‘Ah, damn. At this rate, it feels like I’ve connected with Aslan Vermont…’
Hurriedly clearing her throat, Yuri felt like hiding in a mouse hole.
She had thought in her mind that these cute little ones were just playing a game of comparing acorns, but she could never bring herself to say it out loud… until Aslan Vermont said it for her, and she accidentally chimed in.
‘Aslan Vermont. Seems like he has at least a little bit of class, huh? Hm, hm…’
Charlotte’s pure innocence and cheerful personality were her strengths, but occasionally, her intelligence would surge, and she could become cunning, which was also part of her charm.
Julia’s endless confidence in certain areas was an advantage, and the fact that when she stepped out of her comfort zone, she became timid and dependent, arousing a protective instinct, was her ultimate charm.
These were things Yuri had figured out after watching Charlotte and Julia for years…
But Aslan Vermont had figured it all out in less than four months?
Yuri looked at him a bit differently.
At first, she had thought he was just a shameless pervert who liked kids without reason.
But now she saw that he was a cultured person who could appreciate the true value of Charlotte and Julia.
Aslan Vermont had been keeping a close watch on both Charlotte and Julia?
If it were up to someone who wasn’t interested in either of them and was only focused on the benefits of marriage, it would probably be better to send them to Aslan Vermont rather than to such a man.
‘Wait!? What am I thinking?’
When Yuri realized where her thoughts had gone, she startled herself and snapped back to attention.
There’s no way she could send Charlotte and Julia to Aslan Vermont…!
He was an evil man who wanted to interfere with the perfect combination of Charlotte and Julia!
No, no! Absolutely not! There’s no way I’m letting Aslan Vermont have Charlotte and Julia!
Yuri swallowed her tears and steeled herself once more.
“First, both of you calm down. People’s vision is much narrower than they think, and the strengths and weaknesses that I can’t see might be visible to others. From what I can hear, both of you are saying the right things, and each of you has your own charm that can’t be ranked. There’s no need to argue.”
“Huh? So you really think someone like me, who’s all over the place, might be more attractive than someone as pretty as Julia, who’s like a princess…?”
“What, what? So you think my annoying and dishonest personality is part of my charm?”
“….”
In response to the returning question, Aslan had to close his mouth.
It was true, and he had been thinking that, but hearing it like this, it almost made him sound like a creepy, lecherous person who thought such things about children.
“Anyway, it’s nice to compliment each other, but I can’t allow you to put yourselves down. If you’re going to fight, at least argue that you’re prettier than the other, understood?”
“Mm…”
“Yes…!”
They looked at each other, sharing awkward smiles and exchanging glances.
Finally, they realized how foolish their argument had been.
Normally, people only see their own strengths and can’t recognize others’ merits, but these two were the opposite.
They could clearly see how amazing and beautiful the other was, but they didn’t recognize it themselves, which made them frustrated enough to be angry.
It was really admirable how much they cared for each other.
If only Charlotte and Julia could become just a little more selfish, they’d be perfect.
Aslan thought to himself, secretly smiling inwardly.
‘What’s this? Why does it feel like this is ending on a warm note…?’
The tense atmosphere dissolved, and Yuri, still standing in the middle, couldn’t hide her confusion.
Aslan Vermont… How did he manage to reconcile Charlotte and Julia so smoothly?
It wasn’t the skill of someone who had only dealt with children for a day or two.
It wasn’t just that Aslan Vermont was skilled.
Charlotte and Julia’s trust in him was far beyond what Yuri had imagined.
Could this really not be some kind of brainwashing!?
‘Well, back then, when everyone stayed behind at the palace and Aslan took the lead on his own…’
At that moment, Yuri felt a surge of suspicion and clenched her lips, feeling uneasy again.
That day at the palace, when the monster wouldn’t fall no matter how much they attacked, while everyone else had collapsed from mana exhaustion, Aslan Vermont had stood alone against the creature.
At that time, Aslan Vermont had confidently said that he had a plan, but now, thinking back on it, she realized that it was probably a lie to reassure them.
Fortunately, the Empress had recovered from her exhaustion in time.
If they had been even a little bit late, Yuri thought, Aslan’s face might have been the last they saw.
‘If I had seen him act like that all this time… I’d probably have no choice but to trust and follow him…’
Yuri had only witnessed Aslan’s sacrificial side for the first time in the palace.
But Charlotte and Julia?
They’d probably seen it many times before.
From the outside, it seemed like blind devotion, and it wasn’t surprising at all.
‘Why do I keep seeing Aslan Vermont in such a positive light…?’
It was strange.
She had entered the mansion to uncover his ugly side, to unmask the last of his deceitful facades.
But now, she kept finding herself looking at him again.
Pouting in frustration, Yuri lifted the mask slightly and took another sip of her remaining soup.
‘Huh? Why is this soup still warm?’
She had expected it to have cooled down while she had been glaring at Aslan Vermont throughout the meal.
But surprisingly, it was still warm.
No, it was the same temperature as when it had first been served.
What was going on?
Just as she thought this, it happened.
‘…?!’
Sensing Aslan’s gaze directed toward her, Yuri jumped in surprise. His smile was cunning and unsettling, like a demon lord setting a trap and watching it from afar.
But, based on her experience of observing Aslan Vermont, she judged that this smile was most likely one of satisfaction with a 99% probability.
‘What could he possibly be so proud of…? Ah, the dog bowl!?’
At that moment, Yuri realized that Aslan’s gaze was fixed on the dog bowl, and she shuddered.
Could it be… that the reason the soup had remained so warm, with steam rising from it this whole time, was because of the dog bowl?
Was it actually functional, and he had been using it for its intended purpose?
It wasn’t just some perverted desire to feed the children from a dog bowl…?
Yuri froze in place, struck with the shock of being hit on the back of the head.
‘Could it be… that the cruel and shameless idea of raising children to make them his wives was just a misunderstanding and a prejudice created in my mind…?’
At least the rumors that Aslan Vermont was building an army of evil forces to rebel against the Empire had turned out to be false.
Back then, Yuri had laughed at people who believed in such absurd rumors.
But now, she wondered if she had no right to laugh at them.
Charlotte and Julia had differing opinions on whether Aslan Vermont was raising them to be brides.
Even the two who had been closest to him didn’t know.
Had she made too hasty a judgment?
Suddenly, such thoughts crossed her mind, and Yuri began to doubt whether her perception of Aslan Vermont had been based on her own preconceived notions or if it was truly based on what she had seen and heard.
‘Was all of it just my misunderstanding…?’
He hadn’t been raising Charlotte and Julia to be brides.
He hadn’t been feeding them from a dog bowl with any impure intentions.
Was it possible that the kind Count Aslan Vermont, who had no interest in black magic, was someone she had misunderstood all along?
Just as a storm of overwhelming guilt was about to hit her—
‘Wait! No! I can’t let my resolve falter already!’
Yuri managed to pull herself together, fighting the dizziness in her mind.
Today was just the first day at the mansion.
The vacation was long, and there was plenty of time.
But she couldn’t just conclude that Aslan Vermont was innocent, without a shred of doubt, this early on…!
If all of this was just Aslan Vermont’s act… then completely trusting him would mean falling into his trap!
She wouldn’t miss a single detail: his expressions, his gestures, his movements, everything.
The moment he revealed his true, sinister nature, she would expose him to Charlotte and Julia!
With her guard up, Yuri fiercely glared at Aslan Vermont, her resolve solidifying.
‘This is ridiculous. He’s been staring at me the whole time. Does he really like the dog bowl that much? If I told him I custom-designed it, would he fall for it instantly?’
Aslan was filled with an odd sense of anticipation.
