An Extravagant Apology
Lefonya stared straight ahead with a cool, deadpan expression. To be precise, she was watching the two brothers engage in an utterly pointless debate right before her eyes.
So noisy.
The moment the two brothers had heard from Birdie that Lefonya was awake, they had immediately barged into her bedroom. Fortunately, the incident had been kept strictly confidential from the estate's staff to avoid any commotion, so the servants simply assumed Lefonya had gone away for a brief change of scenery.
Rather than leaving while Lefonya washed and changed, the two had lingered outside her door, waiting a good while. The instant they finally saw her, their first priority had been checking on her condition. Questions had poured out in a frantic flurry: Had she slept well? Had she been cold? Did she have any nightmares? Only after hearing every single one of her answers had the pair pivoted into a heated quarrel.
"Ha. Pelens. Just what do you take House Craitan for?"
"You're the one who barged in late, Brother, so wipe that smug look off your face."
"I suppose I shouldn't expect much. You're still a fledgling who hasn't even graduated from the Imperial Academy, so your allowance is all you have."
The cause of their squabble was simple: Pelens had turned green with jealousy upon seeing the gifts Havelian brought for Lefonya.
"I'll have you know I'm graduating properly this year!"
"Everyone thinks their plan is flawless."
"Just you watch—I'm taking first place on the graduation exams this year. I'll get knighted and become Fluffball's official escort."
"I placed first too. And seeing as you're taking the exam alongside kids younger than yourself, if you can't even manage top marks, it's only natural that Lefonya's escort duty falls to me."
"I'm going to smash your record, so just wait and see."
"That record isn't broken so easily." Havelian tapped the stack of documents against the table to straighten the edges and let out a faint smirk. "From what I hear, no one has managed to beat it yet."
Still wearing his cool smirk, Havelian turned his head toward her. In the blink of an eye, his expression melted into soft warmth as if the chill had never existed.
"Lefonya."
Beaming so brightly his eyes curved into crescents, Havelian handed the papers he had been organizing to Lefonya. This was the very gift that had sparked the fight in the first place.
"Here, all sorted."
"..."
"A bit overwhelming? That's understandable. I'll explain it step by step. These documents prove that the toy store on 11th Street belongs entirely to you."
Is this for real? Lefonya stared in sheer disbelief at the deeds Havelian had pressed into her hands.
"And these documents prove that the entire block on 3rd Street, from here all the way to here, is officially yours."
Was it really normal to just hand over entire city blocks and storefronts to a mere adopted child?
"A few trinkets hardly suit House Craitan. You ought to have at least this much." Having placed the papers into Lefonya's hands, Havelian smiled with deep satisfaction.
This was the true catalyst behind the brothers' fierce argument. Upon hearing that Pelens had bought gifts for Lefonya at the luxury boutique using his saved stipend, Havelian had gone ahead and purchased commercial storefronts using all his savings from his Academy days, the exorbitant hazard pay he earned as an active knight, and his salary as an instructor at the Military Academy. Yes—that very sum of money he had originally donated to the orphanage, the money the director had been forced to return. All of it had now become Lefonya's property.
"Instructor..."
"I thought we agreed we'd be brother and sister."
Ah. Right. They had established that before she fell asleep. Lefonya gave a small nod and adjusted her form of address.
"Mm, Brother."
The instant the word left her lips, Havelian looked as though he was on the verge of bursting into tears.
W-What's with him?
Only moments ago, while trading barbs with Pelens, he had looked so cold you couldn't draw a single drop of blood if you stabbed him!
"It's just... I suddenly remembered you calling me that before you climbed into the carriage," Havelian murmured, gently wrapping his hands around the small hands clutching the deeds.
Come to think of it, she had been in such a panic back then that she had blurted out "Brother" right before stepping inside.
Standing behind him with his arms crossed, Pelens clicked his tongue and nudged Havelian's shoulder.
"Brother. Don't cry."
Lefonya's eyes widened in surprise. Pelens, consoling Havelian? No matter how much they snarled at each other the moment their eyes met, brothers really were brothers after all.
However, the words that followed swiftly changed her mind.
"You'll teach Fluffball bad habits if she watches you. What if Ponya starts crying too and rubs her eyes raw? If you're going to blubber, go do it over there." Pelens nudged Havelian with the toe of his boot.
Of course. What a truly remarkable pair of brothers.
Lefonya let out a quiet sigh and parted her lips.
"Brother."
At her call, both brothers snapped their heads toward her at the exact same instant. Flustered, Lefonya hurriedly clarified.
"O-Oldest Brother."
"Yes, Ponya. May I call you Ponya as well?"
She couldn't very well tell only Havelian not to use the nickname.
"Mm-hmm. That's fine, but... can I really keep all this?" Lefonya waved the documents in her hand. "Won't the Duke be angry?"
"Father? Why would Father say anything when I'm giving you a gift bought with my own money?" Havelian looked utterly baffled by the question.
"Fluffball, if Father says a word, I'll scold him for you, so don't worry."
Even Pelens seemed completely unbothered by the notion.
Was it really normal to drain one's entire life savings to gift so many prime storefronts to an adopted child who wasn't even a blood daughter of the house? Because both of them looked so nonchalant, Lefonya began to wonder if she was the strange one here.
As Lefonya stared down at the deeds in confusion, Pelens strolled over to her side.
"Fluffball, why are you agonizing over it so seriously? If someone offers you a gift, you just take it."
"...Still, it feels far too excessive for someone like me."
"Unlike me, Brother is loaded. It's totally fine for you to just accept it."
"He's right. Besides, I wronged you terribly, Ponya. ...I'm not trying to take the cheap way out by apologizing with money, but I would truly appreciate it if you'd accept."
Still unfamiliar with the very act of receiving anything, Lefonya gave a hesitant nod and fiddled with the paper edges. As a soft flush rose to her cheeks, both brothers gazed at her with warm, affectionate smiles.
Unable to bear the overwhelming warmth of the atmosphere, Lefonya hastily shifted the topic.
"B-By the way, Brother Pelens. Did you sort out that issue with the Imperial Academy contacting you about your pass?"
"Ah. That." Pelens snapped his head around and glared daggers at Havelian. Havelian meekly cast his eyes downward like a guilty criminal. "Turns out that was forged and sent by Brother just to pull me away from you, Fluffball."
"Huh?" Lefonya's eyes widened as she turned to Havelian. He had now turned his head entirely away from her gaze.
"On top of that, he deliberately timed it after checking Father's schedule to ensure Father would be away from the estate that day."
Whoa. Lefonya covered her mouth, stunned.
When he sets his mind to something, he really doesn't cut corners.
She had assumed it was pure coincidence that both the Duke and Pelens had been called away by unavoidable matters at the exact same time, but it had all been Havelian's calculated scheme.
The heir to a ducal house is something else!
Just as Lefonya was marveling internally at his meticulous execution, a polite knock sounded, and Becky—who had stepped out to give them privacy—re-entered the room.
"My Lady. The Duke requests your presence in the council chamber."
It had finally come.
Lefonya slipped the deeds into the drawer of her nightstand and hopped down from the bed.
"I'm coming."
There was only one reason the Duke would summon her to the council chamber right now.
Time for the vassals' punishment!
Initially, she had tolerated the vassals' blatant malice because she wanted to maintain a delicate balance between their hostility and the Duke's groundless goodwill, hoping it would keep her safe. But now, she had changed her mind.
You dared try to abandon me?
This was no longer a safe level of ill will. Now that they had directly laid hands on her, next time they might send assassins—just as they had schemed in the beginning.
Of course, Brother Pelens is here as my escort... but you never know what the future holds.
Lefonya took a resolute, spirited step forward to head for the council chamber.
In that exact moment, she was scooped effortlessly into the air.
"...Huh?"
"I'll carry you."
It was Havelian. His face brimmed with eager anticipation, looking as if carrying her was something he had been dying to try.
"What do you think you're doing? That's my job. Hand over Fluffball."
"Why should caring for our youngest be strictly your job or mine?"
"Oh, please. I'm your younger brother too. If you're so eager to care for someone, take care of me!"
"I'd appreciate it if you refrained from saying such repulsive things between brothers."
"If you want to carry a younger sibling so badly, carry me instead!"
Just imagining Havelian struggling to hoist the massive Pelens into his arms sent a burst of laughter bubbling up inside her.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
As Lefonya burst into uncontrollable giggles, the bickering brothers whipped their heads around, eyes wide in astonishment. It wasn't the first time they had seen her smile, but it was the very first time they had ever seen her laugh so genuinely, so completely unable to hold it in.
An elated grin spread across Pelens's face. Reaching out with his large hand, he patted Lefonya's head as she rested in Havelian's arms.
"Look at that, Fluffball. You're so pretty when you laugh like that."
"I've been meaning to tell you for a while now: why do you keep calling our youngest 'Fluffball'?"
"Because she looks just like a bundle of cotton fluff! Just look at her."
At Pelens's defense, Havelian turned his head to study Lefonya thoughtfully.
"Rather than 'Fluffball'..."
"...?"
"Wouldn't 'Cotton Blossom' sound far more fitting?"
What on earth is 'Cotton Blossom' supposed to mean now? Is it because of my hair color and the wavy curls?
"Ball or blossom, who cares! I'm carrying Ponya, so hand her over."
"Pelens, you've carried her plenty of times already."
Lefonya wiped the laughter from her face and tapped Havelian's shoulder, gesturing for him to set her down. Havelian complied meekly, lowering her feet back to the floor.
Lefonya firmly took Pelens's hand in her right, and Havelian's in her left.
"Happy now?"
At her crisp, sensible tone, both brothers nodded as if bewitched.