Episode 9: For Now, I Fled.
“Ati-sama!”
“Eric-sama!”
The servants of the Andreu Estate came running out of the mansion in disarray, surrounding us at the edge of the garden.
Hmm.
What should I do?
Can I escape? Should I escape?
No, I haven’t done anything wrong, have I? Nope.
I just sneaked into the Andreu Estate. Well, that was to save Ati. I did sneak in, though. I did sneak in, didn’t I? Hmm. Is this bad??
No!
I have nothing to be ashamed of!!
The best thing to do in these situations is to act confident!!!
I scooped up Ati and Eric in my arms. Heavy. It’s tough to hold a child with one arm!
Hang in there, me! It’ll be over in a second!!
“I am a noble’s son passing by!
I received information that Ati-ojou was in danger and came to confirm it!”
I raised my voice with dignity.
Since I was in cross-dress, I didn’t call myself her mother. They wouldn’t believe me even if I did.
After all, my cross-dressing is perfect. Perfect… that’s why. Heh.
Everyone looked shocked.
Well, yeah. Why would a passerby be in the mansion, especially in the back garden? I know. I know! I know, but ignore it!!
“As it turns out, Ati-ojou was in danger! Even Eric-sama was in danger! Someone tried to inflict a serious injury on Ati-ojou! Did anyone see a suspicious person?!”
Divert the attention from me! The important thing here isn’t my identity, but the culprit who tried to harm Ati.
From the crowd, hands slowly began to rise.
Those hands—pointed at me.
Correct.
Yeah. That’s right. A noble’s son passing by. Suspicious.
That’s not it!!
“Someone knew the two were playing in the back garden and dropped a lantern from the second floor! You saw it, didn’t you! The lantern fell to the ground and burned!”
When I said that, the servants began to stir.
Many people saw the flames from the burning lantern. I mean, it’s still burning, so yeah.
Some people probably know that what I’m saying is true.
Just as the people there began to get confused about what was happening—
“What’s all the commotion!”
Pushing through the crowd, a well-dressed man emerged from the back.
Who is that? Ah, he looks like Eric in the otome game. So, that’s Eric’s father, Marquis Andreu. He was almost middle-aged in the game, but he’s still young. Of course.
And behind him was another well-dressed man. Who is that? He doesn’t seem like the head butler. He’s a noble. Is he Marquis Andreu’s brother? He doesn’t look like him, though.
Well, whatever.
If the most important person here shows up, things will get complicated.
He might declare me the culprit with a single word.
“Marquis Andreu! Inside your mansion, someone tried to injure Ati-ojou and Eric-sama! There may be someone plotting something or someone who has sneaked in! Search the mansion immediately and strengthen the security!”
As I said that, I put Ati and Eric down on the ground.
“Who are you?!”
Fair enough.
I should give my name before making a grand speech.
Hmm. Let’s see.
“My name is Sergios! Just Sergios!!”
Sergios—
The twin I lost.
My other half, my deceased brother’s name.
“Farewell!!”
I said only that and dashed off in the direction where there were no people!
I broke through the crowd with shoulder tackles, pushed aside the gardeners who had come to see what was happening, and escaped into the trees in the garden.
“Don’t let him get away! Chase him!!”
I heard such a hurried voice from behind.
Hahaha!! Can they keep up with my legs that have run all over the mountains and fields!? The name ‘Raging Stallion of the North’ isn’t just for show!
Avoiding the garden trees with ease, I sprinted at full speed.
Then, the voices of the people chasing me gradually faded away.
I safely arrived outside the mansion. Then, I straddled the horse I had hidden and left the scene in a dashing manner.
I have to get back quickly!
Ati will be back soon! They’re in a carriage, so I have to hurry.
I returned to the mansion, returned the horse, and went back to my room. Through the window.
My clothes were scorched in places, and torn from being caught on trees during the escape. Ah, my best cross-dressing outfit…
I’ll contact my parents’ house for a new one—no way they’ll give me one. I can already hear my mother’s cold voice asking, “What are you going to use it for?” not to mention the money. Heh.
I’m glad I saved Ati safely.
If there’s one thing I regret, it’s the pocket watch that I hit with the falling lantern. It was an important item passed down from my grandfather to my brother.
When my brother passed away, I received it as a memento of him.
I lost my brother’s memento.
But it can’t be compared to Ati’s life or injuries.
Thank you, brother.
Thanks to you, Ati was safe.
Thank you so, so much.
As I was doing that, I noticed that the mansion had begun to stir.
Ah, Ati and the others must have returned.
Why isn’t anyone coming to call me?
Well, I’ll go on my own.
I quickly left my room and headed to the entrance hall.
Ah, before that.
I have to keep it in mind.
I don’t know that Ati suffered a minor burn or had her hair burned. I don’t know.
So, I’ll be surprised when I see Ati. I’ll be surprised, me. Be surprised.
…Hmm. When I think about these things in advance, I feel like I can’t do it well. Can I act?
When I arrived at the entrance hall, Ati was just entering the mansion.
“Ati!”
I called Ati’s name with a cheerful voice.
“Okaasama!”
Ati noticed my voice, turned around, and gave me an angelic, full smile.
Ah, God’s treasure. Archangel. Her smile is divine!! Already a god!!!
I ran down the stairs and rushed to Ati’s side.
Then, I knelt down and spread my arms.
Ati jumped into my arms without hesitation.
“Welcome back, Ati! How was the Andreu Estate?”
I wanted to ask, “Was it fun?” but the words wouldn’t come out—because I know it wasn’t fun.
When I hugged her, I saw Ati’s hair again.
The burned part was gone, but it had been cut quite short, around her shoulders. Did she have it trimmed? Ah… that beautiful hair…
“Ati, what happened to your hair?”
When I released Ati’s body and looked at her face, there was gauze on her cheek.
…Did her face get burned too? I didn’t notice it at the time. Ati and Eric were both so surprised that their cheeks were bright red.
“Even your cheek… what happened?”
I gently touched Ati’s cheek. Ati flinched for a moment, so I didn’t touch her any further, and instead hugged her tightly again.
“We’ll talk about that later.”
A gruff voice came from behind Ati.
A man leading the butlers was looking down at me in an arrogant manner.
“…?”
Who? Who is this?
Black hair and no beard. Slightly haggard eyes. …Huh, who is it?
“…Don’t you have any words of welcome for me?”
Words of welcome? Why would I welcome someone I don’t know—eh. Could it be.
“M… Marquis-sama?”
“Why are you asking?”
“Well, because…”
The beard. You don’t have a beard. Isn’t that your identity?
“Your face… looks different than before…”
Because, in the otome game and as the father of the villainess Ati, he had a beard. Because of that, he looked like a bad person. Well, I thought that’s how the father of a villainess would look.
This is, um. What’s going on?
Ati’s father, who I thought was quite old, was younger than I expected. Isn’t he about the same age as me, or a little older?
“I shaved my beard. I don’t need it anymore.”
You don’t need it? Sorry, I don’t understand at all. What? Did you grow it for warmth until now, and shaved it because it’s spring, or something?
…Ah. That face.
He’s the arrogant man who was behind Marquis Andreu at the Andreu Estate earlier.
That was the Marquis… I didn’t notice.
Darn it. I was being watched intently, wasn’t I? Will they find out… no, they won’t. Because my cross-dressing is perfect (tears).
“Anyway, I’m tired today. I’ll talk about it later, so for now, step aside.”
“Yes.”
The Marquis waved me away with a “good grief” attitude, so I obediently complied.
That said, I picked up Ati and tried to return to my room with her.
“O… Okusama.”
Samuel, the tutor, tried to stop me, but I glanced at him and he stopped talking. Hmph. Try to stop me if you want. I’ll pin you against the wall again, okay?
While the housefolk and other people were flustered, I picked up Ati and headed to her room.
Along the way, I asked Ati how it went.