Chapter 173 - Oji-sama and Oba-sama
Editor: Sam
“This is annoying,” Nii-sama whispered. Prince Albert had plans, but Nii-sama and the others shouldn’t have any particular plans. Which meant that Nii-sama would be in charge of that group.
“There are two for Prince Albert, no, one of them is for Gill? There are probably two children that match the age of the Four Marquises and there are two for Prince Nico and Lei. As expected, are there no babies?”
“Eben Lei?”
I looked up at Nii-sama in surprise.
“The two of them might be for Prince Nico.”
“An age difference of about ten years is common. See, when Lei turns 10, even a 12 year difference is fine.”
“Gill. Don’t be realistic.”
Nii-sama looked at Gill in disgust since he had teased me.
“It’s probably so they can say, 『I’ve met Lei-dono. I was small back then, but I still remember』.”
“If you say that, then it’s the same for you.”
“That’s bringing unnecessary trouble upon myself.”
Gill shrugged. I heard from Nii-sama that Gill was already receiving a lot of proposals. He’s probably used to having encounters like this. Incidentally, apparently Nii-sama hasn’t had much of those yet.
The adults greeted each other while I was carelessly distracted by the group of young people.
I’m sure that’s my Oba-sama (Aunt) and Oji-sama (Uncle) who had welcomed Ojii-sama home and then politely greeted Prince Al and Prince Nico. Oji-sama is older than Otou-sama, and he had brown hair and eyes like Ojii-sama. He looked stern, but his mouth showed that he had good humour. Oba-sama had bright blonde hair and blue eyes and looked like a calm person.
Oji-sama left the Farland group introductions to the mansion servants and came running at us while Oba-sama scolded him.
“Luke! Gill! You’re here! And this is, oh.” He crouched down and met my eyes as if he didn’t have time to speak to Nii-sama and Gill.
“Claire. It’s Claire. She really does look like her,” he kept repeating Okaa-sama’s name as his lips quivered.
I rarely heard about Okaa-sama in the Albans mansion. I heard that Otou-sama purposely put away Okaa-sama’s things because he was afraid that I would get lonely, but it has been a long time since Otou-sama confessed this, but he still doesn’t talk about her much, so in the end, I still don’t know much about her.
That’s why I was so excited to find out more about Okaa-sama this time. I could tell that they loved Okaa-sama a lot since Oba-sama, who had chased after Oji-sama, put a hand over her mouth and started crying. I have to appeal myself here.
I looked up properly and bent my knees a little bit just like I had done at my debut.
“My name ish Leiwa Awbansh. Pweashe caww me Lei.” (My name is Leila Albans. Please call me Lei)
See, I said hello properly. I puffed out my chest in pride and snorted. Then, I was suddenly picked up and my vision immediately went higher.
“Leila, no, Lei. What a cute little girl you are. You look just like Claire did when she was younger,” Oji-sama’s voice was still a little shaky as he held me tightly and while trembling a little.
“You. I want to say hello to Claire’s child too.”
“This isn’t fair,” I could almost hear this coming from Oba-sama, who was next to us. Oji-sama hugged me tightly, then reluctantly put me down on the ground. Oba-sama couldn’t crouch down because her dress was in the way, but she gave me a friendly look and reached out to me.
“I’m Grace Neville. Claire and I were close.”
“Cwoshe withh Okaa-syama.” (Close with Okaa-sama)
“That’s right. Clever girl. You know that Claire is your Okaa-sama,” she mumbled and gently placed me on her knee. I said what I wanted to say the most, “I wanth tho shee Okaa-syama’s porthraith.” (I want to see Okaa-sama’s portrait)
“My, are there none at the Albans house?” Oba-sama said in surprise.
“Otou-sama hid them all away because he thought Lei would miss her too much if she knew what Okaa-sama looked like,” Nii-sama told Oba-sama honestly.
“Honestly, that man. It was a mistake to let Claire meet him.”
No, no, no. You’re not supposed to say that in front of me, are you? But I couldn’t deny this since Otou-sama wasn’t good at connecting with people. I looked at Nii-sama since I was a bit troubled, and Nii-sama looked at me with a strange expression.
That’s the kind of man Otou-sama is. That was the moment Nii-sama and I agreed with each other.
“Lei looks so much like Claire, but she also looks a lot like Luke. And Luke looks just like Dean. It’s strange how blood works. The two families are connected through Lei and Luke,” Oba-sama spoke in admiration while looking at Nii-sama and I.
“For now, there’s a portrait of Claire by the stairs. We’ll go look at it later.”
“Ai!”
I’m looking forward to it.
“Luke and Gill! And Lei as well. Come over here.” Is this not the time for relatives to interact with each other? We went to the Farland group since Prince Al had called for us. I’m a baby so I was going to spoil myself and let Oba-sama carry me there, but apparently, she couldn’t. I was gently lowered to the ground.
I had no choice but to walk hand in hand with Nii-sama.
Just as Nii-sama had said, there were two young ladies who looked a little older than Felicia, two boys who looked a little older than Nii-sama and Gill and two boys aged six and seven years old. They were standing there without looking cold. As expected of those who grew up in Farland.
“It’s cold, so stop tottering and come, ouch!” The smallest one honestly expressed his feelings and received a fist from a kid who was a little bigger than Nii-sama. Surprisingly, he might be studying martial arts. But first, let me speak for myself. I let go off Nii-sama’s hand and crossed my arms while puffing out my chest.
“I’m noth thoththering!”
“You...”
“Ith’sh noth you. Ith’sh Lei.”
I looked at the boy in anger. I can even introduce myself.
“What? Your arms aren’t even folded, ouch.”
He received another first, and the situation seemed questioning.
“Pfft.”
Unusually, Nii-sama laughed a little. With that, Nii-sama and Gill stepped forward.
“Nice to meet you. Welcome to Kingdom. My name is Gilbert Lisburn. Please call me Gill.” Gill started by introducing himself since he was older.
“I’m Luke Albans. And my little sister...”
Nii-sama looked at me gently then softly placed his hand on my back.
“My name ish Leiwa Awbansh.”
How’s that? I puffed my chest out more with pride.
“Aaah, Lei-sama. She’s going to fall over.”
Hans I won’t, no matter how much I puff my chest out.