“Ray can do lots of things!”

“That’s impressive.”

“Yeah!”

Ray, whose mood had completely lifted, burrowed into Arinne’s arms with a beaming smile.

“And it’s nice having dad here. I wish he’d play with me every day.”

“…Let’s play together often from now on.”

The Marquis smiled awkwardly.

‘They look happy…’

Jade stared blankly at the three people who looked like a harmonious family.

“Jade.”

“…Y-yes?!”

Jade flinched at Arinne’s sudden call.

“Are your hands okay? Should I wipe them for you?”

“I’m fine.”

Jade quickly avoided her gaze. He couldn’t understand her intentions—refusing to wipe Ray’s hands to the end, yet offering to wipe his when he was sitting quietly.

Jade still found Arinne uncomfortable and difficult. Thanks to her promise not to marry his father, his feelings toward her had lightened somewhat, but that didn’t make things comfortable.

She had no connection to the Carentiums, yet received Ray’s love and their father’s attention. 

For the first time in who knows how long, the family was gathered together, and she was there despite not being family.

All of this made Jade uncomfortable. The only consolation was the promise she’d made in the maze.

She wouldn’t intrude between him, his father, and Ray. She wouldn’t become family. She’d promised that.

“I can… wipe them myself.”

“Mm, I see.”

While Jade’s gaze was lowered, Arinne subtly signaled to the Marquis who was sitting still.

Huh?

After wearing a stupid expression for a moment, he soon caught Arinne’s meaning and grabbed a wet cloth.

“Jade. Give me your hands.”

Jade’s eyes widened as he hesitated, then held out his hands.

“But I’m nine years old…”

“I know, I know. But dad wants to wipe your hands himself. Won’t you let me?”

“…Then it’s okay.”

The Marquis carefully began wiping Jade’s hands. His movements were so stiff they made even observers tense.

“Your hands have gotten bigger.”

The Marquis only now realized that the child’s hands, which had barely been able to grip his fingers, had grown large enough to cover his palm.

He felt pathetic for not noticing the child’s growth. He was a father who didn’t properly know not only his children’s height and weight, but even what they liked or disliked.

“…I think that’s enough now.”

Jade took in every detail of his own hands and his father’s hands holding them without blinking once.

Even after his father’s hands withdrew, Jade’s gaze remained on his own hands.

‘I want to throw up…’

All he’d eaten was breakfast. He hadn’t touched the sandwiches and fruit right in front of him. What he’d eaten should have been digested long ago, yet he felt stuffy, like something was lodged inside.

Jade found the uncomfortable churning in his chest strange and wanted to pull it out and throw it away.

“Is Jade crying?”

Ray shoved his face toward Jade.

“Huh? Jade’s crying!”

“I’m not!!”

His face bright red, Jade pushed Ray away.

Ray pouted and returned to Arinne’s arms, while Jade hung his head to hide his face.

“I’m going to play more!!”

Like someone might grab him, Jade ran off before anyone could stop him.

“I think dad wiped too hard. That’s why Jade got mad, right?”

Ray made a wall with his two small hands like maple leaves and whispered only to her.

“Am I the problem?!”

The Marquis, who’d heard everything from the side, turned pale. His eyes trembled aimlessly when he saw Arinne nod in response to Ray.

‘What a fool.’

Arinne clicked her tongue watching him fidget anxiously like a puppy that needed to go.

As expected, he found Jade more difficult than Ray. Jade felt the same way.

Both of them got along fine with Ray. That meant something must have happened either before Ray was old enough to form memories, or even before he was born.

‘The Marquis’s wife, perhaps?’

A thought suddenly flashed through Arinne’s mind.

If it was something about the Marquis’s household that an outsider could guess, it would only be the death of the Marquis’s wife. If it was another reason, she wouldn’t know.

“Lady? Are you cold by any chance?”

“No. I just suddenly got goosebumps.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Recalling that bizarre wall she’d seen the day before, Arinne got goosebumps on her arms.

What kind of person had the Marquis’s wife been? How did she know the same script as Josephine? Questions arose one after another.

“Big sister, aren’t you eating your sandwich?”

“No.”

Ray’s clear call pulled Arinne from her thoughts back to reality.

“Should Ray feed you? Don’t you like sandwiches? Want a cookie? Huh? Which one do you like, big sister? Do you like juice? Ray likes apple juice. What do you like, big sister? Huh huh? Huh?”

Showing off in her lap, Ray chattered without pause for breath.

Ray was impatient and stubborn, unable to wait. He had to achieve what he wanted one way or another, and believed throwing tantrums would get him everything.

It was because the Marquis, out of pity and using the excuse that disciplining children was difficult, had indiscriminately indulged all his whims.

“Ray. You can’t call her ‘big sister.’”

The watching Marquis interjected, correcting Ray’s form of address.

Recalling how she’d been firm with Ray earlier, the Marquis tried to use a firm voice.

He wanted to become a proper parent even now, and moreover, now that he knew Arinne was the Lady of Marcedea, he thought he shouldn’t let the child continue treating her so casually.

“Why? Is it bad to call her big sister?”

“It’s not bad, but it’s rude.”

The problem was that Ray, who’d never been properly scolded by him, didn’t understand his attempt at discipline.

“Lady, please say something too.”

“Me? Mm, call me whatever’s comfortable?”

“Okay!”

Additionally, she was unexpectedly tolerant of others and let most of the child’s rude behavior slide.

“…”

The Marquis looked at her incredulously.

“You can’t keep being rude just because big sister lets you. Stop speaking casually to her too.”

“But dad just called her ‘big sister’ too.”

“Hic.”

A ridiculous sound came from the Marquis’s mouth.

‘Why is he so surprised?’

Arinne chuckled at the Marquis’s state. He got surprised so often, flustered so often, and blushed so often.

“The Marquis was just following your expression. I’m not the Marquis’s big sister.”

Unable to watch any longer, Arinne interjected and began explaining while kneading Ray’s cheeks like flour dough.

“Is dad older?”

“Not older, more.”

“Oooh, more?”

“Yeah. Way more.”

Somehow she felt a hot gaze from across the way.

After sneaking a glance at the dumbfounded Marquis’s face, Arinne continued her conversation with Ray without concern.

“But big sister is still stronger, right? You said big sister can even scold dad…!”

Ray, reading the Marquis’s expression, whispered secretly to Arinne like before.

“That’s a secret. Let’s keep it between us two. The Marquis might get upset, you know?”

“Yeah! Secret.”

Excited by the word ‘secret,’ Ray smiled brightly and placed his index finger on his lips.

“I feel left out being excluded like this.”

The isolated Marquis stuck out his lower lip like a child.

“It’s an important conversation.”

“Important!”

Ray echoed Arinne’s words and laughed mischievously.

Arinne grabbed both of Ray’s cheeks and shook them lightly. The texture was excessively appealing, so her hands kept going back.

Ray giggled and twisted his body, then jumped into her arms.

“Whoa?!”

“Lady!!”

This caused Arinne’s body to tilt backward. The Marquis urgently reached out his arms.

His hand firmly supported Arinne’s back. It wasn’t a skillful embrace—literally just one large hand propping her up.

Ray seemed to have developed a habit of jumping forcefully into people’s arms since those who usually held him were either the butler or knights.

“Please be careful.”

“How badly could I get hurt falling on a lawn…”

She could clearly feel his hand through the thin fabric. Even the rough calluses formed from gripping a sword.

Arinne’s nerves unconsciously focused on the hand supporting her back.

“Lady? Your face is red. Are you really not sick?”

The Marquis put strength into his palm and pushed her back forward. Her body, which had leaned back, found its original center and straightened up properly.

“I-I told you I’m fine.”

She’d been fine even when he’d cupped her face from a distance where they’d touch if she fell. So why now…

“If you stay there, the Lady will be uncomfortable.”

“No.”

“You almost fell just now. Is it okay if big sister gets hurt again?”

“Hng.”

Leaving her flustered, the Marquis brought Ray into his own arms.

“…”

“…”

Neither the Marquis nor Ray looked comfortable. Even Ray, who clung to strangers without shyness, seemed unfamiliar with his own father’s embrace.

“I-I’m going to play with Jade too!!”

“Ray?!”

Unable to bear the unfamiliar embrace, Ray also ran away.

Having let Ray go in vain, the Marquis turned to Arinne with an aggrieved voice.

“Was I the problem this time too?”