“I’ve now given you my power and my heart.”

“Huh? I didn’t accept your heart?”

Delpia chuckled, her eyes slightly teary.

“So… Master, do you want to be friends? Can an adult and a child not be friends?”

“Huh? That’s not it but…”

As I rolled my eyes, Delpia spoke.

“So, if I give you more gifts, will you be friends?”

“……Um, gifts?”

“Hm.”

“Um… Wait.”

Delpia got up. Her hands were slightly trembling.

As she reached out to my cheek, I tilted my head.

“Can I just pinch your cheek once?”

I shook my head vehemently and replied calmly.

“Only if you give a good gift.”

When I answered, Delpia clenched her fists.

“Okay, starting tomorrow.”

“Huh? Starting tomorrow?”

“You can look forward to what gift I’ll give.”

I don’t know what it is, but I should revise my internal assessment of Delpia.

From a threatening person to a truly weird person…!

But still…!

“Huh! I’ll look forward to it!”

…Because gifts are good!

“No weird stuff…!”

“Of course, baby Master.”

Delpia replied with a tender gaze.

I started to feel a bit fluttery…!

(This is a time separator.)

After lightly handing my leash to Cien, Delpia headed straight for Duchess Lukella’s mansion.

I was astounded by her audacity in leaving the reception room door open as if expecting her.

Delpia plopped down across the Duchess, who was elegantly sipping tea with a placid face.

“You poisoned my tea cup.”

Delpia bluntly said, not bothering about etiquette.

The Duchess also set down her tea cup with an indifferent expression.

“Yes. Since the two of us were having a tea party.”

“Hmm…”

“It seemed difficult to refrain from trying to kill the child.”

“…So it’s better if I die instead of Cien.”

“Yes.”

It was a simple admission.

Indeed, she was like a sorceress who often had blood on her hands. But Delpia just chuckled.

“Is today the day I finally thank the Duchess?”

The Duchess had always thought that Delpia’s insane way of thinking surpassed ordinary people. But this time was really exceptional.

Thanking her for poisoning my tea?
Duchess Lukella narrowed her eyes and straightforwardly asked Delphia Mirmode.

“What do you mean?”

“I really like him.”

Delphia chuckled and rested her chin on the table. Her gaze sharply fixed on Duchess Lukella.

“Now he’s my master, I’ve got him by the leash.”

Though claiming to have someone by the leash, her expression was far too unrestrained.

But the reason one couldn’t ignore Delphia’s words was…

Always playful and living for amusement, her expression was uncharacteristically serious now.

“Master?”

“Yes, my little master. I gave my mana orb to Sien.”

Her words were wrapped in playfulness, but giving away a mana orb was not to be taken lightly.

Duchess Lukella slightly furrowed her brows.

“More sincere than I thought, it seems.”

“It does.”

It did seem sincere.

The moment the Duchess’s eyes thinned as if evaluating the other.

Delphia looked at her and jokingly said,

“And I thought, you know, calling him ‘Master’ might be more charming than ‘Honeybun.'”

During her second visit to Duchess Lukella’s mansion, Delphia finally figured out who the term “Honeybun” was directed at.

Impossible not to know.

The moment she entered the mansion today, even the maids were bowing.

‘I miss Honeybun.’

‘Can I take a leave and go to the western mansion?’

‘What leave… I’ve prepared candies for when Honeybun comes, so I wish he would hurry…’

Given the circumstances, it was clear who the term ‘Honeybun’ was referring to.

A faint sense of displeasure showed on Duchess Lukella’s face, which had been calm all along.

“Our Honeybun would prefer the term from this granny and the word ‘Honeybun.'”

“Well, isn’t ‘Master’ cuter?”

Their gazes met in the middle.

Delphia smiling circularly, and Duchess Lukella coldly assessing the situation.

Shockingly, a succession disputelevel of tension was flaming up.

Unbeknownst to Sien, a struggle over Sien had heatedly begun.

(This is a time separator.)

The next day arrived.

After Sister Delphia left, Dad said, ‘It’s a relief that the device installed in the tea party room didn’t explode.’ I don’t exactly know what he meant.

It seemed he thought I’d be in danger, so he had called those idiots to set up something like a cute toy bomb.

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I went for a walk with the maid sisters.

But then…

A carriage with Delphia’s seal embossed on the surface was approaching.

“A bomb sent by Delphia Mirmode.”

“We’ll remove it immediately.”

The sound of joints cracking rang out.

“Shall we start loosening up?”

My eyes widened and I shook my head vigorously. That’s because the figure appearing in the distance was…!

I grinned and clenched my fist tightly.