“Mr. Takumi, Lady Claire told me about what happened.”
“Ah, Sebastian.”
Just as I had finished creating the Ramogi, Sebastian, came out into the garden after talking to Ms. Claire.
“I do hope that you are not overusing the Gift.”
“Yes. I still feel fine… But I’ll be extra careful. Milina, that’s all for today.”
“I understand.”
I answered Sebastian as I handed the last of the Ramogi to Milina.
She wrapped it up in cloth and the job was done.
“Mr. Takumi. I finished my training!”
“Good work, Tilura. Here’s your herbs. Don’t forget to eat them to help with recovery.”
“Yes. Thank you!”
“Master, when did you make those…”
I handed Tilura the herbs for muscle fatigue now that she had finished training.
As Milina had been watching me grow the Ramogi, she looked quite surprised. However, it was easy for me to use my free hand and make a different kind of herb at the same time.
Well, I suppose it was easy because I had done this work so many times.
“Wuff. Wuff.”
“Leo?”
As I stood up and started to stretch my limbs, Leo returned.
Wasn’t she supposed to be with Mr. Hannes and Rosalie?
Ah, Rosalie was still on her back… I guess they were out here to play.
“Good Leo!”
“Kyau!”
“Wuff. Wuff.”
Tilura and Sherry saw Leo approach, and then they ran towards her happily.
Knowing Tilura, she was likely to become friends with Rosalie very quickly.
And Rosalie didn’t look like she was particularly shy either.
And so Milina and I watched as Tilura hugged Leo, or rode on her with Sherry as she ran around.
As expected, Tilura and Rosalie became friends immediately.
I’m sure it helped that they had a playmate in common, with Leo being there.
“…Milina. You can play with them too if you want?”
“No, I don’t…”
She looked a little restless as she watched them, and so I suggested that she should join them, but she refused.
However, I could tell by her words and expressions that she actually wanted to.
Now that I think about it, Milina hadn’t played with Leo at the orphanage, because she was talking with us.
And while she had opportunities to be with Leo since coming here, she was mostly busy with her studies.
“Well, I think Leo and the others would be happy to have another person to play with.”
“Bu-but…”
I pushed the back of the hesitant Milina towards Leo.
“Of course, she can. Let’s play together, Milina!”
“Ms…Milina? It will be fun if we all play.”
“Kyau-kyau!”
“…Yes…”
When I asked them, Leo barked happily, and then the others all agreed to welcome her.
Upon seeing this reaction, Milina finally nodded and ran towards Leo and the others.
“Are you sure, Mr. Takumi?”
“Well, she seemed busy with studying and her duties as a servant. So I think it would be good for her to play with the others once in a while.”
I answered to Sebastian while handing him the wrapped up Ramogi.
“This is for Range village. I intend to make some more tomorrow, but this is all I can make for today.”
“I see.”
Sebastian took it and went back into the mansion. I then sat down and watched the others play as I rested.
It was soon dinner time, and as it was also getting dark, play time with Leo ended.
It must have been very fun, as Milina looked disappointed.
I would be sure to allow her to play again sometime soon.
“Can we really…join you?”
Mr. Hannes asked when he came to the dining hall and saw the kind of food that was put on the table.
“It is fine. Even though this is the house of a duke, we do not strictly follow such formalities at all times. You should enjoy your time here until tomorrow.”
“…Thank you.”
“Thank you!”
But even after hearing Ms. Claire’s assurance, Mr. Hannes still looked nervous.
I doubted he had ever eaten with a noblewoman in such a mansion before.
And I could understand how he felt.
As for Rosalie, her nervousness had vanished after playing with Leo, and so she thanked Ms. Claire cheerfully and began to eat the food.
Ms. Claire smiled as she watched.
“It’s delicious!”
“Rosalie…”
“It’s fine. It’s a good thing to express your delight when eating good food. Isn’t that right, Helena?”
“Yes. As a cook, such words are more encouraging than anything.”
Mr. Hannes scolded Rosalie for speaking loudly after eating.
But Ms. Claire assured him that it was fine.
Besides, Ms. Helena seemed delighted to see someone eating her food with such relish.
Children were so honest with expressing their emotions, and so it was nice to see it.
“Now, I hope you will rest easy here today?”
“Yes, thank you for preparing a room for us.”
“Good night, Lady Claire.”
After we had finished eating, Mr. Hannes and Rosalie were led out of the dining hall by one of the maids, and taken to the room that had been prepared for them so that they could rest.
“Mr. Takumi. Do you have a minute?”
“What is it?”
After Mr. Hannes was gone, I stood up in order to practice my sword swings, but then Sebastian stopped me.
“It’s about the matter of you going to Range village. I suppose it will be just you and Leo who are going.”
“…That’s true.”
I answered while thinking about it.
While Ms. Claire and the others had herbs, it would not do for them to go to a village where a disease had spread.
Besides, Sebastian and the others were busy dealing with that store.
He was gathering information and monitoring it, so it would be best if he didn’t leave the mansion.