Chapter 116: Nii-sama is Good

“I don’t need anyone else as a playmate except for Lei!”

Nico felt better, but I was taken home by my worried Otou-sama, so I couldn’t play with him that day. He got a little angry the next day.

“Your Highness. He’s not going to be your playmate. He’s still a student, but he’s going to be your teacher,” Linus said unnecessary things to Nico.

“I don’t need a teacher either! Odds-sensei is annoying enough.”

Ah, there’s someone else who says unnecessary things here! But, of course, three-year-olds would throw tantrums. And both Odds-sensei and Linus are annoying people.

“Nico, Nii-syama ish a good pershon.”

“I don’t need a Nii-sama, either!”

“Buth, he’ww read picthure boowsh tho ush.” (But, he’ll read picture books to us.)

“I can read them myself!”

I see. Then, what would be a good reason for Nii-sama to be here? I thought.

“Nii-syama, wiww give you hugsh.”

“Hmm, hugs?”

That’s something you can’t do by yourself. This seemed to have moved him. Now, what else?

“And, he’ww pway withh ush.”

“So he is a playmate after all!”

“He’sh fashth.” When I said that, Nico looked at me pitifully.

“… Lei can’t run.”

“Hah? Lei can run! Lei can run thogethher!”

“O-okay. Lei can run. Alright?”

I snorted at Nico, who was flustered. Of course, I can run. I’ve graduated from tottering.

“And, Nii-syama doeshn’th thawe napsh.” (And, Nii-sama doesn’t take naps.)

“Lei sleeps too much.”

“Sweeping meansh growing!”

It was a bit frustrating that Nico’s eyes seemed to be saying that I’m still small even though I sleep a lot. No, I shouldn’t stoop to a child’s level. Stay calm. Appeal Nii-sama’s good points.

“He’sh awsho good ath thhe shword.”

“Sword, you say?”

Nico folded his arms as if that was alright. Apparently, one can fold their arms when they reach three-years-old. I secretly tried to fold my arms. I can’t do it.

“Buffo.”

I’m sure that’s Hans.

“Listen carefully, Your Highness and Leila-sama. Luke-sama will be coming to teach you how to handle your magic. He’s not coming here to play.”

I know that. I know, but we’re talking about how Nii-sama can take a break between teaching us, aren’t we? Nico and I looked at each other and sighed in amazement.

“Linus, no good.”

“No.”

Linus looked stunned for a second, then spoke, “Your Highness and Leila-sama, what is no, huh? No?”

“Nico.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We left Linus and went up to the second floor. Nico was a little ahead of me because his legs were longer. It’s not because I couldn’t run. But, I’m troubled that the adults are dull-witted.

“Huh? What’s no? Was it about Luke-sama? Huh?”

Well, it’s time to study. Finish it as soon as possible, so we can go outside to play.

I thought Nii-sama was going to come in the morning, but he came in the afternoon after we’d finished with lunch. Also, he only came once a week, so he taught Nico over dinner since he won’t be here for a while.

“No way.”

“Lei?”

I’ll fall asleep if we practice magic after lunch. That’s boring. I tried to tell Nii-sama this, and he cautioned me while looking happy, “Lei, don’t swing the fork. That’s right.”

“Either way, you have to study in the morning, and you won’t be able to concentrate if I’m there.”

“Hmph.”

“Don’t pout. Nii-sama has to study in the mornings too.”

I know.

But, I had been waiting for Nii-sama to come and he was finally here.

After lunch, I went out with Nico to the garden, and we saw a carriage.

“Isn’t that the Albans carriage?”

“Nico, you know?”

“Yeah. Because of the pattern on the carriage.”

“Amazing.”

I looked at Nico in admiration.

“You’ll learn about it someday, Lei.”

“Weww, I don’th wnow.”

I don’t really feel that it’s necessary.

“Then, shall we add that to the morning studies?”

“No.”

Linus says a lot of things. Before long, the carriage slowly stopped. Nii-sama is coming. Both Nico and I were waiting in excitement.

“Hey, Lei.”

“Giww?”

But, the person who descended was Gill.

“Where’sh Nii-syama?”

“Lei, you’re so cold even though we haven’t seen each other in a long time. You can call me Gill-niisama.”

“Won’th.”

He’s a little annoying. But, I didn’t have time to say that, because Nii-sama got off the carriage.

“Nii-syama!”

“Lei,” Nii-sama called out to me happily, then he tightened his expression and immediately turned to Nico. Gill, who was joking around, also looked at Nico.

“Your Highness, Nicholas. I am Luke Albans.”

“My name is Gilbert Lisburn.”

“Hmm. I’m the eldest son of Lambert, Nicholas Manfred Kingdom.”

As expected of Nii-sama. He was able to say hello.

“We’re equal. Father said you didn’t need to kneel.”

Nico was also pretty good.

“We wanted to make eye contact with you.”

Nii-sama narrowed his eyes gently. The first impression seems to be good so far.

“Then, up.”

Nico reached out to Nii-sama.

“Hah? What?”

Nii-sama was confused, and I stood behind Nico. Nii-sama usually hugs me first, but I’ll give this to Nico since it’s his first time.

“Huh? Lei, why are you lining up behind him? What the heck is going on?”

“I heard that you were good. I’m telling you to pick me, aren’t I?”

“Eh, okay.”

Nii-sama didn’t know what was going on, but he probably concluded that the Prince wanted to be picked up from the words he heard. He picked Nico and put him on his hips. Then, he said in a surprised tone, “Your Highness, you’re a little bigger than Lei.”

“Of course, I am. Isn’t Lei too small?” Nico said anxiously to Nii-sama. Rude. And, Gill, who was laughing is also rude.

“Lei is younger than Your Highness. It’s the same as me being smaller than Gill.”

“Hm. Lisburn is certainly big.”

Gill took Nico from Nii-sama.

“Oh, you’re not as big as father, but you’re big, Gill.”

“Well, isn’t that normal? Here.”

“Hahaha! How high! Haha.”

Nico looked happy to be raised high. I got Nii-sama to hold me next.

“Nii-syama.”

“What is it, Lei?”

It’s nothing. The two of us laughed. Then, we heard the bell ring.

“Now, you two didn’t come here to play, Luke-sama and Gilbert-sama. It’s time for His Highness to study.”

That’s right. He has to study magic diligently. Let’s go inside the castle first.