Liriet is a Bad Girl

"Execution! Long time no see."

"……."

I was at a loss for words upon seeing the uninvited guest who barged in during what should have been a peaceful, sunny afternoon. Standing beside the beaming intruder, who raised a hand in cheerful greeting, was our precious niece.

How on earth did these two end up coming together? I wished someone would explain the situation.

"She said she was Uncle's acquaintance, so I brought her along. She seemed to have gotten lost during her walk."

As if reading my mind, Liriet fidgeted with her hands and filled me in on what happened.

"I see. Thank you, Jo— Liriet."

"…Tch."

What was that? Did she just click her tongue? No way she'd demand compensation again just for me calling her 'niece,' right? Surely not our sweet Liriet. She must have been annoyed that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I almost called her 'niece' again. I'd have to be more careful from now on.

"Ouch, Senior Brother! Even with a cute niece around, you still have to treat your guest properly."

"Who said you're my senior brother."

"We learned under the same master, so isn't that natural?"

"Has Master ever considered you a disciple?"

"Hmm… Nope!"

I wanted to smack that irritatingly cheerful face right off. His my-pace attitude hadn't changed a bit.

"…Sigh. Fine, long time no see. Chesper. How've you been?"

"Great, of course. My recent research is going smoothly—everything's perfect."

"I heard the Magic Tower made you an offer."

"Yeah. Guess my work caught their eye. I turned it down flat, though."

I figured as much. The guy's way too free-spirited. He could handle his research alone just fine, so the odds of him joining Clovis under the Magic Tower's banner now were slim…

Squeeze.

"…Hm?"

Lost in thought for a moment, I felt something press against my arm and glanced down. Liriet was pouting up at me with a sulky expression.

"U-Uncle. Won't you introduce her to me too?"

"…Pfft."

Oh no. I shouldn't laugh. Liriet might get upset. But she was just too adorable—I couldn't help it.

She was probably sulking because we'd left her out of the conversation.

Liriet has this side to her too.

She usually hung on every word of conversations without missing a beat. Seeing this childish side of her made me oddly proud.

"Sorry about that. This is Ern Chesper, a friend of mine. Like me, he's involved in magic, picking up tricks now and then by peeking over Master's shoulder in his workshop."

As an apology, I stroked Liriet's hair. She let out a cute purr like a cat, rubbing her head gently against my hand.

"So that's why she calls you Senior Brother."

"Something like that. He's not a formal disciple, so it's not quite accurate."

But he clung to the title so persistently that I'd given up correcting him. Even Master, who initially snapped, "Who the hell is your master?!" eventually just sighed, "Do whatever you want," after the guy kept trailing him with that grin.

If he could make that grumpy old man throw in the towel, he was hands-down the biggest weirdo in my circle.

"Anyway, I didn't expect you to come in person. You could've just sent the carriage."

"Knowing your personality, you'd probably send it back empty."

"……."

He nailed it.

"Whatever. Sit down. You're a guest, after all—I'll have some tea brought out."

"'For now' rubs me the wrong way, but thanks for the hospitality."

"Tch."

"You just clicked your tongue!"

I did. So what?

I asked the servants for tea, and soon a neat spread of refreshments arrived in the drawing room. I considered calling the family head, Edmund, but since he wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fully recovered, I decided to handle it myself.

"This tea's delicious. Ahh, after that long carriage ride, I was feeling a bit faint."

"You'll be bedridden for days when you get back."

"Ahaha, probably."

"A weakling like you shouldn't push yourself."

"I can't just stay cooped up in my room forever. Gotta get some fresh air sometimes."

"As long as you don't blow away."

Among the people I knew, he was one of the frailest, right up there with Viola. The difference? Viola had some minor chronic illness but decent stamina overall. Ern, on the other hand, had rock-bottom basics. Rumor had it he barely left his room in the family estate until Liriet's age. Even now, he looked like a walking skeleton. Chopsticks with legs, maybe?

"Uncle, try this cookie. It's not too sweet—you might like it."

"Oh? Thanks. No one like our Liriet."

"Heehee…."

Blushing at the praise, Liriet beamed. I picked up the cookie she'd recommended and took a bite. Pretty good. Red tea flavor? The subtle bitterness suited my taste perfectly.

I sipped some black tea to cleanse my palate and reached for another when—

"Whoa…."

"…What."

The guy across from me let out an ambiguous gasp, like he'd seen a ghost, so I growled reflexively.

"No, just… You can make that face too, Senior Brother? You always had that worldly, book-staring vibe."

"Can't deny that."

"Zero interest in others, and you brought a northern gale wherever you went."

"Don't remember it being that bad."

What, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was I the Duke of the North? I called out the exaggeration, but he shook his head nonchalantly.

"For real. Your eyes were always like this, and you'd only ever say 'Yeah' or 'No' to everything!"

"So what'd you want me to do?"

"No, I mean—why the personality change all of a sudden?"

"Nothing happened. If there's a trigger, it's thanks to our niece here."

"This young lady?"

Ern finally looked at Liriet with real interest. Most kids would blush under that stare, but Liriet met it coolly, almost coldly. Looked like a staring contest.

"Definitely a cute young lady."

"Right?"

"Look at her puffing up. Makes me jealous."

"Say what you want."

I'd shower our niece with affection—what business was it of his? As I tilted my teacup to brush him off gracefully—

"I thought maybe you'd gotten a lover or something."

"What!?"

The table shook at his words. And it wasn't me who caused it.

"…Huh?"

"Liriet?"

It was Liriet, right beside me. She'd slammed the table and shot to her feet, startling me. Thankfully, no tea spilled. Even the unflappable Ern blinked in surprise.

Catching both our gazes, Liriet realized her mistake and sat back down quietly.

"S-Sorry. A bug just flew by…."

Ah, right. She hated bugs, despite her tough image. Anyway, back to the topic.

"A lover? As if."

"Why not? Time for you to snag one, Senior Brother."

"Women aren't fish."

"No one catches your eye? If you're that picky, I could—"

Thud!

"Sorry. Another bug…."

"R-Right. No injuries?"

"I'm fine, Uncle."

Why did bugs keep missing me, sitting right next to her? I'd have scorched it for scaring my niece.

"…Aha?"

"Why the creepy grin?"

"Nothing. Just realizing how much the young lady likes her Senior Brother."

"Of course. Uncle's family—and my benefactor. The most precious person in the world."

Liriet's tone felt a tad chilly, but her words warmed me more. Hearing precious from her lips? And she'd said she loved me recently too. My heart swelled.

Maybe I'd lived just for this moment.

"I see. Hearing that from the young lady makes me feel even worse."

"Worse about what?"

Liriet glanced at Ern with wavering eyes, then peeked at me.

"You'll have to part from Uncle for a while, starting today."

"Hey, that's—"

I'd planned to tell Liriet privately later. About to scold him for butting in—

"I knew it."

"…Liriet?"

"Sorry, Uncle. I already knew. I overheard you talking in your room the other day."

That time? Must've been when I was chatting with Master. The door was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ajar; I'd meant to close it later. Who knew she was there.

"I'm sorry. I should've told you first."

"You're not at fault, Uncle. If anyone's wrong, it's me."

"Nonsense. What could you have done wrong?"

It was my fault for hiding it till the last minute, thinking it'd upset her. As I tried to soothe her unusual guilt—

"No, Uncle. Liriet is a bad girl…."

"…Liriet?"

Clink!

Suddenly, her teacup slipped from her hand. Like a wind-up doll running down, Liriet's body slumped sideways.

Thud.

Before I could process it, she collapsed to the floor.