Chapter 147:
Benjamin, who entered Claude's room to escape Belluna's tiresome nagging, said in a hoarse voice.
"You're the only one who enjoys it here, very much."
"......Why are you picking a fight?"
Claude, who was playing cards with Elexa and Penelois, answered without looking at Benjamin.
"Are you mad at Sister Belluna?"
In a situation that was obvious even if he didn't look at it, Claude shook his head slightly and put down a banana-shaped card left in his hand.
"Ah!"
"Young Lord Ambrosia won again."
A sigh of regret escaped from the mouths of Elexa and Penelois. This card game was a game where you win when you put down a card of the same shape in your hand and get rid of all the cards you are holding. And Claude was just on his fifth streak. Claude, who was chewing on his victory with his proud face, then turned his head to look at Benjamin and said.
"What did Sister say this time?"
"She told me not to fight with you and do some cleaning on the way."
"How can she make Uncle do something you can't do? Sister Belluna is so......"
"Hey."
"If you're picking a fight because you're bored, sit here and play a game together."
Claude patted the seat next to him with a nonchalant face. He didn't seem to care about why Benjamin's mood was so crooked.
'The brat is pretending to be okay.'
Like a mere six-year-old, Claude was spending his days really casually. Penelois and Elexa sometimes looked out the window with anxious eyes, but he didn't care at all. Sarah, the magician, accompanied them, but she was on her way to investigate the ominous. They didn't know what danger there might be, and someone could have been seriously hurt. Penelois sometimes walked in the hallway, unable to sleep, and Elexa would wet his pillow with tears. Because of the circumstances, Claude, who was doing his best on the contrary, looked strange in Benjamin's eyes.
"Shouldn't you be nagging because you miss your dad?"
"Who said I should do that?"
"Basically, all kids are like that."
Benjamin looked at Claude and said, but Elexa, who had been weeping every night, was stabbed in conscience and trembled. Seeing this, Claude answered in a voice mixed with irritation.
"Should I cry now? Because I miss my father and I miss my nanny?"
"Not that."
"Then why? It's not like Uncle will comfort me anyway."
At Claude's words, Benjamin's face was subtly distorted. Because he sounded as if he couldn't cry because he had no one to comfort him. He unconsciously looked at Elexa, who was clinging to Penelois' side. Yes, Elexa had his mother by his side to lean on, unlike Claude.
"......"
Thinking like that, no matter how much Benjamin was, he felt a subtle sense of pity. His master said that he would take good care of Claude before leaving, but he felt like he had not done anything. Benjamin coughed briefly and opened his mouth.
"I can comfort you."
"Uegh."
"Hey!"
However, Claude responded to Benjamin's words, which contained such a big resolution, by pretending to be vomited.
"Really, if I think about it."
"I'm not happy even if Uncle thinks about me."
Benjamin and Claude started bickering again. It was also the most frequently seen scene by Penelois and Elexa since they started living in Ambrosia.
"......Mother."
"Eung?"
Elexa, who had been watching Claude talking back and forth to Benjamin, smiled and whispered to Penelois.
"Claude doesn't look sad anymore."
"Does he?"
At Elexa's words, Penelois looked closely at Claude's face. He looked more lively than when he won the card game in a row a while ago. Although he was attacking Benjamin's hand as he was about to frown and slap him on the head.
"It seems that Young Lord Ambrosia really likes him."
"That's right."
Elexa nodded his head as hard as he could. It was Claude, who became more silent and more absent-minded. However, when Benjamin was around, he became talkative and his voice became louder than before. It was very nice to look at such Claude.
"Go away!"
"I can't. Master told me not to stay away from you."
"I hate Nanny!"
"Master hates you too."
"No! Nanny loves me the most!"
"Where did your confidence come from......"
Of course, he was getting a little tired of the argument that was becoming more and more childish. Elexa turned his gaze away from the sight all too familiar and looked around.
"By the way Mother, where's May? I can't see Butler-nim and Head maid-nim."
"I know. They were there before we played the card game."
Penelois also looked around with Elexa. Ronda and Veron were always by Claude's side, and May was never far from Penelois' side. But come to think of it, the three of them had been away at the same time for quite some time.
"Benjamin-nim, did you not see Butler-nim or Head maid-nim on the way?"
"I didn't see them."
"That's strange."
Penelois tilted her head and stood up. It was almost dinner time, and she was surprised that there was no news. She opened the door slightly and looked into the hallway.
"......Um?"
Then she made a sound as if in doubt and rubbed her eyes slightly. She blinked her eyes a couple of times for a moment, and Penelois' face slowly hardened as she looked out again. In response to Penelois' reaction, Elexa rushed to her side.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
"Something is strange."
"Pardon?"
"Wasn't there originally no other room across from Young Lord Ambrosia's room?"
"That's right."
Elexa nodded. Claude's room was in the middle of the second floor. On both sides, there were only rooms where Penelois and Elexa lived and Claude's dressing room. Penelois said, pointing her finger outside the door.
"......But what is that?"
Upon opening Claude's door, there was a door on the wall that should have been decorated with colorful paintings. It was a very ordinary door, likely to be in the servant's dormitory. Penelois instinctively sensed the danger and sent Elexa behind her.
"Back off, Elexa."
"Bro, Brother Benjamin."
Elexa noticed something strange and called out to Benjamin in a trembling voice.
"What."
Benjamin stopped bickering with Claude and approached them, narrowing his brows.
"What's there?"
"The door...... There was a door that wasn't in the hallway."
"......?"
At Penelois' words, Benjamin also looked out of Claude's door. But there was nothing in his eyes. As always, all he could see was a wall decorated with paintings of Sarah's own choosing.
"What are you talking about? Where's the door......"
Benjamin turned his head again in a blunt voice, looking at Penelois and Elexa, and then shut his mouth.
"......"
"......"
It was because Penelois and Elexa were simultaneously pale and fixed their eyes equally in one place. As if something invisible to his eyes was real. For a moment, Benjamin's head recalled someone who was often playing around when he was in the magic tower. He asked back in a grave voice.
"Is there really a door over there?"
"Yes......"
"Keep watching. All the way until I tell you to look away."
"......I will."
Benjamin swept his own eyes with mana in his hands. Then his eyes instantly turned dark red, and his pupils began to shine bright blue.
"......"
In Benjamin's eyes shining with mana, the reflections in Penelois and Elexa's eyes began to come into clearly. Before long, Benjamin was able to clearly identify through their eyes. A door made of plain brown wood, which would never exist on the floor where Claude lived, was created.
"It was real."
At the same time, a complex magic circle appeared in Benjamin's hand with a dazzling light, enveloping Claude, Penelois, and Elexa.
"Uncle!"
"Stay still, brat. Don't ever move in there."
Surprised Claude called for him, but Benjamin couldn't take his eyes off Penelois and Elexa's eyes.