52: Noble Young Lady Behavior Befitting Excitement for the Coming of Spring
The end of winter in Eustasia arrives with the coming of rain. It rarely rains during the long winter months; all precipitation falls as snow.
The rain had completely melted the snow in the garden, and the subsequent sunny weather dried everything, creating a pleasant warmth that hinted at the arrival of spring.
My beloved sister, the ducal lady and first in line to inherit the Vanderwaals title, was lying sprawled out in a corner of the garden.
Drawn by the spring-like air, I, too, had ventured outside.
So, I understood how she felt.
I observed her closely.
Eyes closed, a soft smile on her lips. Leticia, basking in the sunlight, sprawled out on the grass that had faded during the winter and was now beginning to regain its color with the approach of spring, was adorable.
However, as behavior befitting a ducal lady, it was… questionable.
“—Ahem.”
At my exaggerated cough, Leticia’s eyes fluttered open.
“…Huh? Elder Sister Adelheid? Oh, this is embarrassing.”
Good.
I was glad she felt embarrassed.
Leticia jumped up and brushed off the dead grass clinging to her clothes. She also removed the bits of grass stuck to her blonde hair, so different from my silver locks, brushing them away with her hand and picking them off with her fingers.
Her movements were practiced; she certainly didn’t look like someone experiencing lying on grass for the first time.
However, I decided not to pursue it.
But as the head of the ducal family, I had to say something.
“Leticia, it goes without saying, but always conduct yourself in a manner befitting a ducal lady.”
“Yes…”
My sister looked downcast.
I wanted to hug her and comfort her, saying, “Just be more careful next time.”
…I even wanted to clear the area and lie down with her.
However, that wouldn’t be ‘behavior befitting a villainous sister.’
This world was a stage for a story.
The story of the romance simulation game, [Moonlight Liberium], was progressing mostly according to the scenario.
Therefore, I shouldn’t do anything that would suggest closeness between my sister and me.
I should be disliked, as the villain.
However, going too far wasn’t good either.
It would be troublesome if she was driven to run away.
It would also be troublesome if she sought solace from the [Capture Targets] at this point.
At the very least, it would strain the scenario.
“Frolicking in the garden and lying on the grass… That’s unacceptable behavior for any noble lady, let alone a ducal lady.”
So, I made an effort to be as sarcastic and mean-spirited as possible.
While I liked that side of her, not everyone in the world shared my preferences.
Leticia, who had been listening with a serious expression, nodded once and then said,
“…Then, Elder Sister, could you please tell me what ‘noble young lady behavior befitting excitement for the coming of spring’ looks like?”
“Huh?”
That was an unexpected question.
I had a feeling this would disrupt the scenario.
I racked my brain.
Help me, Ciel—no, wait, I could do this.
“…Strolling through nature, admiring the flowers in the flowerbeds, picking wildflowers… perhaps?”
Fortunately, my Ciel-trained brain was able to come up with a plausible answer, even to a question most ducal family heads would probably never face.
“I understand.”
Leticia nodded, her serious expression unchanged.
I was relieved that she understood.
Then, her face breaking into a bright smile, she wrapped her arm around mine, pressing her chest against me.
What did she understand, exactly?
“…What do you think you’re doing?”
“Let’s stroll through the garden and admire the flowers, like proper noble ladies.”
Come on, brain, you can do this.
However, this time, I couldn’t find the words.
Instead of words, I felt a tug on my arm.
My sister was assertive.
“…You need to behave properly at the next ‘tea party.’”
The royal ‘tea party.’
The introduction to the next [Event]…
“Yes, Elder Sister. Please, by all means, instill proper noble lady behavior in your unworthy younger sister.”
The phrase “there’s a way to say things” came to mind.
Why was she so assertive?
Was it because she grew up in the “back alley”?
But I considered myself quite assertive as the head of the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals.”
However, it seemed that was only true against those who were intimidated by my position.
I had been losing confidence ever since I found my half-sister.
Leticia stopped walking.
I, still linked arm in arm with her, stopped as well.
“Oh, there’s a bench here?”
There was a wooden bench where she was looking.
A sturdy one, with no warped or crooked boards. Its legs, armrests, and metal fittings were decorated with ivy carvings and perched bird statues; a well-crafted, high-quality piece.
“Oh… they probably put it away in storage for the winter. There’s no point leaving it out in the garden when it snows.”
“I see.”
My sister nodded.
And then she glanced at me.
“…May I sit down? Is that acceptable noble lady behavior?”
“Yes.”
My sister released my arm and eagerly headed for the bench.
…I briefly considered smashing the bench to pieces.
No, the bench was innocent.
However, the pure joy she found in simply sitting on an ordinary bench in the garden pricked at my heart.
“Elder Sister, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, really…”
I couldn’t tell her that I felt like the bench had stolen my sister.
…I wondered what kind of face Leticia would make if I said that.
Would she be bewildered, or would she laugh?
Leticia patted the space next to her on the bench.
What was that gesture?
I tried to keep my expression neutral, but perhaps my surprise showed, because my sister smiled and explained the meaning of her mysterious gesture.
“Let’s sit together.”
I was suddenly faced with a choice.
No, wait… was this… appropriate?
Was it noble lady-like? —That wasn’t a problem.
It was just two sisters sitting together on a bench.
Would it affect the scenario? —I had a feeling it would.
But I also had a feeling it wouldn’t be a significant impact. I was starting to feel that way.
――There were times when you couldn’t afford to hesitate.
Resolutely, I sat down next to Leticia, maintaining as much grace as possible.
My sister shifted slightly.
I briefly thought I had sat too close.
Then, she moved even closer, our knees almost touching.
And she leaned against me, our shoulders touching.
I froze.
Why… was she getting closer?
However, aside from the fact that I was the nuisance, the ‘villainous sister’ in [Moonlight Liberium], and she was the ‘protagonist,’ there was nothing wrong with this, so I couldn’t object too strongly.
But her leaning against me, resting her head on my shoulder, was… hard to ignore.
“Leticia…”
As I spoke, I turned to look at her, and our eyes met at a much closer distance than I had expected.
My heart skipped a beat, and I lost my train of thought. She smiled gently.
“I feel… safe next to Elder Sister.”
What was I about to say?
My mind went blank.
Leticia closed her eyes, and I closed my mouth.
A moment later, Leticia’s body relaxed completely.
She had fallen asleep.
How could she fall asleep in this situation?
I briefly felt a pang of fondness, thinking she must be constantly on guard.
And then, a surge of irritation: Shouldn’t she be on guard in front of her mean older sister?
I was always strict with her. Or at least, I tried to be.
I was also mean to her. Or at least, I was supposed to be.
Supposed to be, but…
Even though I was following the scenario, carrying out the mean-spirited events…
“…So inconsiderate.”
I murmured, then swallowed the rest of my words.
There were feelings I couldn’t express.
…In the next event, I was ‘supposed’ to be mean to my sister.
So, well.
Just this once…
…didn’t the ‘protagonist’ need some rest?
Didn’t the ‘villainous sister’ deserve a moment to recharge?
That’s what I thought.
――Later, Ciel, apparently on patrol, saw me with my shoulder supporting a sleeping Leticia. I had completely missed the opportunity to wake her.
We exchanged a look, and I silently pleaded for help.
She nodded, her expression as composed as ever.
Reliable, as always.
As expected of the Vanderwaals’ head maid and assistant head of the family.
However, she left, for some reason.
She returned a moment later, carrying a blanket. Again, for some reason.
Then, with a graceful flourish, she draped the blanket over Leticia and me.
I tried to convey my frustration with my eyes, but Ciel simply smiled faintly, as if to say, “I understand everything,” bowed her head, and turned to leave.
No, that wasn’t it. Not at all.
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