Chapter 28

✿

“…Not even once?”

I was excited to hear his love story, but I couldn’t hide my disappointment at Aaron’s words.

“It’s a shame that I couldn’t live up to your expectations. I’ve never had one.”

Erita asked again, but Aaron’s answer, with his shoulder trembling and laughing, was still there.

‘What? I can’t believe it, not even once?’

You said you didn’t like the capital. So, was that why you never dated anyone?

Staring at Aaron who was sitting across from me with disbelief.

“But my brother seems to be popular…”

But Aaron just looked at me with his deep set eyes and smiled.

‘What do you mean? …Love’s not necessary.’

“Well, that’s possible.”

In the end, I gave up in resentment and answered coldly.

“Seeing you asking me this, my sister seems to have become interested in dating.”

However, the arrow returned to me this time, as if Aaron had decided to use dating as a topic of conversation.

“Do you have someone you like?”

His eyes that asked like that seemed curious. I felt like something would happen right away if I answered that I have a crush.

But he wasn’t so sweet because he looked scary.

“Come to think of it, there’s someone I like.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. I miss him every day, and I feel happy when I think about him.”

Rolling my eyes for a moment in pretend and answered shyly.

Aaron’s countenance stiffened slightly as I avoided glancing shyly while spitting off the phrases.

Thinking about it for a while, he asked in a gentle tone.

“Who is it?”

“I won’t tell you!”

When I responded with a smile, Aaron’s forehead frowned slightly.

It was his habit when there’s something he didn’t like.

“…I’m sad. Where’s that Erita who said she liked her brother the most?”

As if he had changed his strategy, Aaron made a gloomy expression.

The intention was obvious, but surprisingly, I was weak for him.

Come to think of it, it seems that I am just weak against pretty and handsome people.

No matter how many years have passed, it’s always something new.

“Umm…”

“Are you really not going to tell me?”

As he pretended to be worried, Aaron urged affectionately with a calm voice.

“Then you have to keep it a secret, too. Okay?”

“I promise.”

When I beckoned Aaron, who nodded calmly leaned towards me

“It’s really a secret…”

“Okay.”

Even when I asked twice, Aaron responded without showing any sign of annoyance.

Smiling at the sight, I leaned and whispered something to Aaron’s ear.

Hearing my words, Aaron hardened on the spot.

“It’s here!”

Just in time, I heard the coachman saying that the carriage had arrived at its destination.

When I left the stiffened Aaron and got off first, Aaron quickly smiled and followed me. I put my arms around Aaron and smiled.

“Erita…. Where did you learn such a joke?”

Aaron, who couldn’t take his gaze away from me, gradually opened some things one more time and gently handed them to me.

Although the other maids said it was amazing that being siblings was so good, wouldn’t the premise be different since my older brother was Aaron?

“It’s not a joke. I miss you all the time and it was good to be with you.”

“…”

“It’s true, brother.”

Erita laughed bashfully and spoke happily.

We looked at each other for a while, then burst out laughing as we walked slowly.

When I first came here eight years ago, I didn’t come out on the street for a good reason.

Coming out normally like this, the scale of difference was definitely large.

“But no one in the capital was surprised by the color of our hair.”

Now, Aaron and I were both in our original hair colors. I’m wearing a hat, but…

“It’s similar to the Grand Palace here, because the capital was where our family was based.”

“Ahh…”

Some of the passers-by, there were sometimes people who had black hair.

“The farther away from the capital, the more people believed in the legend. It seems that there are relatively few such people in the capital.”

Then I understand that the Lysen Orphanage I used to live in was particularly severe.

It was ironic, but it was easy to move on because it was a poor background story from the original.

“Where are we going now?”

It’s good that we came out, but I don’t know where we’re going.

Looking at Aaron with anticipation, he smiled.

“There’s a famous dessert cafe. Shall we go there?”

“Great! As expected, you’re the only one who knows it.”

I shouted in excitement. As I followed Aaron’s lead with light footsteps, a two-story building appeared.

The interior was luxurious, but not too extravagant.

As we entered, the face of the employees who saw us was surprised, but soon returned with a capitalist smile.

“Welcome!”

“Two young people! Please come inside. It’d be nice to have a seat away from other people.”

The strong service spirit was the same here.

Following the guidance of the staff who greeted us with a wide smile, we moved to the other seat.

It seemed to be a place frequented by nobles as well, and I saw people dressed in splendid clothes.

Then they came out with wide-open eyes looking at Aaron.

‘Oh, it’s embarrassing.’

No matter how familiar I am with other people’s gazes, I can’t believe there was a tremor like that.

As expected, the nobles seemed to recognize us.

To be precise, they recognized Aaron.

“Aaron, what are you doing?”

“You’re the Grand Prince! Then the lady next to you….”

Those words were roughly heard… If you want to whisper, you should have kept it to yourself.

Fortunately, our seats were blocked off by a partition, so it was out of sight from other people.

“If you decide to order, please ring the bell next to you!”

As soon as the staff, who did not lose their smile until the end, disappeared behind the partition, I heard a sobbing sound.

“Brother.”

“Why?”

As I looked at Aaron in confusion, he didn’t seem to care.

Since you’ve been in the capital for two years, are you familiar with this?

“No, more than that, how did you know this place? It doesn’t seem like it’s the type of place you’d go to.”

Aaron doesn’t care about other people, but he basically doesn’t like crowded places.

“It’s amazing that Aaron knows these places.”

He couldn’t go to such a place because he doesn’t like sweets.

“I asked someone about this place because my sister said she likes sweets, and he said this place was famous.”

Aaron’s answer back was neat. Right, you must have asked someone you knew.

I was going to say ‘that’s right’, but I shook my head at the sudden thought that popped up in my mind.

‘Did Aaron have a friend that he could ask about this place?‘

I didn’t mean to ask about Aaron’s friends, but when I met him half a year ago, he said he didn’t get along with anyone.

Aaron also resembled our father and was indifferent to those around him.

If you’re constantly uninterested, what you’re given was only swordsmanship, and family?

“Who did you ask?”

“His Highness, Second Prince.”

What…?

The answer that popped out from his lips was far beyond my expectations.

✿

I was curious about how the two knew each other, so I eventually asked Aaron.

But he just laughed and didn’t give a clear answer.

“We’re not close, we’re just casual acquaintances.”

It was such a quick answer.

‘No way… I know Aaron.’

If you say that he was an acquaintance, they must be quite close.

“I know it’s not true…”

There was a reason why I asked this.

Because in the original story, there was no personal relationship between the two.

From the time Aaron first appeared, they were in hostile relations.

Although the big facts have already changed a few times, it’s the original work that has been flowing according to the framework to some extent.

The Second Prince, Callion, went to the battlefield and returned to the capital a month ago.

It was a year earlier than the original, but let’s move on,

Callion left the capital four years ago. Aaron came to the capital two years later.

There can’t be any connection between the two. But I can’t believe they’re close.

It was the moment when my thoughts were about to continue then,

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Really?” When I asked in doubt, Aaron nodded.

I wondered why he would tell me later, but there must be a reason.

For now, I decided to put aside the complicated thoughts. It was also a useless concern if Aaron didn’t answer.

“Okay. Then let’s go first if we finished eating.”

“I’ll tell you later. I have a situation right now.”

Aaron added, “I don’t know if you were offended by that suspicious tone… Should I buy some more desserts?”

When I nodded for a while, Aaron immediately called the waiter and ordered two more desserts that I liked.

‘Actually, I’m not offended at all.’

I quit because he might think it’s weird if I ask too much, but I don’t have to refuse.

In any case, the desserts were great, worthy of it’s fame.

“This is the dessert you ordered.”

“Thank you, brother. Thank you for the food!”

I couldn’t help feeling better when I saw the cake wrapped in a pretty box.

“I’ll take it. Put on your gloves first.”

Aaron’s appearance with a small dessert box seemed unfamiliar, but it matched well.

We left the cafe after paying. The gentle breeze was cold.

It did, but it wasn’t cold enough.

As I was walking slowly through the streets, I saw a beautiful place.

“Brother, can we go over there?”

“…Over There?”

Aaron asked back, who turned his gaze along my fingertips. There was a clothing store selling menswear..

“Yeah. I want to look around for a while… Can I?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Aaron, who paused for a moment, quickly accepted, and we entered the store with a warm atmosphere.

“Welcome. If you need any help, please feel free to call me.”

A male employee in a neat suit welcomed us.

The soft smile didn’t cause any agitation, unlike the staff at the cafe earlier.

Smiling, satisfied with the appearance, I moved to the place where the shirt was displayed.

There were a few who looked like nobles here too, but I didn’t really care.

Aaron, who followed, also smiled as if he had noticed my intention.

“Are you going to buy a present for our father?”

‘…Yes.’

Actually, I came here to buy a present for our father.

Father’s birthday is in a week.

“It’s a secret from our father.”

I winked and joked around. Aaron was looking at me with a sweet gaze.

“Okay. Are you going to give him a shirt as a gift?”

“Yes. Father was best at wearing shirts, so…”

If I could, I’d like something that suits him, but it’s a shirt he wears often.

“What do you mean? He doesn’t like to wear this shirt?”

“I mean. It would be good if you wear a uniform like our father.”

As I said that, I glanced at Aaron. Uniforms that are not too fancy.

Father and Aaron seemed similar, but different.

“If you like it, you should wear it right away.”

“…Actually, he wore it once a few days ago.”

I picked a shirt and told Aaron about the farewell party in the North.

“It was so hard to choose. I thought he’d look good in everything.”

“Father will like anything you gave to him.”

“But I want to give him the prettiest one.”

After a long thought, I chose two shirts.

“Could you wrap this please?”

I think it’s a little small, but I’m not going to give it to him just like this.

“Here it is. Thank you for buying it!”

“Thank you.”

Finally, I took a look inside and left the store with Aaron.

It’s the first time I’ve been to a men’s clothing store, but I think it’s more successful than I thought.