Chapter 26

“Sky!”

Suddenly coming out, Sky rushed towards Diana. Senir caught the jumping animal mid-jump.

“Oh?”

Diana, who was preparing to receive Sky, was surprised and looked at Senir. Senir, with a calm face, showed Sky’s feet. Diana’s mouth opened wide.

“Ack! Sky?! Where did you come after playing!? What’s with the feet?!”

Its feet were all muddy. Senir, who caught Sky with great technique, did not get the mud on his clothes, but if it was the one who Diana hugged Sky, she would have needed to change.

A startled servant ran and retrieved Sky. Sky struggled sadly toward Diana, but it could not escape the servant’s arms.

“If it weren’t for Senir, I would have been in trouble. Thank yo—”

At the moment she saw Senir, Diana remembered what she had to say.

“Ah! Come to think of it, there was something I was going to say when I saw Senir. I almost forgot about it.”

“To me? Feel free to speak.”

“Thank you for finding Grandmother and Grandfather.”

She really wanted to say this.

“Thank you so much.”

“….”

Senir looked at her silently. When Diana tilted her head and asked, “Senir?” only then did he smile as usual.

“Even if it wasn’t me, others would have definitely found them for you.”

“However, despite your busy schedule, Senir came to meet me in person.”

Diana smiled brightly.

‘Come to think of it, what does it have to do with Senir?’

Since he’s the heir of Ohrid… A relative? Cousin? Since he’s called a Young Master, is he her older brother?

“It looks like the Young Miss is still the same as before.”

“Pardon? Ah! Right, Senir. Why are you calling me Young Miss?”

An answer was heard from behind.

“I’ll answer that.”

“Grandmother? You came early!”

When Diana jumped up, Grandmother waved her hand.

“It’s okay. Diana, sit down.”

Grandmother slowly approached with the help of a maid, and opened her mouth.

“The situation is complicated.”

“Complicated?”

“Yeah. Because I don’t agree with Mother…”

If she’s saying Mother then it must be Esteemed Mother.

Ohrid’s Esteemed Mother was Diana’s great-grandmother. Since her great-grandmother wasn’t feeling well, Diana only met her once a day for a short time.

“You know that Senir isn’t a noble, right?”

“Whaaat?”

Diana opened her eyes wide and looked back at Senir.

“No! I really didn’t kno—”

Diana who was talking paused at the memory which was recalled.

‘Come to think of it, Senir said he was a commoner when we first met, right?!’

“Ah! That was true?!”

Senir’s smile deepened.

“That kind of thing, did you think it was a lie?”

“No. Really. I thought it was just a joke….”

Diana couldn’t hide her confusion.

Grandmother continued to explain again.

“There is a condition for Senir to officially enter the Ohrid Family. And that condition hasn’t been met yet.”

“What kind of condition is it?”

“Marry the one who succeeded Ohrid blood.”

Diana opened her eyes wide and looked back at Senir. The eyes she met were bent gently. She also recalled the fact that he had a fiance half a beat late. Lady Ovalon.

“Ah, that’s why….”

She almost made a strange assumption. She felt relieved but also somewhat uneasy.

“Yeah. He’s still a half-heir.”

Even as head of the family she seemed to have matters that she was also unable to do as she wished.

Diana sighed deeply then said.

“Turns out it’s quite hard.”

“What I can say for sure is the fact that you won’t have anything to worry about.”

Soon after, the butler brought a kettle of tea leaves and hot water on a large tray.

“The dessert will be served right away.”

Putting down the tea and the kettle, the butler soon stepped away.

Senir picked up the teapot and poured hot water into an empty teapot to heat the teacup. Then he threw away the water and moved the tea leaves with a teaspoon.

This seemingly indifferent movement was actually naturally elegant.

‘Of course, I think it’s worth the misunderstanding that he’s a noble.’

But it’s fascinating. Turns out, they also choose the heir of a noble family in this kind of way.

Senir, who poured hot water and washed the dust from the tea leaves, poured water again and turned the hourglass upside down. The white teapot looked good with him.

Diana just looked on with admiration. When the sand in the hourglass fully fell, Senir lifted the kettle and neatly put the tea water in a teacup.

“The figure of Senir pouring tea looks so beautiful. Ah, is it wrong to say that it’s beautiful?”

Senir smiled faintly at the sight of Diana’s slightly embarrassed faced and her blurred words.

“There’s no way it can be wrong.”

Senir’s gaze turned to her wrist.

“Since Young Miss still doesn’t have strength in your hands, it is inevitable that your hands will tremble. After all, the kettle is heavy.”

Diana looked back and forth at her hands. Recently, she had gained weight so they had become a little bit better, but they were still skinny and had lots of scars.

She didn’t particularly hate to see her hands. Since all the hands of people who worked were like that.

However, the people of Ohrid could not hide their regret whenever they saw her hands.

‘Should I wear gloves?’

Just in time, Grandmother covered her hand.

“You’re too skinny. You have to eat a lot from now on.”

Senir, who put a teacup in front of Grandmother, asked.

“Would you like to drink it with some apricot jam?”

“Yes, I’ll have some… ah, thank you.”

The apricot jam splashed into the light pink tea water. Senir held out the teacup to Diana. After taking a sip, Diana opened her eyes wide.

“Is it good?”

Diana nodded. She had always felt the tea was bitter, but when apricot jam was added, it became sweet and refreshing.

“I think jam is better than milk.”

Diana probably wouldn’t have said that if she had known that Grandmother would prepare dozens of different jams, but she had already said it.

Grandmother, who smiled happily, lifted a silver spoon.

“Since you like it, I’ll also add some in and drink it.”

Grandmother also added some jam and stirred it. In the meantime, the tea cooled down a little and it took time for the jam to melt.

“How is it?”

“It’s not bad. Rose jam would also go well with this tea.”

“Rose jam? You can also make jam with roses?”

While talking about various things, the butler returned. There were also servants who followed, holding all kinds of desserts on a large silver tray.

Eclairs filled with vanilla cream that were sprinkled with sugar powder on top of its chocolate icing, mint meringues sprinkled with crushed pistachio, and pound cakes with seasonal fruits on top were first put on the table.

Next, it was Mille-Feuille, where cream and raspberries were layered between golden pastries that looked crispy yet soft just by looking at them.

In addition, sliced apple tarts, madeleines, golden-baked scones, whipped cream, and raspberry jam were placed in a pretty bowl for application.

She had never seen such splendid desserts, and in such variety too, even in the Bordeaux’s mansion. Diana was amazed, unable to keep her eyes in one place.

“Hurry up and try some.”

Grandmother smiled happily. Diana looked at the desserts that looked splendid, and picked one up.

Diana, who cut it into bite-sized pieces with a knife, put it in her mouth with excitement.

“How does it taste?”

The moment she chewed, the thin paste crumbled and the sweet filling leaked out and filled her mouth.

Diana, who mumbled, suddenly recalled something.

“Really… It’s so delicious.”

“Now feel free to tell the kitchen if you want to eat anything. Since we especially hired a new dessert specialty patissier.”

“A dessert specialty, Patissier?

Was that why there were so many desserts that came out all of a sudden?

“Yeah, they said you seem to like sweet food.”

“O-of course, I like it, but….”

To think there was a dessert specialty patissier? There was no such chef even in the Bordeaux mansion.

“I didn’t enjoy sweets, so I must have neglected that area a little.”

“No, I’m alright! You don’t have to do this muc—”

“It would be great if you don’t say that you’re burdened.”

Grandmother looked at Diana affectionately. Diana was speechless.

“I want to do everything I haven’t done for you when I had yet to meet you.”

The butler, who was happily watching, coughed and intervened.

“It’s a relief if the Young Miss likes it, but… Soon it will be time to draw the portrait of the Young Miss. What should we do?”

“Time flies so fast? What time is it now?”

Senir, who put down the teacup like an elegant noble, took a silver watch out of his arms and informed her of the time.

“Gasp, I’m late!”

The portrait model took about an hour, but it took another hour to change into the portrait dress and prepare her hair.

When Diana got up in a hurry, Grandmother raised her hand to block her.

“Grandmother?”

“Should we tell them to rest today?”

The butler asked quickly.

“Right. Teacher Conrad, too.”

“Understood.”

When not only the portrait but also the name of the teacher who was in charge of her class appeared, Diana’s eyes turned round.

“I’m skipping classes too?”

“Yeah. If you’re going to rest, surely you have to take a good rest.”

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like she was worried about Diana falling asleep late last night.

‘I have to be careful from now on.’

No one knew what time she fell asleep before. No one was worried. Naturally, by itself, her heart became warm.

‘I’m so happy.’

Somehow, she felt like she was going to cry again, so she hurriedly said something else.

***

Diana, who tasted all the desserts, sat lazily with a full stomach.

“Are you full now?”

“Yes. I can’t eat anymore.”

“Then, how about sightseeing the Imperial Capital with Senir now?”