011

Tina, who stood behind me, had just finished watching the young maids scatter about, tidying up my chamber and ensuring everything was perfect. With a moment's pause, she turned to me, listening intently as I mumbled to myself, my voice resonating in the quiet room.

"From what I heard from the other maids, it seems that Second Young Master Alger arrived at the residence just a few minutes ago."

I walked closer to the large window in front of me to get a clearer view outside, my palm resting against the pristine glass.

From this height, I could see only one medium-sized horse-drawn luxury carriage parked in the expansive yard near the grand entrance gate, surrounded by male servants scurrying to move the items from the carriage into the manor.

My gaze shifted to a tall, slightly thin young man with striking red hair, standing a short distance from the carriage with his arms folded. His stern expression suggested he was overseeing the frantic activity around him.

Yet, the moment the Marquis and Marchioness Gwendolyn approached, his serious demeanor melted away. His face brightened as the Marchioness opened her arms to welcome him, and he rushed into her embrace, resembling a child.

A few words from the Marquis made his cheerful expression instantly fade, and he bowed his head in apparent gloom.

"... Why didn't anyone tell me?" I murmured, still observing the scene from my bedroom window on the third floor.

"The Marchioness asked me not to tell you," Tina explained, echoing my mother's concern with precision. "She worried that if you found out too soon, it might distract you and spoil your morning, which should be a time for you to relax and collect yourself, lady Eleanor."

I frowned for a moment, absorbing Tina's words while continuing to gaze outside.

"...!!"

At that moment, the owner of the blue eyes and red hair looked up at me through the third-floor window, our eyes locking for a fleeting instant before I naturally, quickly shifted my focus back to Tina.

"... Mother is very understanding," I said, allowing a small smile to form on my lips as I let Tina guide me to sit on the edge of my bed. Although I didn't truly need her assistance, I welcomed the support.

"Of course, she is quite concerned about your health right now, lady," Tina said, her eyes admiring my poised sitting posture, completely unaware of the turmoil brewing within me.

'Ugh, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest being stared at like that!! Thank goodness I managed to react calmly like Eleanor!'

My heart screamed in panic, but outwardly, I maintained an elegant composure, relishing the tranquility of my room.

I chose not to break the silence as I concentrated on gathering my mental strength, preparing to face the day as smoothly as I had the one before.

'Younger brother, since you are practically a god in this world, please grant your older sister the strength to survive in this foreign world!'

Casually praying like that helped me counteract the tension coursing through my body, and I was surprised to feel an overwhelming calm wash over me as if my silly prayer had been answered.

"..." A small smile curled my lips unconsciously.

'You truly are here, huh...'

I clasped my hands together and covered half of my face with my palms, pretending to pray solemnly, but in reality, I was concealing a wide smile of relief spreading across my lips.

"Just wait. After I resolve Eleanor's problem, I'll seek you out and hug you, my beloved little brother," I whispered to the wind, nearly inaudible to Tina, who stood beside me.

Minutes passed, enveloping the room in silence until a gentle knock on my door shattered the stillness.

"Lady Eleanor, I have come to escort you to the family room," announced a familiar voice, that of my mother's closest maid.

I nodded slowly at Tina, who moved to open the door, inviting Marchioness Alisa's maid to enter.

Then, I was about to instruct Tina to grab my satin scarf before heading to the family room, but I froze when I heard footsteps entering my room— not just one person, but two.

With slow movements, I raised my head to look towards the door.

In addition to the middle-aged maid I had seen often yesterday, there was a handsome young man following closely behind her.

The young man with blue eyes and striking red hair, who I had spotted in the yard earlier, now stood directly in front of me.

"... Brother Alger," I mumbled, unconsciously calling his name upon recognizing him.

Alger assessed me from head to toe, as if confirming something, and the atmosphere in my room became thick with silence, leaving us both waiting for his response.

"..."

Feeling the handsome man's intense gaze upon me made my heart race, and I swallowed nervously, attempting to maintain a calm demeanor like Eleanor would, though I allowed a hint of my anxiety to show, hoping he would notice and end this uncomfortable stare soon.

"Sigh..." Finally, Alger let out a slow, heavy sigh that carried an air of relief, breaking the tension in the room. I couldn't help but glance at him in response.

"You two can meet the Marchioness first. I'll escort Eleanor," he said, his voice steady and calm.

Without waiting for a reply, he gently guided me back to sit on the edge of my bed, kneeling in front of me so that he had to look up to meet my gaze while I looked down at him.

"...???" I blinked, confused by the sudden shift in our dynamic.

Alger continued to study me intently, the difference now being the closeness and the duration of his gaze, making me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Yet, my discomfort didn't stem from being scrutinized by a stranger, but rather from the guilt of seeing such concern in his expressive blue eyes.

'Is it because Eleanor had a close relationship with her brothers?' I wondered briefly, our eyes meeting for a brief moment, those cold yet gentle blue eyes searching mine as if to ensure I was alright without uttering a single word.

'At least say something...!!!' I thought, feeling slightly annoyed by the strange silence.

'What's more, this man was assessing my condition without laying a hand on me, his polite demeanor allowing me to breathe easier and maintain control over my expressions. Despite being the brother of the body I now possessed, his considerate behavior eased the awkwardness...' I thought, admittedly, still felt a bit awkward.

As he examined my condition without saying a word, I also took the opportunity to observe him closely.

'He truly is a mirror image of the Marquis Gwendolyn... His appearance matches Eleanor's memories perfectly, albeit a little older now,' I mused, feeling satisfied with my appraisal of the handsome man before me.

"Brother Alger, how have you been?" I finally broke the silence, choosing to engage.

He stared at me for a moment before responding, his voice deep and calm.

"I'm fine, as you can see. But you, on the other hand, do not appear to be well. How did you end up having an accident like that? Your academic year was fine last year, so why did this suddenly happen as graduation approaches? What really occurred?"

I furrowed my brows slightly at his unexpected reply.

'It seems this man appears to be reserved at first, but once he engages, he answers at length, as he is now,' I thought, a bit amazed and reminded that we should never judge people solely by appearances.

Drawing on Eleanor's memories and my body's reflexes, I offered a simple smile. "It's just an accident; no one knows when they will happen. At least I'm fine now."

"Let's go; Mother and Father must be waiting." I swiftly shifted the subject.

Alger looked at me for a few moments, letting out a soft sigh before carefully helping me to stand up from the edge of the bed.

He walked beside me, glancing occasionally to ensure I was okay, expressing his concern without speaking a word. I felt his hand subtly reaching out to my right side as if he feared I might wobble and bump against the wall.

"..."

As we silently walked toward the family room, my gaze lingered on Alger's arm for a moment before confirming my decision to hold onto it.

Alger's body stiffened in surprise as if my action was unexpected, but he soon relaxed, his lips curving into a small smile.

"Mother told me about the results of your examination. Does your head still hurt often?"