“Sister, I have something to ask.”
“What is it? The way you’re setting the mood like this makes it seem like it’s not just an ordinary matter…”
I had rushed straight to the hidden base of Vermont Investment in a carriage.
As I took a deep breath and stepped forward, Irene, sensing the seriousness of the situation, listened with a serious expression.
It was a very important question.
“Sister, the day you brought the children to the mansion—do you remember the exact date?”
“No. I’d probably have to check the receipts.”
“…There’s a receipt for that?”
“Yeah. If I didn’t have it, I’d get arrested for illegal human trafficking.”
So slavery still exists, but something like that is illegal?
“Let’s see… It should be stored here somewhere… Hmm. Next Thursday. Exactly a year ago.”
“As expected…”
“Why? Is something happening that day?”
“There is. The children’s birthday party.”
“A birthday party all of a sudden?”
“Don’t be too surprised and listen. Charlotte and Julia are from an orphanage, so they don’t know their birth dates. So we decided to set their birthdays separately, and guess what? They chose next Thursday—the day we first met—as their birthday!”
“Oh. Okay.”
Even though I delivered a fact that was nothing short of astonishing, Irene responded indifferently with a nonchalant reply.
Wait, why is she reacting like this?
Why isn’t she surprised?
Instead, I found myself flustered.
“That’s it?”
“What else were you expecting?”
“I mean, the children want to commemorate the day we first met every year! They consider the day we met as if it were their rebirth!”
“I get what you’re saying, but… You made such a big deal about it that I thought it was something really huge and ended up being disappointed.”
“If this isn’t a big deal, then what is?!”
“Hah… I knew you were a doting fool, but seeing it firsthand is giving me a headache…”
“…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is fuming, demanding to know how this is excessive or foolish!]
Irene pressed her temple as if she had a splitting headache, her brows furrowing.
A doting fool?
Ridiculous.
Charlotte and Julia are kind, adorable, and beautiful, with gentle hearts and deep thoughts—how could I not brag about such perfect brides-to-be?
It was impossible.
I could say that with certainty.
“And you keep bragging about your future brides, but do you think that makes me feel good?”
“Why not? Once they marry me, they’ll become part of House Vermont. That’s good for the family too, isn’t it?”
“Hah. Is this idiot pretending to be clueless, or is he actually clueless?”
“…!?”
Suddenly, Irene grabbed my tie and yanked me forward.
A shiver ran down my spine, and my perineum tingled.
…It seems an old memory had resurfaced.
“Sister, you’re not seriously jealous of some kids, are you?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Irene clicked her tongue in irritation.
Then, she leaned in, bringing her face close to my neck, and started sniffing me.
Slowly, her slender fingers ran along my throat as if caressing it.
For a moment, I wondered if I was about to fall asleep again, and my body twitched in response.
“Why are you flinching so much? Someone might think I’m a sister bullying her little brother.”
“You did bully me…”
“That was because you were being an— Oh. Right. That wasn’t you back then… So that means you just took the beating without even fighting back…”
Irene, who had been glaring at me as if I had offended her, suddenly looked bewildered.
She must have realized how badly she had beaten me back in the day.
I had assumed she had completely forgotten.
“Sorry. It must’ve hurt a lot, huh? Now that I think about it, I even choked you the other day without thinking…”
“It’s fine now. Yuri has healing abilities, so it’s all healed up.”
“Oh. So it wasn’t natural recovery but healing magic?”
“It’s not healing magic, it’s a special ability…”
“Either way, another girl had to patch you up.”
“…?”
Irene’s gaze suddenly turned sharp as she stared daggers at me.
What kind of bizarre logic was this?
Because my wounds were healed with a special ability, that means another woman “covered” me?
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t speak for a moment.
Of course, part of the reason I stayed quiet was because Irene’s icy aura was terrifying.
“So that girl also touched your neck?”
“It was for treatment rather than touching—”
“Either way, she stroked you. She caressed you. I’m right, aren’t I? How infuriating…”
“…”
Grit.
Irene gritted her teeth and drew closer to my neck.
She exhaled hot air near my skin as if contemplating something.
Then, without warning, she undid my collar and bit into my shoulder.
I thought it would be just a single bite, but I was wrong.
“Ugh…”
Irene clenched down and began chewing on the spot, repeatedly applying pressure with her teeth.
It felt as if she was determined to leave a mark.
After what felt like a long time, she finally pulled away.
“Haah…”
A damp trail of saliva stretched like a spider’s web.
Irene examined the spot she had just bitten, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips.
“It didn’t hurt too much, right? Your skin is delicate, so even a light but prolonged bite will leave a lasting mark.”
“It wasn’t too painful, but… what even is this? Are you running out of things to chew on? Should I get you some jerky?”
“Are you stupid? Do you think I’d bite my own brother just because I don’t have anything else to chew on? Just think of it as a brand. Just like you marked your knight, I’ve marked you. Since the mark on your neck is too visible, you’ll heal it right away, but if I see that this one is gone the next time we meet…”
“…”
If it’s gone…?
Then what?
I swallowed nervously.
Irene didn’t continue, only giving me a mischievous smile, as if telling me to imagine the rest on my own. She then wiped my shoulder with a handkerchief and held up a mirror to show me the mark.
…A distinct bite mark, revealing Irene’s perfectly aligned teeth.
“Look, I don’t think my little brother has such a poor sense of propriety that he’d go around stripping in front of the children. But just in case, I left a mark. Since you keep insisting on raising them and marrying them, this is just a little insurance… to see if you can really hold out until then.”
“…”
I should be careful.
Especially around Yuri—I have to make sure she never sees my left shoulder.
If she finds out and tries to heal it, there’s no telling what Irene might do.
I’ll have to be extremely cautious.
“A-Anyway, Sister… about the children’s birthday party… Do you want to come?”
“Of course. I’ll be there. I was the one who brought them, after all.”
Irene gave me a bright smile as she buttoned up my shirt again.
Something feels off.
I originally came just to invite her to the birthday party.
But now that I’m leaving… I feel completely drained, my mind hazy.
***
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
“The cake is huge…!”
Early in the morning, Charlotte and Julia barged into the kitchen the moment they woke up.
Their jaws dropped.
A massive cake, large enough to completely cover the kitchen’s grand table, was being assembled by five maids.
A cake was supposed to be about the size of a loaf of bread, wasn’t it?
But this?
Not only was it enormous, but they were stacking it into two, even three tiers!?
Watching the cake being built in real time, Charlotte and Julia were on the verge of losing their minds with happiness.
“If you keep staring like that, your necks are going to fall off. Give the maids some space to work.”
“···!”
Just then, gently—
Large hands rested on Charlotte and Julia’s shoulders, pulling them back slightly.
They turned around simultaneously, only to be greeted by Aslan’s faint smile.
Their faces instantly lit up.
“Mister, Mister! I’ve never seen such a big cake in my life! It’s amazing!”
“How long would it take to eat something this big…? At least a whole month, right…?”
“No need to worry. Once you two start digging in, I doubt it’ll even last a week.”
Aslan chuckled, amused by the children’s excitement.
Of course, he had gone out of his way to prepare an especially large cake.
But knowing Charlotte and Julia’s appetites, the two of them could probably devour over half of it in just three days.
Of course, if left unchecked, their sugar intake would skyrocket.
That’s why Aslan, along with Yuri and Sylvia, would help eat a portion as well.
“Hehehe! This is the best birthday present ever, Mister!”
“A birthday present? The cake is just something for everyone to share. I prepared separate gifts for the two of you.”
“Wait, really!?”
“You… You actually got us gifts…?”
Charlotte and Julia’s eyes widened to the size of saucers.
Of course, they knew that people typically received presents at birthday parties.
They’d heard about it.
But they had never actually seen it happen.
Never once received or given one.
So they never expected it.
But now?
An actual present? A birthday present?
They thought that was just a fairy tale!
Charlotte and Julia gazed up at Aslan with awe-filled eyes.
Aslan, not expecting such an intense reaction over something so simple, suddenly felt flustered.
“Mister, you’re the best!”
“…!”
Wha-bam!
Charlotte suddenly leaped at Aslan, wrapping her arms around his shoulders—
And then, with a soft smooch, she kissed his cheek.
Julia, who had been watching, instantly froze.
“Cha-Charlotte… what did you just do…?”
“A cheek kiss. Why?”
“H-How did you do that so naturally…? As if you’ve done it before…?”
“Well, because I have done it before?”
“…”
Charlotte smiled playfully.
Julia’s face stiffened even more.
…She’s done it before? A cheek kiss?
