Chapter: 16
A voice sunk low.
“Let’s sit down and talk first.”
Dorothy’s voice was different from usual, carrying a strange charisma.
The siblings, who had been busy snapping at each other, exchanged cautious glances.
“Aren’t you going to sit?”
Dorothy asked first, settling onto the sofa.
“Ah… yes, I should. My legs hurt anyway.”
Rose quickly followed suit, mirroring her sister. Brandon also quietly took a seat beside her.
“……”
“……”
The two siblings had momentarily forgotten their fight, silently observing Dorothy’s expression.
Dorothy, who usually smiled brightly, now had a blank expression.
Brandon and Rose both felt certain this was the first time they’d seen her like this.
“I’ll pour you some tea.”
Dorothy didn’t bring up anything special. She simply poured tea as she normally would.
“Wow, Dorothy! This is really good. Tea tastes best when you pour it.”
“It’s really delicious. Did you learn how to make tea from Mother?”
Even in the tense atmosphere, Brandon asked casually.
“Do you have to bring up Mother in this situation…?”
Rose, about to explode at the comment, froze as her eyes met Dorothy’s.
For some reason, meeting that gaze felt like invisible needles pricking her.
“You… Dorothy. Are you angry?”
Rose couldn’t hold back and asked.
“Are you upset because we fought in front of you? I’m sorry… at least I shouldn’t have done it in front of you.”
She assumed Dorothy was angry because of the argument they had witnessed.
It was true that showing such a negative side wasn’t ideal.
But apparently, that wasn’t it.
“I’m not angry.”
Dorothy finally spoke, letting out a light sigh.
“I judged that the most effective way to mediate your argument wasn’t by interfering, but by staying silent.”
“……”
“So I just suggested you both sit down. It helps calm heated emotions. That’s also why I offered tea.”
Right now, Dorothy didn’t look like the cute girl they wanted to protect.
She looked more like a strict private tutor.
Even Rose had a tutor once. Of course, no tutor could be strict with a young lady of the House of Kaishner. They had never even been scolded by their parents.
“If you want to continue the argument, I can give you more time.”
“No, no! That’s not necessary.”
Rose waved her hands.
“We already fought. I promise we won’t fight again.”
“No, if there’s a reason to fight, it’s okay to fight.”
“…Huh? You mean we should fight?”
“Yes, fight. Life isn’t without conflict. Bottling it up only hurts the heart.”
However…
“The way you fight is wrong.”
“What… do you mean wrong?”
“Throwing clothes. No matter how angry you are, throwing clothes is unacceptable.”
When upset, Rose had a habit of throwing the nearest object.
“You started by throwing clothes, and of course the other person won’t listen to you.”
Dorothy was the first friend Rose had ever had.
She didn’t want to show her worst side to such a friend.
“Alright, I won’t do that anymore.”
So Rose promised Dorothy.
“Did I do anything wrong?”
While Rose was downcast, Brandon still smiled broadly.
“What did I do wrong? If I did, just tell me. I’ll fix whatever Dorothy points out.”
He seemed to perversely enjoy being corrected by Dorothy.
Rose barely held back a curse from escaping her lips.
“Hmm…”
Even Dorothy seemed unsure for a moment, then finally answered.
“Using polite speech doesn’t automatically make you polite. You should be careful with your word choice.”
“Ah, for example?”
“Uh… words like ‘hiding away.’ They can sound sarcastic.”
“Oh… I never thought about that.”
Her younger brother was shamelessly aggravating.
“Spending so much time around swordsmen naturally makes one’s language rough.”
To even look utterly miserable while saying that.
“I’ll have to correct that from now on.”
Rose almost let out a scoff but restrained herself again.
“I promise not to show this side of me, so I hope Dorothy feels better too.”
Her brother also seemed oddly concerned about Dorothy, who was still quiet.
“As I said, I’m not angry. You two have promised not to do that again.”
However…
“I’ll give you some time to think.”
She stood from the sofa.
“…Huh? You’re leaving?”
“Yes. I’ll be going back now.”
Ah, no.
Brandon reached out with a disappointed look but didn’t dare grab her.
Soon, only Rose and Brandon remained in the living room.
“You made Dorothy angry.”
Rose poked Brandon’s side while speaking in a soft, almost whispering tone.
“I wasn’t at fault for that.”
“So you’re saying it’s my fault?”
“It’s not my fault.”
At that moment, they heard movement outside the living room.
“…!”
“……”
Could Dorothy have returned?
The siblings froze, tense.
Of course, Dorothy did not come back.
The next day.
“Good morning, Miss Rose!”
Rose had worried whether Dorothy would still be upset. How should she cheer her up if she was?
She exhaled in relief.
“You… okay?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Dorothy asked cheerfully, eyes wide.
“…Never mind.”
“Then today, please excuse me. I brought some desserts from the bakery. I hope they suit your taste.”
Dorothy’s composure from yesterday felt like a fleeting illusion.
Rose was the only one hesitant, unsure of what to do.
“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it.”
Dorothy set the desserts on the living room table.
Normally, they would have shared them together side by side, chatting. But Rose’s mind was cluttered.
She was still embarrassed by showing her worst self to Dorothy.
“Um, Dorothy…”
“Yes?”
“I want to apologize again. For showing you that side of me yesterday.”
Where should she start?
Hesitant, Rose carefully began.
“You know, what I say might sound like an excuse… but I’ve lived like that for a long time.”
“What do you mean?”
“No one ever told me that my behavior was wrong.”
Rose said.
“As you know, our parents divorced. After that, we were scattered.”
She gave a wry smile.
“Brandon was taken in by the Duke of Tabellon… and I was raised by Heal.”
For the first time, Rose spoke of her past.
“Originally, Mom and Dad should have cared for each of us. Unfortunately, neither did.”
“……”
“Mom was too busy, and Dad had someone else.”
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
“Even after the divorce, they never sent a single letter to me or Brandon. No one cared for us until now.”
Despite struggling, Rose tried to continue.
“But that Duke… he’s dangerous. Really dangerous. So even I, as an older sister, should be responsible and watch over Brandon. But I… I’m like this.”
She muttered, clenching her fists.
“I even know I’m a mess, so I don’t know what to do.”
That was all Rose shared.
She eventually fell asleep after revealing her past with a quiet sniffle.
Dorothy took her to bed and descended to the first floor, feeling conflicted.
“Did you comfort her properly, Dorothy?”
Brandon was on the first floor, appearing as if he already knew everything.
“She tends to cry easily. Even just talking about the past brings her to tears.”
Brandon shared a similar past with Rose, but outwardly, he seemed unaffected.
“Are you alright, Duke?”
He paused briefly at her question.
