Chapter: 377
As soon as I popped a small piece of steak into my mouth, I nearly let out an exclamation of delight. Even my simple palate could tell this was something special. Of course, the meals I’d had at the mansion before weren’t bad, but the dishes on the table now were superb.
“A great chef you have here,” my father remarked as he sat across from me, just as I hastily swallowed the steak.
“He’s an excellent chef who improves every day.”
“I wish I had such a good cook. If he weren’t your chef, I’d have stolen him for myself!”
Satisfied, my father nodded and took another bite of his steak. It seemed that the fact that both Penelia and I were dining must have really motivated the chef to step up his game.
‘He must be quite surprised.’
From the chef’s perspective, he’d likely expected me and Penelia, but my father showing up was probably beyond his imagination. After all, I could count on one hand how many times my father had visited my personal mansion.
But now that things were less awkward between us, it was no longer strange for him to visit. In fact, this time he came on his own accord—Penelia hadn’t dragged him here. I would likely be welcoming him more often in the future.
I took a sip of wine, pondering over what kind of gift I could give to the overworked chef. Maybe it was just my imagination, but the wine tasted even better than usual.
“Wow, this really is good. I might have a great match for our family’s chef.”
I turned my gaze toward the booming voice that had spoken. Truthfully, my father wasn’t the only surprise guest who had stirred the chef’s calling.
“It’s sad to hear someone who can’t even go back to his territory say that,” came a voice laced with sympathy.
“Do you really have to say it like that?”
Seeing Count Horfelt grumbling about my father’s remark brought a chuckle out of me. After having a drink at the graves and coming back to the mansion, my father had been relaxing with Count Horfelt. Considering their friendship, it wasn’t odd for them to be together, but it was strange that he’d come to his friend’s son’s house instead of his own after a war.
“This guy had the condition of not fighting directly, but Zenobia caught him. So he heard that he shouldn’t even think about returning to his territory,” my father chuckled.
“Oh dear.”
Now that I knew the reason, I could easily understand it. He was just an ordinary father being banished for worrying about his daughter.
What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just leave someone I knew, who had shared the battlefield with me, without a place to stay when he was being scolded by his daughter’s tearful reprimand. After all, I had already told my father that we would go to the Krasius family mansion once the meal was over, so it wasn’t a major issue.
‘…Should I create a getaway for myself too?’
Seeing Count Horfelt vaguely reminded me of my own future, making it impossible to turn away from.
If it were found out that I’d fought directly, I would probably receive even worse treatment than him. After all, I only had six people to deal with.
‘Damn it.’
I already felt my eyes getting misty.
After finishing dinner, I escorted my father and Count Horfelt to the garden.
“Master!”
“Welcome, Executive Manager.”
As I headed toward where the smoke wafted, the servants enjoying a glamorous barbecue and Mukgwangdae greeted me. With so many people around, it seemed difficult to eat together anywhere else but the garden.
It was a bit strange seeing meat grilled right in the middle of a noble mansion’s garden, but as long as it satisfied my mouth and stomach, that was all that mattered.
“Master! Sister! Eat with us now that you’re here!”
As everyone greeted us, even Yuris, who seemed glued to the grill, came rushing over. Sophia struggled to carry the overloaded plate Yuris had passed her, almost tripping over.
“Whoa!”
“Whoa!”
Before I could even finish my thoughts, it actually happened—Sophia fell, and the plate in her hands scattered like a claymore, smashing into Yuris’ head.
“Yuris! Sophia!”
While Penelia looked at her two maidens approaching warmly, I bolted toward them in shock at the sudden mishap. Thankfully, it appeared Sophia fell on the grass, so she didn’t seem to be hurt.
‘Hope her head is okay.’
I instinctively reached for my communication hub, given that Yuris fell with a plate hitting her little head. There would surely be a nasty mark on that tiny noggin.
“What are you doing making a ruckus in front of the Master? You’re just going to get hurt if you run around.”
Despite Penelia’s words of admonition, her expression and gestures were full of worry. Helping Sophia get back up and running her fingers through Yuris’ hair to check for blood made her look more like a mother than a sister.
Soon enough, people started turning their gazes toward the commotion created by the two maidens. Although they were more worried than annoyed about the sudden interruption, it still drew attention.
“…Looks like just a bump.”
Just as I was about to send a request for a healing mage from the Magic Tower, Penelia breathed a sigh of relief after checking them for a moment. Luckily, despite the plate assault, it was just a bump.
Our little Yuris, you’re really quite a sturdy kid… Well, I knew she was robust, but I had no idea her head was so tough.
“Y-Yuris, are you okay? I’m sorry, it’s because of me…”
“I’m okay! It hurt a little, but like Sister said, it’s just a bump!”
Yuris answered with a giggle, even though Sophia’s eyes were welling up with tears.
It was a beautiful sight, but if I recalled correctly, Sophia had actually fallen because Yuris had pushed her. Isn’t that karma coming back too quickly?
“Good, if you’re okay, then say sorry to the Master. Causing a ruckus in front of the Master who just got back from the North is quite rude.”
At that, Yuris and Sophia hurriedly lowered their heads as they patted each other.
Honestly, since nobody got hurt, it was fine, but seeing Penelia’s stern expression made my mouth shut. If I thought of her as an older sister reprimanding her younger siblings, I couldn’t dare get in the way.
“I’m sorry, Master. It’s been a while since you came, and I was so happy to see sister again…”
“I-I’m sorry too, for causing a scene when you returned…”
Hearing them apologize with a gloomy expression made Penelia’s face soften. Yeah, teaching kids to apologize is important for their upbringing.
So I gave their heads a gentle pat. If I accepted their apologies, then it was also important to show forgiveness and comfort.
“It’s fine as long as you’re not hurt. Still, when the mage arrives, make sure to get checked. I requested them just now.”
“Hehe, it’s okay. It’s just a bump.”
I shook my head at Yuris’ awkward smile. Even though it looked just like a bump, who’d know if they’d cracked a bone or if there were problems with their brain? A minor shock to the head still should be taken seriously.
Besides, I had taken in a starving child and raised her. How could I walk around with my head held high if the end of that child’s story is ‘died from being hit by a plate during a party’? That would be a tale to illustrate child abuse by noble servants!
“Since you called for one, you should accept it. It would be rude to call and then cancel.”
When I firmly insisted, Yuris finally nodded. She should’ve done that earlier.
“Seems like these kids missed Penelia quite a lot. It is only natural since they used to sleep together when Penelia was at the mansion.”
After the situation wrapped up nicely, the butler smiled as he spoke. The ruckus of falling and bumping ended up getting cleaned up through affection for Penelia.
But wait a minute, sleeping together? I didn’t even know that was happening. Did Penelia come to the mansion when I was away?
“What a pity. Penelia was going to sleep with me tonight.”
When I said that while smiling back, an abrupt silence fell.
The butler froze with a grin still plastered on his face, and the servants’ and Mukgwangdae’s eyes locked back onto me slowly.
‘…Oh.’
I realized a bit too late how easily that could be misinterpreted. I just meant we were practically a couple, save for an official marriage—definitely not hinting at anything beyond that!
But as I cautiously turned my gaze, I caught sight of Penelia, her face reddening and her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
What a blunder. I’d weirded out Penelia’s feelings with my careless words.
*
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