Refuse Harem
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Prius
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 016 – Dear Tenma, I Am Now Eight Years Old
Tenma, today is my eighth birthday.
I’m happy about the birthday, but I miss my friend Rio, who hasn’t visited recently. Rio seems to be busy with a lot of stuff.
Speaking of myself, my long sought after seasoning development has gone well. Wasn’t it amazing! It was all thanks to Bart and other people’s help!
Bart didn’t seem to love studying, but he seemed to have decent physical strength and worldly wisdom. So when I taught him sales talk from my past life, he quickly remembered it and smoothly put it into practice. His conversation skills are currently at the same level as most adults.
Eric is also cultivating his talent with great momentum. When I lent him a book, he read it all with terrifying speed, and his depth of knowledge surpassed mine. Who would believe that he wasn’t even literate when we first met a year ago?
Sunny has been studying as a maid apprentice, and she still helps with product development, despite the trouble she already had on her hands.
I’m guessing the other children are also following their lead, because they all became excellent children.
Even though they all led tougher lives than my past life, they are all strong and proud.
…If not for Tenma, my past life self would have had to crawl up on my own. It made me aware of how weak I was, which in turn made me ashamed.
No good, my story got derailed. And so, everyone and I are doing our best. Otou-sama also dispatched many personnel for his company and it now has become very lively. I thought it might be possible to do bigger things.
Oh right, I have a big announcement for you.
I became an onee-sama!
My younger brother was born! A younger brother!
Since I didn’t have siblings in my past life, I was greatly moved when my younger brother was born. He squeezed my finger with his tiny hand. It was very cute.
Now, I strongly agree with Al’s statement when he said his younger brother was cute!
But I’ll make sure to not become an onee-sama who will be seen with dead-fish eyes by my brother. Don’t worry, I’m confident about it.
Tenma… I never mentioned it, since it was embarrassing, but for me, Tenma was my brother. Well, I think Tenma would hate the idea though.
—Oops, the time for Tasuku is over. It is time to be a lady!
See you again, Tenma.
It had been almost two years since Sophie first began writing this diary.
She chose a thick one on purpose, but since she had tons of things to write, she’d already used up her first book. However, it could be partially blamed on the cooking recipes that she also wrote and filled the pages with.
As she resolved to have a separate book for writing recipes, the maid announced Rio’s visit.
Since it was said that he has already been led to the reception room, Sophie hurried there immediately.
As she opened the door, Rio was sitting comfortably on a chair.
Today, his escort Al didn’t sit on a chair and stood behind Rio, as an escort should.
“Rio, Al!”
“You look well, Sophie.”
“It’s been a while since we last met, Sophie-sama.”
Rio, who she hadn’t met in a long time, grew more adult-like again. It didn’t mean he suddenly grew surprisingly taller, but that his expression that had changed.
Sophie still wasn’t sure of how old Rio was. She could guess that he was either around her age or a little bit older, but she didn’t know his exact age.
Rio, who sat gracefully on the chair, looked like a man for some reason. It was said that girls grew fast, but Sophie realized for the first time that boys could also grow fast.
Sophie was excited as she thought that her younger brother would also grow fast.
“Listen, I have a younger brother!”
“He-h, congratulations.”
“Al, I’ve come to understand what you mean by your younger brother being cute!”
“So you’ve come to understand it. This Al is very happy about it. Well, my little brothers no longer want to be hugged though.”
As Al tearily said so, Rio spouted out in response.
“He let you do all that to him until that age, so be thankful for your younger brother.”
Sophie wondered how old Al’s younger brother was and was about to ask, but Rio spoke out before that.
“Well, that was also something to be congratulated about, but.”
He paused, took out a wooden box from his pocket, and presented it in front of Sophie.
“Happy eighth birthday, Sophie.”
Rio, who seemed to remember his promise a year ago, saw Sophie was surprised, seemingly forgetting that promise instead.
As she slowly opened the wooden box that was handed to her, she found a hair accessory made with silver. The silver was formed into the shape of a rose and beautifully studded with pearls and sky blue jewels.
“It’s beautiful…”
She unconsciously murmured with an admiring tone.
“It has the same color as Rio’s eyes. Thank you, I’ll take good care of it!”
Sophie could see it was something expensive at a glance, but both returning it and speaking out about it were a breach of etiquette. Instead, as she spoke her gratitude with a lady-like smile. Rio’s cheeks flushed.
“Did you say that on purpose?”
“Yes?”
Sophie tilted her head, since she didn’t understand what Rio meant. Beside him, Al was chuckling.
Sophie wasn’t aware that it was customary to give the person they liked or their fiancé something that had the same color as their hair or eyes in this nation. Since the pair never mentioned that, Sophie was left confused as to why Rio had such a troubled expression, so he changed the topic.
“Sophie is already eight years old. Won’t you attend a noble tea party?”
“I know it’s better for me to attend one, but I think it should be alright to not to while I am still here.”
Eventually Sophie would have to leave the health resort and return to the royal capital.
Her mother was already healthy and her younger brother was born. They couldn’t leave her father, who was working at the royal capital alone, lonely forever.
“Sophie… Do you have a fiancé?”
“I don’t.”
The reason was, whenever that kind of topic came up, she evaded it with “Sophie didn’t want to be separated from Otou-sama…” while crying weakly. She still couldn’t mention the matter of wanting to be a nun at her age just yet.
“Since you are an aristocrat, don’t you think it’s weird to not have one at your age?”
“You’re right. But I don’t need it.”
“I see… then how about you be my bride?”
Sophie was stunned for a moment when Rio confessed as he had resolved to, but she immediately answered with a lovely smile.
“I’ll respectfully decline.”
“Instant answer, huh… Isn’t it okay to consider it a little?!”
“Because my answer wouldn’t change even if I did. My life plan is to help Otou-sama’s business. Then my brother would eventually succeed, right? Then I plan to just openly become a nun afterward.”
Although she couldn’t tell her parents yet, Rio was her dear friend, so she casually said it.
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Ooooffff! Thanks so much for the chapter!
My man’s heart crushed and grinded into fine dust…
alas, childhood love
❤❤❤
Thanks!