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nAdrisha dawdled until the end, but only before it was too late that she left for the Imperial Palace at Dalia’s urging.

nUnlike Adrisha, whose partner is in the imperial palace, Dalia still had some time to spare.

nShe had to wait for Hikan in the waiting room.

n‘But when this is over, brother Hikan will have some free time right?’

nSuddenly, she missed Hikan.

nAfter the embarrassing incident when she slept soundly in his office, she hardly met him except during mealtime.

nStill, it’s fortunate that they’ll be able to talk a lot today.

nThen, she heard a knock. Hikan is already here.

nDalia got up and went to greet her brother. Seeing him during this chaotic situation has reassured her a little.

nIt was just as she felt last time, but Hikan’s beauty during the ball was 10 times more handsome than usual.

n

n

nIs it because the unique silver hair color and blue eyes go well together?

nHikan also looked at Dalia longer than usual. Recently, considering Hikan’s relaxed attitude, Dalia made a perfectly reasonable speculation.

n‘Is it because I looked cute?’

nDalia looked up at Hikan, anticipating with sparkling eyes.

nHe replied matter-of-factly.

n“No, I was surprised that you were so small.”

n“……”

n‘He’s been saying that I’m small since last time. He’s small too. ‘

nDalia thought to herself. Of course, he’s only about as tall as any other adult men.

n‘What did I expect?’

nNo matter how much Hikan has changed, it was too much to expect such a word from him.

nOr maybe that she’s too confident?

nHikan reached out his hand to Dalia, who was embarrassed.

n“Let’s go.”

n“Ye, yes.”

nShe took his hand.

nHikan dragged her toward him and asked indifferently.

n“So did you make a lot of friends?”

nIt was about the tea party. Dalia understands it right away.

n‘……should I be honest or should I lie?’

nShould she say that the talk about Adrisha made the atmosphere become gloomy? Anyway, since we made a connection with each other at the end of the day, should she call it a success?

nAfter much consideration, Dalia decided to be honest.

n“……that’s……”

nShe was sure that he would not like it.

nRather than making friends at the event that he worked so hard for, she ruined the mood.

nAnd it’s happened because of Adrisha, who Hikan hates.

nShe was sorry because she knew how hard he had worked for it.

n“That’s what happened. I’m sorry.”

n“Well done.”

nHowever, Hikan’s response was unexpected.

nDalia asked back in surprise.

n“What?”

n“That’s the only way to make those fools understand. It’s good to give them a warning once.”

n“……”

n“Mrs. Hanley was close to mother. I wonder how they met.”

nHikan smiled sarcastically by raising one corner of his mouth. There was a cold hatred in his eyes.

nShe remembers Hikan talking about their mother in the study before.

nTheir mother, who was hurt by the mana explosion of their maternal grandfather, simply couldn’t accept Hikan, who is also a transcendent and sent him to the duchy.

n“Anyway, I’m sure this has earned you the favor from Lady Adrisha Beniter. She seems to be very trusted by the Emperor, so there’s nothing bad about you being close to her.”

n‘You don’t think like that though.’

nHe looked at Dalia and said in a calm voice.

n“Besides, you are above them. Because you’re a Pesteros.”

n“……”

n“And, if you manage to make even one person become your people, then it’s a success. Good job.”

nAnd Hikan’s hand came up above her head. He’s not stroking it, just lightly put his hand’s weight on it.

nAnd then, as if nothing had happened, his hand fell right away.

nAs she couldn’t believe it, Dalia stared at Hikan’s handsome face blankly.

n‘Brother……you’ve really changed. I guess you really like me now.’

nIt was unbelievable. The fact that the final villain can like his sister like a normal person.

nOnly then did Dalia realize. Maybe she also likes Hikan quite a bit too.

nUntil now, he has been forcing himself to turn a blind eye to the people he hates, but now he is different.

nSuddenly she was conscious of the hand that she was holding.

nHikan’s hand was still cold. However, the feeling the temperature brought was completely different from during the funeral when she first held his hand.

n‘I’ll do it well.’

nHolding that hand, her worries disappeared and gained strength instead. Dalia followed her brother with a smile.

nPeople came to greet Hikan and Dalia. Some of them gave gifts to Dalia, saying that since she didn’t have a birthday celebration so they had no chance to see her.

nAfter asking the servant to move the gift box to their designated room, Dalia smiled merrily.

n“I hope that it’s a big doll that I can hold and sleep with.”

n“If you needed that, you should have bought it earlier.”

n“Doll is the best when you get it as a gift. “

nSuddenly, Dalia realized that she didn’t know when Hikan’s birthday was.

n“When is brother’s birthday?”

n“Why do you ask that?”

n“……Hmm, can brother guess why?”

n“……That’s okay.”

nDalia smiled bashfully. It was surprising that she and Hikan were talking like this casually.

n“My birthday is in winter. It’s autumn now. There’s a long way to go, so you don’t have to worry.”

n“My birthday is……”

n“I know, it passed a while ago. I’m sorry I couldn’t take care of you then.”

nDalia’s birthday was in June. How does Hikan know her birthday?

nDalia looked at Hikan in surprise. He pretended not to know, as always, as if nothing had happened.

nAt that time, a married couple came to greet Hikan and Dalia. They said that they came from the duchy.

nThey greeted Hikan first and expressed regret for what happened at the last ball.

nThey were the first to directly mention the ball’s mana explosion incident.

nDalia was a little bewildered by their casual behavior. Then the two made a fuss when they saw Dalia who were holding Hikan’s arm.

n“Oh my, Miss Dalia really sticks to her brother like a glue.”

n“You’re so cute. The Duke must be happy.”

nDalia felt that her good mood subtly deteriorating in an instant. It seemed that the rumors that Dalia couldn’t live without Hikan were still circulating.

n‘That’s the very, very early thing……that I did in order to live.’

nThanks to that, she was living with Hikan this way, but it was a little unfair to be regarded as such a person.

nBut in her own way, she’s also a member of the Pesteros Dukedom. She also asked the Emperor to make the Beniter become a Count.

n‘I tried to be charismatic at the tea party.’

nIt seems that it did not reach the duchy.

nEven so, it was rude. They’re saying that she’s cute to someone they’ve never met before, or that she doesn’t know how to be away from her brother.

nBut she didn’t want to ruin the mood. Because in any case, Hikan was the main character not her.

nSo Dalia only gives a short smile instead of answering back. People with that much sense won’t talk about it anymore.

nHowever.

n“Why are you being rude, Viscount?”

n“……What?”

nDalia looked at Hikan in confusion. His expression was cold.

n“You’re not there during the Duchess Blueport’s mana explosion incident in the first place, and now you’re saying that she’s cute and all that to my sister. Are we in a position to hear this from you?”

nShe already knew that once Hikan had that cold expression, it means that he’s angry, he looks really scary.

nDalia pulled his sleeve slightly to stop him. However, Hikan did not look back at Dalia and only glared at the couple.

nThe atmosphere around them suddenly became cold. The Viscount and his wife were conscious of the atmosphere and hurriedly apologized.

n“We, we’re sorry, Duke, Miss Dalia. We were careless.”

n“I’m sorry.”

n“Be careful next time. Come here, Dalia.”

nHikan spoke coldly and pulled Dalia. She greeted the married couple awkwardly and hurriedly followed him.

nHikan still looks angry. He spoke sharply to Dalia.

n“Did the other families talk to you like that?”

n“N, no.”

n“Tell me if someone ever made fun of you like that. I’ll never let them come to the mansion again.”

n“……yes.”

n“As I said earlier, you’re a Pesteros. Don’t just leave that behind. When Adrisha Beniter was insulted, you get angry and why……!”

nDalia now knew that this was Hikan’s ‘jealousy’.

n‘I wish you’d tell me that you’re angry because you’re ignoring me at times like this.’

nBut still, that’s Hikan. Dalia looked up at him and suddenly smiled.

nHikan frowned and looked at Dalia.

n“Why are you smiling?”

n“I was worried. I’m afraid that brother might blame me for being angry at the tea party.”

n“……but?”

n“But when brother got mad at someone else, I thought that…….it was stupid of me to worry about that……”

n‘I can’t say that it’s funny because you tell me that it’s okay, but you’re reacting the same way as me in the same situation.’

n

n

nAnd I was touched by that.

n“……”

nDalia buried her head in Hikan’s arm and whispered in a small voice to hold back her laughter.

n“What if other people think that we siblings are always angry……?”

n“Tell them to think that way. They’re the ones who’ll regret it anyway.”

nHikan replied bluntly, perhaps embarrassed now.

nDalia laughed again.

nTo think that Hikan got mad at others for his younger sister.

nIf she told this to the person who played the original game, it was obvious that everyone would think that it was nonsense.

nWith him, there was hope that everything would be fine in the future. She smiled.

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