“Is that so?”

I smiled while looking at Elodie, who seemed to be in a good mood again.

“But let’s first look for other things you might want to do. You can always run the café with me anytime.”

My arms were starting to ache. I put Elodie down on the floor and turned my head towards Duke Baniche and Count Jacob, who would still be in sharp confrontation.

‘……?’

I blinked. The two noble gentlemen were staring at Elodie and me as if they had seen a ghost.

‘……Oh dear.’

I inwardly groaned. It wasn’t particularly meant for them to hear. I just said it because I didn’t want Elodie to take her father as a role model… I didn’t expect it to be taken as if I was openly gossiping, no, criticizing to their faces. It was then that I heard the Duke’s words.

“I will go to the ducal residence.”

“……!”

Count Jacob’s face lit up as if dozens of candles had been lit.

“Your Grace!”

His voice was overflowing with reverence and respect as if calling out to a savior. The Duke continued with a dark face.

“Three days should be enough. I’ll handle all the urgent matters during that time, so if you need me after that, send someone here. Don’t think about coming yourself, Count.”

Count Jacob’s face looked very wronged and disappointed, but he nodded. He seemed to think he should be satisfied just with the Duke’s promise to go to the ducal residence.

“We should leave now. And……”

The Duke slowly walked towards Elodie and me. He couldn’t take his eyes off Elodie, looking desperate as if she might disappear forever if she left his sight even for a moment.

He knelt in front of Elodie. Judging by Count Jacob’s sharp intake of breath, this wasn’t just an adult’s posture trying to match a child’s eye level in noble society.

“I’m sorry for ruining your birthday party, Elodie. I’m always sorry to you.”

Elodie just stared at the Duke with wide eyes.

“It will take about a week to go and come back. I hope you’ll stay healthy and well until then. Listen well to Miss Bertin. Okay?”

“……”

As the Duke smiled bitterly at Elodie’s silence and was about to stand up, Elodie’s lips moved slightly.

“……Uh.”

The Duke’s eyes opened wide. He knelt again and listened to the child’s words in a posture that was almost embracing Elodie. After hesitating continuously, a small voice flowed from Elodie’s mouth. It was a voice filled with desperation and hope.

“……Were you looking for me all this time?”

***

Theodore Baniche froze, neither embracing Elodie nor letting her go. Something hot boiled up from deep in his throat. He needed to answer. He needed to immediately alleviate Elodie’s anxiety… But there were too many words bubbling up inside, and not one of them could easily come out.

“……Yes.”

As soon as he managed to utter one word, the words poured out as if a dam had broken.

“I haven’t had a proper night’s sleep since I lost you. I searched not only the Empire but also neighboring kingdoms and duchies to find you.”

Theodore closed and opened his eyes. At that time, he thought he could find Elodie quickly. After all, he could mobilize wealth, power, and even magic. Ah, what a foolish thought that was.

“After a year, everyone told me to give up, but I never forgot you, my daughter, not even for a moment.”

Elodie said nothing. She just stared up at him with her big eyes.

“Even though my daughter has forgotten me……”

Theodore moved his choked-up throat.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s all okay. I’m satisfied just knowing that you’re healthy and happy.”

“……Um.”

Elodie slowly opened her mouth. Theodore inhaled. He was afraid of the words that might flow from the mouth of the child who had only rejected him until now.

“Everyone told me that my parents had abandoned me. They said I didn’t have a mom or dad, and that’s why they shouldn’t get close to me……”

“……”

Theodore closed his eyes. If he continued to look into Elodie’s eyes, which held a depth of understanding far beyond her years, he felt he might lose control of his emotions.

He wanted nothing more than to hug Elodie tightly. And he wanted to ask her, one by one, what she had gone through before meeting Aria.

Lastly, he wanted to find each and every person who made Elodie feel this way and tear them apart from head to toe. But Theodore couldn’t move a finger.

Because he didn’t want to forcibly hug the child who was still wary of him. Because he didn’t want to dredge up the child’s painful old memories.

All Theodore could say was an apology.

“……I’m sorry. I should have found you earlier. No, I shouldn’t have lost you in the first place. I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight……”

Elodie shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter.”

The child turned her head slightly to look at Aria.

“Because I met Aria…… Everything’s fine now.”

“……I see.”

His eyes involuntarily grew hot. Theodore acknowledged it. The Elodie who once babbled in his arms, who said ‘Dad’ as her first word, who laughed so hard she could barely breathe during peek-a-boo games, was now gone. She only existed in his memories.

Now, the Elodie before his eyes had suffered countless hardships because he had lost her, and she no longer needed him. Nevertheless, Theodore needed Elodie. Because without any connection to Elodie, the world would lose its worth living.

Theodore ultimately couldn’t hug the child. Instead, he raised his hand and gently patted her head.

Fortunately, Elodie didn’t flinch or show signs of fear. Rather, she just looked at him with surprised rabbit eyes. Theodore stood up. It was really time to leave now.

“Take care, Elodie.”

He hesitated, then added.

“……Happy birthday.”

Hoping that Elodie would understand how sincere he was.

***

Throughout the journey to the ducal residence, Theodore barely opened his mouth. Count Jacob, too, knowing his uncomfortable mood, kept his mouth shut. He did ask once how Elodie was found, but. Even that was quickly silenced when Theodore glared at him fiercely. So Jacob seemed surprised when Theodore was the first to ask something.

“How on earth did you find me? I thought I had been evading you quite well.”

“We’ve been finding you properly all along. It’s just that Your Grace usually doesn’t stay in one place for more than three days, so we were always late in catching up. This time, you stayed in one village for over a month, so……”

Jacob trailed off. He looked as if he had just realized why Theodore usually moved around and why he had stayed for so long this time.

Theodore let out a dry laugh. Count Jacob wasn’t exactly a villain. Although he had vented his anger at the café, he was also one of the few among the ducal family’s retainers who had helped in finding Elodie. But he had a stupid and dull side, often acting a step behind, and this was one of those times.

If it were himself before finding Elodie, he would have already chased him away or broken his legs to prevent him from following. It wasn’t something he couldn’t do even now.

‘……Never mind.’

Theodore sighed. It seemed he had become much more mellow after finding Elodie. Considering that the thought of Aria Bertin questioning him if he returned empty-handed after breaking Count Jacob’s legs was bothering him.

They arrived in two days on a journey that would normally take three days at a regular pace. This was possible because they changed horses several times along the way. Theodore slowly walked into the ducal residence, setting foot in it for the first time in years.

He could feel the servants, starting from the gatekeeper, almost having a fit when they saw him. Walking down the long corridor, Theodore casually threw out a question.

“It’s better maintained than I expected. Who’s in charge?”

“W-well……”

Count Jacob stuttered, unable to answer properly. Theodore’s eyes narrowed.

“……You’ll have to see for yourself.”

His footsteps involuntarily quickened.