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I racked my brain and finally remembered the woman’s name.
“A… Anis?”
“You remembered my name? It’s an honor, Lord Cardis.”
“Hahaha.”
Anis of the Erul Tribe smiled brightly, seemingly pleased. I awkwardly smiled back and looked at the people on either side of her. The Erul Tribe man and the fox demi-human who had accompanied her last time were also present.
When our eyes met, they bowed their heads deeply in a display of respect, a stark contrast to their attitude when we had met before.
“Milord, who are these people…?”
Lagos cautiously inquired about the three guests. Reville and Locus, who had not been on the farm at the time, also seemed curious about the visitors’ identities.
“You haven’t met them before. They are relatives of Speranza who have come from afar.”
“Ah! Speranza’s?”
“Everyone, lower your guard. They are important guests of the lord!”
Lagos was taken aback, widening his eyes, while Reville quickly ordered the guards to relax their vigilance. In an instant, the guards backed away, creating a spacious area around them.
The elder Erul Tribe man, Daur, seemed embarrassed by their reaction.
“Ahem, it seems we’ve caused unnecessary trouble for you.”
“It’s fine. The guards must be a bit on edge due to today’s event in the territory.”
Since the Erul Tribe has a closed-off culture, it would have been difficult for them to announce their visit in advance.
While showing up unannounced may not be considered polite, I didn’t want to establish an uncomfortable relationship with them over such a detail, especially since they were Speranza’s relatives.
“Shall we go inside and discuss matters further?”
“We’d be grateful if you invited us in.”
“Please follow me. It seems we’ve found the first guests for our newly built mansion.”
“Oh my! It’s an honor to be the first guests of such a magnificent mansion.”
Leaving the murmurs of the nearby people behind, I led the Erul Tribe guests toward the mansion.
It felt quite strange to be guiding guests into a mansion I was still getting accustomed to myself.
Additionally, the Erul Tribe party expressed admiration for the statue in front of the mansion, which made me feel even more embarrassed.
For a while, my mind was filled with thoughts of how to get rid of that statue.
The Erul Tribe group was immediately guided to the second-floor reception room.
It was quite surprising to have guests visit so soon after preparing this place, but Adella and Lia calmly prepared to welcome them.
-Knock, knock.
“What? Miru?”
“Uncle, are those people Speranza’s family?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow… That older sister looks a bit like Speranza.”
Miru whispered as she secretly pointed at Anis. It wasn’t strange for her to look similar, as she was Speranza’s aunt. In fact, they had many similar features.
Miru, who had been interested in the Erul Tribe, was led away by Adella, who brought tea and snacks.
“We’ll wait outside. Please feel free to talk.”
“I think I need to take a closer look at the first-floor office.”
Lagos and Locus tactfully left the reception room.
With the table in the middle, the Erul Tribe group sat on one side, and Speranza and I sat on the opposite side. Behind us, Alfred and Andras stood as if guarding both sides.
There was a slightly awkward atmosphere in the room.
In particular, Speranza clung to my side and showed a passive attitude. However, it didn’t seem like she was anxious or scared.
It felt like meeting a distant relative you don’t know well on a holiday.
When the three of them visited the farm in the past, the atmosphere wasn’t very welcoming, and there wasn’t much interaction with Speranza. This reaction was somewhat expected.
To break the awkward atmosphere, Anis spoke first.
“Speranza, hello? Do you remember me?”
“Un…”
Speranza replied in a barely audible voice. Anis smiled brightly at her small response.
“I’m so relieved. I was worried that my cute niece might have forgotten her aunt.”
Speranza seemed embarrassed and hid behind my arm, blushing. The room was filled with a warm atmosphere at her adorable appearance.
I gently stroked Speranza’s back to help her relax.
“It’s okay, Speranza. They all came to see you because they missed you.”
“Uhm…”
She’s quite shy today.
Just a while ago, she was excitedly exploring the mansion.
Once Speranza hid behind my arm, she didn’t easily show her face. The presence of the others was still unfamiliar and awkward for her.
The fox woman, who had been quietly watching, began to search for something in the bundle she was carrying.
She pulled out a box wrapped in white cloth.
As the white cloth was removed, the lid of the box opened.
Inside were neatly arranged white, round objects that looked similar to ‘rice cakes’ commonly seen in Korea.
“My lord, young lady. This is a snack I made myself. Would you like to try one?”
‘Her name was ‘Namira,’ right?’
She had a warm aura and politely offered the box of snacks. I hesitantly grabbed one of the round treats.
The soft, squishy texture in my hand. The shiny surface.
At first glance, it looked a lot like the rice cake I knew.
A tempting scent filled the air, making my mouth water, but I couldn’t effortlessly bring the treat in my hand to my lips.
As my unease wouldn’t easily fade…
Anis, who had been sitting on the other side, abruptly stood up and leaned in. She took a piece of the treat I was holding and brought it to her mouth.
“Chomp, chomp. Give it a try. It’s truly delicious. I adore the snacks that Namira makes, and I wished to continue eating them, but Namira insisted we save them for the young lady.”
Anis playfully chuckled and teased. I quickly caught on and offered a slightly sheepish grin. I couldn’t hesitate any longer since the other person had gone to such lengths.
I promptly placed the snack in my hand into my mouth.
-Chomp, munch, munch.
‘Hmm…? Oh!’
It was tastier than I expected… No, it was seriously delicious. At first, I felt the chewy texture and taste of the rice cake. Then, the inside filling burst, releasing a tangy and sweet flavor that popped.
The blend of a mildly sweet fruit flavor and a sour taste, along with the savory and chewy texture of the rice cake, was delightful. The taste and aroma that burst forth from inside were so intense that my eyes widened.
“It’s really delicious!”
“Right? I told you Namira’s snacks are the best.”
“Hehe, I’m so glad you like it.”
I grabbed another treat from the box and cut it into a size that was easy for Speranza to eat. I also handed one to Andras and Alfred, who was standing behind me.
Speranza’s face, which had been slightly downcast, lit up in an instant, as if the clouds had cleared and the sun had started shining through.
“Wow! It’s delicious!”
As Speranza expressed her delight, Namira’s smile grew wider.
“… Andras, this is truly delicious, isn’t it?”
“I was quite astonished as well.”
Andras and Alfred, who had been wearing serious expressions, couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration after tasting the treat.
The snack was so scrumptious that everyone’s gaze naturally turned toward the box holding the treats. Inside the box, there were only two left after taking out four.
There wasn’t enough to share with everyone.
Then the owner was determined.
“So, Speranza, would you like to eat more?”
“Un!”
Speranza, who answered energetically, paused for a moment and looked up at me.
“But, is it okay if Papa doesn’t eat?”
“I’m fine.”
Speranza glanced back at Andras and Alfred, who was behind her. Both of them quickly waved their hands and spoke up.
“Ahem, I ate quite a bit for breakfast, so…”
“I, I’m fine as well. Speranza, you have more.”
“Since Andras and Elaine are content, Speranza enjoy the rest.”
“Hehe.”
The remaining two treats were placed in front of Speranza. Andras and Alfred pretended not to care, but their eyes betrayed their regret.
Even Daur, who was seated across from us, couldn’t help but lick his lips.
That’s how delectable the snacks Namira prepared were.
I also felt somewhat disappointed, but witnessing Speranza happily indulging herself gave me a sense of satisfaction. I suppose this is what they mean when they say observing someone else can be satisfying.
Thanks to Namira’s treats, the awkward atmosphere vanished. As I fed Speranza the snacks piece by piece, I posed a question to our guests.
“So, what has brought the three of you to the Cardis Estate? I’m aware it’s quite a long journey.”
Although I was uncertain of the exact location where the Erul Tribe resided, I knew that finding their way here was no easy feat.
The answer to the question came from Anis’s lips.
“We came to see Speranza, but in truth, we have a favor to request from you.”
“A favor?”
“Yes.”
Anis’s eyes became cautious. I patiently awaited her explanation.
“Currently, my mother, who is in the Erul Tribe village, is in poor health. She used to be quite robust, but lately, her condition has deteriorated significantly.”
“If it’s Anis’s mother…”
Daur, with his deep voice, interjected.
“She would be Speranza’s grandmother.”
“Uhm…”
Speranza’s grandmother.
A sigh escaped my lips. Somehow, I had a sense that their request would not be a simple one.
Anis glanced at Speranza and me for a moment before continuing her tale.
“She desires to see Speranza.”
I remained silent. I had a rough understanding of what their request entailed, even without hearing more from Anis.
Since the person with poor health couldn’t traverse such a great distance herself, there was only one way for her to meet Speranza.
Following a brief silence, Anis’s words confirmed what I had anticipated.
“I came here to escort Speranza to where my mother resides, to the Erul Tribe village.”