<Chapter 15>
“Being a picky eater is a bad habit.”
“…Yes.”
“Looks like I’ll have to fix that for you. Follow me.”
“…Yes. Wait, what?”
“Eat the whole bowl in front of me. You’re not sleeping until then.”
Sebastian grabbed Erica’s hand without hesitation.
Still staring up at him with her wide, rabbit-like eyes, she was led away at his pace, scurrying along with small steps.
In an instant, the distance between her and Bonpiju grew, and Erica found herself seated among the knights of the Grand Duke’s household who were in the middle of their meal.
Barely giving her time to sit down, Sebastian snatched her bowl and personally filled it to the brim with stew.
“Eat up.”
The bowl, which previously held mostly broth, was now piled high with chunky ingredients.
Hesitantly taking the bowl, Erica began to eat, carefully gauging her surroundings.
Her slow eating speed gradually picked up.
Contrary to Bonpiju’s earlier complaint that she had been fussing and refusing to eat vegetables, Erica finished the entire bowl of stew right in front of Sebastian that night.
“Um… I finished it.”
Proper etiquette for a marquis’ daughter… noble manners…
She had completely forgotten all of that.
Like a child seeking praise, Erica brightly held out her scraped-clean empty bowl, her eyes sparkling.
Then, after a moment of hesitation, she opened her mouth again.
“If there’s any left… may I have some more?”
From that day on, Erica began eating meals with the knights.
More accurately, she started eating with Sebastian.
Today, as she absentmindedly poked at her stew with her spoon, Sebastian watched her and spoke, almost scolding:
“Eat heartily. You’re so tiny because you don’t eat properly.”
“…Yes.”
Though this teasing had continued for days, Erica wasn’t hurt by it.
Because she knew there was no malice behind his words.
“Even the Lotoo tribe is probably taller than you.”
At that, Erica’s cheeks puffed up slightly.
The Lotoo tribe was a race that often appeared in fairy tales.
Intelligent, but extremely small in stature—even when fully grown, their height barely reached the hips of an adult human woman.
Of course, they didn’t exist in reality, and Sebastian was clearly just teasing her, but still, she couldn’t stop her lips from pouting.
From their first meeting, Sebastian had always treated her as younger than her actual age.
In a small, sulky voice, Erica protested:
“But… I’m only ten years old…”
Trying to say that being small was only natural at her age.
Sebastian chuckled lightly and asked again:
“So? Are you saying you’re taller than the Lotoo tribe?”
“Um… It depends on what age Lotoo you’re comparing me to…”
Sebastian’s head turned back towards her.
Her breath caught, and she paused mid-sentence.
Gulp.
Erica swallowed dryly first.
Then, meeting Sebastian’s unblinking stare, she held his gaze.
Every time she met those bright red eyes, her heart thumped loudly.
Not just that—
In front of Sebastian, she always felt as though she were completely exposed, making her nervous and on edge.
Her voice became even smaller, but she still finished her sentence to the end:
“I’d appreciate it if you could clarify the standard…”
Pfft.
Sebastian finally let out a laugh.
“What a curious personality you have.”
Letting go of the hand that had been supporting his chin, he picked up his spoon and started stirring his food again.
“You seem timid, but you always talk back when it counts.”
At that, Erica flinched, her golden eyes darting anxiously side to side.
“S-sorry.”
Startled by her sudden apology, Sebastian’s eyes widened.
“Huh? I didn’t say anything bad, though?”
His tone softened at the end, and he scratched his nose awkwardly.
Then suddenly turning his head, he shot an annoyed glare at Milord.
“Dammit. Am I not supposed to talk to girls like this?”
Milord, who had been silently finishing his meal, finally set down his utensils and nodded at Sebastian with a disappointed look.
“Be gentle, sir.”
“Wasn’t I being super gentle just now?”
Sebastian asked back, eyes wide in genuine confusion.
Milord, understanding Sebastian’s lack of social grace, didn’t press further.
Compared to his usual manner, Sebastian actually had been relatively kind and gentle.
Effort noted… but still far from enough.
So Milord added,
“By normal people’s standards, not yours, sir.”
“Normal people’s standards?”
Frowning, Sebastian pondered that for a moment.
But he clearly wasn’t getting anywhere with it.
The longer he stayed lost in thought, the longer the awkward silence stretched.
Feeling the tension, Erica hesitantly broke in:
“I’m not scared or anything. I just… wondered if I upset you.”
“I’m not upset either.”
“Then… I’m glad.”
Their conversation fizzled out awkwardly.
‘Umm… What should I say next…?’
Erica rolled her golden eyes nervously.
When she accidentally met Sebastian’s gaze again, she smiled sheepishly.
Seeing that, Sebastian chuckled softly and reached out, ruffling her hair with one long arm.
Then, shaking his head, he glanced around.
Spotting Bonpiju eating alone some distance away, he called out loudly:
“Hey, Head Maid.”
“Y-yes?!”
Bonpiju jumped up from her seat, answering with a cracked voice.
Sebastian casually ordered:
“We’re low on drinking water. There’s a stream nearby. Go fetch some.”
“Right now…?”
“Now.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Bonpiju had now been completely relegated to menial tasks.
But what choice did she have?
She didn’t have the courage to refuse Sebastian’s orders.
Scowling as she turned away, Bonpiju started running.
Lately, every mealtime, Sebastian had been sending her on random errands so she barely got to eat.
‘How many meals have I skipped already…? I can’t starve again!’
Determined, she quickened her heavy steps.
For the first time, she found herself resenting her master, Marquis Blanche, for not sending along another aide to help her.
It was break time, the soldiers pausing to water their horses.
Compared to the earlier forced marches, the change in pace was striking.
No one knew what had caused the shift in Sebastian’s mood, but ever since getting closer to Erica, he had begun calling for breaks more often.
Of course, the fact that they were nearing the Grand Duchy’s estate could have been a major factor too.
“Isn’t it… quite remarkable?”
At Milord’s comment, Sebastian turned to look at him.
“What is?”
Milord gestured subtly with his eyes.
Sebastian’s red gaze followed.
In the sunlight, Erica’s wavy red hair shone more brilliantly than usual.
She was smiling shyly, her whole face lit up.
“That little girl, isn’t she remarkable?”
“Well… If you put it like that… yeah?”
Erica was surrounded by the knights of the Archliff Grand Duchy.
It had become a common sight lately.
Though pretending otherwise, the knights would crane their necks, waiting for her to step out of the carriage.
As soon as she did, they’d stealthily approach and offer her things—usually food.
Today was no different.
“Are you really giving this to me?”
“Of course.”
“…Thank you.”
Erica ate everything well.
Though others didn’t know, she had a unique obsession with food.
Back when she lived as the nanny’s daughter in the Blanche Marquisate, she couldn’t eat whatever she wanted.
Having lived through such scarcity, she had developed the habit of savoring every bite.
Because of that, she ate slowly, storing food in her cheeks like a squirrel and chewing for a long time.
That adorable sight made many knights clutch their left chests, where their hearts ached.
“My chest…! My chest hurts!”
“My breathing…! It’s getting hard to breathe! I might die like this!”
They were utterly lovestruck and dramatic about it.
Sebastian watched them with an exasperated expression.
He seriously began to doubt whether these were the same knights he had known for so long.
Whenever his blood sugar dropped, they would offer Erica the fruits and candies they carried.
“So… what exactly do you find so remarkable? That she’s good at scoring free snacks?”
“Come on… do you think I meant that?”
Milord scowled a little at Sebastian’s teasing tone.
Sebastian let out a sigh of irritation.
“Then what?”
Sebastian, never known for patience, urged him on.
“Say it clearly.”
“I mean… the Archliff warhorses.”
