***

Sprout had finished exploring the village and suggested playing house with us.

“Human children play something called house, right? I want to try it too.”

Sprout and Rory both looked at me.

Their two pairs of expectant eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Even Sprout’s usually dreamy eyes looked unusually clear.

Tired from walking around the village on short legs, I raised both hands and said.

“Then I’ll be the baby. Sprout can be the mom, and Rory can be the dad.”

I then reached out my hand to Rory.

“Carry me, Dad.”

Rory looked flustered.

After glancing around nervously, he reluctantly offered his back.

When I climbed onto his back, his body wavered slightly, but he quickly regained his balance and held me securely.

“Mel… to be honest… I’ve never played house before.”

A five-year-old who’s never played house?

I hugged his neck tightly and gave him a quick rundown of what to do.

“Call Sprout ‘honey.’ Tell him the baby is hungry and that you should go home to prepare a meal together.”

“H-ho… honey… honey, uh… honey dear…”

Cough. Cough!

I choked on my saliva and started coughing.

“Honey dear”?

What kind of husband calls his wife like that, so stiffly and without affection?

I could feel Rory panicking, unsure of what to do.

“What was that?”

Even Sprout shook his head in disbelief.

He approached Rory, leaned in close, and gave him a surprise kiss on the cheek.

“Honey~ I’ll go ahead and prepare the meal~ You’ll do the dishes, right?”

Before Rory could say a word, Sprout grinned and disappeared toward our house.

Frozen in place, Rory finally snapped out of it when I tapped his shoulder.

With a face turning red and purple, he roughly wiped his cheek.

“Rory, I’ll clean it for you.”

I didn’t want his smooth cheek to get hurt.

I gently rubbed his cheek, and only then did his expression soften.

Rory was already shy around Sprout, so a sudden kiss on the cheek was sure to make things worse.

I had secretly hoped the two would grow closer, so this was quite disappointing.

“I don’t like playing house.”

“You’ll find it fun if you keep playing.”

I whispered soothingly while stroking his head.

Rory nodded timidly.

Though he had already forgiven the situation, he still pouted his lower lip, pretending to be upset.

By now, I knew this was his sly way of asking for more attention.

“How about we play just the two of us next time?”

At my casual suggestion, his pouting lip instantly disappeared.

How cute.

I fiddled with his hair.

Rory really was like a puppy.

His hair was softer than mine.

He liked being petted.

Even though I told him to treat me as a friend since he wasn’t a slave here, he insisted on treating me like a master with unwavering loyalty.

I didn’t dislike how he always paid close attention to me and tried to take care of me.

Ann often joked, complaining that Rory had stolen her job.

“Let’s head inside.”

“Yes.”

Rory’s earlobes, glowing red in the sunset, stood out vividly.

***

“Honey, why are you so late? The soup is getting cold~ Our baby must be hungry, right? Mommy will give you food right away!”

I can confidently say that Sprout is undoubtedly a master at playing house.

“You shouldn’t be picky. Just try one bite.”

This little brat.

He had laid out a meal made of flowers and was holding a spoonful up to me.

When I kept my mouth shut and refused to eat, he imitated a nagging mom.

“Don’t force the baby to eat if she doesn’t want to.”

Rory frowned and snatched the spoon away, causing Sprout to look disappointed.

“Do you think I’m doing this for myself? I’m doing this so our baby eats well and grows strong. It’s because you keep spoiling the baby that she is so picky!”

“What, what did I do…?”

“You did it last time too. I told you not to keep giving the baby sweet things that’ll rot her teeth. Why don’t you ever listen to me?”

Rory’s pupils quivered.

While he was flustered and opening and closing his mouth like a fish, Sprout drove the nail in with an angry voice.

“If that’s how it’s going to be, then let’s just get a divorce!”

“?!”

Divorce? In a children’s game of house?

Where on earth did Sprout learn such things? His acting had reached its peak.

“You’re always coming home late! You say I’m being overdramatic! I’m sick of it! Let’s break up!”

Sprout shot to his feet, picked me up in his arms, and stormed off.

Dangling in his arms, I blinked in surprise.

“Merchen is staying with me! Just so you know!”

“No! Mel, come over here!”

Rory urgently reached out a hand toward me.

At that moment, Sprout’s fierce expression softened back into his usual dazed look.

“Why are you using formal speech with the baby? You’ve ruined the mood. Take responsibility.”

“Sprout, where did you even learn to say things like that?”

“Huh?”

“Like divorce. Or saying you’re sick of something.”

“I learned it from Mamaru.”

Ah. So Mamaru was the culprit.

Rory, who had come close, swiftly took me out of Sprout’s arms and placed me on the ground.

Now freed, I started fiddling with the pile of flowers Sprout had gathered.

“Mamaru used to fight with her husband like this all the time. Oh, by the way, Mamaru’s husband was a human.”

Sprout added this tidbit.

Mamaru married a human?!

What a shocking revelation.

“Really?”

“Yeah. He died 40 years ago, though.”

“Gasp.”

I covered my mouth with both hands.

As the atmosphere suddenly grew somber, Sprout chuckled softly.

“No need to feel bad, miss. He lived a long life and passed away at 98.”

“Ah…”

And with that, our game of house came to an end.