“Is it made of octopus?”

Elodie’s voice rose involuntarily. I chuckled.

“No, it’s not. Look. Doesn’t it look like an octopus?”

“…!”

Elodie’s eyes widened. She seemed quite amazed by the small sausages that had been cut to resemble octopuses.

“That’s amazing. Can I touch it?”

“Sure.”

I generously allowed it since they hadn’t been grilled yet. Elodie gently stroked the sausage.

“It’s so cute, I might find it hard to eat.”

“It’s okay because Elodie is cuter.”

Elodie’s face turned red.

“Am I… cute?”

“You’re the cutest of all the children I’ve ever seen.”

A moment of silence passed. I anxiously checked Elodie’s expression. Her wounds were so deep that I could unknowingly reopen her red scars if I wasn’t careful.

“…Then Aria is the prettiest, prettiest person Elodie has ever seen.”

Thankfully, my worry seemed unfounded. I wanted to pat Elodie’s head for coming up with such an adorable response, but I had to keep my hands clean for hygiene reasons, so I just smiled at her.

While blanching the octopus sausages, I diligently mashed some boiled eggs. Mixing the mashed eggs with mayonnaise and adding a dash of peppery spice quickly produced egg mayo, perfect for sandwich filling.

Elodie looked up at the glass bowl of egg mayo with round eyes. She seemed very curious, as if she had never seen egg mayo before.

‘I wonder if she’ll ask to try some.’

But Elodie just swallowed her saliva without saying anything. Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up.

“Would you like to try some?”

“Is that okay?”

Elodie tried not to show it, but she looked extremely eager.

“But don’t we need to pack it in the lunchbox later?”

“It’s fine if you just have a little bit.”

I took out a teaspoon, scooped up a generous amount of egg mayo, and fed Elodie a mouthful.

“…!”

Elodie’s eyes widened. Her small mouth chewed slowly, and the sound of her repeatedly swallowing suggested that she found it so delicious she was trying to savor it. I chuckled watching her. What was usually just repetitive labor when cooking alone became so enjoyable when seeing Elodie’s reactions.

“I’ll give you an octopus sausage too.”

As I packed the lunchbox, letting Elodie taste each item, the promised time was drawing near. I approached Elodie with the warm children’s coat that the Duke had bought. Although it wasn’t winter yet, the weather was chilly. There was even talk of lighting a bonfire.

“Let’s put on your coat, Elodie.”

“…”

Elodie pressed her lips together and shook her head. I tilted my head in confusion. She usually wore this coat without any issues, so I couldn’t understand why she suddenly refused to wear it. Elodie didn’t just stop at refusing the coat. Unexpectedly, she brought out the coat I had bought her when we first met.

“Um, I want to wear this. Can’t I wear this one?”

I blinked. It was the first time Elodie had shown such capriciousness.

“But this one is warmer. That’s almost an autumn coat. This one is much warmer and better, so let’s wear this.”

“…”

Elodie’s expression darkened.

“…But still.”

I bent down to hear the small whisper from her lips.

“This is the first coat Aria bought for me… I want to wear this one.”

It wasn’t just idle talk. Elodie looked very serious. She really wanted to go on the picnic wearing the coat I had bought her. Suddenly, my eyes grew hot. I turned my head to hide my reddening eyes from Elodie.

“…Alright then.”

I stopped insisting that Elodie wear the coat the Duke had bought. Instead, I put down the packed lunchbox neatly and finished preparing for the picnic. A little while later, I picked up the lunchbox, blanket, and picnic mat, and left the house with Elodie. After walking about a block…

“…?”

My eyes narrowed involuntarily. Somehow, I seemed to be seeing someone who shouldn’t be there… I wished it was just my imagination, but the man staring intently at us was undoubtedly Duke Theodore Baniche. I flinched reflexively. I was still not used to encountering the Duke outside of the cafe. I swallowed hard. Moreover, the Duke’s appearance today was like…

‘That day.’

The image of the Duke trying to kill me overlapped perfectly with the Duke standing before me now. His complexion was as pale as that day, and there was a chilling light in his eyes. My body instinctively stiffened.

‘Dangerous.’

I instinctively stepped in front of Elodie to protect her.

“…What brings you here?”

“I came to check when I saw the cafe was closed. I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

Contrary to my worry, the Duke’s voice didn’t carry the same madness as before. That was a relief. If it had, I would have had to forget about the picnic and run away with Elodie.

“I should have written it down. We’re closed every last Saturday of the month.”

“I thought there might be another reason.”

The Duke calmly gazed at me.

“But where are you going dressed like that?”

“I don’t think that’s something Your Grace needs to concern yourself with.”

The Duke’s voice turned harsh.

“Elodie is my daughter. I should at least know where my daughter is going, looking like she’s about to run away in the night.”

Run away in the night, how nicely put… And what’s wrong with how Elodie looks right now?

Of course, the coat I bought her on the first day was shabby and thin compared to the clothes the Duke had bought. It couldn’t be helped. The clothing stores I could afford were extremely limited. Still, Elodie had chosen this over the expensive coats the Duke had bought. I grumbled inwardly but didn’t show it outwardly.

“Elodie and I planned to go on a picnic to the ginkgo forest. The autumn leaves will all fall soon.”

“Just the two of you?”

“No.”

I answered glumly. What difference did it make whether we went as two or as ten?

“We’re meeting with parents who have children around Elodie’s age. Of course, all the kids are coming too. Elodie needs friends her own age.”

The Duke fell into thought for a moment.

“…Parents, you say.”

“Guardians count too, of course.”

I quickly caught the Duke’s words. I didn’t want to give him any reason to find fault. At that moment, Elodie raised her head and looked straight at the Duke.

“Only Aria and I were invited. So you can’t come, mister.”

Her fists were clenched, suggesting she was scared, but her voice was clear and firm.

“…Elodie.”

The Duke, seemingly unable to give a proper response, barely managed to utter Elodie’s name in a small voice.

“You’re a bad person because you hurt Aria. Don’t follow us.”

Elodie crossed her arms. The Duke seemed momentarily at a loss for words, unable to respond. He naturally bowed his head with a gloomy expression, staring at the ground, which didn’t seem to please Elodie either. I clicked my tongue, looking back and forth between the Duke and Elodie. They looked so alike, yet one was bristling with defiance while the other was completely deflated. It didn’t sit well with me.

‘…And everyone else’s birth parents are coming.’

It might be different if Elodie had no birth parents at all. But it felt a bit strange not to bring the Duke, who was very much alive and even loved Elodie to an irritating degree.

“Would you like to come along?”

“Aria!”

Elodie looked up at me in protest. Regardless, I looked straight at the Duke. No matter how much Elodie disliked it, I had no intention of completely pushing the Duke out of Elodie’s life. That would be unfair to Elodie as well.

“Come with us, then.”

The Duke’s face, which had been gloomy, brightened.

“Are you… sure it’s alright? As Elodie said, I wasn’t invited.”

I shrugged. It wasn’t some grand ball where only distinguished guests were invited, just a friendly gathering and picnic for children’s parents. And when it came down to it, Elodie’s parent was Duke Baniche. Not me.

“You’re Elodie’s father, aren’t you? Who’s going to say anything?”

The Duke stared at me with a slightly shocked expression.