TYHL 14

~Chapter 14~

The maids stood in front of the east room as if in silent prayer.

“…This feels strange,” murmured the maid opening the door.

The east room—
The most prestigious room in the castle, in the best location.

“Wait, I’m about to cry again…”

“Don’t… You’ll make me cry too.”

One maid tilted her head back, pinching the bridge of her nose. Hazel’s eyes also blinked damply.

It was a child’s room.

A space the duke and duchess had decorated themselves.

“My goodness, they even bought an academy uniform in advance.”

One maid’s voice caught as she looked into the dressing room.

Inside the room were things for every age from newborn to around ten years old—clothes, books, shoes, bags, toys… utterly without order.

How must Leviathan and Rosetta have felt, filling this room with things,
And then… having to close it?

The maids’ mood grew heavy.

“Found it.”

Eyes red, Hazel pulled a small box from a drawer. Inside were adorable hairpins and hair ties.

“They always said she would look like a little girl… and they really did buy only girls’ things.”

Rosetta, stroking her round belly, used to say by habit that the baby would be a cute girl.
And she had been right.

‘If the young lady had lived… by now…’

She might be around Rubian’s age.

‘Girls are rare in the Jebert family… She would have been loved immensely.’

Hazel shook the thought away.

“Enough. It’s too sad.”

Sniffling once more, she left the room with the other maids.

The walk back was silent.

“Do you think Lady Rubian will stay here permanently?”

“Of course. His Grace cherishes her so much.”

Only one person in this castle could make the long-locked east room open again.

“But she hasn’t been formally adopted yet. You never know.”

“What? What do you mean, Hazel?”

“They said Lady Rubian has to like it here.”

The maids all stopped at once.

Shock slowly spread.

“…Whoa.”

“That’s why we have to do our best.”

“….”

“…Even if I made a mistake today,” Hazel said, shutting her eyes in dismay.

She gripped the hairpin box tightly.

Of course, she couldn’t crush it to pieces… so she slammed her fist into the wall instead.

The heavy vibration echoed through it.

“….”

The other maids—her old mercenary comrades—each gave her back a hard slap as they passed.

“Fix this with your life, Hazel.”

“Ugh, ow, ow…”

“We’ll be watching.”

“Make it right. Got it?”

They still hit just as hard as they used to.

But Hazel, furious with herself, endured the blows willingly.

“Oh.”

I gave a small sound of surprise in front of the mirror.

My troublesome bangs were neatly pinned back—with a tiny strawberry-shaped hairpin.

“Perfect on you!” Hazel’s eyes softened warmly.

But where on earth had she found such a small pin?

“Let me see.”

Uncle, standing quietly behind me, spun me around to face him.

“….”

He was silent for a moment.

I couldn’t quite read his expression—his violet eyes seemed a bit darker.

‘Does it look weird?’

Maybe.

Then he tapped my cheek lightly.

“Looks good. Keep it.”

I didn’t know why his faint smile looked a little sad.

“But, Rubi, were you afraid of the scissors?” he asked suddenly.

I shook my head.

“Not the scissors… just… having a stranger put something dangerous near my neck…”

I glanced at Hazel, who was biting her lip so hard it might bleed.

“I guess I got tense from awkwardness…”

It wasn’t that I had a bad memory—it was just that I’d grown wary of strangers.
Maybe more so because I was hiding my identity while being hunted.

“I’m sorry, Lady Rubian. I didn’t realize…”

“N-no! It’s just… I need a little time…”

I hoped she wouldn’t misunderstand.

“I just need a little time!”

Hazel nodded, still looking gloomy.

“I’m sorry, my lord. I wasn’t careful enough.”

“Forget it. You can go.”

“Yes.”

The downcast maid left.

Uncle studied the pin in my hair for a while, then touched the back of my head.

“Your bangs are fine, but the back is badly tangled. Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“Mm…”

It was, honestly.

My hair was so fine it tangled easily—and now it was hopelessly knotted.

“What if I cut it for you?”

“Huh?”

I widened my eyes, thinking it was a joke—but he was serious.

“Would that be alright?”

Looking at his careful expression, I thought it over.

If it’s Uncle Leviathan…

Obviously…

“Not alright at all.”

He blinked.

“Have you ever cut hair before?”

“No?”

Unless you count cutting off a monster’s head.

“See! No experience. Disqualified!”

“That’s your reason?”

It was an important one!

“Tch, what’s the big deal about hair for a boy—it grows back.”

“Then I’ll cut your hair!”

“Go ahead.”

Wow. Handsome and doesn’t care about his own hair.

He gave a small laugh and stroked the back of my head.

“Fine. If you don’t want to, forget it.”

Him giving up so easily made me feel like I’d lost somehow.

I thought for a moment—washing my hair had been a pain lately…

“Then call Hazel back.”

“Why?”

“If Hazel guides you and you do the cutting, I think it’ll be fine.”

“Heh. I’m her boss, you know.”

He chuckled, but seeing my determined look, said no more.

“Bring Hazel.”

At his short order, Hazel appeared at once.

The same chair and tools were quickly set up.

I sat between Uncle’s knees, his long legs stretching past me.

As he toyed with my hair, he murmured,

“Wouldn’t this melt in your mouth?”

…Was this a mistake?

I subtly covered the back of my head.

Either way, the world’s only salon opened.

“Ah, my lord! Don’t cut that part!”

“Why not? It’ll feel cooler.”

This was starting to sound worrying.

“Hold it firmly with your fingers and cut along the line.”

“Easy enough.”

“Oh! If you cut in like that—”

“….”

“…Gasp.”

“…What was that?”

I clenched my fists on my lap. My palms were sweaty for a different reason now.

“What was that ‘gasp’ just now?!”

“Ohoho. Nothing, Lady Rubian. Nothing at all!”

Hazel’s unnatural laugh made it obvious it wasn’t “nothing.”

“…Rubi, cut my hair too.”

From behind, Uncle’s voice sounded strangely grave.

“…Please do.”

Ugh… It was all ruined.

But, funnily enough, I fell asleep partway through.

The warm, big hands running through my hair, the soft afternoon sunlight, the quiet snip of scissors, and the murmured voices all made me drowsy.

Just having Uncle Leviathan guarding my back was enough to make me feel like this.

Strange.

“Huh?”

When I looked in the mirror, I was surprised.

“It’s… better than I thought.”

“Looks good, right?”

He looked smug.

To my surprise, my hair was perfectly neat.

Perfectly.

I’d become a boy!

“It suits you!”

Should I be happy?

Anyway, the messy, broom-like hair was gone, and my bangs were tidied too.

“Keep the pin—it looks good on you,” he said, touching the small pin on the right side of my hair.

“Hm.”

He covered his mouth with his hand and spun me around.

“Cute from every angle.”

Hazel and the other maids nodded vigorously, their clenched fists making it look like they were holding something back.

“Thanks for cutting it!”

To the beginner hairdresser drunk on self-praise, I gladly offered confidence.

He raised an eyebrow and then suddenly bit the top of my head.

“What are you doing?!”

“Doesn’t melt after all.”

Becoming a hairdresser must have made him lose it!

I fled with a horrified face while he only chuckled.

…

The next morning.

Void paused as he stepped into the dining room.

He tapped the attendant next to him and whispered,

“…Is it possible for a fairy to be my sister?”