Who Are You Looking for Our Uncle?
“Who are you looking for our uncle?”
“Hm-hm-hmm~.”
A cheerful tune spilled from Liriet’s lips. She was in an exceptionally good mood today. She’d been so worried lately about her uncle, but spending the entire day with him yesterday had eased her anxieties, if only a little.
Guess it was all just my misunderstanding after all.
There’s no way my kind uncle would leave me behind.
That conversation she’d overheard must have been some kind of mistake.
No. It’s still too soon to relax. You never know.
But the relief was short-lived. Recalling that clear conversation between Baal and someone else brought the worry surging back like a tide. Relief, worry. Relief again, then worry. Her emotions swung back and forth by the minute, like dipping between cold and hot baths.
“...What the heck have you been doing just now?”
Only then did she belatedly notice someone watching her.
The morning training session had proceeded as usual today. Her sparring partner, Abel, had ended up sprawled unceremoniously on the ground again, but he finally dragged himself up and stared at her like she was some freak show.
And who could blame him? To Abel, it just looked like Liriet was manic or something—grinning one moment, then pouting the next, over and over.
“Oh, nothing at all, Brother.”
“As someone who just watched your face do all that, ‘nothing’ sounds pretty scary.”
“Hee-hee...”
Liriet scratched her head sheepishly. She used to keep her inner turmoil completely hidden, no matter what. But ever since living with Baal, her emotions had become a lot more expressive.
“Something going on?”
“Just a tiny bit.”
“Something to do with Uncle, I’m guessing.”
“H-How did you...!?”
Mind reading? Abel, who’d never had a shred of intuition before, had nailed her inner thoughts on the first try. Liriet’s eyes went wide.
“The whole family could bully you and you wouldn’t bat an eye, but now you’re sighing like the world’s ended? Only one reason for that.”
And? Abel prompted, prodding further.
“Did something bad happen to Uncle?”
“It’s not that serious. Just my own silly worries...”
“That’s why I’m asking why you’re worrying. Maybe I can help.”
Not that I trust you or anything, Abel added inwardly with a wry smile.
No way she’d trust words from this so-called brother who’d only recently hurled abuse and violence at her one-sidedly. Still, since this was his first real shot at acting like a brother, she listened.
Liriet hesitated a moment before cautiously speaking up.
“I’ve been thinking... maybe Uncle’s planning to leave the mansion.”
“Uncle? Does he have some urgent business?”
“I don’t really know. But the other day, I went to his room and accidentally overheard him talking to someone through the door crack.”
“Hmm.”
Abel rubbed his chin and shifted into a cross-legged position. He could tell this was going to be a longer talk.
“Uncle did leave the family right after becoming an adult, remember? Doesn’t seem that weird.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it’s weird exactly. It’s just that...”
“...You don’t want to say goodbye?”
“It’s embarrassing, but... yeah.”
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. Totally normal.”
As Liriet nodded with flushed cheeks, Abel backed her up. No matter how mature she acted, she was still just a ten-year-old girl. And now she finally had someone truly precious in her life for the first time. If that person up and left without warning? Anyone would feel that way.
“You don’t know how long he’ll be gone?”
“No, he didn’t say. I only caught a snippet...”
“What do you want to do?”
“What do I...?”
Liriet tilted her head, genuinely puzzled by his intent for once.
“Straight up. Do you not want to let him go? Or are you okay waving him off with a smile and waiting for his return? That’s what I’m asking.”
“...You won’t be disgusted if I’m honest?”
“Pfft.”
Abel let out a disbelieving laugh this time. Who was in a position to judge whom?
“You’ve put up with a piece of trash like me as your brother, and now you think I’d judge you? Heaven’d strike me down and wipe out my whole clan.”
“Wouldn’t that kill our whole family...?”
“Whoops.”
That wouldn’t do. He couldn’t let his worthless self as a son and brother drag down his innocent parents and sister. Abel hurriedly backpedaled, claiming he’d take the divine punishment solo.
Watching him fluster made Liriet giggle softly. The tension eased a bit.
“Honestly, I don’t want Uncle to leave. No matter the reason.”
“Then just hold him back.”
“As if that’d work. Uncle’s the one who saved me and our family. Telling him to stay would be like pulling him from the water just to demand his luggage.”
In other words, it’d prick her conscience. And though she didn’t tell Abel, that wasn’t even the main reason.
I don’t want Uncle to hate me.
At least, he saw her as a good girl. He always said so, like a habit. Our Liriet’s so good it’s almost too much.
Objectively, she was a good kid. For a ten-year-old, some might call her expressions extreme, but she was so good-hearted she could even be called a pushover.
But lately, Liriet had realized something. She wasn’t a good kid—she’d just been an ignorant one.
Ignorant of money’s value, so no greed. Ignorant of honor’s weight, so no ambition. With nothing to her name, no possessiveness.
That was how it had been. Until she reunited with Baal Argent.
If I try to hold him with my selfishness, he’ll definitely be disillusioned with me.
Of course, he’d always been kind and gentle to her. But that’s exactly why it scared her. The thought that his sharp gaze might turn on her. That her petty heart, trying to exploit his generosity, might be exposed.
I get the gist, Abel thought, piecing together her true feelings. And with that, he came up with advice suited to her.
He wasn’t a good kid like her. He was well-versed in tricks and lies. He knew bad kids’ schemes better than anyone. And sometimes, he could play the good kid on the outside while plotting like a bad one within.
“Alright, I get how you feel. How about this?”
“Got some clever plan?”
“Not clever. Pretty shallow trick, actually. Pros see through it quick.”
He’d tried it himself and gotten caught by Cassdia more than once, earning a beating. But that was because she knew he was good at lying. Liriet was different. She’d barely lied her whole life, so her lies carried more trust than truth.
“Fake an illness.”
“...A fake illness?”
“Yep.”
Liriet blinked at the bombshell after all the buildup. For his slow-on-the-uptake sister, Abel adjusted his posture and explained in detail.
“I skipped sword lessons four times with this. Got busted by Mom on the fifth, but you’re a newbie, so you’ll pull it off.”
“B-But isn’t that lying?”
“Lies aren’t always bad. Kids our age get a pass—it’s cute.”
“......”
It was brazen, but weirdly convincing.
“Besides, how could he leave if his adorable niece is sick? Uncle’ll stick around at least till you’re better.”
“But it doesn’t solve the root problem.”
“You know the root fix but won’t use it, and now you’re picky? Talk about having your cake and eating it.”
Sharp point. Liriet wondered if this was really the same dumb brother.
“Whatever, if your conscience won’t let you, skip it. Just throwing out a desperate idea.”
“Thanks, Brother. But...”
I couldn’t bear to deceive Uncle like that.
The words stuck in her throat and sank back down. She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t say it. Probably no big reason, she figured preemptively.
“Already heading out? We barely did five rounds.”
“I wanna see Uncle real quick.”
“Can’t argue with that. I’ll clean up—go on.”
“Okay.”
Liriet grabbed her wooden sword and left the training grounds. Fake illness. A piss-poor fix that would’ve vanished from her mind without a second thought before. Yet now, the word kept circling.
***
She’d said she was going to see Baal, but first, Liriet decided to take a walk to calm her mind. Early summer had settled over the mansion grounds; flowers bloomed vibrantly not just in the garden, but along roadside beds and stone paths.
Does Uncle like flowers?
Maybe he’d be happy if she picked a few to give him. The thought flickered, then she dismissed it. Not because she thought he’d hate it, but because she didn’t want to seem like a bad kid recklessly snapping stems.
Lately, every action of hers revolved around Baal. If it’d make him happy, she did it. If not, she didn’t. She wasn’t exaggerating when she said he filled her thoughts all day.
Feels like my head’s clearing a bit.
Basking in the warm sun as she strolled, the chaos in her mind seemed to settle. Deciding that was enough, she turned back toward the mansion—
“Excuse me, little lady there.”
“Yes?”
Her head snapped sideways at the unfamiliar voice.
“Wow...”
The moment she spotted its owner, a soft gasp escaped Liriet’s lips.
Neatly groomed brown hair falling just past the shoulders. A straight nose and slender face. Deep black eyes. A strikingly beautiful woman stood there.
Though she had almost no feminine curves to speak of. But to a ten-year-old like Liriet, that hardly mattered.
She’s pretty.
That’s all she thought. Along with a twinge of curiosity about who she was.
“Sorry. I refused the guide because I wanted to walk alone, and now I’m lost. Are you a lady of House Argent, by chance?”
“Oh, yes...! I’m Liriet Argent. If it’s not rude, may I ask who you are?”
“Sorry for the late intro. I’m Ern Chesper.”
She smiled brightly as she gave her name—charming even to a child like Liriet. Her voice was a touch low and husky for a woman, which was intriguing. But even that felt like its own allure.
“Lady Chesper, then. I can guide you. Who are you looking for?”
Visitors to their house usually had appointments, so Liriet assumed the same and asked.
But Ern burst into laughter for some reason. A mischievous, playful chuckle.
“Pfft, thanks. Actually, I came to fetch Baal Argent.”
“......Pardon?”
Liriet had no time to puzzle over the laugh. Her mind froze at Ern’s next words.
Fetch Uncle? Take him away?
The one thing she hadn’t wanted to hear. That sticky dread she’d been suppressing with all her might welled up again, crawling from her chest to her throat.
By the time Liriet realized what that feeling was, her gaze on Ern had already sharpened.
“If I may ask... what’s your relationship to Uncle?”
“Let’s just say we’re quite close.”
Ern touched her cheek with a finger, smiling playfully with that ambiguous phrasing.
“...I see. Follow me, then.”
Liriet turned with a curt tone. Still unaware that the sticky, unpleasant emotion in her chest was what others might call hostility—or jealousy.