DLV 44

Chapter 44

In the meantime, a servant approached Benjamin and informed him that the tea table had been prepared.

When they arrived at the setup, they found two separate tables. Stella had claimed one entirely for herself, with Sophia on her left and Rune on her right, gripping both their hands tightly.

Benjamin and Joshua, having intended to join Sophia, moved to sit at the same table—but before they could, Stella raised her arms in a dramatic X shape.

“No way!”

“Huh?”

“We’re going to have a secret talk among us kids who are the same age, so you’re not allowed!”

Kids. That one word froze both Joshua and Benjamin. They were still underage—but when she said it like that, didn’t it make them sound like some ancient grandpa wizards?

Still, there was no winning against her when she was like this. Resigned, Benjamin grabbed Joshua by the collar and dragged him to the other table.

Once the two of them had retreated, it was Peyton who came peeking around next.

“What about me? Can I join?”

“Absolutely not! Grandpa!”

Stella rejected him without hesitation, having just learned about Peyton’s age during their walk. She was well aware that most wizards lived well past a hundred.

Which meant Peyton, a wizard, was a certified grandpa!

Shaking her head, she mimicked Sophia’s usual term for him. It was clear from her face that no matter what he said, he would not be allowed to join.

“Even you’re calling me grandpa…! I’m gonna cry now! I really am!”

Peyton pretended to wipe away tears, raising his voice dramatically. All the while, his eyes subtly shifted toward Sophia.

Swipe—no tears. Glance at Sophia.

Swipe—another glance.

It wasn’t hard to guess what he meant by it, but Sophia really didn’t want to know.

…Let’s just pretend I didn’t notice.

She turned her head away from Peyton entirely and dropped a sugar cube into her teacup.

When even Sophia turned her back on him, Peyton let out a dramatic hmph and slumped his shoulders.

As Peyton made his way to the other table, Stella continued to steal glances at Sophia’s expression. Then she leaned close and whispered into her ear like they were sharing a secret.

“I kicked out everyone you don’t like.”

When Sophia turned to her, Stella smiled brightly, her mint-colored eyes curving like leaves in sunlight.

She must have remembered how unhappy Sophia had looked when they once talked about their siblings.

Not that it had bothered Sophia then. Back then, she simply hadn’t known how to define the complicated relationships and didn’t have an answer to give.

So that’s why Stella had grabbed the servant earlier—so she could divide the tables like this?

Even if it had been a misunderstanding, the gesture had been for her sake, and that much was clear. That alone made her feel warm inside.

“This Mont Blanc isn’t too sweet. It goes really well with Portia tea.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! And the chestnut flavor is so good, it’ll make you happy with just one bite!”

Stella’s sparkling eyes never left her. She must’ve been dying to hear what Sophia thought of it.

Wanting to respond to that expectant gaze—and get her to stop staring so intently—Sophia picked up a small silver spoon and took a bite.

It really was delicious. Not overly sweet, so it wasn’t cloying. She could probably eat a few without getting tired of the taste.

“The topping is sugar-glazed chestnut. That’s good too.”

Maybe if she ate that as well, Stella would stop staring and focus on her own dessert.

Not stopping at just one bite, Sophia quickly spooned the glazed chestnut into her mouth.

No matter which part she tried, the Mont Blanc from this famous patisserie was consistently good.

Stella, satisfied with the faintly softened expression on Sophia’s face, began to eat her own dessert with a content smile.

With Stella’s gaze finally off her, Sophia could enjoy the taste more comfortably—until another chestnut landed on her plate.

There was only one on each Mont Blanc. This one wasn’t hers…

“I thought you liked them… I like it better when you eat them, My Lady.”

Looking up, she found Rune smiling sweetly as he spoke.

Had it been that obvious? Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t said anything about liking sweets, yet everyone seemed to know.

Maybe she’d smiled without realizing it. Embarrassed, she pressed her fingers against her lips.

Seeing this, Stella made a big decision—she picked up her own glazed chestnut and dropped it onto Sophia’s plate.

“You can have mine too!”

“That’s okay—really…”

“Huh? Sophia, do you like chestnuts? Want mine too?”

Since the tables were right next to each other, Benjamin had overheard and eagerly lifted his whole plate as if offering her all of it. Joshua, not to be outdone, also picked up his plate.

“Have mine too.”

The sudden twin voices made Sophia sigh.

“I don’t eat that much. Just eat your own.”

They had agreed to cut back on snacks, hadn’t they?

“…Oh…”

With disappointment on their faces, Benjamin and Joshua slumped back into their seats, while Sophia returned the chestnuts to Stella and Rune.

But those chestnuts found their way back to her plate again.

“Eat it, Sophia!”

“My Lady should have it.”

“Ugh…”

As she watched the returning chestnuts, Joshua and Benjamin gloomily stuffed their own into their mouths.

With everyone finally back in their seats, Sophia took another bite of her Mont Blanc—and caught sight of Peyton.

“Old man… Grandpa… Longevity…”

He was still wallowing in the trauma from earlier, poking his Mont Blanc with his spoon and muttering under his breath.

“I used to be called baby face… Even if I’m aging well, my heart’s still young…”

“You’re pathetic, wizard.”

Benjamin scolded him with a lazy tone. Coming from someone who must’ve been over a hundred, those words were nothing short of pitiful. He took a sip of his tea, the sweetness clinging to his tongue and urging him to eat more dessert.

Peyton puffed out his cheeks in protest.

“My face looks younger than yours!”

“That’s ridiculous. Act your age.”

Joshua, who had ordered a custom Peron blend, chastised him as he stirred a mountain of sugar into his cup, pressing it down with a spoon.

Watching this, Benjamin clicked his tongue.

“If you can’t handle bitter tea, why’d you even order it?”

“You don’t get it. Putting sugar in bitter tea is the best part. Ah, it’s all melted now.”

The cup’s contents looked more like sugar water than tea. As Benjamin stared at Joshua, he shifted his gaze to Sophia.

It was the first time he’d seen her surrounded by kids her own age, chatting and laughing.

She had always seemed so mature and composed—he hadn’t realized how important something like “friends” could be for her.

Not that she’d ever had a chance to make any.

“Hey, let’s have a sleepover tonight! I want to talk to you until we fall asleep.”

“Okay.”

“And can I call you ‘Sophie’?”

“Sure.”

From behind her came the faint creaking of chairs. Joshua and Benjamin had clearly reacted to the nickname.

Sophie poked the chestnut with her spoon and spoke hesitantly.

“O-Oppas… You two can call me Sophie too.”

It felt strange to say it out loud like this.

Had they used her name when they were younger?

“Sophie, need more sugar on your side?”

“I’ll make Mont Blanc for you later, Sophie.”

There was something irritating about how both Joshua and Benjamin kept calling her “Sophie” over and over.

They were clearly thrilled about getting permission to call her that, but—

“Sophie.”

“Sophie, do you need anything?”

“This one’s tasty. Sophie, try it.”

They were saying it way too much. It was getting annoying.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Stella suddenly hugged her tightly.

“Sophie’s name is going to wear out!”

Then she glared at the boys on Sophia’s behalf, warning them to stop obsessing over her name.

“Thank you.”

At Sophia’s words of gratitude, Joshua and Benjamin realized how overexcited they’d been—and how they might’ve been bothering her without meaning to.

They’d just been so happy at the unexpected permission and the family-like acceptance implied by the nickname.

Watching the warm scene, Rune smiled faintly.

He had been worried after seeing her look so down yesterday. But contrary to his fears, Sophia was surrounded by cheerful, lively warmth.

Compared to the past, when she spent her days in solitude and reflection, she seemed so much brighter now. And that was a relief.

Just then, his eyes met Peyton’s.

The wizard’s iridescent eyes—shifting from soft pink to vivid red—curved into a crescent smile the moment they landed on Rune.

…Huh?

It was a smile, yes. But something in that gaze made Rune shiver—from the base of his spine all the way up. Like he was being… observed.