My Body Suddenly Lifted…
My body suddenly lifted, and in the blink of an eye, my face was pressed against Uncle’s nape as he held me tight.
“Are you out of your mind?!”
“U-Uncle…”
“Damn it, do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! Do you have a death wish, getting trampled by a horse?!”
Thunder boomed in his voice. Still clinging to him, I shook my head furiously.
“N-No, I was just worried the horse was hurt… and you might get injured…”
In truth, I was so frightened that my heart pounded as if it might leap out of my chest, and sweat poured down my back.
Oddly enough, though I had just been embraced by the most dangerous, terrifying person I knew—Uncle—it made me feel strangely safe. That was shocking, too.
“……”
I barely pulled myself together and looked up at him again.
His face looked even fiercer than before, like he was about to blow up all over again.
“S-Sorry, Uncle.”
I hadn’t expected the horse to get mad like that, either.
Now it felt like I’d been scolded by both the horse and my uncle. I blinked back the sting of tears.
“Take Gunther to the stable and look him over.”
Uncle barked at the stable keeper while still holding me tightly.
“Yes, Master. Oh dear, the young miss must’ve been terribly frightened.”
Over Uncle’s shoulder, I saw the stable keeper’s kind face and gave him a tiny nod Uncle wouldn’t notice.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t even properly greeted the stable keeper.
It was our first meeting, and next time, I should definitely thank him.
Staying still, I quietly opened my mouth while peeking at Uncle, who was now striding off somewhere.
“Uncle, I’m really sorry.”
Uncle abruptly stopped in his tracks.
Afraid he’d scold me again, I pressed my lips together tightly.
“Look.”
He suddenly reached out and gripped my chin, tilting it this way and that.
“……”
My head whipped side to side as he turned it in his rough grasp.
Ugh, I feel dizzy…
“You didn’t get hurt?”
“No…”
“This is exactly why I said I wouldn’t take you in…!”
He began yelling, then stopped with a grunt, roughly raking a hand through his hair.
His golden eyes looked so fierce I quickly lowered my gaze.
Uncle began walking again with heavy steps.
Still, all he did was scold me—he didn’t throw me away or anything awful like that.
I clung to him quietly, holding my breath like a mouse.
My heart was still racing wildly.
I almost got trampled by that horse. But at least I saved Uncle!
＊ ＊ ＊
This is driving me insane.
Kassel carried Aika in silence, thoughts boiling in his head.
She feared him, yet clung to his clothes as if they were her lifeline.
She kept seeking him out, day and night.
It felt like she had a drum in her chest—he could feel her heartbeat pounding through her little body.
She chattered constantly, calling his name nonstop.
Kassel’s nerves were already fraying, and this only made it worse.
It was annoying, suffocating, exhausting.
Honestly, he didn’t think he could take responsibility for her.
To him, she looked like a candle about to flicker out.
So small. So fragile. Like even a ripple could sweep her away.
And Kassel was, above all things, brutally honest with himself.
He was not someone fit to be responsible for anyone.
He had far too many enemies.
And he wasn’t like his sister, who had willingly sacrificed herself.
Even his sister, to whom the girl had meant everything—he hadn’t been able to protect her in the end.
Keeping this girl around would only break her down further. Nothing good could come of it.
“Uncle, I’m really sorry…”
The way she murmured her apology made his stomach churn.
“Look.”
He scowled, grabbing her soft cheeks and checking for any injuries.
Thankfully, her plump, pale face looked untouched.
But then the anger started boiling again.
She should’ve stayed with that old man, safe and pampered like a greenhouse flower.
Why did she leave that good place and crawl out into this world?
What was she thinking, reaching out in front of a charging horse with those tiny legs?
Does she have a death wish?
With a heavy sigh, Kassel tried to collect himself.
This is exactly why I shouldn’t keep her around.
She’d only bring more trouble if he let this continue.
Another damned problem child in the family—wasn’t one enough?
That absolutely cannot happen!
He wouldn’t get attached.
He had already decided: he would get her out of his sight as soon as possible.
Let her throw a tantrum a few more times—she’d tire herself out and ask to go back home.
Kassel marched quickly to her room and dropped her onto the bed almost like tossing a sack.
“Ah!”
Like a doll, Aika flopped down but quickly scrambled up and grabbed his sleeve.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The first time he threw her like this, she had flailed in surprise.
Now, she bounced up like a weeble.
And if he left now, she’d no doubt follow him like a stubborn puppy.
That pigheadedness… she was the spitting image of his sister.
No, maybe she was even worse.
Sighing in defeat, Kassel grabbed her by the scruff and shoved her to the corner of the bed before collapsing onto the open space himself.
“U-Uncle…?”
He didn’t answer. Just draped an arm over his eyes and lay still.
From beside him came endless chirping: “Uncle, are you sleeping?” “Really asleep?” “Can I lie next to you?” “Can I sleep here too?”
Kassel didn’t react. He just shut his eyes tighter.
＊ ＊ ＊
Uncle must be asleep.
The bed was so big ten of me could lie on it and there’d still be space.
But Uncle was sprawled diagonally across it, taking up everything.
Is he really sleeping?
I wanted to poke him, but I was scared he’d yell again. So instead, I quietly sat down beside him.
Turning halfway away from him, I let out a deep sigh.
I know.
I messed up.
But I just couldn’t let Uncle get hurt.
I was so tired—I hoped I wouldn’t see any weird illusions tonight.
I didn’t want to dream either, so I hadn’t taken a nap all day.
“Huuu…”
But there was a problem.
I needed to stay here to keep Uncle from leaving, but I was getting really bored.
When Mom went to work, I was always alone, but why did it feel so much lonelier now?
Grandpa always said I could be with him while he worked.
He even said I could wake him up whenever I wanted, day or night, if I got lonely…
And maybe because I was so scared earlier, my eyes kept getting heavier…
Should I just sleep?
If I sleep right next to Uncle, I’ll know if he tries to get up, right?
I looked around the room for a while, then a brilliant idea struck me.
I slipped off the bed and rummaged through every drawer in the room until I found a suitable string.
Returning to the bed, I tried to tie Uncle’s arm to mine.
“Ugh, this is hard…”
Tying a knot with one hand was way harder than I thought!
In the end, I tied the string to my foot and looped it around Uncle’s arm to make sure we were connected.
Then, I curled up beside him.
“Just a short nap…”
I fell asleep the moment my head hit the bed.
＊ ＊ ＊
The next day, our relationship didn’t magically change.
“…Don’t you want to go out and play?”
“Nope! I like it here.”
Neither warmer nor colder than before.
“There are way better rooms than this one.”
“But I like this carpet, Uncle.”
Even without looking up, I could feel the vein throbbing in Uncle’s forehead.
He wasn’t even working right now!
“You played outside all the time at the old man’s house.”
I was sitting smack in the middle of Uncle’s office.
One hand held down a sheet of paper, while the other used a crayon to draw a big tree. I lifted my face, beaming.
“How’d you know that?”
“Brats don’t need to know.”
“Hmph.”
I lowered my head again and went back to drawing.
The soft brown crayon glided across the page in thick strokes.
I pressed down firmly, coloring in the tree trunk without leaving any gaps.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that a pair of hot, burning eyes were staring at me.
