At this point in time, Lia has probably figured out that Vinz and I aren’t just from a normal family.

 From the way Vinz used wind magic and the way I used lightning magic. Normal kids wouldn’t be able to achieve that without proper instruction from tutors. She hasn’t said a word about it, and I want to lay it bare.

  As we kept walking, we stumbled upon an ice cream stall.

—maybe this is a good opportunity…

 “Vinz, Lia, want to stop for some ice cream?” I inquired.

 The two looked at one another and nodded.

 “…Lia, I have something to tell you as well.”

 “O-Okay…” she meekly replied.

 We walked up to the counter, and the owner smiled and asked what flavours we wanted. Vinz picked vanilla, and Lia picked strawberry. I didn’t really know what I wanted and told the owner to pick me a flavour and ended up with chocolate.

—I suppose that’s a safe choice.  

 Not too far away from the ice cream stall was a riverbank and a bunch of benches. We naturally went over there to enjoy the ice cream but also to discuss some matters.

 “So… What did you want to talk about…? Leon?” Lia asked.

—she’s usually so cheerful, but now she’s all meek. Because of me…

 “I’ve been meaning to tell you—”

 I steeled my heart. I don’t want to lie anymore. I like her and the short time we spent together was fun. We’ve been lying about our identities—I’m sure she already has an idea. But I’ll soon leave the capital, and we won’t see one another for a while or at all.

 She’s one of the few friends I have. She, Vinz, and Lottie showed me that having friends could be fun and meaningful.

 It made me wonder: How did I live my life so far?

 Does it matter that I’m only seven and don’t have to care about social circles?

—it does matter.

 Even if I give the excuse that I’m only seven, I am self-aware. I know the importance of connections. So do the other kids. They formed friendships and crushes.  

 I…I wasn’t the one who formed the friendship between Vinz and me, even Lottie, for that matter. They were the ones to take the initiative, and Lia did the same.  

 If I don’t act, when will I? I have no one like that back at our estate. The other kids avoid me. And… It's even more important now that I have Rachel by my side.

 As intelligent as she is, she turned sadistic because she didn’t learn how to empathise with others and grew to be like that in the original novel because she didn’t have friends. She distrusted others and became morally twisted due to her adopted family.  

—what am I even saying…? Isn’t it just an excuse because I’ll be lonely without these two?

 I peered into Lia’s eyes. “Lia, I’m sorry for having lied to you.”

 “…what do you mean?” she replied.

 She doesn’t seem very surprised. Was she perhaps waiting for me to tell her? What a nice girl…  

 “Vinz and I aren’t brothers, and we can’t tell you our identities due to circumstances.”

 “…I knew,” Lia replied in a sad tone. She glanced at Vinz and back at me, “But I’m happy that you’re telling me,” she said while innocently smiling.

 “I’m really sorry, Lia. It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but we could get you into trouble,” Vinz reluctantly said.

 He awkwardly scratched his cheek while glancing at me.

 “You can probably tell, but we’re from prominent families, and…the drawback is that, as unpleasant as it sounds, we’re the perfect blackmail material.”

 “…..”

 “Lia, My name is Leon Shellheart. The first son of Lillia Shellheart and Oliver Shellheart.”

 “Le-Leon!?” Vinz cried.

 “It's fine,” I calmly said.

 “But…but, aren’t your parents going to get mad?”

 Hearing his concern, I chuckled a little. “I don’t think they’ll be too concerned,” I replied.

 It’s perhaps arrogant to say this, but I can beat most adults to a pulp. If they’re kidnappers, I can handle them unless they’re as strong as Mark.

—therefore, I doubt my parents have to worry.

 Lia seemed surprised, and her eyes were wide open.

 “Lia, I like you,” I expressed with my best possible smile.

 ““!!?!””

 Vinz and Lia looked astonished for whatever reason.

 “Vinz likes you too.”

 “HUUHU!? What are you saying, Leon!?”

 “//////!?”

 Lia became red as a tomato. I could tell why. It’s embarrassing to hear, after all.

 “That’s why I still want us to be friends, even if we won’t see one another as often as we do now.”

 ““…..””

 “I hope you and Vinz get along without me, but I’ll be a little lonely. That’s what I wanted to tell you before I leave. Well… In a few days.”

—huh? Somehow, the mood became…awkward?

 “Leon…are you doing this on purpose?” Lia asked while tears ran down her face.

 “…..”

 “First, you tell me you like me, want to be friends, *hic* then…you tell me you’ll leave?”

 I didn’t know what to say, and Vinz didn’t seem to know how to handle a crying girl either…

 “—isn’t that just cruel?”

—I knew it. It stings more than I anticipated…

 “I—”

 “Don’t say you’re sorry,” Lia said. She wiped off her tears and peered into my eyes, “Leon, I like you too, that’s why I can’t hate you…but when will you come back?”  

 “…I’m not sure, our estate is the furthest north in the nation, and…the capital is in the south…it’s a bit far.”

 “…..”

 Vinz, who had been quiet thus far, said, “Leon, you’ll attend The Advance Magical Academy, right?”

 “That’s the plan,” I replied.

 “Me too, I’ll also attend. What about you, Lia?”

 “…can I really get it?”  

 “Financial and political status doesn’t matter in that school. I don’t think you’ll need to worry about that.”  

—Vinz…isn’t completely off. But, what’s in the rules isn’t necessarily practised.

 “That way, we can all be like this again!” Vinz carefully said.

 He pushed Lia on the back, making her fall toward me, and we ended up in each other’s embrace.

 “V-Vinz!!!? Why did you suddenly push me!?”

 Vinz didn’t reply—instead, he teasingly grinned.

—what are you doing? Don’t you like her?

 I couldn’t exactly push Lia away. I waited for her to distance herself, but she didn’t budge. She sobbed in my chest, and I didn’t know what to do. In the end, I patted her back while waiting for her to calm down.

 ‘I’m sorry, Lottie…’ I heard Vinz murmur to himself.

—I doubt Lia heard him, but…why is he apologising to Lottie?

 After a while, Lia calmed down, and our tour would begin for real.

—still, Vinz’s words lingered in my mind. I feel a murky and lonely feeling in my chest. Why is that?

 But I’m wondering, how is she doing?