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"Honestly, Federico-nii-sama, you should be a little more expressive."
"S-Sorry..."
Federico-nii-sama and Father are just alike, aren't they? Hmm?
Why doesn't anyone in my family say what they really mean?
"Federico-nii-sama, do you know what communication is?"
"............I'm ashamed."
"Fufu! Federico is getting scolded by his younger brother...!"
For some reason, Bernardo-san... oh, whatever. Since Bertrand-nii-sama is confusing, let's call him Ludo-san like Federico-nii-sama.
Ludo-san kept chuckling.
"Um, Raimond..."
"What is it?"
"If... if it's okay with you, would you... perhaps be my conversation partner sometimes? You get along well with Giancarlo and Giovanni, right?"
Perhaps he was embarrassed to ask his younger brother, Federico-nii-sama's ears were slightly red.
And yet, sadly, his facial muscles continued to produce only that grumpy expression.
It was almost pathetic.
"Yeah. Well, if I'm good enough, I'll keep you company for tea."
"Really...!"
The wrinkles between Federico-nii-sama's eyebrows loosened a bit.
To be specific, the three wrinkles etched between his eyebrows were reduced to about two.
"Fufu. Good for you, Federico. You've been worrying about Lord Raimond all along, haven't you?"
"............Shut up, Ludo. Don't say unnecessary things."
"I actually want to know those things."
"See? Lord Raimond is saying it too?"
Ludo-san, despite his gentle demeanor, seemed to like teasing Federico-nii-sama, which didn't match his appearance.
I wish he would stop.
"............I'll send you a letter with the date and time of the tea party later. You should go back to your room now. Ludo. See him off."
"Yes, yes. I got it. Then, Lord Raimond, shall we go?"
"Yes. Please, Ludo-san."
"Oh. I'm a little happy to be called by that name by Lord Raimond too."
"It'll be confusing with Bertrand-nii-sama, so. You can call me Rai, Ludo-san."
"Then I won't hold back and call you Rai-sama."
As we were having that conversation, Federico-nii-sama started to fidget.
What's wrong? Say it!
"............Federico-nii-sama? What's wrong?"
"Ah!............S-So... Could I, call you Rai, too?"
If it were the words of a handsome young man like Gian-nii-sama or John-nii-sama, I would have been healed, but being asked that by Federico-nii-sama, who was already a grown adult, just made me want to tell him to say it clearly.
Somehow, I felt a strange parental love towards Federico-nii-sama.
I wanted to pat his behind and tell him to get a grip.
It was like, "I have to do something to help him!"
But he's not at an age where I can pamper him, so I want to pat his behind.
However, I suppressed that and smiled sweetly.
"Yes. Of course, you can, Federico-nii-sama."
His frown lines thinned out a little again, and I thought it was a little cute.
Anyway, I told them that I was sorry for stopping Federico-nii-sama from his work, who was single-handedly taking on the duties while Father was flirting with Mother, and that I would excuse myself now. It felt like I saw ears that shouldn't be there on Federico-nii-sama's head.
"I-Is that so...........Then, Rai..."
He was probably trying to look dejected, but his eyebrows were still furrowed.
"Yes, what is it?"
"............"
"................"
"........................"
"............Ah, geez! Please say it clearly!"
I was going to wait for Federico-nii-sama to say something, but the silence had gone on for too long, so I blurted that out.
"S-Sorry. Well, have a good day. Rai.........I'm looking forward to, the tea party............"
With those words, he gently patted my head once.
Perhaps he was very nervous, because Federico-nii-sama's hand was very cold, and the fingertips that barely touched my skin felt strangely cold.
"Giancarlo-sama cried terribly when it was his turn."
I understood those words of Ludo-san, who had quietly told me.
Federico-nii-sama probably had a dislike for small children in particular.
Or rather, he likes them, but he's afraid of scaring them, so he can't get close. But even so, he wants to touch them because he loves them. It's like that.
"Yes. Thank you. You have a good day too, Federico-nii-sama. I'll be waiting for the letter, okay?"
It was the first time we had a proper conversation, but even so, Federico-nii-sama was definitely family, connected to me by blood.
Wouldn't it be okay to love such a brother?
Hmm. When I spread my arms wide and begged for a hug, Federico-nii-sama's eyes widened and he froze in surprise.
"We're family, so it's okay to hug, right?"
"............Ah."
I couldn't see much because he bent down and hugged me, but if I wasn't mistaken, Federico-nii-sama had definitely been smiling happily right before he hugged me.
"Come again, Rai."
"............Yes. Federico-nii-sama."
I kind of wanted a photo, didn't I!
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