Fourth Arc: Sixth Chapter

When I try to catch it, Gabriella's glossy hair slips right through my fingers. Braiding it, putting it up. It brought back the mornings in my past life when I did my daughter's hair.

"What lovely hair... Lady Gabriella, you really are like an angel."

"Th-that's not..."

Her cheeks reddening, looking down shyly, so endearing.

"...Cosette is like a mother."

"Does your mother always do your hair for you?"

"..."

At that, Gabriella fell silent. Is Gabriella's mother a busy person, I wonder. Well, if she's Michael's mother too, she'd be the Queen Dowager or the like.

Thinking it over, I finished putting up Gabriella's hair. A loose braid, decorated with flowers.

"Done!"

"Cosette, what are you doing?"

"Huh? Why, making something cute even cuter, of course."

"Wow!"

What an obvious thing to ask. As I flapped my hands, sheesh, and turned around, Michael was standing there at some point. I'd been dead asleep, so I don't have much sense of time, but let me see, uh.

"Has it been since yesterday? Good morning, Michael!"

"If my memory serves me right... it's a reunion after two whole days! Good morning, Cosette, Gabriella."

Pressing an index finger to his fine forehead and making a show of thinking, Michael answered with a dazzling smile. That oddly familiar, drawn-out way of talking was somehow tiresome first thing in the morning, but his lively look put me a little at ease.

"I'm glad you look well. Right, Lady Gabriella!"

Her beloved brother has gotten better. She's bound to be happy. Smiling, I turned back to Gabriella, and Gabriella, face bright red, was glaring at Michael.

"Lady Gabriella...?"

At my words, she blinked several times, as if coming back to herself.

"Gabriella, it's been a while, hasn't it! I'm so glad to see you! Haha!"

Michael bowed with an exaggerated flourish, like a cast member at a certain theme park. The extra clowning, more than usual, was surely to win his little sister's interest. Gabriella glared sharply at Michael again, and, trembling, opened her mouth.

"Y-y-you-"

"Y-y-you...?"

"A-a-are you well... y-"

"Gabriella?"

"...!"

"Lady Gabriella?!"

Face bright red, Lady Gabriella spun on her heel before anyone could stop her and ran from the room in tears. Left behind, I was dumbfounded for a moment, but I hurried to my feet, knowing I had to go after her. Just then Michael made a sad sound, and I stopped.

"It seems Gabriella hates me. She always runs away from me..."

"Michael..."

Why? Gabriella clearly adores Michael, any way you look at it. At the siblings' surprising crossed wires, I went wide-eyed.

Michael sat down elegantly, legs crossed, in the chair Gabriella had been in, and let out a lonely sigh.

"Michael, you should sit down and really talk with Lady Gabriella once. Then the misunderstandings between you should melt away."

"Misunderstanding, huh..."

"Because Lady Gabriella is... no, better you hear it from her directly than from me."

If the two of them talk it out, even if not right away, they're sure to understand each other. You have a little quarrel, and before you know it you've made up. That's what siblings are.

Picturing the two of them chatting happily, and grinning at the lovely image, I noticed Michael, who'd apparently gone off to make tea, come back.

"Oh! I'm sorry, that was thoughtless of me!"

But Michael, paying it no mind, spoke.

"Cosette, do you know about this country's succession? Lumelica's, I mean."

"Succession...?"

At the suddenly changed topic, I could only tilt my head, bewildered.