/
‘Why is a 4-year-old so eloquent and smart?’
I wondered if Diana had also returned to being a child like me, but I couldn’t find any signs on her innocent face.
“Once a day
 I see.”
Perhaps the vivid story of his only daughter bothered him, the Duke of Elrad’s eyes sank and his voice sounded regretful.
“Hiccup!”
I started hiccups without noticing it, holding my breath watching the scene unfold in front of me.
Fortunately, the Duke of Elard quickly gained his composure. Then he held out a glass of water in front of me.
Although his kindness was disconcerting, I still said, “Thank you.”
Then I shook my head and quickly grabbed the glass.
Fortunately, the hiccups stopped quickly after drinking water.
But then, strange things started to happen. At first, I thought it was just me, but it wasn’t.
I thought it was meant to be a belated service for Diana, so I carefully took a fork and gave it to Diana, but the child shook her head.
“Dana ate a lot!”
Diana shouted cheerfully and bragged about her bulging belly.
Eventually, I started to put the food that filled the plate in front of me to my mouth little by little.
It’s only been a week or so since I returned to the past, but maybe it’s because I thought I didn’t have to go hungry again.
More than just eating food, I felt happy.
I started eating with a more relaxed mind and put down the fork not long after.
Then, even after finishing the meal, Duke Elrad, who was sitting with Diana without leaving the table, raised an eyebrow.
“Did you finish eating already?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to be self-conscious. This isn’t like that of that crappy orp— No, you can eat as much as you want, anyway.”
“I ate my fill.”
“Hmm.”
Despite my sincere answer, the Duke still looked unhappy.
Though he said that I didn’t need to be self-conscious, it looks like he couldn’t help but pay attention to my eating habits.
However, I don’t usually eat that much, and maybe because I starved for so long and then ate, I couldn’t swallow the food well.
By the time I seriously thought about whether I should force myself to eat more, a savior appeared.
It was my idol.
“You’re going back already?”
When Bianca, who seemed willing to enjoy the celebration at the Duke’s Castle, suddenly announced that she would return to the Duchy, the Duke asked, puzzled.
Bianca tried to smile, seemingly embarrassed.
“Just a moment ago, His Highness contacted us through the communication center, and I think you heard from him.”
“What? About Diana’s news?”
“Yes. I told him right away that we found the princess, but
 “
“I guess he didn’t believe it.”
Even without looking at how the situation had progressed, the Duke put on a bittersweet expression.
“I think it would be reassuring if I went and told him in person.”
“When we arrived at the Duke’s Castle, I wanted to repay you properly, but I couldn’t help it. You came and it was a big help. I would like to give my thanks once again and to the Grand Duke for sending you to a distant place.”
The Duke looked at Bianca, who silently lowered her head, and glanced at the side slightly.
He saw a child with her ears pricked up, pretending not to, listening to their conversation.
When he followed the child’s gaze full of longing, he found Bianca at the end of the child’s gaze.
Count Marietta seemed to have won the child’s heart in a matter of seconds.
The Duke looked curiously at Lia, who couldn’t take her eyes off Bianca.
When the child accused the head of the orphanage, she seemed clever and disciplined, but since then, she has been acting timid and wary.
Her skeletal body looked much younger than her age, but her expression was also overly mature.
‘But now again
’
It was a young child whose eyes twinkled under her bangs, which had been cut haphazardly.
He also noticed that mana was hers, but she was a seemingly ordinary child.
Nevertheless, once it caught his eye, the child kept attracting his attention strangely.
And it seemed to be the same with Bianca.
“Lia.”
Lia’s eyes widened with surprise when she heard her name being properly called.
Bianca asked tenderly, bending her knees in front of Lia and looking at her.
“Do you remember what I said upstairs?”
“Yes.” Lia answered and nodded quickly.
Before coming down to the first floor, Bianca revealed her identity and explained to Lia that the mana in her body almost ran wild at the orphanage.
“Remember that you’re not in good shape, but using mana without properly cultivating it can be dangerous?”
As Lia nodded once again, Bianca carefully stroked her hair as if she was proud of her.
As soon as Lia’s eyes were about to cloud with emotion, Bianca asked.
“Then why don’t you come with me?”
“Count Marietta, what does that mean?”
When the Duke asked again, Bianca expressed it more accurately.
“Literally. I want to take her. Of course
 if Lia wants to.”
Lia’s pupils trembled as if they had been hit by a storm.
‘I didn’t hear it wrong, right?’
‘Would you like to go together? With you? really?’