CH 8

Chapter8 - Meal

「Will this get you to listen to Fran?」

Countess Adelaide Doumer turned to see Lou Brandell with a gentle smile on his face.

「Yes, I understand.」

Adelaide nodded lightly and smiled mischievously this time.

Her curiosity was piqued, and her desire to investigate Lou as a research subject intensified.

Once she knew that her beloved daughter, Fran, was safe, Adelaide’s concerns about the attack, which had already been reported to her, became secondary in her mind.

「But I’m also curious about you, so I’d love to hear more about you.」

「…………」

Fran’s expression was mixed.

The words「My mother has slipped back to her old ways」were all but written in her eyes.

「What about me?」

When he was asked to ask about himself, Lou gave her a look of doubt.

「Yes, about you. I’d like you and Fran to talk to me.」

Adelaide’s curiosity was evident in her eyes.

Lou was puzzled, but…

As if Fran had made up her mind, she grabbed Lou’s hand and pulled him into the house with a jerk.

Fran apologized for her mother, Adelaide’s, approach, which could be construed as too unreserved.

「I’m so, so sorry. My mom was just too rude.」

「What’s that? I wasn’t being rude. It’s totally fine.」

In response to Fran’s apology, Lou slowly waved his hand, 「I don’t mind.」

Every time Fran saw Lou’s gentle smile, she felt her heart grow warmer.

This comfort was irreplaceable.

She never wanted to give it up!

When Fran registered this thought, she put more strength into her hand and grasped Lou’s hand tightly again.

The servants of the mansion hurriedly followed them.

From the back of the line, Adelaide walked briskly, smiling as if she was looking forward to her upcoming interaction with Lou…

Zeimon, whose wounds have healed, also chased after her, giving off the impression that he was guarding his master.

While pouring his attention on Adelaide, Zeimon’s eyes followed the figures of Lou and Fran, walking ahead.

「I understand. I also…find that kid interesting. He’s truly an interesting fellow…Madam.」

Zeimon muttered with a smile, as if his condescension earlier had been a lie.

However, Adelaide cut Zeimon off with a quick slash without looking at him beside her.

It’s funny that you call him “kid” when you lost to him so easily.

「…………」

Zeimon had no words to reply.

It was exactly as Adelaide said.

So, how should he address Lou from now on?

Zeimon got lost in thought.

***

Under Fran’s orders, a servant led the way…

Lou was experiencing a human bath for the first time in the guest bathroom.

He was a little confused when he was told to wash himself in a tub full of bubbles, but the bubbles smelled just like Fran’s, calming him down a little.

His first human bath…

But that didn’t mean that Lou was filthy.

It was just that the village of Arlv where he lived didn’t have a human-style bath.

To set the record straight, the Arlvs were very clean people.

They bathed frequently, and if there was a hot spring in the vicinity of their village, they all took baths to relieve their fatigue.

After Lou left the tub, a change of clothes was prepared for him.

At any rate, Lou was still in his clothes, with only a set of dirty leather armor and some underwear.

This was Adelaide’s directive.

They prepared…

A sleeved doublet called a purpoint, which was padded to make his upper body look more muscular, and leggings called hose, which gave the appearance of toned legs.

The servant told him that they were unused clothes belonging to Fran’s younger brother, who was in the school’s dormitory and was not currently at the mansion.

Fortunately, her brother was close in physique to Lou, but the size was still a bit small.

It was painful for Lou, who usually dressed comfortably and had no sense of fashion. However, he had no choice but to give in for Fran’s sake.

When Lou appeared in the hall…

Fran requested to go into the details later, so the three people decided to have a meal first.

As far as Adelaide could tell, Fran was not too traumatized by the attack and had a good appetite.

Therefore, the chef of the mansion prepared the usual dishes and the servants served them.

Fran didn’t want the servants to know too much about Lou’s background, so the conversation at the dinner table was kept to the bare minimum.

The three toasted with wine.

Lou and Adelaide introduced themselves to each other again.

「Nice to meet you, Adelaide Dumer. I’m the chairman of a school called Valentine Magical Girls Academy. Pleased to meet you.」

「Just so you know, I’m a Countess, Adelaide said amicably with a smile.」

Lou answered with a strained smile.

This was because the image of human nobility that she had heard from his foster-parent, Arlv, had changed slightly.

Pompous and exclusive…

That was the impression that Lou had of the human aristocracy.

Lou took a liking to the friendly Adelaide and greeted her with a gentle smile, as usual.

「It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lou, Lou Brandel. It was just a coincidence that I was able to help Fran.」

Hearing Lou’s words, Fran interrupted him.

「Hold it right there! I’ll get into the details later…You’re right. It may have been a coincidence that we met, but it was definitely not a coincidence that I was saved!」

Adelaide smiled as she watched Fran’s cheeks puff out as she argued her case.

She knew it. Fran’s encounter with Lou has changed her.

Fran continued to insist.

「And if it weren’t for Lou, Mother and I wouldn’t have probably ever had another meal together.」

「Come on! That’s a terrible thing to say!」

Adelaide protested softly, still smiling.

But Fran was not to be outdone.

She flatly stated what has been a stark fact.

「You know, Mother. Whenever you come back from the academy, you don’t eat properly and stay in the lab most of the time, don’t you?」

「Oops!」

「Oops, no. It’s a fact, you know?」

「Erm…hahaha, before I knew it, time has gone by so fast.」

Lou was a little jealous at their bickering.

Without parents, Lou never experienced the warmth of his immediate family.

Sowell of Arlv, who had been a substitute parent, was no longer a person of this world.　

When he looked at the table, he saw that the food served was much more sumptuous than the food he had eaten when he lived in the Arlv Village or when he had traveled and hunted for food.

Lou bowed to them both, clasped his hands in silent prayer, and resumed eating again.

A variety of dishes were lined up in front of him…

For Lou, it was the freshest meal he had ever eaten.

He had never eaten bread before.

The bread that Fran and the others usually ate was the so-called white bread.

It was said to be made from wheat flour that has had the outer layer, called bran, removed.

It was fluffy… sweet and delicious.

Pea soup, scrambled chicken eggs, salads with colorful vegetables, meat pies, and a whole roasted pork with spicy sauce were also on the table.

Lou wasn’t a picky eater.

He gobbled up the food with a voracious appetite.

It’s delicious!

Lou praised the dishes…

He smiled at Fran and Adelaide, and then turned a carefree smile toward the head chef who was standing behind him.

Seeing Lou’s pleased smile, the chef couldn’t resist smiling back happily.

Fran pondered.

Lou has even changed the atmosphere of meals in our house.

Me too…My appetite is a lot better than usual!

Fran savored such a sprinkle of happiness.