***
After devouring all the desserts brought by Aiden, I started feeling a bit better.
‘This is actually quite nice.
I should persuade Aiden or Joshua to bring me desserts from now on.’
As I picked up the remaining crumbs from my hands, my eyes wandered over to the book Aiden had been engrossed in.
True to form, I couldn’t make heads or tails of its contents.
“Is that really fun?”
I mean, if Aiden was genuinely finding it fun, he must have lost his mind.
I forced myself to try and decipher the incomprehensible sentences as I asked, but Aiden just flashed a bashful smile and proceeded to explain himself.
“Well, I have to read it, you know.
Besides, I’m actually interested in the subject.”
As he finished speaking, a faint blush tinged his cheeks, and he diverted his attention back to the book.
It suddenly occurred to me…
‘Ah, he’s still a little embarrassed about the kiss on his cheek.’
It truly intrigued me that an eight-year-old child had an interest in political science.
But even more astonishing was the fact that he felt obligated to read it.
I pondered whether it was some sort of family tradition or expectation.
Considering how even Michael, at such a young age, had already gotten himself into politics, it seemed like a distinctive aspect of the Evans family’s culture.
Resting my chin on my hand, I observed Aiden’s black hair gently kissed by the sunlight streaming through the window.
It created a serene, tranquil scene.
As I thought about it, I realized that Aiden always carried a book with him.
He left it behind when he was in the mansion with us, but held it tightly in his arms whenever he ventured out or returned.
‘A shy, timid, and book-loving boy, isn’t he?’
I mused silently as I gazed intently at the profile of his face.
I fervently hoped that he wouldn’t end up resembling Michael in the long run.
A brilliant mind coupled with a lack of integrity could potentially turn him into an ultimate villain capable of wreaking havoc on the world.
…Not that Michael was a villain, but according to the original novel, he didn’t possess the exceptional genius that Aiden displayed.
I nodded subtly, affirming my thoughts.
‘That’s right.
If he were that intelligent, he would have employed any means necessary to win Julianne’s heart.
He wouldn’t have allowed that fool, Robain, to steal her away.’
Perhaps due to my satisfied stomach or the pleasant sunlight illuminating the room, drowsiness began to creep over me.
Ever since I had acquired a child’s body, it seemed that I entirely had lost the ability to resist sleep.
Of course, even as a student, I was never particularly adept at staying awake for long periods, but…
“…Aiden.”
Gently tugging at his sleeve, I caught Aiden’s attention, prompting him to turn and face me.
Locking my gaze with his golden eyes, I groggily uttered my request.
‘Oh, look at them!
They have such a golden hue, like the sun.
You know, there’s something about the sun…
it has this way of making people feel sleepy, especially when they indulge in both its warmth and enjoy food.’
“I’m feeling so sleepy.”
“Huh?”
“Can I rest my head on your lap?
You can even leave that book on my face,” I mumbled in a childlike manner.
Aiden appeared surprised at first, but he swiftly set the book aside and nodded.
“You’re really sleepy, huh?
W-Well, maybe it would be better to find somewhere else to sleep…”
“No, I’m hiding…”
‘Don’t you remember, smarty pants?’
However, I couldn’t finish my sentence as I immediately rested my head on Aiden’s lap.
‘Oh, his little baby legs are so soft and squishy!
My head might feel heavy, but please bear it.
If your legs get numb, feel free to move me…’
As the overwhelming drowsiness washed over me, I couldn’t resist the pull of sleep any longer.
I closed my eyes, succumbing to its embrace.
Through my blurred vision, I caught a glimpse of Aiden’s beet-red face passing by.
‘Do you really like me that much, you brat…?
But you’re still ten years too young.
I’m not attracted to little kids, so drink plenty of milk and come find me when you’ve grown up.
Then, I might at least consider your advances.’
***
“Lili, Lili?”
‘Huh?
Who’s there?’
The faint voice called out to me, jolting me from my sleep.
I furrowed my brows in annoyance.
Being disturbed while sleeping was something I truly despised.
‘You want a piece of me?’
I was ready to unleash the wrath of the Blanchet family upon whoever dared to interrupt my slumber.
“Wake up, Lili.” The voice persisted, clearer this time.
It seemed that my consciousness was gradually returning, allowing me to perceive things more distinctly.
And then, in an instant, I recognized the owner of that voice.
‘Julianne…
It’s Julianne,’ I realized.
Despite my attempts to hide, it seemed I had been discovered.
Damn it.
At that point, my thoughts raced, and I immediately awakened.
However, I kept my eyes closed.
Even in darkness, I could already see the path that lay ahead of me.
‘Oh, what was I thinking?
Why did I do this?’
I internally berated myself.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences.
‘Ah, should I pretend to still be asleep and avoid facing the aftermath?’
“Lili, I know you’re awake.”
Julianne scolded me, her words accompanied by gentle pokes to my trembling eyelashes.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, mustering a bashful smile.
‘Hello, Lia.
You seem angrier than usual today, though your beauty remains as captivating as ever.’
“You really…” Julianne began, her brows deeply furrowed as our eyes locked.
‘This is bad.
Really bad,’ I thought, bracing myself for the impending scolding.
“Do you even realize how worried I was about you?”
Julianne’s voice wavered as she struggled to articulate her concerns.
At that moment, she embraced me tightly, her words halted by the intensity of her emotions.
Before I knew it, my face was nestled against Julianne’s shoulder, leaving me dumbfounded as I blinked in surprise.
‘Oh, she’s trembling,’ I observed, a pang of guilt washing over me.
‘I feel terrible.
What should I do?
I never intended to hide for this long.
It was all because I unexpectedly fell asleep…’
“I’m sorry, Lia,” I confessed, realizing the gravity of my mistake.
Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around the back of her neck, returned the embrace, and offered a sincere apology.
‘I didn’t realize you would worry this much.’
Well, actually, I had known.
I was just being an idiot.
Especially for Julianne, ‘Lilianne’ was an extremely precious being to her.
“Is it because I didn’t let you have any desserts?
Do you know how long I searched for you since morning?”
“I’m sorry…” I softly uttered, my gaze fixed on the setting sun.
There were no excuses left.
I couldn’t feel any more remorseful.
I truly hadn’t anticipated sleeping for such an extended period.
At the very least, I had expected Aiden to wake me up…
‘No, I shouldn’t shift blame onto others.
This is undeniably my fault.’
“I won’t do it again…”
‘I’ll even cut back on desserts for a while.
So please, don’t cry, okay?’
I gently patted Julianne’s back, my words directed at her, while Aiden and Michael silently observed us from behind.
It was probable that Aiden had informed Julianne of my whereabouts, or perhaps Michael had discovered us.
Considering Aiden’s nature, the latter seemed more likely than the former.
I glanced in Michael’s direction, meeting his gaze, before burying my face in Julianne’s shoulder once more.
I didn’t know what else to do.
The guilt weighed heavily upon me.
“I won’t tease Joshua anymore, and I won’t be a picky eater.
Okay?” I continued, silently pleading for her not to shed any more tears.
The pain in her eyes was too much for me to bear.
Of course, it was ironic that I made such promises after causing so much trouble.
However, I meant every word.
“I’m sorry,” I reiterated, expressing my heartfelt apology.
In response, Julianne gently stroked my head, without uttering a single word.
Rather than anger, she seemed to be concerned for my well-being.
And more than anything, she was deeply relieved that nothing untoward had happened to me.
Did I truly deserve to be treated with such kindness when I wasn’t Julianne’s real sister?
Was I making a grave mistake by accepting this love?
I wished I knew how to go back.
If I had the choice, I would have abandoned this body immediately, so overwhelmed was I by my deep remorse.
But I couldn’t.
So since I couldn’t do that…
“I’m sorry.
I’ll behave from now on,” I murmured, gripping Julianne tightly.
She held me in her arms and began walking, with silence enveloping the hallway as we made our way back to the room.
Michael, Aiden, and everyone else in the mansion remained silent, as if too exhausted to continue searching for me.
If Michael had come to find Aiden and stumbled upon me, Aiden would undoubtedly have faced scolding.
I peered out from behind Julianne’s shoulder, directing my gaze towards Aiden.
In return, he offered me a faint smile as our eyes met.
It was a smile that seemed to convey, “Don’t worry about it.”
‘He seems more mature than me, despite being only eight years old.
Is it because of his intelligence?’
I wondered inwardly, feeling a sense of embarrassment wash over me.
To avoid his gaze, I averted my eyes.
It appeared that my mind had regressed in age as well, now that I inhabited the body of an eight-year-old.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have acted so childishly.
Naturally, I had no regrets about living in such a manner, knowing it was the best way to deceive everyone.
‘Still, I need to control myself.
At the very least, I shouldn’t take out my anger on Julianne,’ I resolved silently.
However, I couldn’t make promises about eating less dessert or refraining from teasing the children.
“Thank you, Michael, for helping me find Lili,” Julianne expressed her gratitude as she stood in front of the door, her voice still hoarse.
“Oh, it’s nothing.
I’m just relieved nothing bad happened.”
“I’ll make it up to you next time.
And Aiden, thank you for being with Lili today,” Julianne continued, choosing gratitude over scolding Aiden, although it would have been natural for her to question why he hadn’t informed her earlier.
A sense of guilt overwhelmed me.
I gave a small wave of appreciation to Aiden in my heart.
‘Thank you for discreetly bringing me dessert today and allowing me to rest on your lap.
I’ll definitely repay you someday when you’re forbidden from having dessert,’ I silently conveyed my gratitude, envisioning a time when Aiden would be deprived of such treats.
“You really made a mistake today, Lili,” Julianne expressed as she guided me to my room and gently placed me on the bed.
Kneeling in front of me, our roles seemed to have reversed.
I gazed at Julianne with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, akin to how Cedric used to look at her.
“Me, Michael, and everyone in the mansion searched for you.
We should have thoroughly checked the study, though,” Julianne said, her emerald eyes fixed solely on me.
I could only nod in response.
Julianne observed me for a moment, sighing softly before reaching out to stroke my cheek.
“Even if you’re upset with me, please don’t disappear like that without warning,” she pleaded, her touch filled with concern.
“…”
I remained silent, unable to find the right words to respond.
“You understand, don’t you?” Julianne’s smile softened, her gaze gentle.
Once again, I found myself speechless.
The truth was, I couldn’t escape the fact that by occupying a character in a book, I had not only given up my previous life but also ruined someone else’s existence.
Yet, none of the novels I had read prior had prepared me for this.
“Answer me, Lili,” Julianne urged, her voice filled with a mix of concern and expectation.
“…Uh-huh,” I managed to mumble, my eyes fixed on the floor.
I couldn’t return to reality, and even if there was a way, I couldn’t do so immediately.
‘I’ll do my best.
I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy, Lia.
I’ll make it happen.
I’ll give it my all.
So please, don’t hold too much resentment towards me.’