"You, orphan kid, Young Duke wants to meet you. Prepare yourself because I don't have an obligation to help a poor peasant orphan."
Yunyu was surprised when he heard such a cold remark from a mere maid. He was obviously the Young Master of this Archduchy. How could a mere maid talk to him like that?
[Pupa: You're unwanted here, even by your adopted brother.]
[Ehhhh, wait, you meant that even my adopted brother doesn't like me?]
[Pupa: You'll be surprised by his Fatemeter.]
[…]
Yunyu took a deep breath and then trying to fit himself in the body of young Jean Eau Saumont, acting as naturally as he could to avoid getting booted out of the world.
"Un…" Jean nodded weakly at the maid. "J—Jean will come soon…."
The maid scoffed and slammed the door, leaving the Little Jean alone.
Jean sighed and then walked to the smaller drawer, where his clothes were stacked.
[Pupa, does Jean know how to do stuff, like dressing by himself?]
[Pupa: Jean is a very diligent and obedient kid. But he is still a toddler nonetheless. You need to dress sloppily, but make it as if you're trying your hardest.]
[Aish, just when I thought I would have a beautiful happy life after so much drama in the previous world. Now we're back to square one again, I guess.]
Jean's attire was the tiny version of duke's attire, with a small vest, white shirt, and trousers.
Jean dressed sloppily, but he needed to make it as if he was trying hard. Then he walked to the door. He pushed the door as hard as he could, but the big door didn't budge at all.
[Pupa: There's a guard outside, just yell.]
"Excuse me! Big guard! Jean wants to go out!" Jean yelled. Not long after, the door was opened, with the guard staring at Little Jean nonchalantly.
"His Highness Young Archduke has been waiting for you in the dining room, don't be late."
Jean nodded obediently, and with his short steps, he rushed to the dining room.
The Archduke's Palace was humongous. Even with Pupa guiding him to the dining room, Jean was still struggling to find the dining room and stopped few times because he was short of breath. It was obvious that he didn't have enough energy for such a long walk.
[Goddamn, when I've conquered everyone in this world, I will make them carry me everywhere ah! This is humiliating!]
Jean walked inside the dining room and saw few maids and a butler served breakfast for the Young Archduke Maximillien Eau Saumont.
Jean stared at his brother, Maximilien, from afar. He had short dark hair that he permed, brown eyes, and a gaze as sharp as an eagle. He was very handsome and sharp but still looked very young, probably in his early teen phase, but he exuded a strong, dominating aura of a ruler even with a short glance.
Jean stood at the door, staring silently because he didn't know if he could enter.
Based on the world background that Pupa mentioned, Jean was unwanted here, so it was already luck for him that he didn't get thrown away back to the orphanage after the late Archduke and Archduchess' death.
[How old is he?]
[Pupa: Maximillien Eau Saumont, fourteen years old, the only heir and Young Duke of Eau Saumont after his parents' death. He took control over the Archduchy of Eau Saumont. under the surveillance of the high minister from the Empire because he is still underaged. But he has excellent skills as a new ruler. He's coldhearted, decisive, and intimidating. So nobody dared to challenge his rule.]
[Pupa: His father had also prepared everything for him, but Little Jean disturbed his perfect life.]
Jean was holding the hem of his shirt when Maximillien darted his eyes at him. Little Jean lowered his head immediately, and his body trembled, "B—Brother, I'm here…" he said weakly.
"Come here," Duke Maximillien said.
Jean walked towards his big brother and then looked up to him. None of the servants spared a glanced at little Jean until Duke Maximillien looked down at him and ordered, "Sit."
"Yes…"
Little Jean tried to climb the chair, but it was too high for him, and his small and scrawny frame couldn't even climb it before sliding back down.
"What are you trying to do? I said sit," Maximillien ordered coldly.
Little Jean looked at him pitifully, not knowing what to do next.
"B—But Jean can't climb…." Little Jean said.
Maximillien scoffed sarcastically and then pointed at the floor, right beneath him, "You sit here. You don't have any right to sit at the same table with me."
…
[What the—?! How could you be so mean to this cute Little Jean! Don't you see how beautiful I am?!]
[Pupa: I love to be your reality check, so here's the information. Maximillien's Fatemeter is -50%.]
[What?! -50%?! Wait, wait, how could he hate me so much?]
[Pupa: Because he heard a fortune teller that told him about the cause of Late Archduke and Duchess. That fortune-teller said the duke and duchess's adopted son was the curse that killed them. They fell ill a week after adopting you and died soon after due to that mysterious illness. That's why Maximillien hates you so much.]
[Pupa: But actually, Jean has been in love with his adopted brother since he was a kid. He idolized Maximillien's intimidating and calm nature, but he never had any guts to confess because his adopted brother hated him.]
[Pupa: But when Madeline and Maximillien started getting closer, Jean was enraged and tried all he could to kill Madeline. In the end, you died after getting outcasted in the Maximillien game route.]
[How tragic…]
Little Jean looked sad, but he knew that his big brother was the ruler of this Archduchy. So he obediently sat on the floor, looking up to his big brother, who was eating his breakfast.
Maximillien looked down at Little Jean and ordered the butler, "Prepare for his food. Just give him servant's food, with a bit extra portion, so he wouldn't die."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The maid served a plate of peasant food, complete with wheat bread for Little Jean to eat. With his small hands, Little Jean used the fork sloppily and stabbed the sausage. He was still a toddler, so it was natural for him to eat sloppily, with sauce smearing around his lips.
Maximillien was disgusted when he saw this.
"You uncultured thing, you can't even eat properly!" Maximillien yelled.
Little Jean got surprised when his big brother yelled at him. He looked up to Maximillien, and his face paled when he saw Maximillien's intimidating, dark gaze looking down at him.
Little Jean tried as hard as he could to not to piss his pants. He opened his mouth and apologized slowly, "I—I'm sorry, big brother…."
"Don't call me big brother! My parents had just adopted you two weeks ago, and they died because of you, you cursed thing," Maximillien's eyes were full of hate as he glared at Little Jean, who was about to cry.
"I will never be your brother. I'm just allowing you to stay here because of my dad's last will!"
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