I was scolded by Youngest Sister to the point of tears.

For three days straight, I was banned from going to the playground, so I had to spend my time alone in my room, playing with dolls.

“I miss them. Francesca… Martina… Antonio… Vicky….”

Being stuck at home was so boring that I felt restless all over.

But it’s not like my sisters would play with me if I asked them to.

Our house was like a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest touch.

The tension reached its peak when Eldest Sister, who had just quit her job in the Coast Guard, announced that she was getting married.

Youngest Sister couldn’t hold back her anger and yelled at her, asking if she was really going to marry.

Older Sister glared at eldest sister for a while, then slammed the door shut and locked herself in her room. And I was…

“Cookie, I really don’t know what to do.”

I hoped that Older Sister and brother Leopold would get along, but now that Eldest Sister was taking me with her to the Empire, I didn’t know what to think anymore.

I just wanted to continue living in Trovanza as we had, with only the four of us. And it would be even better if Andrea, our big brother, came back…

I suddenly had an idea and hugged Cookie, exclaiming.

“Hah! There’s a solution! Cookie, let’s write a letter to brother Andrea!”

Maybe Brother Andrea would step in and stop them if I told him that sister was planning to marry a weird man. Why did I only think of this now?

I got up and grabbed a piece of paper, taking a pen in my hand.

My hand shook so much that the pen ripped through the paper and my hand was covered in black ink, but I didn’t stop.

Brother Andrea, it’s me, Liliana!

My sisters are arguing! They say I should disappear to the Empire, but I want to stay with you in Trovanza!

I could read well, but my writing was still very clumsy. Either way, it didn’t matter as long as the message got across.

I sealed the letter in an envelope, covered it with glue, and placed it in my hamster bag so no one could open it.

I couldn’t wait to get to the post office as soon as possible to send it to Brother Andrea, who was in the South.

Leaving the room, I rushed down the hallway and knocked on my sisters’ doors.

If I left without telling them, I would really get my ass kicked now.

“Sister, come with me to the post office!”

“Sorry, I’m busy.”

When I opened the door, I saw our older sister getting ready for a date.

I complimented her appearance and gave her a thumbs-up, and then knocked on Youngest Sister’s door.

“Youngest Sister, let’s go to the post office–”

Before I could finish speaking, Youngest Sister suddenly opened the door wide. She seemed to be already prepared to go out.

“All right, let’s go! On the way back, I’ll buy you something delicious.”

“Huh! Are you serious?”

“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?”

“Okay!”

Youngest Sister tried to pinch my cheek, but I quickly dodged her hand and rushed through the living room to the front door.

As I swung the door open, something collided with it.

“Huh?”

“Ouch!”

That voice… was it Marius?

“Mister?”

Marius sat in front of me, holding his nose.

“Oh, it hurts. I think I broke my nose, kid. It would be great if you could cheer me up with a ‘hoo.’”

“Hoo? You want me to do it?”

Marius raised his hand with a bright smile.

Strangely it didn’t look like anything had hit him at all… in fact, it was his palm that seemed a bit swollen.

But I had to take responsibility for his pain since it was my fault.

“Hoo, hoo. Hoo, hoo. All that hurts, heal!”

As I recited the spell, Marius looked at me in amazement, then grinned as if he found it fascinating.

“Wow, you’re amazing, kid! I don’t feel any pain at all now.”

“Really? I’m pretty awesome!”

I shrugged, and Marius chuckled before standing up.

While he was patting my head, Youngest Sister came out.

Instead of greeting us, she asked sharply.

“Why are you here?”

“Is Ms. Alice here?”

“She is not.”

“Well, I came here knowing she was. Let’s not lie, even if you don’t like me.”

“Why ask if you already knew?”

“Because I want to get closer to my sister-in-law?”

Marius shrugged, and Youngest Sister grimaced.

Her lips twisted as if she was irritated.

I decided to step in and mediate since neither Marius nor Youngest Sister seemed to like each other. I thought it was best to smooth things over.

“Alright. Sister Alice is asleep, so you should go, Uncle Marius.”

“Huh? Can you wake her up then?”

“No! Mr. Marius, go home!”

“Hmm. Kid, do you want to stay tiny forever by lying? Do you want to be a little liar for the rest of your life?”

“Uhh… I… I don’t want that.”

I put my hands on my cheeks and opened my mouth wide, while Mister Marius’ mouth twitched.

Just then, hearing the commotion, Eldest Sister appeared.

“What’s going on here?”

“Oh, I came to give you our engagement ring. Even though we skipped the formal engagement ceremony, I wanted to give you the ring myself. Let’s go out and have a meal somewhere nice and exchange rings.”

“Eldest Sister.”

Youngest Sister glared at our eldest sister with a stern face and shook her head.

Ignoring Youngest Sister’s objection, Eldest Sister maintained a composed expression.

“Lily, where are you going? Would you like to come with Big Sister?”

“She has somewhere else to go with me. Let’s go, little one.”

Youngest Sister grabbed my hand and gave Marius a slight shoulder bump as we walked past him.

I followed Youngest Sister and waved back at our eldest sister.

“Big sister, don’t play too much with the idiot and come home soon, alright?”

I warned her to come home early, but I wasn’t sure if it would work. I was just seven years old, while my eldest sister was twenty-four, practically an adult.

* * *

After sending the letter to Brother Andrea at the post office, Youngest Sister and I went to a restaurant.

The kids’ meal was so delicious that I was overjoyed, humming a little tune and swinging my legs under the chair.

However, as soon as the door swung open, everything came to a halt. Even the fork that was about to stab into my steak fell onto the table.

“Uh, um… I want to go home!”

The guest who entered the restaurant was none other than François Cassel.

I had hoped it wouldn’t be him, but François Cassel noticed us and approached our table.

My heart pounded. I hadn’t been this scared even before getting an injection.

“I-I want to go home!”

I started to stammer, and Youngest Sister quickly made a promise.

“I’ll buy you mango pudding.”

“No! I don’t need pudding!”

“And jelly. And a no-bell pepper coupon.”

“Just one?”

“Two.”

“…Four.”

“Okay, three. Three jellies, one pudding, and three no-bell pepper coupons. Okay?”

“Ugh, fine. I got it. I’ll try to hold out.”

Thinking about the pudding, I swallowed my fear.

François Cassel sat across from us and smiled knowingly.

“Hello, little one.”

I didn’t like François Cassel.

I didn’t like him because he was dangerous in the original story, and I didn’t like the fact that he called me little one every time.

I glared at François Cassel and spoke.

“I’m not a little one.”

…It was a pointed remark.

“Then, can I call you Liliana from now on?”

I was actually scared of François Cassel because he looked like a lion.

But his response was unexpectedly sweet.

For a moment, I thought that maybe I had misunderstood him.

Even though François imprisoned the heroine and used me, that was the story of the original, and in the real world, which was different from the original, he might not be so dangerous.

So maybe I should relax a little bit.

I told him with a big smile.

“Uh-huh. Okay. You can call me Liliana.”

“Hey, did you eat?”

“Not yet. Do you want me to?”

“Sure.”

But something felt off. It was very suspicious.

I didn’t remember Youngest Sister and François Cassel talking this easily.

I squinted and looked back and forth between the two of them, and soon I made eye contact with François Cassel.

He studied my face carefully.

“Is Liliana afraid of me?”

“Oh, no, I’m not. I’m not scared.”

If I admit I’m scared, I lose.

I purposely tensed my eyes before looking at Francois, but he didn’t look scared and just smiled.

“It’s not ‘brother,’ but ‘uncle,’ right? You might’ve had an accident when you were young, but you’re the age of being our little one’s only father.”

Youngest Sister teased, but François had no response and poured a potion with magic into the water.

“The enchantment potion must be drunk within an hour of being made, even if it doesn’t taste good.”

My lips curled up at the sight of the tasteless purple potion.

It smelled like pudding and jelly that I would refuse to eat for as long as I lived.

As if reading my mind, François suddenly pulled a small teddy bear out of a paper bag.

Its pink, fluffy fur was so cute that whenever François shook it, my gaze followed it.

“If Liliana behaves well, I’ll give her this doll.”

“Really…?”

“Of course. Of course.”

He smirked and handed me the teddy bear.

I hugged the teddy bear and rubbed the tip of my chin against its convex belly, feeling its softness.

“Heehee. I can drink it!”

I gathered my courage and lifted the cup.

Closing my eyes tightly and holding my breath, I tilted the cup.

The potion touched my lips.

I forced my mouth open and gulped it down.

I held my breath, but the bitter taste of the potion made me gag.

Each time I did, I squeezed the fluffy teddy bear with both hands.

‘If I finish this, it’s mine. I just have to hold on.’

“Mmph. This is so bad.”

I slammed my empty cup down, and Youngest Sister clapped her hands together.

“Wow. You’re all grown up, my little one. You can even drink potions now!”

“I know. Liliana is such a brave little girl, isn’t she?”

“Yes! Liliana is going to be a brave warrior, so this is fine!”

I squared my shoulders and puffed out my chest, and François laughed soundlessly.

I fiddled with the teddy bear I’d gotten in exchange for drinking the most tasteless drink in the world.

“He’s Jelly now. Jelly, hello. Your sister will play with you every day from now on.”

That’s when Youngest Sister shoved food into my mouth.

I pouted at being treated like a child and picked up a fork for myself.

“Am I a kid? I can eat by myself.”

“Little one. You’re still a kid.”

I wanted to retort that I was all grown up… but Youngest Sister’s eyes glazed over, so I quietly nodded and agreed.

“That’s right, I’m a kid.”

Ahem. I should hurry up and become an adult and a strong warrior.