Ah, I said I’m not a peanut… Why do you keep calling me a peanut?
“I’m not a peanut.”
“Be honest.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
It’s only right to answer when someone asks.
I rubbed my butt a few times and sat up straight.
Then, to show I was ready to listen properly, I folded my hands neatly and looked at Uncle.
“How much did the old man promise you?”
Uncle always calls Grandpa the old man.
That’s why Grandpa keeps calling him a ruffian!
“Huh?”
“How much did he promise you to conspire with him?”
Uncle’s face looked pretty serious.
Mom used to wear that expression sometimes when she stayed up late going through paperwork at home.
Except for the short hair, they really looked the same.
“Conspire? What’s that?”
What’s he talking about?
“Did the old man not feed you?”
“No. I ate five meals a day! And snacks this much too.”
I drew the biggest circle I could with my arms.
“Then did he nag you a lot?”
“Umm, no. Grandpa said I was the prettiest.”
“Did the servants there treat you badly?”
“No…”
The maids even called me princess.
Of course, Uncle’s servants are all nice to me too.
I calmly answered, just fidgeting with my fingers.
Uncle sighed deeply several times, as if trying to cool his temper.
“Then what’s the problem? You’re treated like a precious little princess in that fine house, so why did you crawl all the way here to flip my world upside down?”
Uncle growled and tried to scare me.
But that’s not it. That’s really not it.
I couldn’t say anything because of the secret promise I made with Mom. It felt unfair.
“Uncle, am I a headache?”
“What?”
“Do you really, really hate me a lot?”
“Hey, who said I hated you?”
Uncle snapped again.
Honestly, he could just talk calmly—why does he always have to shout?
Mom said people who get angry a lot have a higher chance of passing early. I was seriously worried.
And he said he didn’t hate me, but…
“Then do you like me?”
I asked, eyes sparkling. Uncle’s face scrunched up again like crumpled paper.
“Are you crazy?”
“…I kinda like Uncle, though.”
I mumbled, dropping my head.
A while later, I heard a quiet sigh from above my head.
“I’m not your mom. I’ve never even had a kid before—how would I raise one properly? So go back.”
He says he doesn’t hate me, but his tone really sounds like he wants me gone.
I lifted my head again and pouted slightly.
“Uncle.”
“See? Changed your mind, didn’t you? Should I take you back to Grandpa’s place? You can tell him yourself that you can’t live there.”
Uncle jumped on the opportunity like he’d been waiting for it.
I shook my head firmly.
Uncle, really… how many times do I have to say it? I can’t do that.
“Uncle, they say humans are creatures of adaptation. Even if it’s hard at first, people can do anything with time.”
Uncle looked like he’d just been stunned by a lightning bolt.
“Your mom said that?”
“Yup. My mom’s really smart, you know.”
“Were you born just to worship your mom or what?”
“It’s not worship. It’s true…”
Uncle muttered under his breath something about what a mess my mom had made. Definitely bad-mouthing her.
He scratched his head and let out another big sigh.
I peeked at him and then slowly glanced toward the clock.
Anyway, Uncle looked tired, so he probably wouldn’t go out today, right?
And tomorrow, something like today probably wouldn’t happen again.
“Uncle.”
“What now.”
“I miss Mom.”
“……”
“I miss her every day, but I can’t see her anymore. Grandpa said she’s not coming back. So now I miss you every day, too. Can’t I just stay here? I’ll only be a little bit of a bother.”
“Shouldn’t you say you won’t be a bother at all?”
“Then you’ll never let me near you again.”
It must’ve hit a nerve—Uncle glared at me with his eyes wide open like a clock at 10:10 and clamped his mouth shut.
The room became so quiet that I could hear the birds chirping clearly outside.
I just watched him silently.
If Uncle tried to leave, I was ready to jump up and grab him.
After a long while, Uncle finally spoke again.
“Do whatever you want.”
“Huh?”
Uncle ruffled his already messy hair, making it even messier.
“Do what you want. Roll around the house, run through it, whatever. Just don’t stick your nose into my business—or else.”
“Really?”
“You don’t believe me?”
I believe people. I just don’t fully trust Uncle’s words…
Still, I was really glad he gave in like that.
I decided to drive the nail in.
Mom always said if you get the chance, you must never let it slip.
“Then… Uncle.”
“What now.”
I pulled out a piece of paper I’d carefully tucked inside my dress.
“Here.”
Then I neatly unfolded it on the bed and smoothed it flat with my palms.
“……”
“Uncle, press your finger here.”
“……”
“Hurry. Come on, press it.”
Uncle’s eyes looked a little dazed.
Mom said that promises need to be solid.
The most solid thing is a document.
She taught me many times that spoken words can change anytime, so it’s important to leave a record when it matters.
“Quick!”
“……”
Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal.
I wrote it all out clearly, but looking at it again now, it was kind of crooked.
I thought I’d kept it well, but it got all wrinkled from clinging to Uncle earlier.
Should’ve put it in my pocket.
It’s really nothing much—I just wanted to get a promise in advance since Uncle seemed like he’d go back on his word any second.
A man shouldn’t say two different things with one mouth, but Uncle seems like he’ll change his story ten times over.
I already got Grandpa’s fingerprint, so it would be a valid contract once Uncle added his.
“Uncle, hurry.”
I urged him, staring at him intently.
“Hah… Definitely Seiria’s daughter.”
Uncle stared at the paper like it was ridiculous and scoffed.
“Yup, I’m Mom’s daughter.”
Then Uncle pushed down on my head with his big hand.
He was so strong it felt like my head would hit the bed in seconds.
“Ah, don’t do that!”
“Such a tiny little thing.”
“I’m not tiny! I’m Aika.”
“Yeah, yeah. You win.”
I struggled to lift my head and looked up at Uncle.
His hand was so heavy that if he loosened it even a little, my head would flop right down.
I felt like my skull might get squashed in that huge hand.
“Uncle, then… you’re really not going out today?”
I stared into his eyes with my most pitiful look.
Like when Mom told me I could only have two snacks.
That always worked really well.
“…I’m not going.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Better get a second confirmation.
I picked up the paper again and pushed it toward Uncle.
“Then Uncle, press your finger here.”
“I miss Mom.”
“……”
“I miss her every day, but I can’t see her anymore. Grandpa said she’s not coming back. So now I miss you every day, too. Can’t I just stay here? I’ll only be a little bit of a bother.”
“Shouldn’t you say you won’t be a bother at all?”
“Then you’ll never let me near you again.”
Such a tiny little thing, but ridiculously sharp.
Kassel was speechless as he looked at the crumpled, misspelled paper.
This little brat was shoving it at him, calling it a document.
And it was from his seven-year-old niece.
Though she said she was seven, she was so small she looked more like five or six.
She even stamped her fingerprint on it before handing it to him. It was so absurd, it wasn’t even funny.
“Uncle, press your finger here.”
“……”
“Hurry. Come on, press it.”
She meant to stamp it with his seal—his fingerprint.
Not even fully weaned from milk, and already handing over contracts when making a promise?
The little seven-year-old girl, with her long hair and neat flower headband, had cheeks round and plump, and lashes thick and full.
And her mouth never stopped chattering.
Was she a bird or a person?
What in the world had his sister been thinking raising a kid like this?
Barely born and already playing with gold coins—she really had grown up cunning.
