Episode 18
"Ah, this is..."
Just as Baron Cosmo was about to continue his explanation, Benio stopped him.
"It's ti for you to return now, Teacher."
At the voice tinged with displeasure and sharpness, everyone held their breath.
Even Flora, sensing the mood, widened her eyes, but Benio did not soften his stiff expression.
"Ah, look at the ti already. My apologies, Young Lady. I must return before dinner. I look forward to our next eting."
Only after Baron Cosmo politely took his leave with perceptive haste and quickly retreated did Benio's expression soften.
Although, it was only that his fiercely raised eyebrows had lowered by about five degrees.
"What brings you here?"
"I ca because I want to have dinner with Oppa."
"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for dinner today."
At those words, Flora grabbed Benio's clothes with a shocked expression.
"Then do I have to eat dinner alone? I ate lunch alone too..."
"And Father?"
"Dad said he can't co until he finishes his work. He's very busy. Isaac-ajeossi said so."
In a voice full of disappointnt, Benio let out a small sigh. But despite looking troubled, he didn't seem inclined to change his mind.
"If you've beco a Lucifer, you should be able to handle eating alone easily."
"But..."
"Throwing a tantrum isn't allowed either."
At the relentless advice, Flora's cheeks puffed up like bread. Yet, Benio looked at her with a cold gaze and passed by her, telling her to go back to her room.
"So an."
At Flora's muttering, Daphne hurriedly picked her up.
"Don't cry, Young Lady."
"I'm not crying."
"Oh my, you really aren't? My, how admirable."
It seed she had assud Flora would cry, as children usually do in such situations.
Flora wiped the moisture from her voice and made her eyes sparkle brightly.
'He doesn't want to get along with , I guess?'
"I'll ask the Head Chef to make so delicious food. Cheer up."
"Mm."
Flora deliberately pretended to be listless and buried her head in Daphne's shoulder.
How could sharing a al as a family be so extraordinary that he would act like this?
A mischievous heart sprouted prickly thoughts.
'Well, then there's a way.'
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"Are you training again today?"
Benio, who had been focused on his training, turned his head at the kind voice coming from beside him.
"...Zamira?"
"Yes, Young Lord. It's been days since I finished my duties and returned, yet you haven't even shown your face."
Though not showing it outright, seeing Benio's expression tinged with gladness, Zamira approached and handed him the towel she was holding.
"I was just busy training, that's all. Don't be upset."
"You seem to be training even harder than usual. Is this old woman mistaken?"
"...Training is never enough, no matter how much you do it every day."
"And it's not because of the little blossom who ca to the ducal estate a few days ago?"
At the words that hit the mark, Benio avoided her gaze, pretending to wipe the sweat from his face.
It was because after Flora's sudden appearance, hearing that Zamira was paying attention to the child, he had deliberately avoided places where they might et.
"I was so surprised the mont I saw her. Until now, the Duke had gone out several tis to look for the Young Lady, but he had never returned with her. It was a disloyal thought, but I believed it wouldn't be easy this ti either."
Benio felt the sa way.
Belatedly learning of Nersha's will, left in Athanas's possession, he had gathered information to find the daughter he had never t, and whenever news ca of discovering a similar child, he would search everywhere, no matter how far.
Despite suffering for such a long ti with no joyful news, he thought this ti, like always, there would be no great harvest.
But this ti was different.
Benio recalled the sibling he had faced last night. He hadn't noticed in the dark, but in the daylight, she was a child who smiled a lovely smile well.
"...She takes after Mother."
"Doesn't she?"
"......"
For a mont, silence flowed between the two.
Flora was a child who naturally reminded him of his mother Nersha, who had cared for his young self with love.
"That's why it's hard to look at her."
The lively and bright Nersha had loved Benio with all her heart, and Benio had sincerely loved his mother like that.
How sad he had been to hear the news that she had suddenly passed away in a distant land.
But he could not mourn for long.
Benio was the Lucifer heir, destined to shoulder the mission passed down through the family.
The retainers persuaded him that to beco a son his mother would be proud of, he must beco an excellent Lucifer, and through harsh training, Benio acquired martial prowess far superior to children his age.
In a way, it was a good thing.
Using the Lucifer mission as an excuse, he could barely forget the mories and sorrow associated with his mother.
That's why he was not pleased that soone had appeared who forcibly dredged up mories of his mother.
And the fact that this person who resembled his mother must also live the life of a Lucifer.
"She lived in an orphanage, right?"
"Yes, I heard it was an orphanage in a small town in the Hermannus territory, far away."
"Then she must need familial affection. As you know, our father and son are not of a particularly affectionate nature, so she'll have a hard ti adjusting. Please take good care of her, Nanny."
At his words, which seed to draw a line as if he himself would not do so, Zamira asked in a tone mixed with concern.
"Wouldn't it be better for the Young Lord to look after her rather than ?"
"There's no way she'd like a scary-looking older brother who pointed a sword at her upon first eting."
"You had your reasons. The Young Lady was just a little surprised, but she understands fully."
Despite Zamira's persuasion, Benio shook his head and continued with a completely expressionless face.
"More than anything, I am a Lucifer."
"The Young Lady is also a Lucifer."
"...She grew up outside, so she doesn't know anything. How could I be pleased with a Lucifer who grew up outside?"
He spoke as if it were natural for Flora to avoid him, but ironically, the one who was afraid and avoiding was Benio.
Knowing this fact, he still believed that keeping his distance like this was right.
"It will be more comfortable if we don't see each other. For her, and for ."
Having unintentionally blurted out his true feelings, he started in surprise and hastily handed the used towel back to Zamira.
"I have to continue my training, so you should go in first, Nanny. The weather is cold, you'll catch a chill."
Despite his kind words, his rcilessly turned back made Zamira look at Benio with pitying eyes.
Already resembling Athanas in his bluntness, Benio had beco even more emotionally parched after losing his mother, who had lavishly expressed love to him in his youth.
'I thought now that the Young Lady has found her place, things might get a little better.'
It seed that longing and sorrow were tornting him more than good mories.
'They should get along well. It's a joyous thing, but such a difficult matter.'
Looking at Benio's back as he swung his sword diligently again, Zamira could only sigh, covering her cheek.
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Inside the quiet carriage heading to the town.
Benio was extrely uncomfortable with the current situation.
Extrely so.
'I'm pressed for ti... What am I doing right now?'
Benio looked at Flora, the source of this situation, and sighed.
The child sitting across from him, whether she knew his heart or not, was unbearably bright.
His young sibling, resembling a pink flower bud, smiled as radiantly as a blooming flower every ti she made eye contact with Benio.
Apart from thinking it was a very fitting smile, he felt his stomach churn and grew uncomfortable facing it after so long.
It was partly because it reminded him of his mother, but also because her inexplicably bright deanor naturally invited comparison with himself.
'Have I ever smiled like that?'
No matter how much he thought about it, he had never smiled like that.
'Is it because she's a Lucifer who grew up outside?'
As if to show she didn't know much about the Lucifers yet, Flora was a child of immaculate purity.
So very different from himself, who shouldered the weight of the family.
'What on earth is Father thinking?'
We must go back to a week ago.
Early in the morning, Athanas, who had suddenly sought out Benio, began by abruptly requesting that Benio go out to the town with Flora and spend ti with her in place of her busy father.
Benio refused, using being busy as an excuse, and today, on the seventh day of the requests, Athanas said to him with a serious face:
〈It seems like having her real older brother by her side would help Flora adjust, don't you think?〉
It was unwelco, especially since it was already insufficient ti to teach Flora about the family and how to live as a proper mber of it.
'Don't tell Zamira said sothing to Father.'
It was a natural reaction for him, unaware that Flora had been going to Athanas all week, sniffling about wanting to beco friends with Benio.
In the end, Benio could not refuse his father's request outright.
And so, the siblings' outing was arranged.
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