Chapter Volume 2 13

I placed the food on the table. Breakfast was slightly simple this time. We just have something comparable to potatoes that I boiled, and then accompanied with some sauce I prepared. There's not much food variety in spring, so we don't have that much to choose from, either.

Veirya didn't mind, since she wasn't after taste when it came to food. However, she'll like it more if it is tasty. She'll definitely eat a lot even if the taste is ordinary. Leah rubbed her eyes as she came downstairs. I took out a towel to wipe her face. I then rubbed her head and said, "Have breakfast, Leah."

Leah nodded, "Okay!"

She fearfully looked at Veirya. It wasn't that sort of fear this time, but the look given when concerned for a mental patient. After all, the smile she made yesterday startled Leah. Also, her peculiar thinking was incomprehensible to Leah. Therefore, she started to develop a stronger fear for her unsettling intelligence as opposed to her pure might.

Leah sat down next to Veirya and looked at the food in front of her. A lot more disappointment surfaced on her face. Leah looked at me. She didn't sound too happy when she whined, "Papa, is there nothing else for breakfast? This stuff tastes absolutely plain. We're eating this every day. Papa, I miss the meat stew."

"Sorry, Leah, there's not much fresh food in this town during this season, but Papa will try Papa's best to bring some back."

I don't have any solution, either. After all, there's a lack of variety in spring. After winter, people have just begun planting their hope, so the things we're left with to eat are leftovers from winter. Humanity lacks any food variety in spring and animals aren't fat, either. Furthermore, there will be lots of them in reproduction periods. As a subsequence, humanity won't disrupt them too much. That, in turn, means that the food produced by the town itself will also be lacking.

Leah looked at me. There was a tinge of concern in her gaze, "Papa… If it's troublesome… don't worry about Leah… Leah… is fine with not eating them. Leah just needs Papa to always be with Leah."

I shook my head with a smile, and then looked at her. I solemnly responded, "If Papa can't get what his daughter wants, what sort of Papa am I? Leah, Papa has to make a trip outside today to discuss some things with that man. Papa, therefore, can't bring you this time. Leah, go for a stroll with Veirya today."

"Never!"

'I thought Leah would react that way.'

She leapt to her feet and looked at me to shout. Veirya looked at her with a serious look then me, "Sure."

Leah sat back down in her chair, sprawled her torso onto the table and slammed it as she shouted, "No! No! I don't want to go out with this woman!! I don't want to go out with her!! I want to go with Papa! Papa!"

She was adamant in her refusal to go out together with Veirya. I looked at her. I was worried about what Veirya would do if she got upset. Veirya didn't give a reaction, though. She just sat there in place and looked at us without any expression. I looked at Leah and hesitated for a moment. I decided that it was still best to let Veirya take Leah out. Veirya really wants to improve her relationship with Leah right now. She seemed to be infatuated after being called 'Mama', last time. She was zealous to prove that she was a better mother than Angelina.

I shook my head, and then looked at Leah, "Leah, Papa is going out for work. Papa can't take a child with Papa. Leah, just go with Veirya for now. Haven't you two started to get along well?"

"That's because you're there, Papa… Who would have the foggiest clue as to what this woman is thinking about all day…? Leah is really scared that she'll kill Leah…"

"I won't." Veirya nodded with absolute seriousness, and then placed her long sword on the table. She looked at Leah and continued, "I won't take my sword this time."

"You…"

Leah looked at Veirya, feeling stunned. Veirya looked at Leah with a haughty look as though she was saying, "You can't make any complaints now, can you?" However, the sword wasn't what concerned Leah, but Veirya, herself… She's afraid of being strangled by Veirya even when they bath together, not the fact that she carried a sword on her.

For the record, though, Veirya has never removed her long sword, so for her to remove it now, goes to show that she won't hurt Leah.

"Leah, be a good girl. Veirya won't harm you. Papa will come for you once Papa is done. Don't fret. Papa will be safe. It'll be fine."

I caressed Leah's face. She clasped my face in her hands, and then glanced at Veirya. She frowned. It appeared that the current Veirya still didn't satisfy her. After some deliberation, she said, "You have to remove your armour, as well, then."

Leah looked back at me. I didn't express anything. Veirya always wore some armour on her torso whenever she went out. I guess it's her habit as a soldier. Veirya nodded, and then removed her breast armour, then placed it to one side. I watched Veirya's breasts gently jiggle for a moment.

Leah then scanned her clothes. She added, "You have to change your clothes, too… I'm scared of soldiers."

Veirya obediently nodded, "Uhm."

Veirya then began to undo her buttons and remove her shirt, revealing her generous bosom. Leah let out a high-pitched scream as she covered her eyes, because she saw Veirya's breasts. She exclaimed, "What are you stripping for?!"

"You told me to remove it. I don't have anything else to wear besides this."

Veirya then contemplated to herself. Once done, she looked at me and said, "Lend me your clothes."

"I only have this one set…"

I didn't buy clothes for myself the last time we shopped for clothes… Veirya looked at me then at Leah before looking back at me again. Without any expression on her face, she asked, "Can I go out like this, or do I need to wear my armour?"

"Without your bloody armour?!Of course not! Umm… Umm… Umm… What was her name again…?"

"Miss Anna?"

"Yeah, Anna."

The maid poked her head out from the kitchen. She looked at us with curiosity and asked, "Is something the matter, Lord Veirya?"

Veirya looked at her then me. She looked back at Anna and said "Lend clothes."

"Ah, sure. I do not have much clothing, but I can lend you some as long as you do not mind them."

"I won't."

"All right, then. Come with me after you finish eating."

"I want it now."

"Now?! All right, then…"

Veirya stood up and followed the somewhat surprised maid to go to her room. Leah turned back to me with a very unhappy look and snorted. She exclaimed, "Papa does nothing but push Leah away. Papa doesn't care about Leah. Papa must be sick of Leah!"

"No, Leah, Papa really can't always be with you due to work. Plus, isn't it the same if Veirya is with you?"

"It's not! It's not a teeny weeny bit the same!"

Leah shouted at me, and then vigorously turned her head away, "Papa, you big idiot! I'll show you tonight!!"

"Don't! Don't! Leah! Papa was wrong! Papa was wrong!! Papa will come back early today, okay?!"

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