Chapter 53. The Melancholy Crow-tit

Asarim glanced sharply at Ulysse before turning his gaze back to Yuelina.

“Don’t get sick. You’re prettiest when you smile.”

Yuelina smiled at Asarim.

“Asarim. Don’t get sick either. Travel safely.”

Asarim nodded.

He turned his head toward Yuelina several times before getting into the carriage.

Each time, Theo thought of the pop gun that Yuelina said she used for hunting.

If Theo had that pop gun in his hands right now, Asarim’s head would have been shot through multiple times.

Finally, Asarim, showing obvious signs of reluctance, got into the carriage.

Ulysse hurriedly closed the carriage door and signaled the coachman to depart.

The carriage carrying Asarim began to move away.

Yuelina heaved a heavy sigh.

A dear friend had come from her homeland, and she should have welcomed and treated him well…

She felt troubled that things hadn’t ended well.

Meanwhile, Theo stared at his wife, who had become like a dejected crow-tit with slumped shoulders.

What was there to be so depressed about just because Asarim left?

But the problem was that even that appearance was cute.

Theo felt upset seeing Yuelina depressed, yet at the same time, she was so cute he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Though it was all in his head, his feelings were hard to sort out.

Theo let out a deep sigh.

With the crow-tit deeply depressed and hanging her head, Theo felt he had to do something for her.

“We should have lunch.”

Theo muttered, standing beside her.

At the mention of lunch, Yuelina’s head shot up.

“Now?”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

Yuelina had been so preoccupied with seeing Asarim off that she hadn’t eaten breakfast.

She hadn’t even realized she was hungry because of Asarim, but strangely, as soon as Theo mentioned ‘lunch,’ she suddenly felt famished.

But she didn’t want Theo to notice her appetite.

Theo had already noticed her sincere interest in meals and would recite the dinner menu during lunch.

It was always embarrassing when that happened.

What made it even more mortifying was that she looked forward to the time when he would tell her about the dinner menu.

“Ah, no… It’s not even mealtime yet…”

Of course, Theo knew that Yuelina hadn’t eaten breakfast today. He had brought up food deliberately.

Though Yuelina didn’t know it, he received detailed reports every morning about what she had eaten.

Theo clearly saw the moment when Yuelina’s eyes sparkled with interest.

He wasn’t one to miss such an opportunity.

“I heard the chef made a dessert with chestnuts.”

He dropped more information that would catch Yuelina’s interest.

“Chestnuts?”

Her eyes sparkled even more at the mention of dessert.

“A crispy pastry with chestnut cream, I believe.”

Yuelina swallowed hard.

Theo watched her and smiled softly.

The way she perked up her ears and moved her mouth at the mention of food made her look just like a white rabbit.

Though she resembled a delicate herbivore in appearance, she was open to all kinds of food.

“I was planning to have the chestnut pie after lunch.”

At Theo’s words, Yuelina fidgeted with both hands, looking anxious.

“Would you like to join me, Yuna?”

“…Yes!”

Yuelina couldn’t refuse.

Chestnut pie.

Just thinking about it made her mouth feel sweet and wonderful.

* * *

Lunch came with an almost excessive variety of dishes.

The food that filled the table was steaming and gave off delicious aromas.

Yuelina picked up her fork with a determined face.

This was Theo’s favorite moment.

When all the food was served, Yuelina would first seriously and gravely contemplate what to eat.

Her fork would point toward the duck steak on the left, then move to the fruit salad on the right, repeating this pattern.

But the end result was always the appetizer bread in front of her. It was always like this.

Yuelina tore off a piece of the hot, crispy-crusted bread and dipped it in olive oil.

Theo chuckled.

Not only did he not understand tearing the bread, but he also couldn’t tell what she was eating from the torn and bitten parts.

Yet Yuelina chewed enthusiastically, savoring the taste and letting out exclamations of delight.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes. Our mansion’s chef seems very skilled.”

Theo’s smile deepened.

Our mansion.

Yes.

The mansion where the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess live together.

Yuelina always said the right things during meals.

No, perhaps it would be better to say she only said pretty and pleasing things.

“I should raise our mansion’s chef’s salary.”

“That’s a good idea!”

She gave Theo a thumbs up.

Theo smiled and switched his finely cut appetizer bread plate with Yuelina’s.

“Shall I pour some wine?”

Just then, Ulysse came to Theo’s side and asked with a friendly smile.

Actually, Theo hadn’t known that Ulysse was still waiting in the room without leaving.

Usually, he would wait in the hallway to avoid disturbing Theo and Yuelina’s meals.

“Go ahead.”

“This wine is a premium wine made in the southern Sebran region.”

At Ulysse’s words, Theo’s smile gradually faded.

He looked at Ulysse’s face as he poured the wine.

Ulysse didn’t miss the moment and mouthed words earnestly to Theo.

Tell her we leave in two days.

Theo frowned.

The Magic Stone Festival in the Sebran region would be held in a week.

However, the southern Sebran region and the northern Phaenyx Principality were on opposite sides.

Even if they departed in two days using horses and carriages fed with magic stone potions, the schedule would be tight.

How long had it been since they’d found this peace?

Theo looked at Yuelina, who was busy chewing, tearing, and tasting food with her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel, completely unaware.

Ah.

How precious was this mealtime with his white squirrel wife.

He was even more grateful now that the eyesore Asarim was gone.

But to have to leave this cute squirrel wife and go far away.

Theo felt not just frustrated but irritated in a corner of his heart.

Should he just take her along?

But Theo soon shook his head.

If he took Yuelina along, there would be too many things to worry about.

Moreover, since his grandmother was in the Sebran region, it would be even worse to have the two meet.

“Theo, how about we have dessert in the garden?”

Yuelina showed him a bright face.

“Let’s do that.”

“And we can take a walk after we finish eating.”

“Let’s do that too.”

Yuelina let out a happy laugh.

As she bit into a strawberry with shrugging shoulders, she truly looked so precious it wouldn’t hurt to put her in his eye.

No, if Yuelina allowed him, he would have put her in his eye right away.

“A-ahem! Would you like more Sebran region wine?”

Ulysse shot a threatening message at Theo with wide eyes.

Theo nodded roughly in understanding and unbuttoned his shirt.

But the words wouldn’t come easily.

After repeatedly drinking wine and trying to speak several times, Theo finally gathered his courage.

“Yuna.”

“Yes?”

“I received an invitation to attend a festival in southern Sebran.”

“The southern region?”

Yuelina put down her fork and looked at Theo.

“It’s a schedule I must attend, so I’ll have to leave the mansion.”

“Ah… For how long?”

“It will take at least fifteen days.”

Having finally said it, Theo swallowed his wine bitterly.

Yuelina quietly observed Theo, who looked somewhat tired.

The Theo that Yuelina had observed so far was very busy.

He would sit at his study desk late into the night unable to sleep, and she had witnessed Ulysse urging him to work immediately several times.

She had only assumed he would naturally be busy, being the owner of this large principality.

But she hadn’t thought that Theo would leave for somewhere.

Yuelina was a bit taken aback but didn’t show it.

“I see.”

Suddenly, one assumption flashed through her mind.

Since Yuelina had arrived, Theo hadn’t left the mansion like she had.

She assumed it was because he was busy.

But perhaps Theo had postponed his schedules because of her, who needed to adjust to the principality.

She couldn’t be a hindrance to Theo, who had responsibilities as the owner of the principality.

Of course, this was just Yuelina’s speculation.

Theo had neither been busy nor had any desire to be busy.