Chapter 48

Lang and the others had indeed returned to the Eldland household, and upon their arrival, they offered the following excuses:

"It's just a coincidence, I was just thinking of greeting Eldland's Gainas, but I didn't expect to find Mary and the others here. It's purely a coincidence."

"…I'm sure this is because of Mary's good behavior, bringing us together like this. …This is nothing short of a miracle."

"Yes, yes, it's a coincidence and a miracle. Lord Gainas, I apologize for the sudden visit."

Their excuses were so transparent that it was laughable. They were, after all, a trio. However, it was too late to point this out, and only Gainas, being the polite one, went along with their story of coincidence, welcoming them with the words, "Even though it's a coincidence, I have prepared a meal for everyone," which was also a bit of a stretch.

Thus, they enjoyed a feast for dinner and retired to their respective rooms. Mary was also given a room, but she left her belongings there and headed to Addy's room. Since they had been traveling as a group, she wanted to spend some time alone… or rather, with the three of them.

However, when she arrived at Addy's room, Anna was already sound asleep on the bed, curled up in the center of the large bed that could easily fit three adults. She looked like a little kitten.

"I thought about having one of the Eldland maids take care of her, but she got fussy… I didn't want her to wake up and cry in the middle of the night, so I decided to let her sleep in my room."

"I see. Well, there's nothing we can do about that."

"I'm sorry, I know you came here to spend time alone with me."

"Don't apologize. If you had suggested being intimate with me and ignoring Anna, I would have kicked you out of the room. …Besides, it's not just the two of us."

Mary chuckled and rubbed her belly. Noticing this, Addy corrected himself, "It's the three of us," with a delighted expression.

"Raising a child, huh? I'm not sure if I can do it properly."

"Are you worried?"

"Anyone would be nervous about something they've never done before. Addy, you have a lot of experience with childcare, so it's easier for you."

"I have no experience," Mary pouted.

Addy wasn't the only one; Patrick was used to dealing with his younger brothers, Alicia was great with children, and even Parfait seemed quite experienced. Gainas, who she thought would be the same as her, naturally interacted with Anna. She was the only one who had no experience with children. It was no wonder she felt anxious about becoming a mother.

"I didn't feel this anxious when we aimed for decline, when we opened the migratory bird rice bowl shop, when I declared myself a successor, or even now as we work on publishing Feidara's praise. …Why am I so anxious now?"

"Miss… It's okay. You won't be raising the child alone. Everyone will help, and most importantly, I'll be with you."

Addy patted her shoulder reassuringly. His warm, large hand made Mary's anxiety melt away.

"Whether it's raising a child or anything else, you don't need to be anxious as long as I'm with you. After all, the young lady I took care of has become the most elegant lady in the world."

Mary's eyes widened slightly at Addy's boastful words, then she smiled and said, "You fool."

"But you're right, with Addy, I can do it."

Mary's voice, tinged with a smile, no longer carried any hint of anxiety. Instead, a yawn escaped her as her mood lifted. When you feel better, sleepiness follows. She announced that she was going to sleep and slowly lay down. Anna, who had been curled up, shifted slightly as the bed moved.

Mary gently touched her belly to soothe her and whispered, "It's warm." She had heard that children, especially when sleeping, have a higher body temperature, making them feel like a hot water bottle. Of course, Anna wasn't feverish; she was sleeping soundly and comfortably.

"It's so warm…" Mary whispered, brushing the hair from Anna's forehead. Anna had the same rusty-colored hair as Addy.

"I wonder what color our child's hair will be. Will it be like Addy's or mine? It might even be curly like Addy's."

Even though her belly was still flat, her imagination ran wild. She didn't know the gender, hair color, or eye color, but the fact that the child was in her belly made her expectations and imagination grow.

Addy smiled at Mary's excited imagination and lay down next to Anna. The three of them, with the small child in the middle, looked like a family.

"We still have time, so let's take our time to think about it."

"You're right. For now, we should focus on Anna. We need to rescue Anna and her mother and teach the lord a lesson!"

"Getting worked up like that will keep you awake. We have to get up early tomorrow."

"Right," Mary nodded in agreement, feeling like a child being put to bed herself. Sleepiness and a ticklish feeling combined, and she closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep…

"Speaking of bedtime stories, I want to read her a picture book! We should order beautiful picture books from all over the world!"

Her eyes suddenly opened wide. But the next moment, Anna, who was sleeping between them, stirred. She mumbled something incoherent, like a cat's meow, and finally said, "Be quiet…"

Mary and Addy exchanged glances and both smiled wryly, saying "Good night" to each other before falling asleep.

Mary woke up in the middle of the night for no particular reason, just by chance. Normally, she would have fallen back asleep immediately. Mary was a heavy sleeper and would often stay in bed, fidgeting, even when she had to get up in the morning.

But tonight, her mind was unusually clear, and she slowly sat up, careful not to wake Addy, who was breathing lightly. In the dim light, she realized they were not in the Albert household but in the Eldland household. At the same time, she noticed a small figure on the sofa in the corner of the room.

"Anna, what's wrong?"

She got out of bed and approached Anna, who was huddled on the sofa. She asked if Anna was feeling unwell, but it didn't seem to be the case. Anna whispered, "I woke up."

"It's too early to get up. Try to go back to sleep."

"…But…"

"Are you worried about something? Maybe reading a story or singing a song would help?"

Mary, having no idea how to put a child to sleep, made various suggestions. She had been thinking about what to do for her own child, but when the moment came, she was at a loss. None of her suggestions seemed to have the desired effect, and Anna remained dejected. The darkness of the room added to the somber atmosphere.

But then, a high-pitched sound, a soft rumble, was heard. Anna quickly huddled up, covering her stomach with her arms.

"You're hungry, aren't you? You went to sleep before dinner, so it's no wonder."

Relieved to know the cause, Mary let out a sigh of relief. If Anna had been sick or crying for her mother, it would have been a bigger problem. But hunger was something Mary could handle. Once Anna was full, she would surely feel sleepy again.

"Okay, I'll bring you something delicious!"

"…Really?"

"Yes, so please wait a moment."

Mary stroked Anna's head, and Anna's eyes narrowed in happiness. In the dark room, Anna's rusty-colored hair looked even more vivid, and when Mary twirled the soft hair around her fingers, it felt ticklish.

As she left the room, she heard a small voice say, "Goodbye."