Oh, Lucy, after that, I just finished my cake in silence. However, I could no longer feel its taste.

  We silently accompanied each other during that afternoon. Then, as if he tried to elevate the mood, he asked me to finish my cake. As he sipped his tea, your grandpa shared some good news with me. “… I will send some sellsword companies to the north next month. The surveillance was lifted.”

  Hearing that delightful news, I looked up. “Finally. I hope this news can help Aria relax a bit.”

  That was truly wonderful news. As you know, Lucy, currently, we are prioritizing hunting down the monster in the North. It was because we had been delayed for too long since the incident with Duke Melbon.

  Well, under the instruction from your mother, we have been quelling monsters in other regions, save for the forbidden area, since the beginning. So, that was why. Oh, if you wanted to know why we did not clear the forbidden area, I, too, was not sure about it. However, Aria just said that it wasn't the time yet. Apparently, she planned to go there herself; that was what your grandpa told me.

  So, could you help confirm it with your mother, Lucy?

  Ah, I got sidetracked again, sorry.

  Hmm, at that time, for the first time, your grandpa mentioned our ‘next’ task.

  With a serious face, he said. “I think it was about time for the next move.”

  That was the second phase of our plan—the preparations we are currently making. What we had been preparing for up until that point was just for the plague. However, we had not prepared for the advance of the calamities and the resurrection of the demon king yet, or so your mother said. For all those years, your mother has been researching how to prevent the advance of the calamities and how to subdue the demon king.

  At that time, I was unsure if we should decide on it immediately, as it required your mother’s direct involvement.

  So, I just cowardly left it to Aria. “Let's discuss this with Aria.”

  After that, we fall into silence again.

  As we passed the time waiting for you like that, I tried to find a cheerful topic to lighten the mood.

  That was when I thought of your brother’s coming-of-age ceremony.

  So, with a light tone, I spoke to Paul, who was sipping his tea. “I think it is about time for Andres to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony.”

  “He is not mature enough.” In response, he frowned at it after pausing his hand.

  Apparently, your grandpa was not satisfied with your brother. Paul had been trying to find fault with him. Your grandpa was a hard-to-please man; don’t you think so, too, Lucy?

  Seeing him being hard on your brother, I tried to defend your brother. So, with a pleading tone, I said to him. “Don’t be too harsh on him.”

  Then, even after receiving my plea, your grandpa seemed not to change his mind. He just looked out the window without replying to me.

  Seeing him like that, I was at a loss. I tried to find one good thing about your brother becoming an ‘adult.’

  I thought of that one thing. The thing I thought your grandpa would be happy to hear about.

  With a cheerful smile, I told him that. “After his coming-of-age ceremony, he won’t be able to follow Aria into the saintess candidate quarter anymore. Isn’t it a good thing?”

  Yet, my attempt landed me on the landmine. I touched on the topic your grandpa was worried about. He was afraid that your brother would attempt to ‘do something’ to your mother. He was worried that your brother would no longer be able to contain himself.

  He might have heard about the ‘talk’ among the veteran guardian knights. Those men always talk vulgarly among themselves. They might think I did not hear them. However, it was loud and clear even to me. So, your grandpa might have heard about their ‘might’ and ‘courage’ that those men spoke of, and how they ‘advanced to adulthood.’ That was why your grandpa was not happy at all. He had been guarding Aria closely during that time, after all.

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  So, when I brought up that topic, he looked at me and shared his thoughts. “A desperate wolf will bite its prey without regarding its safety.” He was really displeased when he said that.

  Oh, Lucy, at that time, seeing his rare restlessness, I could not help but tease him a bit.

  I giggled at him as I looked at him. With a light heart, I agreed with him. “Yes, all men are wolves after all.”

  That was my trap. After I said that, I leaned forward. I looked upward, peering into his face. With a meaningful smile and teasing tone, I asked him. “How about you? Are you a wolf too?”

  At that time, I really wondered if he would also turn into a wolf. He never shows signs of being interested in any woman. So, I was not sure whether I could judge him by other standards. Perhaps your grandpa might not like others, Lucy.

  Oh, at that time, I could see his face turning red. However, he tried to remain composed in front of me.

  He pretended to sip his tea nonchalantly. However, I could see his hand had turned stiff.

  With a stern face, he said to me, trying to defend himself. “Reasons and discipline separate men from beasts.”

  I found him cute when he did that. I went a step further, perhaps a bit too far.

  I leaned in further. It was later that I stepped too far into his personal space. However, I was a bit carried away by the mood.

  With our faces almost touching, I whispered to him. “Aren’t you using a double standard here?”

  Oh, Lucy, your grandpa's ears turn red immediately. It was too funny to see him changing his expression like that.

  Then, your grandpa leaned back. He tried to clear his throat. Then, as he looked out the window, he picked up a different topic. “… Anyway, milady is preparing a surprise for him.”

  Feeling satisfied, I sat back in my seat with a broad smile. Oh, Lucy, I also forgot myself and was munching on your cookies as I said with a smirk on my face. “… fufufu, I am fine with changing the topic.”

  I could see that he threw a side glance at him. Then, he said to me.

  “It will be in the fortnight.”

  Hearing him say that, I also remembered that I did not prepare any gift for your brother.

  So, I panicked and said. “I need to hurry to prepare a gift for him then.”

  Then, although your grandpa refused to face me again, he frustratedly said to me. “You don’t have to trouble yourself with it. He is not worth your time.”

  He was really annoyed that your brother would soon become an adult. I really could not understand your grandpa in that regard. Could you understand him, Lucy?

  Oh, at that time, when I heard him say that, I pouted and gave him a stern scolding. “Being my guard is more than enough reason.”

  Then, I added. “Did you prepare anything for him?”

  Oh, you know, Lucy? At that time, although your grandpa said that he was not satisfied with your brother… although he kept finding fault in your brother… Although Paul was strict with him, in the end, he still played the role of a father to your brother.

  With a reluctant expression, your grandpa murmured in embarrassment. “Just a set of clothes is enough.”

  As you know, for commoners, when a boy became an adult, it was customary for his father to give him new clothes. It was for him to shed his old shell and clothe himself as a new person, a grown-up version of himself, as an adult. So, no matter how poor you were, your parent or your guardian would try their best to prepare new clothes for you. The only exception was orphans.

  That was when I realized that your grandpa really considered your brother his son. Well, after all, your grandpa allowed him to use his former sellsword company’s name as his family name. Oh, I was also not sure, but Bishop Theo told me that your grandpa did adopt your brother as his son. However, I had not confirmed it yet.

  Ah, Lucy, if it were to turn out to be true, that means your brother is no longer your brother. Since you call Paul your grandpa, that means Andres should be your uncle. Fufufu, perhaps you need to change how you think of him, Lucy.

  Then I thought of something. I believed that Andres was missing something. Since he had Paul as his father figure, your brother still lacked a mother figure. He still needed someone to give him a pair of ‘shoes’ so he could ‘walk’ his path into ‘adulthood.’ He needed his mother to give him her protection for his journey into a new future. So, I tried to offer myself as his mother figure.

  Ah, I also needed to mention something to you, Lucy. However, please promise me. Please do not tell others about it. It was too embarrassing for me.

  At that time, when I heard your grandpa say that he would be a father figure for your brother, I energetically said, “Oh, are you posing as his father?”

  Then…

  Then…

  I leaned forward to Paul.

  And Paul, when he heard me mention it out loud, turned his face to me.

  At that time….

  At that time… as I leaned forward…. At the same time, Paul moved his face forward as if he was trying to say something.

  Then… when I also said, “I think I should also pose as his mother,” I could feel our noses touch at that moment.

  So, after I said that, we could only silently stare into each other's eyes.

  “…”

  “…”

  That was the first time I could see his eyes clearly. It was a beautiful blue color. After all, blue is my favorite color. So, I absentmindedly stared at his eyes.

  I was really unsure how your grandpa thought at that time. Was he mad at me? Did he feel uncomfortable? After all, for an old woman like me to look at him like that, he might find it unpleasant. So, Lucy, could you help me check with him? Could you help your grandma with this one, Lucy?