“The scenery is breathtaking.”
Estelle and Edwin tried to escape from Grace’s cooking. When they moved a little away from the original location, Estelle looked at the snowy landscape and sighed briefly. Then, Edwin, who was next to her, replied.
“Yeah. Except for having to eat Grace’s cooking.”
“…Why is Grace’s cooking skill not improving at all? It’s supposed to be a subject of serious study.”
Estelle, who was seriously muttering about conducting research, took a small vial from her pocket.
“Do you want a drop too?”
“Yeah.”
It was a temporary medicine that temporarily numbed the sense of taste. Even so, the two wanted to empty Grace’s cooking without pain.
“Belion said he doesn’t need it.”
“Yeah. He can eat two bowls even without the medicine.”
“Really, Grace must be loved.”
Estelle admired sincerely.
“Well, I expected it since I was young. That those two would end up together.”
“…”
“Belion may seem emotionless, but his eyes were always on Grace. Surprisingly, he’s quite easy to understand emotionally. So, we could become friends faster than I expected.”
“You thought about that?”
“Yeah. When I went to the Grand Manor back then, I thought about the success and failure routes to become friends with Belion.”
Estelle looked up at Edwin with a smile.
“I actually found it more challenging to become friends with you than Belion.”
“With me?”
“Yeah. When you first approached me to be friends, it was because your father wanted to do business with our family.”
“…”
“Becoming friends with Grace was the same, and when you first went to the Grand Manor, it was probably your goal.”
Edwin didn’t particularly refute Estelle’s words. Estelle continued.
“Well, that was true back then, but not anymore.”
“How do you know it’s not anymore?”
“Ah, because my observation skills are excellent. I naturally know.”
“…”
“Sometimes when I sell my inventions, I also know that there are items sold at a loss from the top. That’s evidence.”
Estelle added with a firm tone.
“You taking the loss. That alone concludes it.”
“…”
“And when we hang out together, you seem to be enjoying it too.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
Edwin chuckled and asked Estelle.
“But, is your observation about me over there?”
“Huh? Well? Is there something else?”
“…”
“Anyway, it was fun back then. We all inherited our titles, and everyone was busy, so we didn’t have time to gather like this.”
Now that they had time to meet, Estelle grinned.
“Soon, Vansent will be the Marquis. Then, I’ll finally have much more time for my experiments!”
Just imagining it, Estelle kicked her foot joyfully. Edwin, watching her, also smirked.
“Anyway, the spirit of experimentation is still alive in you.”
“Yeah. I’ve already decided where to put my lab… Oh, oh!”
Perhaps it was due to excessive excitement. Estelle, entangled and unable to see the snow-covered stones, lost her balance and fell backward.
“…….”
“…….”
However, Estelle didn’t hit the ground. In that moment, Edwin’s arm wrapped around her waist, preventing her from hitting the ground. The distance between the two became closer. Edwin slowly opened his mouth.
“You…”
“…….”
“If you had fallen directly on the ground just now, do you know how much impact would have been applied?”
“Oh, you’re right. Correct.”
If someone from a distance had seen the two, they might have thought it was a truly affectionate scene. However, the conversation between the two was anything but. Eventually, Estelle moved to get up.
“Thanks for catching me. Now…”
“Did you calculate a situation like this?”
Edwin exerted more force on Estelle’s arm, pulling her closer. As a result, their faces became dangerously close. Surprised, Estelle’s eyes widened. Edwin opened his mouth once again.
“And did you calculate a situation where I confess that I like you right here, right now?”
“…What, what?”
Suddenly stumbling over her words, Estelle’s eyes widened even further. Edwin raised the corner of his mouth as if amused. He immediately released his arm and let her go, but Estelle still stared at Edwin with a dazed expression.
“If you’re going to keep doing this, I’ll go first.”
Leaving the stiffened Estelle behind, Edwin took a step forward. Only then did Estelle seem to come to her senses and hurriedly followed him, asking.
“Is what you said true?”
“It’s true.”
“S-so, I mean… What did you just say?”
“A smart kid like you should remember better than I do. Calculate again after organizing your thoughts.”
Now that the fact that Edwin confessed to her had sunk in, Estelle mumbled a response.
With a sly smile, Edwin slowed his pace, secretly hoping she could reach a somewhat better conclusion.
“Everyone is a bit late.”
Grace wandered around, looking for the four people who had disappeared. Belion was silently chopping ingredients nearby.
“They’ll come on their own.”
“Well, everyone is stronger than me anyway.”
Grace laughed and then cracked open the fruit. While watching her, Belion asked.
“That fruit…”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
