

Eidan's eyes were trembling.

She hadn't thought about it. If she had been scared and anxious, she wouldn't have been able to take the first step.

But deep down, she was indeed scared. Terribly so.

"But you must have thought you had to save Marie, right?"

Cynthia's gentle voice echoed softly.

"Thank you for protecting Marie."

Tears welled up in Eidan's eyes.

He was trying to hold them back, his face contorted and his lips trembling.

"Why are you holding back your tears? It's okay to cry."

"I'm bad... If I cry... it's not good."

Eidan's voice was hoarse.

"Eidan. You're not a bad child."

Cynthia stroked Eidan's cheeks multiple times.

"You're a kind child. Even if you're scolded, you're not a bad child."

She wanted to say it's okay to be a little bad, but Eidan was so serious.

Cynthia just hugged him, patting his back.

"Father and Mother will always love you, no matter what. Even if you're not a good child, we still love you."

"U... uu..."

Eidan sobbed and eventually burst into loud tears.

He cried out loud, clinging to her, and Cynthia felt a bit relieved seeing this.

She didn't want him to grow up too quickly. She and Rias were still around to take care of him.

Even at the dining table, Marie维尔 didn't leave Eidan's lap.

"Marie, that's not polite."

"Marie维尔-sama, please—"

"Yah!"

Her reaction was terrifying.

When Lena reached out her hand, Marie维尔 swatted it away.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

Marie's cries echoed through the dining room.

In the end, Marie维尔 stayed close to Eidan all day, not leaving his side.

Though she couldn't express herself well, she understood that Eidan had saved her. She had never fought with Eidan before and felt rejected, but he had come to save her at the risk of his life.

Marie维尔 wanted to show her gratitude and affection as much as she could, but since she couldn't express it in words, she became even more clingy.

She gave him her favorite snacks and brought out treasures she had kept in her room.

Marie维尔's Eidan worship continued for a while.

Marie维尔 always waited for Eidan to return from training.

"Ni-cha, play?"

Eidan laughed at the hero play set Marie维尔 brought and opened the door, inviting her in.

"Sure, do you want to play hero?"

Marie维尔 happily handed Eidan a toy sword.

Eidan tilted his head.

"Shouldn't you be the hero, Marie? You're the hero."

Marie维尔 shook her head.

"Ni-cha, you're the hero."

"Me, the hero?"

Marie维尔 nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling.

"Ni-cha, you're cool. You go 'whoosh' and 'bang.' Ni-cha, you're the best for Marie."

Eidan smiled, looking embarrassed.

"Marie..."

"Ni-cha, being Marie's Ni-cha... is good."

Hearing Marie维尔's heartfelt words, Eidan was momentarily stunned.

Marie维尔 looked up at Eidan with a smile.

His nose tingled, but he smiled at Marie维尔 as much as he could.

"Me too. I'm really happy that Marie is my sister."