It’s an absolute ‘no‘.

“Sorry. It’s too much”.

Despite refusing twice in a row, Carson made an apologetic face on the contrary.

“No. I don’t think I have been considerate enough of you. Is it okay if we meet outside?”

“…Well. If it’s possible.”

I couldn’t give you a definite answer. I don’t know how things will go, I’m not sure.

Perhaps, as soon as I arrived at the Count, I could run away to the academy again.

Maybe it’s because I said a lot of misleading words, but Carson stared at me with a thoughtful expression on his face.

I smiled mischievously and tapped his nose.

“What are you thinking? I said this because I might not even notice the time passing because I was looking at medicinal herbs. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to my private lab at the Countess.”

“Really…?”

His hardened face came alive again at my words.

“Then on the day you come out, I’ll visit you, Leen.”

“How do you know the timing that I don’t even know?”

When I laughed as if dumbfounded, Carson blinked his eyes and put his index finger over his lips.

“It’s a trade secret.”

✿

From the window of the carriage, a familiar mansion came into view.

The aunt, who was standing still, found a carriage entering the mansion and smiled broadly.

“Leen!”

I got off the carriage with a smile around my lips.

“Auntie, how have you been…”

Before I could finish my words, my Aunt reached out her hand and held me in her arms.

“Oh my, look at how skinny my baby is. Only bones are left! Did you skip meals just to see medicinal herbs? Oh, I can’t let this be. Hurry up and talk to the chef about greasy food!”

“No, Aunt. I was eating well and I’m fine.”

Jane was obsessed with rice, and Carson often bought snacks for me.

Under these circumstances, if I had gained more weight, I wouldn’t have lost weight.

“Last summer vacation, you said the professor caught you, but this time I think you managed to escape.”

“Haha!”

I smiled awkwardly and looked into the distance. I forgot I sold Professor George last vacation.

Sorry, Professor. There was no other excuse.

However, this time, it was true that I escaped from Professor George’s cage, so it was roughly half right.

“Yeah, vacation is for rest. Your professor was too much.”

My Aunt cried and hugged me tight once again.

It was the arms I missed, so I enjoyed the warmth in my Aunt’s arms for a while.

It’s hard to breathe, so I was trying to tell her to let go of me now…

“Leen’s here!”

Upon hearing the news from the mansion, the Count rushed out and hugged my Aunt and me at the same time.

“Hey! If you were going to come, tell me in advance, what’s the reason for sending a letter so slowly? I only found out in the morning that you were coming.”

It was a scolding tone, but his face was full of joy. I just laughed bashfully seeing him like that.

“I wanted to surprise you!”

“If that’s the case, then you’ve succeeded. The Count has been very noisy since morning after receiving the letter that you are coming.”

“Haha, the Count and Aunt must have made all kinds of commotion.”

“Our disturbance is the Count’s commotion, is there anything different?”

I shrugged and frowned without saying a word. What I heard was right.

The Count, who was hugging my aunt and me, finally freed us and looked straight at me.

“Oh my! You’ve grown ten centimeters, you seem bigger than I’ve seen you! You became an adult without us watching over you.”

How could my aunt and uncle not be so objective in their view of me?

Unfortunately, I wasn’t even a centimeter taller in a year.

At that time, someone who was watching our reunion walked up to us.

“People would think you’re reuniting with family who were separated during the war.”

It was my younger cousin Luca who was smiling crookedly.

I instinctively looked around Luca. Fortunately, Erhan didn’t seem to be in the mansion.

Had it been, he would have run to me faster than anyone else.

Imagining how anxious he must have been because I never replied to his letter.

Convinced that Erhan wasn’t there, I teased Luca more comfortably.

“Are you upset because you didn’t hug me first? Even now, you’re still like a child, it’s still the same. Come here.”

“Who says I’m upset?”

Saying that, Luca didn’t ignore the open arms as if there’s nothing he couldn’t help it.

Being in my arms…

“I came to the mansion alone because I thought you wouldn’t come again. We could have come together.”

I was surprised by his grumbling words in my arms.

Come to think of it, Luca was also attending the Arena Academy.

“Sorry. I didn’t think of you because the junior and senior building were too far apart.”

“I’ll also be a senior starting next semester, so you know that excuse won’t work next time, right?”

“Well, I’ll think about it.”