Side Story 5.2

‘Mariel… smiled?’

She clamped her mouth shut and glanced sideways—Helio also looked rather surprised.

‘Dean and Diana are on the same side, so they must not have noticed.’

Her mouth curved up so much it looked almost like a sneer, but she was definitely smiling.

‘Leo?’

She quickly looked down at Leo.

‘He’s completely scared.’

Leo clung tightly to her skirt, trembling like a puppy caught in the rain.

She knew why Mariel was acting this way.

It only made her feel more sorry.

After that, Mariel kept smiling, but the more she smiled, the more it had the opposite effect.

Even she thought it was a bit much.

‘Tsk tsk. She’s putting too much strength into her face.’

Should she step in?

“Leo and Mariel, how about you go play in the garden? It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other.”

“Mother. Leo—no, I’d like to go rest in my room now. May I?”

Leo almost called himself by name, then quickly corrected himself.

Since last year’s birthday, he’d started calling them Mother and Father instead of Mom and Dad, and using ‘I’ instead of ‘Leo’.

It was because Mariel had pointed out that using childish language at six years old was inappropriate.

She tried to ignore Leo’s almost tearful plea for help and gently comforted him.

“How about showing Mariel the statue at the back of the garden? The one Glen gave you as a present.”

Leo answered in a barely audible voice and trudged away, his steps heavy.

Just as Mariel was about to leave, she suddenly turned around.

‘Thank you.’

She mouthed the words to her, and as Mariel turned back, her eyes curved beautifully.

‘What did I just see?’

‘Did no one else see that? Huh? Did no one notice?’

She looked around with wide eyes, but apparently no one else had seen it.

What a shame. If Mariel had smiled like that earlier, maybe Leo would have fallen for her.

At that moment, Diana asked with a worried tone,

“Is it okay to leave them alone? I hope Mariel doesn’t make Leo cry again.”

“Hehe. It’ll be fine.”

This time, she was sure it would be fine.

“Mariel actually likes Leo a lot, you know.”

A month ago, she had received a letter from Mariel.

After a lengthy formal greeting, there was a tiny postscript at the end.

[In Father’s bookshelf, I found a book that you lent him long ago, Grand Duchess. I believe it’s a book I really need right now. If it’s okay, may I keep it?]

At her words, Helio and Diana tilted their heads in confusion, but only Dean seemed to understand.

* * *

Leo, forced to go out to the garden, knew Mariel was following him but walked ahead quickly without looking back.

‘What was with that weird expression earlier? Was it a threat? Or was she showing how annoyed she was?’

Mariel’s strange behavior today made Leo feel especially uncomfortable.

There had been a time when he was happy to have a pretty little sister.

As Leo recalled, their first meeting was when Mariel was one and Leo was three.

Mariel was a quiet baby who hardly ever cried.

Everything about her was fascinating to Leo, who had never seen a baby before.

‘So tiny.’

Her hands and feet were no bigger than his finger joints, her little mouth moved, and her peach-like cheeks smelled sweet.

When Leo smiled, Mariel blinked her ruby eyes and smiled back.

‘She’s like an angel.’

He truly thought so.

The next meeting, and the one after that.

He looked forward to seeing Mariel, but as she grew and their meetings continued, Mariel stopped smiling.

He tried making funny faces and telling jokes, but all he got in return was a stiff, expressionless face.

He always worried—had he made a mistake without realizing it? Had he said something to upset her?

And that wasn’t all. Once Mariel started speaking well, she began correcting him more and more.

If he tried to sneakily avoid eating carrots, she would catch him with eagle eyes and recite all the benefits of carrots and the best ways to cook them until he had no choice but to eat.

When Mariel’s arrival was announced, he’d run down the stairs excitedly, only to receive a long lecture about proper noble manners.

It was because of Mariel that he could no longer call his mother ‘Mom’ or his father ‘Dad.’

Every time the younger girl corrected him, Leo felt small.

He was sure Mariel didn’t like him.

‘If she dislikes me so much, she could at least stop coming so often.’

But contrary to his wishes, Mariel came almost every time Dean or Diana visited the mansion.

“Here it is.”

Finally reaching his statue, Leo pointed to it.

He’d been told to show Mariel the statue, so once he finished this task, he planned to hurry back inside.

“Your birthday’s tomorrow, isn’t it? Is it alright to see the present already?”

“I’ve already seen it when I posed as the model, so it doesn’t matter.”

“It’s holding a sword?”

At Mariel’s indifferent remark, Leo flinched.

He wanted to have sword skills as good as his father Helio, but unfortunately, he didn’t have the talent for it.

Mariel, who visited the mansion often, knew he struggled every time his skills didn’t improve.

‘It doesn’t suit you.’ Mariel always stated facts plainly, so wouldn’t she say that?

Leo actually liked the statue, but he didn’t want to be mocked, so he made excuses first.

“I know it doesn’t suit me. Glen carved it however he liked. Glen is my sword master.”

“Why do you say that? You like swords.”

Leo’s eyebrows twitched.

‘Did I ever say I liked swords?’

He couldn’t recall. Only memories of complaining about how hard it was.

“I do like them… but I don’t have any talent.”

“No one is good at something from the start. What matters is your willingness to learn.”

“You’re… not making fun of me?”

“Why would I? Why mock someone who tries hard? Talent and effort aren’t mutually exclusive. The talent you talk about is just starting a little ahead. If you think you’re behind, just work harder to catch up. You’re already doing that. I’ve watched you—practicing every day without fail.”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

Overwhelmed by her conviction, Leo mumbled.

It sounded like her usual teaching lecture, but strangely, for the first time, it felt comforting.

Everyone else said it was okay not to force himself if it was too hard.

They said even if he didn’t have talent for swords, he’d have talent elsewhere, so he shouldn’t rush.

He understood their words came from kindness, but every time, he couldn’t help feeling discouraged.

Mariel was the first to say he should try, that effort could catch up to talent.

“Mariel…”

He wanted to say thank you.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes—eyes he’d always avoided—and suddenly felt betrayed.

“Liar.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t lie. Why would I do something pointless that only brings guilt and no benefit?”

“You say that, but you’re making a mocking face.”

“I’m mocking you?”

Her tilted head, exaggeratedly raised lips, and eyes that didn’t smile at all.

Anyone would say it was a mocking face.

He wanted to retort, but seeing Mariel’s face go pale, Leo closed his mouth.

‘Now it looks like I’m the one who did something wrong.’

He kicked at the dirt in frustration, until Mariel grabbed his hand and placed it on her neck.

He could feel the fluttering pulse in her soft, pale neck.

“W-what are you doing?”

“It’s the carotid artery. One of the vital spots on a person.”

“Why are you doing this? It’s scary.”

He wanted to pull his hand away, but Mariel wouldn’t let go easily.

“Do you know why dogs or cats show their bellies to their owners?”

“…I learned it’s a sign of affection and trust.”

“That’s right. Mammals tend to expose their vulnerable spots to those they like. Right now, I’m letting you touch my most vulnerable spot.”

“…I don’t get what you mean.”

“You still don’t understand?”

“Why are you mad?”

Leo’s voice was trembling.

But the first to cry wasn’t Leo—it was Mariel.

“I’m not mad! I’m not mocking you…! I’ve been saying I like you since earlier.”

Tears fell thick and fast from Mariel’s usually bold red eyes.

“Mariel… sniff… practiced smiling every day for Leo…. Mariel tried hard too… waaah.”

Leo’s face went blank.

‘She’s crying… because of me? Mariel?’

If he’d cried because of Mariel, that would make sense. But this felt strange.

Watching her cry, something tickled and bloomed inside Leo’s chest.

These feelings he’d never known before kept pulling his lips into a smile.

But he knew better than to smile now, so Leo pressed his mouth shut, holding it in.

His father had said that when his mother cried, his heart ached and he didn’t know what to do.

But why?

Why did Leo feel happy seeing her cry?

For the first time in his life, Leo thought maybe he really was a bit mean.

“You just called yourself Mariel.”

Mariel, not understanding Leo’s words, sniffled and asked,

“What… do you mean?”

“You told me not to use my name to refer to myself anymore, since I’m not a little kid.”

Mariel, eyes still brimming with tears, thought for a moment and replied as if it was obvious,

“Mariel is still little.”

“Hm. Is that so?”

Watching her quietly, Leo suddenly hugged Mariel tightly.

When he patted her back, Mariel jumped and stammered,

“W-what? Why are you doing this?”

“Because Mariel is crying. Whenever my mother cries, my father does this for her.”

He tried to sound casual, but Leo could feel his heart racing at the spot Mariel had called the carotid artery.

For the first time, Mariel looked like a small girl who needed his protection.

Leo realized anew today that he was actually older than her.

A little later, the two crossed the blooming garden and returned to the mansion.

Unlike when they’d walked far apart before, they now held each other’s hand tightly.

<END>