Time passed, and it was the day Luke’s family returned from their honeymoon.
Luke welcomed Yerna, who had just returned from the trip.
“Did you all have a good time? Was the trip fun?”
“Yes, it was really fun. I wish you could have been there too.”
Yerna hugged Luke with a voice full of lingering regret.
As if Yerna’s feeling of regret was contagious, Luke smiled back at her while gently wrapping his arms around her.
Embracing someone like this was quite a satisfying sensation indeed.
It was somewhat understandable why Kate had developed some dissatisfaction with him.
“Did you take good care of the house while we were gone? There weren’t any issues at the Academy, right?”
“Of course.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It must have been tiring after such a long journey. Come in quickly; I’ve prepared a meal and bathwater.”
Luke gestured for everyone to come in quickly.
Of course, the cooking and bathwater wouldn’t easily go cold due to the basic enchantments on the mansion, but still, fresh offerings are generally more satisfying.
At that moment, the first to rush inside were Pyris and Diana.
“Wow! I was so hungry!”
“It smells great!”
Seeing the children hurriedly kicking off their shoes while rushing towards the mouthwatering aroma of food that filled the house, Luke couldn’t help but remind them, “Make sure to wash your hands before eating.”
Dayton chuckled lightly and said, “You were wondering when they’d arrive just to prepare this, huh?”
“Of course.”
“That’s really commendable.”
Dayton affectionately patted Luke’s head.
In the past, Luke would have complained about his hair getting messed up, but this time, he gently stroked it in a way he learned from Yerna to avoid tangles, and it looked like he was okay with it.
In fact, it almost seemed like he was responding to the touch.
Luke thought he just disliked having his hair patted, but now he realized it was actually the messiness he truly disliked.
Or perhaps he could take this to mean he had earned some recognition from Dayton as a father.
Dayton, who had no memories of raising a child since he had only known Luke for just over a year, had yet to truly feel that Luke was his daughter, but Luke likely didn’t feel the same.
So, it must have been Luke who opened his heart first.
Thinking that way brought a small sense of fulfillment.
“I’m so proud of you that I’m about to cry.”
“You don’t need to. I just treated you the way I wanted to be treated.”
Receiving Dayton’s gentle strokes, Luke replied calmly.
People tend to treat others the way they wish to be treated themselves.
Thus, they are kind to those they wish to impress and unkind to those they don’t like.
Conversely, it can also be said that if one treats others the way they wish to be treated, it will typically elicit goodwill in most situations.
Even if it doesn’t come naturally, one would remember that what you give is what you get, and by extending goodwill first, one is likely to receive a corresponding kindness in return.
Well, that wasn’t exactly an unwelcome action either.
However, always giving without receiving can be a problem.
If kindness continues, you might not even recognize it as kindness anymore.
Therefore, it’s essential to occasionally let your feelings be known and mention them.
As Luke felt the once-roughness of Dayton’s hand has become quite gentle, he continued speaking.
“By the way, I’ve finally come to appreciate your touch.”
“Hahaha, really?”
Seeing Luke like this, it seemed he had his own cute, childlike charm as well.
While Dayton readily acknowledged that Luke had a cute appearance, it was tough to consider his past behaviors—like those of an old man—as cute.
—
Having finished a simple meal, while Luke went off to do the dishes, Dayton and Yerna were left at the table, engaging in a light conversation.
“You can’t go to the festival? What do you mean by that?”
After hearing Yerna’s words, Dayton looked shocked as his eyes widened.
Wasn’t the festival the day Yerna had been so looking forward to even on the way back?
What in the world could be happening that required a schedule on such a day?
“Um, well, I suddenly got a call from an acquaintance.”
An acquaintance calling was merely an excuse for not being able to see Luke, who had looked so forward to the festival.
“You were so excited about Luke’s café, weren’t you?”
“That’s true, but it’s important.”
Just how important could this friend be?
“Can’t you postpone it?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t seem possible.”
Yerna smiled resignedly, as if there was no other option.
From that, it didn’t seem to be a particularly exciting or anticipated meeting with a friend, causing concern over what was going on.
“What kind of friend is it?”
“An old friend. We were really close.”
“What, was he someone who used to bother you?”
At Dayton’s sharp question, Yerna made a complicated expression.
Should she call him a troublesome friend, or not…
“Uh… not really.”
“You hesitated for a bit there, didn’t you?”
“Of course not. Who could bother me?”
“Well, that’s true, but… is he a guy?”
“He is a guy, but… wait, what are you imagining? No, it’s absolutely not like that! I mean, he’s more of a business acquaintance? Yeah, just a work buddy!”
“…Really?”
Faced with Yerna’s cute reaction as she waved her hands in alarm, Dayton could only nod along.
Among the elite of Forest Keepers, holding the highest difficulty of work in Luke Forest where she was the current captain, it was unlikely there would be many who could truly cause Yerna any trouble.
If that’s the case, then it must be something urgent, something work-related…
Could it involve forest keeper duties?
Then it made sense why she wouldn’t want to talk about it.
As forest keepers are part of an officially recognized armed organization, there are certainly classified operations to consider.
The “old friend” could simply be a way of skirting the details she couldn’t reveal.
“…”
However, now that they were family, it didn’t sit right that there was something secretive between them.
But what could be done? If it was work, there was nothing to say.
“…If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped. I understand.”
“Yeah, so please at least take plenty of pictures.”
Yerna weakly smiled as she made her request.
Now she could understand why other forest keepers were so attached to Luke’s pictures.
Kids grow quickly, and those moments would never come back.
Even now, she often regretted not taking more photos of Luke back then.
Not that Luke wasn’t cute now, but he seemed to have lost that adorable small-child-like charm he possessed before.
While a child’s growth is something to be happy about, it felt like Luke was growing up too quickly.
He could take his time to grow up a little, like other kids.
Just then, the phone rang.
– Rrrrrr……
Reading Yerna’s expression, Dayton asked, “Is it that friend?”
“Yeah. Just a moment. I need to take this call.”
While it felt a bit uncomfortable, as if she was hiding something, insisting she reveal it wouldn’t come off as very gracious either.
“Alright.”
As Yerna got up from the table, Luke returned after finishing the dishes and served tea, asking.
“Yerna can’t come to the festival?”
Dayton, taking a sip from the tea Luke set down, replied, “You heard, huh? Yeah, that’s right.”
“That’s a shame; I especially wanted to share a wonderful tea time with Yerna.”
Luke sighed, thinking of the special tea leaves he had set aside for Yerna’s arrival, expressing his disappointment.
“Exactly, such a pity.”
He had been excited about the thought of having a festival date with Yerna.
But it couldn’t be helped; this year, he would just have to entertain the kids appropriately.
At that moment, Luke suddenly said as if it just dawned on him.
“Oh, by the way, unfortunately, the café we operate charges for photography. We can’t just take pictures freely.”
“What? Photography costs money? What kind of café does that?”
“Well, I’m not really sure. That’s just the policy.”
“What kind of café sets such a policy? That seems strange.”
“I didn’t set it; it was decided by our manager, Kaila.”
“The manager said to do that?”
Was it just a collection of people who didn’t want to be photographed?
Dayton couldn’t understand it at all.
—
At that moment, Yerna, who went to take the call, had an extremely serious expression.
“Is it really only possible tomorrow?”
“Yes, unfortunately, I have no time available other than that day. It’s uncertain when I’ll be back. Are you prepared?”
Yerna gazed at the picture of the horned cat she had found among the materials she had received in the past.
“Of course.”
If left unattended, this could become a hindrance to Luke’s future.
Removing obstacles is surely a task for parents as well.
