Chapter : 16
“Hmm? What’s ‘ssongmul’?”
“You don’t need to know that at your age.”
“Hmm? Lulu likes the person who gives meat, right? Do you call that ‘ssongmul’?”
“…Thank you for the meal.”
In the end, maybe because the seat was uncomfortable, Lian bowed to Angela, picked up the empty bowl, and left.
It seemed Lian had no intention of approaching the knight first.
‘Maybe she’s a little less angry now…’
Lulu pouted.
Usually, when Lian’s name came up, her expression stiffened and she didn’t say a word.
But now she was timid and blushing, right?
‘She’s embarrassed.’
Lulu knew it all!
But the problem was the knight.
A few days ago, when building the log cabin, he had been very proactive toward Lian.
But maybe because of the rock-solid rejection…
Eventually, the knight gave up and stopped asking for conversations, only bringing her game meat.
“Hm. Should I go see the knight?”
In times like this, it was up to the good dragon Lulu to step in.
“Huh? You, Lulu?”
Lulu stuck out her belly with a determined look and nodded.
“Haha, the salamander got chubby.”
Angela ignored it and rubbed Lulu’s round belly.
“Lian doesn’t have the courage to go, so Lulu will say thank you for her.”
“Okay, then can you also bring some soup and stir-fried frost leek with meat? I guess I have to see that guy anyway. Tell him to visit later.”
“Okay!”
And so Lulu took on the important mission along with the lunchbox.
When she knocked on the log cabin door…
Clatter.
The sound came from the window, not the door.
Belix had opened the window.
“…Lulu?”
Maybe he hoped it was Lian.
Belix’s usually bright expression darkened a little.
But whatever.
I like people who give meat!
“I’ve come to deliver!”
Lulu smiled brightly and held out the lunchbox.
To be honest, Belix was a little disappointed by Lulu’s visit.
Though he was thankful to the baby dragon, he wasn’t really interested.
Delivering ingredients for three was only because he felt he had to repay the favor for saving Lian.
But then…
“Knight, thank you for the meat. Also, this meat stew was made by Lian.”
When the child, who was like a wildflower pressed close to the ground, held out the lunchbox, Belix felt he’d be needing the child’s help again.
“…Lian made it? By herself?”
“Yes!”
“Come in, then.”
A faint smile crept onto his lips, trying not to show too much.
“Oof… Ah!”
Seeing Lulu trip over the doorframe, he let the smile fade.
“…”
“…”
A brief awkward silence passed.
Belix, frozen by surprise, couldn’t react, so Lulu flailed her legs while lying down.
“Kiiing, hiiing.”
“Are you okay? Any injuries?”
He finally snapped out of it at the pitiful cries.
Carefully helping her up, he saw tears shimmering in Lulu’s big eyes.
“No, no. Just my knee’s a little… a little…”
“Luckily no wounds. There’s dirt on your knees and palms, let me wipe it off.”
“Okay.”
Belix gently wiped the small knees with a handkerchief.
‘Is the child restless because she’s young? You never know where she might jump next.’
Feeling happy, then surprised, then flustered, then worried.
He realized that a person could feel a variety of emotions in just one minute.
After checking Lulu’s legs once more and cleaning up the spilled food, Belix placed his hands on his hips.
“Does it hurt now?”
“No!”
Luckily, the child seemed fine.
“Well, I’ve accepted the heart behind it. Tell Lian and the princess thank you for me.”
“Hmm. Got it. Lulu will bring lunch again tomorrow!”
“Alright.”
Just as things seemed settled,
“…”
Belix, wiping his hands with the handkerchief, suddenly turned sharply at the burning gaze on his back.
“Do you have something to say?”
Lulu, who had stuck like a statue, smiled brightly the moment their eyes met.
“Yes!”
“What is it?”
“Knight, why do you just leave the meat and disappear these days?”
‘So that was the real point.’
The child’s voice got louder as if itching to speak.
“Why don’t you greet Lian?”
“Hmm.”
He hesitated a moment.
She was only four years old.
But thinking about it, he had no reason to hide the truth from her.
Finally, folding his knees, he met Lulu’s gaze and confessed honestly.
“…Lian hasn’t opened the door of her heart to me yet. I—well, the knight—made many mistakes.”
“Mistakes?”
“Yes. The knight upset Lian. So I plan to wait until she’s no longer angry.”
“That’s not true. When Lulu’s upset, you cuddle and comfort her.”
“Cuddle and…?”
The strange words made Belix frown.
“Yes. When Lulu’s upset, she says she wants to be alone, but really she doesn’t want to be alone. She just wants to show she’s angry. Lulu wants people to notice she’s upset.”
Not sure what to say, Belix just listened.
The child tilted her head, then made a small gesture with her finger for Belix.
“When Lulu’s upset, she’s angry to show she wants people to know. If you don’t cuddle her, she feels even sadder.”
“So, you want me to cuddle her?”
“Yes.”
“How do you do that?”
“Hold her, say sorry, give kisses on the cheek, and keep hugging until Lulu smiles.”
“Hmm.”
Though he wanted to give such affection to Lian,
‘Would a twelve-year-old boy like cheek kisses?’
Belix pondered.
While he was lost in thought, Lulu’s plump cheeks lifted in a smile, maybe remembering Angela.
“Well, at first Lulu throws a tantrum, but your arms are warm, so her anger melts away.”
“So you’re saying I should keep showing affection.”
“Show-ation? Show-tion. Yes.”
Lulu nodded as if she understood roughly.
But now Belix nodded along with the child.
He never imagined he’d take advice from a four-year-old, but now he understood Lulu’s explanation.
Lian was still young.
Looking back, expecting such emotional expression from a child was unfair.
There was no one more pitiful than this adult.
“Then I guess I should visit the tower tomorrow.”
No one could stop the resolved Belix.
He visited the tower the next day.
“Hello, princess. Lulu, have you been well?”
“Knight—! Hello!”
Lulu, who had been waiting since morning, bowed deeply.
Angela had also heard from Lulu and was waiting.
“Did you eat the food Lulu gave you yesterday? I saw the lunchbox was completely empty.”
There had been a little accident, of course.
“Hmm. Hmm.”
Lulu glanced at her silently with a sly look.
Maybe she dreamed of perfect evidence destruction.
Fortunately, Belix was not someone who would tattletale on a child’s mistakes.
“Yes. It was delicious.”
The sharp gaze finally softened.
“That’s a relief. Since it was the meat you gave, I wondered if it might not suit your taste. By the way, since you’re invited today, let’s have lunch together.”
“Thank you very much.”
Lunch would probably include Lian.
So although they knew Lian would come soon, Angela couldn’t help but glance over Lulu’s shoulder repeatedly.
Then, the back door opened, and the long-awaited younger sibling appeared.
“Princess! While walking in the forest, I gathered some wild greens that look like spinach. I’ll plant them in the garden, in the, in the…”
The lively voice gradually shrank to a whisper.
“Th-then I’ll go plant the greens… I’ll be going.”
Meeting Belix’s eyes, Lian creaked like a wooden doll and shut the door behind her.
“Lian.”
More precisely, she tried to close the door, but
When the low voice called her, Lian flinched heavily as she turned around.
“It’s been a while since I saw you; let’s have a meal together.”
“…I have work to do; I’ll eat later.”
Lian’s voice was sharper than before, clearly still angry.
Then, someone tugged and bit her sleeve.
Looking down, Lulu was standing next to Belix, puckering her lips.
“Please give Lian a kiss, a kiss.”
…A kiss was a bit much.
If it meant to be a little more assertive.
Encouraged by the child, Belix gathered courage and steadily approached his frozen sister.
“So, what’s the work?”
“Huh, huh?”
“Let’s do it together. You said you’re going to plant the greens?”
He grabbed his sister’s hand and opened the back door.
