Fourth Arc: Fourth Chapter

"Um... going by the flow of this, are you perhaps Michael's little sister?"

"You can see that for yourself, can't you?!"

"Well, more or less..."

When I bent my knees and peered into her face to talk, she answered, backing away a little, oddly startled. Black hair, rather rare in this world, and black eyes. And that beauty, so like Michael, who is a striking looker when he keeps his mouth shut, made it easy to guess she was his sister.

But what puzzled me was why I had to be scolded so much. Well, I could roughly guess that part too, but I couldn't quite accept it, somehow.

Looking up at my face as I frowned in thought without noticing, she raised her voice, impatient that I'd gone quiet.

"Wh-what, got some complaint?!"

She threatened me like a kitten with its fur standing on end. But even the way she raised her eyes in anger was adorable, so being born with good looks really is un... a wonderful thing.

If she were an animal, she'd surely be a proud, splendidly cute cat with a glossy jet-black coat.

"I see. I'm Cosette. You seem to know that already, but... what's your name?"

Imagining her as a cat, I answered a touch smugly, and at once her eyes wandered and she began to fidget.

Mm-hm, cats watch from afar, but run off when you get close.

"I-I-I'm G-Ga-ga, Gabriella..."

"So you're called Lady Gagagabriella. A pleasure to meet you."

What an unusual name. A difference in culture, maybe. Then again, there are people in the world named after a certain pop diva, after all.

But when I said that, Gagagabriella went bright red in her little face and cried out.

"It's G-Gabriella! Don't call me by a strange name!"

"Ga-gabriella?"

"Gaaa-briii-eee-laaa!"

Gabriella, shouting it, was somehow teary-eyed.

"A-anyway! I will not hand my brother over to the likes of you!"

Still teary-eyed, Gabriella jabbed a finger at me. Watching her, and tired of crouching, I sat down on the gazebo bench, and the warm spring sunshine felt wonderful.

"Don't just sit down! Are you listening?! Don't ignore me!"

"I'm listening. Ahh, it's going to get warm today."

"Now that you mention it, yes. The maid said it would be fine weather today... no, that's not it!"

"Haah... when it's warm, food tastes better too..."

The breeze through the inner garden gently stroked my cheek. Ahh, is this paradise, here... as I softened, a drowsiness I'd nearly forgotten came over me. Maybe seeing a cute little creature let my guard down. And it's warm...

"Yawn... well then, good night..."

"Yes, good night. ...Wait, why are you falling asleep!"

"Zzz."

"Hey! You're joking?! This is the inner garden!"

"Mm, mumble mumble."

"Wake up! Wake uuup!"

"..."

"Wake up, I said... u-uwaaaaah! What is with this person! B-Brotherrr!"

With the sound of Gabriella finally bursting into tears as my background music, I set off into a comfortable sleep.