CH 40

When the door opened, Cheshire came in, looked at me, and stopped. 

Standing blankly, his mouth opened slightly.

‘What is his reaction, what is it~! Am I so pretty that he can’t even speak?’

I coughed and wiggled my toes for no reason.

“…Why?”

“….”

“Cheshire?” 

Cheshire, who had been lost in thought when I called, came to his senses and said.

“Oh. I was wondering if you were feeling well.”

“You were worried, weren’t you? I’m okay. Yesterday, I’m not hurt.” 

“…It’s a relief. I’ll go.”

“Ung? Wait a minute!”

Cheshire, who grabbed the doorknob to leave as it is, turned around.

“A, are you just going?”

“Then?”

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“…What do you mean?” 

“Don’t I look a little different than usual today?”

“….” 

“I, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It looks different.”

“Hmm. How different do I look?”

Cheshire hesitated.

I expected a response that seemed to be embarrassing. The corners of my mouth kept trying to go up, so I struggled to lower them. 

Then. 

When Cheshire was about to say something, the door burst open.

“Lilith! Are you ready?”

It was Theo.

As soon as Theo entered, he looked at me and opened his mouth.

“Oh, my…” 

“Brother, are you here?”

“Kid!” 

After that, I heard Leon’s voice.

Leon, who pushed Theo in, looked at me and paused.

“…Pfft!”

He puffed out his cheeks and covered his mouth with laughter.

What? What’s wrong with him? 

Leon immediately grabbed his stomach and giggled. His half-turned body rolled on the floor, ready to laugh.

“Puahahaha! Ahaha, octopus witch!”

O, octopus witch?

For reference, the octopus witch was an ugly villain from <The Adventures of Princess Lara>.

With a white face, dark eyes, and red, thick sausage lips!

“Leon, stop laughing.”

Theo tried to stop Leon, but in the end, he couldn’t contain himself and burst into laughter.

I slowly looked back in the mirror behind me.

‘I, I don’t know if it’s weird..’

Perhaps the first makeup in my life was a spectacular failure.

“Aaaagh! Lady! What is this!”

“Oh my! No! Emergency, emergency!”

Jetty and Jun, who came after them, were also shocked.

* * *

Caught by the Sisters again, I removed the octopus witch makeup and came out with the twins and Cheshire.

The blooming garden was beautiful, and the spring weather was warm, but my heart was bitter.

“…Pretty.”

Cheshire, who glanced at my gloomy expression, said reluctantly.

“I don’t believe it.”

“I mean it.”

“Yeah, thank you.”

“Earlier too…” 

Cheshire closed his eyes.

“…It wasn’t bad.”

I wanted to cry when I saw him open and close his eyes. 

「Cheshire Rubinstein was a person who couldn’t lie. He closed his eyes tightly when he had to do it, so it was always obvious.」

Why does Cheshire’s habit, which appeared in the original work, come to mind clearly—.

Why did the damn original work have to describe such useless information when there were no related episodes—.

If there was even a mouse hole, I wanted to go in right now. 

“An octopus, an octopus.”

“Oh, I told you not to call me octopus!”

Leon giggled when I got angry.

“Yeah, Leon. Stop it .Lilith, you look so pretty today. Like a princess.”

“Ung.” 

After removing my makeup, Theo looked at me every minute and told me that I was really pretty.

I felt like I had to change my brother’s ranking in my heart—what a disgraceful Leon.

“But, Leon, are you really not going to meet the kids? If that’s the case, why did you come?”

Theo asked, and Leon, who had been walking with his clasped hands on the back of his head, pointed at me with his chin.

“The maids said the kid was so pretty, so I came to look around for a while. Why would I see Erica Valerin in this fine weather?”

“Is Erica coming today too?”

When I asked, Theo nodded and added, folding his fingers one by one.

“Erica Valerin, Damon Martini, Jean Weber, Bruno Fensler, Charlotte Meyer…” 

I pricked my ears to see if there was a name I knew. 

After hearing it roughly, they all seemed like extras, but I was especially concerned about one name.

‘I think Damon Martini’s name appeared in the original work, but who was it? Seeing as my memories are fuzzy, he’s not the main character….’

It was when I was thinking.

“Hey guys!”

A familiar voice came from the garden entrance in the distance, and it turned out to be Erica.

Next to her was a boy I had never met before.

“W, what! Why did she come so fast?”

“It’s too late to run away.”

When Leon jumped up in surprise, Theo laughed as if he was embarrassed.

“Tsk! Whoa! Uh!” 

It seems like he really hates it. Leon didn’t know what to do but soon dragged Theo away.

“Hey, hey! Let’s exchange earrings with me!”

“Are you crazy? I don’t want to!”

“Hurry! Change quickly!”

Leon took the sapphire earring on Theo’s left ear as if he were robbing it and forced him to use his ruby earring. 

After being forced, Theo wept and put on Leon’s earrings. 

I was wondering what they’re doing. 

“Leoooon!”

Erica ran over, waving her hand as if she was glad to see him, and hugged Theo around the waist. 

‘Hoo. She can’t tell them apart because they change their earrings.’

I burst out laughing at the sight.

“Whoo…” 

Theo, who pretended to be Leon, pushed Erica away and sighed.

Wearing a flashy dark blue dress, Erica looked as pretty as a kid’s model today.

As expected, she is also 12 years old and looks quite mature.

“Isn’t she pretty?”

When I asked Cheshire, who was next to me, he looked at me and shook his head.

“Well, I don’t know.”

“She is much taller than me.”

“….” 

“Phew, yeah. I am an octopus witch, well.” 

“…I never called you an octopus.”

“Ha, when will I grow up….” 

As I muttered, Cheshire, who was staring, turned his head and said quietly.

“Even now…” 

“Ung?” 

“…It’s nothing.” 

“What are you talking about, kid?”

Leon, who was listening, suddenly interrupted and spoke into my ear.

“You are a hundred times cuter and prettier. He just chirps loudly all the time.”

“What? You said I’m an octopus.” 

“It’s a joke. You are the prettiest in the world.”

At that time, Erica, who had been harassing Theo in an unreasonable way, approached me.

“Hello, Lilith! Long time no see! How have you been doing?”

“Yes, sister! You look like a princess today too!”

“Oh my? Hoho, you make me embarrassed. You’re still an angel, baby. Did you dress up a lot today? I think everyone will like it?” 

Erica laughed and tilted her eyes as she looked at Cheshire.

“But who is this? I’ve never seen this face before. Is it a servant?” 

Then Theo approached.

“Oh, this is Cheshire. My uncle decided to protect me this time, so he’s staying here now.”

“Ah, I see. By the way, Leon.”

Erica blinked her pretty eyes and poked Theo in the shoulder.

“Why are you so kind to me today? Kindly explain everything….” 

“Huh?” 

Then Leon reached out and kicked Theo in the shin.

“Ugh!” 

Uh, that must be hurt. Theo, who grabbed his right knee, gritted and shouted pretending to be Leon.

“W, what am I knd about! You annoying girl!”

It was natural to be frightened by Theo’s outburst, but Erica only smiled as if she was used to it. 

“Now you’re like Leon.”

Looking at Erica, who is still the same today, I nodded my head.

‘As expected, she likes bad boys.’ 

While watching Erica with her arms crossed and clinging to Theo with interest, I suddenly saw a boy standing next to her.

He was hesitant to see if he was measuring the timing to intervene, but as soon as our eyes met, he quickly approached me. 

“Nice to meet you….” 

“Why are you here? Is there no one to welcome you?”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Rubinstein. I’m Damon of the Count Martini family.”

For some reason, Damon, who simply ignored Leon who openly embarrassed him, offered to shake hands.

Seeing that Leon clicked his tongue in disgust, it seemed that they didn’t get along very well.

‘This is Damon Martini. The name is familiar too…Remember, Lilith! Remember me!’

Damon, who has dark brown hair and eyes, had a cute face, but his impression was blurry. 

‘Martini… Damon Martini…’

As I shook hands with him, a light flashed in my head as I searched for memories.

‘T, that’s right! I remembered! Boy! It was a typical villain extra 1 who chose only bad words!’

Damon Martini.

It was a character who kept asking about the origin of Cheshire and even that he lost appetite at Rubinstein family.

Somehow it felt rude—.

I was nervous as I glanced at Cheshire standing next to me.

“Nice to meet you, Young Master Martini. I am Lilith Rubinstein.” 

“Oho, you’re quite used to etiquette, aren’t you? I heard that you grew up with commoners, so I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to communicate.”

“Wow, this brat’s mouth is always shameless.” 

Damon gave a puzzled glance at Leon muttering softly.

It must be because he doesn’t think it’s Theo’s tone.

Soon, Damon realized that the twins were playing each other and said, “Ahhh.” he laughed.

Then he said.

“Well, there are some people who are ignorant of etiquette even though they are born aristocrats like the Young Masters of Antrace.” 

“Yeah, you’re doing well.”

Leon countered, but Damon only smiled as if he was used to it.

“By the way, I was late to hear that the Duke is acting as your guardian. Where are you from?”

…As expected. As a villain extra whose ‘fight with the main character’ was entered, Damon’s interest immediately moved to Cheshire.

I swallowed my saliva and quietly held Cheshire’s hand.

“He’s a commoner. Stop paying attention.”

“What? Is that true?” 

When Leon answered instead, Damon opened his eyes wide and covered his mouth.

“What’s wrong with the Duke? Ah!” 

Damon looked at my hand holding Cheshire and nodded his head in agreement.

“It’s like a playmate. Lucky for you. You got into the eyes of a princess and was educated by a great family. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so work hard so that you don’t disappoint the Duke who protects you. Understand?”

If anyone sees him, they’ll think he’s the guardian—.

Damon encouraged him and patted Cheshire on the shoulder.

“…Yes. Thank you for your words.”

“Yes, yes. Ah, why don’t everyone stop doing this and go get to know each other over tea?”

“Oh, are you guys done saying greetings already? Good! Let’s go too, Leon!” 

Erica, who had been distracted by Theo for a long time in the distance, moved away first with him next to her. 

“Oh, wait.”

I was about to follow, but Damon blinked at Cheshire.

“You’re not going to follow us, are you? There is a clear line between nobles and commoners, so it is not polite to sit at the same time, right?”