CH 459.1

A, awkward…!

“… That’s why Cristea and I are not real siblings. I’ve heard that there was a lot of talk among the nobility about my biological parents and how I was adopted by the Duke, so I wasn’t really trying to keep it a secret.”

It is true that even the emerging noble like Mariel-chan knew about it, so my aunt’s elopement fiasco and accident probably spread quickly as ugly news among the aristocracy.

You cannot silence all people, and even if you wanted to keep it a secret, you couldn’t…

I think it’s just that it’s so obvious now, and no one dared to say anything about it.

I’m not going to hold a grudge against Oniisama and Otousama because I can understand that point.

“Cristea had been forced to leave the Capital for a long time due to the danger of losing control of her magical power, and since we were family, I didn’t think it was necessary to tell her anything she didn’t want to know. Besides, none of the servants had ever spoken in vain like that, so Cristea had never had the chance to find out… I’m just sorry you had to find out this way, Cristea, I should have told you sooner…”

“T, this is my fault! I was the one who made the offhand remark, and I apologize for that…!”

I hurriedly stopped Oniisama and Mariel-chan from lowering their heads.

“Oniisama, please raise your head! You too, Mariel-san! I was certainly surprised, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are my big brother. Okay? It’s the same as before.”

I said with a smile so as not to burden their minds.

“It’s the same as before…”

Eh? Oniisama, I thought you would be happy, but why do you make such complicated expression?

“… I see. Indeed, yeah. It’s the same as before…”

“Cristea-sama…”

“Eh? Mariel-chan, why are you looking at me with such disappointed eyes?

His Highness and Sei were looking at Oniisama and me in turn with indescribable expressions of silence… What is it? What did I say that was weird!?

This is super awkward, though!?

“U, umm! Aren’t you all hungry by now? May I offer you some food?”

Unable to bear the delicate atmosphere, I suggested that we have lunch.

After all, it’s food that makes a place more relaxed!

If you’re hungry, you won’t be able to think about anything good.

“Ahh, yeah…”

“R, right! Let’s eat!”

Mariel-chan replied with shiny, happy eyes, and everyone seemed to recover from their trance, so I quickly took out the fried chicken, potato salad, egg rolls, consommé soup, and rice balls that I had stored in my inventory to prevent any strange atmosphere from returning.

I had made and stocked up a lot of food for a picnic, and I put it all on a platter and laid it out on the table.

It was a buffet style, with each person taking his or her own plate.

All of them are popular among young people. There was nothing they wouldn’t eat.

To dispel the heavy atmosphere, I thought it would be more lively to eat from the same plate.

I poured some consommé soup into a soup cup of my own, and Mariel-chan passed it around to everyone.