***
The pain began with a seemingly insignificant event.
It all started that evening after I finished dinner and was reading a letter from the Blanchet couple.
As I read the letter calmly, it was mostly addressed to Julianne, with only occasional mentions of me: [Is Lilianne doing well?]
It seemed that the real Lilianne hadn’t had a close relationship with her parents, likely due to their frequent business trips and lack of affection.
“I should probably be the one to respond to this.”
Julianne, who was reading the letter beside me, also stiffened her face and took back the letter.
Judging by her expression, her reply to the Blanchet couple would likely be filled with reproach.
But that wasn’t the real issue…
The real issue was the sudden onset of toothache that very night.
“Ugh.”
I grimaced while biting into a tart, prompting Aiden, Joshua, and Luca to all turn and look at me simultaneously.
“Is something wrong, Lili?”
Aiden was the first to express concern, but I immediately shook my head.
“Does it hurt somewhere?” Luca’s eyes widened as he blurted out, and I quickly brought my index finger to the corner of my lips, giving him a wide-eyed stare.
Only Joshua nodded as if to say I knew it.
‘Hey, why is this kid nodding?
Come on.’
“There’s no way you’d frown while eating dessert, Lili.”
“Just focus on eating your dessert, Lu.”
“You’re the one who keeps distracting me.
This is the third time already, you know?” He said it in a very casual manner.
“Do you have a toothache?”
Finally, even Aiden chimed in.
‘Look at these little brats.
Kids grow up so fast.’
I gently smiled.
‘If Lia finds out, it’s all over…
it’s really over.
The imperial pâtissier and everything.
It’s completely over.’
How would Julianne react if she found out I got a rotten tooth from indulging in too many desserts?
Of course, she would say something like…
“Lili, that’s why I told you not to eat too many desserts, right?” and…
“This won’t do.
No desserts for a while, no matter how much you cry.”
How dreadful would that be?
It was simply unbearable.
I couldn’t even imagine a life without desserts in this dull world!
“This is also for your own good,” I muttered softly, speaking seriously.
Then the three kids leaned toward me and tilted their heads.
‘They’re so adorable.
But my tooth really hurts…’
At that moment, ignoring the tingling pain, I slowly opened my mouth again.
“If Lia hears about this…”
“…”
“You won’t be able to enjoy palace desserts either.”
‘Is that what you want?
Is that what you want, to be deprived of desserts both at your home and in this mansion?’
The faces of the three kids turned pale.
As expected, nothing was scarier than that.
I nodded my head as if it were obvious.
Anyway, I couldn’t let Lia find out.
If she did, our days of happiness would be gone for good!
“T-then, what should we do…?”
Luca murmured with a face that looked like he could burst into tears at any moment.
It seemed to be quite a shock for him to hear that he might not be able to indulge in palace desserts anymore.
‘Oh, how adorable.
Really cute.
But it really is serious…’
I rolled my eyes slightly and looked at Joshua.
He, too, was contemplating the situation while looking at me.
‘Why are you wearing that expression?
What are you trying to say…?’
His demeanor made me feel uneasy, causing me to gulp.
‘Argh, my tooth hurts.’
“What if we just pull it out?” Joshua blurted out something typically characteristic of him.
‘Yup, that’s our Joshua right here.’
That was the complete opposite of what Aiden would say, a response expected from kids his age.
‘Well said.
Very good.’
“Josh, if your tooth hurts later, be sure to let me know,” I said, turning my pain into laughter.
Then, Joshua tilted his head.
‘Yeah, he’s innocent like the kid he is.’
I casually shrugged my shoulders, but even at that moment, the pain was unbearable.
‘I need root canal treatment for this.
Do they even have that here, though…?
I wonder if it can be treated with magic…
or maybe I should actually follow Joshua’s advice.
If magic doesn’t work, there’s nothing else I can do but pull out my tooth…
After all, there’s no modern medical science here…
I don’t know if you’re a baby tooth or a permanent one, but goodbye, little tooth of mine…
We were only together for a short while, but I was happy…’
“It’ll only get worse if you leave it as it is,” Aiden, who had been quietly listening to Joshua and me, spoke softly.
“Breathing might even become painful later on.”
‘That’s right, Aiden…
and I’m already experiencing that…
If this continues, I might have to give up desserts.
Maybe it’d be better to have it pulled out.’
“Then, you know…”
To pull it out or not.
It was at that moment that I stood at the crossroads of the biggest decision in my life as Lilianne.
“Can’t we just ask Luca’s big brother?” Aiden asked, his golden eyes sparkling.
‘As expected, Aiden, a genius, a prodigy of the century!
You’re amazing!
I should give you a kiss later!’
“But old man Allen is with Lili’s sister now,” Joshua blurted out with a furrowed brow.
‘That’s also true,’ I nodded in agreement.
Allen would usually be staring at me with a piercing gaze while I eat desserts, but today, of all days, he gave in to the kids in front of me and followed Lia.
‘Hmm, what should I do?’
“But are there times when my big bro is only around Lili…?”
At that moment, Luca’s eyes widened as he spoke.
I immediately understood what he meant and smiled prettily.
By that, he had to mean…
“Big bro Allen.”
During my checkup, I tapped Allen’s shoulder and asked.
His blue eyes widened so much that it felt like they couldn’t get any bigger.
Well, it was only natural for him to be surprised since I had suddenly called him big bro.
“Lili, w-why are you suddenly calling me big bro…?” Allen stammered so much that he almost looked pitiful.
‘Poor little thing, you fell for me in the end…’
However, his reaction wasn’t surprising.
He had only younger brothers, so he had been practically begging for a younger sister for a long time.
I smiled brightly and continued speaking.
“Can you do something for me?”
“What is it?
Do you want dessert?
Should I buy some for you?
Or should I show you magic?
Don’t forget to tell Julianne that your cool big bro played with you, Lili!”
“No, not that.”
‘…You’re still going on about being a cool big bro?’
I shook my head.
Allen smiled cheerfully, urging me to tell him what it was that I wanted.
‘Good, I just hope you can keep your smile in that way.’
“First of all, you can’t tell Lia.”
“What is it?”
“You have to promise not to tell her before I tell you.”
“Okay, okay!
I promise!” He quickly nodded and promised me.
‘Great.
From what I know, Allen keeps his promises, so it should be fine.’
I gestured for him to come closer, and I whispered softly into his ear.
“My tooth hurts.
I’m telling you before you find it out for yourself and tell Lia.”
“Oh, poor thing.”
“I want to keep eating dessert…”
‘So will you help me?’
I looked at Allen with pitiful eyes as I spoke.
‘Please, let it work, let it work…’
Unlike Michael, who was rather calculating, Allen was gentle and kind.
Though he was a bit eccentric, he wasn’t the type to make deals like this either.
“Hmm, Lili…”
I couldn’t help but gulp as Allen opened his mouth quietly.
‘Argh, damn it!
It hurts so much.’
“Was that why you just called me big bro?” He asked with an affectionate smile.
‘So what?
You used me to get closer to Julianne too!’
I raised my head confidently.
‘Oops, I shouldn’t have done that.’
Even at that moment, my tooth was throbbing…
I didn’t want to be in any more pain than that…
“Just once, okay?”
“You should’ve brushed your teeth well before going to bed,” he reprimanded me lightly.
‘I didn’t ask for a lecture.
But if you can get rid of this pain, I’ll gladly accept any scolding…’
“Hmm, I don’t like that you’re being nice just because you’re expecting something from me, Lili.”
“…”
‘So, are you going to do it or not?!
If you don’t do it, I’m not gonna talk to you for a while.’
Just as I steeled myself and pursed my lips…
“Only call me big bro when you really want to.
I’ll do what you want even if you don’t,” Allen said with a kind smile.
At the same time, his magic swept around me before entering my mouth.
It felt strange but refreshing, but his magic circled where it hurt, and soon, the pain gradually disappeared.
‘Wow, magic is better than modern medicine!’
I smiled brightly at Allen.
‘You’re such a kind nutjob… I forgive you for scaring me last time when you stuck your hand through the wall…’
“Thanks, big bro.”
I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him briefly before running back toward the other kids.
‘Yes, now I can eat dessert again!’