As if that could happen. I put them there.

“Santa Claus only comes for good kids.”

“I’m a good kid.”

“And, I told you, you can’t just put anything in your mouth to see whether you live or die, in case a bad person has put it there.”

“Ugh. Nagging. I know. But this is our secret base.”

Evelia, fearing her chicken skewer would be stolen, angrily swallowed the remaining pieces in one bite.

For Ludwig, who had an experience of crossing the line between life and death from unknowingly eating poisoned food, his concern was reasonable, but to Evelia, it was simply an overworry.

“But who really left this here? It’s still warm.”

“Sigh…”

Which aristocrat in the world talks with food in her mouth?

While he sighed at her behavior unfit for a highborn aristocrat, Ludwig was also satisfied to know that his little friend, who usually maintained her dignity in front of others, was so relaxed only in front of him.

“Did a food thief leave it?”

Ludwig couldn’t easily answer his friend’s question about who left it.

Moreover, he couldn’t even tell a white lie that it was the land thief who had begged Eikrian to cast a heatretention spell on the chicken skewer, so it would stay warm whenever eaten.

It would have been as simple as saying, like he usually does to the aristocrats, ‘I did it because you guys didn’t do your job properly’. But for some reason, he felt shy.

‘It all looks worthless.’

Standing in front of Evelia, the gifts he had collected one by one over about half a month, thinking of his friend, all seemed insignificant.

‘It looks like I just collected things haphazardly, like a sparrow building a house.’

He was filled with regret.

‘I should have brought something better, something more precious.’

As Ludwig didn’t answer, Evelia tilted her head and this time reached for the orange juice.

As soon as her hand touched the cool orange juice, also under a spell, a voice much lower and serious than Ludwig’s echoed.

“Not that one, this one.”

A hand much larger than Evelia’s quickly snatched the orange juice and handed her a new one.

“Bunny!”

As Agares, who had handed her the orange juice he brought, looked down at Ludwig with a smug face, Ludwig also glared at Agares with his cold red eyes.

‘Just you wait. If I grow just a little bit taller, seriously.’

He hadn’t realized that he would be this eager to grow taller.

He would improve his swordsmanship, strengthen his body on the battlefield, grow a lot taller, and the first thing he would do is to deal with that boy.

Evelia, watching the two friends in the chilly atmosphere, propped her forehead with her small hand. Now she understood just by their looks.

‘Here we go again. They’re going to fight.’

They all got together after a long time and she didn’t want a quarrel. Trainer Evelia opened her small palm and decisively cut them off.

“Stop it, both of you. We all will eat.”

Evelia went outside the cabin, holding a bottle of orange juice in each arm.

Her destination was the mat under the warm sun. Today, she preferred the soft grass on the mat over the rock.

As soon as he understood where the steps of the small friend were leading, Ludwig went ahead with an indifferent expression and cleanly brushed off the leaves and grass attached to the mat.

Agares folded a large blanket twice for her to sit more comfortably, and did not forget to keep a separate blanket in case it was cold.

It was a consideration that had now become familiar like a tradition, both for the giver and the receiver.

“Uhhuh, good. It’s been a long time, my secret base.”

Evelia spoke as she stretched out on the blanket.

By now, even Ludwig did not refute the term ‘my’ secret base. It had been a long time since this place lost its meaning without the little friend.

Ludwig took out a handkerchief and asked as he lightly wiped the chicken skewer sauce smeared around Evelia’s mouth.

“I only heard a little yesterday. Tell me more about your visit to Harventa.”

“But I told everything yesterday!”

“Then tell me slowly again. I want to hear it again.”

“Sure! It was a very happy time so it will be happy to tell it again.”

While propping up her chin and shaking her two legs, Evelia recited her Harventa Empire experience.

Agares, leaning against a wooden pillar and looking down at the little friend, and Ludwig, asking about the things he could not ask yesterday, enjoyed a comfortable reunion.

Evelia’s smile, facing her friends, shone like sunlight.

‘My friends who lend their ears to my stories. Friends who always stand by my side. Friends who will always come running. Friends I must protect.’

The young child deeply engraved the consideration of her two friends in her heart.

The falling light, as if awakening. The two friends illuminated by that light were simply dazzling.

As the sun slowly tilted, time passed. Ludwig, preparing to leave, pointed to two small baskets and asked Evelia.

“What is this?”

“Oh, right!”

She had completely forgotten in the midst of her excited chatter about meeting the food thief after a long time!