Estio was startled and pulled his head back.
Miracle's pure, sparkling purple eyes seemed to sting for some reason, and he subtly averted his gaze.
"Brother, did you cry?"
"Cry? Who?"
"But your eyes are red? Emily said people who cry show it."
"Miracle, it's not like that-"
"Why? Who bullied you, brother? Just tell me! I'll teach them a lesson!"
"......"
It was impossible to have a conversation.
Estio, completely drained of energy, slumped down.
And he looked at Miracle, who was bouncing to sit next to him, with weary eyes.
"Haa......"
He sighed deeply and lifted Miracle up to sit next to him.
"Wow, big brother, you're strong!"
"You're just small and light. Anyone can do this much."
"But to me, big brother is the strongest in the world?"
"......You have Father too."
"Ah!"
Miracle's eyes widened as if she hadn't thought of that.
Then she fell into her own thoughts.
Estio smiled weakly as he looked at Miracle.
"Oh, brother smiled! Hehe."
Then Miracle smiled brightly too.
Her appearance was like the sunlight scattered across the world in spring.
Warm, lovely, and dazzling.
Miracle was always like this.
Innocent and cheerful, making everyone laugh with her unique bright personality.
That's probably why Father loves her the most.
He felt a little envious but never showed it.
Instead, he silently stroked Miracle's hair.
"But brother, why were you crying?"
Miracle was persistent.
"I told you, I wasn't crying."
"Liar."
"......"
"Are you embarrassed? It's okay. Emily said it's natural to cry when you're sad!"
"......"
"Who made you sad, brother? I'll teach them a lesson."
Miracle clenched her fist.
Who would she teach a lesson with those fluffy little hands?
Estio chuckled softly and then pressed his lips together.
For a brief moment, the thought crossed his mind that perhaps this child could comfort him.
After struggling, Estio.
"Actually......"
He revealed his resentment towards his father, something he had never shown to anyone, to his youngest sister.
"......So a few tears welled up. I wasn't crying......"
Now that he had revealed everything, it didn't matter whether he was crying or not.
That was Estio's last bit of pride.
Then Miracle turned to Estio and said.
"Brother, that's a misunderstanding."
"Hmm?"
"Father loves you."
Estio still vividly remembers that moment.
The moment the setting sun's light seeped into Miracle's eyes, dyeing them a mysterious color.
"Because he didn't abandon you even though you're not his biological child."
"......What? What are you...... What are you talking about? Not his biological child?"
What am I hearing right now?
At that moment, Estio was shocked as if he had been hit in the back of the head.
Even though he knew that the words of a mere 4-year-old little sister weren't worth listening to......
"Brother, didn't you know? Hehe, you're such an idiot."
Miracle, who had casually uttered such shocking words, smiled brightly.
"Who, who said that?"
He judged that there was someone spreading strange rumors within the family.
He had to find that person.
"Who is it!"
But Estio also knew.
That Estio was feeling fear at Miracle's words.
It felt like a secret that should never be revealed had been exposed.
"Miracle, answer me!"
Perhaps he instinctively knew it.
That he was different from Bansis and Miracle.
"O, brother, you're scaring me...... Hwaaa."
Unable to withstand the pressure, Miracle burst into tears instead of answering.
Estio felt his mind go blank.
Where could such a rumor be coming from without him knowing?
If this rumor were to spread uncontrollably, then he would really be......
"I might be abandoned."
An immeasurable fear washed over him.
So he had to find the source of the rumor and eliminate it.
"Hwaaa!"
Miracle just kept crying.
"Miracle, please...... Stop crying......"
"Young lady! Are you there? Oh my!"
At a perfect timing, a maid appeared.
She widened her eyes in shock when she saw Miracle crying and Estio holding her shoulders and shaking her.
"Y, young master, what are you doing......"
Estio could no longer interrogate Miracle in front of the maid.
Instead of explaining, Estio stormed out of there.
At the same time, he tried to erase Miracle's words from his mind.
It's just a rumor, no one will listen to it...... He tried to shake it off thinking that, but.
"Young master, do you have any worries? You can't concentrate on your lessons at all."
"......I'm sorry."
"Young master, the trajectory of your sword is faltering. Your posture is also unstable...... You don't look well. Didn't you sleep well?"
"......I'm sorry."
"Young master, you answered incorrectly. This is a very easy question, how could you get this wrong......"
"......I'm sorry."
Young master, young master, young master......
From that day on, Estio's daily life completely crumbled.
It was a series of mistakes, and the trust was breaking down on the faces of the instructors.
"Young Master Estio's attitude in class is a mess."
In the end, the news reached the Duke's ears.
Estio also heard about it.
Ironically, Estio felt excitement rather than fear at that moment.
He must be disappointed in me this time.
Then will he call me and scold me now?
Saying he's disappointed, asking if something's wrong.
"Then I'll tell him. That I was shaken by hearing strange things. That I'm okay now. That I'll be careful in the future."
He carefully prepared the words he would choose to answer and waited for the summons.
But a day passed, two days passed, three days passed, and no summons came from the Duke.
He wondered if he hadn't received the report properly, so he checked.
"I'm sorry, young master. I directly reported to His Excellency that your attitude in class has been poor recently. If I didn't do that, it would affect your attitude in the future......"
He couldn't hear anything else the instructor was saying.
When he came to his senses, Estio had already run to the Duke's office in a daze.
The huge door blocking his path.
Estio stared blankly and swallowed hard before raising his hand.
Knock knock.
"......Father, it's Estio."
"Come in."
The returning voice was the same as usual.
A voice without highs and lows, without a shred of emotion.
Estio slowly opened the door and went inside.
Every time he passed through the door without magic, Estio felt the Rodbell blood flowing through his body.
He felt a great pride in being a direct descendant of Rodbell, and he vowed to become a person who could honor that name every moment.
But now, somehow...... It felt like he was stepping into a place he shouldn't be.
Suppressing the urge to turn around and run away, he approached the Duke.
"......Father, there's something I want to ask you."
To suppress the urge, Estio went straight ahead without hesitation.
Forgetting even the manners and formalities he had been perfectly observing all along.
"What is it?"
The Duke asked.
Without even looking up, carelessly skimming through the documents with an indifferent expression.
That solid and perfect appearance, as if he wouldn't be shaken even if he collapsed on the spot, fueled the anxiety in Estio's heart.
That fire burned brightly and rose to his throat.
"Am I, am I your biological child?"
In the end, Estio couldn't bear the heat and blurted it out.
But as the heat slowly subsided, he gradually regained his reason.
"......!"
What did I just do?
How much disrespect did I just commit?
The thought that the efforts he had made to gain his father's recognition could be ruined in this short moment made his eyes darken.
Estio hurriedly lowered his head.
He was about to apologize, to say that he was sorry and that something like this would never happen again......
"......Did you say?"
"Yes?"
Estio raised his head at the low voice.
And he saw.
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