“That’s…”

I hesitated to answer.

I didn’t think I should say that I had been to the basement. I promised not to lie but I’m doing it right away.

I wriggled my hands and wondered about what to do, but Cade was faster.

“Because she’s afraid of sleeping alone.”

……When did I?

I looked at Cade in bewilderment.

If you say that, I’ll turn into a kid scared to sleep alone at night!

“I see. Irene is still afraid of sleeping alone.”

Helena smiled as if she understood right away. I nodded my head shyly.

“She’s scared of sleeping alone……?”

Ian, on the contrary, muttered to himself as if he could never understand.

“If we’re going to eat breakfast together, we’ll have to call Seth and Arban too.”

“I’ve already sent someone. Let’s go straight to the dining hall.” 

So somehow, the whole family got together.

Seth and Arban, who were entering the restaurant together, paused for a moment when they saw me.

“What’s wrong with your clothes? Did you oversleep?”

“No?”

“Then?”

Ugh. If you ask me that, I have to become a scared child who can’t sleep alone again. 

When I awkwardly avoided answering, Helena kindly explained in my place.

“Irene is scared to sleep alone, so she slept with her dad.”

“……Pfff.”

Seth spitting a little of his drinking water was heard and Arban looked at me with a strange face.

“What are you afraid of?”(Arban)

Seth, who was sitting next to him, said.

“She’s afraid to sleep alone.”(Seth)

“…….”(Irene)

“No?”(Seth)

This isn’t it…….

“Ohh, is Miss Irene still afraid of sleeping alone?”

Even Baharn, who was serving food, overheard the conversation.

I shook my head, saying it was absolutely not that. 

“No, I’m not scared at all.” 

“Then why are you only wearing pajamas?”

“Th-that’s…!”

It’s because I went to the basement and got caught! 

The words I wanted to say rose to my throat, but I pressed them down. With tears in my eyes, I looked at Cade, asking him to do something.

He was enjoying the situation.

Resting on his chin and watching us squabble, he shrugged his shoulders.

“She can do that because she’s still a child.”

And just like that, he nailed it once and for all.

“That’s plausible. I hope you have a good meal, then.”

Baharn, who served all the food, went back with a hearty laugh.

I sullenly rolled up the tomato pasta with a fork. The plates were served with pasta to suit each individual’s taste.

Arban, who was taking a big bite of the cheese-topped pasta, covered his mouth as if laughing at me.

“It’s fun eating together. The atmosphere is bright thanks to Irene.”

“Right.”

Ian briefly said. I was so surprised to see him agreeing that I missed the fork from my hand.

Clink.

While I looked at him in a daze, Ian looked at the fork I missed while eating a bite from his plate and with a serious expression he said.

“It’s a problem that the power is weak. You can’t even lift a fork properly. That’s why.”(Ian)

He took a piece of smoked roast duck and held it out to me.

“You should eat.”(Ian)

“……Hiccup.”

“That’s how you are going to grow bigger.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Ian, who hadn’t liked me the whole time since we met at the front of the manor, has changed.

What happened last night?

Ian looked at me carefully as I ate the meat, and this time he began to put crispy fried shrimp on the plate. 

“Eat this too.”

“Yes.”

Starting with that, Ian continued to serve food on my plate.

I can’t eat all of this by myself.

I let out a sigh as I watched the food pile up, and Helena heard it and laughed.

“You must be embarrassed. Probably because of what he heard in the office yesterday.”

“…In the office?”

What did he hear that suddenly changed him like this? He changed overnight and is treating me so well that I can’t get used to it.

While under pressure from the food barrage made by Ian, Helena opened her mouth.

“Come to think of it, isn’t it time for Seth and Arban to molt?”

“That’s right.”

Seth replied yes. I listened to the words I had never heard before.

What is molt?

“Oh, is it already time for that?”(Cade)

“What are you doing not paying attention to the kids?”(Helena)

When Cade reacted as if he had forgotten, Helena nagged at him.

“We almost got in trouble. I can’t believe you forgot such an important thing.”(Helena)

Everyone but me seemed to know what molting was.

I raised my hand and all eyes were focused on me.

“What’s wrong?”

Cade looked at me.

“What is molting?”

“Oh, it must be your first time hearing it. It’s literally peeling off the skin.” 

“……What?”

Peel off what? Skin?

I was taken aback. It was because, for a moment, I imagined something terrifying. Ian shook his head as my complexion turned white.

“She won’t understand when you explain it like that. Simply put, it’s removing everything you don’t need.”

“Something you don’t need? What don’t you need?” 

“……The outer skin.”

After all, it’s the same thing.

I anxiously looked at Seth and Arban. Doesn’t it hurt a lot when you peel the skin?

I think the outer skin refers to the skin.

“It must hurt.”

“It hurts.”

Cade replied.

“Can’t you not do it?”

You don’t have to do it if it hurts you. Why do you even have to prepare for the pain? 

“It’s a must.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the way to become an adult.”

Adult? I opened my eyes wide. Do you mean they’re going to become an adult when they shed the skin?

Then, it seems that what we have been talking about so far is preparation for the two of them to become full-fledged werebeast.

Arban grinned.

“When are you going to grow?”(Arban)

“……I will grow soon.”(Irene)

“Ah, yes, yes.”(Arban)

Arban, who had eaten all the food, drank his drink obnoxiously. As the cup bottomed out, there was a sound of sucking in the air.

“Visit Hestia soon.”(Cade)

“Yes, got it.”

Seth answered.

Adult. The word was floating around in my head.

It’s been half a year since I was born out of an egg. Spring has passed and now it is early summer.

I’m getting taller little by little, but no obvious change is seen. If those two are preparing to become adults, when will I grow up?

Feeling my uneasiness, Helena stroked my hair.

“Don’t be in a hurry. The time will soon come for you too, Irene.”

Instead of answering, I nodded.

“Would you like to change your clothes when you’re done eating? Cade is taking a family picture today.”

  * * *

As soon as breakfast was over, I rushed into my room.

“Rodaria!!”

“Miss Irene, if you rush like that, you’ll fall.”

“That’s not the problem!”

I was in a hurry. I need to get ready and go!

As I stomped my feet in place, Rosaria looked at me curiously. I was out of breath because I came running in a hurry. 

“Speak slowly.”

“Family photo!”

“Did the head of the family say that you were taking a family photo today?”

“Yes!”

“That’s great! I was prepared because he told me in advance.” 

Rosaria opened the closet. Inside, clothes I had never seen before wrapped in plastic, were hung,  It was a one-piece dress that looked formal compared to the clothes worn for everyday life.

When did you prepare this without me knowing?

“Look at this, Miss Irene. It’s so pretty, isn’t it? The mixture of purple and black seems to represent the color of our family, so I prepared this.”

“Wow, it’s really pretty. But do I need only to change clothes?”

“Yes. For the technical part, it’s said that experts were coming for a business trip.”

It seemed that Cade was fully prepared, even calling in people from outside

“A professional photographer is coming, too.”

“Wow, it’s going to look great.”

“I told them in advance to prepare a separate use for the frame.”

Rosaria winked her eye. I covered my mouth because I thought I was going to scream with emotion.

“Rodaria is the best!”

Rosaria smiled broadly as I gave her a thumbs up.

I quickly changed my clothes. The dress strangely matched the color of my hair.

My hair was so white that I was worried that it would stand out, but it was a useless worry.

“Then, shall we go? We’re going to take a family photo in the garden. The weather today is so nice, it’s the perfect place.”

“Let’s do it. If it comes out beautifully, anything is fine.”

With Rosaria, I headed to the garden I watch every day. When I came down to the area, the outsiders were moving in perfect order.

They all seemed to be experts called by Cade.

I found a large camera placed in the middle of the garden. They were taking our photo with that.

My heart was pounding.