Chapter 32

As midwinter was slowly retreating, Ramona picked up her basket and made her way toward the low-lying ridge.

“What are you planning to do today?”

Whenever it was his day off, Adrian followed Ramona around like a shadow after sending Raon to school. Today, with one cheek looking slightly swollen, Adrian was curious about every single thing Ramona did.

“I’m going to dig for wild greens. They say eating greens that have braved the winter helps ward off spring fatigue.”

Though the wind carried a biting chill today, Ramona set out with only a hand hoe and her basket. Settling in a sunny spot, she began to hoe in earnest. When Adrian saw the greens she pulled up—roots and all—he marveled inwardly at the unexpectedly deep fragrance.

Following behind her and watching over her shoulder, he tried to dig up some grass that looked similar, only to be rejected. Adrian soon realized that just because they looked alike didn’t mean they were the same herb.

After trimming the gathered greens, they washed them in a nearby stream. Since these were greens eaten with the roots intact, removing the soil required a lot of manual labor.

“Are we cooking with these today?”

“Yes. They’re rare because you can only eat them during this specific window, and Raon loves them.”

Raon tended to be picky with vegetables like carrots, but he adored seasonal green dishes. When Ramona lifted the clean basket, Adrian took it from her.

“Go home first. I have something else to take care of nearby.”

After sending Adrian ahead, Ramona settled in Ailey’s barley field. There, she began thinning out and treading upon the tender barley sprouts.

“What on earth are you going to do with those? I mean, I’m grateful you’re thinning them and treading the barley for me, but…”

“I’ll give you a bowl later, so just try it.”

With a basket full of barley sprouts, Ramona promised Ailey a portion of today’s meal and hurried home.

Once inside, Ramona prepared a broth with anchovies and kelp. Meanwhile, she opened a crock, took out some aged kimchi made two years ago, chopped it roughly, and added it to the boiling broth along with some soybean paste.

Only when the kimchi was fully cooked did she add the greens she had dug up today. Seeing this, Adrian looked horrified. He watched her dump in a massive amount of barley sprouts and wondered what on earth it would taste like, but after one bite, he felt ashamed for having doubted her.

He never imagined a plant that wasn’t even a herb could be this fragrant. The soup—spicy, refreshing, and rich with umami—was nothing short of a fantasy.

“I thought you were making grass porridge for a cow, but this is incredibly fragrant and delicious.”

Marveling at the shepherd’s purse and barley sprout soup with aged kimchi, Adrian finished a hearty meal, soaking his rice in the soup without touching any other side dishes.

“By the way, Raon’s father, when do you plan on returning to your family home?”

Adrian simply shrugged at Ramona’s question, which she had been asking every chance she got lately. If she really wanted to send him away quickly, she shouldn’t have cooked such delicious food. Who would leave after becoming completely tamed by her cooking?

“I can handle my work from here just fine. So, don’t try to kick me out. I’m starting to get jealous of our son for living here with Raon’s mother while I was away.”

At first, he had pitied Raon for living here. He felt guilty that a child of the Ducal bloodline wasn’t enjoying his rightful privileges. But after staying here, he understood why Raon didn’t want to return to the Cassius estate. He realized why Raon, whenever he ate at the estate, would pick at his food and say his mother’s cooking was the best. Having been spoiled by such flavors, even the finest chef’s cooking wouldn’t have satisfied him.

“But you can’t stay here forever.”

“That may be true, but I’ll think about it when my father arrives.”

Watching the relaxed Adrian, Toto the rabbit twitched his nose and munched on some hay. He watched with a sideways glance as Adrian bragged while eating his second bowl of soup, nearly breaking the dish in the process.

Annoyed that he couldn’t eat it himself while Adrian flaunted it, Toto tried to kick him, but when he failed miserably, his whiskers trembled in frustration.

“Raon’s father, if you can’t be friends with Toto, at least don’t provoke him. You might actually get kicked in your sleep.”

“I already got hit today. Every time I’m struck by Toto’s kick, I can only sigh. Who would have thought that at my age, I’d be falling victim to a rabbit’s hind legs?”

Ramona looked at the cheek Adrian held out, then turned her gaze to Toto. Toto wiggled his bottom, flopped onto his cushion, and pretended to be fast asleep.

“I wish you two would get along… Toto! No matter how angry you are, you shouldn’t hit people in the face. Do you understand?”

Seeing the swollen cheek on a face that resembled Raon’s made it look like a child had been hurt. At Ramona’s scolding, Toto buried his face deep into the cushion. Ramona shook her head at his ‘I can’t hear anything’ pose.

“Hitting a handsome face is a national waste. So, don’t hit him there—hit him here, in this area, instead.”

“Raon’s mother! What on earth are you teaching him?!”

Adrian quickly covered his groin with his hands and turned away, looking utterly flustered.

“Someone said that if you hit that spot, men can’t even move.”

“Who? Who told you that?”

“Um, well… who was it? I can’t quite remember, but I think someone said it…”

Ramona shrugged as the memory flickered for a moment before vanishing. It was likely someone she had known in her forgotten past.

With a bittersweet smile, Ramona turned around to clear the table. Seeing this, Adrian wondered if her memory was slowly returning, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Fearing it might be a painful subject for her, he kept his mouth shut.

The soup that had earned Adrian’s seal of approval later became a meal for the Secret Knights. Though it was unfamiliar at first, because Ramona had made it, everyone who took a bite soon looked at their empty bowls with regret.

As the shepherd’s purse season was drawing to a close, a knock at the door broke their peaceful routine. Since Adrian was closer to the door while they were doing chores together, he moved first.

“Who is it?”

Adrian immediately grew wary as he saw a strange man through the crack of the door.

“Ah, my apologies, but is a lady named Ramona here? I haven’t received word that she moved.”

Recognizing the familiar voice, Ramona stepped up beside Adrian.

“Oh? It’s Butler Oliver. It’s been a while. Has it been a year?”

“Lady Ramona, I hope you have been well.”

Oliver, the butler of the Grace Baronial house, smiled and bowed. Ramona gave a faint smile as Oliver’s gaze shifted to Adrian.

“This is Raon’s biological father. I heard he’s returned from the battlefield.”

“Ah, I see. Please be sure to offer the young master my congratulations.”

Perhaps because he no longer had to worry about the child now that the biological father had returned, a bright smile spread across Oliver’s face.

“I told you that you didn’t need to help us anymore. Receiving this makes me feel burdened.”

“The Count sent these because you refused to accept money, Lady Ramona. So please, accept them. The Count recently visited the Southern Continent and brought back plenty for you to use as well.”

Behind Oliver, porters were already unloading goods into the yard. It was mostly foodstuffs directly from the Southern Continent, along with boxes containing clothes for Raon and Ramona.

“Tell him I will accept them since he has already sent them. And tell him he doesn’t need to look after us anymore now that Raon’s father is here.”

“Yes, I shall convey the message. Until next time, then.”

The yard was now piled high with the goods Andrew had sent. It was enough to make organizing them a daunting task.

“Is that ‘Count’ person perhaps…”

“It’s likely exactly who you’re thinking of. Should I call him Raon’s former father? He’s my ex-husband. When our finances were failing, he found out somehow and offered to help. When I refused, he started sending things like this every once in a while.”

She shouldn’t be accepting these things anymore. But there was no way Andrew would take back something he had already given.

“I’ll have to thank him when I see him later.”

Though he had been indifferent to Raon, Adrian knew the child wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for him. Adrian’s expression grew heavy.

***

While the two were organizing the items Oliver had left behind, the master of the Cassius estate returned.

“Is Adrian still staying there?”

He had received a report early on that Adrian had practically run away from home to live with Raon at Ramona’s house. At the time, he thought Adrian would return within a few days. He was certain a noble used to the comforts of a Duke’s estate wouldn’t last long in a commoner’s house.

But three seasons had already passed. Thinking of Adrian, who shared his own stubborn streak, Adolf quickly summoned Billion.

As Billion, who had been out on field duty, came running in panting, Adolf’s gaze turned peculiar. This was the man who had explicitly written in his contract that he would never perform field duties after becoming the commander of the Secret Knights.

His face, which usually maintained a lean and sharp impression, was now practically glowing with a healthy sheen.

“You… what on earth have you been eating lately to put on weight like that? Do you have a hidden honey pot somewhere outside?”