“I’ll eat it up!”

“……”

At the same time the Pope’s messenger departed, Aeli, who had just finished her meal and climbed into the carriage, looked at the child patting her bulging stomach with a dumbfounded expression.

‘…Where on earth did she learn to do that?’

It was strange, as there was no one around her who would do such a thing. Aeli’s eyes trembled slightly as she took off the suffocating hood after getting into the carriage.

No, of course she herself used to do it occasionally before the child was born.

But there was no way the child could have known that.

Before turning four years old, Aeli couldn’t even stay by the child’s side, and even after being able to stay, she was a ghost so naturally couldn’t eat anything.

In other words, the total nutrition she consumed as a human being was at best a few spoonfuls of thin soup that she barely swallowed yesterday and today.

‘Even without seeing it, is it just naturally done? Because she’s my child?’

…If so, she felt like she should apologize.

Aeli slowly rolled her eyes, feeling a different kind of guilt from the one she had felt towards the child so far.

If this was really due to her own personality influencing the child, she could foresee quite a struggle in correcting it in the future.

She knew from experience.

‘I’d like to raise her as freely as possible, but that doesn’t mean she can completely disregard etiquette…’

It’s fine when it’s just them, but− now that even Lutis has returned, she can’t keep the child in seclusion forever.

So considering the outings that will take place in the future, it was about time to start teaching manners.

“…Anyway, since it became apparent that she’s noticeably enjoying outings after visiting Ratliffe this time.”

It was reaching the limit, so she felt it was rather fortunate. She should select a trustworthy person as a private tutor. Considering the child’s young age, it seemed sufficient to just teach basic etiquette for now.

At that moment, as Aeli turned her gaze towards the child.

Not knowing what kind of plan her mother was making, the child looked utterly happy as she placed her small hand on her stomach.

Thump, thump thump!

At the same time, a clear sound echoed inside the carriage.

“……”

Ah, this… doesn’t seem like it will be easy. Seeing that sight, it was as if Aeli could envision the future of the child sweating profusely while learning etiquette, making her smack her lips slightly.

She hoped Lutis’ blood would do wonders.

Aeli, who quickly shook her head, pushed away her thoughts as she looked at the child.

Perhaps it was because she had been muttering to herself until just now, but Lutis’ gaze from across her seat was piercingly poking at her face.

Aeli asked the child while trying hard to ignore that gaze. She was asking if the child was feeling a bit better now.

‘Because why else did we leave the temple during daylight and not return to the mansion until this hour.’

It was purely to cheer up the child.

Aeli, recalling right after the consecration, blinked her eyes rapidly.

The child definitely had her mouth wide open even before getting into the carriage.

[Our Adi, why do you look so unhappy?] […Is it because of the con, consecration? I thought we came out to play.] [Yes.]

[But I couldn’t play at all. Plus, it was so boring!]

As soon as the question flew in from Aeli, who was already in the carriage, the child poured out her words as if she had been waiting.

As soon as the carriage door closed, she pulled the curtains to cover the windows, and only after gaining confidence that she could not be seen from the outside, she simultaneously used magic to blow away the remaining moisture from her clothing and hair.

Aeli just silently looked at the child who did that in surprise.

As she was doing so, the child continued speaking as if she still had a lot to say.

[What is this! I wore pretty clothes so it was nice!] [Hmm, Adi was disappointed by that. Mommy was so distracted that she couldn’t explain it properly to you. I’m sorry for disappointing you.] [Big brother said there would be plays and stuff in the capital…] [Sioren?] [Ah, no− not that big brother. The bigger big brother. In the study…] [Ah.] […And I’m hungry too…]

The child drooped her eyebrows with a truly resentful face.

Aeli, faced with that sight up close, had no choice but to take a step back.

It would be a lie to say that an unplanned outing was not burdensome, but judging from the reaction of the priests and knights when leaving the temple, she confirmed that the brooch was working again.

She thought it would be fine for a short while if they went to places with as few people as possible.

[…Then shall we play just a little bit before going back?] […!]

And that led to now.

To make a bit of an excuse, she really had no idea they would stay out this long.

‘I didn’t know Lutis would rent out the entire place wherever he went.’

It wasn’t like there had never been times when they leisurely enjoyed a day out, deciding to do so both in Mason and Ratliffe, as there were no financial issues.

However, perhaps because there was a period she spent as a ghost, she had forgotten about that.

Whether watching a play or going to a restaurant, there would be employees, so rumors couldn’t be completely avoided, but it would be much more comfortable and relatively easier to keep mouths shut compared to not renting the place.

Aeli, who had been lost in recollection after asking the child if she was feeling better, hurriedly lowered her gaze at the tapping on her.

“Mommy?”

“Ah, yes. Did Adi have fun today?”

When she asked while making eye contact with the child, the small head nodded up and down repeatedly.

The child spoke while rubbing her eyes as if tired.

“Mmm… but I feel a bit upset.”

“Because Mommy didn’t explain properly?”

“That’s not it− when I was receiving the water, they laughed while I was playing…”

…They laughed?

Aeli’s face, which had been looking down at the child with a contented expression, stiffened for a moment.

When she shifted her gaze to look at Lutis, his expression had also stiffened subtly just like Aeli’s.

That was natural, because no one had laughed while the child was being consecrated.

Not to mention Aeli and Lutis, but the Pope was the same.

‘There’s no way Lutis wouldn’t have noticed if there were more people hiding…’

Thinking she may have missed something, Aeli was about to clutch the hem of her dress with a momentarily stiff body when the child continued.

“The voice sounded weird… but when I heard it above my head, it wasn’t that grandpa…”

“……”

“So I’m a bit more upset, yawn…”

“You heard it above your head?”

“Mmm…”

“…Adi?”

Her head had been swaying this way and that since rubbing her eyes, which felt very unsettling.

Before she could ask anything more, the child leaned her head against the carriage wall and half-fell asleep.

‘Even if I force her awake, it seems difficult to get a proper answer in this state…’

Judging it was impossible to continue the conversation any further, Aeli sighed softly and laid the child’s head on her lap.

Watching that, Lutis slowly opened his mouth.

“…I’ll take care of her so you rest a bit.”

“It’s fine, how long will it take to get there. Plus, if I wake her up wrong and she gets motion sickness, what do we do.”

Adi definitely ate a lot of dessert at dinner so she’ll throw up for sure. As she spoke while shrugging her shoulders, Lutis’ mouth closed.

At that, Aeli said with a mischievous smile.

Half of it was to lighten the mood that had sunk due to what the child said right before falling asleep, and half of it was simply because old memories came to mind.

“If you insist, move over a bit so I can stretch my legs.”

“……”

Lutis silently moved to sit a little to the side.

Then Aeli, who took off the low-heeled shoes she was wearing, put both legs up on the opposite seat.

As a member of an aristocratic family, she knew such behavior was inappropriate. Rather, she had heard it so much that she hadn’t done such a thing since graduating from the academy…

But that was all for public appearances.

She occasionally did it when alone with Lutis or with Mason’s people. To be more honest, quite often.

“……”

“Hmm… I know you don’t really like this, but can’t you let it slide today?”

“……”

“No, I had no idea we would be out for this long. No matter how much stamina recovery, natural healing, and magical accessories I’m wearing, honestly, all my muscles have atrophied from lying down for 4 years.”

My lower body has no sensation… Aeli added as if making excuses, inwardly poked by Lutis staring intently at her feet.

It was a sincere addition without a shred of falsehood, despite sounding like an excuse.

Hearing Aeli’s story, Lutis quietly reached out his hand.

“…?”

Then, before long, Aeli sent a puzzled look at the touch gently stroking the top of her foot.

Lutis quietly looked down at Aeli’s two feet and opened his mouth as if muttering.

“That’s not it.”

“Huh?”

“…It seems your feet are swollen.”

“…Is that so?”

Aeli tilted her head and looked at her own feet.

She had chosen and worn what she thought were comfortable shoes, but she couldn’t really tell with the naked eye if they were swollen.

‘Even if they’re swollen, it’s not Lutis’ fault.’

Rather, didn’t Lutis notice her struggling halfway through and even ask if she was okay?

Strictly speaking, it was because Aeli herself had endured the pain in her legs because she liked seeing the child smile.

Yet Lutis was looking down at her feet with such a pitiful gaze as if it was all his fault, making her feel awkward.

Aeli changed the subject and said,

“Ah. Come to think of it, why were you holding my hand the whole time in front of the Pope? You did that the whole day today too. What if rumors spread even with the brooch.”

“I did that on purpose.”

“What?”

“Most people still haven’t noticed that you were with me today, but they will soon sense something strange. Then it will probably make headlines within a week.”

…Has he gone crazy? Aeli was at a loss for words at Lutis speaking in a nonchalant tone.