Chapter 3

***

“Seems we have quite a lot of visitors these days," Julianne remarked as she wiped away the crumbs from the corner of my mouth.

‘Of course we do, the story has just started.’

I picked up the muffin in front of me and took a bite while Michael’s eyes curved as he quietly smiled.

A gentle smile to hide his true feelings. As expected of a scheming male lead. Although, those ones were the villains who usually made such faces.

‘Anyways, this is delicious, is it blueberry and cream cheese?’

Just as I was disappointed that they never made anything like it back at the mansion…

"Lili, don't eat too much. It's not good for you," Julianne scolded me.

…And that was the reason why.

But really, it was too much. No matter how weak Lilianne was, that didn’t mean she couldn’t even have desserts!

"She’s still growing. Let her eat a lot so she can become a big girl."

Michael opened his mouth and spoke calmly. I took a quick glance at him, chewing on the muffin.

‘Why does he keep being nice to me? Well, this muffin is delicious though.’

"Lili is weak, so she needs to be careful right now."

“If she’s weak, wouldn’t it be better for her to eat at least something? That way, she’ll build up her appetite.”

“She’s too picky, though. She only eats desserts instead of her meals.”

“That definitely is a problem.”

‘Hey, don’t stop there! Argue more!’

I turned my head and looked at Michael. In response, he widened his eyes for a moment and quickly smiled.

“But… I’d still like to buy Lili desserts from time to time.”

“Michael.”

“I know you like them too, Lia. Chocolate muffins especially.”

Michael handed a muffin to Julianne as he softly whispered.

‘Look at this guy trying to hit on her.’

I squinted and intercepted the muffin that he was handing to her. Did he think I would fall for just one muffin?

Of course, that would’ve worked on most eight-year-olds, but unfortunately for him, I was a child with the mind of a twenty-year-old.

“Lili likes chocolate muffins too!!”

Nevertheless, I still felt a little shameful in moments like this. Upon hearing my words, Julianne chuckled quietly and warned, "Don't eat too much though."

But you know, Lia? Back when I had been eight years old, I survived after living on fast food for a whole week.

And compared to greasy french fries or burgers, muffins were nothing, right?

I shook my head and took a big bite of the chocolate muffin.

Up until that point, Michael had been looking at me with a strange glint in his eyes.

‘Don’t look at me like that. You won’t get anything from me.’

Did he really think I would just let him have my sister after a few muffins?

“I heard that Robain visited.”

Soon after, Michael ripped his gaze off me and started talking.

It seemed like the rumors had already spread.

I swung my legs back and forth and rolled my eyes, but while I did so, Julianne took away the muffin in my hand.

‘No, my muffin!’

“Yes, that’s right. He came to ask for a favor.”

“A favor?”

“He asked if I could act as his fiancée for a while.”

Right after Julianne finished speaking, Michael's face, which had previously remained calm, suddenly became creased with wrinkles.

‘So he didn’t know that far.’

At best, he’d probably heard that Robain tried to make a move on Julianne but failed because of her younger sister.

I propped my chin on my arm and secretly observed Michael.

I still wanted to snack on some more muffins, but only eight-year-old kids would beg for muffins. I was a mature intellectual…

“Lia, give me back my muffin.”

…or not. In the end, I couldn’t help myself and pulled on Julianne’s sleeve to beg her for more.

Anyone couldn’t blame me though! I’d only eaten things like broccoli soup and mushroom risotto full of carrots. Desserts were precious to me!

I couldn’t just let her take them away like that!

“No, Lili. That’s enough for today.”

“But I know you aren’t going to give me any tomorrow either!”

She threw away anything that was past a day old because she couldn’t trust that it would be fine to eat, and she didn’t even buy more! Plus, all the servants in the mansion only listened to Julianne!

It was torture for someone like me, who always used to have snacks in my mouth back in reality.

When I puffed up my cheeks and leered at Julianne, Michael, who observed the both of us calmly, spoke up.

“Oh right. I wanted to discuss something for a potential agenda at the next meeting, Julianne. I feel like you know better than me when it comes to these kinds of things.”

Finally coming back to my senses, I put my arm back in place, away from Julianne.

‘I just lost my rationality along with my muffin. I should get ahold of myself.’

Once Julianne saw that I had calmed down, she slowly opened her mouth.

"If it's an agenda for a meeting, it must have to do with the assembly. Is it okay for you to tell me such things?"

"You'll be joining soon anyway, right? You don’t plan on staying here, do you?"

“No, but…”

Julianne glanced at me as she trailed off, allowing me to sense a slight hint of disappointment in her emerald eyes.

Even if I was her top priority, she had to have dreams of her own.

Julianne was talented enough to always be top of her class at the best academy in the empire.

She must have worked hard because she had ambitions.

"...I need to take care of Lili for now."

Julianne smiled faintly and stroked my head.

Even still, it seemed like I was her top priority. But I couldn’t help but feel guilty if that was the case…

I became torn between Michael and Julianne, deep in thought as I looked at the both of them.

I was concerned about Michael and how he kept trying to hit on Julianne, but I did get the feeling that she secretly wanted to help him and participate in the meeting…

And if he came by often, I would be able to eat a lot of desserts...

Ah, of course, the last reason was trivial though.

He couldn’t just tempt me with things like desserts.

"Lia… Lia…"

Anyways, having made my decision, I called Julianne and looked her straight in the eyes.

‘Please don't give up on everything because of me. I’ll feel bad if you do.’

"Does that old man want you to help him?"

"Old man..." Michael muttered softly.

It seemed like my referring to him like that was just as shocking to him as it was to Robain.

Nevertheless, I continued speaking.

"Helping is good. But you won’t have to go far, far away, right...?"

"No, Lili, this old man will be the one coming here."

Michael quickly interrupted upon hearing my words. To call himself an old man when he’d looked shocked just a moment ago… Perhaps he caught on quickly because he was an intelligent, scheming character. And he was also quick-witted at that.

I smiled widely as I finished the job.

"Okay then! I want you to help that old man, Lia! Like how you help me!"

It was more like she was taking care of me than helping me, to be exact, but ignored such small details. I needed some kind of excuse.

Julianne brightened up as soon as I finished speaking.

‘Just as I thought, she does want to work.’

I gave Michael a faint wink as I nestled into her arms.

‘Hey, you owe me one.’

Of course, I hadn’t allowed Julianne to spend time with Michael because I liked him. I only let her do so because she wanted to work. Desserts would also be a plus, though.

Upon catching my signal, Michael obediently smiled and muttered, "...I’m glad things worked out."

He probably thought I was a sneaky little kid, but he was no pushover either. I was sure that Michael Evans would’ve been worse at eight years old than I was now.

Anyway, for now, it was a happy ending.

I got dessert, Julianne was happy to be able to do the work she wanted, and Michael had an excuse to spend time with her.

Of course, I wasn't going to allow him anything more than that.

If he tried anything while he was with Julianne, I was to interrupt right away.

And for the record, it was never because I was swayed by desserts.

***

It was a peaceful afternoon, a few days after we’d said goodbye to Michael.

More precisely, it was an afternoon that was about to be peaceful, or rather, just a little while ago, it had been truly peaceful.

The only small problem was that I craved sweets so badly after tasting that sweet muffin a few days ago. So, avoiding Julianne's watchful eyes, I wandered around the mansion and looked everywhere in search of any little way out.

“Hello, you must be Lili. You’re just as pretty as your sister. Would you like some cookies? But don’t forget to tell Julianne that a handsome guy gave it to you.”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand popped out through the wall and stopped right in front of me.

Actually, it would be more accurate to say that it passed through the wall than popped out of it.

I was so surprised by it that I even fell on my bottom.

‘What the hell is that?!’