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Volume 5 Chapter 5 Part 9

Translator: Kurehashi Aiko
Editor: Team Foxsunes

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Lucius’s voice when he said the following words seemed really sarcastic to me.

「My Mother is younger than my Father, but nonetheless she’s a really strong person. Strong enough to completely overwhelm Father at times. Of course, I know that Father loves the both of us just the same and that he would never do anything that would hurt us in any way. But I also know that when faced with a situation like that, it is hard to love someone equally like that. I heard that in the past both Father and Mother were the center of attention in their respective social circles. I also heard that their respective environments greatly opposed the idea of them getting married. But once Mother learned that Father was still having difficulties with forgetting his former wife, she set her sights on making him do just that even if t was the last thing she would do.」

Lucius smiled in a sour way, while I looked at my feet, unable to find any words to say to that. I could only speculate from his words that his Mother was a really determined and strong-willed person. The fact that he grew up loved by both of his parents was also a testament to that fact.

I was also aware of the fact that for Lucius, that man could have been some sort of his Father’s shadow, so maybe his desire to bring him back home was his way of actually seeking acceptance. However, if it was for such a reason alone, that man would never agree to go back and he would probably resent Lucius for that. Thinking like that, I stared at Lucius’s profile, and then I heard him utter those words.

「Filmina-neesan, you once asked me why I cherish my brother so much, right?」

「Ahh, y, yes.」

Lucius turned towards me and I reflexively nodded my head. Lucius was smiling in his usual manner, but then again, there was something odd to that smile, something unlike I’ve ever seen before.

「I can’t say that I never resented Father for looking at Nii-san differently. I envied Nii-san because of that. I know it may sound horrible, especially since I was brought up the way I was, but I wanted Father to forget about Nii-san and look at me and me alone. To actually see me for who I am.」

‘Why is he so obsessed with him?’ It was the question I was asking myself ever since Lucius started living with us, and now that I received an answer to that question I didn’t actually know what to think of it. It was really hard for me to actually judge someone for trying to pursue their own happiness. Especially since the way of achieving it seemed to be so twisted.

So in response to his answer, I was at a complete loss for words. He wanted to find his happiness, but if he wanted to do so without making sacrifices along the way I’d say it would be nothing more but asking for a miracle to occur. But I cannot really condemn him for wishing for something like that. For in the past I was exactly like that myself.

Ahh, I see. It looks like Lucius is like a mirror copy of that man, but the same thing could be said about his wishes and dreams. Both brothers lived their lives while taking the things that surrounded them for granted, without actually realizing just how much their parents actually loved them. They really are like each other’s reflections in the mirror. Realizing that, I was actually surprised.

「I want Nii-san to be happy. But that’s only because I want to be happy, more than anyone else in this world. I think that this kingdom is a wonderful place. But I can’t help it, thinking that Nii-san won’t be fully happy in here.」

After saying that, Lucius let out a deep sigh as he turned his head away from me once more.

 「I’m sorry, I guess I’ve said too much. I shouldn’t badmouth the country you were born in like that, Filmina-neesan.」

There was a brief moment of silence between us, and then I shook my head and opened my mouth.

「No, thank you so very much, Lucius-sama.」

「Eh?」

 Seeing that Lucius seemed rather confused, I couldn’t help it but laugh.

「I happy and grateful to see that there is someone in this world who loves Edi so much and who wishes him so well.」

「That’s not…… It’s only natural.」

Lucius seemed to be really embarrassed by my words and once he responded to them there was a trace of visible bitterness to his smile. But still, he probably realized what I was trying to say by my words.

Lucius didn’t care about his brother’s circumstances. About his being a magician or a “Pure black”. He completely disregarded all of those things and loved him for who he truly was, without prejudice. It is a trait that I do believe every one of us could learn to have.

「Does this much satisfy your curiosity in regards to my parents?」

「Yes, it’s more than enough. Thank you so much. Now then, Lucius-sama, should we get a move on with ingredients for our dinner? Do you have any preferences or things that you don’t like?」

Of course, if Lucius wanted to talk some more about his circumstances, I was more than willing to listen. But time was slowly but sure pressing us on. Up until now he was really keeping those things to himself and had a hard time opening up to anyone. It was just my own selfish belief, but I wanted to think that it was a sign that he was slowly making progress and moving on.

Then, Lucius went silent for a moment yet again, thinking. And when he opened his mouth again, it was not the kind of answer I was expecting to hear from him.

「Umm…… What’s Nii-san’s favorite dish……?」

「When it comes to Edi? Let’s see…… He might try to deny it all the time, but he really likes homemade cheese-based dishes and sweets. Then again, he also likes fruits and fish more than he likes meat.」

「So, it all comes down to a dilemma between cheese and fish, huh?」

It seems that the urge to make his brother happy was as strong in him as ever. If I hadn’t heard his story just now, it would most certainly feel weird for me, but not anymore. I then grabbed his cold hand in mine and smiled at him.

「Lucius-sama. Next, I would like you to tell me more about yourself.」

「Eh?」

「I would like to hear what you yourself like, Lucius-sama. Not Edi, not anyone else, but you alone.」

「!!!」

As soon as I said that, Lucius’s eyes opened wide with surprise once more. He opened up his mouth slightly, probably embarrassed that he failed to understand what I was getting at right away.

Lucius seems to act on his feelings a lot and seems to be genuinely worried and concerned for his brother. For a while, I was under the wrong impression that he didn’t take kindly to strangers, but seeing him now I guess it was only natural. Being in a completely unfamiliar environment and surrounded by strangers at every step, it was only natural for him to be weary and accumulate some stress because of that. That must have been the reason why he went to his room so early yesterday, in order to try to recover from his accumulated fatigue. And while it wasn’t anything serious, it was making me feel kind of bad as his host for failing to realize that until now.

Looking at him closely, he still seemed to be kind of tired, but then he just shook his head as to focus his thoughts on the task at hand. Then he said in a cheerful voice: “I like chicken”. I nodded to that. I can work with that just fine.

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