“Right, when one falls out, another shakes, and when two fall out, three shake. So, when a front tooth falls out, you have to smear cornmeal so that you can eat, right? If you give it as a lump, they can’t peel off the shell, so they just have to lick it. Did you do that too? Now your front teeth must be all out. When you were young, you know.”
Without even licking corn, let alone seeing a lump of corn, Swan had no words to respond, but she had learned that she should always answer adult questions, so she thought for a moment and calmly replied.

“I don’t have such a memory, but I understand one thing.”

“Oh? What do you understand?”

With a proud expression, Swan looked briefly at Arianthe, who was in Cedaloi’s arms, and calmly responded to the adult’s question.

“When Arianthe’s baby teeth start to fall out, don’t give her corn in lumps. I’ll have to smear cornmeal on it. Because I’m her older brother.”

Instantly, Clopht burst into laughter with his mouth wide open. The laughter echoed loudly in the Vonsung hall, and Swan, surprised, subtly moved her body to the side of Cedaloi.

“Haman! Look at what this little guy is saying! It’s amazing that he’s talking at all. Is he more impressive than our big brother, who’s forty years old? The guy in our house is lucky if he doesn’t beat the younger ones with cornstalks! Cedaloi, did you raise him so impressively?”

“Swan is naturally a good kid. Different from others, you know.”

Cedaloi responded as if it were ridiculous. Then, a grumbling voice was heard from the western staircase.

“Darn it, Clopht. What did you eat in the carriage? How can you be so energetic unless you’ve eaten Haman?!”

It was Ash. Swan rushed to Ash with joy, and Arianthe, urging Cedaloi, got out of his arms.

Ash, who was not fully awake, was covering his whole face with annoyance. But when he saw the two children, he suddenly put on a gentle expression like an angel and greeted them with a morning greeting.

“Did you sleep well, our chicks?”

“We slept well!”

“Ash, did you sleep well too?”

“I would have if it weren’t so noisy. Now, Arianthe, Swan. I have a favor to ask. Could you go to the kitchen and make me a cup of strong tea to drink? While you’re at it, get some caramel to nibble on.”

The children happily ran off. Arianthe, who met Haman’s eyes even in the meantime, did not forget to greet him while grabbing a strand of her hair, and this action amused Haman.

“He’s got no sense.”

Clopht said, and Haman gave him a sarcastic remark.

“It’s because of you. Because you’ve sown the seeds.”

“These kids are cuter than you think. At this rate, I might want to have a child, too, a shocking wish.”

Ash grumbled.

“Go to the church on your birthday and pray. Then, who knows, there might be a child on the doorstep. In a basket decorated with ribbons, there might be a child just like you.”

Then Haman chuckled and accepted Ash’s words.

“A child just like Clopht probably wouldn’t cry. Instead of crying, he would say something like this. ‘Darn it, leather stuck to my back, when the heck will you give me milk? No, is this milk? Is this watery thing? I’m going to starve to death!’ He would say something like that instead of crying.”
“I knew very well how both of you see me.”

Clopht’s eyes narrowed slightly. Cedaloi, who had been faintly smiling while listening to the three people chatting back and forth, brushed back the bangs that were dripping down his forehead. Clopht spoke.

“Anyone here who doesn’t know that your face is handsome like a sculpture? You don’t have to subtly brag about it.”

“It seems like it’s been a while, Clopht. It seems like your talent for making absurd remarks has evolved even more during that time. Are you continuing to evolve?”

“Today, you’re particularly annoying. If the kids weren’t cute, it might have been less irritating, but both of them are cute and clever. Annoying.”

Then Haman, pretending to block Clopht’s mouth, intervened.

“Stop the nonsense and let’s get to the point. The culprit?”

“He’ll be here soon. I temporarily vacated the seat. He’s on his way from the capital to here. He should arrive sometime in the morning.”

Clopht sang a snappy tune.

“He’s coming all the way around. Really a tired and cautious friend.”

Ignoring Clopht, the three continued their conversation.

“No need to show the children. Right?”

When Ash spoke, Cedaloi nodded.

“That’s right. The kids shouldn’t be there, especially Arianthe. That kid… knows about her parents. But it’s not the whole truth. Arianthe only knows that Verbo and Lilia died in an accident. So she should never be allowed to be there.”

Clopht intervened.

“I don’t know what kind of child your daughter is, but if it were me, I’d want to be there. Later, when she finds out, she’ll be even more upset. If I were to find even a fragment of that woman’s bones, I would have smashed it to pieces. But it’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“I don’t wish for Arianthe to grow up soaked in revenge for Joslin, Clopht.”

Clopht’s shoulders lightly shrugged. Haman said.

“I agree with the idea that there’s no need to show the children. If it were a formal trial, your daughter would have to attend. But this is not a formal trial. There might be a reason why your mother sent me, to protect your daughter. So send the children elsewhere. It’s uneasy even inside the mansion.”