WAACD 07

Chapter – 07 

Duchess Aria Cellarite

“Thank you so much for inviting us today, Count Wingart.”

“Likewise, thank you for coming, Duke Cellarite.”

The moment Duke Cellarite arrived, the manor was enveloped in an incredibly stiff atmosphere.

Honestly, it was plain to see that we’d never really had much involvement with them before.

The air was more tense than when royalty visited—what on earth was that about?

However, there were two people who shattered that tense atmosphere in an instant!

“Aria-chan! Hello!”

One was me, Hikari-chan.

And the other, of course, was—

“Hikari-chan, you have to greet her properly!”

“Ah! Th-thank you very much for coming today!”

“The pleasure is ours!”

—Aria-chan.

She smiled, flawlessly performing the formalities she’d learned by mimicking her parents.

“Hikari-chan, are you okay?”

“I’m okay! Sorry for worrying you.”

“Thank goodness! Hey, what should we play?”

The two girls left their parents behind and started chatting.

Seeing that, their fathers couldn’t possibly feel nothing—

“My daughter was stiff as a board in front of Prince Leon, but it’s amazing how quickly Aria-sama has warmed up to her.”

“No, no, I think it’s because Hikari-sama is so approachable that Aria finds it easy to talk to her as well.”

The tense atmosphere from before had melted away as if it were a lie.

“I want to read a book!”

“Father, do we have any books?”

To begin with, this house was absurdly large, and I barely even knew where anything was.

I really wanted to believe there were some, but…

“There are some in the study, but I wonder if we have any gentle ones?”

“Count, I believe Aria likely wants to teach her how to read, so as long as it’s not too difficult, it should be fine.”

“Eh! Aria-san already knows her letters?”

“Yes! My daughter is six years old, after all.”

“She’s two years older than Hikari? No wonder she’s so well-mannered!”

“Father…?”

I felt like Hikari and I had just been left behind.

“Ah, my apologies. I’ll guide you to the study. Duke, what would you like to do? Would you care to join your daughter for some study time?”

“By all means, please!”

With the two fathers now properly getting along, the four of us headed toward our manor’s study.

During the walk, the Duke looked around curiously as he followed.

“Is something the matter?”

“It’s rather spacious, isn’t it?”

He muttered, as if his interest had simply spilled out of his mouth.

“This house was originally used by a Marquis family, but apparently they fell from grace for some reason. We purchased it before the land could be cleared.”

“You made a fine purchase. The maids and butlers all seem to be working with vigor, too. It’s almost a shame you’re only a Count.”

“No, no, I have a wife and daughter as well. If I gained any higher status, I’d have less time with my family.”

“Haha! That’s exactly the problem I’m facing right now!”

Man, they were really hitting it off.

If the daughters get along, do the parents bond that much too?

“They’re talking about something hard, huh?”

“Yeah, my father is amazing!”

Meanwhile, Hikari and Aria-chan were having a proper childlike conversation.

Though, from my perspective—being able to understand—it wasn’t so much “hard” as it was a rather raw topic…

I really didn’t want to hear any more.

As if my wish had been granted, we arrived at the study.

Father opened the door, and beyond it lay a space that was truly a study—a sophisticated, antique-styled room.

“Father, over there.”

I pointed, and there was one bookshelf that stood out unnaturally—completely empty.

Wait, are we a poor noble family?

“Ah, that one. I thought I’d put some gentle books there little by little, since Hikari will start her studies next year, you see?”

No! That’s a new one!

“Thank you, Father!”

After four long years of patience. It was still a year away, but finally, I’d be able to learn about this world.