Bang! Duke Baniche, describing himself fighting the dragon, lifted the table high and then set it down on the floor with a thud.

The living room, which Duke Baniche had painstakingly decorated at great expense, began to crumble bit by bit. But neither Elodie, who was focused on each of Duke Baniche’s movements and bursting with admiration nor Duke Baniche, who was moving with the sole intention of pleasing Elodie, seemed to care about such trivial matters.

It’s not that I didn’t think I should stop Duke Baniche’s actions. The problem was that seeing Elodie grinning with her dark red eyes, exactly like Duke Baniche’s, I just couldn’t bring myself to interrupt the two of them.

‘……’

I should be happy, surely Elodie and Duke Baniche getting closer is what I wanted…

An inexplicable bitter feeling welled up. Perhaps sooner than expected, Elodie might not need me anymore.

I made a quick decision. I decided to quietly return to the kitchen without being noticed by the two.

‘Yes, this is the right thing to do.’

As I prepared the onions, I briefly imagined my daily life after Elodie had gone to live with the Duke at his mansion.

I would no longer need to rack my brains thinking about Elodie’s daily needs, nor worry about Duke Baniche’s eccentricities.

‘……’

I listened for a moment. I could hear sounds that I hadn’t noticed when I was concentrating on cooking. Elodie’s stifled laughter, the thud, thud sounds, and Duke Baniche passionately recounting his implausible heroic tales…

These were noises that would never be heard in this small, cozy house if Elodie left with the Duke for a world that had nothing to do with me.

‘……It will really be quiet.’

I thought, blinking my eyes that were stinging from the onions. If I were to live alone in this house again, like before….. I might feel, just a little, lonely.

***

“More, please do more!”

“I’m sorry.”

Theodore looked down at the tiny child who barely reached his waist and apologized.

“But Miss Bertin’s food preparation will be done soon. If we don’t want to trouble Miss Bertin, we should tidy up by then, right?”

“……Yes.”

Elodie nodded with a disappointed face. Theodore suppressed the urge to sit on the floor and hug the child tightly. There were things to be done now. He quickly restored the table, chairs, and carpet to their original positions. He didn’t forget to put back the small objects he had used as props to make the story more vivid for Elodie.

Elodie also helped with the tidying up, using her small hands beside Theodore. Having quickly finished rearranging all the furniture, Theodore scrutinized everything with a meticulous eye to check for any damage.

‘We’ll need to replace the table.’

He thought indifferently, looking down at the table that had acquired several small scratches here and there.

‘This time, I should show Miss Bertin the catalog and let her choose directly.’

And while at it, tell her to freely choose any other furniture she wants.

‘Would that make the house too cramped?’

Theodore’s thoughts branched out like a tree. It might be good to get her a proper new house. No, Aria Bertin seems to find such big changes burdensome, so maybe it would be better to just expand this house.

The problem is, it seems this house already has a separate owner… Apparently, she’s paying what commoners typically call ‘rent’. In that case, buying this house outright and renovating it could be one option.

‘What if she doesn’t like that idea either?’

As Theodore was seriously pondering this, Aria’s exasperated voice came from behind him.

“If you’re not busy, could you help me move the food? I ended up making too much.”

“Understood.”

His face flushed slightly.

‘She must think I’m pathetic.’

To be caught daydreaming by none other than a sharp woman like Aria Bertin. Theodore hurriedly began moving the food from the kitchen to the living room table as per Aria’s instructions.

“It’s a feast.”

He murmured in admiration. It wasn’t just flattery. Spicy roasted chicken sautéed with potatoes, onions, and carrots. Cream stew with mushrooms and clams. A salad made with finely chopped bacon, onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes, ready to be eaten with a spoon. Crispy baked bread brushed with a sauce made of finely minced garlic, sugar, and olive oil. Even a drink made with freshly grated lemon.

It was hard to imagine that these dishes were made by someone who had been pondering the menu just moments ago.

“It’s nothing special, but please eat plenty.”

Aria replied in a slightly subdued voice. Theodore’s eyes narrowed. Surely, Aria had seemed in a very good mood before making the food. That was an undeniable fact. If she had been in a bad mood, she wouldn’t have invited him to dinner in the first place.

‘Was I… too much?’

Only then did Theodore’s thoughts reach the point where he realized that Aria must have heard the commotion he had caused while playing with Elodie. This was her home. Naturally, scratching her furniture and making loud noises wouldn’t be pleasant for her.

“Miss Bertin.”

Theodore spoke as he moved the small pot full of stew to the table.

“About the scratches on the table…”

He didn’t miss the fact that Aria’s body trembled slightly.

“I’ll send you a catalog, and if you tell me what you want, I’ll order a new one. Feel free to choose anything else you need.”

Aria’s response came a bit slowly.

“It’s fine. It’s still usable. I’m just grateful that you played so well with Elodie.”

“Is that so?”

Theodore’s voice brightened involuntarily. Thinking he might have been too transparent, he cleared his throat with a “Ahem,” but it seemed too late. Judging by Aria’s small smile.

“Please play with Elodie a lot when you have time. Elodie needs Your Grace.”

“Not as much as she needs you.”

The words came out before he could think. Theodore stood still, surprised by what he had just said. Of course, Theodore was not unaware of the fact that Elodie followed Aria more than himself, her biological parent. And that Aria was more necessary for Elodie now than he was. But for it to come out unconsciously like this…

Theodore slowly admitted it. At some point, Aria had become an indispensable person. Not just for Elodie, but for himself as well. But before Theodore could think more deeply, Aria announced that they could start the meal now.

“Elodie, stay still. I’ll serve it all for you.”

As Elodie was about to stand on her chair to ladle out the hot stew from the pot, Aria stopped her. She skillfully ladled the stew into small plates and placed them in front of Elodie, Theodore, and herself. It was a practiced hand. Theodore slowly took a spoonful of the cream stew.

‘……!’

The salty yet rich cream stew slid smoothly down his throat while the mushrooms and clams provided a chewy texture. The other dishes were equally delicious.

Theodore inwardly thought it fortunate that the time he regained his sense of taste coincided exactly with when he started eating Aria’s food. If he hadn’t been able to eat such food with his restored sense of taste, it would have been a great pity.

Theodore glanced at Aria from time to time. Even while eating her own food, Aria was diligently taking care of Elodie, and Elodie seemed comfortable with such attentiveness.

‘……They look like a real family.’

Theodore smiled bitterly. Wasn’t it also because of Aria’s generosity in allowing his visit that he found himself in this situation now? If Aria had blocked his approach, he wouldn’t have been able to play with Elodie today.

‘I should treat her well.’

Theodore Baniche was not a person who lacked courtesy. Rather, he was closer to the opposite. He had earned the trust of his vassals through clear rewards and punishments. But that was a story from four years ago. While he was running around half-mad looking for Elodie, the loyal subordinates he thought he had gained trust from quickly turned their backs on him.

‘If I hadn’t found Elodie, they would have thought it didn’t matter.’

But Elodie was alive and well, right before his eyes.