Chapter 18

I have reached eight months.

Luria's lines are the words Ruby actually speaks.

At eight months, I still can't speak properly.

I have been alive for eight months.

Yesterday, I overheard Mother and the nursemaid talking about it.

"Da-da-da-da!"

Today, as usual, I crawl around the room.

"Luria is so lively."

"Indeed. Lady Luria drinks a lot of breast milk too."

Mother and the maid look at me with gentle eyes.

The carpet in the room was replaced when I started crawling.

Father seems to be unexpectedly wealthy.

Moreover, everyone now takes off their shoes in my room.

So, I can crawl around freely.

"Haha, pi~ ha"

When I crawl, Daar wags his tail and follows me.

"Daar..."

"Waf?"

At eight months, I can speak a little.

But my tongue still doesn't move well, so I can only say a little.

"You've grown so much."

"Waf"

Daar proudly puffs out his chest and sits down.

When we first met, Daar was smaller than me.

Now, he's about the size of a small wolf.

If he stands up, he can place his front paws on Mother's shoulder.

"..."

After crawling for a while, I observe Mother.

"Waf?"

Daar tilts his head, as if asking what's wrong.

"Daar"

"Wau"

When I call Daar, he lies down and brings his ear close to me.

"Let's go exploring outside."

"Au"

To explore, I need to sneak past Mother and get out of the room.

Daar understands my intention and barks softly.

"Hmm hmm hmm"

Daar sits down to hide me, sniffing while keeping an eye on Mother.

By the way, the nursemaid is off today.

The nursemaid can only work if she can produce breast milk.

Naturally, the nursemaid has a child of the same age as me, known as a nursemaid's child.

So, she can't come every day.

When I was just born, the nursemaid's mother, sister, or servants took care of the nursemaid's child, and she mostly took care of me.

To make up for it, she now spends more time with her child.

You might think it would be better to bring the nursemaid's child to this room, but there are reasons why she can't.

"It's not allowed. You are not permitted to bring your child here."

Mother has declared this firmly.

This was right after I was attacked when I was just born.

If there had been a nursemaid's child during the attack, they would have been at risk.

It would be difficult for an attacker to distinguish between infants.

So, Mother ordered her not to bring the child.

Mother clearly cares for me, but as a mother, she didn't want to put the nursemaid's child in danger.

I think Mother's decision was admirable.

That's why I have never met the nursemaid's child.

But I'm sure I will meet them someday.

"Wau"

I feel like Daar is saying, "You will definitely meet them."

More importantly, exploring the mansion is crucial now.

"Keep watch."

"Au"

I glance at Mother.

"Lady, the invitations from the Duke and the Marquis are on the same day."

"Oh, how troublesome. Which one arrived first?"

She is talking and working with the maid.

"Now is our chance."

"...Au"

The large Daar skillfully uses his front paws and mouth to turn the handle.

The door opens slightly and silently.

"Thank you."

I joyfully slip out of the room through the gap.

Seeing the corridor from a low perspective, which I usually see while being carried by Father, feels fresh.

Once I'm out of the room, it's my territory.

"Da-da-da-da-da!"

I crawl down the corridor at my proud high speed.

Daar follows closely.

"Mapping the mansion."

"Waf"

Mapping is important.

In case of an emergency, I need to crawl to safety.

I need to know where things are to avoid being left behind.

"Da-da-da!"

"Au au au"

As I crawl energetically, Daar seems to be having fun and jumps around me.

Just as I'm making good progress, I bump into someone at a corner.

"...Da?"

"Waf?"

"Oh, Luria. You crawled this far?"

"Trouble."

"It's not trouble. It's good that you were found."

I was caught by my brother.

There are always fluffy spirits flying around my brother.

"I'm going to run away!"

I tried to change direction and escape, but crawling is slow.

"Luria, no. Don't run away from your brother."

"I still want to explore!"

"No, it's not safe. Let's explore together, okay?"

I was picked up by my brother.

Daar seems to be happy to play and is running around my brother happily.

"Daar, good job watching over Luria."

"Waf!"

Daar is proudly wagging his tail.

"Hey, Luria. Don't crawl in the hallway. It's dirty."

"Is it dirty?"

"Yes, it's dirty."

My room is a no-shoes zone, but everyone wears shoes in the hallway.

If you say it's dirty, it is indeed dirty.

"Luria always licks her hands. It's especially bad."

"I don't do that!"

"Really? But it's dirty."

I don't do it. Well, sometimes I do.

"Lydia was well-behaved, but Luria is so energetic."

"Muh"

"Coming this far... you want to explore?"

"Yes"

"Hmm, let's ask Mother for permission to look around the house."

"I want to do it myself."

I still can't speak in long sentences.

But I think it's amazing that I can speak this much at eight months.

Yesterday, my sister said, "Luria is quick with words."

"Do you want to explore by yourself? You can do that when you're a bit older."

"Muh"

My brother seems to understand my unclear words.

It's a mysterious thing.

"If Mother realizes you're gone, she'll worry."

"That's true."

"Yes, it is. Be careful."

"Understood."

When my brother takes me back to my room,

"Luria! When did you...!"

Mother is surprised and hugs both of us tightly.

"Mother..."

Mother is blushing while hugging me.

"Brother, that's good."

My brother is reliable and seems very grown-up to me, but he's only ten.

Objectively, he's still a child.

"How did Luria get out? I closed the door."

"Daar must have opened it."

When my brother points this out, both Mother and my brother look at Daar.

I also look at Daar.

"..."

Daar looks away silently, thinking he will be scolded.

A few days ago, when I tried to eat a bug Daar caught, he was scolded and looked away in the same way.

At that time, Daar wasn't bad.

He just thought I wanted to eat the bug as a snack.

It was out of kindness.

"Daar isn't bad."

I can't speak long sentences yet, so I move my limbs energetically in my brother's arms to show that Daar isn't bad.

In fact, this time, Daar only followed my instructions and watched over me to make sure I didn't get hurt.

He did nothing wrong.

"Luria is the one who's bad."

"Luria, don't struggle. If you leave the room alone, Mother will worry. If you want to explore next time, tell your brother."

"Brother might not always be around."

"...Mother, we might need a barrier."

Because of what my brother said, Mother also said, "Maybe we do need one."

"I don't think we need a barrier."

"But Luria will get out if there's a chance, won't she?"

"No, I won't."

"Can you promise that?"

"..."

"Mother, it seems we need a barrier."

"I can promise! No barrier needed."

My brother made me promise not to leave the room by crawling.

Since I promised, I have to keep it.

"Mmm"

"Pouting won't help. In return, your brother will take you for many walks."

"Really?"

"Really. But not if I have something to do."

"Thank you."

Being carried by my brother and seeing things might be fun too.

"Mother, Luria promised not to leave the room by herself."

"Until you grow up!"

"Of course, when Luria grows up, she can walk around the house by herself."

"Then it's fine."

"You're a good girl."

Saying that, my brother patted my head.

"Then, Mother, I'll take Luria for a walk."

"Only inside the house."

"Of course. Daar, let's go."

"Bau"

And so, I was carried by my brother and taken for a walk around the house.