Perhaps, if there is a time for a picnic, it would be in the summer. However, in early summer, Ashiya is expected to appear, and shortly after that, he himself plans to leave this place. Considering that he has set the duration of the contractual marriage to one year, he must be talking about being here in the summer.

‘I don’t need to mention that fact right now.’

Blair hid that thought and nodded with a bright smile.

“All right, let’s do that.”

Then, about to eat the roasted marshmallow, she remembered something and offered it to him.

Herding looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“I saw you eat my marshmallow in the morning. If you want to eat it too, you can.”

One of Herding’s eyebrows raised.

“……’My’ marshmallow?”

“Wasn’t it mine since you gave it to me?”

“No. Everything in this house belongs to me. Food, items, and of course, people.”

As he said so, looking at Blair, his eyes held a strange mischief and, at the same time, a strangely sharp glint.

“Of course, people too.”

As if claiming his territory like a beast guarding its own.

Blair found his unexpected ownership claim strange, but since everything in the Duke of Delmarck belonged to him, she didn’t deny it.

“Anyway, I haven’t eaten it.”

Blair blinked at his natural response. If he hadn’t eaten it, there were only Lina and Melly.

After a moment of thought, Blair countered with an unexpectedly serious expression.
“Lina and Melly are not children you can casually touch as you please.”

“Well, then there must be a ghost in this room, I guess.”

Blair, hearing Herdin’s playful response, only now realized that he was joking, and she wrinkled her delicate brow.

“Don’t lie.”

Instead of answering, Herdin chuckled and took Blair’s hand, which held a marshmallow. He guided her hand, bringing the marshmallow she was holding to his mouth.

It looked as if Blair was feeding him.

Blair stared blankly as he ate the marshmallow.

For some reason, the sight of the soft marshmallow disappearing into his mouth felt strangely provocative—maybe it was just her mood.

Feeling somewhat awkward, she tried to avert her gaze. However, as she swallowed the marshmallow and looked up, her eyes met his.

Her reflection was locked in his winter lake-like eyes. Captivated by those eyes, she couldn’t look away.

In the peculiar atmosphere of flowing silence, his lips, redder than usual for a man, broke the silence first.

“Let’s stop here for today.”

With a whispering voice, his firm arm wrapped around Blair’s waist.

“If you want something else.”

What that ‘something else’ was, his lips that touched hers answered without a word.

“Madam, we have arrived.”

Blair, who had dozed off to the lullaby of the carriage’s vibrations, woke up upon hearing Melly and Lina’s voices.
Outside the carriage window, the orphanage building appeared unnoticed. The orphanage under the jurisdiction of the temple had a sentence symbolizing the temple engraved on the exterior wall.

As they got off the carriage, a priest who had received prior notice and was waiting greeted her with respect.

“Welcome, Duchess! It’s an honor to meet you. I am Miriam.”

“Nice to meet you, Miriam. Thank you for taking the time for us, though I’m sure you’re busy.”

“Oh, please don’t say that. We are the ones who are grateful.”

Blair instructed the knights to unload the donated items and entered the orphanage with the priest.

Even before entering the building, children crowded around the window, observing Blair. Now, they were pressed against the entrance, eagerly watching her.

The children whispered among themselves as they saw Blair.

“Wow, she’s so pretty. Like a princess.”

“But is she a real princess?”

“That’s all a lie. Why would a princess come here?”

Although they seemed to be talking quietly among themselves, unfortunately, Blair could hear everything.

Blair tried to suppress her laughter as if she hadn’t heard, but Lena, seemingly unfazed, unexpectedly joined the children’s conversation.

“Even tiny ones have discerning eyes. She is a real princess.”

“Wow! Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

“But how does the lady know?”

“I am the lady-in-waiting who serves the princess. ……But who are you calling a lady?”

“Then, are you not a lady but a sir?”
“No, not sir, but a silly puppy.”

The children giggled, playing a prank among themselves. Blair and Melly laughed as they watched Lena get entangled in the children’s mischief.

“Don’t call guests silly puppies. It’s not nice to say such things.”

The priest, who scolded the children, clapped his hands, gathering their attention.

“Okay, kids. Come over here.”

The children hesitated, glancing at Blair’s group, and slowly approached.

The priest introduced Blair to the children.

“This person is the guest the teacher mentioned earlier.”

“A princess?”

“She’s not a princess anymore; she’s a duchess now.”

“Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Blair.”

As Blair greeted them, the children enthusiastically applauded, following the priest’s instructions.

Then, a curious child raised their hand and asked.