HTDD 34

Chapter 34

With Julius’s questioning voice… Natalie turned her gaze and let out a small “Oh…?”—only to see a child approaching Julius’s seat.

There was a boy who resembled the innkeeper and her husband. His voice was still high, perhaps because he hadn’t fully grown, and he spoke to Julius with bright, eager eyes.

“Hey, hey! That sword—can I see you use it? I wanna try it too!”

Natalie couldn’t help but smile at his innocent words, letting out a small chuckle. Surely, the sword placed near Julius had caught the boy’s eye. Distracted by his request, she had almost forgotten about Julius—and then she suddenly realized.

(…Ah, I hope His Excellency isn’t offended…)

The etiquette of nobles isn’t forced upon the common folk. That’s why the innkeeper and her husband could interact freely without hesitation—but that was an adult-level consideration.

Now, however… both parents seemed focused on preparing in the kitchen, unaware of the situation. Many nobles would get annoyed by a child who doesn’t understand boundaries… Natalie glanced at Julius nervously.

(Eh…?)

“Heh. You like swords?”
“Yeah! I want to be a cool knight!”
“I see…”

Julius didn’t seem irritated; instead, he smiled gently. It was rare to see him smile, and Natalie found herself staring. Whether he noticed her gaze or not, he continued.

“However, I can’t just show you for free…”
“Ehh! That’s not fair!”

The boy pouted in protest, and beside him, his face scrunched up. Julius pretended to consider it, then pointed to a plate.

“Alright… if you can eat this cookie, then fine.”
“…Eh! That’s all it takes?”
“Yes.”

The boy cheered, “Yay! And I get to eat a cookie too!” He looked genuinely delighted, hopping with excitement. Then, glancing at Julius, he seemed to double-check.

“But… really? Brother, the cookies will be gone!”
“Yes… I’m still unskilled. Sweets are difficult for me. Actually, it’s not so much a condition… more like… could you help me?”
“…Eh! Really?!”

The boy widened his eyes in surprise. “Knights help people, right?! Okay, I’ll eat the cookie!” he said, somehow convinced, addressing Julius.

With that, he happily sat beside Julius and grabbed a cookie from the plate, eating it with delight. Julius, watching this, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Noticing Natalie’s gaze, he lifted his head and spoke.

“Um… this hasn’t spread to the Knight Order yet.”
“Eh?”
“So… please keep it a secret.”

With a serious expression, he made the request. The contrast between his words and expression made Natalie stifle a laugh.

“…Heh, hehe.”
“Wh-what’s so funny?”
“Nothing. I’ll keep your secret, Your Excellency.”

It wasn’t just that Julius disliked sweets; it was how desperately he wanted to keep this hidden that left Natalie helpless. He even added with a pleading look, “Especially from the Vice-Captain… please keep this from Mark.”

“Yes, understood.”

(…If it gets to Mark, it would probably spread across the whole order in a day…)

Smiling at the thought, Natalie watched Julius and the boy warmly. When the boy finished the cookies, the innkeeper hurried over in a fluster.

“Oh my! This child… I just looked away for a moment…”
“Hehe! I ate it! Brother, now the promise…!”
“Now, what are you saying!”

The innkeeper was about to scold her son when Julius intervened.

“No, I made a promise to this child.”
“Eh…?”
“May I borrow your garden?”
“Eh, well… that’s fine, I suppose…”

Apparently, she didn’t understand the situation fully, blinking in surprise. Encouraging her from behind, the boy called out, “Mom, come watch too!”

Receiving the innkeeper’s curious gaze, Natalie explained that Julius had promised to show the boy some sword techniques.

“Really!?”
“Yes, and I can vouch for his skills… may we use the garden?”
“Oh, of course! Rather… please indulge this child’s request. …Sigh, I want to watch too, but if I don’t help my husband, he’ll sulk immediately…”

The innkeeper, though reluctant, seemed affectionate toward her husband. After granting permission, she returned to the kitchen.

“Innkeeper, that tree in the garden… is it for firewood?”
“Yes, yes. But it’s sturdy… and has been left untouched for a long time.”
“I see… may I cut it with my sword?”
“Eh… well, if you can, sure…”

Looking at the sword at Julius’s waist, she seemed skeptical. Perhaps she doubted he could do it without an axe. Yet, she smiled and said, “If you can, go ahead.”

“Then, shall we head to the garden?”
“Yeah! I’m excited!”
“You too…”

Julius looked at Natalie, seeking her consent. As his guardian and guide, Natalie replied, “Yes, let’s go.” Together with the boy, they headed outside to the garden.

◆◇◆

“Brother! That tree… it’s really big… is it okay?”
“Yes, leave it to me.”

Natalie watched from behind. The tree in front of Julius and the boy was indeed large—so wide that it would take three adults to surround it.

(Will this be okay…?)

Natalie trusted Julius’s strength, but he had only recently recovered. Was he pushing himself too hard? Was he even accustomed to cutting trees with a sword?

While Natalie worried, Julius gripped his sword.

“Hah!”

With a breath and a slight exhalation, his magic seemed to flow into the sword… wind whipped around, and a brilliant strike hit the tree trunk.

Crack! The resounding impact echoed.

At the same time, the tree groaned and began to fall sideways. As it toppled, he swiftly repositioned his sword, delivering several strikes across the tree.

With the sound of wind slicing through the air, the once-standing tree was cut down and neatly stacked as firewood in a corner of the garden.

“…Whoa――――! Amazing――!”

The boy was ecstatic, hopping around Julius, shouting with excitement. Julius sheathed his sword, responding playfully to the boy’s excitement.

Watching the two talk casually about sword handling and techniques…

(They’re like a happy parent and child…)

Though they could be considered siblings by age, Natalie’s memory of Julius being older made her picture them as a parent and child.

Seeing this scene brought a warm smile, but also a small pang in her heart.

—If things hadn’t gone wrong with Julius… could they have spent ordinary time together as a family?

The memories that would never return surfaced in Natalie’s mind. Though she knew there was no use dwelling on them…

(I don’t want to go back to that life… right?)

She shook off the thought like a scolding to herself. Unaware of her feelings, Julius looked her way.

“Ah, the wind from my magic got a bit strong… are you okay?”
“Y-yes.”

Even though she didn’t want him to worry about her… she wondered why she felt that way. Despite the awkwardness, Natalie gave Julius an uneasy smile.