10 Years Old – Chapter 42: The Circ.u.mstances of Cecil-kun’s Household
TL: Krrizis
Editor: Nahct & Wafflez
「So, because my younger brother is just too adorable, what should I do?」
「Like I’d know!」
Cut off by that exaggerated “do whatever you want” expression on his face, I whined and puffed up my cheeks a little, showing off my dissatisfaction.
I had gone over to visit Cecil-kun and when I started talking about my adorable, adorable little brother, he seemed bothered by it. Even though he’s so adorable ….. As far as others are concerned, it must get tiresome to hear people boasting about their relatives. Well, I’m the same as well, going so far as being uninterested if it was others so it couldn’t be helped…..
But Cecil-kun’s super frank expression wasn’t good. Don’t you think it would be better to just give at least an insincere smile? ….. Well, Cecil-kun rarely laughed in the first place so hoping for a smile was impossible.
「Cecil-kun, you haven’t met Ruby yet, that’s why your words are blunt. But after you’ve seen him, you’ll probably think he’s cute」
「I don’t consider men, among other things, to be cute」
「You’ll understand after you’ve seen him. If it suits you, wouldn’t it be a good idea if you drop by for a visit? Right, Gilles?」
「That’s right」
「Your servant over there isn’t even smiling. Those are definitely not his true feelings」
Gilles, my chaperone, immediately affixed a smile that didn’t go unnoticed by Cecil-kun. Cecil-kun’s cheeks immediately began to twitch.
Why does Gilles hate him so much? ….. It’s not like Cecil-kun was going to lay waste to our house. Since a while back, Gilles seemed to foster a hatred for Cecil-kun, or rather, it feels like he was cautious of him.
Cecil-kun himself seemed to have trouble dealing with Gilles. That was probably Gilles’s fault.
However, even thought it was pointed out to him, he wouldn’t let go of his blank smile. Although his lips were smiling, his eyes told another story. They may be formed in an arc, but there was nothing happy about them.
「….. Gilles, you shouldn’t make such a face to Cecil-kun」
「I’m sorry. No matter how hard I try, my face just ends up this way」
「I don’t intend to take any more abuse from this fellow. I don’t intend to take any from you」
Being drawn to Cecil-kun’s feelings, Gilles snapped and blinked his eyes. He unexpectedly looked at Cecil-kun. When his expression changed to one that wasn’t convinced, Cecil-kun — feeling extremely bothered — brushed up his silver hair and let out a sigh.
Cecil-kun was a really beautiful person. However, because of the stern expression in his eyes he always had an unapproachable air about him. Even now, that feeling didn’t change; however, there was another disgusting looking hue to it.
「….. If you’re that worried, wouldn’t it be better to just attach a collar and put her in a cage?」
「You, don’t say such disturbing things」
I had already been confined to my home till I was seven. Please give me a break, I don’t want to be locked up again. At the very least stay with me together at all times.
….. Nothing had changed much. Although we were apart wh
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en I slept, in the bathroom, or taking a bath, Gilles was always by my side. It was not like we were physically in range of each other, but we were mostly in the same room together. Well, there were moments when we were apart, but that was within the estate.
「In the first place, I don’t see her in that light. That’s impossible」
「I have a feeling you’ve just said something rude」
「I’ll say it once again, I don’t intend to take any more abuse from you and, much less, unthinkably s.n.a.t.c.h away your precious ojou-sama. Even if you’re being cautious, there’s no meaning to it」
Cecil-kun shrugged his shoulders and let out a huge sigh, sending Gilles a meaningful glance. I don’t quite understand what’s going on, but Gilles sent a scrutinizing gaze at Cecil-kun.
Following their exchange, both of them stared at each other in silence for a while until Gilles broke it off by letting out a long sigh. Those emerald eyes no longer held the strong animosity as they did earlier.
「….. Let’s leave that matter aside」
「Please do」
Somehow worn out, Cecil-kun nodded his head. Although Gilles’s expression seemed mixed, his flagrant rejection towards Cecil-kun vanished.
….. Gilles treated me fairly well, but was….. there a different meaning to why he was cautious of Cecil-kun? Well, it was not like I want to become best friends with Cecil-kun though.
「So, what about my younger brother?」
「Are you still going on about it!?」
「But~~ If Cecil-kun comes over for a visit, Ruby would be happy too. Since his body is weak, he can’t go out」
Won’t you come over to play~~ And when I gave him a fleeting sidelong glance, Cecil-kun moved away as his face stiffened. Was that a little too forceful?
But it was true that I wanted him to drop by. I’ve heard that Cecil-kun had been confined in the Magic Inst.i.tution and had always been there. Living separately on his own and also with him being ostracized by his own parents, I was reminded of Cecil-kun’s self-depreciative smile.
….. I wanted him to understand my younger brother’s cuteness, but I also wanted him to know the warmth of a family.
「….. Ah, won’t it be resolved if Cecil-kun gets adopted by us?」
「Oi! I don’t know how you came to that conclusion in your head, but stop it. Stop stirring things up」
This time, I understood it clearly from his annoyed face. Given that he had bluntly refused, was it no good? ….. I lowered my eyes. By the way, I didn’t receive Gilles’s positive smiling face and got a warped face instead. Why is he giving such a negative aura?
「Gilles, I only thought that it would be good if Cecil-kun becomes my older brother」
「….. Why are you thinking of such things?」
「Because Cecil-kun looks lonely?」
「HUH?」
「I mean, Cecil-kun, won’t you be alone if I’m not around? Won’t you be lonely?」
Although his att.i.tude had become a lot gentler than what it was before, it didn’t appear like he came into contact with Caldina-san and the others on his own. Even if I behaved irritatingly, I’m still keeping him company.
I think being alone is lonely and sad. I don’t know what Cecil-kun himself thinks of it, but, I don’t think it’s a good thing to get used to being alone. It was because he didn’t have anyone to depend on.
「….. It’s not like I’ll be lonely, you’re also persistently coming over here after all」
「You didn’t have to make it sound like it was troublesome」
「Besides ….. That guy won’t allow my adoption」
That guy? And looking at how puzzled I was, Cecil-kun — with an unpleasant expression — began to slowly open his mouth ….. and clicked his tongue. His dejected figure, that appeared to be colored with a dark expression, looked distinctly at me who was by his side.
Those suffering eyes looked behind me for a moment before slightly turning away. It just so happens that in that instant, I followed his gaze and turned around. When I looked behind me, I s.h.i.+vered and felt a pain at the back of my neck where slight traces of sorcery could be found.
In my sight was a figure that was slightly older than when I saw him in my childhood — Abbot Georg.
With cold disdain, the Abbot glanced at me, Cecil-kun, and then Gilles in that order. Afterwards, he threw a glance at Cecil-kun as though he was a pebble on the roadside, a worthless object.
Cecil-kun bit his lips and hung his head. Enduring the heavy psychological pressure, he appeared bitter.
The amount of time Abbot Georg observed us didn’t even amount to ten seconds. Abruptly, he dropped his line of sight and, as though he had lost interest, left. It was then when the figure of the Abbot had vanished that I was finally able to breathe again.
We’ve only met once, but compared to the gaze he looked at me with back then, the hostility emitted by his eyes was more intense. And for some reason, it was also directed at Cecil-kun. For Cecil-kun, that look carried a different meaning.
「….. d.a.m.n. Why does that guy have to be here」
Dishevelling his fine silver hair, Cecil-kun muttered annoyingly.
「….. Are you acquainted with ….. Abbot Georg?」
「Hah, we’re not acquaintances because, to that guy, I’m an unacceptable existence」
Without knowing why Cecil-kun was spitting out such harsh words, I didn’t know what else to do and looked towards Gilles….. And that was when I noticed the stiff expression on Gilles’s face.
Even now, his disgusted eyes stared at the area where the Abbot had been. Then, turning towards Gilles, Cecil-kun gave him a jeering look.
「If it’s you, you should understand as the former member of the Sévéne household」
「….. Mm」
「….. What’s….. going on？」
「Oh, don’t you know? I’m Cecil Steinbert ….. I’m that d.a.m.n old geezer’s grandson」
I blinked at the truth that was suddenly revealed to me and examined Cecil-kun with a stare.
….. Cecil-kun was Abbot Georg’s grandson. In other words, he was the grandson of Duke Steinbert.
「You’re a child from a reasonably good parentage…..」
「We once had royal blood in our bodies. That said, aren’t you the same as well?」
「We are of a lower rank than a duke’s ….. Well actually, now that you mentioned it, what’s your relation to Gilles?」
「Your father’s probably worried about you so he didn’t inform you, but the Sévéne house serves the Steinbert household ….. In other words, they’re like puppets」
「So you’re saying that poorly attempted a.s.sa.s.sination was planned by your household ….. Is that what it is?」
「Indeed」
Towards that seemingly and extremely complicated answer that Cecil-kun gave, I looked at Gilles not knowing what to do. Gilles had a gloomy expression.
「….. My apologies. This is why I do not hold any good will towards this boy. I feel that he will probably bring harm to Liz-sama」
「On the contrary, Welf knows that I’ve been ostracized by that household, but then again, I had spurred you. If things went well, we would become close and he might be able to obtain information from me」
「….. I feel troubled because this is all too shocking」
What is with all this unknown information warfare and the exchanges between the relations.h.i.+p of n.o.bles? It was not like Father also had me stay together with Cecil-kun in his room so that I would stir up a fight with him. No, I was the one who had wilfully done so myself.
Seeing how speechless I was at how everything was connected, Cecil-kun vigorously clicked his tongue in disdain.
「About the a.s.sa.s.sination, I only knew about it much later so we have no hand in it. That’s as much as I can affirm」
「That doesn’t really worry me at all ….. But if Cecil-kun also picked up that same att.i.tude as your grandfather’s—」
「I don’t acknowledge their existence, so just leave it be. Just because my magic powers went out of control and I’m weird, I was treated like an unwanted human being. Hence why I was put into the custody of the Magic Inst.i.tution」
Was this the reason why he was alone? Even if he was a member of a duke’s household, he was an unacknowledged child. That was why the people around him didn’t get too close to him and Cecil-kun, himself, rejected them.
「….. But you can already use sorcery normally, right Cecil-kun?」
「I guess, but I’m concealing it. However, with me a.s.sociating with you, my father may think I am of value to him」
「Please don’t try to kill me, Cecil-kun」
「Who’s going to! Is there even a guy who would go so far as to kill a person that became his companion?」
That immediate denial made me warmly smile. It sounds like Cecil-kun has greatly softened up to me. I believe he recognized me as a friend.
Gilles being Gilles looked at Cecil-kun suspiciously, but that look had softened just a little. Perhaps the look that the Abbot gave earlier became a factor that increased the credibility of Cecil-kun’s statement. At a glance, you could tell that both of them didn’t like each other, both Cecil-kun and Abbot Georg.
Nevertheless, I’m in quite a dangerous position. The Abbot’s faction (?) regards me as a nuisance. What should I do if danger comes again?
With a sigh, I went over to Gilles’s side and tightly clung onto his arm. When push comes to shove, I’ll repel them together with Gilles. Yup, that’s what I’ll do.