When she saw the bouquet in Geniaâs arms, Ciel silently backtracked before quickly spinning around and barging into Cyanâs nearby room.
âWhat theââ Cyan, who had just returned to his room, cried out in surprise as he turned around to face the sudden intruder.
Ignoring her brotherâs alarm, Ciel just looked around his room with narrowed eyes.
âThere it is,â Ciel thought to herself in delight as she reached her hand towards the flower vase resting on a table.
Her older brother had a girlish side to him that really didnât suit his character, so even his room at the main estate was always decorated with flowers.
âWhat are you doing?â Cyan asked, his jaw dropping as he saw Ciel pull the flowers out of their vase.
However, Ciel didnât bother answering. After shaking the water off the flower stalks, she roughly tore off their roots and then resumed looking around the room.
Cyan tried to get her attention, âHold onââ
But Ciel just boldly threw open his closet. Seeing this, Cyanâs eyes filled with anxiety and shook in panic. From a young age, Cyan would hide the things he couldnât allow others to see, like certain naughty books filled with his own specific kinks, underneath his bed or deep inside his closetâŚ.
His voice wavering, Cyan called out, âThat⌠Ciel, just what in the world are youââ
âBrother,â Ciel cut him off as her hands, which had been rummaging through his closet, dug into its depths to retrieve something. âLend me this.â
The item that Ciel had retrieved was an old-fashioned silk scarf that was part of a formal dress suit. It was a congratulatory gift for Cyan from one of the best fashion designers on the continent for becoming an adult. Unfortunately, after Cyan officially became an adult, he hadnât yet had the chance to leave Black Lion Castle, so he hadnât gotten around to wearing that suit and scarf set.
â...No⌠thatâs a bitâŚ,â Cyan hesitated.
âI donât want the clothes. I just want the scarf,â Ciel bargained.
Cyan tried to explain, âThatâs, um, the clothes and the scarf together are a setâŚ.â
âIf you keep arguing like this, Iâm going to take out the books youâve hidden at the bottom of your wardrobe and read them,â Ciel threatened. âAfter that, Iâll also tell our mother about their contents and spread rumors around Black Lion Castle.â
âYou⌠donât you know how old I am? Iâm also an adult! Even mother can no longer scold me about such matters!â
âYeah, I know that. She probably wonât scold you. Instead, sheâll just stare at you with a very, very complex look in her eyes, brother. And so will I.â
As if to demonstrate the said look, Ciel turned her head and stared at Cyan. Cyan shuffled backward in the face of his sisterâs gaze, which was filled with something subtle yet complex, and was a swirling mix of many different emotions. If he refused her here, it was clear that this hateful little sister of his would look at him with these sorts of eyes for the next ten years at the very least.
â...T-take it,â Cyan gave in.
âThanks,â Ciel said with a wide smile as she nodded.
Riiip!
Then, right in front of Cyanâs eyes, Ciel tore the scarf into two. Cyanâs jaw dropped open at his younger sisterâs merciless actions. Ciel ripped the scarf a few more times and then gathered the flower stalks together. With one of the longer strips of silken cloth, she tied the flowers into a bouquet, then used the rest of the strips to cover the bouquet in ribbons.
When all of this was done, Cielâs hands were now holding a stylish bouquet made using the entirety of the high-class silk scarf. While admiring her dexterity and aesthetic sense, Ciel scanned the creation from all angles.
â...You tore up the gift I received for my coming-of-age⌠just to make a bouquetâŚ?â Cyan confirmed in disbelief.
âIâm taking this as well,â Ciel informed him as she took a large jeweled brooch from his accessory box. âThis brooch doesnât suit you, brother.â
Cyan protested, âBut Iâve never even worn itâ!â
âYour sense of aesthetics has been messed up since you were young,â Ciel critiqued. âWhere exactly were you going to go while wearing such a large bejeweled brooch?â
Unable to respond, Cyan could only stand there silently, his shoulders trembling. Ciel placed the brooch in the center of the bouquetâs ribbons as a decoration and then nodded with a look of satisfaction. Although it was much smaller than the bouquet Genia had been holding, hers couldnât compare in terms of sincerity and value that Ciel had placed in this bouquet.
âEspecially since Iâve made it personally.â
With a happy smile on her face, Ciel left Cyanâs room.
âŚMeanwhile, Genia was still hesitating in front of the door to Eugeneâs room.
Her memory of what had happened was vague. The moment she was led into the depths of the forest by the demonic power⌠a wave of darkness had surged toward her from her rear. It had been a sudden surprise attack. She thought that she had reacted to it well, but she couldnât remember what had happened after a certain point.
After regaining consciousness, she remained in bed for two whole days. During that time, she had heard the entire story. Something about how Eward Lionheart, the eldest son of the main family, had gotten involved with a darkness spirit possessed by remnants of the Demon KingsâŚ. Since Genia wasnât interested in magic, she couldnât get a clear understanding of what had really happened.
As such, she decided to just think of it in simple terms. The eldest son of the main family had gone crazy. Dominic, the Captain of the Black Lion Knightâs First Division, had also gone crazy.
âŚAnd so had Hector.
â...PhewâŚ,â Genia released a heavy sigh as she looked down at the bouquet in his hands. Although it was hard for her to believe, she had no choice but to believe what had happened. After going insane, the three responsible for this incident had been killed. What was even harder for her to believe was that the one who had killed these three and saved the hostages was none other than Eugene Lionheart.
â...No⌠was it really?â Genia thought doubtfully.
However, what reason could the Knights of the Black Lion have for lying about such a thing, even as they admitted to their own failures?
Genia plaintively thought to herself, âThe one who saved me really wasnât my father?â
But he had plainly said that he hadnât.
Genos felt deep gratitude that his much-esteemed grandmaster Hamel had been reincarnated as Eugene and had saved his one and only daughter from this crisis. Also, he wanted his daughter to feel the same gratitude and reverence for their Grandmaster Hamel that he did.
âŚHowever, Genos couldnât reveal Eugeneâs true identity to his daughter. He hadnât received permission to inform her. The fact that Eugene was Hamel was a secret that Genos needed to keep for the rest of his life. But⌠Genos really wanted to tell her. His lips itched with the urge to say it. Genia also shared his respect for Hamel, so he wanted them to show their respects to their master with a sincere heart together; once his daughter knew the whole truthâŚ.
That was why Genia was here. The bouquet had been placed in her hands by Genos. He had pushed her in the back and told her to come here and thank her lifesaver.
But Genia didnât know about her fatherâs thoughts. Her mood was currently dampened due to a mix of various different factors. Hector, her close friend and rival since childhood⌠had betrayed the Lionheart clan. Then he had just died.
So, could Eugene be said to have gotten revenge on Hector for her? Although she didnât think that things really went that far⌠Genia still had a hard time accepting Eugene. It wasnât like Genia couldnât recognize his skill, but she felt jealous of how much appreciation her father seemed to show Eugene.
A voice suddenly called out to her, âIs it okay if I head in first?â
Strolling over, Ciel now stood beside Genia. Genia had been engrossed in worrying about what kind of expression she should show Eugene and how she should express her gratitude. Cielâs sudden arrival startled her, and she turned to look at the unexpected intruder.
âUnless you plan on going in now, that is,â Ciel said with a smile as she tossed her hair back in an elegant gesture.
As she did so, Ciel carefully examined both Geniaâs appearance and the bouquetâs.
âSo it was a misunderstanding,â realized Ciel.
Having come here all by herself, with a bouquet of flowers at that, Ciel had felt the need to check if Genia might be harboring certain indecent intentions. But seeing the blatant reluctance all over Geniaâs face, it seemed clear that Genos had pushed her into doing this.
âIt looks like you feel uncomfortable heading in on your own?â Ciel observed as she placed her hand on the doorknob with a soft smile. âIf thatâs the case, letâs head in together. I was also feeling a bit embarrassed to go in by myself.â
âAh⌠is that so?â Genia said, her expression relaxing as she felt sincere gratitude towards Cielâs proposal.
Ciel had done several calculations before making this offer. Genia was twenty-seven years old, while Ciel was twenty. Although Genia wasnât that old, a seven-year age gap was still pretty large.
âAs for appearances, well⌠Iâm still better,â Ciel thought smugly.
Cielâs appearance had been praised ever since her childhood. Ciel knew all too well that she was seen as sweet, cute, and pretty.
âSheâs wearing such a drab outfit. And as for me? It looks like I made a good decision to get changed before coming here. When we enter together, thereâll be an obvious difference between the two of us.â
She had even sprayed on some perfume and put on a necklace. Ciel turned the doorknob with a wide smile.
âI won!â
The moment the door opened, Mer, who had been sitting on the sofa, leaped up with a cheer. With a triumphant expression, she approached Eugene, who was still lying in bed and reached her hands out toward him.
âYou were already standing out there for quite a while. If you were going to enter, couldnât you have at least waited one more minute before coming in?â Eugene complained, his face twisting into a fierce scowl, and he glared at Ciel and Genia. âI lost the bet because you came in too early!â
âDidnât I say so?â Mer bragged. âI said she was slowly getting ready to come in, but Sir Eugene, you insisted that she would come in a bit later. So that means I won. In other words, Sir Eugene, you lost. You know what that means, right?â
âJust do it quickly,â Eugene said resignedly.
âPlease admit your defeat.â
âFine, I lost. Now just do it quickly!â
Hearing this retort, Mer snickered. Then she pulled one of Eugeneâs limp wrists out from beneath his blanket and rolled up his sleeve.
âI wonât take it easy on you,â Mer warned.
Eugene snorted, âWho asked you to?â
âI know that your body is in pain, but a bet is a bet[1],â Mer insisted.
Fuu, fuuuh.
After Mer brought her index and middle finger together, she blew on them to warm them up, then mercilessly delivered a slap to Eugeneâs wrist.
Snap!
The slap landed with a sharp noise. Normally, the attack wouldnât even have stung him, but in Eugeneâs current state, this blow penetrated deep into his bones and even shook his soul.
âKaaarghâŚ!â Eugene clenched his teeth as he choked back a scream.
However, this violent reaction only startled Mer more. Her shoulders shook as she scanned Eugeneâs expression.
âA-are you okay?â Mer asked timidly.
Eugene squeezed out, âItâsâItâs nothingâŚ!â
âYou⌠you really mean that, right? You arenât going to get mad at me for this later?â
âI said itâs nothing!â
âLetâs pinky promise,â Mer insisted.
Having forced Eugene to make such a promise, Mer returned to her seat with a smile. Enduring the pain in his wrist that had yet to fade, Eugene lifted his head.
âŚWhat in the world were they doing?
Ciel had imagined having a conversation with Eugene several times, but she hadnât expected to be met with such a comedic situation as soon as they entered his room.
â...Ahem,â Genia coughed as she presented the bouquet she was holding in her arms to Eugene. â...Iâve come here to give you my thanks.â
âI thought so,â Eugene said with a nod.
â...This bouquet carries not just my gratitude but my fatherâs as well,â Genia added.
As Eugene recalled the sight of Genos with tears flowing from his eyes, he felt a bit embarrassed.
â...Iâll gratefully accept this,â he said politely.
Ciel butted into the conversation, âTake mine as well.â
Then, as if she had been waiting for this, Ciel pushed her bouquet onto him. She presented it at an angle where the ribbons and the jeweled brooch could be seen clearly from the front.
âPretty, isnât it? I even made this bouquet myself,â Ciel bragged.
âWhatâs with this jewel?â Eugene asked.
âItâs a brooch. Itâs meant to decorate your chest. Would you like to try it on?â
âMaybe later.â As Eugene responded, he glanced at Cielâs attire.
âAnd whatâs with your clothes?â Eugene asked.
â...Hm?â Ciel questioned wordlessly.
âAnd whatâs with that necklace? Since when did you go around wearing necklaces?â Eugene demanded.
Ciel had been prepared for such a question.
âIsnât it pretty?â Ciel asked with a slight tilt of her head.
By doing so, Ciel emphasized the curve from her neck to her shoulders, even as the corners of her mouth curled up in a mischievous smile.
âNope,â Eugene said with a shake of his head.
â...What?â came Cielâs indignant response after a short delay.
âIt doesnât really suit you,â Eugene declared.
How could he say such a rude thing right to a personâs face?
âInstead of such a shiny necklace, I think a different necklace would suit you better,â Eugene elaborated.
Surprise colored Cielâs reaction, âAhâŚ. Oh? Really?â
âYour clothes are certainly pretty,â Eugene complimented. âThis feels like the first time Iâve seen you dress up like this.â
â...Is that right?â Ciel said shyly.
Her heart was shaken by this unexpected turn in the conversation. Ciel smiled softly and brushed her hair back in an elegant gesture.
âDo you remember what you said? You told me to save my thanks for later when I was all better, and youâd be expecting sincere thanks from me?â Ciel reminded him.
Then, so that he could get a good look at her, Ciel spun around on the spot. The subtle perfume she had sprayed on her body was dispersed through the air by her spin and carried over to Eugene.
âSo thank you for saving me,â Ciel said gratefully as she slightly raised the hem of her skirt and bent both her waist and knees.
Without bowing her head down completely, Ciel stared at Eugene with a playful look in her eyes.
âSo, this favor for having saved my life, how exactly should I go about repaying it?â Ciel asked suggestively.
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Instead of answering her question, Eugene commented with a frown, âBut it feels like your thanks isnât all that sincere?â
Ciel was left speechless.
âYour knees should be bent a bit more⌠and your head should be bowed down fully. Wouldnât that be a more sincere thanks?â
âLike Iâve always said, for a younger brother, you really are cheeky towards your older sister.â
Cielâs expression contorted into a scowl as she stood back up. Then she flounced over and plopped down next to Eugene.
âThen how about this? While your body is recovering, Iâll come over to nurse you daily,â Ciel offered.
âI can take care of nursing him,â Mer lifted her head and interjected, only for Ciel to snort and wave a finger at her chidingly.
âHow can you be a nurse when you canât even peel a single fruit properly?â Ciel retorted.
âBeing able to peel a fruit isnât important when it comes to nursing,â Mer protested.
Ciel sniffed, âThen what do you think is important?â
âYou need to change Sir Eugeneâs bandages, wipe the sweat off his body, change his clothes, change his underwear, massage his muscles so that they donât stiffen, and help him with his poo and pee,â Mer listed diligently.
Cielâs lips parted slightly in shock. She turned to look at Eugene in disbelief, even as Eugene turned to look at Mer with the exact same expression.
âAre you crazy?â Eugene scolded her.
âBut isn't that what a nurse does?â Mer argued back.
âWhen did I ever ask you to help me with my poo and pee?â
âIâm prepared to do so at any time.â
âI donât need it!â Eugene roared.
âNow that I think about it, itâs quite strange. Youâve been spending the last two days convalescing in bed, but why havenât you gone to the toilet even once? You havenât sweated either,â Mer pointed out as she blinked and tilted her head to the side.
â...His poo and peeâŚ,â Genia, who had been listening quietly, suddenly murmured. She glanced at Eugene with an uncomfortable expression and admitted, â...I never thought that such words would grace the lips of the people from the main family.â
âHavenât I already resolved this misunderstanding?â Eugene sighed in exasperation. âI have never asked someone to help me poo and pee, and I have never asked them to help me change my clothes either.â
âThen, could you be wearing a diaper?â Genia said with disgust as she took a step back, unconsciously glancing down at Eugeneâs lower body.
Of course, his lower body was covered by a blanket, so nothing could be seen.
Exasperated, Eugene confessed, â...ThatâsâŚ. Iâm dealing with all that by using magic. Iâm also using magic to clean myself, so thatâs why I donât need to change my clothes. Are you satisfied now?â
âEven if thatâs the case, Iâm still ready whenever,â Mer chimed in.
âTurn it down a bit,â Eugene scoffed as he rolled his eyes at Mer for that unnecessary comment. Then he turned to glance at Ciel and Genia, who were still staring at him, to warn them, â...Donât have any strange ideas.â
âIâm not thinking of anything strange,â Ciel said as she leaned back and shook her head. â...Itâs just, well⌠Iâm fine with changing your bandages, but⌠anything more than that is a bit too much.â
âThat goes for me as well,â Genia agreed.
âWhen did I ever ask you to? Stop bothering a sick patient and just leave,â Eugene shot back with a scowl as he gestured to the door with his chin.
At this gesture, the wind responded to Eugeneâs will and popped open the closed door.
âIt hasnât been that long since we arrived, and youâre already asking us to leave?â Ciel complained.
âThe patientâs comfort is paramount,â Eugene stated.
âYouâre saying that being with me isnât comfortable?â
âWhy ask something so obvious?â
âWhy not? Is it a psychological reason? Does my being in the same room as you while dressed up like this stimulate you psychologically?â Ciel asked with excitement.
âIt isnât your clothes that are stimulating; itâs the nonsense that you keep spouting. And do you know what type of stimulation Iâm feeling? Itâs rage. So if you donât like it, then just get lost!â Eugene let out a roar.
At this outburst, Ciel just stuck her tongue out at him and stepped back slightly. However, Genia didnât allow herself to retreat. After hesitating for a few more moments, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace with a whistle hanging on it.
â...If you need any help, please blow this whistle,â Genia said as she hung the necklace around Eugeneâs neck.
Since he wasnât able to properly move his body, it was impossible for him to resist. Eugene glared at the whistle hanging from his neck, then summoned a breeze to lift the whistle to his mouth.
Peeeep!
Seeing Eugene blow this whistle right in front of her, Genia blinked in confusion.
Spitting out the whistle, Eugene continued speaking, âTake Ciel and leave this room immediately.â
âDonât you think youâre being a bit too rude,â Ciel chided.
âYouâre the one who came here for a bedside visit only to make my blood pressure explode!â Eugene roared once more.
âSeeing how loud your voice is, it seems that we donât need to worry about you,â Ciel said with a wide smile as she grabbed Genia by the sleeve and pulled her along. âWell then, letâs head out now and stop disturbing him, big sis.â
â...Big sis?â Genia repeated in surprise.
âYouâre seven years older than me, after all. Could I be making you uncomfortable by calling you big sis?â Ciel asked tentatively.
What should she sayâŚ? There didnât seem to be any hidden meanings behind Cielâs words, and it wasnât unusual to be called that considering their family situation, but⌠Genia still felt subtle displeasure. Of course, she wouldnât take her annoyance out on this young lady of the main family just because of a speck of resentment.
â...Not at all,â Genia eventually allowed.
Turning to Eugene, Ciel instructed, âRest well. Call me if youâre bored or need any help. Also, about going to the toilet, if at all possible, you shouldnât hold it and just go to the bathroom even if you do need assistance.â
Eugeneâs only response was, âGet lost!â
Ciel left the room after showing him a final cheeky smile. While Eugene was still panting in anger, Mer took the bouquets that Eugene had received and moved the flowers into a flower vase.
âStill, it looks like everyone is worried about you, Sir Eugene, and grateful as well,â Mer commented happily.
âI saved them all, so itâs only natural for them to feel that way,â Eugene said complacently.
âDoesnât that make you feel proud or rewarded?â
âJust like itâs natural for them to feel that way, I only did what I was supposed to have done, so why should I feel proud or rewarded?â
Eugene had responded to her question without much thought, but Mer still smiled widely at this answer.
âYou are a good person,â Mer stated confidently.
âDid you think I was a bad person?â Eugene just asked sarcastically.
âWhat I mean is, youâre a much better person than I imagined when reading the fairy tale,â Mer explained.
Eugene just turned to look out the window without saying a word in response to that. Mer sat next to Eugene and resumed peeling the apples while humming a song.
â...Those apples sure are pitiful,â Eugene eventually muttered.
âHuh?â Mer grunted in confusion.
âI didnât say anything,â Eugene denied it.
The apple peels were falling off in uneven shreds.
1. For those confused, itâs a thing in Asian culture where bored people can engage in penalty games, also known in Japanese as âbatsu games.â Basically, you make a bet or play a game such as rock, paper, scissors, and the winner gets to penalize the loser, usually something thatâs painful but not harmful, like a flick to the forehead or, in this case, a two-finger slap on the wrist. â
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