Volume 3 Chapter 38 Memories And The Emotionally Unstable Sir Stefan
We walked down the snowy path towards the market.
Sir Stefan was next to me, while Lady Emilia and Lady Anna walked behind us.
Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine came back to me, peeking out of my shoulder bag. Sir Stefan kept asking, "Isn't it heavy?" a few times.
It wasn't heavy at all, so I said I was fine, but in the end, Sir Stefan carried my bag.
He put my dad, Eir-Eir, and Ms. Famine all inside the bag.
I thought Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine would complain, but they seemed warm and cozy in the bag, so they stayed quiet.
The animals were swaying around Sir Stefan's waist, looking at the town's scenery. It was just so cute.
Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine were looking at the town with sparkly eyes.
Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I'm taking everyone for a nice stroll.
"It's so lively! I thought it would be quieter since it's cold and snowy."
Lady Anna said while looking around.
As we got closer to the market, more people were around.
We passed Sir Ciel's house after leaving the alley with the lobelia, and then we saw Mx. Margaret's butcher shop.
Further down, there was a big street and a square with several food stalls.
The sweet smell in the air was probably from cream cocoa.
There were also heart-shaped chocolates with sweet messages, chocolate treats, and clam chowder filled with lots of ingredients.
Besides food, there were ornaments shaped like snowmen and snow globes that sparkled when you shook them.
The wreaths made from woven branches had colorful decorations on them.
"Christmas Eve is coming soon! It's the day Goddess Alexandria appeared in this country. If you're good, you'll get the goddess's grace... which means presents!"
"Tarte Tatin!"
"Pumpkin pudding!"
Ms. Famine and Eir-Eir were grumbling from inside the bag, and they were playfully hitting my dad. Mostly Ms. Famine.
"Hey, stop squirming! I know you don't like the goddess's grace, but there's no such thing as grace, and it's the parents who prepare the presents."
"Tarte Tatin!"
"Pumpkin pudding!"
After my dad explained, Ms. Famine and Eir-Eir both started hitting him again.
They didn't like the idea of the goddess's grace, but it seemed like they were more upset about their dreams being crushed.
"I used to believe in the goddess's grace too. I remember hoping to find presents by my pillow on Christmas Eve morning. I wondered if there would be a box of sweets or something."
"You wanted sweets, Lydia?"
"Yeah. Back then, I could only watch the delicious Christmas treats from afar, wishing I could try them. But then, Sir Stefan invited me to the castle, and he let me eat so many things... It felt like a dream, and I was so happy."
I smiled, feeling nostalgic.
When I looked up at Sir Stefan, tears started to fall from his beautiful jade eyes, and I was surprised.
"Sir Stefan, please don't cry... I didn't mean to upset you; I was just sharing memories!"
"I'm sorry, Lydia. I just remembered how adorable you were back then, and it made me think about how happy I was."
"Brother, don't bother Lyd-Lyd."
"Elder Brother, this isn't the time to dwell on the past. We're walking through such a lively town; instead of crying, why don't you buy us something that smells delicious?"
Sir Stefan was crying, and Lady Emilia and Lady Anna were scolding him.
"I'm sorry, Lydia. I don't know why, but I've been crying a lot lately. Maybe it's because I'm getting older."
"Sir Stefan... I've been feeling really emotional too and crying a lot. You taught me before that it's okay to cry or get angry sometimes. So, I think it's fine for you to cry when you're sad or going through tough times."
"Lydia..."
"I've been cooking while crying too. I even chopped meat while I was crying..."
I stopped crying, but I reached out to pat Sir Stefan's head, which was still glistening with tears.
I remembered how he used to pat my head when I was upset. I hoped it would make him feel a little better.
"I like you, Lydia..."
Sir Stefan said quietly. I felt sad when I thought he might not like me anymore, but I realized he didn't really hate me.
That made me feel relieved.
When I thought he disliked me, I felt like I had no worth at all.
"I like you too, Sir Stefan. You're kind, like a father."
Sir Stefan had just woken up from a long dream. He must have gone through a lot of hard times. It made sense since he seemed to have lost several years of his life.
Suddenly, he was a grown man, and everything had changed for him. He couldn't take his time like I could. He probably had to take on royal duties and didn't have any time to rest.
"Sir Stefan, I'll work hard to make delicious food. So, please come to my restaurant sometimes on your days off. I'll make it special for you, and I'll even have Sake ready to make it fun. I'll decorate the shop nicely for the holidays... It's important to make it cute for each season."
"...Thank you, Lydia. Is there anything you want? I'll buy you anything."
"I have money, so I'm fine."
"This is the least I can do. Let me pay when we're together."
Lady Emilia and Lady Anna chimed in, "Yes, Lyd-Lyd, let him pay!" "Lyd-Lyd, you should let him buy you things!" They said this while their eyes were watery, just like Sir Stefan's. Maybe the royal family was a bunch of crybabies, just like me.
We bought whipped cream cocoa from a stall and took a break to drink it. Eir-Eir munched on a big heart-shaped pretzel covered in powdered sugar.
My dad wanted hot wine, but I didn't buy it for him. I didn't want people to think I was a bad owner for giving liquor to a dog.
Ms. Famine curled up in my bag and didn't show her face. I wasn't sure how much she remembered, but maybe she felt sorry too.
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