Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: A Family Portrait
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"That's..."
I hesitated to answer.
I knew I shouldn't say I'd been in the basement.
I'd just promised not to lie, and now it looked like I'd have to.
As I fidgeted with the hand he held, wondering what to do, Kaide spoke first.
"She said she was scared to sleep alone."
...When did I ever say that?
I stared at Kaide, dumbfounded.
Saying that makes me sound like a kid who can't even sleep at night!
"Oh, I see. So Aileen is still afraid of sleeping by herself."
Helena smiled as if she understood completely. I gave a reluctant nod.
"Scared to sleep alone...?"
Ian, on the other hand, muttered to himself as if he couldn't comprehend it at all.
"If we're all eating together, we should call for Set and Arban, too."
"I've already sent someone. Let's go straight to the dining hall."
And just like that, the whole family ended up gathering.
Set and Arban, who were entering the dining hall with us, paused when they saw me.
"What's with your clothes? Did you oversleep?"
"No?"
"Then?"
Ugh. If he asks that, I'll have to be the kid who can't sleep alone again.
As I sulked and avoided the question, Helena kindly explained for me.
"Aileen was scared, so she slept with her father."
"...Pfft."
Set choked on his water. Arban gave me a strange look.
"What are you scared of?"
Set, sitting beside him, said.
"She said she's scared of sleeping alone."
"..."
"Isn't that right?"
This isn't how it's supposed to be...
"My, my, is the young lady still afraid of sleeping alone?"
Even Baon, who was serving the food, had overheard the conversation.
I shook my head, insisting that wasn't it at all.
"No. I'm not scawed at all."
"Then why are you only in your pajamas?"
"Th-that's...!"
It's because I got caught in the basement and was dragged away!
The words rose to the tip of my tongue, but I forced them back down.
On the verge of tears, I looked at Kaide, pleading for him to do something.
He was enjoying the situation.
Leaning on his chin and watching us bicker, he shrugged.
"She's still a child. It's understandable."
And with that, he sealed my fate.
"Of course, that's perfectly normal. Well then, I hope you enjoy your meal."
Baon chuckled as he finished serving the food and disappeared.
I sulked, twirling tomato pasta around my fork.
Plates of pasta, tailored to each person's taste, had been served.
Arban, taking a large bite of his cheese-laden pasta, covered his mouth as if to hide a snicker.
"It's nice to eat together. Thanks to Aileen, the mood is quite bright."
"Indeed."
Ian said curtly. I was so surprised that I dropped my fork.
*Clang.*
I bit off the noodle in my mouth and stared at him blankly. Ian looked gravely at my dropped fork and said.
"Your lack of strength is a problem. You can't even hold a fork properly. At this rate..."
He speared a piece of smoked roast duck and held it out to me.
"Eat."
"...*Hiccup*."
"You need to eat if you want to grow."
"Yes, thank you vewy much."
Ian, who had disliked me ever since we met at the mansion, had changed.
What could have happened overnight?
After I ate the meat, Ian watched me intently before starting to place crispy fried shrimp on my plate.
"Eat this too."
"Okay."
From then on, Ian continuously piled food onto my plate.
I can't eat all of this by myself.
As I sighed at the growing mountain of food, Helena heard me and let out a small laugh.
"You seem flustered. It's probably because of what he saw in the study yesterday."
"...In the study?"
What could he have seen that would make him change so suddenly?
I couldn't get used to him being so nice all of a sudden.
As I was being bombarded with an overwhelming amount of food, Helena spoke up.
"Come to think of it, isn't it about time for Set and Arban to molt?"
"That's right."
Set replied in agreement. I perked up my ears at the word I'd never heard before.
What's molting?
"Ah, is it that time already?"
"What have you been doing, not even paying attention to your own children?"
Helena chided Kaide, who reacted as if he'd forgotten.
"Something terrible could have happened. To think you forgot something so important."
Everyone except me seemed to know what molting was.
I raised my hand. All eyes turned to me.
"What is it?"
Kaide looked at me.
"What's mowting?"
"Ah, you must be hearing it for the first time. It literally means to shed your outer skin."
"...Huh?"
Shed what? Outer skin?
I flinched. A terrifying image had flashed through my mind. Seeing my face turn pale, Ian shook his head.
"She won't understand if you put it like that. To put it simply, it's shedding everything that's unnecessary."
"Unnecessawy things? What's unnecessawy?"
"...The outer skin."
That's the same thing in the end.
I looked at Set and Arban with concern. Doesn't it hurt a lot when you molt?
It sounds like 'outer skin' means their actual skin.
"That must huwt."
"It does."
Kaide answered.
"Can't you not do it?"
If it hurts, why not just skip it? Why do you have to prepare for something painful?
"It's something you must do."
"Why?"
"Because that is the path to becoming an adult."
An adult? My eyes widened. So molting is how you become an adult?
Then the conversation just now must have been about the two of them getting ready to become adults.
Arban grinned.
"When are you gonna grow up?"
"...I will."
"Oh, really."
Having finished all his food, Arban obnoxiously drank his juice. As the cup emptied, he made a loud slurping sound.
"Visit Hestia soon."
"Yes, I understand."
Set replied.
Adult. That one word floated around in my head.
It had been half a year since I'd hatched from my egg. Spring had passed, and it was now early summer.
I was only getting a little taller, but no other distinct changes were happening.
If those two are preparing to become adults, when will I grow up?
Sensing my anxiety, Helena stroked my hair.
"Don't be so impatient. Your time will come soon enough, Aileen."
I nodded instead of replying.
"Now that you've finished eating, could you go get changed? Kaide says we're taking a family photo today."
* * *
As soon as breakfast was over, I dashed to my room like an arrow.
"Wosawia!!"
"Lady Aileen, you'll fall if you run like that."
"That's not the pwoblem!"
I was in a hurry. I needed to get ready and go!
As I stomped my feet in place, Rosaria looked at me quizzically.
I was out of breath from running so fast.
"Please, speak slowly."
"Family photo!"
"Did the Gaju say you're taking a family photo today?"
"Yup!"
"That's wonderful! He gave me a heads-up, so I've already made preparations."
Rosaria opened the wardrobe. Inside hung a dress I'd never seen before, wrapped in plastic.
It was a formal, one-piece dress, much fancier than the clothes I usually wore.
When did she prepare something like this without me knowing?
"Look at this, Lady Aileen. Isn't it lovely? The mix of purple and black seemed to represent our family's colors, so I had it prepared."
"Wow, it's so pwetty. But do I just have to change my clothes?"
"Yes. He said specialists would be coming to the mansion for everything else."
It seemed Kaide had prepared for everything, even calling in people from outside.
"Is a professional photographer coming, too?"
"Woow. It's gonna be a super cool pictuwe."
"I also made sure to request a separate copy for framing."
Rosaria winked. I was so moved I thought I might scream, so I covered my mouth.
"Wosawia, you're the best!"
When I gave her a thumbs-up, Rosaria beamed.
I quickly changed into the dress. It complimented my hair color surprisingly well.
I'd been worried my stark white hair would clash, but my fears were unfounded.
"Shall we go, then? The photo is scheduled to be taken in the garden. The weather today is perfect for it."
"Wight. I hope it comes out pwetty."
So I can look at it every day. I headed to the garden with Rosaria.
When we arrived at the garden, outsiders were moving about with practiced efficiency.
They all seemed to be the specialists Kaide had called.
I spotted a large camera set up in the garden. So that's what they'll use.
My heart pounded with excitement.