TL: Zimming

My brothers came to me as if they had waited.

Are you alright?

How are you feeling?

I nodded.

Its all healed. My uncle was kidding before. Even if I didnt take any medicine, everything will be fine.

Isaac murmured grimly.

Then I shouldve killed him.

He looked at me and shut his mouth immediately.

Whats wrong?

Henry asked, holding my hands carefully.

Lets eat together when you get better. Well have snacks in the garden.

When Mireille pretended to be the fourth child, they must have felt sorry for not caring about me.

Its alright.

You dont have to be like this. You all thought she was the fourth child. Its natural to treat your own sibling preciously.

When I tried to speak cheerfully, the two people shook their heads.

Oh no, the atmosphere

I quickly changed the subject.

Wheres Johann?

Visiting the inn couple on behalf of my father.

Whats dad doing?

Hes working.

Working?

He keeps working. He was always in the office, except for the brief visit he made this morning to you. He wasnt as affected by this more than I thought.

When Isaac said so, Henry also nodded.

Hes a very observant man, he didnt believe it completely.

Yes, he was doing a background check on Mireille.

Thats what the two brothers said.

If it was my dad, he would have gone through two or three checks no matter how much evidence there was. He wouldnt have trusted her until he finished checking.

But

How couldnt it hurt him?

My father has never been angry at Mireilles excessive childishness. It must be because of his hope that Mireille was the real fourth child.

My brothers were also never really angry even though Mireille was acting too much.

Having lived together for five years, I am well aware of their temperament. How much they hate being bothered.

They endured it because of their slight hope that Mireille was the real child.

When it was revealed that Mireille was not the fourth child, Javelin couldnt even return home, and she spent the whole day staring blankly at the sky.

No ones showing it but I knew that this incident was so painful to my family.

***

Nos looked at Theodore, who silently looked at the documents until nightfall.

Um, Your Excellency

Hows Leblaine?

She woke up today.

Return Taylors status as promised. If Leblaines condition became critical in the future, call him and make him live nearby.

Yes.

Nos said carefully,

Lets take a day off. Didnt you stay up all night yesterday?

Theodore didnt answer. In the end, Nos sighed and left the office.

Theodore raised his head only after the door closed and Nos had completely disappeared.

The sun was setting at this time.

I hate the sunset, because it felt lonely.

Theodore moved his pen again at the sudden memories. He was absorbed in his work, but the memories that came had swept in like a storm.

Theodore, I should have bought strawberries from the capital city too.

Send someone to buy it for you tomorrow.

Then itll take two days. Lets go together now. She said she should eat the strawberry now. Our daughter.

He could never win this pair of mother and daughter.

The daughter was already holding his leash even before she was born.

After she said our daughter, they got up early in the morning and went to the capital city in a carriage.

Try to touch my stomach.

Why doesnt the baby move when I touch it?

When the brothers felt their mothers stomach, the baby was moving excitedly. But it was quiet when it was Theodores turn.

He only felt the baby moving after eight months. He had a strange feeling in him. As if someone was tickling his heart.

A daughter will give you many feelings that we couldnt teach you.

He gave more strength to his pen.

His locked up memories were rushing in.

When he raised his head, he could hear a small footstep outside. There was something stuck between the windows connected to the hallway.

A small note.

[Please apologize.]

[Apologize to me.]

The writing reminded him of Risette.

With his eyes wide open, he looked out to the window. He could see a glimpse of fluffy light-brown hair.

After touching the note for a moment, he wrote a note on the desk.

[For what?]

He wrote it down and inserted it into the window gap. When he hid behind a wall, he could hear a footstep again.

[You didnt give me a good night kiss yesterday.]

Several notes went in and out.

[Didnt you say no because you were embarrassed?]

[I wasnt ashamed yesterday.]

[Im sorry.]

[Then, are you going to kiss me goodnight today?]

When Theodore opened the door, he could see Leblaine who had hid in the corner was startled.

He approached her.

why are you crying?

As soon as she saw him, her eyes were moist.

Because my dad looks sad.

A blank gaze, like a man walking through the desert without a destination, he looked like that.

He bent his knees and looked at Leblaine. When Theodore reached her height, Leblaine hugged his neck.

The small body shuddered and was sniffling.

Youve become a crybaby since youre sick.

Im not a crybaby.

Then?

Im just, uh, justdads daughter.

Theodore, holding the child, buried his face on her small shoulder.

The thoughts that bothered him terribly had faded.

***

I cried and then looked at my dad.

I rubbed my dads eyes with the back of my hand. His eyes were slightly red and no longer looked like a corpse.

I laughed because I liked it, and my stomach growled.

Wow.

This is not really the right time.

My belly was a pushover!

You have to eat.

I already eat, lamb pottage. It was really delicious.

You ate it as soon as you woke up?

Meat makes me healthy!

He smiled,

Ill ask someone to prepare another meal so wait.

Yes!

I answered brightly and jumped out of my fathers arms. And after waving, I left the place. My next destination was the underground prison.

The guard, who saw me, asked me with a slightly perplexed voice.

Whats the matter?

Ill go in for a minute and come back.

But we were commanded not to

Im not just anybody.

The guard seemed a little surprised at my reply, but he soon stepped back.

As I went down the stairs, I could smell blood.

In the iron bars the inn owner and his wife bowed down, Mireille was trapped in the iron bars on the right.

I approached Mireille.

The child, who was shaking, raised her head.

Hello?

Whats wrong with you?

Ay, youre wrong. Say, whats wrong with you, Mireille?

She shut her mouth stubbornly.

She seems to blame me for being caught. Above all, she must have no fear of dying because of the gold liquor anyway.

I smiled,

Clang!

I used my powers and opened the iron gate with force.

Mireilles eyes were widened.

You know, I think youre wrong about something, cause being here doesnt mean its all over.

What?

I grabbed Mireilles neck at once.

Now, think carefully and answer. Who gave you information about the fourth child?

I, I dont, I dont know agh!!

When I used my powers on her, Mireilles neck was burning red.

I told you to think carefully and answer.

Who let you come here? Who broke my familys heart?

I, I really dont know, really aaaaghh!!!

I have a spark in my hand. Mireille shuddered then turned pale, and gasped for breath.

When I saw my fathers eyes, I wanted to do this to Mireille.

Again, who let you come here?

I, I dont know who it is, but hes wearing a blue jacket. Andand, ah, I really dont remember. He was wearing an eyepatchplease stop!

You shouldnt underestimate a persons memory. If youre desperate, you can think of it somehow. Shall I make you more desperate here?

When I smiled and brought my powers back, Mireille screamed.

Ho, hold on, hold on so, soah! Erythema! There was an erythema on the back of his hand, like a + shape on his hands!

After that, Mireille tried to think of him somehow, but she didnt seem to think of anything else.

Okay, thats it.

Mireilles voice lit up now that I let her go,

But,

Aaaahhhhh!!

Mireille who screamed fell down.

Then, a familiar sound of footsteps can be heard behind my back. The chairman was the one in charge of torture at the underground prison.

Why dont you let her die when she already told us every information?

Its my dads specialty not mine.

He grinned.

Now then I have some people to catch

Then, the door opened as Johann, Henry, Isaac came inside.

I could see a familiar face being caught between Isaacs hands.

Sa, save me. Save me please!

Isaac frowned at him and Johann kicked his stomach.

Crack!

The sound of broken bones echoed through the place.

Leblaine?

Henry saw me.

Yes, hello.

What are you doing here?

Im talking with the chairman for a momentwhat about you guys?

My father told us to catch some traitors.

Isaac grumbled.

He gave us only half a day.

I looked at the vassal.

Thats the man who left with Viscount Myshank to pick up Johann, Baron Sue.

He also advised me to get along with Mireille.

It wasnt advice for me, it was purely for his gain.

They got them anyway. I dont have to catch them myself.

If my brothers torture them, they will be able to receive information.

As I was smiling inwardly, my brothers came down and looked at Mireille, who was in a fit of convulsions.

What, who makes her like that?

I was surprised at Isaacs words.

That, so, uh

As I mumbled, I hurried over to the chairman.

The chairman!

Then all three brothers eyes were on the chairman.

He had powers? He sure knows how to use it well.

Was he ever this powerful?

The chairman frowned as the brothers said so.

And he looked at me as if he was falsely accused.

I mouthed to the chairman behind my brothers.

Chairman youre dazzling! The best! Wonderful!

I desperately flatter him. He looked at the brothers and said,

Yes, I do it.