Chapter 8

“By the way, why don’t you have any maids here?”

“We’re guests. Of course we don’t have maids. But they still bring us our meals.”

I said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Valux froze for a moment, then nodded as if that made sense.

Dad silently placed the cups in front of Valux and me, then added a plate of cookies before sitting down.

We sat around the round table, blowing on the cocoa and taking sips. It was so sweet it felt like my whole head was melting.

Valux, who had been glancing at me, slowly tilted his cup and then widened his eyes.

“Big Brother, isn’t it amazing?”

He nodded.

“Uncle, which brand is this?”

“There’s no brand. I bought it at the market. 100 gold per 100 grams.”

Cocoa beans were imported from foreign lands, so the price was basically whatever the seller wanted. Even the cheaper kind started at 10 gold.

For reference, a commoner’s monthly wage was about 100 gold.

“This is only 10 gold?”

“Heh, my father’s cocoa is special. Isn’t it amazing?”

“It just tastes better because you drank it after running around outside.”

Dad added that with a slightly embarrassed look, making me the one who felt awkward.

“…Hmph. So you’re saying anything tastes good, not just yours?”

“…No. I did put care into it.”

Dad answered when he caught my look.

“By the way, you call him big brother, but I’m just Father?”

“…Huh?”

Was he asking me to call him differently? But… didn’t he say he didn’t like it before?

“But… before, when I called you Dad, you didn’t like it. Your face got stiff. I thought you hated it…”

“…I was just embarrassed.”

He added softly, asking if I didn’t feel shy suddenly calling him Dad.

So it was just a misunderstanding?

“…C-can I call you that?”

“Of course.”

“…Hehe, Dad!”

He flinched, his expression stiffening slightly.

After freezing for a long moment, he slowly nodded.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

When that gentle voice finally came, my eyes went wide.

“Okay!”

When I beamed, Dad gently patted my head. The corners of his usually expressionless mouth lifted faintly.

‘Ah, maybe it really was worth dying once.’

The gods were kind to give me another chance.

“It’s late. If you’re done, let’s go.”

“Ah, okay. I’ll get going then.”

Valux rose from his seat, and Dad stood as well.

“Ledi, wait here for a bit. I’ll walk Valux back.”

Valux looked surprised.

“I can go alone.”

“It’s late. Too late to send a child off alone. I’ll take you.”

Valux blinked, then blushed and nodded slowly.

“Hey, can I come over again next time?”

“Uh, sure. There’s not much to play with though… See you! Be careful, Dad!”

I waved both arms energetically as the two of them left the annex.

I finished my cocoa and cookies, cleared the dishes, and slipped into my room.

* * *

Morning in the Tigreto household began with a family breakfast.

Unless there was some special circumstance, all direct family members were required to attend.

Valux, who had returned late the night before, fought off his sleepiness as he went down to the dining room.

“Good morning.”

He greeted politely. As always, only his grandfather was seated first.

“Ah, you’re early.”

“Yes. I woke up early.”

Realizing he was second to arrive, Valux nodded calmly.

The truth was, all his lessons had been moved up today. He had to finish class and homework early so he could spend the afternoon at the annex.

“I heard you came in quite late yesterday.”

“Ah, yes. I was at Uncle Klein’s house playing with Ledi.”

“…Playing? Doing what exactly.”

Valux winced at Magnum Tigreto’s question.

‘Right. Grandpa doesn’t like Uncle Klein’s family.’

But neither Uncle Klein nor Ledi had seemed like bad people or fools.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m not scolding you. I’m just curious what you were doing.”

“We made a snowman. Ledi wanted to.”

“A snowman?”

Valux nodded.

At his grandfather’s unexpectedly mild reaction, the boy blushed and began recounting what happened the previous day.

He said Ledi told him not to use telekinesis, so they made it by hand and it was fun.

Then, since it was cold, they had cocoa and cookies afterward.

“It was Uncle Klein’s cocoa. It was amazing.”

“…He made cocoa himself?”

“Yes. He said they don’t have maids since they’re guests. But I think they still deliver meals.”

He might act mature, but he was still a child, and his words were refreshingly innocent.

Magnum Tigreto’s brow furrowed slightly at those innocent words.

‘I thought I assigned them maids.’

He stroked his chin and nodded.

“I see.”

“Yes. After that, I was about to head back, but Uncle Klein said it was too late for kids to walk alone, so he took me back to the main house.”

I could have gone alone though.

He mumbled under his breath, shaking his head, though his lips curved into a grin. It looked like he actually liked being treated like a kid.

“…Him, you say?”

“Yes. He even held my hand since it was dark.”

Valux opened and closed his hand as he spoke.

Children in noble families rarely grew up like ordinary kids.

Especially in the Tigreto Ducal House.

They learned etiquette and culture from a young age, leaving little time to just be children.

Magnum was someone who valued results and cared deeply about the family’s honor and reputation.

He had never thought there was anything strange about that.

Even if his family was stricter than most, noble children everywhere grew up the same way.

It was their fate as nobles.

“So I’m going to finish class early today and go play again. Ledi said I can come.”

“…I see.”

The old man nodded slowly.

“Then why don’t I come with you to the annex later.”

“…Huh, you’re coming too, Grandpa?”

“What, I can’t go wherever I want in my own house?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Valux quickly shook his head.

But then he remembered how terrified Ledi was even hearing about Grandpa.

He couldn’t say no to the head of the family, so he nodded slowly.

“Okay.”

One by one, the other family members joined, filling the long table.

Breakfast began in the usual silence, unlike the small and lively round table from yesterday.

* * *

“Nooo, you can’t! These olives are for the snowman’s buttons!”

“Meooowww~!”

“I said no! I’ll give you some of your favorite food later!”

Hearing the commotion from beyond the wall, Magnum Tigreto stopped outside the garden instead of going in.

A little girl was wrestling with a plump cat over a handful of olives.

No matter how much the little girl waved her small arms, the sturdy cat was clever.

It crouched low, wagged its tail slowly, then snatched the little pouch and buried its face in it.

“Ugh! You’re so mean!”

The girl grumbled after losing the olives.

“What, did you get hurt?”

“Meooww.”

“Hmm. I have no idea what you’re saying.”

She grabbed the cat’s tail and gently pulled it toward her, resting her palm against its side.

There were nasty bite marks, as if from a fight.

Glancing around, she pressed her palm over the wound.

Then something incredible happened.

Flash—

A pure white light spread from her palm and wrapped around the cat.

The wound on its side disappeared in an instant.

“There, it doesn’t hurt anymore, right?”

She giggled and pressed her finger to her lips.

“It’s a secret from Dad, okay?”

Shhh!

She whispered for the cat to keep quiet, picked up the little cloth pouch from the ground, and stood up.

Magnum Tigreto and Valux, who had watched the entire scene, widened their eyes at the same time.