Chapter 34 – Ellie after Theo
Eighteen months after birth.
Green History 787, I think that 7th Month is gradually approaching.
Theo and Ellie should be at school on this day, but they came back after caring for their trees and flowers which are their daily morning routine.
Theo would usually go to school right after that, but it’s not like that today.
Ellie also fully played for around 2 Hals, so I thought they would go to school after eating lunch, but they didn’t go even after eating lunch.
Today is a holiday called anniversary of the establishment, Theo answered my questions.
「Ah, right! Because Lily is clever, I wonder if she finds it strange that we didn’t go to school today?」
「I see...... That’s why she’s making somewhat curious face today!」
I don’t remember making any particular expression, but it seems they were able to notice even the smallest change in my expression accurately.
Living together every day can’t be taken lightly.
「We have summer holidays starting today, you know! Therefore, we will be al~way together until the 8th Month!」
Theo tightly hugs me with a smile all around his face.
Ellie who saw that urged him quickly, quickly, wanting her turn at hugging.
Summer holidays huh~ How nostalgic...... Is it such season?
I have not noticed at all last year.
Speaking of summer holidays, it’s homework, pool, watermelons, sunburn, homework, homework, homework...... etcetc.
I wonder if this world is like that too......
While immersed in memories of my previous life’s summer holidays, the two were holding something in their hands and shaking it.
It appears to be a toy that makes sounds.
Toys fundamentally don’t have magical power, so I don’t understand their shape without touching.
That sound, I’m certain it’s the sound of the so-called rattle.
It has a handle made out of wood, and the part where the sound comes from is in a cylindrical shape decorated with fine ornaments.
It seems to be quite delicately made considering it’s a baby toy.
I feel it costs so much money that I don’t want to touch it.
I mean, I wouldn’t want to break it.
Most of the toys are decorated with ornaments like that.
Simple toys without ornaments are hard to come by.
As expected of rich, they don’t seem to spare money even on baby toys.
Even though I’m trying not to play with such toys, Theo and Ellie don’t care if the toy gets broken or not in order to make me pleased.
Once, Theo was in too high spirits, shaking the toy so much that it slipped out of his hand, crashed into the wall, causing it to break.
Naturally, I have not seen it myself, so Kuti has explained me the degree of damage, but... Theo was feeling really down that time.
It wasn’t because of the loss of an expensive toy.
If it didn’t crash into a wall, it might have flown towards me and injured me, he was feeling down because of that.
He apologized over and over again, embracing me with guilt.
After that incident, Theo stopped handling toys too excitedly, but even so, he occasionally gets so enthusiastic he’s likely to destroy in momentum.
Well, they are not toys that would get destroyed unless treated roughly, but......
There has not been any accident in which the toys were actually destroyed since then.
But, Theo is sometimes unable to control his excitement.
When he hugs me tightly, Ellie and Ena are there restrain his excitement, so it’s safe, but......
Because he’s a boy, being a little rougher is inevitable.
But, it seems that Theo doesn’t get this excited unless he’s together with me.
Hearing about the two’s school life, Theo is gentle while paying careful attention to surroundings, he appears to be a school prince that combines both refreshingness and coolness.
Of course, I heard that from Ellie.
Indeed, it would be low if Theo actually evaluated himself like that. I don’t wish for a narcissist bro. I reject will all my might!
Therefore, he’s definitely not a child that gets too excited while shaking a toy, letting it slip from his hand, causing it to break when crashing against the wall.
I’m not sure what makes him react like that, but I wonder if it’s the recoil from feigning outside......
I’m slightly anxious about his future.
Anyone is a bit two-faced, but I can’t help but to unconsciously worry when looking at his innocent smile.
As for my own evaluation of him...... a big brother who is like a hopeless little brother that makes blunders when overenthusiastic.
At this rate, I’m not sure who’s the older brother.
Maa, it can’t be helped since I’m clearly the oldest one in the family when going by the mental age.
Besides...... I keep unconsciously forgetting that I’m their little sister...... I really keep forgetting unconsciously.
I’m worried about his future, but...... I’m also worried about mine.
Because I was a man before, I can’t imagine living a life of a woman.
Even now I carelessly forgot that I’m actually a woman now...... I wonder if I will be all right?
Elder brother and Elder sister are trying their best making rattling and other noises, trying to amuse me.
Ena watches over the scene with a warm smile.
What is the meaning of life~
I thought of something overly philosophical, but I actually haven’t thought about it.
Just doing something called escape from reality.
In order to distract myself from the loneliness of missing O’Fairy-sama, I am always thinking about something.
Elder brother and Elder sister who are trying to amuse and please me every day and...... the lack of the existence that is like my other half. In order to fill the loneliness of lacking my other half, today’s trivial thoughts accelerated.
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Recently, the ratio of reading and skinship has become fifty-fifty.
Has the number of books that is read to me decreased?
I think that it can’t be helped in this world where the paper is a luxury, but seeing the two playing with me delightfully from the bottom of their hearts, it doesn’t seem to be the be the case.
It used to be one step short of sister complex before, but it’s a complete sister complex now.
No...... It might be just that my thinking was too shallow and it has been already too late then.
Anyhow, they constantly assist me in holding the toys they bring in my hands and if there’s an opportunity...... no, even if there’s not, they will hug me.
They hug me, kiss me, and rub their cheeks against mine without any reason.
When walking just a little bit during the walking practice, they praise me and hug me.
When I skillfully shake the toy and sound comes out, they praise me and hug me.
In any case, they hug me.
This is far from calling it sister complex......
.................. Brother Fool, Sister Fool.
That’s right...... There was something like that to call them before calling them with the dishonorable title of Siscon.
That’s right, they are Brother Fool and Sister Fool!
Let’s stick our chest with pride!
This Brother Fool! Sister Fool!
Of course, I could not say it out loud so I made signboards with magical power above them.
I will decorate it slowly so it looks like an angel’s feather.
The walking practice while holding hands with Ellie finished safely.
When I made three steps, Ellie.
「Amazing! Incredible! You could take three steps today! Lily must be a genius, right! Ahhmou! Mou!!!」
I was hugged.
As for Theo.
「As expected of our angel! Won’t she be able to run so fast we won’t be able to catch up by tomorrow!?」
...... This is......
Although I have walked in front of them several times while on the wonderful world mission.
I wonder what is going on with the two’s memory......
I might be starting to feel seriously worried.
Or is it perhaps something different from the walking practice for them?
I don’t quite understand the meaning.
I can’t figure out the meaning by thinking by myself.
Despite being swallowed by a whirlpool of uncomprehending, I worry about the two today as well.
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After taking an afternoon nap, the two play with me again.
The two are trying to attract my attention using toys as usual.
While appropriately looking at the two, I will occasionally try reaching towards the toy in Theo’s hand.
I’m trying not to play as much as possible because the toy looks expensive, but if I don’t play at all, the means of touch between Theo, Ellie, and I, will be reduced and limited.
Besides, I would feel sorry towards my parents who have prepared such expensively ornamented wooden toy.
A toy made out of wood decorated with delicate ornaments.
No matter how you look at it――I can’t see it, though――isn’t that one-of-a-kind custom-made item?
At least, I don’t think it’s a mass-produced item.
Because of that, I have I’m not that much interested, but I will occasionally play stance.
When I extend my hand in the right direction where the toy rattles, Theo holds the toy with joy.
Ellie looks slightly vexed.
Her vexed expression lasted only for an instant, and the next moment, Ellie throws the toy she had at “Theo’s back.”
「Ouch」
After stopping Theo’s movements for a moment, she snatches the position of my hand’s assistant.
Ellie snatched the role of assisting my hand holding the toy in Theo’s momentary opening.
It was Theo who was making a vexed expression next.
Ellie is shrewd as ever.
Not being concerned about damaging her older brother in order to accomplish her goal is Ellie’s terrific point.
By the way, the reason she aimed for his back was in order to prevent the toy from hurting me.
The priorities in her mind are, first place me (Lilianne), second Ellie, and quite far behind is Theo.
I have heard that she’s calm and gentle character in the school, but also the strong-willed honor-student, the committee chairman type.
If Theo is a Prince, then she’s a Princess.
It should be like that, but...... my evaluation is, a scary child that wouldn’t mind making sacrifices in order to accomplish her goals.
Theo being familiar with her character, doesn’t try to outwit her nor does he fire back.
That’s because he understands that if he answered back, further retribution would await.
But, even though she’s so shrewd and stubborn, it’s not like she constantly tries to jump the gun on Theo.
She properly abides by the reading turns, and even if there’s something she doesn’t understand while studying, she would properly wait if Theo was asking first.
She has discretion.
But, if it’s in order to come in contact with me, that discretion instantly vanishes.
Increasing the frequency at which Theo is outwitted.
And...... Violently at that.
She who outwits with a calm and gentle smile.
Currently, her only target is Theo so I can watch it objectively, but I’m a bit worried if she doesn’t turn the spearhead at me later.
I think it should be alright because she’s Sister Fool, but the meaning of her smiling face may someday completely change...... I don’t want to think about it if possible.
She’s an existence I must not antagonize.
I have certainly engraved it in Ellie’s profile in these several months.
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A fierce tug-of-war...... More skinship time or studying with Ena? It was decided with a single word.
There was the summer holiday’s homework, after all. The two started reluctantly studying.
Since the fever incident, the two will study in this baby room without fail.
Ena has reminded the two several times to study in their room, but the two stubbornly didn’t yield.
Knowing that the two are stubborn in strange places, Ena deeply sighed and gave them some conditions before allowing them to study in the room.
Those conditions were,
First, they will study as soon as told.
Second, be quiet.
Third, must not be concerned with Lily while studying.
The two are somehow managing the first two conditions, but the last one is apparently quite difficult.
They are frequently glancing my way while studying.
Each time, Ena would sing ‘you~ ha~ve pro~mi~sed~
I’m certain that her voice is like the voice of devil for the two right now.
Devil with beautiful voice...... If they don’t keep the promise they have made to her, they will be immediately ousted from the room.
The two who want to avoid just that, can’t help but immediately return to studying when hearing her voice.
Still, they would start glancing at me after a short while again, so the devil’s voice resounded many times.
After hearing the devil’s song numerous times, when the two were about to start concentrating on the studying, Ena has stood up.
Then, I unusually heard a knock on the door.
At present, the number of people who knock on the door is the three in the room, both of my parents and doctor Randolph?
Even though there are many servants in this mansion, they never enter the room, nor they knock.
Looking at Ena who stood up before the knock, she already knew that someone had come to the door.
But, even then, they usually don’t knock.
Then, just what?
Ena opens the door and talks to someone at the place that is in the blind spot of the baby crib as usual.
Because Theo and Ellie are quietly studying, I can hear something like a chalk writing on a blackboard and turning of pages, but...... Ena’s speaking voice is almost inaudible.
I remember what Kuti once said.
“This place is soundproof.”
This place probably means the whole mansion.
But, even if the entire mansion is soundproof, to be not able to hear what’s being said at the door, just what is going on?
Soundproofing materials are usually materials that absorb sound or bulky building materials, but those shouldn’t insulate an opened door.
Thinking carefully, this world has sorcery.
Considering that it was used for the entire building, it may not be that strange.
For example, if there was a sorcery that could insulate only part of a room.
In that case, it wouldn’t be unreasonable not to hear voices from the door.
But, let’s think about it a little more.
Previously, I heard Theo and Ellie running in the corridor.
And yet, I can’t hear Ena’s voice right now.
What is this difference?
There’s a possibility that it’s not a part of the room that’s soundproof, but that Ena and others designate which part is.
What it means this time, is a measure against information leakage.
The information that is currently conveyed to Ena may be of high importance.
If it’s a matter of high importance, the only person currently in the mansion that it can be conveyed to is in this room――They certainly have to inform Ena.
That’s why, instead of waiting outside the door of Ena as usually, they had to knock.
There’s also a possibility of it being an adult conversation not suitable for children to hear, but...... Then, I would like you to close the door and talk outside the room.
However, it has to be important talk since they disregarded the knocking which isn’t permitted.
...... I want to hear it, I’m truly interested in what wonderful thing they are talking.
After a while of my brain being affected by pink color, Ena’s talk seemed to have finished.
Were there speaking for less than 30 seconds?
Maa, pink color travels at high speeds, it might have been a longer time than my brain suggest, so I’m uncertain.
Closing the door, looks back and says right after.
「Theo, Ellie. Roland-sama and Annela-sama will arrive after a few days!」
Two unfamiliar names leave from Ena’s mouth.
Ena’s voice was also gentle, there’s was no seriousness.
I wonder what was the important talk about?
Are the owners of the two unfamiliar names VIP?
While thinking such, the two recognized the unfamiliar names as they reacted.
Extremely happily......
「Ena! Really!?」
「Ojiisama and Obaasama are coming!?」
It seemed joyful, but their voices contained a considerable amount of surprise.
...... Ojiisama? Obaasama?