4. Big Brother and I

It probably took no more than a week before we became close.

As if to make up for all the time we had spent apart, my brother began visiting me more often. Or rather, he was always in my room.

First, a small table and chairs, along with a sofa, were brought in, making the large, empty room where there had once been nothing but a crib feel a little more cozy. My brother began using the space to study during his summer break. I was more than happy about it.

My brother isn't noisy, either. When he comes in during the morning, he picks me up and sets me down on the floor, provided I'm not asleep. Since I'm being put down on the floor so often, a rug has been laid out, and the cleaning has become much more thorough than before.

And while my brother was studying, I was able to roll around on the floor to my heart's content. Sometimes I'd take a break by sitting up. Once he reached a stopping point in his studies, he would pull me onto his lap and hold me tight.

"Lilia."

"Bawa, ah-ee!"

He seems especially happy when I call him that. He'll bring over picture books from when he was little, and we'll lie face down on the floor together while he reads them to me.

Lunch and snack time are the same. Of course, since I'm still getting milk from Martha, I only join in for the sake of appearances with my baby food. Between his own meals, my brother feeds me my baby food with a spoon. At first, he'd try to give me too much at once, or he'd shove the spoon too far into my mouth, and...

“Daa-ee!”

I used to get angry about it quite often, but lately, he’s been feeding me quite skillfully. However, that only happens during the daytime. My brother eats breakfast and dinner with Father, and since Father works at the royal castle, he is home at night, meaning he can't just wander into my room without being noticed.

One day, while we were spending such happy days together, I was sitting on my brother's lap looking at a picture book. Suddenly, his body went stiff.

“Luke, what are you doing there?”

I hadn't heard that voice once in over half a year.

“Father...”

“What are you doing?”

The man repeated the question flatly.

“I was reading a book to Lilia.”

“Lilia?”

The man who claimed to be my father finally looked down at me. He had cold eyes and beautiful long blonde hair tied in a single knot at the back of his neck. His eyes were the same pale violet as Brother's.

Looking at me, Father must have been thinking the exact same thing.

"Claire's..."

As he muttered that, his gaze grew even colder and I couldn't help but look away. For the record, I didn't lose though.

"Daaai"

It couldn't be helped that my voice came out lower than usual. To Father, I might be the very embodiment of the problem that caused Mother's death. But that isn't the truth. If I were to put it bluntly, it is Father's responsibility for having a child with Mother, whose health was so frail.

I thought this calmly. Moreover, he is the kind of man who has never once come to see his daughter, as if running away from his responsibilities as a parent. I figured that if he is a Marquis, he must have money. I decided I would learn as much as I could afford with that money, and then make my escape when the time was right. Since I have memories of my previous life, as long as working isn't too much of a burden, there must be a way to survive somewhere. I decided I would simply treat this place as a place to parasitize until then.

"Daaa, bwawa!"

I don't care about Father anymore, so will you read me a book? I patted the picture book lightly and looked up at my brother.

"Alright, Lilia."

My brother nodded, and

"Father, do you require something? If not, I would like to read a book to Lilia."

he said. Father did not utter a single word regarding me.

"If your studies are finished, you may do as you please."

With that, he walked away. Just then, a young maid named Hannah muttered,

"But she is the young lady, so why..."

It seems this person was assigned as my personal maid once my brother started coming to my room. I feel it is a bit much to have someone by my side all day long after being left alone for so long, but Sebas rushed to assign her, seeing this as a golden opportunity now that my brother has taken an interest in me. I am told she was a new hire introduced through a relative. That is why she does not quite understand how I have been treated in this mansion until now.

There are several butlers in the Marquis's estate, but Sebas is in charge of managing all of the servants; because the Marquis had publicly declared he had no interest in me, he had not been able to assign any servants to me until now.

"If you are known as Lord Luke's beloved sister, I will be able to assign someone to you openly."

As usual, he was talking to a baby, as if it were perfectly normal.

It wasn't that I had no interest in my father in this life. However, when I was newborn and heard him say, "If only you hadn't been born," and was subsequently neglected for over six months so I saw no reason to make any effort to approach him. He could at most work hard and earn enough to cover my education expenses.

"Lilia, don't worry, I'm here for you, Lilia."

"A-ai, bwawa"

Big brother hugged me so tightly, along with the picture book. Something is going to come out! Help me, Sebas!

During Big Brother's summer vacation, I managed to master standing up while holding onto things. At eight months, it's not exactly early. On top of that, I've progressed beyond just rolling over; I can finally crawl. This has greatly expanded my range of movement.

That being said, I haven't actually been allowed out of the room yet. By the time Big Brother and Sebas were rejoicing at seeing me crawling and standing up, and Martha had reduced my feedings to twice a day, Big Brother's summer vacation came to an end, and he had to return to the academy.

"Lilia surely doesn't understand that I'm going to school. What if she suddenly realizes I'm not coming back tomorrow and thinks I don't care about her anymore?"

Big Brother looked like he was about to cry, fidgeting anxiously. I let out a little giggle and shook my head from side to side.

"Bwawa, dah!"

I know, don't worry. I pat Big Brother's cheek with my tiny hands.

"Lilia, you have to be patient for just a little bit."

Mm-hmm, until winter break, right? I wonder if I'll be walking by then.

"I'll be back by the weekend."

So fast! The weekend?! I couldn't help but shout it in my head. When I looked at Hannah, she began to explain.

"One week is ten days, and since two of those are holidays, um, if Lady Lilia takes eight naps, he'll be back."

I see, so a week is ten days. She's trying her best to explain it simply, but there's no way a baby could understand eight days. I gave a wry smile.

"Oh, that look on Lady Lilia's face."

What is it?

"Sometimes, you smile just like an adult. Like you know everything."

Oh, Hannah, you're pretty sharp, aren't you?

"Even with a face like that, my Lilia is just so cute."

Before I knew it, my brother had become a complete fool for his sister.