“You’re not hungry? I’m really hungry.”

Inside the carriage departing for the Duke Vicander’s territory, when Edwin said he was hungry, Olivia naturally thought of bread for the meal.

A sandwich filled with ham and cheese would be nice. She remembered the sandwich that the chef Masa used to make at the Duke’s residence.

But Olivia soon gave up the thought with a chuckle.

In a rocking carriage, bread spread with jam would be the most convenient. Olivia knew this better than anyone, because of the experience she gained each time she traveled to various regions on the Princess’s orders.

.

.

.

So, Olivia found this situation unfamiliar.

The carriage was stopped on a secluded road in the vast plains, the knights were sitting here and there, taking out sandwiches from a pretty basket.

“Olivia. Which one would you like?”

As if he had encountered the most difficult puzzle in the world, Edwin spoke while looking at the four sandwiches.

“Melted cheese with ham is good, and so is chicken steak with arugula and green olives, and pickled veal with tomatoes. Ah, I usually like salmon, but I’m not in the mood for it today.”

Edwin looked at Olivia as if asking what he should do. The sunlight filtering through the lush leaves sparkled on Edwin’s face.

The wind ruffling his hair, the fleeting smell of grass, and even his awkward sitting position.

All of it felt vividly real.

Olivia swallowed her unfamiliar feeling and asked Edwin.

“……Is this okay?”

“What?”

“We’re busy. It takes three days to get to Vicander’s territory, this is like…”

Olivia paused and looked around. The sky was as blue as paint, and the vast green plains were dazzling, even the cheerful laughter of the knights sitting at a reasonable distance.

“……It’s like a picnic.”

“The Princess. You didn’t mistake this for a picnic, did you? If we go to work, we should finish quickly and return. Why am I hearing about leisurely sightseeing?”

Suddenly, she remembered the first time she went abroad at the Princess’s command.

She had been scolded by the Princess for stopping the carriage to eat sandwiches that Sally had packed on the way.

Olivia’s heart suddenly became anxious. This was not a picnic. They had to hurry to their destination, Vicander’s territory.

“It’s not like a picnic, it’s a picnic.”

For a moment, Olivia looked at Edwin. Clearly correcting Olivia’s words, Edwin swiftly examined her.

Her small hands, buried in the folds of her dress and fidgeting restlessly, stopped moving.

But only after confirming that her white back of the hand was without a single nail mark did Edwin’s beautiful eyes soften.

“What’s the hurry? Whether it takes three days or a few days, the destination is the same.”

Edwin’s languid voice shattered the words that had been deeply rooted in Olivia in an instant.

There’s no hurry. The destination is the same anyway.

These short words struck Olivia like a huge wave. She blinked slowly.

Her heart, which had been beating anxiously, now beat fast for a different reason.

A picnic.

A multitude of emotions crossed her pale face. Joy and excitement, a little worry, her face, freed from those feelings, was utterly adorable.

Her face returned to its usual calm, but the tips of her ears reddened slightly. Seeing that, Edwin teased her.

“Masa said to eat the sandwiches as quickly as possible. Do you know that all the knights are looking at Olivia right now?”

The feeling of being lost faded slightly as she came to her senses. As Edwin said, the knights holding sandwiches were all looking at me. Startled, Olivia picked up any sandwich from Edwin’s hand.

“Edwin, why haven’t you eaten?”

“Olivia’s making such an interesting face, how can I eat first? Eat slowly.”
Teasingly telling her to eat slowly, Edwin unwrapped the sandwich that Olivia was holding. The savory smell from the melted cheese quickly reached her nose.

Her appetite was aroused in an instant. Olivia carefully took a bite of the sandwich.

It was a familiar taste. She knew very well that the sandwich filled with ham and cheese from the Maso bakery was delicious.

“It’s tasty.”

Olivia mumbled unconsciously. Though it should be the same as the sandwiches she ate at the Duke’s residence, it was indeed very delicious.

“I’m glad you find it tasty, Olivia. A sandwich eaten on a picnic does have a different flavor, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s different. Truly.”

“Shall we do it again? A picnic?”

Edwin, who slyly suggested it, watched Olivia’s reaction. He thought she would answer right away, but Olivia’s lips twitched a beat later before she responded.

“……Can we do it twice?”

At her serious voice, Edwin burst into hearty laughter.

At the sound of his lively laughter, Olivia’s face turned bright red.

(This is a time divider.)

“But why a picnic? There’s a village not far away. Wouldn’t a proper restaurant be more comfortable for you, Miss?”

When the numerous sandwiches were nearly gone, one of the apprentice knights spoke, seeming curious. Howard looked towards his lord instead of answering.