BABY BROTHER?

"Really?" A slight blush appeared on Catherine's face. "You like it?"

[Oh.] Aristia relaxed. She thought Catherine was replying her thoughts. When she realized what Catherine was talking about, she stopped. She wondered why the latter's smile kept widening but she still answered.

"Of course I love it, it's one of the most delicious food I've ever eaten." Aristia wasn't lying, the food really was one of the most delicious food she'd ever tasted. It was almost on par with the food made by her restaurants.

Catherine and Wilson heard what she said about the food being one of the most delicious food she'd ever eaten but thought nothing of it. The reason being that this was the first time Catherine had cooked for them so they thought she was referring to the food being better than the other dishes the chefs normally prepared before.

"Thank you." Catherine replied, still smiling.

[Huh? Why is she thanking me? Shouldn't it be the cook or something that should receive the praise?]

As if sensing her confusion, her father spoke up, "Your mother was the one who prepared the food."

"With assistance from the cook." Catherine added. Wilson smiled while kissing Catherine on her forehead, successfully deepening the blush on his wife's face.

[Blegh! Who wants to watch your Public Display of Affection? Get a room you guys]. Aristia thought, making a face, before it finally registered that Wilson just said that Catherine, a noblewoman and the Grand Duchess made the food.

[I mean there's nothing wrong with cooking, it's just that this is a novel set in the medieval times with the hierarchy and all so hearing that she could cook is, well, surprising. In this world where women are viewed as inferior to men, nobles also viewed things like these as lowly and beneath their status.]

Grand Duchess Catherine probably wasn't the only noblewoman interested in cooking, but she probably was the only noble with the courage to learn it and try it out, even though she did it secretly and without people's knowledge, the exception being her fully supportive maiden family and her lovely Wilson, who was still courting her at the time, even though he found out by mistake.

But that was a story for another time.

"See, Cathy? I told you it was good," Wilson said, referring to the food.

"Mm." Catherine hummed softly in reply, the blush on her cheeks slowly fading away.

Aristia no longer paid them any attention, instead she focused all her attention on the food. Forgetting that she was in the body of a child, she was about to reach out for the wine but a knock on the door made her halt in her action and she watched as a maid upon receiving permission from the people seated in the dining table a.k.a her parents, came into the dining room holding a child's hand.

Aristia watched as the maid bowed in greeting to her and her parents.

"Your Highnesses, the young prince is awake." She bowed and brought the child closer to the Grand Duchess.

Aristia didn't seem to notice anything wrong with the maid's words. She shrugged and nodded to the maid's greeting while focusing on the child.

The child looked to be around three years of age. The maid put him into the arms of Catherine who placed him on her lap.

[Hmm, grey hair, black eyes, rosy and chubby cheeks, it's obvious he's related to the original owner of this body and from my memories, he's supposed to be my... little baby brother Alaric? I have a younger sibling!! Well, Aristia's brother. But that's not important. What's important is the fact that he's so...cute!!!!!]

Only her close family members were aware of the fact that there were three things she couldn't resist in the world; Delicious food, beautiful people and cute animals. Yup. She was pretty vain. But the impressive fact was that she never let those things cloud her judgement.

"Can I hold him?" She asked ignoring the mild look of shock on her parents faces at her request. Even the servants looked surprised.

"Can I hold him?" Aristia repeated. She was already too spellbound to care about anything else. She loved babies, cute animals, beautiful people and food the most!!

A chuckle left the couple's lips as they shook their heads at how excited their daughter was about her brother. She wasn't this excited on other days about her brother but she didn't dislike him either. They didn't know what had changed but even so, the couple loved the fact that she voluntarily asked to hold her brother for the first time.

"Of course you can Tia. He's your brother." Wilson replied to her earlier question of carrying her brother as he took Alaric from Catherine's arms and put him into Aristia's arms, being careful to not let Alaric fall from her small chubby arms.

"Hello baby brother, who's the cutest baby brother, you are. You're the cutest baby brother ever, yes you are." Aristia cooed in a baby voice which sounded funny and cute since she had just recently turned five years old and had a childish voice already.

Catherine smiled at Aristia who was feeding Alaric soup and met Wilson's smiling eyes. She could tell that the both of them loved how their children were getting along well with each other.

"Pwah!" The couple turned in the direction of the sound only to see that Alaric had spilled the food Aristia fed him all over her face. It was a funny sight to see.

"Allie , don't do that." Catherine said gently with a smile on her face as she pulled out her handkerchief to gently wipe the food on her daughter's face.

Alaric just giggled while Aristia's eyes shone brightly.

[Eww but...]

"Cuteness Overload, feed me with cuteness baby." Aristia gushed. She had always wanted a younger sibling. Alas, she was stuck with a grumpy and overprotective older brother.

"Tia, it's time for your lessons with your tutors." Wilson who really knew how to spoil the fun, reminded.

[Ugh! You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you?!]

"Thank you for the reminder Papa." Aristia replied sarcastically but Wilson who didn't seem to notice, replied happily.

"I guess that means breakfast is over, yay." Aristia said grumpily, making her parents chuckle. She didn't feel like much time had passed. What the h*ll?!

"You can have snacks later." Catherine comforted her child making a smile spread on Aristia's face.

"Okay, bye Mama, bye Al." Aristia said as she got up and put Alaric into Catherine's arms with great effort, while giving him and Catherine awkward kisses on the cheek, and turning to exit the dining room.

"Goodbye Tia." Alaric waved and Aristia waved back.

"What about Papa?" Wilson asked with a pitiful face. "You gave Mama and Allie kisses but what about me?"

"That's because I love Mama and Al the most, hmph." And then she left. As soon as she turned around, the smile on her face faded and her face resumed its usual coldness.

"What did I do wrong?" Wilson asked with a confused and aggrieved look on his face as he faced his wife.

"Well Will, it seems like you have to work harder to win back Tia." Catherine chuckled.

"Yes, my love, I do." Wilson sighed and Alaric giggled again. He turned to look at Aristia with happiness.

[So cheesy.] Aristia who saw this scene thought before fully exiting the dining room and making her way to the room the history lesson would be held.

But Wilson continued, "Cathy?"

"Yes Will?" Catherine answered.

"Why does it seem like Tia suddenly changed? Wilson asked with furrowed brows.

Catherine shook her head, "I don't know either."

"It is also as if she became a little more mature?" Wilson continued.

"Does it?" Catherine replied puzzled, "I didn't notice. Maybe you're just overthinking it, after all, Tia's growing up. She just turned five years of age."

"You might just be right." Wilson replied, shrugging off the thought.

Aristia's attitude did change, especially since her body was being occupied by another. But the change was subtle, since Aristia basically knew how the original Aristia acted based on the novel's information.