CH 20

It was a half-true, half-lie to tell the Duke that I was planning a modest birthday party for Elodie.

From the Duke’s point of view, it would be a modest party, but honestly, from the point of view of an ordinary person like me…

‘As loud as possible! Splendidly! To leave nothing to be desired!’

So I made plans to half-secretly throw a grand birthday party for Elodie.

Fortunately, everyone invited, except for the old lady who had a prior engagement that day, agreed to attend Elodie’s birthday party.

I looked at the fully decorated cafe with satisfaction.

The cake specially made for the party, which took the whole night to bake, was perfect, the hard-to-organize decorations shone brilliantly in the sunlight, and Elodie, who was decorated from head to toe, was so lovely that I wanted to take a bite off her.

At the appointed time, guests began to arrive one by one.

They were all carrying a small gift package, I brightly greeted them all and thanked them.

Several children who we met at the picnic and played with Elodie also came, and Elodie quickly started laughing and chatting with them.

But the most critical guest wasn’t present yet.

‘Why isn’t he coming?’

I frowned.

At this rate, it seemed that the cake had to be cut before the Duke arrived.

Fortunately, right after the snacks on the tables were out and immediately before the cake was served.

The Duke of Vanice finally appeared.

With a gift package…No, with a mountain of gifts.

They were piled up and wrapped in wrapping paper, so I couldn’t figure out the contents, but I could guess how many different things he had bought because they were of various sizes and shapes.

My mouth opened by itself. Obviously, I told the Duke not to give too big a gift, but what’s the meaning of all of this?

I forgot to say hello and started spewing out words non-stop.

“Well…I said to refrain from giving grand gifts.”

The Duke proudly replied.

“There is nothing that grandiose. These are all things Elodie needs.”

“…Still, it’s too much.”

“You didn’t say to reduce the number, so I just bought everything she needed.”

The Duke still looked as if he had done nothing wrong.

No, even if I didn’t tell you to bring exactly only one gift…it seems too much to bring more than ten gifts…but I didn’t dare to say that.

It’s not like the Duke can be thrown out because of it and it was something Elodie needed, so it was something to be thankful for.

“Well, I think Elodie would be happy. Come in. I was wondering if you weren’t coming because you were late.”

“……I keep thinking about what Elodie would need from since morning. I’ve been buying one at a time, so it’s been delayed like this. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay because you weren’t late on purpose. Besides, it was for Elodie, right?”

No matter how late he was when I found out that it was for Elodie, no harsh words came out.

I took the Duke and hurried to the main table where Elodie was.

She was holding a cake knife with an even more flushed face, standing in front of a huge chocolate cake with six candles on it. The sweet yet heavy smell of chocolate spread throughout the room, and saliva naturally pooled in people’s mouths.

“Elodie, did you make a wish?”

“…Not yet.”

She tightly closed her eyes and began to eagerly mumble something. For some reason, it felt like I knew the contents, and my heart ached by itself.

I bit my lip.

Elodie, whatever your wish is, my wish is for you to be happy.

I will work hard for that.

Finally, after making her wish and opening her eyes, Elodie blew out the candles as hard as she could. After everyone clapped, all that was left was to cut the cake. Elodie looked down at the cake with a determined face and sliced it down.

“…!”

A look of surprise appeared on the little child’s face.

It was because bright red and ripe raw strawberries were pouring out from the cross-section of the cut cake.

A murmur spread through the crowd.

“In this winter, where they got these strawberries…?”

“Is it a fake strawberry?”

“Isn’t that strawberry syrup?”

The wife, who is a big farmer in this area, pointed at strawberries and shouted as if she was frustrated.

“No, look well. It’s raw strawberry!”

But people didn’t believe her words because it was early December now. There was no way that raw strawberries could come out.

I smiled a lot.

There’s no need to tell them that Elodie’s biological father is the Duke of Vanice, who can deliver anything he’s asked for.

As soon as I asked for strawberries as a surprise gift, Duke Vanice brought me a bunch of fresh strawberries for Elodie’s birthday without asking or questioning.

I walked towards Elodie.

Elodie herself cut the first piece of her birthday cake, but it was my job to distribute it after that.

I distributed cakes and strawberries evenly to those waiting with plates.

Except for one man, the Duke of Vanice.

To make an excuse, it wasn’t that I refused the Duke, it was that he didn’t want to eat the cake.

Instead of standing in line with a plate like everyone else, he was squinting at Elodie from a distance.

I shook my head and walked over to the Duke with the last piece left. The others were already devouring the cakes from their plates in the blink of an eye.

“Please eat.”

The Duke looked at me with surprised eyes.

“After all, you are a nobleman so I guess standing in line was not your thing, I brought it to you. Even if it looks like this, eat it because it’s my masterpiece.”

How much research went into making the best cake ever for Elodie’s birthday? There was no proper baking book in this world, and I had to make it myself, so it was very difficult.

However, seeing Elodie eating the cake deliciously, the past hardships disappeared in an instant.

“It’s not like that. I’m not that shameless.”

The Duke shook his head.

I tilted my head.

Up until now, I thought he was someone who didn’t know anything about shame, but it didn’t seem like he was the type of person who has to be catered for.

“Then, what is it?”

“Just, judging the size of the pieces, it seems that you don’t have any pieces to eat…”

I blinked my eyes.

It was because I was confused for a moment by the words that I couldn’t tell whether it was flattery or simple politeness.

“When did you start caring about stuff like that? Besides, I eat a lot of these while making it, so give it a try.”

I didn’t recommend him a cake because I was being nice or because I particularly liked the Duke. I just didn’t like the fact that the person who contributed to Elodie’s birthday party didn’t eat a slice of Elodie’s birthday cake.

The Duke reluctantly took the plate from my hand and took a bite of a piece of cake.

“…”

“It’s delicious? Right?”

“…It-It’s delicious.”

The Duke nodded his head.

Seeing as how his fork was constantly moving, it certainly seemed to suit his taste.

‘Come to think of it he ate the egg mayo sandwiches well. Does he likes soft food?’

It was when I thought that the waffles were baked to a crisp and that they might not have been to his taste.

Bang!

The cafe door burst open with a thunderous noise.

The atmosphere inside the cafe, which had been roaring with laughter and chatter until just before that, became quiet as if covered in cold water.

It was because a man with an unusual identity ran into the cafe.

He was a middle-aged man in his mid-forties who looked tired, and his splendid clothes, badges, and decorations seemed to be shouting, “I am a nobleman.”

The man immediately approached the Duke who was with me.

‘….’

I sneakily avoided the place.

Seriously, why bad premonitions are never wrong?

“Duke, your Grace…!”

“What are you doing now, Count Jacob?”

The cold voice of the Duke of Vanice resounded in the café and from all over there was the sound of gasps and exclamations.

I touched my forehead.

In just a few days, every soul in this town will know that Elodie is the Duke’s daughter.

In a big city, it might be different, but such a rumor was fatal in a small town where there was only one downtown area.

I wanted to shake that tactless Count senseless.

Do you have something to say to the Duke? Good. But why do you have to do it at Elodie’s birthday party?

“Sir, it’s okay to take my head, but I have something to tell you.”

Count Jacob knelt on the floor in a determined manner. The Duke had a look of complete boredom, but he did not openly restrain him.

And after a while.

From Count Jacob’s mouth came something that was like a thunderbolt out of the blue sky.