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〈First Summer Vacation Preparations〉

I’ve packed all the necessities. Fresh flowers for Sister. My report card for His Highness the Grand Duke. Homemade cookies for the Tea-Pie ladies, Maelyn, and Sister Raye.

Ah! And a special book for Secretary Ulysse!

I miss everyone so much. Especially Sister Yuelina.

She sent me many letters and gifts. How hard must it have been for her to care for me despite being busy?

I always just receive from Sister.

As His Highness the Grand Duke said, I want to study hard and become someone who can help Sister.

Oh, His Highness the Grand Duke also sent a gift. The Phaenyx Knight Order delivered it directly during academy class time.

It was a well-sharpened dagger.

The knight who gave it said,

“His Highness the Grand Duke sent this for you to use effectively.”

And also gave me a black notebook, adding,

“His Highness the Grand Duke said if you write names in here, he will take care of them cleanly.”

Since then, no students have bullied me. No, even the teachers are cautious around me.

I’m very grateful for the strong support but……

Would he be hurt if I said it’s a bit excessive?

I feel like this might cause problems with my relationships.

〈Summer Vacation DAY 7〉

It’s been two days since I came to the Black Mansion.

Sister prepared a room for me to stay in. The cute teddy bear and curtains with lace are pretty.

But she said His Highness the Grand Duke personally chose the yellow bedding.

He said I look like a chick?

Anyway, this time we’re all going to the lake for a water outing with Sister, the Tea-Pie ladies, Raye, and Maelyn.

I was a bit nervous.

Because I thought His Highness the Grand Duke would hate Sister going out to play.

But in the evening, His Highness the Grand Duke told us with a gentle expression to have a good time.

His Highness’s expression looked very relaxed as he told us to take our time and have lots of fun.

It was actually Sister Yuelina whose face hardened. She blushed and raised her voice saying she would be back soon, very quickly this time.

What’s that about?

My knowledge is too lacking to understand the adult world.

〈Summer Vacation DAY 9〉

The water outing was really fun.

There was no one at the lakeside except us, and the lakeside surrounded by flowers was very beautiful.

And Sister Yuelina was truly beautiful.

When Sister Yuelina in her swimsuit entered the water, her white skin looked even whiter.

Sister Yuelina was extremely good at swimming. We all learned swimming from her.

I’ve seen descriptions of mermaids in fairy tales.

If mermaids existed, wouldn’t they look like Sister Yuelina?

After swimming, we went to Madam Chloe’s villa nearby for tea time.

Sister Maelyn said she often attends social gatherings with Madam Emily these days.

She said there’s a noticeable man every time she goes, and she’s exchanged letters with him a few times.

But she said she’s worried because Secretary Ulysse doesn’t approve. He told her she’s too young for romance and to come to her senses.

We told her that Secretary Ulysse was just being protective of her.

But Sister Maelyn made a sad face saying Secretary Ulysse seemed to have already completed a background check on that man.

“Subordinates usually resemble their lords, you know.”

Sister Raye remarked indifferently at that time. No one could disagree with that.

Suddenly, I recalled seeing Sister Raye throwing a blunt stone into the forest before we went to the lakeside.

She seemed to be trying to drive someone away……

Who was Sister Raye chasing away?

〈Summer Vacation DAY 17〉

Today, Sister Yuelina and I went on a date to the plaza.

Sister bought me things to use and clothes to wear at the academy.

I told Sister it was fine, but she firmly shook her head.

Sister said we are family.

“You’re my sister. I want to do everything for my sister.”

What is a heart?

Sister and I aren’t real family, but she gives me her heart.

Though I can’t see a heart with my eyes, sometimes I can feel it.

Sister’s heart is very warm.

〈Winter Vacation DAY 8〉

It was a day of heavy snow.

Sister was braiding my hair and asked if I wanted to go sledding.

But the door burst open.

“No! Do you know how dangerous sledding is? You could faint if you’re not careful!”

It was His Highness the Grand Duke.

His Highness the Grand Duke kept insisting that snowball fights and sledding are dangerous.

As someone with years of snow play experience, I couldn’t understand.

But I decided to agree this time.

Because my niece or nephew is growing in Sister’s belly.

“But I still wanted to go sledding……”

When Sister expressed such disappointment, His Highness the Grand Duke said he would make an ice slide for her.

His Highness the Grand Duke’s heart……

I cannot match it.

〈Eighth Summer Vacation DAY 9〉

Sister was brushing my hair and said I seemed all grown up. Now even the dresses Sister used to wear fit me quite well.

I smiled, sat Sister down, and brushed her hair.

Sister still loved flowers.

The garden of the Black Mansion that Sister put so much effort into is still beautiful.

And my niece and nephew.

Aster and Florence are one year apart. Aster has pink eyes like Sister, but his actions are just like His Highness the Grand Duke. Is it because his hair is black like His Highness the Grand Duke’s?

I can’t help but laugh when I see him following Sister around and observing her persistently.

And the little one keeps calling me a chick.

“Sister Chick. Mom is mine.”

Then His Highness the Grand Duke would stare intently at Aster.

“Yuelina is my wife.”

Sometimes when I see the conversations between His Highness the Grand Duke and Aster, it seems like His Highness the Grand Duke is talking to himself in a mirror.

“Sister, sister.”

Florence, despite being Aster’s younger sister, sometimes acts like an older sister.

Except for her blue eyes, she resembles Sister Yuelina in every way.

Sister Raye and Sister Maelyn said it was truly fortunate. They also said it was a blessing from Goddess Daphne that she doesn’t resemble His Highness the Grand Duke much.

“Will you go for a walk with me?”

Florence loved walks like Sister. But she wasn’t particularly interested in flowers or trees.

She preferred squirrels or small animals that she saw while walking.

His Highness the Grand Duke often strode along the walking paths while carrying Florence.

That’s a crow-tit.

That’s a squirrel.

And they’re all cute and lovely because they resemble your mother.

Sister bristled at His Highness the Grand Duke’s words. She said she was neither small nor cute.

But neither Florence nor Aster contradicted those words.

“But Mom is lovely, isn’t she?”

“You shouldn’t tell Mom she’s lovely. You should say you love her.”

“Yes, Mom. Aster loves Mom the most!”

Aster only showed a bright smile in front of Sister.

In front of others, he was shy and wary, but he followed Sister very well.

“Son. I’m sorry, but I love your mother the most.”

His Highness the Grand Duke remained unchanged.

He still checked if Sister enjoyed her walks and worried excessively about whether the children were tiring her.

A few days ago, when the children complained of hunger, he took them to the kitchen himself and cooked for them.

Of course, the children left more than half, saying it wasn’t tasty.

Sister was the only one who slowly chewed and swallowed, saying His Highness the Grand Duke’s cooking was edible.

“A talent is indeed a talent.”

His Highness the Grand Duke still treats me like a talented chick.

It’s because I take the children to sleep with me every vacation.

If there’s one thing His Highness the Grand Duke doesn’t know, it’s that I don’t take the children to sleep with me for his sake.

I just want to see my niece and nephew more.

The children are too cute.

I wish there was one more niece who resembled Sister.

〈Winter Vacation at the Orphanage〉

After graduating from the academy, I received a scouting offer from the imperial palace but declined.

His Highness the Grand Duke said I could work in the Empire if I wanted. He said his invitation to come to the principality was a joke, and that I should follow the path I wanted.

“I want to go to the principality. I want to work at the orphanage.”

The principality’s orphanage mostly had children of refugees.

The refugees were working in the Kingdom of Esolin. Most of them had acquired citizenship in the kingdom.

The children at the orphanage were brave, and many were bright.

Some friends would soon return to their parents’ arms, while others had lost contact with their parents.

I now oversee the education of children at the orphanage.

I decide what the children should do during vacation and plan what experiences would be good for class time.

I can’t be certain that I’ll be a teacher for life.

But if I were to have my first job, I wanted to be a teacher who teaches someone.

I want to teach the children heart more than studies.

I want to love someone, a small and anxious child, just like my sister did for me.

Because the love Sister gave me helped me grow.