"Gray, stop bullying your little sister!"
Madam Vireux's voice echoed through the golden halls of the D'Aurélion estate, her tone half-scolding and half-amused, like a mother who already knew this argument was pointless but felt obligated to say it anyway.
"Ehhh?" Gray turned his head, his voice rising with exaggerated innocence as he leaned back on the garden bench, one arm draped dramatically across the backrest.
"I'm not bullying her, Mama! I'm just helping her figure out her taste in men!"
Maelis, sitting stiffly beside him in a pale blue dress, her tiny hands clutching a teacup too large for her fingers, turned bright red.
"Y-You're not helping!" she barked, voice cracking adorably.
Her long black hair tumbled messily over her shoulder as she'd run away from her tutors again.
Gray had found her under the apricot tree, scribbling something into her notebook and muttering about sword forms and mana resistance charts.
Of course, he stole the book immediately.
