§ Chapter 10 §
No, why do I keep farting every time I try to use my strength!
“Please, please don’t let anyone have heard that…”
I clasped my hands tightly together and prayed.
“I don’t know if gods exist, but if you do, please save a baby’s dignity!”
“……Hah.”
I prayed with all my heart, but seeing Dietrich’s sigh laced with a hint of amusement, it seemed like he had definitely heard me.
I covered my bright red face with my hands, embarrassed to have displayed such bodily signals in front of kids I wasn’t even close to.
“Bby…”
My face felt hot where my hands touched. I tried to hide it, but my face was still much bigger than my hands, so two palms weren’t enough.
“Then… let’s just cover my eyes first.”
If I couldn’t see them, then they couldn’t see me either.
I shut my eyes tight and pressed my palms over them, plunging my vision into pitch-black darkness as if night had fallen.
“It feels better not to see them!”
I knew it was impossible, but wanting to ignore reality, I closed my eyes tightly, pressing my hands over them as if hypnotizing myself.
“What’s your little sister doing?”
Yurik’s incredulous voice rang out.
“And what are you doing alone?”
Dietrich’s voice followed, impossible to tell whether it was a laugh or a sigh.
“Get up.”
He soon approached, stepping toward me. Just like before, he slid his hands under my arms and lifted me up.
“This kid is strong for their age.”
He didn’t seem to tire of lifting me like this. Lancel would never lift me unless absolutely necessary because of my weight, but Dietrich stretched his arms high toward the ceiling, holding me up.
“Bby?” (What is he doing?)
His gaze swept over the pink bodysuit I was wearing today.
“Embarrassing!”
The back of my neck burned with shame. Dietrich muttered softly while examining my outfit.
“Doesn’t smell.”
“Bby?”
“…Should I change your diaper?”
Gasp!
I inhaled sharply at his quiet, thoughtful comment. I was used to Lancel changing my diaper, but Dietrich… I really didn’t want him to.
“And he wouldn’t do it properly anyway!” My diaper was clean, thanks to Lancel, but if it got dirty, Dietrich could’ve ruined my clothes—or worse.
“Looking at what he did with Yurik earlier…”
Besides, I hadn’t actually pooped—my diaper was still fresh.
I struggled to get free, and he tightened his grip.
“Why?”
“Bby-bby!” (No!)
“Don’t want it?”
Dietrich somehow understood my protest. I nodded vigorously.
“Wouldn’t it smell?”
“Bby-bby!” (No, it’s not!)
The moment he wrinkled his nose and sniffed, my entire body felt on fire with shame. I realized I didn’t need to worry about him hurting me—before that, I’d die from embarrassment.
“I even brought milk for you!”
Ungrateful brother.
Doesn’t he appreciate his little sister—even if she isn’t really his—and yet he humiliates me like this?
“What’s in that bag?”
Dietrich finally seemed to notice my bag, shaking me slightly. The bag on my back jostled, making the bottle inside slosh.
“More milk?”
He asked as if he’d been waiting for it, but I was so annoyed that I didn’t want to hand it over.
“Do you want me to drink it?”
“Bby” (No).
I sulked and shook my head. Dietrich, being perceptive, somehow understood my intent even with my little “peep” sounds.
“I thought you came to give me milk?”
“Bby!” (No!)
“I’m not giving it to you!”
What a brat. A baby’s little fart shouldn’t be humiliating, yet here I was, annoyed at myself for being embarrassed.
I kicked in the air, and Dietrich’s indifferent gaze met mine.
“Why is he looking at me like that?”
His aura was faint, but his face was expressionless, like a doll, making it hard to read him.
“Didn’t he give you a cookie?”
Yet I had a strange feeling he might be sulking.
“Could he be upset that I gave a cookie only to Yurik?”
Assuming he was sulking, I quickly reached into my bag to find a cookie—but all I felt were crumbs.
“Oops. Nothing left.”
I must have eaten the last one to show it wasn’t poisoned.
I poked my lips out, rummaging through the empty bag. Dietrich tilted his head, prompting me.
“Stop looking at me so cutely!”
“Why?”
“Bby?”
“Don’t you have a cookie?”
I rolled my eyes at him, peeking at his expression.
“…I have no choice.”
I finally took out my precious bottle of milk. I didn’t want to give it, but I didn’t want him to get upset either.
“Bba.” (Here.)
I offered it reluctantly, frowning, but Dietrich didn’t even try to take it. I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
“He said it was fine earlier!”
I shook the bottle back and forth to urge him.
“Bby-bby!” (Take it!) I flitted back and forth like a little disco.
I got annoyed at his fickleness and gripped the bottle harder than intended.
“Bby!”
“Ah, no!”
My sweaty palms slipped, and the bottle flew from my hands, hitting Dietrich’s cheek.
Smack!
“Oops.”
Luckily, it wasn’t too hard, but the cap opened.
“No, that’s worse!”
White milk poured freely over his face and dripped down his body.
“Bby……”
I froze, struggling. I had to get away!
“I’m going to die!”
Dietrich could’ve been in trouble holding me, yet I wanted to cry.
“All my effort to give him milk… and this is how it backfires!”
I should’ve just lain quietly in the cradle, staring at the mobile. Maybe I would’ve survived a little longer.
Tears blurred my vision. I hadn’t even properly seen the La Grange estate, let alone the castle.
“Bby, bby……” (Goodbye, world.)
“Maybe I should pretend to be hurt.”
I started coughing weakly, afraid Dietrich might get angry.
“Kook, kooook.”
“……”
“Bba, kolok!” (Ouch, it hurts!)
Dietrich silently set me down on the floor. My view shifted, and I noticed his damp sleeve. Milk droplets fell gracefully to the floor.
“Hah.”
I raised my arms to cover my head, too scared to even check the aura. Surely it would be bright red, like blood.
“Will he eat me like those who tried to kill me?”
I trembled in fear.
“Please, let me be born in a happy family next life!”
It was my lifelong wish.
Dietrich’s gaze at my trembling head burned, but nothing happened.
“Huh? Why isn’t he doing anything?”
No blow to my head, no shadow grasping my ankles. He didn’t even move.
I peeked up: he was simply wiping milk off his neck with a handkerchief.
“Surprisingly clean.”
“Bba?” (Not going to kill me?)
“You.”
Dietrich slowly spoke, his low voice curious as I tilted my head.
“How low will it go when he grows up?”
His words sounded like echoes in a cave. I focused carefully, and he continued:
“You say ‘sorry’ in times like this.”
I clapped my hands in realization.
“Bby-a!” (Ah!)
“Say sorry?”
I hadn’t actually said it, but Dietrich nodded as if I had.
“Whatever. It wasn’t on purpose anyway.”
I nodded in agreement, feeling reassured.
“Bby.” (Right.)
“He’s not so scary.”
At least he wasn’t the type to take a life over a baby’s mistake.
My villainous brother was more manageable than I thought.
I decided to treat Dietrich a little more comfortably. Of course, I would soon regret this misjudgment.
