Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Reiden Sidrat
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What was happening?
As Lucillea looked at Serdian, he asked.
“We meet again? Have you already run into each other?”
Lucillea nodded with a bewildered expression.
“Yes, I ran into him last night while leaving the glass garden.”
“Last night?”
“With Marquis Sidrat.”
Ah… Serdian nodded.
After a brief explanation, Lucillea and Reiden formally introduced themselves to each other.
“So you really were chosen by the Elite Corps?”
As Reiden smiled brightly, Cookie muttered.
[They say a man is only as good as his face. Don’t fall for it, Lucy!]
‘Don’t worry. I told you yesterday. He’s not my type.’
[And yet you were staring.]
‘Now, now, Cookie. It’s like appreciating a work of art. You can drool a little over a beautiful statue, can’t you? But you don’t dream of a future with that statue or feel your heart flutter when you think of it.’
Reiden continued to speak to Lucillea.
“Would it be rude to ask what kind of special ability you have?”
Well, it wasn’t *that* rude.
“Mana.”
For some reason, Reiden’s face lit up even more.
“I have mana too.”
At his words, Lucillea’s eyes widened.
“Mana?”
“Yes. My family comes from a long line of mages.”
Ooh. That was new information.
‘I thought they’d be a family related to divine power, since they sponsored Cynthia.’
Come to think of it, it was strange.
Mages and the temple had never been on good terms.
No, the temple of the Seraphium Empire didn’t acknowledge any special abilities other than divine power in the first place.
This was because they considered any power not bestowed by the gods to be dangerous and wicked.
‘You could call them an incredibly arrogant and narrow-minded group.’
Perhaps because she also possessed mana, Lucillea felt no goodwill toward such a temple.
‘In any case, the Sidrat family, a family of mages, is sponsoring a child who will become a saint. That’s the gist of it.’
It might be a plot device to bring the second male lead, Reiden, and Cynthia together.
‘He’s a pretty dangerous competitor, isn’t he?’
Now that the beginning of the original story had been twisted, there was no guarantee Reiden would remain the eternal second male lead.
‘Especially with that friendly, kind personality and that radiant appearance.’
Lucillea glanced at Serdian.
Serdian had brought a book to the dining hall and was reading.
He looked as if he had no interest whatsoever in the conversation between Lucillea and Reiden.
‘Serdian will also meet Cynthia someday.’
What if he’s still that blunt, indifferent jerk then?
Lucillea looked at Serdian and made a firm resolution.
‘Don’t worry, Serdian. Once I feel my life is somewhat secure, I’ll actively help you with your love life too.’
So, don’t lose to that kind, sparkling Reiden, Serdian!
‘You have your own jerky, dark charm!’
[...]
Lucillea ignored Cookie, who was staring at her as if she were absurd, and inwardly cheered for Serdian’s love life.
Just then, Reiden looked at the parrot on Lucillea’s shoulder, which was glaring at him, and spoke.
“I’ve been curious since yesterday. About that parrot.”
Lucillea then placed Cookie on the dining table.
“His name is Cookie. He’s a parrot, but please don’t ask what words he can speak.”
You might hear some harsh things.
At her warning-like words, Reiden raised an eyebrow.
“I won’t, then. But his name is Cookie. It’s a name you can’t forget once you hear it.”
As Reiden smiled at Cookie, saying the name was cute, the parrot growled.
Cookie glared sharply at Reiden and opened his tiny, millet-seed-sized beak threateningly.
[Come any closer and I’ll bite! I’ll bite you!]
Who are you calling cute?! Do you want to experience the aggressive bite of a parrot?!
Unlike last night, Cookie was wary of Reiden.
‘What happened to saying his face was shining and that he was a blessing? What’s wrong, Cookie?’
[I don’t like that smiling face! Don’t you remember? I hated Mei, too!]
‘…You ended up getting along with Mei, though.’
You opened your heart completely for just a few berries.
[…Grrrr, I’ll bite! I’ll bite!]
Cookie pretended not to hear Lucillea and shrieked even louder at Reiden.
Watching this, Lucillea quietly offered a red fruit to Reiden.
“He really likes those.”
“Ah…”
Reiden let out a short sound of admiration, then took the fruit and began to gently peel it.
Lucillea said.
“You can just give it to him as is.”
Reiden replied with a gentle smile.
“I thought the skin might be tough.”
He then offered it to Cookie only after peeling all the skin off.
[I said I’d bite! You think I’m going to fall for a few measly pieces of fruit again—!]
Reiden precisely pushed the flesh of the fruit between the yellow beak that had been feigning a peck.
And just like that, Cookie, who had been growling as if he’d peck with his tiny beak at any moment, finally crumbled at the offering of a few pieces of red fruit.
[Wow, Lucy! It tastes different when you eat it peeled! It’s so soft, so soft!]
It goes down so smoothly!
Cookie, who was greedily devouring the peeled fruit, used his beak to push an unpeeled fruit over to Reiden.
Squawk!
[Peel more!]
Reiden burst out laughing.
“I think he wants more. Is that right?”
Lucillea nodded with an embarrassed smile.
“…Yes. It seems he likes you.”
Reiden gladly peeled another.
The tips of Reiden’s long, white fingers, which looked as though they had only ever touched precious things, were stained red by the fruit’s juice.
Even so, Reiden paid it no mind.
He simply wore an expression of wonder and delight that Cookie was eating it so happily.
*Hmm,* Lucillea swallowed a groan inwardly as she watched Reiden.
Just when I was about to start seriously befriending Serdian, an unexpected obstacle has appeared.
Yes, until just a moment ago, Reiden had been nothing more than an obstacle to Lucillea.
But.
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad kid.’
It was only for a moment, but her opinion of him changed slightly based on his attitude toward her and toward Cookie.
Cookie then cried out in fervent agreement.
[Bad? How could a person who peels fruit with such care, something even you’ve never done for me, Lucy, be bad?!]
He’s an angel, an angel!
Cookie’s assessment of Reiden was overturned in an instant.
Before she knew it, Cookie had settled next to Reiden’s plate and started eating the fruit.
Just then, the food for the children arrived.
Only then did Serdian close his book.
As the dishes were laid out on the table, the dining hall quickly filled with an appetizing aroma.
The three children began their meal.
Clink, clink.
A not-unfamiliar silence fell.
‘This quietness… it’s familiar.’
Ah… right! It was just like this when I ate with His Highness the Grand Duke a while ago!
She recalled the frustrating memory of watching Elbadin and Serdian eat without a single word of conversation.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen the friendly Reiden speak cordially to Serdian.
‘I thought they were close since he decided to stay at the grand duke’s estate, but I guess not…?’
The two boys sitting opposite her ate their food in silence.
It was a slightly lighter silence than when Elbadin had been present, but it was just as uncomfortable.
‘But why is he staying at the grand duke’s estate for a while?’
Just then, Reiden wiped his mouth and spoke.
“You said you were seven, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“My younger sister is a year older than you.”
At that, Serdian stopped eating and looked at Reiden.
“A younger sister?”
“Ah,” Reiden sighed briefly and lowered the corners of his eyes.
“I guess I didn’t tell you. My father adopted her recently. I think he was feeling very empty after my mother passed away.”
“…”
Reiden smiled bitterly.
“His Highness the Grand Duke also takes in and sponsors children in need, you know. He was influenced by that as well.”
He then looked at Lucillea and gave her a gentle smile.
“He said he approached you last night, Miss Lucillea, because you reminded him of my sister. So please don’t think he’s too strange.”
“Ah… I won’t.”
So that’s why.
I just thought he was a silly, scatterbrained pervert.
‘So he approached me because I reminded him of his adopted daughter.’
After hearing Reiden’s explanation, she could understand Diego’s behavior to some extent.
‘He must cherish his adopted daughter a lot.’
He did seem like a good person.
In the original novel, he sponsored the female protagonist, so there were more good rumors about him than bad ones.
Lucillea smiled brightly.
“Adoption. That’s a wonderful thing to do.”
“Yes, having a girl in the house really changed the atmosphere.”
Reiden seemed to genuinely care for his adopted sister.
Every word he uttered while thinking of his sister was incredibly warm.
“Actually, the reason I decided to stay at the grand duke’s estate is also because of my sister.”
Huh? Because of his sister?
‘What does staying at the grand duke’s estate have to do with the sister he recently adopted?’
Lucillea asked.
“What about your sister?”