Family Time For Each Household – Part Two (The Edgar Household)

While Alec and the others were enjoying a cheerful dinner, elsewhere at that same time—

On the outskirts of the Royal Capital at night, there was a cheap little house that served as Edgar’s group’s base.

From inside came the lively voices of children.

In the brightly lit living room, there was a large table that could seat six.

On top of it sat a huge spread of this country’s food.

Thin flatbread topped with ham, sausage, and other ingredients, covered in tomato sauce, piled with plenty of cheese, and baked.

A seafood stew made with lots of milk and cream.

Fried chicken, and a massive glazed block of Great Boar meat.

There was also bread fried in oil and dusted with sugar, along with fruit.

There were crepes rolled with sweet cream, too.

Apple pie and cake as well.

And each dish was piled up like a mountain on large platters.

It was a feast that must have cost tens of thousands of Gort in total.

The children of Edgar’s group had each helped prepare it, and their eyes sparkled.

In particular, the warrior boy Keely and the healer girl Chaana were practically drooling.

Princess Nobara, the guest of honor, also had her young face shining with excitement.

“Oho, it looks delicious! Azuma, are these the famous specialties of this country!?”

At the princess’s energy, Edgar cautioned her.

“Princess, you only just got up after recovering, okay? Please try to pace yourself a little.”

“What are you saying? That thing I drank earlier—Puchi Eli? After I drank it, I got so hungry I couldn’t stand it!”

“Seriously? As expected of Alec-san’s medicine… well then, just watch that you don’t eat too much—and everyone else, let’s eat too.”

“““Let’s eat!”””

Everyone pressed their hands together in unison, then went for the food with shining eyes.

Each of them took what they had been aiming for from the large platters.

Princess Nobara bit into the pizza-like flatbread, sending up delicious steam.

She struggled with the stretchy cheese but still broke into a grin.

“It’s all gooey! So gooey!”

“Watch out for burns. Under the cheese is really hot.”

“Fah! If you burn yourself, I’ll heal you with magic—ah, hot!”

Chaana panted with her mouth half open. The cheese must have been scorching.

Yuma the swordsman and Seema the ranger ate the stew and widened their eyes.

“Mm! The stew’s amazing too!”

“I’ve never had one this packed with ingredients!”

Mok the hunter adjusted his glasses and ate some fried chicken.

“This is incredibly luxurious.”

“It’s to celebrate the princess coming back!”

“In that case, she can come back every day!”

Keely grinned and gave the princess a thumbs-up.

Princess Nobara nodded, not entirely displeased.

“Indeed. Shall I try my best, then?”

“Please don’t. We’ll go bankrupt.”

Edgar clutched his chest and said it in an exaggeratedly pained tone.

The gesture was so funny that everyone burst into carefree laughter.

But their mouths and hands kept moving nonstop.

Even while laughing, they were completely absorbed in eating.

Princess Nobara, especially, looked happier than ever.

Playing with kids her own age, eating together with others—both were experiences she’d never had before.

So was eating freshly made, piping hot food without anyone tasting it first.

So was leaning over the table and grabbing at the platters together.

Her glossy black bob shook dramatically, and her bursting smile never faded.

And so a very lively, joyful time passed.

After a while—

When every dish on the table had been reduced by more than half, they started nibbling at sweet things like dessert.

Naturally, the conversation turned to what would happen next.

“You’ll be gone for a whole week… I’ll miss you…”

Chaana, the smallest healer girl, murmured sadly with her eyebrows drooping.

Edgar crouched behind her chair, met her eyes, and patted her head as he spoke with a small smile.

“It’ll be fine. Chaana-chan has grown into a strong kid.”

“But without the captain, I’m still worried… whether I can use magic in time, whether I’ll mess it up…”

“Then I’ll give you this. If you mess up a healing spell, use this to treat it.”

Edgar took a palm-sized case he had hanging at his waist—a small portable medicine case—and handed it to Chaana.

Chaana’s eyes went round.

“Huh!? Isn’t that something really important to you, Captain?!”

“It’s fine now. If you have it, you’ll feel safer, right? …It’s a medicine holder, and it works like this—see, this part does this…”

Edgar opened the lid, removed a side panel, and explained how to use it.

Chaana looked delighted, but also uneasy.

“Is it really okay…? It feels wrong to receive something this valuable…”

“While I’m gone, think of it as me and rely on it, okay? You won’t feel lonely for a week if you’ve got it, right?”

“Yes! I understand! Then I won’t think of it as a gift—I’ll think of it as your stand-in and keep it safe! I’ll return it when you come back from your trip!”

With a bright smile, Chaana declared that, then clasped the case tightly in both hands.

Edgar stood up and stretched, then looked around at the other children gathered at the table.

“Yeah… you’ll all miss me too… maybe not, but you might’ve been thinking of me as a last-resort trump card, so I’ll hand out some tools you can use too.”

With that, Edgar distributed things like a foldable grappling claw, a hidden blade, bracers loaded with ninja tools, and magic cloth.

With his messy hair bouncing as he spoke brightly, he taught them how to use each item and handed them out casually.

Watching that, Princess Nobara looked shocked.

“Azuma… do not say such ill-omened things. It is like leaving a keepsa—”

Before she could finish, Edgar gently pressed his index finger to the princess’s lips.

“No, Princess. I’m just giving away what I used, so you all can ease the loneliness of missing me… I’ll be back in a week.”

Mok, who had been listening quietly, had his glasses flash with a sharp glint—but he said nothing.

Princess Nobara nodded deeply, then grinned.

“Very well. …In that case, you all shall suffer even more loneliness.”

“““Whaaat!?”””

“What do you mean, Princess?”

“Why!?”

“How come!?”

Princess Nobara puffed out her chest and wore a fearless grin, as if imitating an adult.

“Fufun. Simply returning would be dull. I shall travel here and there and enjoy delicious foods.”

“““No waaaay!”””

“Wait a second!”

“Princess, that’ll make the captain even later coming back!”

“That’s not fair!”

“If there are souvenirs, I’m fine with it!”

The children protested one after another, but Princess Nobara just laughed arrogantly and ignored them.

And Edgar watched the scene with softened eyes, hidden behind his messy hair, looking quietly fond.