“Lei, come on. Ahh.”


  “A, aah.”


  “Otou-sama, there’s too much on that spoon for Lei. Scoop a little less so it would fit in her small mouth.”


  “I, I see.”


  Otou-sama awkwardly fixed the mashed potatoes. Next to him, Nii-sama fed me a spoonful of potatoes. Otou-sama watched and also tried to feed me, but I was already at my limit.

  “Here, Lei. I’ve got it this time.”


  “Don’th need pothathoesh anymore.”


  “What?!”


  Is it that disappointing not to feed a child? Otou-sama has been acting like this since the first night of my return.

  Perhaps because it took so long to leave town on the first night since we stayed in an inn near the border and had dinner.

  “Not just the feudal lord, but even a Four Marquis!” The inn owner nearly tumbled down, but it was an inn located between the fief and the royal capital. He immediately prepared a few rooms for us. However, food was served at the dining hall, so everyone ate together there.

  “Luke, I have to leave Lei and get back to the royal capital soon. You can leave this to me, can’t you?”


  “When I get back to the royal capital, I have to stay in the dorms every day except for weekends. Otou-sama, you’ll always get to eat with Lei, right?”


  “But, I came all the way to Frontier.”


  “Honestly. You must have troubled the guards again,” Nii-sama said in amazement, and looked at the guards. Does Otou-sama travel that much? When I looked at the guards, most of them were smiling wryly like they were used to this, but I was curious about why they drew back their smiles and looked nervous when they noticed my gaze. Why? I’m just a cute baby.

  I had fruits for dessert and finally finished eating. I couldn’t help but think that it would have been nice if Dory had been here. I’m sure she’d say, “Lei-sama can eat by herself.”


  “At any rate, it’s spectacular to see all three of them together,” Earl Tucker couldn’t seem to hold back his admiration. Actually, this person was with us at the capital the whole time, but his presence was thin because other people were around. Having said that, I don’t know how remarkable he is.

  Even so, Nii-sama and Otou-sama certainly look alike, but what about me? Otou-sama and Nii-sama were sitting side-by-side, and I was sitting on Otou-sama’s hard knees.

  “You all look alike, but it’s rare to see three of the Four Marquis colours together. The Four Marquises hardly leave the royal capital after all.”


  I looked around and saw that the inn owner had put his hands together towards us, and the female servers were looking at Otou-sama and Gill in admiration. Nii-sama is also amazing, but he doesn’t seem to be targeted by the servers, so I was a little relieved.

  “Frontier is just around the corner. We’re at the edge of the barrier, so I know how hard it is in Frontier. If the Four Marquises who maintain the barrier are here, then, of course, they would long for them and appreciate them.” Earl Tucker nodded on his own. Come to think of it, people can’t enjoy food outside at night since they have to quickly rush back to their homes. Moreover, it’s unbelievable for women to work at an inn like this at night.

  “Weshther ath nighth, aduwthsh and chiwdren don’th go outh.” (Wester at night, adults and children don’t go out.)

  “Some women have to work because of certain circumstances. It’s a blessing to be able to work at night, Leila-sama.”


  “Ai,” I frankly agreed with Earl Tucker.

  “Now, Lei, rest with Otou-sama tonight.”


  “Ai.”


  “Of course, me too.”


  “Ai.”


  It looks like we’ll be sleeping in the same room. When we tried to withdraw to our room, the guards also left their seats.

  “You can keep on drinking,” Otou-sama said without turning around.

  “No, we’re in the middle of work,” the representative refused. Otou-sama had his back turned, so I, who was being held, could clearly see the guards. That person, who looked sincere and stubborn, distorted his face as if he was slightly apologetic when his eyes met mine.

  “Mm, I would like to apologise to Ojou-sama, to Leila-sama.”


  “You don’t need to,” Otou-sama easily discarded the guard’s words. He said he had to apologise, but I don’t know these people. What is he on about?

  “However, my mistake led Leila-sama to live in Frontier for six months.”


  I widened my eyes. He’s one of the guards who was with Otou-sama when I got separated from him. He hit Otou-sama’s Rug Dragon, and Otou-sama fell down. I muttered, “Otou-syama, feww from dragon.”


  “You remember?! Oh my god.”


  He said he wanted to apologise, but it doesn’t matter. He was probably just looking for a place to dump his feelings. He was shocked when he found out that I remembered.

  “Graces,” Otou-sama quietly called that person’s name without turning back.

  “If you find yourself in that situation again, would you make a different decision?”


  “.…… No, no matter how many times I find myself in that situation, I will make the same decision.”


  “If so, then go through with that decision. What’s the point of apologising just to clear your conscious?”


  The man named Graces looked down.

  I understand now. At that time, the Rug Dragons had already recognised me as part of their group and saw me as someone they had to protect. Therefore, he saw the Rug Dragons with Otou-sama and the guards as enemies and sped up to protect me. They couldn’t have anticipated this.

  Even if that was all, Otou-sama probably still grieved. And when he saw our group today, he knew how big the person he had lost was, and couldn’t bear with his feelings of guilt.

  If this person had stopped our Rug Dragon, Hannah might not have died, and I might have been able to get back to Otou-sama right away.

  But don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t this person’s fault that I got kidnapped.

  “Gracesh,” I called, surprising Otou-sama and Graces lifted his face.

  “Chu did nothhing wrong.”


  That’s all there is to it.

  “Otou-syama, importhanth. Lei wnowsh.”


  I nodded at Graces. Otou-sama sighed inconspicuously and put me down. Graces kneeled before me. The guards behind him kneeled down as well.

  Graces gently took my hand and pressed it against his forehead. It’s somewhat embarrassing.

  “Leila-sama, we will also protect you from now on.”


  “Ai. Pweashe.” I nearly told him that I would leave it to him, but was able to respond properly.

  “That’s enough, right? How long are you going to hold her hand for?”


  Otou-sama picked me up from behind. He went up the stairs without looking back, and Nii-sama followed after him.

  “She’s still part of the Four Marquises even though she’s small. Amazing.”


  “Even people in Sebel don’t think that she survived in Frontier by chance, she’s a magnificent baby. Most importantly, she’s that cute.”


  “I know, right?”


  She had no choice. Her body is small, she got kidnapped and was forced to live in Frontier. Just how fascinating is an Albans?

  We, on the second floor, didn’t know Graces’s thoughts. Even if we knew, we probably would have pretended that we didn’t. Because it’s troublesome.