Chapter 71 (1/2)

71

When Charles visits, Michelie is put into a bad mood as usual.

Now that I think about it, it was the same with the hair yesterday. And now that she’s all tense before Charles visits, she’s sure to say or do something weird again. There are no other situations in which my adorable sister behaves this erratically.

“Alright, I’m going to welcome Charles now……”

“That’s fiiine. Go aheaaad?”

She tells me to go ahead, but on my way to the front entrance with one of the maids to welcome Charles, I run into Michelie who begins clinging tightly onto my sleeve.

She’s looking at me sullenly.

She’s cute.

“……Ahem!”

The maid accompanying me sighs and comes back.

This won’t do. I’m being mesmerized by Michelie. At this rate, I’ll become her prisoner, unable to welcome Charles. I’m impressed by my sister. She’s so adorable even with such a sullen face. I could even say she’s being seductive.

While I can’t bear to shake her off by force, I still have an obligation to greet Charles as his fiancée. The maid is staring at me with increasing intensity as well, so I have no choice but to move forward.

“Um, Michelie……”

“What?”

“Shall we greet Charles together?”

“Ab-so-lute-ly not.”

It’s such a decisive response that I’m at a loss, and I can sense the maid getting angry now. How dare she show her rage in front of her master.

But Michelie is my top priority right now.

The fact that she’s stopping me right now is proof that she’s still attached to me. Even though she’s taking her first steps to becoming independent, she’s not even ten years old yet. It’s natural for her to want to keep me at her side. I’m happy and proud of her.

But Michelie and Charles aren’t on the worst of terms. Sometimes when all three of us are playing together, I feel so impressed by her that I find myself holding my breath. Right now, she must be feeling emotionally complicated. I can’t very well shake her off like this. It will have a negative impact on her growth.

I wonder what to do. I’m seriously considering the option of carrying her like a princess and greeting Charles like that, but I wonder if my stamina can last that long.

Perhaps having run out of patience, the maid stretches out her hand toward Michelie’s fist.

“Lady Michelie.”

“……What?”

The maid softly wraps her hand around Michelie’s clenched hand.

I think she has the intention of persuading her, but she’s overstepping her boundaries a little too much for a maid. She’s probably being influenced by her personal feelings for Oxe.

“Lady Christina is most certainly not trying to ignore you, Lady Michelie. After all, she has a sister c-…… you are the entire world to her. I can see that even from the side lines.”

“No wait, what were you about to say?”

“So please try to understand as well. I am sure Lady Christina knows herself better than I do. If you trust her, then please let her go.

“Hey, I asked you what you were about to say.”

I try to pursue her slight slip of the tongue, but she seems to have grown bold since the beginning of her employment, and completely ignores me. Instead, she crouches and looks at Michelie closely.

“Is it all right?”

“……Hmm. Okay.”

While I’m glad she finally convinced Michelie to let go, I’m not so sure that her motives are based on her desire to see Oxe.

In any case, it seems that Michelie has come to terms with her own feelings. She gives me the world’s cutest, unclouded smile.

“Okay, big sister. See you later. ……I’ll go and play with you later, okay?

“Yeah. That’s fine……”

“Very well. I shall take my leave. Let us go, milady.”