Despite the turbulent thoughts inside, Luke’s outward appearance was ice-cold.

Bonita’s pupils trembled like barley at harvest time as she gripped the doorknob, faced with the demeanor befitting the Duke infamous for his cold-bloodedness.

‘Should I… should I not have come in?’

Such a frightening face.

Perhaps he might suddenly become angry and drive her out, saying a child like her should leave this mansion.

“Oh my, Bonita. What are you doing, not coming in?”

“W-Well…”

An eerie voice sounded from behind Bonita. Luke inadvertently flinched at the chill in those words.

Creeeeak.

As the door opened completely, a blonde, blue-eyed woman was standing beyond it, as if it were only natural. Luke and Aria’s eyes met.

She pulled Bonita towards herself with a displeased expression and sneered.

“Hello? This is the idiot who can’t understand what’s being said.”

“That’s not what I…!”

Luke was about to burst out in anger, but stopped when he saw the tears welling up in Bonita’s eyes. His expression changed to that of a village fool.

“It, it wasn’t meant for you. Please don’t cry…”

“Sniff.”

This is messed up.

Though it was a vulgar word he didn’t usually use, it was all he could think of. Luke froze on the spot.

It was quite a spectacle to see a giant nearly 2m tall become stiff as a board like an idiot in front of a child. And this was the Duke of Lisianthus, who lived carrying all sorts of ominous rumors.

Edward, the servant watching, almost burst into laughter for a moment but hiccupped at Aria’s intimidating presence as she smiled. He just kept hiccupping.

‘How could you say such a thing to a child?’

Of course, Aria had also accidentally said some harsh words in front of Bonita a few times, but at least those weren’t directed at the child. Even if it was a mistake, she couldn’t help but feel angry.

‘And I was trying to help them get closer for his sake!’

Aria, who had made the cake together with the delighted Bonita, was the one who first suggested taking it to her father.

“Daughter, how about showing this to your father? It’s a gift.”

“But it’s such a mess… Won’t he dislike it and find it bothersome? Besides, the Duke hasn’t come to see me for three days…”

“That can’t be. The Duke loves you very much. He’s just a little awkward. For now.”

‘I persuaded her so well!’

As luck would have it, she had hit the nail on the head regarding Bonita’s worries.

The urge to throw away the cake box in her hands arose (in fact, during their courtship, Luke had once been hit by a real cake from Elodie), but considering her own position, she held back.

Above all, she didn’t want to let Luke fall apart to that extent in front of Bonita.

“I, that is, well…”

Aria’s gaze turned to Luke.

He was still repeating stupid phrases like “that is” and “well” like a parrot in front of a girl half his size.

Stuttering when truly flustered. It was a trait of his that others didn’t know about.

Aria decided to help her ex-husband at this point.

“Bonita, come here.”

Bonita took a couple of steps back and nestled into the folds of Aria’s skirt. Luke glared at her reproachfully.

“Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”

But this was absurd.

“I did knock, didn’t I?”

“…That’s.”

Luke, at a loss for words, closed his mouth tightly and looked at Bonita hiding between the folds of Aria’s clothes. His fierce red eyes were dripping with resentment and lingering attachment.

This could go on all night. Aria sighed and urged him.

“Your Grace. Wouldn’t it be good to apologize to Bonita?”

“Ah.”

He let out a dumbfounded exclamation.

His hand flailed in the air.

“Ahem, um, Bonita.”

“Y-Yes?”

The answering voice trembled.

No matter how accustomed Bonita might be to such situations, she couldn’t help but be frightened in front of Luke, who was far more intimidating than other men. Luke carefully recalled this fact and took a step back. Bonita’s expression relaxed ever so slightly compared to before.

“I truly wasn’t talking to you. I thought it was someone else.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

Luke tried his best to use the gentlest and kindest tone he could manage.

“You’re my daughter, so you can come to the study anytime for any reason. You’re always welcome.”

Bonita’s eyes widened at these unprecedented words. The fear in the child’s red eyes dissipated a little, replaced by curiosity. Luke inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Edward, the servant standing nearby, cleared his throat. He decided to ask the little lady on behalf of the completely tense Duke.

“My lady, what brings you to the study? If I’m not mistaken, what Miss Aria is holding behind you looks like a gift box.”

“Ah!”

Bonita exclaimed briefly and turned slightly to look behind her. Aria nodded.

Bonita hesitated a little, then carefully confided to the now less frightening Duke.

“I made a cake with Mother… She said you might like it if I gave it to you. So I came to give you a present.”

Luke looked at Aria with surprised eyes. More precisely, at the gift box Aria was holding.

‘Your Grace, she says. A present, she says.’

He was momentarily lost, unsure whether to be sad about the distant form of address or happy about the first gift his daughter had brought him. Meanwhile, Bonita was anxiously watching Luke’s expression.

“Um, y-you might not like it. On second thought, this doesn’t seem like a good idea—”

“That’s not true!”

Luke cried out in surprise. He almost snatched the box from Aria. Then he placed it on his study desk as if it were a precious treasure.

“I really like it. May ‘Daddy’ open your gift now?”

He asked, deliberately emphasizing ‘Daddy’. But sadly, Bonita was so distracted by the Duke’s kind smile that she failed to notice his desperate signal.

Blinking her eyes, Bonita slowly nodded.

With permission granted, Luke carefully opened the wrapping. As he untied the meticulously tied ribbon, he suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

‘This is…’

“Elodie, how on earth did you tie this ribbon? It won’t come undone at all.”

“I tied it up tight with my love!”

“No, really, it won’t come undone.”

“Why don’t you just cut it with scissors?”

“Absolutely not! I’m going to keep everything you give me without a single scratch and put it on display. Even if it’s just gift wrapping ribbon.”

“…Isn’t that a bit creepy?”

A peculiar ribbon knot tied in a way he couldn’t fathom.

Luke, who had momentarily paused at the distant memory, now skillfully untied that strange knot with practiced hands.

Then, a cake emitting a sweet aroma emerged from inside. Luke’s gaze turned to the inside of the box.

A rough cream surface spread by hand. Crookedly cut strawberry pieces decorated with clumsy skill.

It was a very humble and plain cake compared to what he usually ate.

Nevertheless, imagining his daughter making the cake with her small hands made him feel as if someone was tightly gripping his heart.

Luke, momentarily silent at the sudden wave of emotion, carefully bent his knee.

As he knelt on one knee, he was barely at eye level with Bonita. He had to pay delicate attention not to frighten the child. He smiled gently with his hands on his knee.

“It’s a wonderful cake, Bonita. A truly splendid gift.”

“Ah.”

Luke extended his hand very, very slowly. Bonita was startled by the approaching hand for a moment, but stayed in place instead of avoiding him, touched by his considerate attitude.

Thud.

As the hand as big as a pot lid touched the small head, Luke, who had been extremely tense, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

The encounter with his daughter was blissful, but he felt his life span shortening as his heart sank from being too nervous.

“…?”

And in that state, his hand stopped.

Bonita looked with puzzled eyes at Luke’s hand resting on top of her head. Aria put her hand to her forehead.

Edward, who was watching, cleared his throat again and urged the Duke.

“Um, Your Grace. Weren’t you going to pat her?”

“…”

Pat her?

Hearing those words, Luke seriously pondered whether he should really do such a thing, then met Bonita’s eyes.

Pink irises.

A face that was the spitting image of Elodie.

Seeing Bonita, who proved with her whole being that she was his flesh and blood, his mind went blank again. To him, a daughter was like a mirage that might disappear at any moment if mishandled.

In the end, he quickly withdrew his hand. He no longer dared to touch her.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Silence descended upon the study.

The reasons were varied.

‘What should I say?’

Luke’s mind had gone blank like a fool in the face of a ‘subject that needed consideration’ that had appeared after a long time.

‘What was that just now…?’

Bonita was busy pondering what Luke’s eccentric behavior just now could have meant.

‘Why has he become so stupid while I wasn’t looking? This is why I really can’t leave him alone!’

Aria was thinking that she would need to keep an eye on her ex-husband, whose foolishness made her want to give him a smack.

It was truly a case of different dreams.

And Edward, the servant watching all of this in real-time, let out a groan. He wished they would just ask him to leave; at this rate, he felt he too might be crushed by this awkward and uncomfortable silence.

He had no choice but to take the initiative.

“Um, Your Grace?”

“What is it?”

Eek.

Edward inwardly screamed and broke out in a cold sweat at the face that was more rigid than usual.

“Well, that is… Since the young lady has made a cake for you, how about having a cozy tea time together?”

“Tea time?”

The Duke’s eyebrows twitched menacingly. Edward gulped at the murderous aura.