* * *

I stared fixedly at the cover of Architus.

Nothing changed because of it.

The heart-cut crystal, which had been pink, had been transparent for a long time.

I opened the status window again.

– Equipped ability: –

Once again, the empty ability window greeted me.

I had used up all three remaining uses on Ixion, so it was natural.

‘At least this has given me some guidance, but now what should I do?’

Thump.

I put Architus back in the drawer and left the room.

‘Now that I have no abilities to rely on, I have to follow the progress of romance-fantasy heroines even more!’

Let’s find Ixion and show him my face!

I put my spirit into it and walked around the castle vigorously.

But Ixion was nowhere to be found in the room, training ground, or office.

‘Where did he go?’

In the dressing room.

Behind the curtain.

Even in the jar.

I searched everywhere, but not a single strand of hair was visible.

The duke’s mansion was too big, and my four-year-old legs were starting to hurt.

Fortunately, there were beautiful rest areas throughout the duke’s mansion.

“I’m getting old, I’m getting old!”

As I sat in the chair and slapped my legs, I heard a faint laughter.

When I raised my head, I saw a boy standing against the wall with a slight lean. Even that sight was beautiful like a pictorial.

“Ares!”

Ares came to me with a soft smile.

“What could make my little sister get old? That would be a big problem.”

Tap, his long and elegant index finger tapped my cheek.

“Life is originally tough and difficult, Ares.”

Ares, it’s too hard for me.

I thought I could easily capture them since all the romance-fantasy heroines are doing so well.

How many childcare novels have I read, ha…

Even though I used up all my abilities, Ixion doesn’t even show a hint of recognition towards me.

“Ugh.”

A sigh escaped me.

Ares sat next to me with a smile.

“Even your cute way of sighing makes my heart ache when I think you have something to worry about, little sister.”

Ares gently stroked my hair.

“Do you want to tell me?”

His tone was gentle.

As if I would spill my secrets without even realizing it.

Ares’s pupils, looking down at me, were as clear as burning rubies.

“Ixion keeps avoiding me!”

Thinking about it made me more annoyed, so I pouted and bit my lips.

Ares’s eyes widened slightly, as if it was an unexpected thing to say.

Soon his lips curled up.

“You seem to get along well with Ixion.”

“Hmph, what do you mean get along well!”

I grumbled and poured out my words.

“He always says I’m annoying! He behaves badly! He tells me to go away! Bleh!”

“So you two really getting along well. That’s interesting.”

Hmm, Ares made a strange sound.

His eyes narrowed.

‘Huh?’

I felt a little uncomfortable without knowing why.

When I looked at Ares, he narrowed his eyes. It was a very gentle and slow laugh.

“I’m a little jealous.”

At his words, I snorted.

What kind of misunderstanding is that!

“Ares is much, much better!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Ixion can’t even compare to you!”

My brother is my healing and the welfare of my life!

Ares’s smile deepened.

Suddenly, Ares’s hand slipped down from stroking my hair.

At the same time, Ares lowered his head closer to me.

‘Huh?’

Isn’t it too close? I thought.

Chu.

A warm and soft sensation touched my cheek.

I was momentarily confused and didn’t understand what had just happened, so my eyes widened.

As I looked at Ares in surprise, he said,

“It’s an honor.”

Wow…

The winter afternoon sun was coloring the boy’s cheeks pale.

His slightly narrowed eyes were lazily curved, and his cheeks were deeply dimpled at the corners of his smiling lips.

Wow…

Wow…

Hooray for the older brother who’s a fool for his sister!

10 stars? What’s that!

I’ll give you 100!

* * *

“Ixion keeps avoiding me!”

At the loud voice, Ixion paused.

‘…Avoiding? I’ve been playing along as much as I could.’

I had only hidden whenever I see the fluffy bundle looking around for me again.

That weakling likes to play tag.

Surely, even the weak cotton ball was enjoying herself, even peering into a jar. But for Ares to say that…

“You seem to get along well with Ixion.”

“Hmph, what do you mean get along well!”

Ixion frowned at Ruatisha, who snorted in annoyance.

“He always says I’m annoying! He behaves badly! He tells me to go away! Bleh!”

The more she thought about it, the angrier Ruatisha became, and she stood up from her chair with determination.

“……”

Ixion took a step back and hit the wall, not realizing he was shocked.

“I played with Ixion!”

“It was fun!”

The image of Ruatisha, who had smiled brightly as she spoke, remained in his memory.

‘In the end, it was all a lie?’

He had a feeling that something was off.

Normal humans who couldn’t use magic hated and feared Ixion for their weak constitution.

That was normal.

There was no difference just because she was a kid.

At that moment, Ixion’s and Ares’s gazes met.

“….!”

Before Ixion could react to being caught spying, Ares’s lips curved into a sly and unpleasant smile.

“I’m a little jealous.”

Ares shuddered with disgust.

The foolish weakling fell over at that disgust.

“Ares is much, much better!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Ixion can’t even compare to you!”

“……”

Ixion’s jaw clenched.

He felt dirty.

Not for any other reason, but because he felt bad that he was less than Ares.

That’s why he felt dirty.

He didn’t care how the weakling thought of him.

“….F*ck.”

Why was that bastard so close to Ruatisha and getting along so well with her?

That’s when it happened.

Ares, who had been petting Ruatisha’s head in a cutesy way, lowered his head slightly.

Ixion’s pupils shook as they drew closer.

‘D*mn it.’

Ixion’s mouth opened as if to scream, but Ares was faster.

Chu.

A cute and adorable sound echoed through the palace.

‘That bastard…!’

Crack! Thud!

The stone wall Ixion had made with his small hands crumbled and fell.

Ares raised his head and gave Ixion a sinister smile.

It was always an unpleasant smile, but today it was even more so.

“Ares? What’s over there?”

Ruatisha turned her head to follow Ares’s gaze, looking puzzled.

Ixion quickly turned his body and left the spot.

“Oops! The wall broke over there! It must have been shoddy construction!”

A shrill voice came from behind.

‘That stupid weakling cotton ball…’

Ixion gritted his teeth in frustration.

He couldn’t figure out why he felt so dirty.

* * *

I walked along the table and looked down with the eyes of a hawk.

“Hmm… Still nothing here.”

It’s been days since I last saw Ixion.

Without him, I can’t practice any of the rules for creating an ‘older brother who’s a fool for his younger sister’ in romance novels.

‘What should I do…’

The quest doesn’t seem like it’ll wait forever.

And didn’t the quest to feed Clatie cider automatically ended.

‘If I don’t gain recognition as a member of the family and the quest ends automatically for Ixion…’

Game over.

In other words, a pathetic death.

I slumped down and hung my head.

Grumble, grumble!

I heard the beggar in my belly crying out.

Even in the moments when life and death were at stake, my stomach was growling.

What can I do? I’m only four years old.

Babies need to eat a lot!

I returned to my room.

“Welcome back, miss.”

“Did you enjoy your walk?”

“I’m hungry!”

As soon as I confidently shouted, snacks were presented as if they were waiting for me.

‘The life of a noble is truly the best!’

As I happily ate a lemon cake with lots of lemon icing, I asked my sisters.

When tracking someone’s whereabouts, there’s nothing like a witness statement!

“Have you seen Ixion by any chance?”

“The third young master? No, I haven’t seen him.”

“Our dear third young master doesn’t usually come out where there are many people.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, because our third young master especially dislikes being around people.”

“I see…”

I hung my head, feeling dejected.

“He used to be around a lot…”

Was I just lucky?

“I think the third young master Ixion is avoiding the youngest miss.”

Anna chuckled.

But I couldn’t smile back.

That means Ixion is actively avoiding me now.

Did my actions have the opposite effect?

The refreshing lemon cake tasted dry.

Laura smiled when she saw my gloomy face.

“I think the youngest miss likes the third young master.”

“Who! That little brat is totally annoying!”

I shouted in frustration, but my sisters just chuckled and smiled contentedly.

I pouted and pursed my lips.

Well, I don’t really hate him.

Sometimes he annoys me a bit, but he’s still family.

Sigh.

‘Anyway, right now, he’s just an infuriating brat! If I’m listed in the family register, then I’m a member of the family! What’s there to acknowledge or not! Even our dad acknowledged it, so who does he think he is!’

I shook with anger, holding my fork tightly.

‘If this continues, I’ll really die!’

Would things be different if I understood Ixion’s situation?

‘Since I don’t have any magic, he probably doesn’t recognize me.’

It was clear from the many times he had used magic to pressure me.

‘How childish.’

I couldn’t do anything about that, but it was unfair to discriminate against me for that reason.

‘You jerk. If I was just a little older, I wouldn’t have to yield.’

Since you’re still a kid, your older sister, who is on her second go-around in life, will let it slide.

“Right, what exactly is this magic?”

My sisters fell silent at my question.

An awkward expression crossed their faces.

But I didn’t back down.

“I know our family has magic, but I don’t have any.”

“Miss… it’s not because there’s a problem with the miss.”

“I’m not asking for comfort. I just want to know. It’s about me and my family.”

I looked at my sisters with a serious expression.

After exchanging glances for a moment, they nodded in agreement.

“The Phaeraton dukedom has had magic passed down through generations. It’s a power that’s only passed down to direct descendants of the dukedom.”

“Does that mean a family of wizards?”

“No. Wizards use mana. Magic is…”

Anna, who was explaining, stopped talking.

She looked somewhat scared as she chose her words carefully.

“…a very, very special power.”

Hmm…

This situation seems familiar.

A special power passed down to the dukedom.

Different from the mana of wizards and the aura of knights.

It’s even black like darkness.

And the attitude of people who seem to fear that power.

My romance novel instincts tell me.

Devil/monster/dark duke.

As a romance-fantasy novel reader, I’m very familiar with these kinds of keywords.

When in doubt, pretend you know!

“Well, is it the power of the devil?”

“No!”

Nancy cried out, looking pale.

I gave Nancy a suspicious look.

There’s a saying that strong denial is equivalent to affirmation.

“Well, there are rumors like that, but they’re just rumors.”

“People tend to fear too much power. Especially when they can’t understand it.”

“To be honest, we don’t even know what kind of power magic is. Only the direct descendants of Phaeraton who use that power would know.”

“I see.”

Then, I cannot know.

“There are many rumors about it because it’s such an overwhelming power.”

“Even just looking at it is scary and unsettling.”

“The first time I saw it, my legs went weak and I fell down. But the maidservant said that was a good sign, and that’s how I was able to work in the duke’s mansion.”

My sisters’ faces turned pale.

They spoke as if they were talking about something slow and gruesome.

I know there is no malice.

But somehow, I felt bad.

“No.”

“What?”

“I’ve seen magic too. Many times. It’s not scary, frightening, or gruesome like that.”

A dark power.

A power of darkness.

It may be a natural target for rejection.

But…

“I like black.”

“It doesn’t show wear and tear even when it’s old or worn out.”

That was quite important to me as an orphan.

“But I’ve never thought that black was pretty.”

It was just a practical choice.

I also wanted to have colorful and fancy clothes.

“But magic is beautiful.”

I was overwhelmed when I first saw it.

So much so that I forgot to breathe for a moment.

“—It’s beautiful.”

The room was quiet.

“Magic is like the night.”

I recalled when my father’s magic had wrapped me up tightly.

The thick and dark shadow that tightly wrapped around my father’s sturdy body.

My father’s burning red eyes.

And the black darkness that cut off Clatie’s finger-pointing and contempt in an instant.

“A night where you can close your eyes and rest.”

The magic my father created surrounded me like a blanket made of night.

“It’s warmer and cozier than anything else for me.”

* * *

“It’s warmer and cozier than anything else for me.”

The words of a giggling child echoed.

Ares, who had been leaning against the window and the outer wall, fell silent for a moment.

He looked up and spoke towards the tree.

“Is that right?”

Ixion, who was sitting on the tree, frowned.