Chapter 39

Thank you for reading.

Regarding the parts that have been published in book form, I have intentionally left the typos and revisions as they are, thinking that they might serve as reference material for future readers.

Please understand.

There are people who use the typo reporting function to proofread.

I only accept typo reports; I decline all other requests.

If it becomes too much, I will block them.

Please bear with me.

"Well, it was truly a mysterious peach."

It split open on its own without needing to be cut, and the skin peeled off smoothly. It didn't spill any juice, and even though it was fully ripe, it didn't turn mushy.

It was like a miracle.

The head chef praised the princess's peach in this way.

In my hand and Regulus's hand was a plate of today's snack, which the head chef had made using the princess's peach.

The contents were a sorbet made by mixing the peach with tangerines and freezing it. A considerable amount was made, so we could share it with everyone in the mansion.

"Master, the grandson of Mr. Gensan has come to deliver a bento..."

"Yes, please share it with him."

"Yes. Mr. Rottmayr thought you would say that, so he gave it to Mr. Gensan, who was hesitant to take it."

"I see, thank you very much."

"Not at all, I apologize for not asking beforehand."

"Cold things lose their flavor if not eaten while cold, so it's fine to ask for permission afterward."

Nodding, the head chef bowed and left the dining room.

As usual, the dining room was spacious, and there were only three of us: me, Regulus, and Mr. Utsunomiya.

Mr. Utsunomiya was feeding Regulus the sorbet while also taking a bite and sighing in delight.

"Ha... It's... so... happy..."

"Yeah, the sorbet is delicious."

"So sweet and yummy!"

"So yummy!"

With a small spoon in his tiny hands, Regulus, with a very happy smile, urged for more sorbet. Encouraged by this, Mr. Utsunomiya took the small spoon and fed Regulus.

It was a heartwarming scene, like a baby swallow begging for food from its parents, and it made me feel warm inside.

"It's really delicious! Especially this peach, it's so sweet and rich!"

"Yes, I remember it being very delicious the last time I had it."

"Is that so... The shop that supplies us must be very skilled. You can't find such delicious peaches even in the capital."

"Ah, no. We didn't buy it from a merchant."

"Huh?"

Mr. Utsunomiya's eyes widened.

For some reason, Regulus puffed out his chest proudly.

"I got it from the princess!"

"From the princess?"

"Yes, probably the same one I got before... 'Immortal Peach,' I think. That's it."

"Huh?"

At that moment, Mr. Utsunomiya's face was one that a lady shouldn't make, the kind of face you'd imagine a pigeon making after being hit by a beanbag.

Incidentally, when I offered the sorbet to Professor Romanov, who had gone to the city on business, and mentioned the peach, he made a similar face.

A few days passed uneventfully. I took walks with Regulus, tended to the garden and the animals, peeked in on Regulus and Mr. Gensan's sword practice, and practiced singing and magic with the princess.

During Regulus's nap time, I worked on my hobby of handcrafting.

The fabric I received from the princess had been carefully cut into various sizes of squares and transformed into materials for pleated work.

I couldn't make something half-hearted to give to the princess. I had to put a lot of thought into the design.

"Hmm, this is a dilemma..."

Because the princess is beautiful. Her eyes, which sparkle like stars when she blinks, her skin as white as fresh snow, and her lips, which are more lustrous than any red rose, are indescribable.

Still, I received a generous promise from the princess. She said she would show it to me even after she dies, when my wish is fulfilled. Perhaps she thinks of me as a somewhat useful servant.

I transformed the squares of fabric from the princess into sword pleats, round pleats, and double round pleats by attaching two pieces together.

The princess's flower is peony, so if I were to offer it to her, it must be a peony.

First, I attached the double sword pleats in a radial pattern on a round base, then added more sword pleats on top. When I attached smaller circles on the lower layer, I then added double round pleats on top of the upper layer of sword pleats.

Finally, I attached sparkling beads I bought in the capital to the center, completing the main large flower.

Next, I made about five smaller flowers using the remaining parts, creating a gradient.

With the large peony and five small flowers, I combined them with braided cords I bought in the capital to make hair accessories.

With the leftover parts, I could make a small hairpin by combining them with the fabric I had on hand.

Since I had the opportunity, I thought I would make accessories for Maria as a thank you for the invitation to the National Theater.

There was still some sorbet left, so I would bring that as a gift for Victor as well.

While thinking about all this, Regulus, who was napping, started to fuss.

Regulus, at three years old, apparently doesn't wet the bed or have accidents.

According to Mr. Utsunomiya, this started after they moved to this mansion. At his maternal grandparents' house, he had accidents and wet the bed like any other child his age.

If it were due to stress, it would have increased, but apparently, Regulus is living more freely now than when he was with his grandparents.

There, he was the only heir and the only surviving memory of the deceased young lady, so great expectations were placed on him. His father brought him here to avoid missing the opportunity to have a tutor as good as Professor Romanov.

I'm very different from him.

No, I'm basically ignored, but I'm not physically abused or economically restricted.

Thinking about it, those two, as parents, may be questionable, but as people, they have a sense of decency in that they don't abuse or kill their children.

Moreover, they clearly show through their words and actions that they can't love me because of certain reasons, so I don't have to have unnecessary expectations.

... I did have a bit of a rough time when I misread the situation.

As long as we don't harm each other and maintain a policy of indifference and non-interference, they might be surprisingly easy to get along with.

However, I can't forget the incident where Regulus was pushed down the stairs.

While my mind was wandering, my fingers continued to work, completing the pleated work according to the design I had in mind.

"Well, you know. Parents can't choose their children, and children can't choose their parents."

In that sense, I am fortunate to have the choice to keep Regulus by my side.

The beautiful autumn sunlight illuminated Regulus's golden hair, making it shine brilliantly, as the day slowly came to an end.

Thank you for reading.

I would be grateful for any evaluations, comments, or reviews.

I have also written various activity reports, so please feel free to check them out.