~Chapter 10~
Duke Lux was quietly surprised by the chef’s bold decision to serve a sandwich, a dish more like commoner food.
Serving an experimental dish without knowing if the duke would like it or not? That took some real courage.
The chef scratched the back of his head and confessed honestly.
“Actually, it wasn’t my idea. It was Lady Ruby’s suggestion.”
At the mention of Ruby’s name, Duke Lux looked genuinely surprised.
“That child?”
“Yes. She saw me struggling because I couldn’t get fresh meat, and she suggested using salted meat instead. She even recommended what kind of dish to make with it.”
So basically, this sandwich was Ruby’s creation.
“She’s meddling in strange places now.”
“Thanks to Lady Ruby, I was able to serve something that suits your taste, Your Grace.”
It seemed the chef was already very fond of Ruby.
Duke Lux didn’t say anything more—he just kept eating the sandwich.
When he finished, the plate was spotless. The chef was beaming with pride.
After the chef left with the empty plate, a maid brought out dessert.
Since it was smaller than usual, Duke Lux stayed seated and ate the dessert as well.
“It’s amazing that Lady Ruby has such talent with food.”
Balt, standing nearby, added his thoughts.
Duke Lux quickly realized that Balt had already learned everything going on in the kitchen—and had brought him here on purpose to try the sandwich.
But Duke Lux didn’t scold him.
“Does she enjoy cooking?”
Duke Lux muttered to himself, and Balt answered.
“The chef said she learned out of necessity—to survive.”
“What about Mary? Wasn’t she there?”
“You know how Lady Mary was with cooking.”
Mary had been raised like a noble princess. Aside from swordsmanship, she was not skilled with her hands. She couldn’t cook, sew, or draw.
Duke Lux didn’t care about her commoner husband, but it seemed he wasn’t talented at cooking either.
Ruby, on the other hand, looked just like Mary but seemed to be skilled with her hands.
“I see.”
Even after hearing about Ruby’s difficult situation, Duke Lux didn’t show any sympathy.
He simply accepted it as a fact and stood up from his seat.
“I’ve finished eating. I’ll return to the study.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Before leaving, Duke Lux glanced for a moment toward the kitchen—where the chef had disappeared.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he walked out of the dining room.
***
“This is all thanks to you, my lady. If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know.”
“Just making delicious meals every day is enough. I’m already grateful.”
“My lady…”
The chef, telling Ruby what had happened, looked at her with deep gratitude.
He had made the same sandwich he served the duke for the children, too.
“Oh, it’s a sandwich.”
Because he was familiar with the dish, Calix wasn’t surprised. He grabbed one and took a big bite.
The crisp vegetables and salty meat blended well.
But as he chewed, Calix said calmly,
“Mom’s sandwiches tasted way better.”
“Calix…”
Ruby looked awkwardly between the chef and Calix, but he didn’t stop talking.
“Mom always added tomatoes because I liked them.”
His eyes began to fill with tears as he stared at the sandwich.
Ruby quickly went to his side.
“Mom…”
Soon, tears rolled down Calix’s cheeks.
Ruby gently wiped them with a napkin before they could fall to his chin.
As Calix sobbed, Sasha also began to cry.
Ruby rushed to hold her, too.
“Waaah… Sister, where are Mom and Dad? Why aren’t they coming?”
Calix was only seven, and Sasha was four.
Even though Ruby had explained it many times, they probably couldn’t truly understand their parents were gone forever.
“Sasha…”
“Haaaah!”
And now Maria, held by a maid, began to cry too.
The dining room echoed with the cries of three children.
Ruby’s heart ached, knowing she couldn’t hug all of them at once.
“Kids, listen carefully.”
At her words, the crying slowed down a little.
Looking at each of their teary faces, Ruby carefully chose her words.
“Mom and Dad went far away, and they can’t come back anymore.”
“Hic…”
Calix wiped his own tears with his hands.
“But you all know how much they loved you, right? How precious you were to them.”
Both Calix and Sasha would remember their mom’s warm hugs.
And their dad, who always played with them.
Ruby missed them too.
She still remembered her parents’ expressions when they praised her and patted her head.
“You’re their treasures. So, you have to be strong and live proudly.”
Ruby hugged Sasha, then Calix, then Maria.
“And you still have me. I’ll make sure you’re happy, no matter what.”
She made the promise once again.
“You won’t go far away, right, sister?”
Calix came down from his chair and hugged Ruby.
“Of course not. I’m super strong, you know?”
Sasha hugged Ruby’s leg.
“Sister, don’t go.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not leaving you, Sasha.”
“Kyauu.”
Even baby Maria cried out as if she wanted to say something too.
“Maria, you’re my little sister, too. I’ll take care of you always.”
Calix grumbled quietly in Ruby’s arms.
“But Maria’s not really our sister…”
“I told you not to say things like that.”
Thankfully, Calix knew this wasn’t the time to argue and kept quiet.
Ruby looked at the kids one more time.
“I won’t force you to be good all the time. But please stay healthy so we can be together for a long, long time.”
“Yes, sister.”
“Me too!”
“Sasha, you should say ‘sister,’ not ‘me too.’”
“Sister!”
The warmth of the children clinging to Ruby comforted her.
But how could she heal these wounded hearts?
As their eldest sister, Ruby’s worries never ended.
***
A few days later.
Ruby woke up first, washed up, and got ready for breakfast.
Then she gently woke up the still-sleeping kids one by one.
Luckily, Calix could dress himself now, so he needed less help.
Sasha still struggled, so Ruby helped her get dressed and washed.
Maria had been bathed the night before, so Ruby only needed to change her diaper.
As she scrambled to get everything done, a maid knocked on the door.
“It’s time for breakfast.”
“Alright. We’ll be right there.”
Holding Maria, Ruby hurried the other two.
“Let’s go down to the dining room.”
“I’m going first!”
Calix was full of energy after waking up.
“Don’t run on the stairs!”
But he didn’t listen, rushing ahead like a little rhino.
Ruby sighed, and then Sasha also followed him, running.
With Maria in her arms, Ruby couldn’t chase after them quickly.
“Be careful, you two!”
She rushed after them as fast as she could.
Thankfully, no one tripped or fell—but the kids didn’t go into the dining room right away.
Instead, they were already pointing wooden swords at each other.
“What are you doing?”
“Practicing sword fighting.”
“Why are you doing that here with Sasha?”
“Because she challenged me!”
Calix already looked ready to attack.
Something must have happened between them in the brief time Ruby was behind.
“Wait a minute—Sasha, where did you even get that sword?”
“There!”
Sasha pointed to the wall.
She had pulled off a wooden sword that had been hanging there as decoration.
“Both of you, stop it.”
Ruby tried to calmly scold them, but neither looked away from the other.
“I said, stop it!”
But it wasn’t easy to break up their fight.
“Strike first, win first!”
Calix suddenly attacked Sasha.
And Sasha ran in to block him.
In a panic, Ruby gently placed Maria on the floor and stepped between them—
“Ahh!”
“Gasp! Sister!”
“Sister!”
It all happened in an instant.
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷Luna🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
