Is it just me, or does the plate in front of the kid look especially orange? The plate with the stew does too, and it feels like there are an awful lot of carrots in the salad, too.

But the kid swallowed the food down just fine, stuffing it into himself without a single complaint.

Lady Sebinne, watching from the side, looked thoroughly pleased.

Isn’t he going to get indigestion like that?

But it would be ridiculous for a guest like her to say anything about it.

Camilla was about to simply start eating again when her movement faltered. The ghost she’d seen earlier was still stuck right beside the child as he ate.

[A baby, our poor baby.......]

With eyes that looked like they might start dripping tears any second as she stared at the child, Camilla could be sure.

That ghost was the child’s mother.

Did they say she died right after he was born?

Something Count Alton had mentioned in passing came back to her. It wasn’t like she’d been sick—she’d had a difficult labor, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop, and in the end she died.

“Hm.”

Then yeah. She could be that attached.

If she died without even getting to hold him properly, it made sense that resentment would cling to her and keep her from leaving his side.

Ugh. Whatever.

She understood, but she didn’t exactly feel sympathy. It wasn’t like there were only one or two ghosts like that in the world.

Camilla didn’t look toward the child anymore and focused on her meal.

*****

「...What did you just say?」

“What? I’m working.”

「No, no! Before that!」

“Before that?”

「Dinner... you had dinner alone in your office?」

“I’ve got a mountain of things to deal with. I just handled it here.”

It wasn’t like it had only happened once or twice. When he was busy, it was always like this—so he had no idea what Alton was making such a fuss about.

「.......」

“Why?”

Alton—who’d said he had something urgent and rushed back home—had contacted him through the communication orb.

They’d been talking about work, and the moment he mentioned he’d taken care of dinner in his office, Alton suddenly went silent.

「Lord Kais.」

“So what?”

And why is your voice getting all low and serious again?

「You’re finished.」

“Finished? What is?”

「Any chance of your relationship with Miss Camilla improving is finished!」

“What did I do. And I don’t particularly want my relationship with that girl to improve. I’m fine with it like this.”

「Shut your mouth for a second!」

This bastard? Did you just raise your voice at me?

「From the very first day, you made her eat without you? Someone who came to an unfamiliar place?」

“It wasn’t without anyone. Dive would’ve been there.”

「@$%@......!」

You—did you just swear?

「Do you have any idea why I brought her there in the first place?」

“You told me it wasn’t good to leave her alone at the Imperial Palace.”

「Wrong, wrong, wrong!」

“You little—!”

You’re really going to run your mouth because I’m not right in front of you, huh?

「Even now, go to her immediately.」

“Go where?”

「Go to Miss Camilla!」

“And do what?”

A deep sigh came from inside the communication orb.

「Drink tea, go for a walk, anything.」

“Why would I do that?”

「Hey! You damn excuse for a human being!」

“...Hey.”

「Ah, one of our servants dropped something. I’m sorry.」

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

「Anyway, go to her right now.」

“I’m busy.”

「My lord duke!」

“Hang up.”

「Kai—」

Duke Escra set the communication orb down to one side, almost like he was throwing it.

Clicking his tongue over and over, he picked the paperwork up again.

With work piled this high, tea my ass. Where would he even find time for that?

*****

“.......”

“.......”

Camilla stared at the one sitting across from her, looking a bit dumbfounded.

Duke Escra had suddenly come by a little while ago and told her to have tea—then sat down like that.

The problem was, after that, he hadn’t said a single word.

Why did you even come?

She’d thought he must have something to say, but he’d been guzzling down cup after cup of tea the whole time.

“Would you like another cup?”

“Do it.”

You seriously want more? That’s already the fourth cup.

Trickle.

Camilla poured into his cup herself and quietly shook her head.

“I shouldn’t have listened to that bastard.”

“Pardon?”

That bastard?

He let out a short sigh and looked at her steadily.

“Anything uncomfortable?”

“Not really.”

It hadn’t even been a full day since she came here. What would be uncomfortable. Though honestly, this situation felt like the most uncomfortable thing of all.

After that exchange, a heavy silence continued. His teacup, which he only kept sipping from, soon emptied again.

“More?”

“...No.”

Right. You’re human, too—five cups would be pushing it.

“The child’s name is Dive?”

As he tried to clamp his mouth shut again, Camilla lightly shook her head and brought up a topic first.

“How old is he?”

“Hm... Ten.”

What is it with this one-beat-late answer?

Don’t tell me...

Did you just calculate your kid’s age? You didn’t, did you?

“And your eldest son’s age?”

“...Twenty-five?”

Why is that a question. Why are you unsure.

This man has zero interest in his children. Fine, she got it with herself, but shouldn’t you be able to answer your own kid’s age right away when you live together?

“Where is your eldest son right now?”

“Jainer.”

...Jainer?

“It’s not ‘your eldest son.’ It’s Jainer.”

Maybe he didn’t like the form of address—he slightly furrowed his brow.

“Fine. Then I don’t think I’ve seen this Jainer person.”

She hadn’t seen him at dinner, either, so it was clear he wasn’t at the estate.

“He’s dealing with the remnants.”

“Ah.”

Camilla understood immediately. The civil war might be over, but the First Prince’s faction was still scattered all over the place. He was probably wrapping that up.

“The second list for the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ trade will be ready soon.”

“Understood.”

Duke Escra stood up as soon as he finished that. He stared at her for a moment, then left the room without saying anything.

Camilla watched him until he was completely gone, then tilted her head as the door closed.

So seriously—why did you come?

*****

“It’s completely spring.”

It was already well past midnight. But had she changed from someone who could sleep anywhere as long as she had a place to rest her head?

Even lying in bed, her eyes only got wider and wider. In the end, Camilla came outside. She figured if she took a walk and went back in, she might be able to sleep.

But once she came out at night, she could really feel it.

The weather in the Gracia Empire had gotten truly warm.

Even with only a thin cardigan thrown on, she didn’t feel cold.

“Still, please put one more layer on.”

Dorman—who had insisted on following her—draped another outer garment over her shoulders.

“You’ll catch a cold. You’re someone who gets cold easily.”

“I’m not that cold when I’m with you.”

“Really? You rely on me that mu—”

“Because you annoy me.”

“.......”

Watching him only open and close his mouth, Camilla let out a small snort of laughter and started walking again, slowly.

The garden didn’t have much to see, but it wasn’t bad for a walk. As she walked between the trees, the night air she breathed in felt especially fresh.

“Please wait here for a moment. I’ll warm up some milk.”

“Milk?”

“If you drink a warm cup, you’ll sleep well.”

Am I a kid? And I don’t even like milk that much.

Even so, she didn’t refuse. In his own way, his continued attentiveness was something she was fairly willing to accept.

After watching Dorman hurry off, Camilla took a seat on a nearby bench.

“Whew.”

She drew in air deeply, all the way down into her lungs. Then, when she idly lifted her head to look at the sky, Camilla couldn’t turn her gaze away for a long time.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the massive swarm of stars filling the night sky.

“Nice.”

[Nice, right.]

“......!”

But someone answered her mutter.

[I really loved watching the stars here when I was alive, too.]

It was the ghost she’d seen in the dining room. She had no idea when she’d arrived, but the woman—whom Camilla had assumed was the duchess—was sitting right beside her.

Like Camilla, she stared blankly up at the night sky and kept talking to herself as if she were having a conversation.

[Even seeing them after I’m dead, they’re still nice.]

“.......”

[Oh! A falling star! I have to make a wish, a wish!]

She didn’t seem to realize Camilla could actually hear her. She didn’t even glance this way.

[Is it because the weather suddenly got better? I can see the stars more clearly.]

Should she move?

“Miss!”

Just then, Dorman approached at a quick pace. Afraid the warmed milk might cool, his steps sped up even more the moment his eyes met hers.

“Drink it while it’s warm.”

Along with the milk, there were also large cookies on the plate. Big chunks of chocolate were dotted through them, making them look appetizing.

“I thought it would be good with milk.”

Camilla nodded lightly and picked up the glass of milk. Warmth immediately traveled through her fingertips.

[Cookies... they look delicious.]

Camilla nearly spat the milk out the moment she was about to take a sip.

The ghost who had been sitting beside her just a moment ago had pressed her face right up to the plate of cookies, blinking.

Her gaze on the cookies was so desperate... yeah, truly desperate. So much so that Camilla couldn’t bring herself to reach out.

“What’s wrong?”

When Camilla didn’t eat anything and stayed still, Dorman looked at her, puzzled.

In the end, Camilla set the glass of milk down. Then she picked up one cookie and held it out in front of her.

“Go ahead.”

[......?]

The ghost lifted her head along with the cookie, her eyes widening slightly.

“I said, have a cookie.”

[......! Kyaaaah!]

The instant their eyes met, a huge scream burst from the ghost’s mouth.

[Kya! Kyaaaah!]

This reaction is kind of new.

Watching her scream while curling herself up as much as possible, Camilla felt a little dumbfounded.

Isn’t that the reaction humans are supposed to have when they see a ghost? Why is she the one freaking out even more?

And also... something feels a bit...

Her certainty that this was the duchess wavered.

The way she shrieked like a teenager felt pretty far from the dignity of a noblewoman—especially not the wife of an overwhelmingly powerful duke.

While waiting for her to calm down, Camilla picked the glass of milk up again.

[.......]

At that, the female ghost cautiously uncurled and looked at her.

[I-I can see you?]

“If you’re not going to eat it, then......”

[I want to eat it!]