Chapter 61
Several days had already passed since they safely returned from the monster subjugation in the Gardveil Mountain Range.
Today was December 23rd—the first day of the Holy Night Festival, a ten-day celebration.
Despite the biting cold, the city was brimming with life even in broad daylight.
Families had come out together for outings, and shy young couples whispered sweet nothings over cups of warm tea.
Among them, one group in particular stood out as they energetically roamed the streets.
A small girl in a bright ivory fur coat tightly held the hand of the only man in the group and shouted cheerfully,
“Uncle! I want to try eating that too!”
“If you eat too much, you won’t be able to eat dinner later.”
“Then let’s buy just one and share it, Uncle!”
“…Do you know how many times you’ve said that already?”
“Eeeeh!”
Unable to resist Eleonora’s aegyo as she clung to his sleeve and stomped her feet, Thermion eventually gave in and headed toward the street stall.
“Five bungeoppang, please.”
“Not five—six!”
Just as Thermion was ordering according to the number of people, Eleonora quickly cut in and added one more. She was so adorable that the people nearby couldn’t hide their fond smiles.
“Oh my, thank you! Your little sister’s got such bright eyes—she’s so pretty!”
“She’s not my sister. She’s my niece.”
“What kind of uncle looks this young? I thought you were her big brother! Hahaha!”
As Thermion paid the stall owner, who continued making a fuss, he swallowed a wry smile.
Unless he looked far more mature, a teenager and a five-year-old naturally looked more like siblings than uncle and niece.
“Teacher! Hilda unnie! Rebecca unnie! Let’s eat bungeoppang!”
Eleonora opened the steaming paper bag and held it out to Ailesia. Counting the pastries inside, Ailesia tilted her head.
“There are five people, but why are there six?”
“Ellie gets half! Uncle gets one and a half! Rebecca unnie gets two! Teacher and Hilda unnie get one each!”
Apparently, she’d divided them according to body size.
Still… Thermion only got one and a half, but Rebecca got two?
Was this the overwhelming power of the original story’s popularity poll first place? Ailesia narrowed her eyes, a faint jealousy stirring.
“Wow… Rebecca, you must be happy to be so loved by Ellie.”
“What—no, not at all. How could I possibly—”
“Then you’re not going to eat it? The Archduchess bought it for you.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
Rebecca took two pastries from the bag, glancing nervously at Hilda, who had scolded her.
Jealousy aside, Ailesia covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh.
She’s oddly weak only when it comes to Hilda.
In the original story they spoke formally to each other, but Rebecca had never been this deferential.
Back then, it felt more like mutual respect of boundaries—now, anyone could tell Hilda clearly had the upper hand.
“It’s good?”
Ailesia’s eyes widened as she split the pastry in half and took a bite.
For a moment, she wondered if it was really the bungeoppang she knew—and it was. The crispy shell and the sweet red bean paste inside tasted exactly like the ones she used to eat in Korea.
Why bungeoppang was being sold in the middle of a fantasy continent… who knew. Probably the author’s convenient world-building.
“Mmm tasty!”
Eleonora’s cheeks puffed out as she chewed happily.
While Thermion hesitated, looking at the remaining half in his hand, Ailesia stepped closer to the child.
“Is it that good? Want some of teacher’s too?”
“…Is that okay?”
“Teacher’s happy just watching Ellie eat. Here.”
“Ahh!”
“Hehe.”
As Ailesia wiped the red bean paste from Eleonora’s lips with her finger and popped it into her own mouth, she felt a strange gaze.
Turning her head, she saw Hilda and Rebecca glancing over with meaningful looks.
“What?”
“It’s nothing.”
“No, nothing at all.”
Those two aside—why was Thermion also looking at her like that? His eyes were smiling, but his lips seemed to be trembling.
“Does the bread not suit your taste? What’s with that expression?”
“…Never mind.”
Thermion replied stiffly and shoved the pastry in his hand into his mouth in one go.
What’s with him—he’s eating it just fine.
Maybe he didn’t like that she’d given more to Eleonora without asking? From his earlier comment about dinner, he might not like his niece filling up on snacks.
“There! Let’s go there!”
Eleonora, having finished her pastry, tugged on Ailesia’s hand. She seemed to want to see the snowmen gathered on one side of the plaza.
“Uncle, Uncle!”
“Yeah?”
“Ellie’s hand!”
“Uh….”
Before he knew it, Thermion and Ailesia were standing side by side with Eleonora between them.
Feeling awkward for no reason, Thermion hesitated—but the child pulled on both their hands and marched forward.
“Faster, faster!”
“O-okay, but walk slowly. You’ll fall.”
“If Uncle and Teacher hold my hands together, I won’t fall!”
Watching quietly from behind, Hilda and Rebecca smiled warmly.
“They suit each other well.”
“They really do.”
From behind, anyone would mistake them for a close, happy family. Even from the front or side, it wouldn’t look much different.
“Still, Teacher doesn’t seem to have any special thoughts about it. His Highness might, though.”
“His Highness probably hasn’t even realized his own feelings yet.”
“…So that means there is something, right?”
“Ugh?”
Half-teasing, Hilda suddenly moved closer to Rebecca and tightly linked arms with her.
The warm smile she’d had earlier vanished, replaced by narrowed eyes like a cat stalking prey.
“C-could you let go of my arm first?”
“No. You think I didn’t notice you subtly avoiding me whenever I talk to you?”
“I wasn’t avoiding you, it’s just—”
To some, they might have looked like an affectionate couple, but Rebecca was utterly flustered.
Having spent so long among rough knights, she found dealing with young women awkward.
She was afraid of hurting Hilda and couldn’t just shake her off. She even wondered how someone with such slender arms could carry Eleonora at all.
“Enough. Just tell me already—what happened at the base?”
“…By the goddess, Liriana.”
Who would’ve thought she’d be invoking a goddess in broad daylight on the first day of the Holy Night Festival? Formal prayers wouldn’t even begin until after sunset.
Shaking her head, Rebecca reluctantly began to speak, dragged along by Hilda toward the snowmen.
“Woooow…”
Snowmen of all shapes and sizes filled one side of the plaza. Not just ordinary ones—some were sculpted into animals. Eleonora’s eyes sparkled.
“There’s more variety than I expected.”
“The residents must be skilled. They even put cooling magic on them so they won’t melt.”
“I heard there are quite a few residents who can use magic. The knights probably helped out as volunteers too.”
“They do things like that?”
“Many of their families live inside the city, and getting along with the residents is a principle of the Letis family. Ah—!”
Suddenly, Thermion stomped the ground.
In an instant, he slipped through the crowd and caught Eleonora around the waist as she lost her footing on the ice.
“Careful, Ellie. You could’ve fallen.”
“But Uncle caught me!”
“…What if Uncle wasn’t looking?”
“Then I’d just brush myself off and stand up! Ellie doesn’t cry over stuff like that!”
It was a brave thing to say—but it made his chest ache.
Without realizing it, Thermion knelt and gently stroked his niece’s cheek.
“It’s okay.”
“Huh?”
Was a five-year-old already trying to learn how to stand on her own? She was still young enough to be spoiled.
“Our Ellie won’t fall. Uncle will always be watching over you.”
No matter how calm someone acted, some emotions couldn’t be hidden.
Eleonora’s green eyes kept drifting toward the children playing with their parents.
The plaza was full of families—children in their fathers’ arms reaching for sculptures, others shaping snow together with their mothers.
…I don’t want to blame you for something like this.
Thermion bit his lip, thinking of the late grand duke.
Why had he left the world so irresponsibly? Couldn’t he have fought his way back, no matter what?
If he truly loved his only daughter, he should’ve crawled back even from the depths of hell.
No matter how hard he tried, Thermion could never fill the empty space of Eleonora’s father.
What if this scene etched nothing but a lifelong sense of absence into her heart?
The thought made his chest drop.
“Uncle… are you crying?”
As Thermion sank into his thoughts, a small hand reached up and touched his head.
