CH 4

The horses slowed down as the carriage entered the compound through a massive gate.

“Look, everyone is waiting for you outside to greet you. And there’s the young baroness[1] who saved your life.”

“Marie!”

Marie had arrived before me and was preparing with the marchioness[2] so that I could enjoy my time here in peace and quiet. Despite the fact that she was dressed similarly to the other maids, I recognized Marie right away. With her slightly dark brown hair neatly tied up and gentle, tawny-colored[3] eyes, she was a petite but dependable maid of mine.

“You’re crying, Marie.”[4]

“I’m just relieved to see him alive and well. This humble servant cannot express how grateful she is to you all.”

“Marie is… a kind and a strong woman. I, towards Marie, like you very much.”

“I see…”

The horse-drawn carriage rolled to a halt in front of the main entrance. After a brief pause, the door quietly opened, letting a gust of fresh air inside.

“Are you cold?”

“I-I’m fine…”

Due to the living conditions I used to live in before, this body was still quite small for a four-year-old boy, and my tongue couldn’t help but speak in lisps. My own father would remark every once in a while, that I didn’t look anything like him, with my milk tea-colored hair and peridot green eyes. I also had nothing in common with my mother, who had given birth to me, or with my grandparents on the Count’s side.

“Welcome home.”

My stepfather exited the carriage after a man who appeared to be a butler bowed reverently and glanced at me. I too stepped off the carriage in the arms of my stepfather, who extended his hand to me and said, “Come here.”

As a result, I was embarrassed because I looked like a baby. In the presence of the numerous servants stationed at the door, a stunning woman and a young boy stood out of sight.

“…”

My heart skipped a beat at that very second. The boy, who had the same beautiful blond hair as my father and blue eyes the color of the bright sky, seemed familiar to me, despite the fact that I had never seen him before.

Ah, this is definitely the world of that story. And I am the ‘villainous son’ who kills this boy who is going to become my older brother.

I felt a pain in my chest as my stepfather smiled and kissed the beautiful woman on the cheek in front of me.

“I’ve returned, Patricia. Is everything alright?”

“Welcome back, dear husband. We’ve all been doing well and looking forward to this day.”

“Oh, that’s great to hear. It’s a little chilly in here, so let’s go inside and I’ll introduce him to you all,” my stepfather said this as he walked away with me in his arms.

In addition, I didn’t fail to notice the oldest son of the family’s shocked expression when he saw this scene.

“Erm,. My lor—… Father, I-I can walk.”

“Yeah, but I’d like everyone to see how well Edward and I get along first, you know?”

“Oh, my goodness, you and Father are such good friends already. Well, I hope that you will get along well with Mother when you enter the house.” The beautiful marchioness softly laughed as she said this.

I could only nod and respond briefly to her reaction, “…Yes.”

“The salon[5] has already been prepared for all of us. So, why don’t you come over there and have some tea while you introduce me to this adorable son of yours, Dave. Of course. To Alfred, too.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. Come on, Alfred.”

“Yes, Father.”

Eventually, I was led to a lovely room called the salon without greeting the people who greeted me when I arrived. The salon of Marquis Finley was an opulent and beautiful room, decorated with many rare flowers, especially at this time of year. There were several couches and tables, as well as a glass door that led out to the backyard garden. When a large number of people gather, the garden could also be used as well.

“Sit here and wait a moment. Let’s say hello to everyone.”

“Yes.”

The couch was so soft and comfortable that you could almost burrow halfway into it. Until now, I had never sat on a sofa quite like this one. As if that weren’t enough, the pastries lining the table in front of me were the most vibrant and pretty I’d ever seen.

“…Fluffy…Pretty….,” I couldn’t help but let out a voice.

The Marchioness then smiled, her pink-amethyst eyes softly narrowing, her long, beautiful cream-yellow hair neatly gathered into a blue-gray flower hairpiece.

“Did you like it?”

“Yes… I’m sorry,” I replied, flustered, to the marchioness’s words.

I should not have started talking before getting permission from my stepfather, the marquis. But my stepfather didn’t hold it against me. He came up beside me, looked around, and then opened his mouth.

“I’d like to thank you all once more for your efforts while I was away. I’m sure you’ve heard about the situation, but this is Edward, the son of my late brother Leonard. As of today, he is officially the Finley family’s second son, Edward Finley. He is a child who has been missed. I ask that all of you to support this boy and take good care of him.”

At their master’s words, the servants who had been waiting at the far end of the room all bowed in unison.

“Now, Edward, can you introduce yourself? Don’t worry if you can’t, no one will laugh at you or get mad at you for it,” My stepfather spoke softly to me, prompting me to slowly and nervously rise from the couch and bow.

In the novel according to his memory, Edward was unable to introduce himself to anyone or respond in any way to his stepbrother who had gone out of his way to greet him, creating an invisible rift between them at the start.

But not for me! After all, aside from being four years old, I should have twenty-one years of ‘memory’ and communication skills. Maybe.

I slowly opened my mouth, pressing down on my pounding heart. “N-Nice to meet you. I’m Edward… F-Fin-ley. I’m four years old. I promise to be a good boy. P-pleasure to meet you.”

Ah! I’ve done it now! People will think I’m a useless child despite the fact that the combined total of this “memory” and I are both twenty-five years old.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I was about to say, “I’m sorry,” when someone said…

“Well, well, well! What a cute greeting! It’s magnificent, Edward! I am Patricia Randall-Finley, and I will be your mother beginning today. Calling me formally would make me sad, so please just call me Mother Patty.”

“M-mother Patty.”

“Yes! That’s right,” my stepmother said, spreading her arms and gently embracing me. She also smelled very fragrant.

“Patty, Edward is frozen in surprise. Calm yourself down. Edward, please address me as Father[6]as well, not esteemed Father. ”

A little bit.

“F-Father.”

Orders began to pour in one by one. But I’m not going down without a fight.

“Please be kind to Alfred as well.”

Following my stepfather’s words, a young man with a nervous expression approached me. His unkempt blond hair was tied around his shoulders with a ribbon that matched the color of his eyes. They were gentler and brighter than my stepfather’s eyes, the color of the sky on a sunny day, and shone so brightly that I felt I could be sucked into them. I could see my reflection in them, frozen in surprise.

“Alfred Grandes Finley. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I stared at the hand that was extended to me, accompanied by his words, and then quickly opened my mouth,“Yes, Afuure… Afuree…”

Ugh, move, my tongue! Move it!

“Arufu…re…”

One more time!

“Pfft…”

“…”

Did I just, get laughed at right now?

“Al, that’s not very polite.”

“I’m sorry, Mother.”

“S-sorry!”

Ah, my first greeting! Oh, my first greeting! I should have been careful with it the most, but now it’s ruined!

The stiff-faced young boy in front of me who was seeing me become teary-eyed again at the prospect of the future, later opened his mouth with a troubled smile. “I apologize. Please don’t cry. Edward, who is trying so hard, is adorable. I wasn’t teasing you, nor was I angry with you. Just call me Al. “Can you say that?”

“Al-sama[7].”

Then my stepbrother immediately said, “Let’s make it Al nii-sama[8].”

Is that fine? Are you sure?

“Al nii-sama.”

“That’s it. Eddie. Let’s get along from now on.”

“Un! Al nii-sama. Please get along with me as well!”

My stepbrother smiled brightly at my words.

Footnotes

[1] Marie is a daughter of a baron. So, it makes sense to call her ‘young baroness’.

[2] A title for the wife of Marquis.

[3] Light brown

[4] Marchioness speaking to Marie.

[5] A reception room.

[6] David is asking Edward to call him Otou-sama instead of Chichiue-sama  (a more formal way to call father). Hope this clarifies.

[7] I decided to put -sama prefix here to highlight that Edward is addressing Alfred formally here.

[8] Nii-sama means brother, albeit a formal, respectable way to call one’s brother.

Translator’s Notes

All of them have their own nicknames at this point.

Dave = David. Patricia calls her husband Dave when they’re together.

Patty = Patricia

Eddie = Edward

Al = Alfred