My sister never calls me brother.

The floor was covered with a beautifully hand-woven wool carpet.

The vibrant red walnut furniture speaks volumes about the owner's refined taste.

The hot coffee on the table is always steaming.

These are my warmest memories.

The Claudia family is a traditional hereditary noble family, and in modern times these families have their own social circles.

They meticulously preserved the traditions expected of the nobility, but many of them were somewhat out of step with modern times.

But my grandfather said that this was the pride of the nobility, that our ancestors had shed blood for Great Britain.

I didn't quite understand what my grandfather was saying back then, but I've come to understand it a little better now that I'm older.

It was probably to protect the knightly honor of their ancestors.

I suspect many people would assume that modern aristocratic life is very comfortable.

Then I will tell you honestly that aristocratic life is not happy at all; it is full of shackles and lack of freedom.

Take my maternal grandfather as an example—

He lost his freedom from birth, and his social circle was limited to the remaining nobles.

Moreover, one cannot do whatever one wants; one must strictly adhere to aristocratic etiquette.

Clothing must also be carefully chosen; it must be handmade clothing customized by traditional workshops.

Even language is restricted, including subtle accents.

In Britain, the accent of the aristocracy is distinctive, and it is very difficult to learn unless one has been trained from a young age; it cannot be faked through "training."

At a ball, as soon as you open your mouth, everyone can tell what social class you belong to just by your accent.

I remember when I was a child, a banquet was held at the Claudia Manor.

I saw that not only were the servants in the manor busy, but even my mother was overwhelmed with work.

My grandfather meticulously drafted a guest list, and it took him a long time just to write it.

He was pondering their respective statuses and what benefits he could gain from each other at this banquet.

All the guests present were considering appropriate ways to strike up a conversation and what humorous and witty words to use.

There's another interesting thing.

At that ball, my mother wore my grandmother's dress and received praise from all the guests.

In the eyes of the nobility, it was a great honor to attend a banquet wearing clothes that their elders had worn.

I remember being very well-behaved until the end of the dance, except when I made faces at my grandfather.

In this high-pressure atmosphere, I don't want to act recklessly.

But that dull feeling left a deep impression on me.

They also deeply disliked this timid and hesitant aristocratic atmosphere.

Until winter came, I sat on my grandfather's lap as usual, listening to him tell stories.

The fireplace flames were warm, and the hot coffee was steaming as usual.

Grandpa asked casually, "Lilith, would you like to inherit the Claudia Manor?"

I poured out my grievances to my grandfather, saying, "Life here is very restrictive and oppressive, and I especially dislike the monotonous life of the aristocracy."

Grandpa stroked his white beard, pondered for a moment, then smiled kindly and said, "It's normal that Lilith doesn't like it. At your age, you certainly wouldn't like outdated princess dresses; you only like trendy dresses in fashion magazines, right?"

I was surprised. Most people wouldn't be able to read my mind. How did my grandfather manage to do it?

My grandfather patted my head and said something kindly that completely shattered my worldview—

My grandfather said he didn't like the aristocratic lifestyle either.

When he was a child, he fell in love with a girl from an ordinary family, but he gave up due to traditional pressures.

My grandfather didn't like expensive red wine; he preferred beer, which he would down in one gulp, just like those sailors.

My grandfather didn't like horse racing; he preferred the more conventional sport of football.

My grandfather didn't like handmade tailcoats because they weren't as comfortable as t-shirts.

That night, my grandfather talked a lot, mostly about his dissatisfaction with his life, which is exactly how I feel now.

The only difference is that I dare to say it.

When my maternal grandfather was a child, he didn't dare to tell his father.

Because of this, my grandfather felt that although he inherited the Claudia Manor, he also lost a lot of things.

My grandfather casually mentioned his dream.

He still fantasizes about this dream to this day.

Although my grandfather is very old, he has a very young mindset.

My grandfather's dream was to become a pirate, a great pirate who challenged the rules.

Every boy dreams of sailing the seas and challenging seemingly insurmountable dangers.

On a stormy sea, he piloted his own ship, roaring at the gloomy sky filled with lightning and thunder.

They angrily shouted about the injustice and expressed their inner frustration.

My grandfather told me his dream like a story, and I listened with great interest.

Because the pirate life that my grandfather talked about was exactly what I wanted—a life full of fun and unconventional living.

That night—

Whether it was on a whim or he had planned it in advance, my grandfather told me many pirate stories.

Oruč, Sam Bellamy, Oliveira Vasso...

Pirate tales I'd never heard of before, and those mysterious sea adventures.

I wanted to be a pirate and challenge many, many things.

Unfortunately... that era is over now; the only thing that remains is the spirit of pirates.

When my grandfather told these stories, it was as if he were there himself, and he seemed to have become a few years younger.

I think when my grandfather was my age, he was just as rebellious as I was, and maybe even more unrealistic in his ideas.

After telling the story, my grandfather said only one meaningful sentence to me—

"My lovely granddaughter, you must live a free life."

At first I didn't understand what my grandfather was saying, but I did understand after leaving the Claudia Manor.

My grandfather didn't want me to lose my freedom like he did.

He didn't want his lovely granddaughter to follow in his footsteps.

My grandfather passed away a few years ago.

He did not leave the Claudia Estate to me in his will.

Instead, it was donated to charity.

The Claudia family became a noble family that existed only by name.

I'm very happy with what my grandfather did.

Because he really loves me, hehe~

New Year Special Edition

The Spring Festival is approaching.

The Seigaku office was also filled with a festive atmosphere.

Red couplets with gold characters were pasted on the door of the club activity room, and bright red lanterns were hung there.

Even the usually ordinary clubs are filled with a festive atmosphere today.

Zhou Han and Song Mingyuan were outside the club, leaning against the door.

The two changed into red stand-up collar Tang suits.

Zhou Han was scanning Song Mingyuan up and down with a strange look.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable under Zhou Han's gaze, Song Mingyuan finally couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at!?"

Zhou Han paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?"

"Not so good..." Song Mingyuan chuckled.

"Why are we wearing Tang suits today?" Zhou Han was puzzled from the beginning.

“In another timeline, it’s the Spring Festival, so we should celebrate too.” Song Mingyuan adjusted his glasses.

"Another world line? What the hell!?" Zhou Han was completely confused and felt it was a bit surreal.

"That slut Xiao Wu said it, and that our story has been published and is worth celebrating..." Song Mingyuan shrugged.

"Huh!?" Zhou Han was increasingly confused. "Who is Xiao Wu!?"

“This…” Song Mingyuan glanced at Zhou Han and smiled, “It’s that beggar who performs shamanistic rituals at the train station.”

"Why would you believe a beggar's nonsense?" Zhou Han was speechless.

Song Mingyuan swallowed hard. "Whether you believe it or not, I believe it."

Zhou Han pursed her lips and didn't argue. Anyway, she didn't have any commissions right now, so she was just idling around.

However, the more Zhou Han looked at Song Mingyuan's clothes, the more awkward she felt, because they were too red.

He couldn't help but ask, "Senior Song, don't you think you're dressed like...like a sanitary napkin?"

"That's a really offensive remark of yours, rude, vulgar, and tasteless..." Song Mingyuan's face darkened.

"I really can't find a good adjective. It's one thing for you to wear a red Tang suit, but you also wear red pants, red shoes, and red socks..." Zhou Han paused and then expressed his opinion, "I think that a little bit of red is enough for the New Year. There's no need to be as outrageous as you."

"You don't know anything!" Song Mingyuan retorted, dissatisfied. "I'm doing this to bring good luck for the coming year!"

"Eek~" Zhou Han smirked, "You weren't wearing red underwear either, were you?"