1-5 - A Shadow Creeping Into Peaceful Days

Another two and a half years passed. Winter arrived when I was eight years old, but I was still confined to the detached building, living the same monotonous life as always.

There was, however, one thing that had changed.

And that was—

“Little brother, I’ve come to visit again!”

Ever since that day, Claire-nee had started coming over to visit me.

Claire-nee entered the sitting room and settled into the seat beside me, which was gradually becoming her usual spot. Her gently waving platinum-blonde hair swayed softly, carrying a faint citrus fragrance.

“Welcome, Lady Claire. Would you like some hot tea?”

“Yes, please. Thank you as always, Milly-san.”

“Not at all. It’s my pleasure.”

Milly left the room to prepare the tea.

As I watched Claire-nee see her off, I couldn’t help noticing how much she’d grown over the past two years. She had always been mature for her age, but now that she was nine, there were moments when even I found myself momentarily captivated by her.

Still, even so…

“Hey, hey, little brother! What would you like me to tell you about today? I’ve been studying properly lately, so there are all sorts of things I can teach you!”

She hadn’t changed a bit when it came to acting like a big sister. To me, though, she felt more like a little sister trying to act grown-up than an actual older sister… But that was a secret I’d never tell her.

“Little brother? Isn’t there anything you want to know?”

“Hmm, let’s see. Remember that bamboo-like plant I asked you to look for, the one used to make sugar? Did you find it?”

“‘Sugarcane,’ was it? Apparently, there’s a plant that sounds similar, but can you really make sugar from it?”

“If it’s the plant I’m thinking of, yeah.”

The name was completely different because of the language, but many plants in this world resembled those on Earth. That was why I thought there was a good chance sugarcane existed here too.

“Hmm? And what are you going to do if you find this ‘sugarcane’?”

“Well, I was thinking of making sweets.”

“Sweets? But couldn’t you just use the sugar we already have?”

“The climate around here isn’t suitable for growing sugar beets, and relying on imports makes sugar far too expensive. Only nobles can afford to use it freely.”

“Um… Is that really a problem? Even Mother wouldn’t get angry just because you used some sugar, would she?”

“Well, it’s not a problem if we’re only making enough for ourselves.”

Sugar was a luxury in this region, so I was considering whether I could mass-produce it and make some money.

Talking about money might sound rather materialistic, but that was precisely why it could become a bargaining chip in negotiations with House Granches. In other words, I was wondering whether I could buy my freedom with money.

“—Achoo!”

Claire-nee suddenly let out an adorable sneeze.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you for worrying about me. It’s been getting cold lately, so perhaps I’ve caught a cold? Apparently, something’s been going around the territory recently.”

“Hopefully it’s just a cold… But winters around here seem pretty dry, so be careful. It could be something like influenza.”

“…What’s influenza?”

“Oh, um… It’s sort of like a really bad cold.”

“Oh, there’s something like that?”

“Yeah. That’s why you should hang a damp cloth in your room when you sleep.”

“Really? You certainly know a lot, little brother. I’ll try that starting tonight. Thank you!”

“Yeah, you should… By the way, Claire-nee, you’ve been visiting pretty often lately. Aren’t you worried someone will find out if you keep coming?”

“Hmm? Oh, Mother? It’s fine. Lately, she’s been doing nothing but searching for someone to marry me off to.”

“…Can you really call that fine?”

“Not really, but… It’s my fate, and there’s no escaping it anyway. I’m lucky enough just to have time to spend with you like this.”

“A fate you can’t escape, huh…”

I had to find happiness. It was the least I could do to make amends to Saya. In my previous life, I’d pursued happiness solely for that reason.

And even after being reincarnated, my desire to find happiness hadn’t changed.

But there was something else.

Lately, I’d begun wondering what happiness actually meant.

This world didn’t have a proper family registration system, nor did anything resembling photographic identification exist. If I slipped out of the mansion and disguised myself, escaping the Granches family wouldn’t be impossible.

For example, I could become an apprentice to some merchant and make a living using the knowledge I’d brought from Earth. If I did that, I was sure I could lead a reasonably fulfilling life.

And I could probably bring Milly along to share that life.

But Claire-nee was another matter. If she disappeared, there was no way her family would simply let it go. Besides, she probably couldn’t even get out of the mansion in the first place.

She was my stubborn yet kindhearted sister, who occasionally came to visit me. Could I really leave Claire-nee behind and escape the mansion on my own?

I had a feeling that even if I made that choice, I wouldn’t be able to find happiness.

I wasn’t going to say that everyone in the world deserved to be happy. But at the very least, I wanted the people precious to me to be happy… That was how I felt, but…

I could probably figure something out for Milly, but things were different for Claire-nee and me. I was despised for being the child of a mistress, while she was about to be used as a tool for political marriage. Saving both of us would be incredibly difficult.

…Maybe I really should try using my knowledge to revolutionize the territory’s administration.

“Ahhh, why can’t I at least choose who I marry? I wish you could be my husband, little brother.”

“……………Huh? Where did that come from?”

“Well, think about it. You’re kind and clever, and you exercise regularly, don’t you? You’re handsome too, just as I’d expect from my little brother. That’s why I wish you were the one I could marry.”

“Hold on. We might only share half our blood, but we’re still brother and sister, you know?”

“Of course I know people don’t look too kindly on marriages between close relatives. But have you seen any of the men who’ve been suggested as my potential husbands?”

“No, I haven’t… Are they really that bad?”

“One of the men I was introduced to recently was a greasy old man thirty years older than me!”

“…Ugh.”

I’d wondered how terrible the candidates had to be for her to compare marrying one of them with marrying her own brother, but this was far worse than I’d imagined.

I’d occasionally heard of marriages between fifty-year-olds and twenty-year-olds in my previous life, but a nine-year-old girl marrying a thirty-nine-year-old man, especially without any love involved, sounded like a crime no matter how I looked at it.

A younger brother who shared half her blood, or a man thirty years older who was attracted to little girls… Which was the lesser evil? Not that I was interested in marrying her myself, of course.

Still, as her younger brother, I wanted to do something to help her.

But there was nothing I could do in my current position. Just as my thoughts reached a dead end, Milly returned carrying a tray of tea, almost as though she’d been waiting for that moment.

“Thank you for waiting… Oh? Is something wrong?”

Perhaps sensing the gloomy atmosphere, Milly tilted her head, her brown hair swaying as she arranged the tea set.

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, Milly-san, what’s that soft, wobbly thing?”

“This is a dessert Lord Leon taught me how to make.”

What I’d asked Milly to prepare was custard pudding, the kind made by heating the mixture until it set.

I also remembered recipes for chilled versions, but since this world didn’t have anything resembling a refrigerator, I hadn’t been able to make those.

“It looks all jiggly and strange. Is something like that really tasty?”

“—Just try it. I’m sure you’ll like it, Claire-nee.”

“Hmm. Well, if you say so, little brother… Mmm!”

Claire-nee resolutely took a spoonful of pudding and put it into her mouth. The wariness on her face immediately melted away.

“Mmmmmmm! Delicious! What is this?! What is this stuff?! It’s so sweet and unbelievably delicious!”

One spoonful, then another. Claire-nee ate as quickly as she could while barely maintaining a semblance of elegance. In no time at all, she’d finished her entire serving.

“Haaah… I’m so happy. This is amazing! I’ve never tasted anything like it before!”

Correction. There wasn’t much elegance left at all. But she looked adorable acting her age, so that was fine.

“If you like it that much, do you want mine too?”

“Huh? Really?! —W-Wait, no! That’s yours, little brother. A big sister would never steal her little brother’s sweets, you know?”

Her words were certainly befitting a responsible older sister, but her eyes were glued to my pudding.

“You’re trying too hard. Why don’t you just be honest?”

With a slightly mischievous grin, I scooped up a spoonful of pudding and held it right in front of Claire-nee’s nose.

“Come on, you want this, don’t you?”

“I-I certainly do… not…”

Claire-nee turned her face away with a huff. However—

“There’s no point turning your face away if your eyes are still following it, you know?”

“…You’re so mean, little brother.”

“Heh, why don’t you try being honest for once?”

“Guh! I wa— I don’t want it! I don’t want it at all!”

“Oh, really?”

I pulled the spoonful of pudding slightly away from Claire-nee’s nose. As the distance increased, her expression grew closer and closer to tears.

“W-Wait!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“I-I don’t actually want it, you know. B-But if you absolutely insist, little brother, I-I suppose I could accept it? N-Not because I want it or anything!”

“Hmm, but you see, I don’t want to force you to eat something you don’t want. So if you absolutely, positively want it, Claire-nee, I suppose I could give it to you…”

“Ughhh! You’re so mean, little brother! There’s no way I can say something that embarrassing!”

“If you’re too embarrassed to say it, that means you really do want it, right? Or do you honestly not want it? Well, if that’s the case, I guess there’s nothing I can do.”

I slowly brought the spoonful of pudding toward my own mouth—

“A-All right! Fine! You want me to admit it, don’t you?! …I… want… it.”

“Huh? What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

“~~~~! I want it! I want that pudding! So please! I’m begging you, hurry up and give it to me!”

“Haha, you finally admitted it. All right, then—”

“—That’s far enough! Any more than that and we’ll need an R15 rating!”

The door burst open with a bang, and Michelle charged into the room. Then she froze when she saw me about to feed Claire-nee a spoonful of pudding.

“…Oh? Lord Leon, what exactly are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m just feeding her some pudding.”

“Little brother, hurry! Hurry up and give it to me! I can’t wait any longer!”

“All right, all right. Just a second.”

I placed the spoonful of pudding into Claire-nee’s mouth.

“Haaah… I’m in heaven~”

Claire-nee’s face melted into bliss once again.

“…Um, Lord Leon? Allow me to ask you once more. What exactly are you doing?”

“Like I said, I’m just feeding her pudding.”

“…Does this pudding contain some kind of addictive substance?”

“An addictive substance? …No, there’s nothing like that in it.”

“But then, why is my lady acting like…”

“I think it’s simply because the pudding tastes good. Though even I didn’t expect her to like it this much.”

“Huh? That’s really all there is to it?”

“That’s all. But if you’re that worried—”

I turned my gaze toward Milly. She seemed to have finished preparing the tea, but… why did she look like she was desperately trying not to laugh?

…Oh, well.

“Could you teach Michelle how to make it?”

“—That’s a wonderful idea!”

Claire-nee was the first to leap at my suggestion. Her plan to have Michelle make pudding for her every day was painfully obvious.

I’d have to warn her later not to eat too much. It would be a terrible shame if my angelically adorable Claire-nee ended up getting fat because of all the pudding.

While I was thinking about that, Michelle allowed Claire-nee to talk her into following Milly to the kitchen. Once again, Claire-nee and I were alone in the room.

“So, do you want to finish the rest of mine, Claire-nee?”

“No, I’ve had plenty. I appreciate the offer, little brother, but you should eat the rest yourself.”

Claire-nee declared this with all her previous maturity and composure restored.

“I see. You’re planning to have Michelle make more for you later.”

“………You’re so mean, little brother.”

Claire-nee was adorable when she blushed bright red and looked away.

I’d been worried about whether foods from Earth would be accepted in this world, but apparently those concerns had been unfounded. All that remained was to establish a way to mass-produce them cheaply.

If I could mass-produce pudding and turn it into a huge commercial success, perhaps I could trade the rights to it for my freedom. But those were the last days when I could entertain such carefree thoughts.

I simply hadn’t noticed it yet, but disaster was already drawing close.

—Approximately one week later.

“Help me, little brother! Michelle… Michelle’s going to be killed if we don’t do something!”

Claire-nee burst into the sitting room, her face deathly pale with panic.