Chapter 8: A Different Breakfast Than Usual
I am not good with my brother.
He is always overbearing, speaking down to me and pressing me into submission.
Yet when he speaks to our sister, his attitude is completely different.
I have wondered why ever since we were little, and I still do not understand it.
Even now, my shoulders instinctively hunched.
“Brother, please stop speaking like that.
Those of us listening donât like it either.”
When Noel said that, Mother also spoke up.
“Thatâs right.
Please speak more quietly.
I donât want to hear raised voices first thing in the morning.”
This was our usual household.
Breakfast the morning before yesterday had followed the same pattern.
That morning, my brother had said.
“I hear youâre still saying you donât want this or that youâre hesitant.
What exactly do you dislike about Jason?”
I desperately tried to respond to him.
“Um, Iâve heard that his relationships with women are rather flashy.
And I donât think he likes me at all⌠I mean, not even a little.”
“Big Sister, he showers you with such passionate words of love.
Why would you think something like that?”
“Because his words of love are completely hollow.
I donât think heâs looking at me at all.”
Mother frowned.
“They say love is blind.
And at this point, you canât just say you donât want it and back out.
Please grow up already.”
“âŚI donât want it.
I hate it.
I would rather die.”
I said it softly, looking down.
“Donât say such nonsense.
This is the last meal with the family.
Go on, begin.”
Father said that and had the food brought in.
I moved my knife and fork mechanically, without knowing what I was eating.
“Hey, answer me.
I was humiliated because of you.
Apologize.
An apology isnât enough, but apologize anyway.”
My brother was shouting at me.
Suddenly, something in my head went cold.
I lifted my face and answered him.
“If Jason-sama is punished, will you apologize to me?”
“What!?
What did you say?”
“Please apologize.
For how youâve treated me until now, for introducing Jason-sama to me, and for never listening to my words.”
He froze, napkin in his right hand, wearing a shocked expression.
It was ridiculous.
I let out a breath.
Why was I ever afraid of someone like this?
Then I slowly turned toward Father.
“Shall we eat now, Father?”
Father hurriedly instructed Lloyd to serve the food.
The soup touched my lips.
Once again, it was my favorite, creamy clam chowder.
I wonder if Chef John thought of it, or perhaps Lloyd did.
My chilled body and heart slowly warmed.
After the soup plates were cleared, my eyes met Noelâs.
Before she could say anything, I spoke first.
“Noel.
I love your eyes, like a winter sky.
Your slender, supple limbs like a graceful deer, and your beautiful singing voice, have completely ensnared me.”
“Eh?
Whatâs with you all of a sudden?
Who are you talking about?”
“If someone praised you like that, would you be happy?”
“Happy or not, thatâs not about me, is it?
My eyes arenât pale blue.
Theyâre brown.”
Noel began to get angry.
Perhaps because she is fifteen, she has started to get a little plump lately, and she is sensitive about it.
And this is unlikely to change, but she is terribly tone-deaf.
“Right.
Those are Jason-samaâs words of love.
If you were told that every time, wouldnât you want to run away just from seeing his face?”
“My, does Jason-sama have bad eyesight?
Or is something wrong with his head?”
“Who knows.
And yet he still got into the Royal Guard.”
My brother immediately snapped at my words.
“How dare you speak like that about the honorable Royal Guard.
What if itâs taken as disrespect toward the royal family?”
I snorted before I could stop myself.
How unladylike, I hurriedly restrained myself.
But the words wouldnât stop.
“I wonder how Brian-sama will judge it.
If he decides Jason-sama is unfit for the honor of the Royal Guard, his name might disappear from its rolls.”
“Youâhow could you say such a thing⌔
“What do you think, Father?”
I cut off my brother and turned to Father.
Father looked away in silence.
“Father?”
“Eric, be very careful when speaking with Brian-dono.
Do not say anything that could be disadvantageous to yourself or to this family.”
Startled, my brother stood up.
I saw his chair nearly tip over.
“What do you mean?
Donât tell me you believe yesterdayâs farce?”
Father slowly turned to face him.
“I donât know what will happen to Jason-dono.
But if we arenât careful and observe quietly, things may turn ugly.
You understand, donât you?”
My brother sank back into his chair, stunned.
Silence followed for a while.
Just then, the egg dishes were served.
On my plate was a sunny-side-up egg, cooked soft on both sides.
This is my favorite.
Mother chose scrambled eggs, and the other three always chose omelets.
When I cut into the egg, the yolk oozed out thickly.
It was cooked just right, and that made me happy.
“Youâre awfully cheerful for someone who caused such a commotion.
This is all your fault, you know.”
My brother was being noisy again.
“Excuse me, but please be quiet during meals.
Mother just said that, didnât she?
Iâm actually able to taste my food for the first time in a while, so Iâd like to focus on eating.”
The food tasted wonderful.
I wondered if I should ask for seconds, and my eyes met Lloydâs.
He smiled and stepped forward slightly.
“May I bring you something else?”
“Whatâs next?”
“A small steak.”
“Then Iâll skip seconds.
Thank you.”
“Father, are you really going to let her get away with this attitude?
Sheâs strange today.”
“Letâs talk calmly while we eat.
Eric, settle down a little.
We wonât get anywhere like this.”
When the steak was served, I immediately cut off a generous piece and put it into my mouth.
It was delicious.
I felt like I was coming back to life.
While I was savoring the steak, Father began speaking.
He was recounting his conversation with Brian-sama from last night.
Since I had already heard it, I listened with half an ear and kept eating.
The freshly baked bread was wonderful.
When Lloyd offered more, I accepted another piece.
“Thank you.
Itâs delicious.
Johnâs skills are truly first-rate.”
“Hey, this is a serious discussion.
Are you even listening?”
My brother started up again.
“I was there yesterday.
Or do you have some question?”
“I heard Brian-dono wanted to know how you two met.
Why would he ask something like that?”
“He said he didnât believe you were colluding.
That must be a relief.
It seems youâre not suspected as an accomplice.”
My brother fell silent.
Mother and Noel turned pale.
Father wore an expression like he was chewing something bitter.
Since Father said nothing, my words stood as truth.
The three of them were visibly shaken.
Thatâs when I thought of a small bit of retaliation.
“There may be questioning for all of you as well.
Brother, if things go badly, you might be dismissed from the Royal Guard along with Jason-sama.
Please choose your words carefully.”