Day 5 of annoying the crap out of the brothers until they want to kill me:

"Luden-" "I don't want to hear it." Luden yet once again cut me off before I could even speak my request.

"... I see the resemblance now." I commented as my mind drifting off to the other day when Vidoro had done the exact same act.

"What?" Luden questioned turning back to me from the pile of papers and files on his desk.

Though I had already decided that he was a lost cost by then and left the room. This was all too strange for Luden.

'How is it possible for someone to change so vastly over the span of a few weeks...?' It just didn't make sense.

Sovine, the hopeless lady who only ever showed interest in riches and trying to act a real noble from the Divinus Duchy now no longer cared for those things.

Her taste has changed entirely. From attire, to interests, to how she spends her time, nothing other than her appearance has remained the same. Even how she behaved around the brothers or the duke had changed.

And he needed to know why.

-----

"Oh heavens, no." A sigh of exhaustion escaped Vidoro's lips as he recognized the familiar figure standing in his doorway.

Me. The lady who had been eating away at his life force since almost a week ago with the exact same request every, single, damn, day. And for what reason?!

"You know it would be much easier for you if you just gave me what I've been asking you for." I walked over to the little boy sitting on the couch with his academy papers plopping down on the couch beside him.

"No." Vidoro questioned scooching away from me with his book in hand.

"But why?"

"Why do you wish to die so badly?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Exactly."

"... I see what you did there."

"Do you now?"

"You know kids become less cute when they have such a sharp tongue. Why don't you try acting your age and go play in the garden?"

"Why don't you try minding your own business and leave me alone?"

"Come on. We're going to the garden." I scooped Vidoro up into my arms and tossed him over my shoulder as I began walking towards the duchy's garden.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Vidoro snapped at me as I carried him out of his room.

"Getting you to touch some grass!" I responded though I was really just trying to make him suffer for being a little bitch to Sovine all these years.

So this was considered as revenge for Sovine.

However, while I was at last setting Vidoro down on the soft grass back on his feet, a strong gust of wind suddenly sneaked up upon us causing him to let go of his assignment.

"My assignment!" Vidoro cried out reaching out for the articles which had been blown away by the strong draft of wind.

"Oh my." I simply commented after the current had passed gazing at the papers which gotten trapped on the branch of a pretty tall tree.

"Ugh! This is all your fault!" Vidoro suddenly turned to me, much literally fuming with rage as he pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Hm?" I couldn't help but raise a brow at his bold accusation.

"I wasn't aware that I had the ability to manipulate the wind into blowing at that exact moment." I argued rolling my eyes at his accusation.

"It's all because you forced me to come out here that this happened!" Vidoro continued to blame me for what had just occurred and he was throwing quite a fit about it too.

Though he might not have been interested in things kids his age might be, it was clear he was still as childish as any other kid his age if not more.

"It's because you have a weak grip from sitting inside your room all day that this happened. Yet another reason for you to be getting some fresh air."

I argued back in a more formal manner this time after remembering that I was now a duke's adopted-daughter and had to act as such to not seem too suspicious and be sent to the church for possession purification.

Since they beloved in evil spirits possessing humans in this world too.

"What?!" Vidoro shrieked driving me to almost begin hoping that he would just trip and roll down the flight of stairs into the lake and lose his voice from almost drowning or just downright drown.

"It was your fault that the papers blew away and now you're-" "Ugh! Shut it!" I couldn't bear to listen to that wailing of his for another second.

I grabbed him from under his arms and hoisted him up onto my shoulders as a surprised yelp escaped his lips before making my way toward the tree his assignment had gotten caught in.

"Come on. Grab it." I looked up at the confused boy on my shoulders with a raised brow wondering why he wasn't taking the papers now that they were in his reach.

"R-right...!" He muttered still seeming in a daze as he finally grabbed the papers glancing over at me every once in a while after doing so.

I ignored his glances and placed him back down on the ground. But now I had no idea what to do to expel this awkward air either. He had gotten his assignments back so he had no reason to continue yelling now and you had no reason to stick around.

"Alright then, you got your assignments back so go play." I nudged him forward urging him to go ahead and run and play around.

"Don't tell me what to do!" He snapped glaring at me intensely but I simply snatched his assignment out of his hand and held it out of his reach as he tried jumping for it.

"Give me five laps from that tree to the lake and I'll return one of these pages back to you," I demanded pointing to the tree he had to run to, this would be extra gruesome since he had to go down a pretty lengthy flight of stairs to get to the lake.

"I said, don't tell me what to do!" Vidoror yelled hooping around for the pages as I kept them out of his reach and kept dodging his hands.

This bitch had no idea I was saving him from literally dying right now by making him come out here and run around. In the book I had received from the lady in the alleyway, it was mentioned that right around this time.

Vidoro would begin gain a rare condition and a weak body due to always being shut away in his room and never getting any proper exercise. Apparently, this condition was called "Mana Entrapment".

Mana Entrapment was when an individual had such a great amount of mana stored inside of them that it could not be expelled just by casting spells and physical exercise of the user's body was also required for them to survive.

Now this was not really an issue in most cases because it was usually inherited by young children and would soon after leave by the time they reached adult age. Children are always running around anyway so it wasn't even very visible when they did inherit this condition.

In Vidoro's case. He had been taught from a young age that as a grand duke's son, he should always be mindful of how he acts and never carelessly run around in the mansion or any other place.

And since he was also certainly talented in magic or mana, or whatever call it, he was allowed to take up magic lessons and attend the magic academy instead of swordsmanship. This means he never got any exercise whatsoever in any situation.

And died two months after his thirteenth birthday when this condition reached its final stage and his heart exploded.

Since Vidoro was already twelve and currently showing the third-stage symptoms of the disease. There was only so much time left before his anticipated death, the reason why I was making this young boy with such a weak body do such gruesome training right off the bat.

Now my job is to avoid that. Why?

Because this condition is only inherited by those who have an overbearing amount of mana that their tiny bodies can't control which means that Vidoro might even have even more mana than all the magicians in the magic tower altogether!

So I had two motives, first, get Vidoro to become even stronger than the master of the magic tower without dying.

Second, even if it turns out that I can't return to my original world by dying then there would still be a 2% chance that I could go back with the help of one of Vidoro's spells!

Vidoro had given up trying to get the assignment back from me by now and had stormed off to fetch one of the other two brothers since he couldn't even use magic properly right now without being in pain. Another symptom of the Mana Entrapment disease.

But what he didn't know was that he was only getting more exercise by doing this since Luden was locked in his office doing a bunch of paperwork and had ordered the guards to not allow anyone else in after I had left.

And the only reason I didn't go straight to annoying Avis after being kicked out of Luden's office was that he was currently with Anartis.

The master of the magic tower, Avis's bff, and also Vidoro's greatest and only role model.

Now who would go ask their older brother for help in getting their assignment back from their fake sister? Not Vidoro.

Also, the duke had left for the palace meeting this morning so Vidoro couldn't go to the duke for assistance either.

By the time Vidoro had returned to the garden dejected and defeated.

I was already planted on top of one of the branches of the tree which he would have to run from and to the lake at the bottom of the staircase.

"Come on. We're staying here until you finish those laps." I declared not in the least bit affected by the hateful glare Vidoro was sending my way as I looked over the three-page assignment.

"And I really don't care how late it gets." I added a moment later turning back to Vidoro who only sighed in defeat and looked at the ground feeling an intense wave of frustration rush through him.

Yet he eventually began performing the five laps since there was nothing he could really do about it anymore.

I did feel somewhat bad for doing this to him but that thought didn't last long once I remembered this was for his own good and he would die without it.

Plus this was also a sort of punishment for him for what he did to the real Sovine so I refused to go easy on him.

Though he was already hyperventilating after the first lap...

"I can't do this!" Vidoro wailed and it was pretty clear that he wasn't faking it by how he was already on the floor by now despite all his lessons on how to act as a Grand Duke's son.

"... You'll live." Was my only response to his cry for help though he already looked half-dead.

"NO, I WON'T!!!"

-----

By the end of the 5th lap, I could already see his soul ascending to hell.

With a sigh of disappointment at this boy's current condition even though I only told him to do five laps, I hopped down from the tree and began making my way over to the collapsed figure on the floor.

"Alright, get up." I demanded towering over the panting idiot who was sloppily sprawled on the floor despite all the lectures he had been given on how to act like a proper noble.

"Hurry, if Luden or the duke were to see you right now they would have downright fainted." I pulled Vidoro up to his feet but soon realized he wouldn't be able to stand straight even if I did so I had to drag him over to the bench.

We had begun during midday and it was already afternoon by now, and this lifeless fool had only gotten five laps done.

I had told him I would return one page to him for every lap he did, but it was obvious now that that had been too far-fetched for someone who spent most of his day locked in his room, on his bed or couch.

'Ugh, I can't even stand up... How the hell am I supposed to get the other two pages of my assignment back?' Vidoro wondered as I moved his legs around for any sign of any muscle strains until I saw him slightly wince.

"Hm? Do I hurt?" I turned his leg toward the direction he had winced from earlier as he yelped in pain.

"Ow! Don't do that!" He yanked his leg out of reach clasping onto the area of pain.

"Guess it does..." I muttered as I got back up to my feet with a sigh of exhaustion while Vidoro continued to grumble under his breath, there's no way he'd be able to run much more with a strained muscle.

"Well, I doubt you'll be able to run like that. I guess we'll have to call it a day." I began handing Vidoro all of his assignment pages which seemed to have taken him by surprise since he wasn't expecting me to return more than one page just as I had said I wouldn't.

"Don't give me that look, I wasn't expecting you to actually complete all fifteen laps anyway. I'm honestly impressed you even finished the first five."

I sent Vidoro a playful smirk as I told him the truth of how I was never really expecting him to finish the laps while he just glared at me in response.

"But don't expect, me to go easy on you after your leg heals. Then you really will have to complete five laps each for every page." I added a moment later causing the younger boy to immediately groan in irritation.

Though he still accepted his assignment back with relief etched onto his face.

This was the first time Vidoro ever had to put this much effort into getting something. As the Grand Duke's son, he was always granted whatever he wished for without question.

And since he had a brilliant mind and a great talent for magic he never had to work much for his good grades either.

But he had absolutely no physical strength or stamina to run around as much as he had done today.

And for some reason, even though it was aggravating as hell to have to run so much. It left a pleasant feeling behind to have been able to achieve something after having to struggle so much for it.

"So, what about it? Hungry yet?" I questioned knowing full well how famished he must be right now from the bright red tint on his cheeks though he might not have realized it much himself yet.

All that running had gotten his blood rushing as well, and it was only natural that he would be left as starved as a lone wolf after all that considering how he had rarely ever done anything so physically exhausting in his life.

Hearing my words, Vidoro finally realized just how hungry he was.

This might as well have been the first time in his life that he had ever felt any form of hunger considering how he had always had a small appetite. Which was also one of the results of never exercising.

After a few more moments of silence, Vidoro finally nodded in response. About damn time. But since he couldn't walk at the moment from running so much, I decided to go and retrieve his lunch for him.

-----

'You've got to be kidding me...' Was my first thought when I laid eyes on all the food they had set up on the tray for Vidoro.

I had two reasons to feel as irritated as I did at the moment, one. The meal was 80% dessert and 20% meal.

Two, the amount of food they had stacked on that tray compared to how much they had given Sovine in her whole life was so ridiculous that it just caused so much anger to build up inside in a single glance.

But I was more concerned with the first reason than the second. So I shoved my personal emotions aside and asked to meet the chef who had prepared Vidoro's meal.

It took a while to get them to let me meet him considering how Sovine had absolutely no influence over the staff in the estate but thanks to Ardeat. I finally managed to meet the chef.

"Excuse me, I'd like to speak to you about the meal you have prepared for Vidoro." I called out as I entered the kitchen instantly sensing my irritation returning from the manner the chef looked at me as if I was just some pest wasting his time.

'Even though I should've expected him to look at me as if I was the most pathetic creature to ever exist. It still makes me mad.' Despite my vexation, I plastered a smile on my face while I stated my opinion on the meal to the chef.

"This is what the young master usually eats, do not worry. He never finishes all of it anyway." The chef reasoned turning back to the vegetable he was chopping.

"And how do you presume the duke would feel hearing about how much care you're putting into his youngest, most talented son?" I questioned a sly smile plastered on my face.

I then leaned in with my hands clasped together behind my back to catch a glimpse of his expression feeling pleased with myself when I caught the small droplets of sweat appearing on his forehead.

That seemed to have gotten him to at last fix up a proper meal for Vidoro. And since he was a skilled chef.

It surprisingly didn't take much longer either which was a relief considering how long it took me to get them to allow me to see the chef in the first place.

"Don't fall asleep now." I called out once Vidoro was in my view, dozing off.

"Took you long enough." He grumbled under his breath his mood growing even sourer once he saw the food on the tray and how few desserts were on it compared to his usual meals, but he was too hungry to even care anymore.

I sat down on the bench next to the boy who seemed to be eating quite well despite how little of an appetite he usually had. He did not seem to mind the food even if it didn't have his usual consumption of desserts.

"Hey." Vidoro called out in the midst of finishing his meal.

"Hm?" I responded feeling quite satisfied seeing the boy actually eating decently for once which was something I hadn't seen much of since arriving here, I hadn't seen it happen at all honestly.

"...Father was asking for you today." Vidoro finally informed glancing over at me to get a peek at my expression.

"Tsk. Again?" I  scoffed at the news a scowl making its way onto my face.

It slightly surprised Vidoro since this would usually be a dream come true for Sovine but he wasn't as surprised as I thought he'd be.

'Guess he got used to it.' I glanced over at Vidoro who had already returned to his food which for some reason brought a smile to my face seeing him getting some proper nutrients.

"Don't bother telling me about the duke anymore. I'm not interested in knowing what he does." I informed turning to the orange and red tinted sky as it faded into a delicate rosy pink waiting while the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

Such a beautiful scene had to ruined by the mention of that bastard duke. Ever since that day when the marquis had at last declared that he would with no doubt break our engagement off...

The duke has been requesting audiences with me. Of course I always avoided and hid from the servant he sent to retrieve me or feigned ill but if even Vidoro had heard about it now, I might not be able to keep this up much longer...

'I'll need to get some information on this through with Ardeat later...' I noted glancing back at Vidoro to see that he had already polished all the food off his tray.

"Oh? You finished it all." I pointed out at he nodded seeming surprised himself that he had managed to finish his whole meal without feeling any discomfort in it.

"The meal didn't feel as revolting today..." Vidoro responded feeling as contented as I was that his appetite had grown to this extent just after one day of exercising.

'This might not be as difficult as I thought it would be...'

To be continued...
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