“It’s only seven o’clock, are you already coming down for a meal?”

Aria tilted her head in surprise at her getting up at this hour, as she was known to be a late sleeper. Catherine frowned and said:

“It’s not that I particularly wanted to see this child, I just happened to wake up early today! Don’t misunderstand.”

I haven’t said anything yet.

Aria swallowed the rebuttal that had almost slipped out. Beside her, Bonita greeted in a clear voice.

“Good morning, lady. It’s a nice morning.”

“It’s not particularly a nice morning.”

“Ah…”

Bonita sighed.

“Actually, I was going to say it’s a very nice morning.”

Catherine quickly added.

“There’s a difference between very nice and just nice, you should know that too. Anyway, stop dawdling like a slug and hurry to the dining room! Both of you!”

“Wait, lady!”

Aria let out a small scream as Catherine suddenly pushed her.

The two of them practically ran into the dining room. Bonita, startled, followed with quick steps.

In the dining room sat Luke, who was already there. He dropped the morning newspaper he was holding when he saw the three of them.

“Bonita! No, Mother!”

“Just call one of us. Goodness, how confusing.”

“Bonita!”

“Hmph.”

Catherine snorted, abandoned by her son.

“Bonita, sit next to Daddy.”

“What are you saying? Little one, if you sit next to that dark fellow, you’ll choke on your food. Go sit way over there on the opposite side.”

“Mother!”

“What. Did I say something wrong?”

“Sigh.”

Bonita’s head spun at the two adults’ verbal sparring.

Bonita wondered if she should sit next to the scary-looking Duke as he said, or on the opposite side as the strict old lady Aria called ‘grandmother’ had instructed.

“Bonita, then let’s sit together over here.”

Aria, noticing Bonita’s dilemma, resolved the situation.

She sat down two seats away from Luke.

“What would you like for breakfast today?”

“Hmm, I’d like a soup with lots of meat. And soft white bread too.”

Even the fierce Lady Lisianthus was at a loss for words at that brazen attitude. Moreover, Bonita looked so happy that she couldn’t say anything.

“Mother. You should sit with me.”

“Hmph. Why should I sit with you?”

Catherine sat across from Bonita.

Luke, suddenly left alone, had a blank expression. He quietly took his coffee cup and newspaper and sat diagonally across from Bonita.

That is, next to Catherine and across from Aria.

Aria and Luke’s eyes met. Aria smiled with her eyes.

“What is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“That smile.”

Luke frowned and said.

“It’s unpleasant.”

“…That’s a bit hurtful.”

“Well, that’s too bad. But I’m not one to lie, so Miss Aria will just have to understand.”

“How thoughtful of you.”

Crackle.

Sparks flew between the two.

What broke the tension was the servant bringing in the aperitif.

“For the young miss, the chef has specially prepared freshly squeezed grape juice.”

“Wow.”

Bonita, who received grape juice instead of an aperitif, exclaimed in admiration.

Aria was smiling fondly at that, but then paused when she saw the wine placed in front of her.

‘This is…’

It was a familiar scent.

Zephyri wine.

Aria suddenly recalled a conversation with Luke from early in their marriage.

“Luke, what’s this? The scent is very unique.”

“Zephyri wine. It’s from the southern part of the Crocus Empire. Don’t you like it? I’ll call the chef right away to bring something else…”

“No! I love it!”

“Really?”

“Yes. But if it’s imported from the Empire, we probably can’t have it often.”

There was little exchange between the Aleph Kingdom, where the Lisianthus duchy was located, and the Crocus Empire.

If one were to be specific, the nobles of the kingdom would go to study at the Empire’s academy in their youth, but besides that, there was no reason to visit. Even trade itself was extremely strict.

Knowing this situation, Elodie spoke with a hint of regret, and Luke’s gaze fixed on her.

He said:

“No. If you want, I’ll make sure you can drink only this every day.”

“Huh? Is that possible?”

“Of course.”

And after that, Luke and Elodie really did drink half a glass of Zephyri wine every morning.

Elodie tended to eat only one food she was fixated on until she got tired of it, but she didn’t get tired of this until she died two and a half years later.

Aria turned her head to look at Luke.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Your Grace.”

“What.”

“Do you perhaps drink this every morning? The Zephyri wine?”

Luke answered indifferently to her question.

“Yes.”

“I… see?”

“But you recognized it well. It’s a wine that’s difficult for people in the kingdom to come across.”

“…It’s because I like it.”

This time Luke paused.

However, he didn’t say anything else, just frowned once and didn’t continue the conversation.

“Wow.”

Instead, attention turned to Bonita.

Bonita was busy spreading red, delicious-looking jam on the white bread that came with the grape juice, then took a bite.

Seeing that, Luke’s expression softened.

“Is it delicious?”

“Huh? Ah… yes!”

Bonita was startled by the Duke suddenly speaking to her, but soon nodded. After what happened the day before yesterday and yesterday, Bonita had considerably lowered her guard against Luke.

“I thought it was strawberry, but it’s blueberry jam.”

If there hadn’t been food in front of Bonita, she would have quickly noticed the strange tension between the Duke and Aria.

However, Bonita was so distracted by the bread that came with the grape juice that she missed the subtle conversations and reactions between the two. For Aria, it was rather fortunate.

“Hmph, what’s so delicious about that.”

Catherine grumbled as she saw Bonita hurriedly devouring the bread.

“There are much more delicious things in the world. There’s no need to be amazed by such trivial jam.”

It was a gruff tone, but Bonita keenly realized that she had no particular malice towards her.

Bonita’s head turned towards Catherine. Her clear eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“More than this?”

“Of course. This kind of, I mean, this doesn’t even rank among the delicious things you can eat at the Duke’s residence.”

Hearing those words, Bonita looked at the bread in her hand with a serious expression.

Of course, the sandwich she ate yesterday, and the other foods she had eaten so far were really, really delicious, but the bread and jam she was eating now were certainly not inferior.

‘But more than this… more?’

What could possibly be more delicious than this?

As Bonita fell into such serious contemplation, Catherine gestured boastfully towards Luke.

“See! How little attention have you paid to the child for her to be moved by something like this? And her body is nothing but bones, tsk.”

“I haven’t neglected her. I’ve…”

“Anyway! We’re eating out tonight. I have to show you myself how many delicious things there are in the world, it’s too frustrating.”

Luke looked at his mother with an incredulous expression.

He whispered quietly enough so Bonita couldn’t hear.

“Mother, I thought you said you couldn’t accept her as your granddaughter.”

“Accept what?! I haven’t yet! Not a chance! Not until the test results come out!”

“Ah, yes.”

I should do it as soon as possible.

He quickly spoke up, not wanting to see any more of Catherine’s antics.

“Oh, Bonita. I have something to tell you.”

“Yes?”

“A clergyman is coming to the duchy today.”

“A clergyman…?”

“Yes.”

Luke nodded kindly.

“…”

And then he hesitated for a moment.

Is it really good to tell Bonita now?

His intention was merely to create evidence to show the outside world, but Bonita might misunderstand his feelings.

Even if he explained, it was uncertain whether the child could properly understand.

“The main dish is served.”

At that moment, sunny-side-up eggs with bacon and steaming soup were brought out on a tray.

Bonita’s gaze turned to the crispy croutons in the soup.

“Bonita, shall I cut the bacon for you?”

“Umm, yes please.”

While Bonita was eating the soup, Aria quickly and perfectly cut the bacon. Thanks to this, Luke missed the timing to speak.

After finishing breakfast, Bonita took Aria’s hand and came out to the garden in front of the mansion. The garden was endlessly filled with pink flowers in full bloom for spring.

The mansion had a completely different scent from the dirty and grimy slums where poor people lived together.

“Mother, can I go over there?”

“Of course. Just be careful not to prick yourself.”

With Aria’s permission, Bonita approached closer to the pink rose bushes where more flowers were.

“Ah!”

Whoosh.

Suddenly, the wind blew.

Bonita’s dress fluttered in the strong gust. Thanks to the wind, petals from the cherry tree behind the rose bushes fell in a shower.

Bonita reflexively stretched out her arms. Coincidentally, one of the fluttering petals fell right into Bonita’s hand.

The place where they had the tea party last time was full of blue grass, not flowers, but the back of the mansion filled with pink waves had a completely different atmosphere.

‘Does the Duke like pink?’

The image of Duke Lisianthus surrounded by cherry blossoms appeared in Bonita’s mind.

Not black or blood-red, but such a soft pink. Bonita thought that perhaps the Duke wasn’t as scary as rumors said.

No, in fact, just looking at his behavior over the past few days showed that.

Bonita was lost in deep thought as she tightly held the petal that had landed in her hand.

It was then.

“Damn it. Just my rotten luck. To come here with you of all people.”

“Can’t be helped! I really didn’t want to come to the Duke’s residence either. The atmosphere is gloomy when you enter the mansion, and especially the Duke, I really get the chills every time I see him.”

“True, you have to watch your neck. If that supposed daughter turns out to be fake, we might get our heads chopped off for daring to insult him.”

Thud.

At the sound of two men’s voices from afar, Bonita dropped the petal she was holding.