With a good idea in mind, Taro grinned.

“I know you’re being petty.”

“Hmm? I’m being petty to you?”

“Isn’t that right! You’re acting like a child because you couldn’t take Rion away from Prince Deus!”

Taro felt thrilling pleasure coursing through his body, adrenaline seemingly rushing to the tips of his head.

It was a rare opportunity to thoroughly mock his contractor, who was usually so full of confidence.

Lucian looked at Taro and muttered.

“Petty. Petty, you say… really?”

All while wearing a bright smile.

But Taro could see the true intention hidden in that smile.

That evil intent to show what real pettiness was.

“I was bored, so let’s see…”

“Aaack-!”

Just as Taro was shuddering with goosebumps on his non-existent arms.

“Brother!”

The door burst open.

“Violet?”

Lucian’s eyes captured the image of Violet entering with her mysterious purple hair fluttering.

At Violet’s sudden intrusion, Taro pretended to be an ordinary clock and kept his mouth shut, while Lucian, without showing any sign of surprise, smiled and asked.

“What’s the matter, Violet?”

Violet, catching her breath after rushing in, called out to Lucian.

“Brother, Brother Lucian.”

“I’m listening, so tell me slowly.”

At Lucian’s affectionate tone, Taro imagined himself gagging.

That guy is strangely soft on that human woman he calls his sister.

Of course, Lucian was basically kind to all humans, but Taro knew.

That there wasn’t a shred of sincerity in it.

Taro always found it puzzling that such a Lucian seemed to genuinely care for his sister.

“Big trouble, brother.”

Violet walked briskly to Lucian, who was sitting in the study chair.

“Echo hasn’t been seen lately.”

Lucian tilted his head.

“Do you mean Echo left home?”

“That’s not it…! Haah… Of course, you wouldn’t know since you have no interest in her, but she’s been acting strange lately.”

Violet muttered nervously, chewing on her fingernails.

“She hasn’t been coming to see me lately. Even though she has no friends besides me… So I asked the servants, and they said she’s been going somewhere a lot these days.”

Where would she even go? Violet, who had been muttering to herself, suddenly flashed her eyes and placed her hands on the desk.

“You know, don’t you?”

“Hmm?”

“I saw you going out with Echo before. So you must know. Where Echo has been going lately.”

Lucian quietly gazed at Violet’s purple eyes, lost in thought. Where he went with Echo.

“Ah.”

Then he let out a small sigh.

Lucian had finally recalled a memory from not too long ago.

Come to think of it, there was something.

The toy store owner.

For a moment, a strange light flickered in Lucian’s purple eyes.

He had completely forgotten about it while focusing on taking Prince Deus’s demon.

“Where did you go with Echo? Tell me, brother!”

To Violet’s question, Lucian answered with a kind smile.

“Well. Where did we go? I think we went to a toy store.”

“A toy store?”

Violet’s voice deflated.

“You went to a toy store with Echo? Just the two of you? Are you joking?”

“It was Echo’s birthday that day.”

That day was her birthday? Violet’s eyes widened.

Lucian leaned back against the chair, watching Violet’s face that transparently revealed her thoughts.

“But Violet.”

“…Yes?”

“Why are you suddenly interested in Echo? You’ve never cared about what Echo does until now.”

“Th-that’s… I’m worried because she’s suddenly acting strange!”

Worried, huh. Lucian inwardly laughed.

It was cute and amusing that Violet, who only pretended to care for Echo when others were around, was now speaking of worry so uncharacteristically.

“Violet is indeed a good child. You even know how to think of your sister.”

“U-um. Thanks for understanding.”

Violet awkwardly twisted her hair and looked away.

“Anyway, you don’t know where Echo has been going either, right?”

Lucian lowered his eyes apologetically.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help.”

“It’s okay, brother. I can find out through other means… More importantly, you’re coming to dinner tonight, right?”

Realizing that today was the Marchioness’s birthday, Lucian nodded at Violet’s question.

“Of course. It’s a rare occasion for the family to gather.”

“Right, it’s a rare gathering. I should make sure to tell Echo not to miss it either.”

Normally, she wouldn’t have cared whether Echo attended family gatherings or not, but her obsession today was peculiar enough to pique Lucian’s interest.

“Then I’ll see you later. I’ll be going now.”

As Violet left the room, Taro, who had been quietly pretending to be a clock, asked in a disapproving tone.

“Why did you lie?”

“Taro. You were still there?”

“The place you went with your illegitimate sister wasn’t a toy store, was it?”

Lucian rose from his chair, deciding to overlook Taro’s attitude of naturally ignoring his words.

The Red Thread Guild, was it?

With a smiling expression as if he had never been bored, Lucian answered Taro’s question.

“I don’t like my plans getting ruined.”

It wouldn’t do if Violet stirred up the guild looking for Echo and caused the toy store owner to flee.

“Tsk. I thought you listened to everything your sister said, but I guess that’s not the case. Don’t you adore that human?”

Lucian called for the waiting servant outside to prepare for his outing.

“Did you call for me, my lord?”

“Of course I adore her.”

The servant who entered the study was puzzled by Lucian’s sudden remark.

Lucian continued regardless.

“Because it’s empty in here.”

Tap tap, he tapped his head with his finger.

“She’s like a pretty doll.”

He laughed quite merrily.

***

I got up after packing all my belongings.

“It’s fortunate I don’t have much luggage.”

“Master, Wit packed all the tomatoes too!”

I looked at Wit, who had picked all the tomatoes from the garden at the mention of leaving this house, with an exasperated expression before chuckling.

“Well, alright. We just need to pack the important things.”

“Master and tomatoes are the most important to Wit. Kekeke.”

Looking out the window, I saw the sun was already setting.

We could just leave like this, but there was one thing bothering me.

I still want to say goodbye to Echo…

“It’s getting late today, so let’s get up early tomorrow morning and depart.”

I finally decided to wait for Echo until tomorrow and left my luggage on the floor.

Then I slowly looked around the house to see if there was anything I was forgetting.

“……”

Was this house always this spacious?

Compared to the Ferial Count’s mansion I saw on the first day of my transmigration, it was a tiny house, but today it felt unusually large.

“Kekeke. But Master.”

“…Huh?”

I was startled and turned my head, having been lost in thoughts of Adriel without realizing it.

“Are you taking the blue necklace and rainbow jewel too? Wit thinks the blue necklace and rainbow jewel aren’t important things, Master. Kekeke.”

Blue necklace and rainbow jewel? Could he mean this?

I took out the Fairy’s Tear that I had kept in my skirt pocket and showed it to him.

“Are you talking about this?”

Then Wit flew over to me and struck the jewel with his small hands.

“Yes, Master! This bad rainbow jewel!”

Watching this scene without time to stop him, I muttered blankly.

“You touched it.”

“That’s right, Master! Wit touched the rainbow jewel!”

“……”

“Wit touched the jewel…”

A few seconds of eye contact with Wit.

“H-Hwaak!”

“Belatedly realizing what he had done, Wit collapsed in panic.