WMHMS - Chapter 25

Linea hasn't fully opened her heart to me yet, either.

'Aren't you crying?!'

I have never seen her cry before, but one Death Smile from Carcel is enough!

Flustered, I rushed forward, stood on tiptoe as high as I could, and quickly covered his face with my hand.

"Linea, you can get off."

Then, I smiled at Linea on his behalf so that the child wouldn't be scared by seeing Carcel's face.

Fortunately, Linea, who hadn't yet seen Carcel's smile, got out of the carriage even while holding the stranger's hand.

'Phew.'

I sighed.

I hadn't been able to give Carcel a proper explanation about Linea.

I only said that I wanted to take my abused adopted daughter out, so he doesn't know that Linea is a sensitive child.

"...Asha."

I suddenly came to my senses at the low voice coming from beneath my palm.

“I-I’m sorry!”

I was still pressing my palm firmly against his face, isolating his face from Linea.

I hurriedly pulled my hand away.

"It didn't hurt, did it? I'm sorry to say this, but Carcel might look a little scary to children."

"You don't need to worry about hurting my feelings. You're not the only one who's been intimidated by my face."

"I'm sorry."

Seeing that he accepted it so naturally made me feel even more guilty.

"Anyway, Asha."

"Yes."

Carcel's adam's apple moved slowly up and down.

"...Could you step back just a little?"

As Carcel was so tall, I was trying to cover his face, so not only was I standing on my tiptoes, but I was still resting my hand on his shoulder.

I could clearly feel the movement of the firm muscles beneath my palm.

At that moment, I pulled my body away from where it was touching.

"I'm sorry. Linea is still afraid of people. That's why I'm being careful, worried that Carcel's first impression might be bad."

Words kept flowing out incessantly, as if the circuits in my head were tangled.

What kind of disgraceful behavior is this in front of Linea!

Carcel laughed softly as he watched me rambling incoherently.

"You don't need to worry. I would do anything to make a good impression on your daughter, too."

"Ahem! Then, let me introduce you to Linea."

I introduced Carcel to Linea earlier as a man I might remarry.

Linea seemed to be watching Carcel closely with eyes mixed with wariness.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed to talk to Carcel in front of the child, I quickly reached out my hand to Linea and introduced Carcel to her.

"This is Marquis Rivandel."

"Hello. I am Linea Delmore, the eldest daughter of the Count Delmore family."

The polite child bowed deeply to greet Carcel.

I am small compared to Carcel, but Linea was practically a hamster in front of him.

"Eck."

Perhaps that is why Linea let out a small sound upon seeing Carcel's face, which she had to look up at for quite a while.

Carcel smiled leisurely at Linea.

"Nice to meet you. Please feel free to look around."

"Hiccup."

Carcel's face still seemed too much for Linea.

"Now, please turn Carcel's head."

I had to hold Linea's hand tightly and ask him for a favor.

Although Carcel felt guilty, it was clear that if things continued like this, Linea and Carcel would not be able to become close all day.

It looks like Linea is having a tail disease right now.

It was enough to make me feel as though Linea’s hair had become fluffier than before, as if she knew something and was threatening Carcel by puffing up her soft downy hairs.

"Ahem. Anyway."

I needlessly and hurriedly loosened my throat and gave orders to Carcel.

"D-Didn't you say you would show me the garden?"

"Then, let's look around the garden first and then have a meal."

"Did you even prepare a meal?"

"Our chef, who made the sandwich and soup you had last time, has prepared top-quality dishes for today."

Even back then, the chef tried to lure me in by saying he was a good cook.

"Please follow carefully."

Carcel turned his head away so that he could not see Linea's face as much as possible.

And then I walked ahead into the garden.

I checked the child's condition while holding Linea's hand.

Fortunately, Linea's expression softened quickly, perhaps because she was only startled for a moment.

"Are you okay?"

“Yes, just a little.”

“Are you scared?”

Carcel's scary face was of a different kind from a menacing one.

It was closer to a face that instinctively evokes the fear herbivores feel from predators.

'It might be because of his uniquely laid-back vibe, right?'

It didn't look like a menacing face, but to others, it looked threatening.

Linea also nodded toward me.

"But he's not a scary person; on the contrary, he's kind and gentle, so Linea doesn't need to be afraid of him."

"Yes."

"Then, shall we start with a walk in the garden?"

First, as I followed Carcel and raised my voice excitedly, Linea also became more lively than before.

Since Linea's social skills are not yet fully developed, she has been heavily influenced by the atmosphere of me, her guardian whom she relies on the most.

When I felt comfortable, Linea also observed my face and actions, and it seemed like she felt a sense of stability herself.

Fortunately, once I entered the garden, I didn't need to do anything else.

Because the interior of the garden was more beautiful than expected, to the point that even Linea gasped in awe.

It was truly a space cultivated with the gardener's heart and soul.

"I really can only describe it as a work of art."

Carcel smiled slightly and answered me as I continued to marvel.

"It is the pride of the Marquis's mansion. In fact, before Asha arrived, I was even thinking about expanding it further."

"You were planning to make it even bigger? Even here, if you get lost once, it's like navigating a maze; I think it would take three or four days to get out."

I turned my head toward Linea and asked.

"How about it? Isn't it a suitable garden for Linea to run around in?"

"It's a really wonderful garden."

Linea was excited and nodded her head even more vigorously today.

I was glad you liked it.

So I was thinking about inviting Linea's friends over to play here someday...

'It reminds me of the opening scene of a horror movie where kids disappear one by one in the garden.'

As Linea's reaction was positive, Carcel's face also became much more relaxed.

He said to Linea.

"That is a relief. Please feel free to come visit anytime, Young Lady Delmore, if you would like to." 

"Thank you..."

Linea still flinched just by looking at Carcel's face because her distrust of him was still greater.

I stepped in to break up the awkward atmosphere.

"Just like Linea said, the scenery is truly fantastic. If it were opened to the public, it would become a tourist attraction, wouldn't it?" 

"In that case, do you think Asha would want to live here, aside from the others?"

Ah. As expected, Carcel's focus was on that.

I could sense it from the way he was strangely doing his best to show me the garden.

It feels like he is desperately trying to tell me, "It's nice to live here."

I nodded.

"It's beautiful. Honestly, I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't want to live in a place like this." 

"...That's a relief."

I clearly witnessed Carcel's lips curl up slightly.

It was a laugh that seemed to be a mixture of pride and relief.

After looking around the garden for quite a while, Carcel guided us back to the mansion.

"And this is not even half of the garden?"

"If you walk through the entire garden, it will probably take half a day."

"That is also the case with Carcel's speed, right?"

Carcel nodded.

"It’s to the point where my mother used to say she was going for a walk and wouldn’t return for two days."

“…Two days?”

"It’s not that she got lost in the garden, but she has a bit of an eccentric side."

"Isn't that considered staying out overnight?"

Since it is on the same site, it wouldn't count as an overnight stay, but I realized once again just how spacious the garden is.

Come to think of it, if I enter into a contract marriage with Carcel, I’ll probably end up with another mother-in-law.

I subtly sounded him out.

"But would your mother say it’s okay even if the woman has a child?"

“It doesn’t matter.”

I raised my eyebrows suspiciously and asked him as he answered immediately without even taking a breath.

"You asked your mother for her opinion before speaking, right?"

Of course, since Carcel is the head of the family, marriage would be possible if he went ahead with it... But I was already dealing with an overwhelming mother-in-law.

Since there was absolutely no information about Carcel's mother, it would be troublesome if she were to show hostility toward Linea.

In a remarriage involving a child, the most sensitive aspect is, of course, the child.

Carcel said to me nonchalantly.

"My mother told me that if I were to get married, it would be okay even if she were a female 'ugly duckling.' She said she doesn't think there are any people like that."

"Yes?!"

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