"Is she trying to avoid me?"
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
"Dad. What are you talking about?"
"Why is Mama Leonie avoiding you?"
Hannah interrupted me. Hannah narrowed her eyes and asked Evan playfully.
"Did you do something wrong?"
At that moment, the door opened without knocking and Madame Cronach came in.
"Leoni!"
Evan jumped up with a big movement and approached her. Hannah and I almost simultaneously laughed at the sight of him waiting for his master to return, looking like a fierce dog.
"Evan."
"I've been looking for you for a long time. Where have you been?"
Madame Cronach laughed, looking a little troubled.
"Lord Rowen has been in the capital for two months, right? I heard about the capital salon from Temnes through a messenger, so I talked to the people there."
"Capital salon?"
“Yes. In the meantime, the previous King must have robbed the store. He must have had something to say.”
“Hmm.”
She quickly washed her hands and approached the baby basket.
“Our beautiful babies.”
The two babies were asleep as if they had just caught their breath. She looked at Julien, who was sleeping while listening to the adults’ chatter like a lullaby, and then looked at Hannah’s baby lying in the basket next to him. She reached out and gently stroked his rounded back.
“He was crying a lot because it was messy for the past few days. Is he okay today?”
Hannah nodded at her words.
“He was better than yesterday.”
“I don’t think the guests will go home right after the party is over.”
I felt a little strange as I glanced at them here and there.
‘Is Mom avoiding Dad?’
When Evan had said that a little while ago, I had thought he was talking nonsense.
Somehow, when she came to the nursery slowly, she didn’t seem particularly happy to see Evan after a few months.
We quietly left the nursery, trying not to make a fuss, as Hannah saw us off.
As we passed through the hallway, Rohan greeted us neatly and half-ran into the nursery, causing me to chuckle.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s funny that Rohan is running because he wants to see the baby soon.”
“Can’t you give me a higher score?”
I blinked at Kaian’s disapproving tone.
“I also ran around a lot because I wanted to see Julien.”
“When?”
“On the battlefield.”
“...”
Kai’an’s jokes were hard to understand.
“That’s not a joke.”
After months of suffering, why are you saying something like that?
His brows were furrowed with seriousness.
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
"Dad. What are you talking about?"
"Why is Mama Leonie avoiding you?"
Hannah interrupted me. Hannah narrowed her eyes and asked Evan playfully.
"Did you do something wrong?"
At that moment, the door opened without knocking and Madame Cronach came in.
"Leoni!"
Evan jumped up with a big movement and approached her. Hannah and I almost simultaneously laughed at the sight of him waiting for his master to return, looking like a fierce dog.
"Evan."
"I've been looking for you for a long time. Where have you been?"
Madame Cronach laughed, looking a little troubled.
"Lord Rowen has been in the capital for two months, right? I heard about the capital salon from Temnes through a messenger, so I talked to the people there."
"Capital salon?"
“Yes. In the meantime, the previous King must have robbed the store. He must have had something to say.”
“Hmm.”
She quickly washed her hands and approached the baby basket.
“Our beautiful babies.”
The two babies were asleep as if they had just caught their breath. She looked at Julien, who was sleeping while listening to the adults’ chatter like a lullaby, and then looked at Hannah’s baby lying in the basket next to him. She reached out and gently stroked his rounded back.
“He was crying a lot because it was messy for the past few days. Is he okay today?”
Hannah nodded at her words.
“He was better than yesterday.”
“I don’t think the guests will go home right after the party is over.”
I felt a little strange as I glanced at them here and there.
‘Is Mom avoiding Dad?’
When Evan had said that a little while ago, I had thought he was talking nonsense.
Somehow, when she came to the nursery slowly, she didn’t seem particularly happy to see Evan after a few months.
‘I thought you’d be a little happier or more touched than this.’
Maybe her expressions were different when she got older?
My face burned as I recalled the tree I had knocked down as soon as I saw Kaian.
I wondered if I had been hanging on too much like a mutt who was twitching my tail.
Anyway, it seemed true that Madame Cronach was treating Evan too plainly.
‘Why?’
I didn’t know why, but even now, Evan was fidgeting because he wanted to talk to her. However, Madame Cronach seemed to know for some reason, but she kept her distance. She stayed next to the baby’s basket where she was sleeping and asked about the baby, but she didn’t want to wake the sleeping babies up, so she didn’t want to say anything to get their attention.
Maybe her expressions were different when she got older?
My face burned as I recalled the tree I had knocked down as soon as I saw Kaian.
I wondered if I had been hanging on too much like a mutt who was twitching my tail.
Anyway, it seemed true that Madame Cronach was treating Evan too plainly.
‘Why?’
I didn’t know why, but even now, Evan was fidgeting because he wanted to talk to her. However, Madame Cronach seemed to know for some reason, but she kept her distance. She stayed next to the baby’s basket where she was sleeping and asked about the baby, but she didn’t want to wake the sleeping babies up, so she didn’t want to say anything to get their attention.
It was also ambiguous to interrupt Madame Cronach while she was checking on the baby and talking about something else.
If they made eye contact, they would have sent a signal to go out and talk, but Madame Cronach couldn’t take her eyes off the babies, saying, “I’ve been missing you all day,” so Evan seemed to have no chance to talk to her.
When I thought about that, I felt confused and troubled.
“I don’t even know why.”
If they made eye contact, they would have sent a signal to go out and talk, but Madame Cronach couldn’t take her eyes off the babies, saying, “I’ve been missing you all day,” so Evan seemed to have no chance to talk to her.
When I thought about that, I felt confused and troubled.
“I don’t even know why.”
How could I sneakily ask my mother? It was when I was feeling frustrated.
Knock.
There was a knock on the door and Kaian appeared.
“Kaian. You’ve had a lot of work to do, haven’t you?”
I quickly went over and hung on to his arm.
“No. What could be hard about a place where you can eat and play?”
He smelled faintly of alcohol, but judging from his eyes, he didn’t seem that drunk. Kaian said while looking at Evan and Madame Cronach.
“The dinner party will start soon. I thought you’d all be here, so I came to pick you up.”
Madame Cronach smiled.
“You should have sent someone who works.”
“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often. Is it okay if I take Claudel with me?”
Madame Cronach quickly stepped forward, seeing Evan’s eyebrows furrow.
“Of course.”
“Wait. I have something to say.”
When Evan was about to say something, Madame Cronach grabbed his arm.
“You escort me. We’ll go together.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I sighed inwardly, watching the ferocious beast hide its teeth.
“I’m tired, so I’ll stay here. Have a nice trip, everyone.”
We quietly left the nursery, trying not to make a fuss, as Hannah saw us off.
As we passed through the hallway, Rohan greeted us neatly and half-ran into the nursery, causing me to chuckle.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s funny that Rohan is running because he wants to see the baby soon.”
“Can’t you give me a higher score?”
I blinked at Kaian’s disapproving tone.
“I also ran around a lot because I wanted to see Julien.”
“When?”
“On the battlefield.”
“...”
Kai’an’s jokes were hard to understand.
“That’s not a joke.”
After months of suffering, why are you saying something like that?
I made a sour expression. However, when I showed my discontent, the man who was looking down at me with his head turned to the side showed an unconcealed joy on his face.
‘There he goes again.’
Kaian was often cold or expressionless. It was common for him to look like he was smiling, with only the corners of his lips slightly raised as if he was sneering. It was rare for me to see him truly smiling, so when I first saw him at a moment when the sun seemed to burst out brightly, I kissed him without realizing it.
After that, I often waited anxiously for Kaian to smile again.
For some reason, these days, Kaian would stare at my face like that, and whenever reacted, I would feel like he liked me.
'He likes me?'
Was that it?
After being conscious of it for no reason, I felt nervous walking next to him and being so close.
After exchanging a few words, we were already at the entrance to the banquet hall.
"Enjoy the joy of victory, Ma'am."
I took Kaian's arm and greeted the guests with a hostess-like smile as I headed into the crowded hall.
As I and Kaian disappeared into the banquet hall, Evan said seriously.
"You have to talk to me."
Madame Cronach looked at him with calm eyes.
Evan was originally easygoing.
He was born with a healthy and strong body, and he even had the mental acuity characteristic of the Vermont family. Despite the considerable age difference, he was a man with superior abilities born with the ability to the point that the Duke of Vermont felt threatened by his successor status and sent him far away.
‘There he goes again.’
Kaian was often cold or expressionless. It was common for him to look like he was smiling, with only the corners of his lips slightly raised as if he was sneering. It was rare for me to see him truly smiling, so when I first saw him at a moment when the sun seemed to burst out brightly, I kissed him without realizing it.
After that, I often waited anxiously for Kaian to smile again.
For some reason, these days, Kaian would stare at my face like that, and whenever reacted, I would feel like he liked me.
'He likes me?'
Was that it?
After being conscious of it for no reason, I felt nervous walking next to him and being so close.
After exchanging a few words, we were already at the entrance to the banquet hall.
"Enjoy the joy of victory, Ma'am."
I took Kaian's arm and greeted the guests with a hostess-like smile as I headed into the crowded hall.
As I and Kaian disappeared into the banquet hall, Evan said seriously.
"You have to talk to me."
Madame Cronach looked at him with calm eyes.
***
Evan was originally easygoing.
He was born with a healthy and strong body, and he even had the mental acuity characteristic of the Vermont family. Despite the considerable age difference, he was a man with superior abilities born with the ability to the point that the Duke of Vermont felt threatened by his successor status and sent him far away.
Having been ostracized by his family and having nothing to do, the man spent his free time reading books and absorbing philosophical theories. He also had a unique perspective on literature, and his original study of navigation deepened through repeated research even in places far from the sea.
That man was thrown into the continent of Sol, consumed with a desire for revenge. He was no longer as relaxed as he used to be.
There was a time when he had always been ready to listen to the woman’s words, wait for her kindly, and sympathize, but not now.
After rolling around for more than ten years in an extreme environment where it was better to attack first than to wait, and to punish immediately than to endure and be patient, he became a living sword.
‘How can I bring it up?’
Madame Cronach felt burdened.
The fact that he was alive and not dead felt like salvation, and the different positions that had been pushed aside by the years were two separate things.
However, the man who had once been very good had changed.
Unlike before, if something went wrong with what he had expected or planned, he would explode and lash out rather than understand or sympathize.
'He wasn't so hot-tempered before.'
Despite his threateningly large physique, he only overwhelmed the atmosphere. The man who had been an elegant gentleman was now more than a street thug.
"Leoni."
Madame Cronach was surprised when she was called by a name that no one had called her in nearly ten years.
After calling her by her name and letting her off steam, Evan couldn't say anything right away for a while.
He sighed deeply.
"I don't know what to say first."
"... "
How should she talk about them no longer being a couple?
Madame Cronach felt a great debt of gratitude.
This was because she had told the prophecy of the sacred tree as it was.
She was a completely different person before and after the day when the village of Plogne was on fire.
As if Leonie’s soul had burned away along with Arbor.
“Ah. Right. I should start by saying this,”
Evan said, sounding a little sad.
“I came back, but it seemed like you weren’t very welcoming.”
“I’m glad you came back safely.”
But even those words sounded dry, and Evan’s eyebrows twitched.
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
“If that’s so.”
Evan said, looking at her with a displeased expression.
“The things I couldn’t tell you before leaving for the battlefield. I think it’s time to tell you now.”
Evan’s firing of a cannon at Rowen Harbor was a signal for war.
The war had already begun.
It was an urgent situation where they had to move as quickly as possible, so since Julien had caught his attention, Evan had to leave with Kaian without any time to have a deep conversation.
“I’ll tell you when I get back.”
That was the conversation they had put off.
It was because they thought that if Madame Cronach told him the truth, Evan might not leave her behind to help Kaian.
“Evan. I’ll be honest with you.”
She finally managed to open her mouth.
“More than ten years have passed. You and I have lived very different lives.”
“So?”
“I want to go back to the capital and take care of the salon I used to run.”
Madame Cronach tried not to look at Evan’s face.
“I don’t think we can be together.”
But Evan’s reaction to the words she spoke after thinking about each word was completely unexpected.
“Have you met another man?”
That man was thrown into the continent of Sol, consumed with a desire for revenge. He was no longer as relaxed as he used to be.
There was a time when he had always been ready to listen to the woman’s words, wait for her kindly, and sympathize, but not now.
After rolling around for more than ten years in an extreme environment where it was better to attack first than to wait, and to punish immediately than to endure and be patient, he became a living sword.
‘How can I bring it up?’
Madame Cronach felt burdened.
The fact that he was alive and not dead felt like salvation, and the different positions that had been pushed aside by the years were two separate things.
However, the man who had once been very good had changed.
Unlike before, if something went wrong with what he had expected or planned, he would explode and lash out rather than understand or sympathize.
'He wasn't so hot-tempered before.'
Despite his threateningly large physique, he only overwhelmed the atmosphere. The man who had been an elegant gentleman was now more than a street thug.
"Leoni."
Madame Cronach was surprised when she was called by a name that no one had called her in nearly ten years.
After calling her by her name and letting her off steam, Evan couldn't say anything right away for a while.
He sighed deeply.
"I don't know what to say first."
"... "
How should she talk about them no longer being a couple?
Madame Cronach felt a great debt of gratitude.
This was because she had told the prophecy of the sacred tree as it was.
She was a completely different person before and after the day when the village of Plogne was on fire.
As if Leonie’s soul had burned away along with Arbor.
“Ah. Right. I should start by saying this,”
Evan said, sounding a little sad.
“I came back, but it seemed like you weren’t very welcoming.”
“I’m glad you came back safely.”
But even those words sounded dry, and Evan’s eyebrows twitched.
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
“If that’s so.”
Evan said, looking at her with a displeased expression.
“The things I couldn’t tell you before leaving for the battlefield. I think it’s time to tell you now.”
Evan’s firing of a cannon at Rowen Harbor was a signal for war.
The war had already begun.
It was an urgent situation where they had to move as quickly as possible, so since Julien had caught his attention, Evan had to leave with Kaian without any time to have a deep conversation.
“I’ll tell you when I get back.”
That was the conversation they had put off.
It was because they thought that if Madame Cronach told him the truth, Evan might not leave her behind to help Kaian.
“Evan. I’ll be honest with you.”
She finally managed to open her mouth.
“More than ten years have passed. You and I have lived very different lives.”
“So?”
“I want to go back to the capital and take care of the salon I used to run.”
Madame Cronach tried not to look at Evan’s face.
“I don’t think we can be together.”
But Evan’s reaction to the words she spoke after thinking about each word was completely unexpected.
“Have you met another man?”
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