Mother, are we sneaking out?

The maids returned and brought everything I asked the head maid. She seemed to have recovered a bit, but she didn't look at me in the eye again. She was too scared for that now.

I helped Law and Adam wash their faces and change clothes, mainly to distract myself. It helped; these two managed to distract me.

After that, Charlotte returned. I thought she was simply watching from afar, but it turned out she helped in the kitchen. It was strange that Charlotte, who would usually sneak away from chores and would rather train herself to death, would bother with these menial tasks. Either way, it reassured me that the food we would eat was safe.

"Mother, are you not going to eat?" Law's question snapped me back from my trance. I blinked and gazed to my side, where he was. 

"Don't worry about me. Eat plenty," I replied with a subtle smile while ruffling his hair. "You too, my lord. Eat plenty so you grow up faster."