Chapter 4
“…What is it?”
“Is that person Ceres?”
“I still have goosebumps on my arms.”
After a while, the three maids who had been frozen in shock finally spoke, unable to take their eyes off the spot where Ceres had just left.
What exactly had they just witnessed?
Would others believe them if they told this story?
Especially if it was about Ceres?
“Uh… um, ah! Aaaah!”
“What? Why…? Huh!”
“W-What is this?”
Then one maid screamed, and the other two, startled, turned their heads, their eyes widening in shock.
“Oh, the clothes!”
“Aaaah!”
“What is going on?!”
The state of the clothes in the tub was strange.
Just a moment ago, they had been perfectly fine, so why had their colors changed like this?
The garments had yellowed to the point where their original colors were unrecognizable, causing the three maids to scream continuously.
***
Clang!
“Big sister!”
Ceres, who had been leisurely spending her time, slowly rose from the bed when she saw Antonion rush into the room in a hurry.
“What on earth did you do, sister…!”
“Dear brother.”
Come here, come here.
“…?”
Playing the role of a kind sister with a warm expression and a gentle gesture, Ceres tilted her head in confusion.
Why is he suddenly looking so dazed?
“Hurry, come here.”
“…Alright.”
She watched the boy approach her with a somewhat entranced expression.
Just as he came close enough for her to reach out her hand—
Squeeeeze!
“Ow… ahhh!”
“It seems my dear brother has completely forgotten basic manners.”
“Ouch! Ow! That hurts!”
“What do you need to do before you enter someone’s room?”
“It hurts! I said it hurts!”
“Answer.”
“Kn-knock!”
“Good, you know it well.”
Only then did Ceres release her grip on Antonion’s cheek.
Antonion immediately backed away, clutching his now-red cheek with both hands.
“Are you crazy?”
Remembering that Ceres had never even touched him playfully, let alone pinched him, Antonion couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Does losing one’s memory really change their personality too?
“So?”
“What’s the reason for your visit?”
“Hmph, it seems my dear brother has no intention of answering his sister’s question. Where are your manners? Ignoring your sister’s words like that?”
“No, it’s not like that!”
Momentarily dazed, Antonion quickly shook his head as he saw Ceres extend her hands toward him again.
“What exactly did you do?”
“What did I do?”
“They said you did something to Aunt’s maids!”
“Hm?”
What? That’s already a rumor? That spread fast.
“Well, actually…”
What’s the big deal about that? Why is he acting as if it’s a huge issue?
“‘Did something to them’? I didn’t do anything.”
“You didn’t?”
“Nope.”
“Ugh, right. There’s no way you would. Like, pouring water on people…”
“Oh, I did pour water on them.”
“What?”
“They kept whining about getting their laundry done, so I thought I’d be kind enough to help them out.”
“Huh, huh?”
“I should’ve gone the extra mile and added some soap too,” Ceres said, clicking her tongue as if genuinely disappointed. Antonion stared at her, his mouth hanging open.
“Wh-what are you talking about? So it’s true?”
There had been a commotion just a while ago. It all started at Aunt Agne’s quarters.
‘Eek! What is this? My clothes!’
‘M-madam, the thing is…’
‘What happened? Why are my clothes like this?’
‘I’m so sorry! I apologize!’
‘Ahh! Even the dress I worked so hard to get!’
Her high-pitched screams echoed throughout the mansion. Aunt Agne’s clothes, which she had sent out as laundry, were all ruined.
The garments looked as if they had been locked away in a storage room for over 20 years and were beyond any hope of restoration.
The maids eagerly pointed fingers at Ceres, and when Antonion heard the news, he rushed over immediately.
“I didn’t believe it…”
Even when he heard the story about his sister pouring water on the maids, he simply couldn’t believe it.
She may have been a bit out of sorts lately, but he didn’t think she’d go that far. He assumed, as always, that the maids were simply blaming Ceres for their own mistakes, something they’d done many times before.
Every time, Ceres couldn’t even properly defend herself, and—
“You know, I can hear you even when you whisper, brother.”
“Aunt is furious!”
Seeing his sister so utterly unconcerned, Antonion felt a headache coming on.
Already feeling restless, Ceres’s carefree attitude was driving him to his wits’ end.
And then her next words struck the final blow.
“So?”
“S-so? Aunt’s mad, don’t you get it?”
“And what does that have to do with me?”
What does he expect me to do about it?
“Are you suggesting I go and put on a show to cheer her up?”
I’m not exactly skilled in that department.
“That’s not it!”
Antonion, exasperated, shouted at her.
Of all people, Ceres was always the most concerned and afraid of Aunt Agne’s moods. When Agne was in a bad mood, she would avoid coming out of her room altogether.
And yet…
“Those clothes must have been pretty expensive, huh?”
Is she… smiling?
Seeing Ceres chuckling openly, Antonion’s head spun in confusion. Is this really my sister?
“Uh, well… just be careful, okay?”
He couldn’t make sense of any of it, but he threw out a word of caution.
With Ceres having lost her memories, he’d tried to minimize any contact between her and their aunt. But somehow, things kept spiraling out of control.
“Hm…”
Ceres looked at Antonion with a slightly intrigued expression. So, he does care about his sister, after all.
After losing her parents at a young age, whose faces she barely remembered now, the concept of family felt foreign to her.
“A brother, huh…”
It was an oddly touching thought.
But… one other question lingered.
“So Aunt’s in a bad mood, and that means I should be careful? How does that make sense?”
To anyone else, wouldn’t this situation seem strange? If this so-called aunt took out her frustrations on her nephews and nieces…
“That’s… interesting.”
“In-interesting? How could you call this interesting? Don’t say ridiculous things; just please, be cautious!”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why should I be cautious?”
“Well… that’s…”
“Well?”
“…You’ll find out in time.”
Antonion, seemingly about to say more, eventually held back with a sigh.
There he goes again.
What a strangely reserved child for his age.
Even the first time they’d met, he had a habit of stopping himself halfway through his words.
“Be careful until Aunt calms down,” Antonion warned again, then turned to leave.
“…Huh?”
But as he began to walk out, his steps suddenly stopped.
A strange realization dawned on him, something he hadn’t noticed in his rush to enter the room earlier.
Step. Step.
…What’s going on?
Moving forward cautiously, Antonion stared curiously at the floor.
Why… isn’t there any sound?
The floor was always creaky.
Not just in this room. The entire house, which had been neglected for years, was filled with creaking noises from every corner.
But here… nothing.
Even though he’d heard the dreadful creaking in the hallway moments before, here, for some reason…
“Why? Do you have more to say?”
“No… nothing.”
Seeing Ceres’s questioning look, as if wondering why he hadn’t left yet, Antonion finally resumed walking, still casting a puzzled glance at the floor.
Thud.
“Hm…”
After Antonion left, Ceres slowly got up from her seat and walked over to the window.
“Maybe I reversed too much time? Those clothes did seem expensive… but their reaction was more intense than I’d expected.”
—
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