"Uh……."
His pupils widened slightly when he spotted me.
His smooth lips twitched a little. Then, a voice whispered quietly to the servant standing beside him.
"You know."
"Yes, young master."
"......Something feels off because that kid is here."
Even though he covered his mouth with his hand, I heard everything.
'So the new arrival is getting on his nerves, huh!'
If I want to adapt here safely, I need to get along with him too!
I swallowed hard, my face slightly tense.
'Of course, I have a killer item.'
I prepared something incredible for this very moment.
Though I didn't buy it with my own money, of course!
"Mister, I wanna go over there! I have something to buy!"
In the capital, I grabbed the mister's hand and dragged him to a bustling market.
"Give me money, please."
"Well, well, shaking me down already."
"Hehe."
I spread my hands and lifted my head, and the mister pulled his lips up into a mischievous expression.
"Please, be generous. I'll pay you back later."
"With what?"
"Um...... I'll become a mercenary or something!"
"Nonsense. A tiny thing like you, a mercenary? Leon, open the safe. My entire fortune."
When the mister turned his head and called out briefly, Sir Leon appeared out of nowhere, and the knight pulled out a heavy bundle as if used to it.
So I grabbed a large money pouch and went to a shop in the capital to buy a card.
"Tada! A Hero Collection Card!"
"......You bought that kind of thing?"
"It looks fun."
"My money is leaking like water."
"Stop whining over a few drops of seawater."
"To think you came to buy such a trashy toy."
"Um, we're still in front of the counter. The merchant is crying."
'In the original story, Void wanted these desperately but couldn't get them.'
I should give them to him when I get a chance later. Then maybe we can get along a little?
Hehe. I watched Void sit down, letting out a dark chuckle.
"Good evening, young master. From today, you will be dining with Lady Rubian."
The servants carrying the food greeted him.
"Come to think of it, you must be the older brother, young master?"
"Huh? ......Hyung?"
He had the face of someone who had heard a terribly unfamiliar word. Void stared at me with his mouth slightly open.
"Ah, I see. Since that kid is below me...."
Muttering.
I waved my hand in greeting. Void sat down, fixing a strange gaze on me.
"But where is Father?"
"The Head of the Household is busy. He said he would take care of it in his office."
"Ah, I see."
He didn't look particularly surprised.
"Now, now, please eat. There are plenty of egg dishes that you like, young master. Since we don't know what Lady Rubian prefers, the chef prepared a bit of everything...."
The servants spoke kindly as they set down the food. Void sat on one side of the large table and picked up his utensils skillfully.
I held a spoon in my mouth and lazily rolled my eyes around.
'He seems surprisingly used to it.'
Eating alone over there.
At a glance, I thought he was a huge spoiled brat.
'He doesn't even seem disappointed that he can't eat with his father he met after so long.'
Even though he acted like such a clingy little puppy in the lobby?
Suddenly, I recalled what Butler Adolf had said—that the two of them had only just begun to overcome their awkwardness.
'Ah, which means...... there are still some awkward parts remaining.'
Just then, a tapping sound on the table was heard.
"Why aren't you eating?"
When I lifted my head, Void was staring at me intently.
"Ah, I was going to...."
"Sigh, seriously. It can't be helped."
"Huh?"
I blinked blankly.
Whoosh. It was because a steaming plate of steak was pushed in front of me.
Neatly cut pieces of steak on a large plate.
"Hoo, so having a younger sibling is a lot of work."
Void said, lifting his chin. He shook his head vigorously as if resigned, yet somehow wore a satisfied expression.
"Uh, I have hands too...."
I was about to say 'though' when Void suddenly snatched my plate back again.
"Okay, okay, I get it."
"Get what?"
"Ugh, do I have to do this at every meal? So annoying, so annoying."
Slicing, slicing slicing.
He cut the somewhat large chunks of meat once more, and cut up all the roasted vegetables that had come as garnish without leaving any.
"...."
I stared at the meal that had returned in perfectly bite-sized pieces.
Void's grumbling as an overnight older brother didn't stop.
"Ugh. What am I going to do with you."
A drizzle of extra sauce.
"There's so much more I have to pay attention to at every meal now."
The slightly cooled soup was replaced with a warm one.
"Be. cause. of. my. younger. sibling."
He even spread butter on the toasted bread.
Surrounded by food, I blinked.
So this means...... he's happy to eat with me?
'Maybe I didn't even need the hero card....'
I picked up the appetizingly cut meat with a fork. Without realizing it, a grin came to my face.
"Thanks, Ora... Hyung! I'll enjoy it!"
Then Void's eyes snapped up. I could see the maids beside me covering their mouths and giggling.
"Ha, seriously...."
Void's shapely lips wobbled. Though what actually came out of his mouth was just a long sigh.
"Ah~ so annoying. A cute younger sibling who calls me hyung the moment she sees me, eats with me, and says thank you properly is really, really annoying....!"
It was a muttering of incomprehensible meaning, but anyway, he looked so excited that it was a relief.
* * *
After dinner, I roughly received an introduction to the ducal estate from Hazel.
Then, when I was guided to my room.
"Where did you go, coming back only now!"
Void was there. It seemed he couldn't stand the wait and had come to see me.
"I forgot to tell you something at the dining hall earlier."
The second son of this house scanned me with sharp eyes. Soon he started following me around as I looked at the room, chattering away.
Wow, but the room is huge!
"-So wake up early in the morning and come to my room to help me dress, don't eat before me, and of course the after-meal tea too......!"
The bed is incredibly soft and fluffy too.
What on earth did they stuff it with?
"Are you listening to me?"
"I'm not a maid....... or a servant."
When I said this, staring at him, Void's shoulders flinched slightly.
"T-the youngest is supposed to do that!"
"Who said that?"
"Uncle Obron!"
I burst out laughing. Obron was one of the members of the Jebert Knight Order.
"The knight uncles must really adore you."
"...."
Void furrowed his brows. He seemed like his pride was hurt somehow, but he himself didn't seem to know exactly what had hurt it.
'Well, if it were me, I'd want to tease him too.'
I observed Void anew.
Jet-black hair like a crow and sparkling purple eyes.
Thanks to his slightly droopy eyes, he lacked the ferocity characteristic of the Jebert direct line. His fluffy, smooth cheeks were burning red.
'Whose taste are those suspenders?'
It was truly an excellent choice.
With an impassive face, I inwardly doted on Void.
Of course, he was a head taller than me and would soon grow frighteningly fast, but.......
'But why isn't he leaving? I'm sleepy now.'
I watched Void pacing around my bedroom.
He checked the bedding, the lamp light, whether the window was locked properly, whether the curtains were thick enough, checking and checking again.
......Isn't he the one being waited on?
"Gasp! Why am I doing this?"
Hmm, I think I'll be able to get along well with Void.
Then shall I drive the nail in at this point?
"What are you doing?"
I opened my bag that was leaning against one wall.
"Here."
"Huh?"
What I held out was a crude bundle of cards.
"What is this...."
His round eyes growing as large as lanterns was the scene I had anticipated.
Void approached unsteadily with an unbelieving face and took the bundle of cards.
"Gasp!"
His gasping was also something I had anticipated.
"Hero Card Collection-! It's the capital limited edition!"
Him jumping up and down, his face turning bright red, was of course within my expectations.
"I'll give it to you."
"You're giving it to me?!"
Void's head snapped up.
I hopped back onto the bed. Lying on my side like Mister Leviathan, I only nodded my head.
"It's a gift."
"...."
His pretty purple eyes sparkled brilliantly. Something resembling devotion seemed to spread across his face as he looked up at me.
Heh, I smiled in satisfaction.
As expected, nothing beats game cards to win over an eleven-year-old boy.