By Zephyria 
The guy who laughed like a cough turned back and examined my face.
I stood still.
I had previously assumed Hugh Benson’s suspicious behavior had a purpose and let it slide, but this time again… Wasn’t something strange happening? I needed to know what that Contaminated Mana, which permeated Lady Diamang, Hugh Benson, and the others, truly was.
The guy who meticulously examined my face spoke mockingly.
“What’s this? You revealed my secret, so I get to reveal one of yours?”
“It’s not like that.”
“What…”
He waved his hand, cutting off my attempt to protest, and dragged any chair from the hall, plopping down with a thud.
I looked down at him from where I stood. There were two cowlicks on his dark crown. I couldn’t tell if he was born that way or if it was from so much scratching.
Hugh Benson didn’t waste any more time and answered directly.
“It’s nothing major. You saw them, right? The ones dragged to the auction house. How else would I have known something like that existed?”
“…Ah.”
“I didn’t want to be dragged. That’s how it started…”
“…”
He leaned back against the chair with a dissolute posture. We both knew he wouldn’t fall, even if he tilted the chair precariously backward. Leaning back as if performing an acrobatic feat, he continued.
“After becoming a Sword Master, I knew it had disappeared, but… since it’s attached to my face, I can’t see it myself.”
“…Ah.”
“I was worried it might reappear without me knowing, so I felt more at ease just covering it up. At first, it would appear and disappear. It would reappear if I exerted myself a bit.”
“…It reappears?”
“Yeah. Well… if you become good enough at using your aura to resolve Contaminated Mana yourself, or if Divine Power is applied, it disappears… but it doesn’t seem to vanish forever? I don’t know for sure. For one thing, I’m not a Wizard…”
Meanwhile, a server emerged from the side with a tray.
I accepted it when it was offered without protest.
On the tray were the items Ruben had informed me about yesterday. An omelet and sausages, with a bit of salad and a sandwich. It was noticeable that some pickled berries were served alongside, as fresh fruit was hard to come by in this rural area.
I re-examined the modest teapot and teacups, which seemed out of place for such a lavish breakfast.
Will this be enough? As I surveyed the food, Hugh grumbled like a drowned rat.
“…Right. If I want to meet a child, I have to make some effort like this.”
“Pardon?”
I almost dropped the tray, startled by the sudden bewilderment.
Fortunately, I was a Sword Master. I managed to grab the tray with the food on it, which remained intact. As I stared blankly, he straightened his chair, which had been askew, and gestured towards the stairs with his chin. Though the chair was upright, his expression and tone remained insolent.
“What are you looking at? Go in.”
“No, just now…”
“Did I say something wrong?”
“…”
That… wasn’t quite right either.
I wasn’t unaware of how Hugh Benson had occasionally looked out for me since we discussed my relationship with Ruben. He often offered advice in passing, telling me to be careful with my conduct, and he subtly seemed to mind that I was younger than Ruben.
Now that he knew I was a crazy old man who had significantly aged past the child, it was natural for his attitude to change. My face felt hot and flushed, and I couldn’t lift my head. I mumbled an awkward greeting and quickly fled.
When I returned to the room, Ruben was awake.
He was awake but still buried deep in the bed. Seeing him, who never slacked off, pretending to sleep with a wide smile on his lips, I couldn’t help but laugh at how cute he was.
I pulled the table with the tray to Ruben’s bedside and gently shook his shoulder to wake him. This, too, was something Ruben had told me yesterday. To wake him by gently touching his shoulder. Even though I knew how sensitive a child’s hearing was, I whispered to announce the morning.
“Ruben.”
“…Mm.”
“Would you like to sleep a little longer? I brought… your meal.”
“…No, I’ll get up.”
He said that, but his eyes were wide open, yet he didn’t get up, lying there obediently and looking up at me.
He was so lovely that I tucked his hair behind his ear. I held out my hand to help him sit up. I pulled pillows to support his back and helped tuck the blanket around his waist.
I still couldn’t understand why the child wanted to eat breakfast in bed instead of at the table. Frankly, I had never been lazy like this, nor had I ever considered it. Still, looking at the smiling child, my heart felt a tickle.
As I sat half on his bed, cutting a sausage into bite-sized pieces, Hugh Benson’s voice kept echoing in my ears. Did I seem like I was trying to get my hands on the child? Was I bothering the child for no reason? But… but he likes it so much.
Ruben smiled brightly every time our eyes met.
Looking at his eyes, which crinkled beautifully, I was busy preparing this and that for him, feeling full without eating. The child, who had put a generous amount of egg wash on his salad and put it in his mouth, then offered me a piece of sausage after chewing and swallowing it thoroughly.
Without thinking, I reached out to take it, but Ruben shook his head, indicating no. Startled, food entered my open mouth, and I chewed and swallowed it.
“…Huh?”
“Feed me too.”
“…Ah, …Ah. Yes.”
I watched him eat like a baby bird.
I accepted another offering and ate it.
…My ears grew hotter and hotter. Now I understood why Ruben insisted on staying alone to eat. He already wanted to play at being lovers.
I had taken care of Ruben before, but I had never been taken care of like this, making me feel embarrassed and bewildered. My hands trembled with shyness. Not knowing where to put my hands, I nervously clutched the bedsheet, then smoothed out the wrinkles before accepting what he offered.
We ate like that for a long time, with Ruben as my side dish.
After we finished, I couldn’t remember what I ate or how I ate it.
Afterward, we sat side-by-side on Ruben’s bed, idly passing the time.
I answered his questions about things he was curious about, offered my lap when he was tired, and I, too, asked him about his childhood.
When we were silent, we listened to the gentle sound of rain and counted the lines on each other’s palms. Then I noticed a small mole behind Ruben’s left ear, but my chest felt so ticklish that I couldn’t mention it.
❖ ❖ ❖
When I went down to prepare lunch, I met the rest of the group.
The eyes of everyone gathered and eating in the bustling first-floor dining room followed me. Hugh Benson must have said something, because the others, who would normally have made space for me, sat unmoving, eating their own meals and watching me.
It was difficult to ignore their gazes as I separately requested a meal from the server. I missed Ruben, who was in the room, having left all the embarrassing tasks to me.
“Hmph. Hmph.”
Not a donkey, but why was she making such a neighing sound?
Marienne, who had her elbows on the table and was staring at me so intently that her back felt hot, glanced sideways. Following her gaze, I looked at the mercenaries beside her. They had puffed-out cheeks, men and women alike, and their mouths were shut tight, clearly trying to suppress laughter.
They should just laugh if they want to. I covered my eyes with one hand, avoiding their gaze. Marienne asked Ann in a playful voice.
“Do they have dessert shops here too?”
“Well, I saw a place that bakes and sells bread. It’s such a small village, though, so you probably can’t expect desserts like Sierren’s.”
“What should we do… Mikael?”
I sighed once and finally replied.
“Yes.”
“Can you buy me a cake?”
…My eyes widened.
It was good to have a quick-witted person by my side. Since I couldn’t go out and about, it was good to make a request. Marienne had good taste, so she would undoubtedly pick out something nice. My mood immediately lifted. Why would I need to think about it? I answered immediately.
“Yes. Please do.”
“Will you give me money for the errand?”
“As you wish.”
The child giggled and waved her hand.
“It’s fine. I’ve received favors too, so I’ll buy a cake myself.”
“Did you bring something?”
“Unlike some people, I prepared in advance.”
Benjamin, standing beside her, chimed in.
“I’d like to go too.”
“Alright, then. Will the older sisters come along?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph, of course. Let’s go together.”
Ann and Giselle nodded, suppressing their laughter.
I was used to owing my children many favors, so I accepted it, but when did they tell them all… Watching the mercenaries, who said nothing and were full of smiles, I secretly bit my tongue.
I tell myself I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t, but… I say that and yet I’m making a fool of myself. If it weren’t for Ruben’s birthday, it wouldn’t have come to this… It wouldn’t have been this much. Feeling awkward and embarrassed, I swallowed a dry cough.
“We’re going shopping. You two have a sweet and happy time together.”
“…Mm.”
“I’ll be back before dinner, so we can bring it back then, right?”
“…Yes.”
When I went up to the room, Ruben asked why my face was so red.
Unable to answer, I stammered and then just set the table to eat.
Still, I prepared a grand cake spread by dinner that evening, and he seemed very pleased.
Both the sweet food and the sweet smiles were so overwhelming that my tongue tingled.