Author: B0ucha

Charlotte raised her palm in the air to comfort Carcel.

 

“Okay, but what you said about the festival was really a joke. I just want to make a delicious dinner for the staff.”

 

“Alright .”

 

“Sister, Sister!”

 

The moment it was about to get dark for some reason, Theo jumped up in surprise. In the child’s hand was a large potato.

 

Theo raised the potato above his head proudly.

 

“Sister, I did it!”

 

“Theo, did you take out the potatoes with your hands? What if you get hurt?”

 

“He-he, it wasn’t painful.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Charlotte wiped Theo’s muddy hand with the handkerchief and examined it.

 

After she made sure that his palms, the back of his hands, and even his nails were fine. She looked at Theo’s potatoes and complimented him.

 

“Wow, Theo’s potatoes are huge!”

 

“Right?”

 

“It will be delicious boiled.”

 

“Yes!”

 

A smile crept onto Carcel’s lips as he looked at the peaceful atmosphere between the two. Charlotte didn’t see this but he had a very distinctive smile.

 

***

 

Life in the Duchy of Heinst was very calm, unlike in the capital.

 

As a family with a history of magic from generation to generation, Heinst Palace had a defensive magic circle that could block both physical and magical attacks.

 

That was why no one attacked Carcel or Theo.

 

Charlotte has been taking care of Theo, who does not want to be separated from her, while at the same time trying to make friends with the staff at the mansion.

 

In order to work as a hostess, she had to have good relations with the staff. Carcel wasn’t friendly with them, so that will balance out her being nice to them.

 

“I want both of them to get married soon. As his fiancée, she still can’t get too involved in family matters.”

 

“Me too, for Miss Lannia looks as good as the previous Duchess.”

 

“She is beautiful and intelligent, and most of all, she takes care of young master Theo.”

 

“Honestly, it won’t be easy.”

Thanks to this, Charlotte’s reputation within the palace grew day by day.

 

Charlotte also played with Theo in the field and at sea. As soon as Emma saw the sea, she took off her shoes and dipped her feet into the water.

 

Charlotte had a hard time stopping Theo, who was adamant he wanted to go in too.

 

However, when the three of them went out with Carcel, he picked Theo up and put his feet in the sea repeatedly, and Theo smiled happily.

 

It seemed as if the happy and serene everyday life would continue.

 

However, as the two weeks passed, the atmosphere in the palace began to change.

 

The staff, who were usually boisterous, walked around holding their breath, and Carcel barely appeared. The number of times he comes to meals has decreased.

 

There was definitely something. So Charlotte asked Emma to find out what was going on.

 

“Madam, I know.”

 

Emma whispered with a sad face.

 

“What is the matter ?”

 

Charlotte followed her in a small whisper.

 

“What is it ?”

 

Theo also lowered his voice.

 

“that…..”

 

Emma looked at Theo and whispered in a small voice that only Charlotte could hear.

 

“The death anniversary of the former Duchess is soon.”

 

“Ah… it is already about time.”

 

The former Duchess died less than a month after Carcel and Charlotte met two years ago. The season from autumn to winter was of course this time of the year.

 

Two years. It was a short time to forget someone.

 

The staff still remember the former duchess who was kind to them and caring for her family.

 

It was only natural for the atmosphere of the inner mansion to deteriorate during this period.

 

What worried Charlotte the most was Carcel. Two years ago he was deeply saddened by his mother’s death, but he swallowed his feelings inside.

 

By now, his mother’s place had been completely empty.

 

Is he going to stay like this without showing any emotions at all? Better to show it.

 

When Charlotte had some concerns, Emma approached her.

 

“As the Duchess’s death anniversary approaches, the Duke skips many meals and cannot sleep properly.”

 

“Really ?”

 

“Yes. But since no one can force the duke to eat, the entire staff is disappointed.”

 

“I get it.”

At the time Charlotte responded out of concern. Emma continued in a slightly different tone.

 

“But wouldn’t it be a little different because the miss is here? Even the maids here expect the duke to eat because the miss is here.”

 

Well, Charlotte was a little skeptical of that opinion.

 

When she was in the Capital, Carcel, who had skipped meals, ate some food due to Charlotte’s advice.

 

But it was different between then and now. If Carcel is busy, he can simply skip meals. But now he voluntarily refuses to eat because of his grief.

 

Will he just listen because I tell him to eat?

 

I don’t know. But I have no choice but to try.

 

***

 

“He’s skipping meals again today.”

 

Charlotte looked worried as she saw Carcel’s seat empty.

 

As Emma said, as the Duchess’s death anniversary approached, Carcel never went out to eat.

 

Charlotte became depressed and Theo’s shoulders drooped.

 

“Brother….”

 

“I think because your brother is busy, shall we eat and then go to him?”

 

“Okay…”

 

Charlotte cut the steak for Theo, who was lacking energy and asked the maid who was serving.

 

“Did the duke skip lunch?”

 

Until this lunch, he had not come to the restaurant.

 

“I brought him a meal for the office, but he hardly touched it.”

 

“What about breakfast?”

 

“Breakfast too….”

 

Then, that meant that he hadn’t eaten anything all day. Charlotte looked at the delicious steak on her plate and pushed the plate toward the maid.

 

“Miss?”

 

“I’ll just feed Theo and eat with the duke in the office. Can you send a meal back to the office later?”

 

The maid, perhaps worried about Carcel, replied quickly with a bright face.

 

“Yes !”

 

“Why don’t you eat?”

 

Theo chewed the steak and ate the salad.

 

“I will eat with your brother.”

 

“Theo too!”

 

“Just eat here.”

 

Despite Charlotte’s persuasion, Theo resolutely refuses.

 

“I will eat with you!”

 

There is nothing I can do. Charlotte let out a sigh and ordered the maid.

 

The maid smiled sweetly as if she thought Theo was being nice, and headed to the kitchen saying she would bring three meals to the office.

 

“Sister, Theo too?”

 

“Yes, Theo will go with me.”

 

Theo jumped off the chair and grabbed Charlotte’s hand. Charlotte took the baby to Carcel’s office.

 

The kitchen maid and Emma followed the two with a tray.

 

Before Charlotte could even knock, Theo opened the door and walked in.

 

“Brother!”

 

Carcel smiled when he saw Theo’s surprise visit.

 

“Theo, did you have lunch?”

 

“Brother, eat with me!”

 

Carcel looked at Charlotte with a face that needed explanation.

 

Meanwhile, the maids placed the dishes on a table at one side of the office.

 

The steak that was on the dinner menu was cut from the kitchen in small pieces.

 

Salad, steak, grilled vegetables, and bread. It was a simpler dinner than while eating at the restaurant but still good.

 

Theo, who was in Carcel’s arms, rocked his legs back and forth and urged him.

 

“Brother, let’s eat.”

 

“I heard you didn’t eat today, so I came because I was worried. If you skip meals and work like this, your body will only suffer.”

 

Charlotte dragged Carcel’s arm to the table. Theo was the first to crawl onto the sofa after urging Carcel to let him down.

 

Carcel who was sitting across from Theo noticed that the meal was for three and asked.

 

“Have you eaten yet?”

 

“I am here to eat with the Duke. Actually, I was going to feed Theo first, but I had no choice but to bring him because he said he would eat with me and the Duke.”

 

Theo stabbed a sliced steak with a fork and pointed it at Carcel.

 

“Brother, ah.”

 

Carcel’s face showed some signs of embarrassment.

 

“Theo, I have no appetite.”

 

“What is appetite?”

 

“I’m not hungry, you eat.”

 

“How are you not hungry? You haven’t eaten!”

 

Theo was amazingly logical which made Carcel shut up.

 

While the two were talking, the sauce on the steak vibrated menacingly as if it was about to fall off.

 

“Don’t do that and eat one before the sauce drops. The sauce almost falls on Theo.”

 

“Correct!”

 

Carcel grabbed Theo’s hand and put the steak into his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

 

Theo clapped his fingers excitedly. Charlotte also dipped a steak and put it in the baby’s mouth. Theo opened his mouth like a little bird and ate and chewed with a happy face.

 

Although he eats vegetables well since the field was made, Theo’s favorite food is still meat.

 

Carcel, who had cleared his mouth a little with the wine, pushed the plate toward Charlotte.

 

“You must be hungry, eat it.”

 

“What about the duke?”

 

“I’m fine .”

 

“I heard you didn’t eat breakfast or lunch.”

 

“……….”

 

Charlotte thought about how to make this man eat.

 

But I couldn’t think of a suitable way. Unlike Theo, it is impossible to persuade him and tell him that he should eat to be taller.

 

Charlotte put down the fork after thinking.

 

“If the duke doesn’t eat, I won’t either.”

 

Then I immediately regretted it.

 

‘What did you do ?’

 

It was supposed to be a threat in her own way, but this couldn’t be a threat. If we were really in love with each other this could have been threatening in some way and worked out.

 

That’s what I thought.

 

“I’ll eat, so you eat too.”

 

Author's Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter !
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