The Male Lead’s Younger Sister is Still Sad Today

Episode 12

With a trembling heart, I forced a smile, but the Duke tilted his head slightly, as if something didn’t please him, and asked me, “Aren’t you eating?”

“I am eating!”

In response to Raiden’s question, I smiled and took a bite of the seafood dish, which reminded me of home. It was spicy, which made it somewhat bearable.

Since he had prepared the meal, I couldn’t leave any food uneaten.

I thought I was doing my best to eat, but Raiden, who was scrutinizing me closely, opened his mouth sternly to the servants standing by our side.

“Everybody out.”

“Yes, yes? Oh… alright!”

In response to Raiden’s order, the servants didn’t avert their pitiful gaze from me. Thanks to them, I could hear my heart pounding, so I hurriedly drank some water.

…I guess I’m receiving their disdain because of what happened yesterday. It seems like I’m being punished for the mistake on my first day. Maybe they don’t need a clumsy jester like me, even if I am the Duke…

I pushed the food back into my mouth. At least it was fortunate that the food was delicious. It would have been even worse if the food had no taste. I ate it all up, even though it was quite a large portion.

And Raiden, who was staring at me the whole time, seemed to want to confirm how much I was suffering.

“…Is it not to your liking?”

“No! Why would you think that?”

I answered his question as if I were rallying. However, Raiden narrowed his eyes and leaned back against the chair’s backrest without taking his eyes off me.

“But why aren’t you eating?”

Honestly, there was an excuse that the food wouldn’t go down because of the hangover from yesterday.

Raiden probably thought that the current situation was due to yesterday’s incident, but I couldn’t bring myself to mention it. I had no idea how Raiden would react now!

Let’s just do as Raiden wants.

So, I started smiling and began to empty my plate, one by one.

* * *

Throughout the meal and on the way back to the main building, Raiden didn’t feel good.

Honestly, Raiden did have a conscience to some extent.

It was true that he had been more mean than he thought, and that’s why he had wanted to leave the Duke’s residence on his own.

Yes, the process was quite childish. But that was his personality. If a servant couldn’t endure the owner’s temperament, it was only right for the servant to leave.

Moreover, he was more than enough. No less and no more.

The one who leaves should leave quickly. If there was a purpose, it could be repaid with death.

That’s how it had been until now, and that’s how it would be in the future.

But the guy had nowhere else to go, so he had tried to stay here somehow, and he knew the reason for that very well.

Anyway, I had intended to get along better with him, especially since we were going to see each other face to face. But today, his reaction seemed quite strange.

I had even gone to the trouble of preparing dishes from his hometown and had considered having a meal with him in advance, notifying the other servants as well.

Frankly, it wasn’t the Duke who was acting strangely now; it was him who was even more peculiar.

Could it be because he had made a fool of himself due to drinking, I wondered. However, even if I thought about it that way, it was still quite unbelievable.

What was so different about him when he was drunk compared to his usual self?

So, Raiden wasn’t in a very good mood.

Of course, even if he was a little tipsy, it would be no problem to catch the other servants who had run away, just as he had brought them back before.

“My Lord, do you have a moment?”

Suddenly, Raiden turned his head at the voice that rushed into his ear.

The owner of the trembling voice was Flynn, who was following me closely, as if he might collapse at any moment.

Raiden opened his mouth in a cold voice, “Speak.”

“Um… actually…”

And what Flynn said next was somewhat shocking to Raiden, who had shown kindness more than he realized.

“Oh, um, Olive mentioned who you were going to dine with today, and you didn’t inform the servants, did you?”

Raiden stopped in his tracks, despite himself, at Flynn’s words. He looked at Flynn with a puzzled expression.

“Say that again.”

“I think you might have forgotten… If you had known, we would have given breakfast to Chase instead.”

Unbelievable.

Was the guy’s mouth only for eating? If he just closed his mouth like a clam, who would understand the situation?

If he wanted to have the meal, he could have said so honestly… I wasn’t forcing him to eat.

“Ha… Why didn’t he say anything…”

Instead of continuing his words, Raiden stopped for a moment. It was because he remembered what he had done to the guy on the first day.

“He’ll go crazy.”

He was really going to lose it.

“Oh, instead of Olive, I apologize.”

Terrified by his rigid expression, Flynn bowed deeply.

But Raiden didn’t pay any attention to him.

“Summon the butler immediately.”

“Yes.”

Flynn quickly moved away to call Ben.

At that moment, Raiden hesitated for a moment as if he were pondering something and then called Flynn back.

“There.”

“Y-yes?”

“…Where is he?”

In response to his question, Flynn hesitated for a moment.

Except for the butler, Ben, Raiden addressed everyone with the same title.

If it was someone he still wasn’t sure about, it was Charles. After that, everyone had the same title.

Thanks to that, Flynn couldn’t immediately figure out who Raiden was talking about.

“He… he’s resting in his room.”

“…In his room?”

“Yes, it’s Chase’s break time now.”

Without listening to the rest of Flynn’s words, Raiden started walking again.

I behaved extremely rudely to the guy who was praising my mansion. Besides, today’s events were not planned at all, and in my opinion, it was just a way to get along better in the future.

Each of the servants had different break times, which made the building where the servants resided peaceful.

As Raiden was about to enter the building, he heard someone in the back of the building, making a painful, retching sound.

“Gah…”

It sounded like someone crying. Unconsciously, he walked toward the source of the noise, and he began to hear murmured words.

“Do you really want to die?”

One voice was Abel’s, and

“I was wrong…”

The other voice full of fear was Chase’s.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

I nodded my head weakly, and Abel quickly handed me a glass of water.

Even though I had vomited once, I felt somewhat relieved. I couldn’t muster the strength to go back up to my room, so I had come to the back of the building.

When Abel heard my voice, he rushed downstairs from his room.

“Take your medicine.”

Abel’s face as he looked at me was serious. I swallowed the medicine while deliberately avoiding his gaze.

“You ate too much. You’re always greedy when it comes to food.”

No matter how much I pretended not to know anything, Abel’s expression showed no sign of improvement.

Seeing me like this, Abel let out a deep sigh with a worried expression.

“I’ve already heard everything.”

“What?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.”

Abel sighed and then continued, “You need to leave the Duke’s residence.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why are you so stubborn?”

Abel’s face was extremely resolute. At this rate, I might be driven away not by the Duke but by Abel.

Abel spoke with a worried expression, raising his voice slightly, “Why are you staying here when it’s not even that great?”

I felt terrible, and my head continued to spin. I couldn’t find the strength to speak.

“I’ve already heard everything.”

“What?”

“Don’t pretend.”

“…”

After letting out a sigh, Abel spoke.

“Just stop it. It would be better for you to leave the Duke’s residence.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why are you so stubborn?”

Abel’s face was firm. Instead of being kicked out by the Duke, I might be kicked out by Abel at this rate.

Raising his voice a bit with a worried look, Abel said, “Why are you staying here when it’s not that great?”

I didn’t feel well, and my head kept spinning. I couldn’t find the strength to speak.

“How could you say that?”

Without thinking, I spat out different words than I intended. In response, Abel furrowed his brow and took off his shoes.

I leaned against the wall with difficulty and muttered, “Sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then leave this place.”

“I don’t want to be alone outside without any family.”

My words made Abel pause. But that pause didn’t last long, and Abel frowned.

“Chase, I can’t afford to lose you.”

“…”

“Do you really want to die?”

No, why are you upset with me, even my brother! I tried to do well too…

I forced a melancholic tone as I spoke.

“I was wrong…”

“…?”

Abel looked at my face, which was full of tears, for a moment.

However, under normal circumstances, Abel would have undoubtedly taken me with him in such a situation, but he left without hesitation.

Damn, this method didn’t work either… It seems that this time, Abel has no intention of staying with me.

I got up from my seat and cleaned up. The break time was coming to an end, so I wanted to go back to work as soon as possible. I walked hurriedly towards the workplace, unaware that someone might be watching this situation.

* * *

Not long after, a large box of Velosan chocolates arrived from the Duke.

I couldn’t know the exact reason, but at least it improved my mood.

“Thank you for the chocolates, Your Grace!”

Seeing that he even sent a gift… Maybe things have improved?

And it’s not just any chocolate. It’s Velosan, my favorite chocolate in the world.

As I happily spoke, the Duke paused while stamping his seal. Then, he spoke as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“…I managed to figure out who sent it.”

By the way, the box was beautifully decorated with the Duke’s name in glittering letters. If anyone had eyes, they would have seen it.

But I couldn’t help but blurt out.

“Of course, you knew it was from Your Grace!”

“…Did anyone else find out?”

I couldn’t hide my confusion and asked him.

“You mean that Your Grace sent the gift?”

“…Most people know.”

“Can you be more specific? Does even that guy I share a room with know?”