After crying for a while, Larisa bravely finished her sandwich. She was hungry, as she had skipped both breakfast and lunch.

“William, do you not have classes today?”

“Yeah, the professor said I should take care of you first.”

“Why don’t you call him Dad?”

William furrowed his brow.

“Lara, could you suddenly call your father ‘Dad’ if he appeared out of nowhere?”

“If it were me, I would probably throw a fit!”

There it was again, the alleyway-style way of speaking. William bit his lip and suppressed a laugh.

“Even though there may be reasons for Dad, thinking about Mom passing away makes me feel resentful…”

“Right. While I might not punch him in the face, I still feel resentment.”

Larisa was surprised. It was the first time William openly expressed hatred towards someone.

“I never expected it, so I thought I wouldn’t feel resentful, but it turns out I do.”

“Why did Professor Siod suddenly appear?”

“It seems there was a misunderstanding. He didn’t know he had a child.”

Watching William casually respond, Larisa spoke with a gloomy expression.

“Sorry, William.”

“For what?”

“For surprising you because of me.”

“…”

“…I was envious. I have no mother now, but William gained a father. Everyone loves William a lot.”

William raised his hand to Larisa’s small head and gently ruffled her hair.

“Don’t cry.”

However, with a voice full of tears, Larisa muttered.

“William will become a great duke, but I have nowhere to go.”
William wondered where Larisa was thinking of going. A place to rely on? A goal? Or perhaps a dream?

Whatever it was, why worry about it? Before expressing his inner thoughts, William coughed awkwardly for a moment.

“Well, what’s there to worry about when you have a duke as your back?”

“Hmm?”

“I said I’ll be by your side.”

Another sound of crying echoed.

“Why do you keep crying? It’s about a little kid.”

“I’m not a little kid.”

“Sure.”

Giving a vague response, William lay down on the road, gazing at the sky. Thankfully, Larisa was still a little kid, and the strange dream was just a strange dream.

After consoling Larisa for a while, William took her to the communal cemetery. Even though Larisa had only been there once, she found the way accurately.

“I came, Mom.”

Originally, she wouldn’t have been allowed to be buried in the communal cemetery. Only respectable citizens with a registered address could be buried there.

People from the slums were usually buried anywhere when they died, and they were often forgotten. The fact that she could visit her mom whenever she wanted was all thanks to Ginevra.

“I’m doing well.”

Larisa, with her swollen eyes, didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled and leaned against the gravestone.

“Willi-Willi, was our mom very pretty?”

“I know.”

“When I grow up, will I be pretty like Mom?”

William reflexively recalled the image of Larisa as an adult from the dream.

“Yeah, you’ll probably be pretty…”
Not a joke, but Larisa in the dream was more beautiful than anyone she had ever seen. However, dreams are originally fantasies, so it must have been a reflection of his ideal type.

“Wait, does that mean she’s my ideal type?”

William unintentionally thought of Larisa from the dream. Despite her delicate and lovely appearance, she seemed more proactive… William’s ears turned red.

“Get a grip, it’s just a dream.”

Is there really no guarantee that Larisa will grow up like that?

“I want to be pretty like a princess too.”

“You think you’ll be pretty?”

“I’m cute, but not pretty.”

Larisa was objective about herself. Instead of consoling her with empty words, William gave practical advice.

“You’re too skinny. Try eating more.”

“Just say I’m pretty!”

“Ah, why are you so picky about a little kid’s topic…”

She was a more mature Larisa than the sisters at the academy.

⭐

When Larisa appeared in the restaurant holding William’s hand again, Ginevra noticeably sighed in relief and let out a breath.

Every evening, she had lingered around Larisa’s doorstep, suggesting to have a meal together. However, the response had always been a refusal.

It seemed impossible for her to ease Larisa’s mood.

However, with William’s return, Larisa appeared in the restaurant. Perhaps it was destiny.

‘Should I try talking to her?’
However, initiating a conversation was a difficult issue. Ginevra hesitated, worried that she might unintentionally upset Larisa, causing her to retreat again, judging from Larisa’s sulky expression.

Seeing Ginevra hesitating, Siode, feeling frustrated, greeted first. “Lala, did you do well while the teacher was at the academy?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have fun playing with William today?”

“Yes.”

As Larisa held the fork without making a move, William, sitting beside her, diligently served the dishes.

Even as she observed the food on her plate, Larisa didn’t touch anything.

Then William asked, “Why aren’t you eating? Shall I feed you?”

“I’m not a baby. I can eat by myself.”

“Come on, eat. You must be hungry.”

Reluctantly, Larisa raised her fork, under the watchful eyes of the concerned adults.