Now that the requirement to be bigger than me has disappeared, the range of potential mothers has become much wider. However, due to some recent events, it took time to examine the character and qualifications of the candidates.

And after a long time, the little one came to visit Black Swan.

“Auntie!”

The little one’s face was shiny as they opened the door and entered. It was evident they had put more effort into their appearance than before.

“Little one!”

I pushed aside the scrapbook I was looking at and jumped up from my desk. The sun shone brilliantly behind the child’s bright smile.

“What brings you here? We haven’t even set up candidate interviews yet.”

I was truly glad to see them. It felt like it had been a long time, even though not much time had actually passed.

“I came because I missed you, Auntie. And I have a proposal too.”

“What kind of proposal?”

The little one sat on the sofa I pointed to. While all the other furniture had been returned to its original state, I hadn’t changed the sofa where the child usually sat.

Actually, I had planned to put everything back as it was, but… I didn’t change it thinking the little one might look for the sofa if they came.

“It’s about ‘The Life and Death of Murteng’. It’s displayed in the mansion gallery. Would you like to go see it together?”

“There’s a gallery in the mansion?”

To think they had set up something similar inside the mansion when there was already a grand art museum bearing their family name prominently in the territory.

“We call it a gallery, but it’s just a modest collection of our possessions.”

The child smiled sheepishly.

“If you’re not too busy, I’d like to look at the works in the mansion gallery and share our thoughts… Is that not possible?”

Looking at the little one speaking with bright, round eyes, I felt a sudden urge to play.

But just because I wanted to do something, I couldn’t postpone what needed to be done…

“A sculptor who recently joined the art museum is currently working on a statue in the mansion garden. It should be finished by this evening at the earliest. Wouldn’t it be interesting to visit the gallery and then have tea somewhere overlooking the garden while watching the work in progress?”

I was already half persuaded when I heard about the gallery. I tried to hold back my spirit that was already halfway out of the office as I answered.

“It’s an interesting proposal, but visiting the mansion without an invitation would be impolite.”

“It’s fine for you, Auntie. Father has given permission, you know?”

“…Really?”

The little one’s temptation was too intense. Before I knew it, I was calculating the schedule I’d have to adjust tomorrow if I postponed work.

“But if it’s a sculptor who recently joined the art museum, there’s only one person, right?”

“Ah, you knew about that too, Auntie? I heard his name is Ranson.”

“Let’s go. You said he’s working in the garden?”

If they had told me Ranson was working there first, I wouldn’t have hesitated.

As I rushed out, the little one called out to my back.

“I knew you’d like it.”

I replied with a broad smile.

“Yes, I do like it.”

* * *

The splendid garden I had glimpsed beyond the main gate when I came to retrieve Black Swan’s furniture was now on both sides.

I walked slowly, intoxicated by the beautiful flowers and fragrances. Though I might have seemed frustratingly slow, the little one walked beside me, matching my pace.

The sound of a hammer striking a chisel could be heard from afar. My adrenaline suddenly surged.

“How about we see the work in progress first?”

“Is that what you’d like to see first?”

“Yes.”

The little one gently took my hand. Then they led the way.

As we went deeper into the garden, the sound grew louder.

“Auntie, it’s over here.”

In the direction the child pointed, a large, robust man was working atop a ladder.

‘It’s Ranson.’

With a body as big as a bear, yet expressing the most delicate details.

The concentration of focusing all his nerves on refining the sculpture.

Ranson kept wiping his forehead with the towel around his neck, seemingly sweating continuously. The small scars etched on the back of his hand looked like medals.

It even appeared sacred. Thanks to that, my heart started pounding in rhythm with the hammering.

Thump. Thump.

If adrenaline had surged earlier, now it was endorphins’ turn.

Imagining how beautiful the work he was creating would be, my pounding heart wouldn’t easily calm down. The corners of my mouth turned up involuntarily into a smile.

“Auntie.”

I snapped back to reality at the little one’s call.

“Shouldn’t we go to the gallery now?”

“Ah, sorry. You must have waited a lot.”

I looked at Ranson for a moment before turning away and saying,

“Shall we go to the gallery now?”

* * *

Though they called it a modest gallery, it was not modest at all. I shared thoughts and impressions about the works with the little one in a place that seemed like there wouldn’t be enough time even if we spent all day there.

One thing that surprised me was how the child’s discernment had improved to an unbelievable degree.

As we talked about the meaning of colors and the effects they bring, my mouth fell open without realizing. When they poured out vast knowledge that would be impossible to memorize and recite even if someone gave them a script, the child before me seemed like a person who had lived for a hundred years rather than ten.

It’s an impossible imagination, but for a moment I wondered if the little one might be a reincarnated person from another world like me.

After successfully touring the gallery, we decided to have tea time on the balcony overlooking the garden as promised.

The work scene visible from a distance was interesting in a different way from when we saw it up close.

When the maid brought out refreshments and tea, the little one picked up a cookie and munched on it with a crunch. The sound was quite cheerful, so I did the same.

“I never thought Demiro’s work would be here.”

“Do you like Demiro too?”

“Yes, his fantasy paintings are famous even in the Empire, aren’t they?”

“That’s right.”

“Thanks to you, it was an ecstatic time. Thank you, little one.”

“I’m happy I could be with you too, Auntie.”

The little one smiled brightly. How could they make such a lovable face?

The conversation paused for a moment. Thanks to that, the sound of the statue being sculpted in the garden drifted gently on the breeze.

“Auntie, what kind of style of man do you like?”

“Suddenly?”

I was a bit taken aback as it wasn’t a question that fit this atmosphere.

“Hmm.”

Should I speak honestly? Or should I give an answer that would make the little one feel good?

“I like people with big builds. Big enough to completely hide behind when I stand behind them?”

The little one tilted their head. I changed my answer to make it a little easier to understand.

“For example, someone like a bear?”

“A bear… you say?”

The little one glanced towards the garden for a moment before looking away. Then they smiled and gulped down their milk.

* * *

Left alone on the balcony after sending Schmidt away, Rublion fell into serious contemplation as he looked at the garden.

“Was she looking at the sculptor rather than the statue?”

A maid who had been watching from a few steps behind approached and refilled the empty glass with milk. Rublion picked up the glass and gulped it down again. Then he put it down with a bang.

“This is a big problem.”

Rublion messed up his hair roughly. Then he grabbed both his cheeks with a desperate expression.

“Young master, it’s almost time for the Duke to arrive.”

Rublion let go of his hands with a long sigh. Ranson was still sculpting under the setting sun.

“Haa, just one more glass.”

The maid refilled the milk with an expression that seemed about to melt from cuteness. As soon as the glass was filled, Rublion gulped it down and muttered again with another long sigh.

“What should I do…”

* * *

Askal noticed that Rublion, sitting across from him at the dining table, was different from usual. Somehow, he looked like he had a lot to say and many complaints.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

Despite his gruff tone, he took Rublion’s steak plate and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Then he put it down in front of the child who was glaring at him fiercely.

“Duke.”

“What.”

Rublion opened his mouth as if having made up his mind, but then closed it. Askal’s forehead wrinkled slightly.

“…It’s nothing.”

He looked at Rublion, who was sighing deeply, for a moment before putting down his fork and saying,

“I’ve never taught you to hold back when you have something to say.”

“…”

“Speak. What’s the problem?”

Rublion’s large eyes began to moisten. Askal was flustered but didn’t show it.

“Duke…”

He calmly waited for the child who was frustratingly continuing their words.

“No matter how I look at you, you’re not like a bear.”

“What are you talking about?”

Rublion’s lips pouted. It was the expression just before crying when faced with something beyond their ability.

“You’re not a bear, Duke!”

Askal blankly watched Rublion jump up from their seat with a shout.

“You’re totally a wild leopard!”

The child’s face turned red and blue.

“Why are bears and leopards suddenly popping up?”

At the gesture to sit down, Rublion sat down with a thump, as if throwing a tantrum. While grumbling,

“Auntie said her ideal type is a man like a bear.”

“Ah.”

Askal understood in an instant.

“No matter what I do, I can’t change the fact that you’re a wild leopard, Duke.”

The child’s small hands trembled.

“Rublion.”

Small golden eyes shook, full of worry.

“I understand your desire for me to be to that lady’s liking, but human emotions aren’t that simple.”

Askal picked up his knife and fork again.

“Even if I became a bear that matches the lady’s ideal type, she might not take a liking to me, and even if I’m a wild leopard that doesn’t match her ideal type, she might end up feeling attracted.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Askal put a piece of steak in his mouth and chewed. Then he picked up a piece of steak from Rublion’s plate, who was anxiously waiting for an answer, and held it in front of their mouth as he spoke.

“You’ll understand when you’re a bit older.”

Askal popped the steak into the child’s mouth. Rublion grumbled while storing the chunk of meat in one cheek.

“…In that sense, Duke, please eat one more plate of steak. You might get bigger, you know.”