Recently, the round dining table used once a week solely by the this so called “family” has been excessively noisy.

“Ahre, where’d my chicken go!?  —Lutiya, was it you!?”
“It’s obviously first come, first served.  I’m in my growing phase, after all.”
“I’m also in my growing phase!  Your Majesty! Your Majesty, are there seconds!?”
“There aren’t any.  Jill, you eat too much.”

“Um, Jill-onee-sama… Freida has… some…?”
“You’re tiny, so make sure you eat properly.”
“Ara, you’re speaking quite kindly to Frieda, Lutiya.”
“What, there a problem with that, Natalie-onee-sama— Hey, why are you putting that on my plate?  I don’t like this!”
“Aren’t you in your growing phase?  Eat.”
“So annoying!”

“No-now now, but Your Highness Freida, was there something you don’t like in your food?”
“No… Hades-onii-sama’s food… is always… very delicious… Even the things Freida doesn’t like… are good…”
“Fr-Freida…! You- you can go slowly.  Hades-onii-sama won’t get mad even if don’t finish everything…!
“Fufu, let’s eat together, Your Highness Freida.  You won’t grow if you don’t eat.  I’m also giving it my best, striving with my height and chest!”
““Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!””
“I-is… that so…?”

“Hold on, Freida, stop.  Jill, I’ll listen to that sort of conversation later.”
“Unfortunately, that’s nonsense, Frieda.  Here, look at Elynsia-onee-sama.  I too eat plenty, but what grew were my pecs!”
“Elynsia-onee-sama, that’s not the point!”
“Ye-yeah, don’t have conversations like that in front of men!  I can’t believe this, you’re the worst—!”

Slamming one’s fist down on the table with a thud was bad manners.  However, no one would quiet down unless he went that far.

“Be quiet during meals.”

Vissel’s rowdy siblings and his younger brother’s fiancée exchanged glances with one another at this declaration he made in a low tone and, for the moment, fell silent.

“Now, now,” the one who spoke was the carefree older sister.

“Isn’t having a lively meal fine?”
“Liveliness and vulgarity are different things.  I would very much like for Ane-ue to demonstrate behavior befitting a proper lady.”
“Ugh, I- I was wrong.  That was an inappropriate topic for my younger brothers of that age.”
“I’ll have you know I behaved properly.”
“That a lady who moves food onto her younger brother’s plate exists astounds me.”

Natalie stiffened with a guh.  At the same time, Vissel also glowers at Lutiya who is smirking with an expression that reads, “serves you right.”

“Lutiya, you also need to correct your course manner of speaking.  It’s noisy.”
“… Ye—s.”

The new younger brother who arrived recently seemed to have chosen to end the conversation quickly.  Quite the sly one.  A sigh escaped Vissel.

“Freida, by no means ever imitate those around you.  Least of all, never use the Her Highness the Dragon Empress as an example.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Rest assured, Your Highness the Dragon Empress.  I have never held any expectations for you.”

Despite only speaking his honest opinion, Jill set down her fork and knife.  Hades hugged Jill from the side at once.

“Ji-Jill, listen, it’s almost time for dessert!”
“Please don’t stop me, Your Majesty, I’m only going to punch him once.”
“That would kill him, Vissel-aniue!  Aniue, help with preparing the dessert!”
“Why me?”
“Because Vissel-aniue is the best at arranging food.”

Vissel couldn’t refuse his dear younger brother whenever he looked at him with eyes that read, “Please.”  Reluctantly, he stood up. 

He only ever cooked when his younger brother was bedridden, but helping with his brother’s cooking was a common occurrence.  He both understood Hades’ method well and had the ability, so it wasn’t a burden in the slightest.  It was something he had become accustomed to back when they were the only two siblings.

Vissel rolled up the sleeves of both arms and quickly looked over the ingredients Hades had prepared.

“Crepes?”
“Yeah.”
“So then, any requests?”

He tried asking just in case, but they proved quite opportunistic.  Jill who had been trying to punch him just a moment ago and his younger brother and sisters who had been acting defiant all rushed over as if to pounce him.

“I’ll have a strawberry mille-feuille style, please!”  (Jill)
“I want chocolate banana, one with lots of whipped cream.”  (Lutiya)
“I-I’ll have, um, custard… with lots… of fruit…”  (Freida)
“Hey, Hades-nii-sama, are there any of that salad one from the other day?  I want that one.”  (Natalie)
“It’s possible.  Bring whatever’s left over from the meal and I’ll make it with that.”
“Oh, in that case I’ll have that too!  I request mine with chicken in it.”  (Elynsia)

Vissel kept the bitter thought, So you still intend to grow your pectorals even further, to himself.

He deftly set the ingredients upon the crepe batter being fried on the iron plate Hades had heated and then rolled the batter into form.  Even at the sight of his younger brother and sister exclaiming “Oh,” with shining eyes, he continued working silently with an expressionless face. He didn’t dislike this kind of work.

“We can’t make interesting crepes when Listeard-aniue isn’t here, makes it feel a bit empty.  His requests are innovative, like when he asked for macarons to be added.”
“I have no idea why he’s so eager to try strange things when his favorite are the simple kind with just fruit jam.”
“Vissel-aniue, you’re having marron cream?  Wait just a moment.”

Before he knew it, Hades had finished frying enough crepe batter for everyone and had started making his portion. 

“Hades, what about you?”
“The usual one is fine.”

Hades always pestered Vissel for a simple crepe, a honey and butter spread sprinkled with sugar.  There was no arrangement to it, yet younger brother happily received them from him every time.  At some point they had come to make crepes for many people together, but that part had never changed.

“Is it fun?”

Hades, having just taken a bite from his crepe, only shifted his eyes towards him before giving a small nod.  Vissel frowned, thinking that was bad manners, but the other siblings were also eating while standing.  Lately, every meal gathering had been like this.  More than that, Vissel knew that this very scene was what his younger brother had wanted.  So instead of admonishing anyone, he instead lowered his gaze to his own crepe.

“How about Roger-aniue?  Or should I say Ludgar-aniue?  I wonder if someday I’ll be able to ask him what he likes.”
“Having renounced his right to the throne, he may as well be a stranger.  —Although I recall him favoring spicy foods.”
“Hee, is that so?”

—I wonder, what about Maynard?  And Arnold.

The question briefly welled up from the bottom of Vissel’s heart, but it immediately burst.  Concerning himself with those who were gone was pointless.

“Having lots of people looks like it would be even more fun, so I hope it grows again.”

Despite not discarding the possibility that the number might decrease, his younger brother gave an innocent smile.  That was precisely the sort of thing he couldn’t bear.  His hopefulness was so unbearable that he wanted to make Hades give up entirely.  Now, however, such a thing was no longer possible.

“Indeed.”

He was being uncharacteristically sentimental. Vissel concluded it must have been because all the information reaching his ears lately had been unsettling. 

When Vissel patted Hades’ head, he smiled with glee.  Then, Vissel chose to take a bite from his crepe while standing, to which Hades cried out, “ah.”

“I wonder, does Vissel-aniue’s fiancée prefer tuna after all? Would it go with a crepe?”
“Do not speak of that woman.  Understand this, Hades.”

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