“Tell me you don’t think that.”
“That’s not the point, Lilia. You’re here for something, aren’t you?”
Lilia nodded at her mother’s words, but quickly shook her head.
“You look busy. I’ll see you later.”
“No, don’t worry about it. We were just talking about Tina.”
Lilia’s brow furrowed, and then her eyes narrowed. She didn’t know why but her brother’s cheeks pulled together. Theo’s head tilted in disbelief.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
I slowly smile. It wasn’t my typical smile, but one that I would show at school. Thinking about it, this may be the first time I smiled at my family but this is a non-negotiable territory for me.
“She’s my friend. I’d like you to keep your hands to yourself.”
“Don’t be so cautious. I’m just doing a little research.”
“That’s right. So, Lilia, don’t look so scared. I want you to be my little Lilia again.”
Lilia stared at her parents for a while longer, but then let out a small sigh and softened her expression. She had no intention of making enemies with these two people. The name “Liliane Aldis” exists only because of these two people. There was no way she could win, and what she did now was just a statement of intent.
They knew that, and that’s why they didn’t pay any attention to it.
“That’s all right, Lilia. I knew you were cute!”
Her mother hugs her. There was no point in resisting, so Lilia remained at her mercy.
My mother, Aisha, is the most lenient person in the family towards me. As expected, she refrains from hugging me when the servants are around, but as soon as no one is around, she hugs me. There are times when I feel annoyed, but I’m also honestly happy.
“Lilia’s cheeks are so soft…….I envy you…….”
“…………”
I stand corrected. It may be a little scary.
S–I think this person might be the main reason why Lilia’s personality turned out like this.
L–Sakura. I won’t allow you to speak ill of your mother.
S–Ah…….I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…….
Sakura apologized to her in dismay but Lilia was more flustered by the sound of her small voice apologizing.
L–I’m sorry, too. I’m not that angry.
S–Yes……I’m sorry.
L–That said, can you help me?
S–I can’t.
The answer was immediate. Lilia glanced at her mother, who was rubbing against her cheek, and then to her father and brother, asking for help with just a glance. They both looked away.
“Mother, I can’t talk. Please let me go.”
When Lilia tried to free herself from her mother, she easily let her go. Satisfied and content, she walked toward her father. Lilia let out a heavy sigh and looked at her father again.
“So? What’s wrong with Tina?”
“I just did a little research on her parents’ house. If it’s a house that’s trying to take advantage of the Aldis name, I’ll have to destroy it.”
“I had a secret agent look into it while I was at the academy…….Oh, yes. Brother.”
Lilia looked at her brother as if she remembered.
“What is the meaning of those secret agents?”
My brother averted his gaze.
“I heard that it was brother’s order. I would like to know more, if possible.”
“No, that’s, well, that’s……”
My brother’s gaze wandered, and then shifted to my father as if to ask for help. My father easily looked away. From the way he was moving, I could tell that my father was involved, but it seemed that my brother had been abandoned by him.
“Forgive me, Cross. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
“No, there are things you can do before making sacrifices, aren’t there!”
My brother confronted my father, and my father lightly flushed. After that, my brother tried to say something, but my mother cleared her throat and they both stopped at the same time.
“Lilia. Let me get back to you.”
Lilia nodded, and her mother continued.
“I don’t have any doubts about Tina. We’re just looking into it because we don’t know if someone else will come out through her house. That’s the extent of it, so don’t worry about it.”
“I understand.”
I guess there’s no point in worrying about it.
“Rather, here’s the main point.”
“The main point?”
“Theo seems to have taken a liking to Tina.”
Lilia looked at Theo who was smiling innocently.
“Did he just confess out of the blue?”
”Yes, he did. I was there too. Theo, be careful, Tina was in trouble.”
When I warned Theo, he nodded meekly but his smile didn’t change.
“And how can a duke be with a baron?”
“Hmm? I don’t mind.”
“What about……?”
“Aisha and I are not opposed to it. I’m sure the nobles around us will be rather happy to see the Aldis family weakened.”
“We’ll have to crush those who think so, won’t we?”
My father and mother laughed while my brother sighed and shook his head. I frowned slightly, but did not say anything.
“Lilia’s resemblance to our parents is obvious…….”
I pretended I hadn’t heard my brother’s mumbled words.
“So it’s not a problem for us. I was just thinking that we should talk to Baron Breha rather early.”
“I’m telling you it’s too early for that, father.”
It was Cross who interjected and when Lilia heard that, she understood. Her brother was probably opposed to our parents trying to get through to Baron Breha. I regretted a little that I had stumbled upon a troublesome situation.
“Lilia. I know you’re her friend. What do you think?”
Lilia responded immediately to her brother’s question without hesitation.
“You’ll have to ask her.”
“Tell me you don’t think that.”
“That’s not the point, Lilia. You’re here for something, aren’t you?”
Lilia nodded at her mother’s words, but quickly shook her head.
“You look busy. I’ll see you later.”
“No, don’t worry about it. We were just talking about Tina.”
Lilia’s brow furrowed, and then her eyes narrowed. She didn’t know why but her brother’s cheeks pulled together. Theo’s head tilted in disbelief.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
I slowly smile. It wasn’t my typical smile, but one that I would show at school. Thinking about it, this may be the first time I smiled at my family but this is a non-negotiable territory for me.
“She’s my friend. I’d like you to keep your hands to yourself.”
“Don’t be so cautious. I’m just doing a little research.”
“That’s right. So, Lilia, don’t look so scared. I want you to be my little Lilia again.”
Lilia stared at her parents for a while longer, but then let out a small sigh and softened her expression. She had no intention of making enemies with these two people. The name “Liliane Aldis” exists only because of these two people. There was no way she could win, and what she did now was just a statement of intent.
They knew that, and that’s why they didn’t pay any attention to it.
“That’s all right, Lilia. I knew you were cute!”
Her mother hugs her. There was no point in resisting, so Lilia remained at her mercy.
My mother, Aisha, is the most lenient person in the family towards me. As expected, she refrains from hugging me when the servants are around, but as soon as no one is around, she hugs me. There are times when I feel annoyed, but I’m also honestly happy.
“Lilia’s cheeks are so soft…….I envy you…….”
“…………”
I stand corrected. It may be a little scary.
S–I think this person might be the main reason why Lilia’s personality turned out like this.
L–Sakura. I won’t allow you to speak ill of your mother.
S–Ah…….I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…….
Sakura apologized to her in dismay but Lilia was more flustered by the sound of her small voice apologizing.
L–I’m sorry, too. I’m not that angry.
S–Yes……I’m sorry.
L–That said, can you help me?
S–I can’t.
The answer was immediate. Lilia glanced at her mother, who was rubbing against her cheek, and then to her father and brother, asking for help with just a glance. They both looked away.
“Mother, I can’t talk. Please let me go.”
When Lilia tried to free herself from her mother, she easily let her go. Satisfied and content, she walked toward her father. Lilia let out a heavy sigh and looked at her father again.
“So? What’s wrong with Tina?”
“I just did a little research on her parents’ house. If it’s a house that’s trying to take advantage of the Aldis name, I’ll have to destroy it.”
“I had a secret agent look into it while I was at the academy…….Oh, yes. Brother.”
Lilia looked at her brother as if she remembered.
“What is the meaning of those secret agents?”
My brother averted his gaze.
“I heard that it was brother’s order. I would like to know more, if possible.”
“No, that’s, well, that’s……”
My brother’s gaze wandered, and then shifted to my father as if to ask for help. My father easily looked away. From the way he was moving, I could tell that my father was involved, but it seemed that my brother had been abandoned by him.
“Forgive me, Cross. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
“No, there are things you can do before making sacrifices, aren’t there!”
My brother confronted my father, and my father lightly flushed. After that, my brother tried to say something, but my mother cleared her throat and they both stopped at the same time.
“Lilia. Let me get back to you.”
Lilia nodded, and her mother continued.
“I don’t have any doubts about Tina. We’re just looking into it because we don’t know if someone else will come out through her house. That’s the extent of it, so don’t worry about it.”
“I understand.”
I guess there’s no point in worrying about it.
“Rather, here’s the main point.”
“The main point?”
“Theo seems to have taken a liking to Tina.”
Lilia looked at Theo who was smiling innocently.
“Did he just confess out of the blue?”
”Yes, he did. I was there too. Theo, be careful, Tina was in trouble.”
When I warned Theo, he nodded meekly but his smile didn’t change.
“And how can a duke be with a baron?”
“Hmm? I don’t mind.”
“What about……?”
“Aisha and I are not opposed to it. I’m sure the nobles around us will be rather happy to see the Aldis family weakened.”
“We’ll have to crush those who think so, won’t we?”
My father and mother laughed while my brother sighed and shook his head. I frowned slightly, but did not say anything.
“Lilia’s resemblance to our parents is obvious…….”
I pretended I hadn’t heard my brother’s mumbled words.
“So it’s not a problem for us. I was just thinking that we should talk to Baron Breha rather early.”
“I’m telling you it’s too early for that, father.”
It was Cross who interjected and when Lilia heard that, she understood. Her brother was probably opposed to our parents trying to get through to Baron Breha. I regretted a little that I had stumbled upon a troublesome situation.
“Lilia. I know you’re her friend. What do you think?”
Lilia responded immediately to her brother’s question without hesitation.
“You’ll have to ask her.”
