I'm Being Raised by Villains - Chapter 11
<Chapter 11>
“Is it this kid?”
“Looks like it.”
The people who greeted me when the door was opened were two boys who had familiar faces.
They were Erno Etam’s sons that I saw once before at the New Year’s meeting.
“When I saw her at the meeting, she looked as small as a bean. But, when I look at her closely, she looks even tinier. Seriously, Father, what kind of little sister is this…”
“Bwother.”
“Ah, so you already know. Are your preparations complete?”
“Eh? Hmmm…”
The red-haired boy with golden eyes stared at me in annoyance.
‘Is he Callan Etam…?’
He has a sharp face and curly hair, plus his somewhat grumpy and scrappy personality was as complicated as his hair shape.
When he grew up, he became a powerful and prominent person in the world of the novel <Adopted>.
Although he appears to be good with swords given his quarrelsome personality, he was surprisingly a talented wizard.
“She’s really small.”
And the black-haired boy standing on his left side, with a calm expression like Erno Etam, could he be…
‘Shillian Etam.’
Unlike Callan Etam, Shillian Etam is talented in using a sword even though he looks quiet.
His personality and appearance are slightly similar to Erno Etam.
“Oh really? Then let’s go.”
Shillian Etam looked at me whilst extending his hand out.
I took his hand carefully.
They’re very tall for nine- and ten-year-old boys.
Oh right, for your information, Callan was the big brother.
‘Have they been this different since they were young?’
I held his hand and followed both of them excitedly.
But, aren’t they…
“Huff, huff…”
walking too fast?!
I trudged on but couldn’t stand the fast pace, I was exhausted and could barely open my mouth.
“B-Bwothers…”
The two of them stopped walking when they heard my call.
“T-Too fas…”
I will end up turning into my original form if this is going on!
Since I was always carried by Erno Etam until now, I didn’t know that this marble-floor passage was much longer and harder than I thought.
‘Do I sound like I’m complaining?’
My body froze when faced with their tense gazes.
I recalled the sharp gaze of my little brothers in my previous life.
[What’s with those eyes? Are you glaring at us, Sister?]
[Why can’t you do everything you’re ordered to? You’re so stupid that I wonder if you can be of any use. I feel sorry for mom and dad for giving birth to you, Sister.]
They like to order me to do things that I can’t do and laughed at me. I only glared at them if I couldn’t do it and wanted to rebel.
“Hehe…” I reflexively hold my breath and smile a little.
“No. I’m ‘kay.”
Callan Etam’s face was frowning, while Shillian Etam had a nuance of expression.
“By the way, I walk vewy slowly… So, let me walk by myself. So that I would not become a nuisance, bwothers can walk filst…”
“Hey, you.”
Callan Etam approached me, then opened his eyes and sharply looked at me.
He held out his hand to me.
‘I don’t like being hit…’
At that moment, I closed my eyes tightly.
Tap, a hand touched the top of my head lightly.
“You should say something if you can’t walk faster. Why are you being so stupid and just following along?”
“You don’t even realize how small you are.”
Callan Etam and Shillian Etam spoke with slightly unpredictable facial expressions. I carefully opened my eyes that had been tightly shut.
“Do you mind if we carry you?”
“But, I’m heavy…”
“Heavy? It doesn’t matter,” Callan Etam said while mockingly with a smug face.
“After all, I’m not the one who will carry you. Hey, Shillian.”
“…Brother, you really—”
“I have no interest in using my body.”
Callan Etam shrugged his shoulders then handed me over to Shillian Etam.
Shillian Etam stepped forward and picked me up, then tilted his head as if something was odd.
“So light,” Shillian muttered softly.
“You must like being carried on the back.”
Shillian Etam bent down and offered his back.
I placed my hand hesitantly on his shoulder then Shillian Etam carried me on his back.
“Hey,” Callan Etam opened his mouth and ruffled my hair.
“Yes…?”
“Since I pity you, listen to me carefully. Don’t love him too much. Father used to joke like this from a long time ago.”
Callan Etam, who drew close to my side, started to speak at length like a tsundere* who was speaking erratically.
*Tsundere is a Japanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with a personality who is initially very harsh before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side over time.
What, he’s surprisingly nice?
I smirked while riding on Shillian Etam’s back.
“And the reason he acknowledged you as his daughter…”
“I know.” I cutted his words with a smile.
“That right, there’s such a thing in this world. So, don’t take it to heart— What?”
“I know it too, Fathwer doesn’t rweally laik me.”
“You know…?”
We happened to have arrived in front of the dining room.
I tapped Shillian on his shoulder. Shillian slightly knelt down with a doubtful expression and put me down.
“Mhm. I also hap a secwet, so it’s fine.”
I lightly tapped my lips with my little finger that looked like a broken candy stick, then turned around and ran into the dining room.
“Fathwer!”
“My daughter, did you have a nice nap?”
“Yes! I miss Fathwer…”
As soon as I ran, he opened his arms to welcome me as if replying to my words.
I was soon in his embrace.
This is a play. This is a reality that he and I both know.
“You both have escorted her well. Thank you.”
“Yes, Father.”
“What’s so hard about escorting a small kid.”
The two brothers sitting around the round table glanced at me.
Erno Etam, who was stroking my cheeks, opened his mouth as if he noticed an unusual atmosphere.
“Why do both of you wear that kind of face? Did something happen to my daughter?”
“No. Nothing.”
“Hmmm, really?”
Erno Etam narrowed his eyes and seemed to notice the oddness, but he didn’t bother to ask any further.
The meal that started leisurely was delicious as expected.
“By the way, I heard the Patriarch suddenly left his house.”
“Ah, looks like he found my elder sister’s daughter.”
I sat quietly on his lap and became his slime toy.
He touched my cheek so much that it slowly became hot.
Of course it was not painful.
“Father’s older sister… Was she the rumored aunt who left the house?”
“That’s right,” He answered lightly and touched the stuffed tiger I was holding in my arms.
“So you keep carrying this doll.”
“Yea, ‘cause he’s leally cute.”
“You also hug him when you sleep.”
Huh? How did he know?
I had always dreamed of sleeping while cuddling a doll, so I sneakily dragged the doll under the blanket before going to sleep.
So what? Everyone has their own dream.
A dream of sleeping while hugging a big doll.
‘Even though this tiger doll definitely isn’t big…’
Nevertheless, I think I know why children have an attachment to dolls.
Children felt good when they hugged soft dolls.
‘I will take it with me when I leave this house.’
I don’t want to take anything in this house except money. However, this doll is an exception.
Erno Etam, who was watching me burying and rubbing my face against the stuffed tiger, reached out to me like a possessed man, then stopped as if startled by something.
It was that moment.
Bzzzt~
A red spark came out from his ring. Erno Etam’s eyes narrowed at this unexpected situation.
Just as he was about to put me down from his thighs, the red spark broke the ring.
“Ugh…”
He rose from his seat, touching his head with his hand.
An elongation spark rose around him.
The scleras of his eyes grow darker, and his honey-like irises flicker between gold and blood colors.
“Callan, Shillian. Hurry and get out of here…!”
“Fa-father…”
“Get out!”
I was staring at Erno Etam who was staggering and dazed.
Sharp canines and snapping sounds came out of his mouth.
It was a sudden mania.
<To be continued>