Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It meant for her to get closer.

‘Huh? What?’ Anriche, confused, leaned her head towards him. To prevent the children from hearing, Alexei continued more words he wanted to say in a quiet voice.

“Also, thank you for taking care of Liliana well…”

Did the sun rise in the west this morning?

What’s up with Alexei…?

She stared blankly at him. Since the gaze felt embarrassing, so at the same time, he turned away.

Liliana jumped up from her seat and greeted him.

“Gre-greetings, Duke Valois.”

Because of the tension, Liliana’s voice was shivering thinly.

“I’m Liliana Aberyt. Thank you so much for allowing me to stay in the townhouse.”

Swallowing her dry saliva, she concluded her words. Anriche looked at Liliana with a warm gaze. ‘Oh, my kitten. You don’t even need to say hello!’

“Yes.”

‘…On the contrary, why is that guy’s reaction so blunt?’ Anriche opened her eyes narrowly and glanced at him. When our Liliana greets so cutely, isn’t it supposed to melt his heart?

“Hey, duke.”

Anriche opened her mouth suddenly. Alexei glanced back at her.

“Why do you treat Liliana so bluntly?” Anriche snapped.

Hearing those words, he was a little embarrassed. He just replied as normally, but it was blunt?

“Was…I blunt?”

“Yes. It would be better if you smiled a little.”

With Anriche’s nagging, Alexei couldn’t hide his shivering expression. He can’t believe he’s getting that kind of nagging from her, of all people.

Meanwhile, Elliot, who was glazing at Liliana’s expression, suddenly opened his mouth.

“Mother is right, father.”

“Huh?”

“When you have such an expressionless face, it’s kind of scary sometimes.”

With a desire to look good in front of Liliana, Elliot put strength in both of his eyes and looked at Alexei.

“What if Liliana gets scared because of father?”

…Even Elliot agreed so.

Alexei swept down his mouth without realizing.

Come to think of it, there really wasn’t a single hint of a smile on his face. ‘Right. My face was so stern…’

In many ways, this was different.

Anriche, who has never been interested in children so far, is giving him the advice, saying, ‘you must be kind when dealing with children.’

But what’s even more interesting…

‘Even though she pointed out my actions, it doesn’t feel so bad.’ Usually, Alexei would say, ‘are you at a point to say that?’ but that’s all.

It was peculiar.

Meanwhile, while Alexei was having a self-reflection time, Anriche was checking what time it was.

It was a little over one o’clock in the afternoon.

And for her, she realized the children had skipped the meal as if they couldn’t see when dirt got into their eyes.

“Kids, should we have lunch now?”

Anriche skillfully brought it up to the children.

It looked like a mother hen calling chicks under its wings.

‘Then, is the wife and children going for lunch now?’ As Alexei was standing awkwardly, she looked at him.

“Isn’t it the duke’s lunchtime, too?”

“Ah, yes. It is.”

“Well…”

Anriche fell into trouble for a moment.

Looking at it, aren’t Liliana and Alexei meeting for the first time today? Liliana’s personality is a bit shy, so it would be nice to allow her to spend time with him too.

Although…

‘Will Alexei, who is so stubborn, want to join us?’

Alexei’s reaction was roughly being guessed. He might reply, ‘I have to go to work, so it’s better for the wife and children to eat together.’

Besides, she already got some hate from him.

‘Hoo, is this my fate…’

Nevertheless, she opened her mouth with no expectation.

“Since we met like this, how about having a meal together?”

“All right.”

“Ah, you’re busy? Then, it can’t… What?” Expecting the reaction of him refusing, her eyes were wide open.

Alexei shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“I said, all right.”

“Uh, um, well. I’m going to eat with you as well… Is that all right?”

“Of course, it’s all right.”

After listening to his answer, she was confused. ‘Is he really okay about eating with her?’

When she brought him cookies, she noticed that he was still uncomfortable and wary of her. Though, of course, he came here to say thank you…

‘Didn’t he hate me?’

With mixed feelings, she led the children to the dining room.

Alexei followed with a neat step.

***

Alexei was very worried as he was sitting at the table, but the feeling went away.

‘Well… It didn’t make me more tactful or uncomfortable than I expected.’

Anriche glanced sideways at Alexei, while serving the meal with graceful movements.

He was truly the epitome of a perfect noble. The knives moving like flowing water, skillfully removed the meat attached to the bone.

Wow, he spread the meat very well.

Well, it was said that Alexei was the first sword of the Empire. If he handles the sword well, he should handle cutleries well, too.

Around the time, Anriche was having such a useless thought.

“…”

As Elliot groaned while trying to reach a salt shaker in front of her. So, Anriche handed over the salt shaker without much thought.

“Well, here. Salt.”

“Th-thank you.”

He picked up the salt shaker with an awkward face. Alexei’s eyes widened a little.

‘…Now, she isn’t even annoyed by Elliot.’

Normally, she would have shouted, ‘why are you groaning like that without dignity.’ However, the next moment, something more surprising happened.

Anriche found a sauce on Liliana’s mouth, and she naturally pulled out her handkerchief.

The hand that wipes the child’s lips was very gentle.

“Oops, there’s sauce on you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

At Anriche’s meticulous care, Liliana was shy and a little happy. To imply that it was okay, she smiled at Liliana.

Alexei looked closely at her. ‘…Was she always like this with children in the first place?’ It can’t be. The Anriche he knows is…

At that moment when Alexei’s eyebrows were wrinkled deeply.

Liliana missed her knife while cutting her meat.

Changgang!

With a sharp loud sound, the knife rolled over the marble floor, and a brown sauce stain was left on the floor.

The frightened Liliana hardened on the spot.

“So, so, so, sorry…” She muttered a little with an overwhelmed, terrified face. Then, Anriche narrowed her eyebrows for a while.

Kerchang!

She dropped her own knife to the floor.

With an unexpected act, Alexei and Elliot opened their eyes wide. Regardless, she remained quiet.

“It’s okay. People can make mistakes.”

Having said so, she patted Liliana’s shoulder.

“Look, did I just drop the knife?”

“Bu, but…”

“How can a person be perfect? ​​As an adult, I also make mistakes as well.” Anriche said clearly.

Hearing so, the tension on Liliana’s shoulder was released a little.

“Liliana is still young, so it’s natural for you to learn by making mistakes.”

Meanwhile, she noticed Alexei’s gaze towards her. The look of surprise was clearly visible.

To someone like Alexei, Anriche must be doing something very wrong in his eyes.

‘I know it’s against the etiquette, but please close your eyes just this once.’ Anriche mouths her lips slowly so that Liliana wouldn’t hear her, but Alexei just stared blankly at her, shocked. Meanwhile, She is now busy appeasing Liliana, who has been sad.

‘She was originally a person who gets angry like fire even if there was a small mistake in etiquette…’

It was the first time he saw her, not just anyone else, covering someone’s fault so generously.

In the next moment, Elliot and Alexei’s eyes met.

Elliot had the same thought, and his face was stunned.

***

After the meal.

Anriche heard good news.

“Miss Liliana’s rooms are all in order.”

Finally, the room she had arranged for her future use is done. Liliana looked up at her with sparkly eyes.

“Mother, I want to see the room with mother… is it okay?”

Then, Elliot opened his mouth at the same time.

“What, are you going alone with just mother?”

“What? Oh no, huh?”

“I want to go to your room, too.”

Elliott proclaimed in a shaky voice. Furthermore, Alexei also joined.

“I’m also curious about how Liliana’s room was decorated.”

“Th-the Duke is also…?”

“Yes. In the future, we will be a family of the townhouse, so we should know what kind of environment you are staying in?”

Alexei said firmly.