“… well, at least you can do more than someone who isn’t important, right?”

Though she tilted her head, unable to understand Carren’s intentions, Leciel responded earnestly.

“Can I hug you instead of my father?”

“… well, if you want to, sure.”

Whether it was being hugged by Kael or by Carren, there was no reason to refuse something so simple.

Thus, Leciel nodded with a puzzled expression.

“Can I feed you instead?”

“No, why would you….?”

This didn’t seem to be related to whether someone was important or not.

“Can’t I?”

Carren asked with a slightly disappointed expression when he received no answer from Leciel.

“It’s not that, I just don’t understand.”

“Father did it.”

“At that time, my hands were shaking, so it was hard to eat by myself….”

What was this? Carren’s words sounded as if he was jealous of his father.

Leciel thought it might be a misunderstanding, but Carren seemed very serious.

“That could happen again.”

“It could.”

“So, if I become someone important to you, can I do it too?”

“If you really want to….”

“You can do that much for someone important.”

“When you put it that way, it makes sense.”

“So, what’s your answer?”

Carren asked persistently, as if he wouldn’t back down until he heard the answer he wanted.

“… yes, you can.”

It wasn’t a big deal to feed someone, but Leciel nodded obediently, thinking that refusing something Carren wanted so much would be unreasonable.

“Then, what about other things?”

“Other… things?”

“If that’s all, there’s no merit.”

Although Carren’s heart was already swayed by what he had heard so far, he acted as if he wasn’t satisfied.

“How can I list everything? We’ll figure it out as we go.”

“So, you can do so many things that it’s hard to list them all?”

Carren focused on the previous statement, ignoring the latter.

“… I guess?”

It wasn’t exactly what Leciel meant, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Then be my important person.”

If it meant getting closer and doing more things with her, Carren felt it was worth it.

He had initially intended to use it as a pretext to draw Leciel’s attention to himself, but if becoming an important person meant more, it was better to become one.

“So easily…?”

Becoming an important person to Carren made Leciel happy.

But the situation unfolding so smoothly left Leciel feeling a bit confused and bewildered.

Was becoming an important person always this easy?

“It’s not easy.”

“But considering the current situation, it looks like you’re saying you’ll make me an important person just because you can hug, poke my cheeks, and feed me.”

“It’s not just.”

It wasn’t an easy thing to make Carren want to do such things.

To Carren, those seemingly trivial things were precious and significant.

He didn’t want to see Leciel allow anyone else to do those things.

With Carren’s serious expression, Leciel reluctantly nodded.

‘Well, people can have different thoughts.’

Although Leciel couldn’t understand, Carren said it wasn’t, so it must be so.

Anyway, Leciel didn’t want to refuse being called an important person for such reasons.

Especially since Carren wasn’t someone who spoke lightly.

Whatever the reason, if he said Leciel was important to him, it meant he was sincere.

That was what mattered.

“Then we are now important people to each other.”

“Yeah.”

With a smile that showed he was pleased, Carren poked Leciel’s cheek with his finger.

Leciel couldn’t refuse that touch because Carren looked so happy poking her cheek.

‘What’s the big deal about this?’

She still couldn’t understand.

But seeing Carren so happy, how could she say no?

And… wasn’t this the reason Carren came over in the first place?

“I will do other things too.”

“Other things?”

“Yeah, now that you’re my important person.”

Carren spoke as if implying that surely Leciel wouldn’t say no now.

“… it feels a bit unsettling when you say it like that but do what you want.”

Carren’s face, being his greatest asset, made Leciel feel like anything would be okay when he spoke like that.

“Yeah, I will.”

Although nothing came to mind at the moment, they could figure it out gradually, as she said.

“So, what will you do now?”

“… I have no plans.”

“Then wait a little longer.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Training will end soon… I’ll play with you.”

In the first place, wasn’t it because she was bored that she came all the way here?

Now, in a rare, good mood, he felt like he could indulge anything she wanted to do, no matter how childish and trivial.

“Yes!”

With someone to play with for the first time in a while, she could hardly wait.

Leciel quickly responded.

Moments later, as Carren had said, training ended.

As soon as training ended, Carren hurriedly ran to where Leciel was. His appearance that looked just like Mimi flapping her ears and tail whenever she saw her, made Leciel burst into laughter.

‘Who would ever think this cute brother is a cold and indifferent Grand Duke?’

“Why are you laughing?”

Carren furrowed her brow slightly, not understanding the reason behind Leciel’s laughter, although finding her smile cute.

“Uh, because you’re cute, brother?”

“… me?”

Carren made a strange face as if hearing the most absurd thing in the world.

“I’ve never heard that before.”

“Then what have people been saying to you all this time?”

“… if I must say, it would be that I’m handsome. Or cool.”

Saying it out loud made Carren feel awkward, so he looked away, embarrassed.

“Oh, I agree with that too. Especially seeing your training today, you looked really, really cool!”

Carren’s exceptional swordsmanship, unusual for someone his age, was impressive.

“… so, what are we going to do now?”

Trying to hide the sudden heat in his face from Leciel’s praise, Carren asked nonchalantly. His heart was beating fast for some reason, making him feel embarrassed and shy.

“Well, let’s think about it as we go?”

While happy to have someone to play with, she hadn’t thought about what to do yet.

“Alright then.”

For Carren, just being with Leciel, doing nothing, wouldn’t be boring or dull, so he nodded calmly.

Then he casually said.

“If you’re bored, you can come watch me train again.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Carren looked somewhat sulky at Leciel’s unexpected answer.

“You’re already a cool brother, but seeing you train makes you look even cooler, and I think my heart might be in danger if I keep watching.”

She might end up falling for him.

Leciel said playfully with a bright smile.

And at those words, Carren’s heart indeed felt momentarily in danger.

 

* * *

 

That evening.

Leciel was able to have dinner with both Kael and Carren for the first time in a while.

Since Kael had been busy, it was hard to have meals together, so Leciel felt happy about this time with the two of them.

“Lessie, sit here. Next to me.”

As soon as Leciel arrived at the dining room, Carren naturally pulled out the chair next to him and patted the seat.

“Next to you, brother?”

“Yes.”

Nodding as if it were obvious, Carren took her hand and made her sit beside him.

Then he leaned in and whispered softly into her ear.

“You are my precious person.”

Previously, they had to sit facing each other, feeling a distant gap without a proper reason, but now there was no need for that.

At least to Carren, Leciel was a <precious person>, which was a good enough reason.

Meanwhile, Leciel held her heart tightly inside at those words.

‘Oh, my heart.’

Who knew these words could be so sweet and tender?

It felt like wandering through clouds and at the same time, like a feather gently tickling her heart.

Leciel gladly sat next to Carren.

“The seating arrangement has changed.”

Kael, who arrived at the dining room later, made a curious face seeing Carren and Leciel sitting together.

“Didn’t you tell us to get along?”

“I didn’t really mean for you to….”

“I’m really hungry.”

Carren intentionally cut Kael off.

‘So cute.’

At first, he acted like he wasn’t interested, but now….

Not only that, but he also said he didn’t plan to get close to her.

But now, Carren didn’t even want to say that in front of Leciel, as if cutting off his own words.

‘But it’s nice to see.’

Kael thought, satisfied that Carren and Leciel seemed very close and friendly without needing his intervention.

‘It looks like the day when she becomes my daughter-in-law isn’t far off.’

Kael was very pleased with this thought.

Carren twitched his eyebrows as if feeling annoyed by his smile but didn’t say anything.

Carren was happy that Leciel had become his precious person and that they could do many things together, and now, they could sit and eat together like this.

Kael, noticing Carren’s mood, remained silent.

Then, in the following situation, Kael couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It seemed like Carren had decided to show his feelings openly, as he was diligently serving Leciel food and paying close attention to her.

Leciel seemed slightly bewildered by Carren’s actions but sat still, understanding his whispered words.

Carren had whispered, ‘You are my precious person.’

Those words had an irresistible effect on Leciel, making her comply no matter what.

 

* * *

 

Late at night.

While deep asleep, Leciel suddenly woke up.

“Oh, I need to sleep more.”

It made sense, as today Leciel’s heart had taken a toll from Carren’s repeated ‘You are my precious person’ attacks, requiring rest.

But waking up at this hour wasn’t good.

Thinking so, Leciel tried to go back to sleep but was suddenly struck by a sense of unease and opened her eyes.

‘What is this, this bad feeling….’

No way….

With a worried thought, Leciel quickly got up from bed and headed to Kael’s room.

And there, Leciel witnessed a shocking scene.