“Huh?”

She dangled in the air for only a moment before she was set down on his lap in an instant, and Camilla’s eyes widened.

How was she even supposed to describe this awkward yet comfortable feeling?

As if he had noticed her confusion, the Duke of Sorpel softly patted her head.

“Would you like this?”

He picked up a large cookie from the table and held it out to her. Camilla tried to shake her head.

But seeing the Duke of Sorpel looking at her with those absurdly expectant eyes, she ended up taking the cookie after all and put it in her mouth, chewing.

What is this?

Watching the Duke of Sorpel gaze at her with unmistakable satisfaction only made Camilla more confused.

Munch... munch.

Does getting smaller just do this to people?

With that hand patting her back at steady intervals, the speed at which she chewed the cookie gradually slowed.

Why am I so sleepy?

She forced her eyes open, fighting the way they kept wanting to drift shut on their own, but the hand on her back felt far too warm.

In the end, after nodding off in every direction, her head finally tipped to one side.

“Ha....”

A smile spread quickly across the Duke of Sorpel’s lips at the sight of Camilla falling asleep with the cookie still in her mouth, then disappeared just as fast.

He gently pulled the cookie from her mouth and set it aside, then adjusted her position so she could sleep more comfortably.

“So. There’s nothing wrong with her body?”

Even while asking the question, he kept patting her. As though worried the child might wake up, every movement was ridiculously careful.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with her body at all. She’s just gotten younger.”

Ravi answered too, his voice even lower than before.

Looking at Camilla sleeping soundly like she had not a single care in the world only made his feelings more tangled. A long sigh slipped from Ravi’s mouth.

“I’ll find a way as quickly as possible.”

“You should.”

The hand wiping away the cookie crumbs at the corner of Camilla’s mouth was especially gentle.

“But don’t push yourself too hard.”

“What?”

“If it’s hard, you can take it slowly.”

“...What?”

“There’s no need to rush when there’s nothing wrong with her body, is there?”

Ravi shot him a puzzled look, but the Duke of Sorpel’s gaze still refused to leave the sleeping Camilla.

Then, when he finally stood to carry little Camilla back to her room—

“I’ll take her to her room.”

A rival appeared.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Then I’ll hold—”

“Get lost.”

“......”

Even while arguing over something as stupid as who should carry Camilla, neither of them raised their voices.

Ravi could only stand there blankly, mouth slightly open, staring at the two of them bickering in hushed voices so they wouldn’t wake her.

*****

“My lady.”

“What.”

“Would you like me to feed you?”

“Have you lost your mind?”

What the hell was he even saying right now?

Camilla, who had just picked up her fork to eat some fruit, stared at Dorman with a # Nоvеlight # look that said she found him utterly ridiculous.

Does he think that just because my body got younger, my mental age went down too?

If so, that was a huge misunderstanding. Me, unable to even eat fruit by myse—

Tap. Roll roll—

“......”

[Pffft!]

[Hey, don’t laugh.]

[Puhahaha! Just look at her. She can’t even eat fruit by herself. What are you going to do about that piece that rolled away?]

[I said don’t laugh. She must be so embarrassed.]

[And your mouth is twitching too right now.]

Would both of you just shut up?

Camilla glared hard at Arena and Zeno, the two ghosts laughing their heads off.

No, seriously, why the hell was that apple not stabbing properly onto the fork and just rolling away?

[Lady Camilla, if you hold the fork like this and use it like this, it should work.]

“......”

Why was ghost butler Derin, kindly explaining it to her like he was teaching a small child how to use a fork for the first time, even more irritating than Arena, who was openly mocking her?

“I know that already.”

She knew. She knew very well.

The problem was that these short little fingers were not moving the way she wanted them to.

“Ugh.”

Camilla dropped the fork down like she was throwing it and immediately flung herself onto the bed.

So annoying.

The thing that pissed her off the most was that there was no proper target for her anger.

“I can’t exactly go yell at Ravi for making something like that!”

[Why not? Go yell at him.]

“I’m not that shameless, okay?”

And besides...

“He’s already busy digging himself into the ground on his own.”

[Digging himself into the ground?]

At Arena’s question, Camilla let out a sigh.

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything to Ravi, who looked like he had already taken a huge shock just from the fact that she had gotten hurt by his magic.

If anything, she had to act as normal as possible in front of him.

Honestly, he’s a master at digging himself into holes.

Her late mother apparently had not been like that, so who the hell did he get that personality from?

Come to think of it...

I know absolutely nothing about Ravi’s real father, do I?

“Hm.”

Camilla, who had been sprawled on the bed kicking her legs, slowly pushed herself upright.

Then, feeling something strange, she turned her head and found the ghosts staring at her.

“What are you doing?”

[Well....]

[Little ones are cute even when they’re sulking.]

[Our young lady... you were even more adorable when you were little. When you first came here, you were already a bit older....]

What the hell were they talking about? I’m throwing a fit as hard as I can right now, and with these stubby little arms and legs, I can’t even get properly angry? Is that it?

Knock knock.

Just then, the door opened with a knock, and the butler Rube stepped inside.

Seeing Camilla sitting there with her lips jutting out nonstop, a faint smile flickered across his mouth and disappeared just as quickly.

“My lady, you have visitors.”

“Visitors?”

“Yes. Your friends.”

“Ah.”

Since she had not been able to go to the academy these past few days, it seemed they had come themselves.

“What would you like me to do?”

“Let them in.”

It was not as though this would be fixed overnight anyway, and she had no particular intention of hiding it, so Camilla nodded at Rube.

Bang!

“Camilla un—!”

“Camilla! If you’re hurt—!”

A moment later, the people who came rushing into the room stopped dead when they saw a little child rolling all over the bed.

Their bizarre standoff continued even while Camilla straightened her rumpled clothes and fixed her posture.

Sensing tension herself because their reaction was more intense than expected, Camilla darted her eyes around, and Elisha, who had only been staring at her blankly, finally spoke in a hesitant voice.

“...Did Camilla have a younger sister?”

“W-well? I’ve never heard anything like that....”

“She’s obviously her little sister. She looks exactly like Camilla.”

While Camilla was still wondering how to even begin explaining, Elisha, Lila, and Juella came up with one theory.

The three of them had stars in their eyes at the appearance of a child who looked exactly like Camilla.

Listening to them even wonder out loud when Duke Sorpel had apparently remarried, Camilla let out a short sigh.

How would a daughter Father had with another woman end up looking like me? 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

At least say something that makes sense.

“Camilla....”

“What happened?”

By contrast, Arsian and Petro recognized her immediately.

Oh.

Looking at the two of them, both wearing rather serious expressions, Camilla let out a small sound of admiration inwardly.

Back during the fake Rania incident too, and now again, the fact that these two recognized her at a glance even after she had been turned into a child was genuinely fascinating.

“What are you talking about?”

“S-so you’re saying this child is Camilla?”

“What?”

At their reaction, the other three opened their eyes wide. That little kid was Camilla?

“Hi.”

Camilla lightly raised a hand and greeted them, meaning yes, they were right.

“......”

“......”

“......”

At that, Lila, Elisha, and Juella all slapped their hands over their mouths.

Judging by the way their eyes kept shaking, they were pretty badly shocked.

“It’s fine. Brother Ravi said he’ll find a way soon.”

So there’s really no need to worry too mu—

“Kyaa!”

“Unni! You’re too cute!”

“Wow, you got really young. You calling me unni... oh my God, look how soft her skin is!”

...Weren’t you supposed to be worried?

“Unni, Camilla unni! Can I record this?”

“Me too, me too!”

“...Do whatever you want.”

It wasn’t as though they were the type to stop just because she told them not to.

Camilla shook her head at Lila and Elisha, who had already pulled out recording orbs and started fussing over her.

“What happened?”

“It just... somehow ended up like this.”

“You’re even smaller than Rio.”

Kneeling on one knee, Arsian quietly met Camilla’s eyes. A moment later, the corner of his mouth slowly lifted.

“I’m not really fond of children, but now that I think about it, this isn’t bad.”

“Hm? Uh, thanks...?”

Unlike Camilla, who thanked him reflexively and then looked confused, dry laughter broke out around them.

“If someone overheard that, they’d think the only thing you don’t like is children.”