A Sister's Terrible Bluff
It felt like ages since I had last seen Bibi, and she was as lovely as ever. Lovely to a fault, in fact.
Until now, she had always presented herself to me looking immaculate, like an exquisite porcelain doll. It was only natural, given how many members of the Castrein Ducal House considered dressing Bibi up to be the highlight of their day.
Today, however, was a different story.
Her hair, usually styled neatly with ribbons or hairpins, tumbled in unruly, sleep-tousled curls. Her clothes were made of soft fabric that looked like nightwear. Completely unadorned, she looked as though she had just rolled out of bed—and worst of all, the rims of her eyes were red. As if she had burst into torrential tears the very second she heard the news...
Bibi’s blue eyes locked onto my trembling ones. Instinctively, I blurted out:
"I—I’m sorry! It's all my fault!"
"Sniff... Uwahh... You always tell me to be careful, but you’re the one who keeps... putting yourself in danger...!"
Bibi sniffled hard, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. Anxious panic seized me, making me feel like a mother bird who had nudged her chick from the nest too soon. Where was that former-assassin maid who doted on Bibi like her life depended on it? Rubbing her eyes that roughly could scratch them! Someone give her a handkerchief! She usually hovered over Bibi every second of the day, so why did she step away just because Bibi was talking to me? I darted my eyes around the room, silently pleading for someone to intervene.
Debbie beamed at me.
"Lady Bibi is adorable, and Her Imperial Highness Titania is gorgeous—what a wonderful sight! Oh, how I wish I could record this! The ducal house must have a memory magic crystal lying around somewhere. Do you think I could get a retainer's discount?"
Useless. Pass.
"Ah, right! You see it too, don't you, Bibi? Her words and actions never match up!"
Lisianthus chimed in, eyes gleaming.
...And this guy was just pouring fuel on the fire!
"The young lady speaks the absolute truth," Barbara added crisply. "I am merely a humble maid, so my counsel carries little weight, but surely Her Highness will take the words of the noble Lady Castrein to heart, wouldn't you say?"
And Barbara was still mad at me!
Desperate, I grabbed the Emoticon Sword from my side and rolled up the sleeve of that arm, baring my bicep. I struck a classic bodybuilder flex, flaunting my arm. I nearly fumbled the sword and wobbled mid-pose, but I smoothed it over as best I could and smiled at Bibi.
"B-Bibi, look! See this? Your big sister is completely fine! Really! I feel so light I could practically fly! Nothing hurts at all! High Priest Ilian, whom you sent, is the absolute best!"
Standing right beside me, High Priest Ilian wore an inscrutable smile as he downed a full cup of tea in one go. Slurp! At the ridiculously loud slurping noise, I had to fight tooth and nail to keep my eyes fixed on Bibi.
"..."
Tears still brimmed in Bibi's lake-blue eyes as she glared at me reproachfully, her lips pursed in an indignant pout. A cold sweat broke out across my brow.
—Contractor~! You've lost so much weight that your arm is even skinnier than before! Unless you're trying to show off the results of a diet, I really think you should stop! ( ˙-˙)
The Emoticon Sword in my grip made my stomach churn with irritation. I don’t need you to deliver the finishing blow, you brat! It was the kind of cheek that, if an elderly parent sighed, "Ah, once you're old, you ought to just die," would cheerfully reply, "Your checkup came back fantastic, actually—the doctor said you'll live another twenty years!"
Whose side are you on anyway?! And how do you even know modern words like "diet"?!
—Hehehe, but I'm the sword forged specially for you, Contractor! (*´□`) I've been studying this and that very diligently! (･`◡´･)
I had struck an unnatural pose in an attempt to pacify Bibi, but truthfully, even I knew it was a terrible stretch. Far from looking impressive, my arm was so scrawny that it seemed doubtful I could even hold onto the blade. Feeling sheepish, I quietly lowered the Emoticon Sword.
With tearful, lake-like eyes, Bibi asked:
"High Priest, is Sister Titania really full of energy and so fine she could fly? Healthy enough to brandish that sword like a toothpick and brag right in front of me?"
"Oh dear. I have personally patched up Her Highness twice now. My goodness, even frontline soldiers in the thick of war don't come this close to dying twice in such a short span of time. Hahaha!"
I shot the High Priest a glare loaded with the silent message: Didn’t your treatment work, and aren’t I sitting here completely fine, eating and chatting?
The High Priest merely beamed back.
"My bonus is in Lady Bibi's hands, you see. Hahaha!"
"..."
You excessively honest, capitalist priest.
While I gnashed my teeth in silence, Bibi spoke in an infinitely sorrowful voice.
"Is Sister... not even going to be honest with Bibi anymore...?"
A single tear rolled down her chubby cheek, round and soft as a squirrel hoarding chestnuts.
Panicked, I stammered, "O-Of course that's not true!"
"Is it because Bibi is far away...? Because I'm just a kid...? Because you think I can't help you with anything...?"
Watching Bibi's shoulders slump dejectedly, I scrambled to reassure her.
"How on earth could you never be a help?! Where else in the whole wide world could anyone find a young lady as capable as our Bibi?!"
I wasn't just flattering her! Even if no one else knew, I did! Bibi was an astoundingly competent heroine of a child-rearing novel! But since I couldn't cut my chest open to show her my sincerity, Bibi simply blinked her damp lashes and asked weakly:
"Really...?"
"Really, really, really!"
I nodded three times in rapid succession. Thanks to the High Priest's devoted healing, even such vigorous movements didn't pull at my abdomen.
"Sister is really, truly out of danger and healthy? Bibi doesn't have to worry at all?"
"Of course not! Look! Lisianthus is right here too!"
Like a desperate parent shoving every toy in the house toward a crying toddler, I frantically gestured at Lisianthus beside me.
Lisianthus stared holes into me with his crimson eyes for a second, then turned his gaze back to Bibi.
"Bibi, just look at her using me as an excuse. I honestly don't know where she gets the nerve to pretend she's fine in front of you every single time. My hands almost got roasted to a crisp this time, and I still couldn't save her—my brother had to step in."
Lisianthus whined, thrusting his now-healed palms right into Bibi's projection floating in the air. Catching the sidelong glance of his red eyes, I shouted in genuine fury:
"Hey!"
"Did I say anything that wasn't true?! Why are you yelling at me?!"
"Do you have any idea how much Bibi is worrying all by herself far away?! Don't you have a brain?!"
"Yeah, that's right, I don't! I burned it along with all my brain cells acting as your mad dog!"
As the two of us barked and bickered at each other, a sly glint flashed in Bibi's eyes. I debated whether to pinch Lisianthus's cheek or kick him in the shins, but decided that brawling in front of her beloved family wouldn't look good, so I lowered my twitching hands.
"Mm, Sister."
Seeing Bibi drop her tearful sniffling and break into a radiant smile, I beamed back. Ah, her expression softened. Is she feeling better... maybe? I carefully read her mood.
Come to think of it, I felt terrible for Bibi. How worried must she have been? She was capable and sharp as a tack, of course, so having two older brothers away wouldn't cause any real crisis for her. Even so, this was a family still deeply infatuated with one another—shouldn't they have more time to bond? Yet here two of her brothers were, dispatched to this perilous place on my account...
Just as such bittersweet reflections began welling up inside me, it happened.
"If Sister is in no danger and totally healthy, then there won't be any problem at all if Bibi comes there too!"
With a sunny smile, Bibi dropped a bombshell.
The smile on my face shattered like cracked ice. I practically shrieked:
"No! Absolutely not, baby!"
"Why is Bibi a baby?!"
Bibi roared with genuine indignation.
Wait, didn't you constantly say, 'Bibi is Papa's baby forever~'?!
Clutching my head in distress, I racked my brain and tried again.
"Th-Then, our adorable... cutie-pie with royal blue sapphire eyes!"
"A dishonest sister has no right to call Bibi a cutie-pie."
"Lady Bibi!"
"Hmph. For someone of precious imperial blood to address a lowborn child only belatedly added to the ducal registry as 'my lady'... Mind your words, please."
I couldn't call Bibi Bibi... I couldn't call the cutie-pie a cutie-pie...
No matter how glaringly obvious it was that she was thoroughly offended, I couldn't just give in to her demand to come here.
Just as I was agonizing over what to say, my savior arrived.
"What is going on here?"
Opening the door, Raymon stepped inside, surveying the scene with puzzled eyes.
I swore I had never been so purely overjoyed to see him. Setting aside all the complicated thoughts that had weighed on my chest until yesterday—no, until early this very morning—my green eyes sparkled as I turned to him.
Raymon’s eyes widened in genuine, unadulterated astonishment.
As he froze in place, scarcely seeming to breathe while looking down at me, I caught him by the sleeve and pulled him in.
"You're just in time, Sir Raymon!"
"...Yes, Your Imperial Highness."
Raymon's reply came unusually slow.
His gaze drifted down toward my hand gripping his arm.
It was an exceptionally heavy, lingering gaze.