Chapter 51
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Chapter 51
"What?"
"Share it with me?"
The words tumbled from both Claude's mouth and mine simultaneously.
A parfait wasn't something you could spoon up like ice cream—it required biting into it directly, piece by piece. The idea of sharing it this way seemed absurd.
"That's far too...."
Far too intimate, like something lovers would do!
The moment I imagined Claude and me sharing the parfait bite by bite, our faces close together, my cheeks flushed crimson.
"Is something the matter?"
The Shop Owner, oblivious to my turmoil, tilted his head curiously.
"Never mind. Just bring two, then."
"But didn't you say you were full just a moment ago?"
Claude regarded me with a puzzled expression.
"It's fine. I can leave what I don't finish."
"If you leave food uneaten, you'll be punished."
The firm voice came from below.
Following the sound, I looked down to see Amelia contentedly chewing on a crepe.
"If you leave food uneaten, you go to hell and have to eat everything you left behind."
"Who told you that?"
"I read it in a book."
What kind of books does this child read, anyway?
"Aunt, you're not planning to leave your crepe uneaten, are you?"
"Mm?"
"You told me not to leave food, but now you're doing it!"
Now Lucian had joined our conversation as well.
"You told me not to leave anything, so why won't you follow your own rule?!"
"I'm not breaking it. I'm simply not going to eat my crepe."
I calmed the indignant Lucian and turned to Claude.
"Duke, surely you can finish one crepe entirely?"
Given how much you eat, one crepe should be no problem at all....
"No."
"...."
"I would like to eat exactly half."
Claude's voice was resolute, brooking no compromise.
"It would be perfect if the Young Lady would help me with the other half."
Claude smiled at me.
"Sir, why not simply order one and share it? What does it matter between husband and wife?"
"Hus, husband and wife?! We're not that kind of relationship!"
I flinched and waved my hands frantically.
"Duke, say something to clarify this!"
I turned to Claude for help.
But there stood only—
"Am I... unclean?"
A man with wounded eyes.
"Unclean? What are you suddenly talking about?"
"Isn't it because my lips touched it that you find it distasteful?"
"Absolutely not. I just..."
It's just that I felt a bit hesitant about eating where your lips had touched...
Wait, isn't that basically saying the same thing?
"So I am unclean after all..."
"No, that's not it!"
I waved both hands frantically and spoke urgently to the Shop Owner.
"One crêpe, please! Chocolate flavor!"
"Yes, yes. I'll make it right away."
The owner smiled as if he'd been waiting for my order.
Soon a crêpe generously dusted with nuts and chocolate arrived.
"Please, go ahead."
"Ah, yes."
If I refused again, he might actually cry.
I quickly took a bite of the crêpe before Claude could spiral into more self-deprecation.
The fluffy batter melted between my teeth as sweet chocolate dissolved across my tongue, with crunchy almonds adding their delightful texture.
Yes. This was it.
"Does it taste good?"
"Mmm."
Only when I saw the smile blooming across Claude's face did I realize how utterly absorbed I'd been in the crêpe's flavor.
I quickly turned my head away.
"W-well, all crêpes taste the same, don't they?"
"That doesn't seem to match how deliciously you were eating it."
Claude laughed with a soft deflating sound and pointed beneath his own lips.
"You have some here."
"I d-do?"
How careless of me—eating with cream all over my face like a child.
I fumbled at my lips with my hand.
"Is it gone?"
"No. A bit lower."
"Now?"
"A bit more to the right."
"Is it gone now?"
Claude shook his head. Without a mirror, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where the cream had smudged.
"Is there a mirror anywhere?"
As frustration welled up inside me, I glanced around restlessly.
"Not there."
Claude extended his hand toward my face.
"Here."
His fingers touched the space just beneath my lower lip.
Callused fingertips traced across the soft skin with surprising gentleness.
"You had some cream there."
Claude held out the finger that had brushed my lips, and I could clearly see the white whipped cream smudged on his thumb.
"Th-thank you."
The moment I saw the evidence, my face burned with heat. My lips tingled as though they'd been scorched by flame where his finger had touched.
I hastily pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and scrubbed his hand frantically. The thought that the cream from my lips had transferred to his hand mortified me beyond measure.
"It's delicious."
Whether Claude was oblivious to my embarrassment or simply didn't care, he bit into the crêpe with perfect composure—precisely where my lips had been.
"Would you care for another bite?"
"Oh, no. I'm afraid I'm quite full. Please, finish it yourself, Duke."
"But it's so good. What a shame."
"Ah, next time we go out, I'll eat less beforehand."
I didn't even know what I was saying. I was simply babbling whatever came to mind to suppress my own mortification.
'It would be better if I didn't pay attention to Claude.'
Once I became aware of him, my mind kept drifting toward him.
My heart raced inexplicably, and my face flushed.
"Well, has everyone finished their crêpes?"
I redirected my attention from Claude to the three troublemakers.
But there was no response.
"Children?"
I glanced around. The children were nowhere to be seen.
"Good heavens...."
That's when it struck me.
Distracted by Claude, I had lost track of the children.
* * *
"Lia, is this really okay? Sister told us not to wander around alone."
"That's why we're not wandering alone—we're going together. And we're holding hands just like Sister said."
"I suppose, but...."
Edwin's voice grew quieter at Amelia's rebuttal.
Something felt off, yet he couldn't argue against what she'd said. As always, her words carried undeniable persuasiveness.
"In fact, now is precisely the moment we should slip away."
The atmosphere between Lucella and Claude was unmistakably charged—sweet and soft and fluffy, much like the crêpe they'd just shared.
'We should give them some time alone together.'
Holding hands in harmony, matching their steps, sharing a crêpe.
Soon enough, they'd be sharing meals together as one.
"Ufufu."
"I'm scared when Amelia laughs like that..."
Edwin's shoulders trembled at Amelia's low chuckle.
Realizing he couldn't persuade Amelia, Edwin changed his target.
"I think we should really head back. Don't you agree, Lucian?"
"Wow, there are so many mana stones!"
But there was no point in expecting anything from Lucian. He was simply delighted at the thought of wandering freely without anyone's control.
"Are we really allowed to walk around just the three of us?"
"Stop worrying."
Amelia, reassuring Edwin, squeezed the hand she held. At that, Edwin's cheeks flushed crimson.
"...Understood."
In the end, Edwin reluctantly let himself be pulled along by Amelia.
"Wow, what's that?"
"Cotton candy. It's a treat made by spinning sugar into fine threads."
"What about that?"
"That's something like a waffle."
His reluctance was short-lived. Edwin, like Lucian, soon found his attention captured by the surroundings.
"Let's go over there!"
Lucian called out from in front of the Crossroads.
To the left of the Crossroads stood an array of upscale boutiques, while the right side held relatively less ornate shops.
Lucian's choice was naturally the right.
"Why? I wanted to go left."
"We always go there, so I'm not curious about it. I want to see somewhere new."
"Fine. Do as you wish."
Amelia nodded readily. She had memorized the entire route on the way here, so there would be no problem finding their way back.
"Wow, this street really is different."
"Right? They even sell magical artifacts here?"
No matter how dignified Amelia appeared, she was still a child. The seven-year-old was quickly captivated by the mysterious items.
"Wow, they sell byproducts from magical beasts' bodies here."
It happened that Lucian was currently absorbed in fairy tales featuring magical beasts.
"Lucian, do you know what byproducts are?"
"Of course I don't!"
Lucian, proclaiming this confidently, dashed toward the shop selling magical beast byproducts.
"Really, there's no stopping him."
"Amelia, Lucian! I'm coming too!"
Amelia and Edwin followed after him, their eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org