I couldn’t find an answer to the Duke’s words and just gaped. It sounded like a rebuke for being afraid of a mere centipede, but it also sounded a bit kind. Meanwhile, Elodie, who had finished eating her lunch deliciously, started playing with the other children again. The Duke and I watched Elodie in a strange silence.

‘What was that just now?’

I glanced at the Duke repeatedly. Surely it wasn’t for such implausible reasons as ‘just because’ or ‘I wanted to see you.’

‘There must be some reason…’

But I didn’t even have time to think about it properly.

“Waaah!”

In the moment I took my eyes off her, Elodie burst into loud tears. My blood froze. I jumped to my feet. Several children were surrounding Elodie with worried faces. I hurriedly ran towards Elodie.

“Aria!”

Elodie cried out as soon as she saw me.

“Hic, sniff, waaah…”

Unable to speak properly due to crying, another child explained on Elodie’s behalf.

“She fell while running, and I think she hit her knee on a rock.”

I crouched down and examined Elodie’s injury. Fortunately, because she was wearing thick clothes, she wasn’t badly hurt. It was just a scratch, enough to see a bit of blood.

I didn’t think she was crying over just this. When I first brought Elodie home, the child couldn’t say a word and just endured silently, even when she was cold, in pain, or hungry. Even after I told her many times that she should speak up if something was uncomfortable, it was the same.

How anxious I had been until the wall built by her accumulated wounds finally broke down. It was a good thing that Elodie now cried and got scared over a scratch like a normal child.

“Elodie.”

I called Elodie calmly.

“I’m going to blow on it now. It will hurt less then. Can you stay still and bear with it until then?”

Elodie looked at me with teary eyes and nodded. Her crying stopped abruptly. She seemed to have calmed down considerably.

I took out the small pouch I always carried with me. Inside were antiseptic, ointment that worked well on scratches, and band-aids.

Usually, Elodie never caused any trouble, so this was the first time I was using it on her. I disinfected Elodie’s wound well, applied the ointment, and put on a band-aid. Admirably, Elodie didn’t cry even while I was applying the stinging antiseptic.

“You did well, Elodie.”

As soon as I praised her, Elodie’s face brightened up.

“Can I go play again?”

“Of course.”

I nodded and returned to the blanket where Duke Baniche was sitting. Elodie’s cheerful voice could be heard all the way to where we were sitting, seemingly in a much better mood after receiving treatment.

“Look at this. I fell hard, but it didn’t tear at all.”

“That’s a nice coat.”

Elodie’s face was full of smiles.

“Right? Isn’t it pretty? Aria bought it for me. Aria knows everything.”

I couldn’t hear the other child’s response clearly, but it seemed to be something positive. Elodie started to enthusiastically brag about me.

Thud. I felt something heavy drop in my chest. It’s common for young children to brag about their guardians, but this…

As heavy emotions started to swirl deep in my chest, Duke Baniche, who had been silent all this time, leaned towards me. Right after that, shocking words flowed from his mouth, making me momentarily forget my worries about Elodie.

“…I’m sorry.”

What did I just hear?

My eyelids fluttered and my ears rang. I just stared stupidly at Duke Baniche. Even if I hadn’t been dumbfounded, there wasn’t much else I could say. How could I say it’s okay when someone who tried to kill me says they’re sorry?

“I’m sorry. I severely misunderstood you back then.”

He even kindly confirmed it in case I hadn’t heard, should I call this considerate? Duke Baniche slowly continued speaking.

“If I had killed you then… Elodie wouldn’t have been able to have times like this.”

“You understand well.”

I barely managed to utter a word. Taking advantage of Duke Baniche’s guilt, there was so much I wanted to say. How did you plan to raise Elodie if you had killed me, were you planning to feed Elodie that protein bar-like thing from earlier, are you confident you can raise Elodie well…? But what actually came out of my mouth was an ordinary question that had nothing to do with Elodie.

“You must have seen the letter… Why did you try to kill me?”

“What letter?”

Duke Baniche asked back with a puzzled expression. He looked genuinely confused, it didn’t seem like a lie.

“Did You send such a thing? Where to?”

“To the Baniche Duchy.”

I started to get a little angry. No, quite angry.

“I even went to the Duke’s residence in person. Although I was turned away at the door. Still, I asked the doorkeeper several times to pass on the message, but to say you don’t even know about that…”

“Miss Bertin.”

The Duke called me in a dark voice.

“The letter, the doorkeeper… I know nothing about any of it. I haven’t entered the Duke’s residence in a long time, and they don’t particularly seek me out either.”

“What?”

I blinked. Theodore Baniche was one of only two Dukes in the empire. That means the only people higher than him are direct members of the imperial family. Yet he doesn’t even enter the Duke’s residence?

“But, the lights at night…”

“Of course, there are people who reside there and manage it. Does that explain it now?”

I frowned. Of course, that alone couldn’t possibly explain everything.

“Fine, let’s say that’s true. Then how did you find our house? If you’ve never even seen the letter?”

“…That.”

The Duke, who was about to answer something, closed his mouth.

‘…?’

I tilted my head. Was that such a difficult question?

Duke Baniche’s lips moved as if he had something to say, but he finally uttered just one sentence.

“I can’t tell you.”

Ah, I see. I had to try not to make a face. It’s fine if he has secrets. It’s not like I’m that curious about how this person found Elodie anyway.

But if he wasn’t going to tell me anyway, he shouldn’t have started to say anything, making me anxious before saying he couldn’t tell. I grumbled as I poured warm tea from the thermos and drank it. I vowed never to expect a proper answer from the Duke again.

***

‘It was good to come.’

Theodore Baniche thought as he watched Elodie laughing and playing with her friends. Although he had been chased off the blanket because Aria was upset, he was glad that he could still watch over Elodie while leaning against a tree.

In fact, when he found out the café was closed, he hesitated many times. Would Elodie dislike it if he came to see her? Would it be better to follow secretly? Would she think he was intruding on their outing plans for today…?

But there was only one reason Theodore revealed himself. Elodie’s safety. Furthermore, even the safety of Aria Bertin who was taking good care of Elodie. Of course, he had easily dealt with that lowlife, but there was no guarantee that other vermin wouldn’t be attracted.

‘…?’

Theodore’s eyes widened. Elodie, who had momentarily stopped playing hide-and-seek, was trudging towards him instead of going to Aria as he had expected.

His breathing quickened and his heart started pounding. Cold sweat formed on the nape of his neck, perhaps due to nervousness. When Elodie finally stood right in front of him, Theodore called his daughter’s name with a trembling voice.

“…Elodie.”

“…”

Elodie just bit her lip, saying nothing. Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long. Elodie raised her head with a face that seemed to have made a firm decision.

“Hey, mister… Are you really my real dad?”

Theodore inhaled sharply. How could she doubt that? Elodie was clearly his daughter whom he had raised and cared for since she was a baby.

“…Yes.”

Theodore barely managed to answer with a choked voice.

“Then.”

Elodie spoke clearly and deliberately.

“Where is my real mom?”

Silence fell.