17

"Hey, hey. What should we eat for dinner?" Seraphina asked, her head nestled comfortably on the young boy's lap as they lounged under the shade of a grand oak tree in the heart of the Rosfenice estate's backyard. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she playfully kicked her feet in the air, letting the tips of her shoes brush the grass.

The young boy, momentarily torn away from the book he was reading, placed a gentle hand on top of her head. His fingers lightly ruffled her hair as he pretended to ponder her question, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Hmm, aren't we going to eat whatever your father wants?" he replied, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. Seraphina's giggle bubbled up, and she nodded enthusiastically, her laughter contagious. Their voices intertwined with the rustling leaves as they shared a moment of light-hearted joy before returning to their books.

A satisfied smile played on the young boy's lips as a gentle breeze whispered through the garden, setting the flowers aglow in the soft light of the setting sun. His eyes drifted from the pages of his book to the girl humming a familiar tune on his lap. He glanced briefly at the goddess dozing peacefully nearby, then to the man scowling in the distance. A wry chuckle escaped him as he quickly averted his gaze from Ignatius's stern glare.

His thoughts wandered back to the scene from a week ago, just after he had finished helping Seraphina.

---

"Boy, what did you do?" Ignatius demanded, his tone stern yet laced with concern. He brushed past the young boy, kneeling before his now-conscious daughter. Seraphina tilted her head in confusion, her wide eyes blinking up at her father, who had suddenly positioned himself between her and the boy she had just met. Ignatius's annoyance grew as he noticed her gaze was fixed on the boy behind him rather than on him.

"I just did what I had to do, Sir," the young boy replied, his innocent smile unwavering. He glanced up at Alcor, who responded with a prideful smile, ruffling the boy's hair. Ignatius's frown deepened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features, but he held back his frustration, recognizing that it wouldn't serve him well to be hostile to the boy who had aided his daughter.

"I see... Still, I'd appreciate it if you were to tell me what you specifically did and... what you're doing now." Ignatius began, his voice steadying as he attempted to negotiate. However, his reasoning quickly evaporated as he noticed Seraphina clinging to the young boy's arm, a shy, affectionate smile lighting up her face.

"You... you incubus of a child! What did you do to seduce my lovely daughter, you bast—"

"N-Now, now, mind your language, Ignatius. They're still kids, have you forgotten that?" Alcor interjected, grabbing hold of Ignatius's arms, preventing him from lunging at the boy. The young boy looked up at the enraged man, his expression confused as he failed to understand why Ignatius was so upset when Seraphina was simply hugging him like Cynthia often did with Alcor.

"Don't stop me, Alcor! I need to have a peaceful discussion—no, an interrogation with your son!"

"At least hide your true intentions!" Alcor shot back, holding onto his friend with a firm grip before letting out a long sigh. "Just be happy for your daughter, okay? Now, let's get back to business so we can be out of your hair as fast as possible."

Ignatius took a deep breath, his shoulders sagging as reason returned to him. He straightened up and nodded. "I agree. Can you start after lunch? You should also have the boy help since he seems promising. It will speed up your work... and your departure."

"At least pretend to be subtle, will you?" Alcor muttered, shaking his head as Ignatius muttered to himself, devising ways to hasten their departure.

The young boy simply stared at Alcor, who returned his gaze with a helpless sigh, before glancing at Seraphina. Her eyes sparkled with pure joy every time their gazes met, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Oh, right. Sir Ignatius?" the boy spoke up, breaking the silence.

"What is it, child?" Ignatius scoffed, facing the boy with arms crossed over his chest. "If it's a reward you want, then you'll have to wait until we confirm that you've truly cured her. Only then will we—"

"Uh, that's not it, Sir," the young boy cut him off, shaking his head. "I was going to ask for your permission to stay here for a month to keep a careful watch on Seraphina."

Ignatius's face flushed with rage, his eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists, and Alcor quickly stepped in to restrain him again.

"Do not push your luck, child! We will summon you if any problems arise. You do not need to stay here, especially not close to my daughter!" Ignatius roared, his voice booming through the room, causing the pots and paintings to tremble from its intensity.

"Papa, can't he stay?" Seraphina's soft voice broke through the tension, her large, pleading eyes staring up at her father. The invisible storm raging in the room dissipated in an instant as Ignatius let out a long, defeated sigh.

"...Okay."

---

"Ngh... just look at that demonic child of yours... seducing my sweet, beloved daughter like the vixen that he is," Ignatius growled, chewing on the fabric of his handkerchief as he glared at the two children outside the window.

"Can you at least try to pretend you like my kid?" Alcor sighed, wiping beads of sweat from the back of his neck as he watched his friend's increasingly dramatic reactions. He couldn't help but wonder if he would act the same if the boy had been a girl.

"My, my... I never would have thought our Seraphina to be so bold. Just look at them," Carla Rosfenice giggled, twirling a stray strand of her auburn hair around her finger. "She hasn't left that boy's side all week. Who would have thought she was such a go-getter... it makes me want to root for the two of them."

"C-Carla, you shouldn't be saying such things! That's our precious daughter!" Ignatius sputtered, his face turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh hush, you," Carla teased, swatting him lightly. "They're already going on dates at this age. Maybe you should start accepting that boy as your future son-in-law." Her playful comment sent the maids into a chorus of delighted squeals as they watched the two children grow closer, sharing their thoughts on the books they were reading.

"S-Son-in-law!?" Ignatius roared, leaping to his feet. "I REFUSE! HE MUST FIRST BEAT ME IN A BATTLE OF WITS, BRAWN, AND A DUEL. ONLY THEN WILL HE BE QUALIFIED TO COURT HER!"

"Are you planning on making your daughter a widow?" Alcor asked dryly, glancing at the screaming man who was now shaking his fist at the ceiling. Meanwhile, Carla and the maids continued to fawn over the budding connection between the two children, leaving Alcor to shake his head in exasperation. His gaze drifted back to the two, wondering what they were talking about.

"Like this?" Seraphina asked, her voice filled with excitement as she conjured a tiny ball of light between her cupped hands. The boy and the goddess smiled warmly at her progress. Though they appeared to be enjoying their time together, they were actually engrossed in books on magic that the goddess had recommended.

"Amazing. I knew you had it in you," the goddess praised, tapping her snout gently against the ball of light, which burst into a flurry of white sparks that fluttered down like freshly fallen snow.

"Yay!" Seraphina squealed, her small body collapsing against the boy's back as she tried to catch the falling beads of light. He chuckled at her antics, watching her with fond amusement before returning to his book, which contained secrets of the Rosfenice's rapier fighting style—a weapon his grandmother Aria had once mastered.

"Hey, hey," Seraphina called out, wrapping her arms around his neck and poking his cheeks to grab his attention. "Let's sneak out again later. I want to eat muffins!"

"Again? But that'll be the sixth night in a row," the boy replied, a sigh escaping his smiling lips as he closed his book and turned to meet her pouting face.

"Are you saying that's bad? Don't you want to spend more time together? Are you tired of me?"

"What? N-No, I'm not," the boy quickly shook his head, grinning as he gently tugged on Seraphina's cheeks, turning her pout into a smile that made her giggle. "Alright, let's meet up again at our usual spot later, okay?"

"Okay, pinky promise?"

"Yeah!" They laughed as they hooked their pinkies together, the warmth of their connection bringing a smile to the goddess's lips as she watched over them.