Upon hearing that, Lark gently lowered Navia, whom he had been holding in his arms, to the ground.
"I'm going to my room, so go ahead and eat. Then take a look at the gifts with the others."
"Ah, then..."
'Didn't he say we were going to play house? Is he not doing that now?'
However, judging from Lark's tone and expression, he seemed somewhat upset. Navia tilted her head and asked curiously.
"Isn't the Duke going to have a meal?"
"Just you eat."
No doubt about it. He was definitely annoyed.
Navia was at a loss whether she had just gained a father or a younger brother. Still, it was a welcome confusion.
She was happy with this complexity.
When Navia smiled broadly, Lark responded with an incredulous look.
"That expression suggests you're having some very unpleasant thoughts right now."
"Not at all."
Navia became a bit more forthright.
"I was just thinking about how happy I am to be eight years old right now."
Had she not come to Eseled, or rather, had she been unable to, she might have ended her ninth life without ever experiencing such happiness.
"May I have breakfast with the Duke?"
So, she found the courage to sit across from him and dine again.
It was okay even if she was rejected.
'If that happens, I'll just ask again next time. And if I'm rejected then, I'll ask again.'
Navia somewhat understood why Suleiman had shared stories of forests and trees with her.
His words about being okay even with betrayal seemed similar to her current thoughts of being okay with rejection.
Lark recalled a memory identical to Navia's. It was the day when they were having breakfast together, and he had yelled at her to leave.
"......Yes."
He thought of measures to ensure that such an incident would not occur again.
'I should always carry anesthesia drugs with me.'
Margaret looked at them with satisfaction and asked,
"Shall I have your meal brought up to your lordship's bedroom?"
"Do that."
Lark then led Navia directly to his bedroom.
The dark bedroom lit up with sunlight as the curtains drew back while Lark walked towards the center.
Suddenly, a table and chairs appeared in the middle.
Navia repeatedly marveled at the scene before her.
Certainly, Lark's way of utilizing magic was different from that of typical magicians.
Navia felt that the magic he wielded was just like the power of fairies in fairy tales.
'I didn't know magic could be such a wonderful ability.'
If only she could use such marvelous magic so freely herself.
Even with Black Moon, she couldn't absorb Lark's magic, so she wouldn't be able to experience such abilities.
With that thought, Navia was once again filled with questions.
'Why doesn't Black Moon react to the Duke's magic power?'
Could it be because of a special secret he holds? What exactly is that secret?
"Shall we try something other than stairs today?"
Awakened from her thoughts by Lark's words, Navia asked,
"What might that be?"
The stairs that glittered like diamonds had been tremendously impressive, so she felt a sense of anticipation.
"Something like this."
Snap!
When Lark flicked his fingers, a pair of white wings unfolded behind Navia.
Each feather of the wings held a subtle light and wrapped around Navia like a protective shield.
Navia touched the wings with a surprised expression.
"......Can this fly?"
"No."
However, Lark was able to lift Navia into the air using levitation magic.
Navia couldn't help but laugh as she felt her body float. It was as if she had become an angel.
"It's so amazing."
Lark helped Navia to sit on a high chair by flying her there.
As Navia sat down, her wings dispersed into thousands of feathers, turning into light dust and vanishing.
Each was a sight as beautiful as a dream.
"How is something like this possible?"
Navia asked excitedly, and Lark replied nonchalantly.
"It's because I'm exceptionally great."
"Ah......"
'The Duke really speaks such words without any worries.'
It was true that he was great, so Navia nodded her head in agreement.
Knock knock.
Just then, a knock was heard, and Lark flicked his finger.
As the door opened, Charlotte appeared carrying a meal.
"I've brought the meal."
One by one, dishes that weren't too heavy for breakfast were placed on the table.
Meanwhile, Lark had placed several bottles of anesthesia grass on the table and spoke to Charlotte.
"I'll take care of the cleaning, so no need to come looking for it."
"Yes, understood."
After Charlotte left, the two began to eat breakfast.
'Ah, I should ask about the taste of the cake I gave him before.'
"Duke, how was the lemon cream cheese cake?"
For a moment, Lark almost grimaced as if he had bitten his tongue.
'I threw that cake away. The taste wasn't great. Honestly, it was dreadful.'
But he couldn't possibly respond like that.
'Now that I think about it, I threw that cake out of the window.'
I need to remove any traces before the child finds out.
He inwardly sweated coldly as he answered.
"Well... it wasn't bad."
"I'll make another one for you."
Lark barely managed to keep his expression neutral.
"...That, well, I'm looking forward to it."
Maybe that's the right answer?
Navia looked intently at Lark and then chuckled softly.
"You can't hide it, Duke."
"What do you mean?"
Lark said defensively, as if caught on his own words.
"It seems that cake didn't quite suit your taste."
Navia noticed from Lark's hesitation and slight contortion of his expression that the cake was not to his liking.
But she teased him anyway. It was a small retaliation against his constant petulance towards her.
"You arrogant little kid."
Navia pretended not to hear the 'little kid' remark and asked another question.
"What do you like, Duke?"
Lark was about to say he liked nothing in particular but then changed his mind.
"Everything except new things."
"You don’t like new things, huh..."
'I like them, though.'
Navia felt slightly downhearted.
"Then, when is your birthday?"
"Are you interrogating me now? We play after eating, kiddo."
Navia's eyes narrowed slightly as Lark firmly treated her like a child and teased her.
"And when is your birthday?"
Navia remembered that the day she was taken in by Agnes was her birthday.
She no longer wanted to consider that dreadful day as her birthday. So, she just smiled awkwardly and answered.
"Um, I'm not sure."
Lark remembered that the child was from an orphanage.
It seemed that Agnes, too, hadn't been raised with special treatment, so her birthday wouldn't have been anything special.
His gaze momentarily darkened.
If he had been free to roam outside the mansion, he would have already stormed into Agnes and shattered everything.
'It seems the kid has something in mind.'
If she desired revenge, he could bring down Agnes in any way possible.
He was willing to do anything if Navia wanted it.
But Navia would think she has a long life ahead and would never choose a course of action without considering the future.
This was evident from what she said about the Alvin family.
'It's an unpleasant topic to bring up now, so I'll put it aside for the moment.'
After saying she didn't know her birthday, Navia continued eating without any particular expression.
Lark hoped that birthdays wouldn't be meaningless to Navia, even if they were to him.
'I'll do whatever I can while I have the time.'
Lark said.
"Then from today onwards, every day will be your birthday."
"…What?"
Navia blinked in surprise and then laughed. It was such a typical idea from the Duke.
"But birthdays are only one day."
"Stubborn little one. Who says a birthday has to be only one day?"
"What are you talking about!"
Lark smiled as he watched Navia laugh lightly, as if she found it amusing.
His own birthday was a cursed day. He had never celebrated it.
Camilla used to say this.
"Then it's your birthday whenever I feel like it."
'I'm much better than that ridiculous woman.'
That absurd woman only considered it Lark's birthday when she felt like it.
In contrast, he designated every day as Navia's birthday. How much more affectionate was that?
'It's ridiculous to say happy birthday as a morning greeting every day, though.'
Thanks to that, Lark understood what was needed for a birthday.
"Happy birthday, Navia."
It was to immediately celebrate it.
To say that it's good you were born into this world, and that I'm so happy about it.
That's what was needed.
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