...A man?
The day when I need a man.
"I don't particularly need one though?"
I'm lonely, but is a man essential? That's not quite it either.
"Haha..."
Chait just laughed.
The guy who had been quiet for a while only opened his mouth after making my shoulders completely soft and relaxed.
"I really have no intention of living with anyone other than you, honored sister."
"..."
Oh, God Arkidne.
It seems your little lamb might not be born.
"This is bad, Roche."
"What now?"
Roche put down the book he was reading as he looked at me barging into the break room.
"I'd appreciate it if you could knock before entering."
"...This is a communal break room though."
This guy had decorated the break room like his own bedroom over the past 3 years.
Even now, Roche was lying on a velvet sofa far from my taste, enjoying his leisure time. Well, since he bought and replaced it with his own money, I didn't particularly stop him.
"So what is it?"
"I think I raised the kid wrong."
"Oh dear... It's not like that, so don't be disheartened, Miss Rea."
Roche approached and firmly grasped my shoulders as he spoke.
"That guy was always a bit strange."
"..."
Chait and Roche had been dying to devour each other for 3 years. At first, they would smile whenever they made eye contact, so I thought they actually liked each other, but that wasn't the case.
'Grandfather, your back must hurt, so please go inside and rest. I'll handle this.'
'What orders could you take with a cat head? I'll handle this, so why don't you go inside instead?'
Less than a week later, they came to complain to me in turns.
'Honored sister, I really can't live with that grandfather... You want me to leave? No. Since he's an elderly person, I'll endure it.'
'Miss Rea, I really can't stand that wildcat... You want me to get lost? No. It's fine. Kind and pretty me should endure it.'
Only after going through such a series of adjustment periods did the two agree to treat each other as furniture or disagreeable roommates.
It's the same now. Roche was indifferent even after hearing my serious concerns.
"I knew that guy would die for Miss Rea. That 'honored sister' talk—whoever taught him that, it's really grating on my ears."
"Of course I knew he liked me. But a lifetime is a bit much, isn't it? He's almost an adult now, so he should gradually start dating and get married."
"Miss Rea, that's..."
Roche wrinkled his nose mischievously.
"Miss Rea hasn't done it either."
"I chose not to."
"Yes, yes."
"No, I really chose not to?"
No matter how much of a K-romance fantasy patch I received, this world's lifestyle and way of thinking were far from 21st century Korea.
The appropriate marriage age for men and women was around twenty. Serving in-laws and extended family society was basic. It was even an era where childbirth was the default with marriage.
Last year, Rupert Delin, son of Baron Delin, stopped ordering hot iced americanos and sent me a bouquet proposing marriage.
The content of the letter enclosed was truly a spectacle.
First come in as a concubine. If you bear a son, I'll ask my father to make you my official wife.
All the men in this world spout such nonsense calling it romantic, but would I think of marriage with this body that's confirmed to die upon pregnancy?
For reference, Rupert's letter was discovered by Chait who tried to hold a burning ceremony for it, which I barely snatched away and sent directly to Baron Delin.
And the very next month, Rupert married some frighteningly strong-looking young lady from a certain family.
There were rumors that he was dragged to the wedding with his ear caught by that young lady's hand, but I wasn't interested so I didn't verify the truth.
"Fine, let's say you chose not to! Miss Rea didn't get married, so is there any reason why only that wildcat specifically should get married? You two seem to get along well, so why don't you just keep living together like this?"
"No."
Absolutely not, obviously. He must get married, set up a newlywed home in the south, have children and be happy. No, even if he doesn't marry, he must have children.
At my firm refusal, Roche showed interest.
"Surprising. I thought you adored that guy tremendously."
"I actually do adore him. That's why he should get married."
"Miss Rea is more of a conservative than I thought."
What are you saying when you're at least 130 years older than me and don't even know others' circumstances?
If Chait doesn't have children on time, the world will lightly perish, you know? The final boss Grand Duke is scheduled to blow up this continent with forbidden sorcery.
And the only person who can stop that is Saint Corellia alone.
If there were at least keywords about the heroine's mother at times like this, I would have found her and set her up with Chait.
Unfortunately, aside from the fact that the heroine's mother died giving birth to Corellia, there was no detailed mention whatsoever.
Well, there might be things I don't remember, but seeing that not even as much information as about Chait remains in my brain, she was definitely an unnamed minor character.
'She's also an extra destined to die giving birth. This novel's extra rights are uniformly harsh. I wonder if things would improve even if I held picket signs and protested.'
As I shook my head and tried to leave, Roche grabbed my sleeve.
"Wait a moment."
"Why? If you won't help, go read your book."
"Who says I won't help? If that guy gets married and leaves home, that's good for me."
You're not leaving though.
I suppressed the words that rose to my chin and asked.
"What's the method?"
"It's funny that you're asking what it is. Isn't this exactly the third year?"
"...Ah. That's right."
Time really flies.
The next day, 30 minutes before the cafe opened.
I sat Chait on the central stool of the cafe, handed him warm milk, and attempted conversation.
"Chait."
"Yes, honored sister."
"You're already eighteen."
It seems like yesterday when I picked you up when you were tiny as a peanut, but time really flows like water.
After laying the groundwork with such pointless talk, I smoothly transitioned to the main point.
"The promised 3 years are almost up."
"That's right. Time really flies."
"...So, I think you need to leave here now."
"Mm, I see."
I had worried about what to do if he tore his belly apart like before, but things went more smoothly than expected.
I excitedly talked.
"So where do you want to go? I have some of your marriage funds... no, moving expenses saved up, so with that we could get a cozy rental in some warm southern region..."
"The house is fine, honored sister."
"Huh?"
"I happened to have one cabin left that I made before. It's compressed in a magic sphere, so I can just set it up in front of here and live there."
"..."
So right now.
"You're going to keep living in front of my cafe?"
"Yes."
"This is my land."
"It's a rental though."
This kid suddenly hit a sore spot.
"I already got permission from the landlord. I even got a preliminary contract and confirmed that when renting just the yard separately, no deposit is needed."
...Wasn't that possible because our cafe landlord is a woman serious about handsome men enough to hang out with Miss Yoanna, and you're excessively good-looking?
Having had a history of fighting with the landlord over deposit issues, I could only smile wryly.
"You have no intention of going to live in another region?"
"Honored sister, do you want to go far away?"
"No. I need to stay here."
"Then I should stay here too."
Why does it work out that way?
"I have no intention of keeping you by my side and raising you anymore."
"Is that so? Coincidentally, I'm also no longer at an age to be raised by someone."
Chait smiled with narrowed eyes.
"I'm already old enough to marry, aren't I?"
This guy knows that and still acts like this?
After that, I ended the 〈Cat Socialization Project〉 and changed course to the 〈Heroine Birth Project〉.
I told Chait all kinds of beautiful stories about marriage and preached the importance of matrimony like a grandmother who likes lattes.
But it was all useless.
When I tried to nag, the guy would transform into a cat and demonstratively yawn widely and wash his face.
At times like that, heat would really rise to the top of my head and I'd have the urge to take him to Uncle Hans.
As such meaningless educational time flowed and flowed until Chait turned twenty, my patience finally reached its limit.
I dragged over a travel bag with great effort and plopped it down in front of Chait.
"You're at an age now where you should meet someone good and start a family. Don't come back until you have children. Here, I've packed all your belongings, so you just need to move your body. First, let's start by getting out of my room, shall we?"
Chait just smiled slyly and said:
"Shall I make dinner, honored sister?"
...Please at least pretend to listen.
Ah, the baguette and gambas al ajillo that came out for dinner were very delicious.
Chait is good at everything, but he's still best at cooking.
The 〈Heroine Birth Project〉 hit a snag.
Our kid doesn't date.
Our kid who needs to have children within 3 years doesn't date.
No, does this kid even like women in the first place?
Come to think of it, though he's received countless confessions, I've never seen him meet anyone separately.
This kid went on picnics with me, went to festivals with me, took evening walks with me...
Wait.
...Am I the problem?