WMHMS - Chapter 27

Carcel looked comfortable, perhaps because he was used to this kind of situation.

Linea was eating a separate meal prepared for her next to me, which was called the children's lunch menu.

The meatballs, made of finely chopped various vegetables and topped with a cream sauce, had carrots shaped like rabbit ears stuck into them. On top of that, there was even a chicken dish served in a concave bowl decorated like a carrot field, allowing you to pick and eat the carrots one by one.

"The chef created art with his cooking."

"I heard that he said he was tired of cooking only cooked vegetables and simple meat dishes every day because I am the only one who eats in this dining room."

"Ah, as expected, you don't usually eat this much, right?"

There were at least fifteen dishes piled up in front of me. They were all main course quality.

I felt awkward, so I struck up a conversation with him for no reason.

"I feel sorry that you might have pushed them to the limit because of us. It must have cost a lot."

As soon as I apologized like that, his eyes instantly changed.

"Asha, even if I ate like this for every meal, I couldn't keep up with the speed at which my wealth is growing."

"...That's a rather unpleasant remark."

Then again, considering the amount deposited in his bank, the cost of a meal would be laughable, wouldn't it?

"I'm sorry. I'm a man who has nothing but money.

He grinned as he cracked a joke.

I shook my head with a look that said.

"You can't believe it."

"However, the Marquisate also gives back to society through its own charitable activities, so please feel free to spend my money without feeling any pangs of conscience."

Carcel continued speaking to me as if to tell me not to feel burdened.

"After all, society only functions if a lot of money is spent."

"Then, is it okay if I wipe out all the money in Carcel's 32 bank accounts?"

Carcel narrowed his eyebrows and let out a low laugh at me for speaking to him in a mean way.

"Well, if Asha wants it? But I trust that if I become a beggar, Asha will take care of me. In any case, won't you need money to raise your daughter?"

After saying that, Carcel smiled at Linea again.

The moment Linea's eyes met that Death Smile properly for the first time, her fork crashed to the floor.

“I’m sorry!”

Is it the taste of his pupils, narrowed into an almond shape like those of a beast, and his cool mouth, holding a hint of a smile?

Linea, who had been scrambling with a terrified look on her face, stood up. Then, as she bent down to pick up a fork, she ended up sticking her face into the plate.

Puck!

“Linea!”

I sprang to my feet in shock.

She's usually too timid to make mistakes, but the power of the Death Smile was tremendous!

It happened to be because the plate, which was light as it was almost empty, was sticking out slightly ahead of the table.

Because of this, Linea hit her head on the table and, while trying to get up, accidentally fell backward.

Clink!

At the same time, the plate was knocked over on the floor along with the remaining food and shattered miserably into two pieces.

"..."

"..."

It happened so quickly that even Carcel couldn't stop the table from falling to save Linea this time.

"...Uh. Are you okay?"

I approached Linea, bent down, and helped the child up.

And looking closely into every nook and cranny, fortunately, it didn't look like there were any injuries.

The only problem is that her forehead and hair were covered in food and flushed red from hitting the plate.

Linea was also at a loss for what to do about the accident she had caused.

The little one was so flustered that its cheeks turned red like ripe strawberries.

On top of that, he even trembled all over, as if afraid of being scolded.

"I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I'm really sorry."

Linea apologized while looking back and forth between Carcel and me, her voice trembling.

She looked like she was about to kneel and beg profusely.

At the same time, the servants approached without a word and quickly collected the broken plates as if it were no big deal. Then, they scrubbed the floor clean in no time.

"I can't just let this slide this time," I said firmly to Linea.

"Linea, you need to be a little more careful from now on. It would be a big problem if you got hurt, okay?" 

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

I sat up slightly and turned my head toward Carcel.

But there was no one on the other side.

"Huh?"

We were bewildered when suddenly a shadow fell behind us.

I turned my head back toward Carcel and opened my mouth.

"I'm sorry. Linea must have been too excited to make a mistake she never makes at home. I'll pay for the plates."

When I said that, instead of answering, Carcel bowed his face low.

And then, suddenly, he knelt on one knee!

"W-what are you doing?"

When I asked in a flustered tone, he held out the napkin he was holding to Linea.

"There is absolutely no problem with the dishes or anything else, so it is a relief that your daughter was not hurt. Please wipe your face first."

"I won't make this mistake again. I'm sorry."

"Children make mistakes. A mistake like this isn't big enough to warrant apologizing to me three times."

He conveyed his intentions without lifting his head until the very end.

"There are plenty of plates in the Marquis's quarters, so if your daughter wishes, you may even break all of them in the warehouse."

I was grateful for his consideration, but I was dumbfounded by the fact that he always tried to be overly generous.

"No, I don't want that at all! Linea isn't a circus monkey!"

I continued speaking to Carcel.

"Anyway, Linea was indeed at fault today, so I will be more careful to ensure this doesn't happen again."

 "Yes. And feel free to make as many mistakes as you want. At least not at the Marquis's mansion."

Is it because I can't see the face clearly?

The voice and the words contained within it felt especially affectionate.

Soon, Linea was the first to reach out her hand to Carcel.

I thought she was about to take the napkin.

Actually, the place Linea's hand reached was Carcel's cheek.

"Huh?"

Before I could even be surprised, Linea gently cupped Carcel's cheek, who had his head bowed low.

And trembling, she opened her mouth and spoke to him.

"You don't have to duck. I'm not scared anymore. Not anymore."

It was a hand that was infinitely small compared to Carcel's.

Even so, he slowly raised his head as if the ice wall had melted just from the touch of that hand.

Soon, Carcel's sharp face was revealed.

However, Linea did not back down.

Instead, she smiled at him.

"Thank you!" 

"...You're welcome. It's nothing special."

I, who was actually surprised by Linea's progress, was stammering and unable to say a word.

On the other hand, Linea and Carcel were on good terms.

"Please eat again now."

Carcel wiped Linea's forehead with an extremely careful touch and said.

Even though his tone was stiff, Linea quietly accepted him, perhaps because it contained consideration for her.

"If you would like to wash up before you leave, I will let you use the bathroom after the meal."

"No, we should have a meal before we go!"

I couldn't stay any longer. My mother-in-law was coming home soon, so I had to leave before then.

Lately, whenever we briefly crossed paths at home, the way she glared at me and Linea was extraordinary.

'Suddenly, Linea is changing into flashy clothes every day, going out, and seems to be on good terms with me, so I’m sure she’ll be suspicious.'

There is no way she wouldn't have been informed of everything happening inside the house.

'If I hadn't gone to the bank a long time ago and opened an anonymous safe deposit box, my money and contract would have been stolen.'

I knew that she was periodically rummaging through Linea's and my room.

I keep the inside tidy using my own method, but when I come back, things are all messed up, as if someone haphazardly rummaged through them.

It was obvious that Linea's clothes had been left there because, since she was her granddaughter, there was no reason to throw them away for the sake of face.

If I had bought several fancy clothes, they would have already been torn by the time I got home.

I still had to be careful because I needed to gather more evidence of abuse.

“Is that so?”

Carcel stood up, handing the used napkin to the servant.

“It’s a shame...”

"We can arrange another time next time."

He nodded.

And after Carcel returned to his seat, the meal resumed.

***

"Then, take care on your way."

Carcel, who had been looking at me with regret, said goodbye.

"Thank you so much, Carcel, for today. And thank you for generously overlooking Linea's mistake as well."

"No, not at all. I actually liked that the mansion seemed to be alive again for the first time in a while."

I looked down at Linea, who was peeking her face out from behind my leg, and said.

"Linea, you should say goodbye now, too, right?"

Then Linea came out from behind me, greeted Carcel according to etiquette, and said.

"The meal was really delicious. And..."

Linea, who had been moving her pale pink lips for a while, raised her head as if she had made a decision, looked up at Carcel, and shouted.

"See you again next time!"

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