CH 67

Dismiya watched Dianna carefully take the menu. She seemed to be at a loss as to what to pick since she hadn’t heard of any of the names before. 

Hmmm, what is this I wonder, what is that I wonder, her gaze shifted as she moved from page to page. 

While smiling, Dismiya called a clerk and ordered one of everything off the menu and requested they bring them out one by one. 

They used the neighboring table to put a dozen or so different cakes all lined up in front of Dianna. 

A teacup was placed in front of Dismiya. 

Looking at all the cakes in front of her, Dianna’s eyes sparkled, and she became extremely excited. She pointed from one cake to another while asking the clerk excitedly, “What’s that?” “What’s this?”. She recited the different names to herself and looked like she was having fun. 

After hearing the names, she wondered which cakes she should eat, but when she couldn’t make up her mind her expression became worried. 

“If I eat cake before lunch then I won’t be able to eat lunch, right?” 

While tilting her head inquisitively she turned her troubled expression to Dismiya. 

Dismiya smiled and gave her a sly expression, he raised his finger to his lips and whispered, “It’s a secret.” 

“For today let’s pretend that we already ate lunch and eat the cake. If we don’t say anything no one will know.” 

“Is it okay?” 

“Of course!” 

After receiving Dismiya’s approval, Dianna first grabbed a strawberry cake. 

Dianna wanted to eat the thing she liked. Eating a strawberry cake was like eating strawberries.  Because, if she looked despondent for not having strawberries, Cain would give her the strawberries that were left. 

Today as well, she pierced the strawberry with her fork, opened her mouth wide, and put the strawberry in her gaping mouth. 

Bustling with excitement from eating a white cream cake, she looked at the table lined with cakes and wondered which one to eat next. 

“My stomach is so full I couldn’t possibly eat them all.” 

“Then you can take a bite out of each one of them.” 

“Will you eat what I don’t eat Dad?” 

“Leaving the ones, you don’t eat behind is fine. I will pay for those as well, so don’t worry.” 

Dismiya gently said with a smile, but Dianna’s eyebrows drew together in an expression of frustration. 

Cain always tried to instruct Dianna on proper etiquette of food. Besides not being picky, she was instructed that if she saw something new and she didn’t think she could eat it to not touch it. 

Since the food is untouched someone else can eat it. The food that comes out of the dining room is perfectly proportioned because the Chefs know how much she eats. If she eats it all Cain praises her. 

During a tea party thrown for guests of Dianna’s mother’s, Cain scolded her for only eating half of the cookies and scones. You can leave the guest’s souvenirs untouched as a gift to the servants or for her snack tomorrow. If it’s half-eaten, you must throw it away. 

But now, father Dismiya says it is okay to leave it. Since he is paying for it is okay. 

Is that alright? She wondered at a young age. 

“Dad, is it okay to take the food we don’t eat with us?” 

“Ugh.” 

Dianna decided to follow Cain’s words of “If you leave them untouched you can have the leftovers as tomorrow’s snack.” 

If we don’t have to eat just here, we can bring the cake with us we can eat it tomorrow, also Cain and Ilvalino can eat some cake. 

She was excited imagining Cain’s happy face. 

However, Dismiya’s expression was bitter. 

“If we bring the cake home without eating lunch they will find out. Cain will scold you.” 

“Oh!” 

She recalled that eating cake for lunch was a secret from Cain and her eyes became wide and she looked as if she might cry. 

The thought of Cain’s happiness changed to thoughts of Cain being angry. [Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]

Dianna tried to think of a way to avoid leaving a large amount of cake without Cain becoming angry and then she thought of it.

“I just thought of a good idea!!!” 

She shouted and then with a smile ate three more cakes. She then asked the clerk to wrap up the rest of the cakes. 

A carriage burdened by rocks, cakes, and clothes slowly made its way to the west of the royal capital. 

Eventually, the carriage made its way to the orphanage at the temple. 

When the coachman opened the door, Dianna leaped out by herself and entered the temple. Dismiya reluctantly followed and looked around as if he was looking at something unusual. 

“Oh! Missus Dianna. Hello.” 

“Hello, temple chief.” 

“You didn’t come with Mr. Cain and Ilvalino today?” 

Dianna didn’t come as much as Cain and Ilvalino, but recently she had been coming to the orphanage from time to time, so she had become acquainted with the temple chief. 

Even so, Dianna had never come alone, so the temple chief was asking if she couldn’t find her mother and brother. 

Dianna turned around and pointed behind her. 

“There’s my dad!” 

As soon as he heard that, his smile was replaced by a serious expression, and he bowed respectfully.  

“Welcome to our temple. This is your first time coming here. I am Simmons and I am in the charge of the temple in the west.” 

“Yes.” 

Dismiya nodded lightly to the temple chief’s humble greeting, but Dianna tapped his thigh, gave a stern look, and said, “When someone greets you it is polite to say a greeting back.”  

“What…oh? Umm…sorry for the intrusion.” 

In response, the temple chief tried to guide Dismiya to the drawing-room, but Dianna stopped him by grabbing his hem. 

She looked at the temple chief and said, 

“We have presents!” 

***

They all ate the cake in a line in the orphanage cafeteria. 

Dismiya was served tea, but it was a little awkward because all the children were drinking water. 

They were sitting side by side on a narrow couch, a child with dirt clothes sat next to Dismiya but he didn’t mind that the clothes stuck to him.  

Dianna sat next to him while eating her fifth cake of the day without a care. 

While having a fun conversation with the child sitting next to him, Dismiya kept trying cakes with different tastes one by one. 

Dismiya’s back began to throb suddenly so they couldn’t stay any longer. 

“Dianna, I am going to the carriage first, so when you are done eating have the temple chief bring you to the carriage.” 

“Okay!” 

Dismiya left Dianna and returned to the carriage. 

“I heard the Crown Prince Arundirano also played with the orphans…but the Dianna of today wouldn’t be very welcome among the aristocrats.”

It’s not ladylike to pick up stones, but since Dianna was still young, it wasn’t unforgivable. 

Cake was a luxury item. It was normal to eat your fill then leave the rest. It was embarrassing for him to take leftovers home. 

And from the aristocrats’ view, it was unthought-of to give such things to orphans. 

Dismiya thought, “What would they think of her eating with them?” 

The aristocratic Duke of Elgrandark was the ruler, the temple chief and the orphans were the subjects to be ruled over.  

It was enough to say hello and acknowledge the receiving of the gift. 

Was it the influence of Cain?

Cain rarely went out except to visit the royal castle. 

It was true some had eccentric personalities, but they all came from aristocratic birth. 

Where did that feeling come from, he wondered.