Chapter Thirty-Five: Autumn Lakeside

A cool, refreshing breeze blew across the lake.

I sat on a blanket, next to Gawain, basking under the cozy sunshine.

On Gawain’s lap was his wife’s stole, which I had embroidered.

“Tasha looks comfortable, don’t you think?”

“Hehe, she does. Cats love to bask in the sun.”

Gawain smiled gently, caressing the pale gold cat. I nodded in agreement and smiled.

Lord William had adjusted his work schedule and had been granted two days off, so we were on a picnic today. He told me about these three days in advance, so Cedric was very excited. It was a lot of work, but I’d made more thorough preparations than before. Tonight, we’d be visiting Alphonse’s villa again. Cedric was really looking forward to taking a bath with everyone again.

It’d been about two months since we last visited the lake on the royal family’s private poverty. The lakeside scenery had shifted from summer to autumn, dyeing the surrounding trees red.

Cedric was on a boat with Lord William. They were playing a game with Al, Caddock, Elsa, and Frederick to see which pair could catch the most fish. Occasionally, Cedric waved to us from the boat floating on the lake.

Mario also came along. He’d gone off into the forest to sketch, saying, “I’m coming up with an autumn design!” He said he’d show us his sketches later, so we were looking forward to it.

“Liliana should’ve gone on the boat too.”

“It’s kind of unstable and scary. I can’t swim…”

Lord William and Cedric also invited me, but the boat was swaying and seemed unstable. Unlike a horse, if I fell, I’d drown. Thus, I declined out of fear.

“I prefer to sunbathe with you like this.”

“I see, I see.”

Gawain smiled and stroked my head as if I were a little child.

My blood father had never treated me like this, so it tickled me somehow. Gawain was kind and strong, and maybe this was how a father was originally like. Of course, I felt safe around Lord William, but I felt a different kind of security around Lord Gawain. It was similar to what I felt when Elsa was by my side.

“Oh! Milady! It looks like Lord Cedric caught something!”

I looked up hearing Ariana’s excited voice and saw Cedric’s fishing rod twitching. It must’ve been a big fish, as Cedric wouldn’t be able to pull it up by himself. So, Lord William hurriedly helped him by holding him from behind.

“Wow, that’s amazing! Is it a big one?”

“Looks like it. I hope the rod doesn’t break.”

James answered Gawain’s lively question.

“Cedric, Lord William, do your best!”

“Master, Lord Cedric, do your best!”

Cedric waved in response to my and Ariana’s cheers.

Cedric and Lord William fought hard, Frederick came in to help and set up the net, while Elsa was in charge of the boat. Al and Caddock’s boat was also approaching.

“Won’t Cedric fall at this rate? Will everything be okay?”

“He’ll be fine. Master and Elsa are with him.”

“That’s true. Look, they’ll catch one soon.”

Just as I started to get flustered with the pole bending so much, it seemed like the fish had finally entered Frederick’s net.

The fish seemed to struggle for a while, but they managed to pull it up onto the boat. Thus, the three boats returned to the pier. Everyone alighted from their boats and returned here.

As Cedric came running up to me, I put the blanket next to me and stood up.

“Sister! We caught something amazing!”

Cedric, cheeks flushed with excitement, looked back at Lord William, who was holding a bucket. Lord William, Caddock, and Frederick were holding buckets containing their catches. Even from here, I could see the fish spilling out of Lord William’s bucket.

“It seems to be huge.” Gawain blinked.

Lord William placed the bucket a short distance away and picked up the fish, shouting, “Yo!”

“Wow!”

I was surprised, widening my eyes.

The fish Cedric had caught was very large. The fish Al had caught before was also large, but this one was even bigger!

“It’s about one and a half meters long, I think. It’s not much different from Cedric’s. Lake fish get bigger in the fall. Still, it’s not easy to catch one this big.”

Al spoke while spreading his arms, roughly estimating the length.

The bucket that Caddock and Frederick had lowered was filled with fish of all sizes, but none of them were as big.

“Even though I caught twenty, Cedric is the winner. I’ve never caught anything this big before.”

Al said with a bit of regret as he patted the proud Cedric on the head.

“Stepbrother, is this the same fish that Al caught the other day? I don’t see any red on it.”

“In autumn, both males and females enter spawning season, so their white bellies turn red. This one is female, so it must be delicious. Let’s take it to the villa first.”

Al and the others nodded at Lord William’s suggestion.

“We should also put the small ones back and only take the big ones.”

“I agree.”

Hearing Al’s suggestion, Caddock and Frederick transferred the larger fish in one bucket and the smaller fish in the other. I looked down at the fish swimming in the bucket.

The small fish were about the size of my middle finger to my wrist. Meanwhile, the fish in the other bucket were twice as big.

“These fish were born this spring. They’re still young, so they don’t lay eggs. The other one is in its third or fourth year, while the one Lord Cedric’s caught is probably five or six years old, or even older.”

I nodded at Frederick’s words and looked at the fish, saying “I see.”

Inside the wooden tub, the fish were swimming happily.

“I caught some small ones too, but I put the big ones back in the lake because they’d get hurt if I put them in.”

“I see. How many did you catch?”

“Well, I caught one big one and one small one. My brother-in-law caught five small and five big fish.”

Cedric said, sitting next to Gawain. Gawain replied with a chuckle.

“Yes, I saw it. It was about the same size as Cedric.”

“I thought the line would break, but it turned out to be fine!”

“I guess William is good at reeling.”

Cedric nodded happily after hearing his brother-in-law’s praise and told me all about fishing. I left Cedric in Gawain’s care and started preparing lunch.

Last night, I went to bed right after dinner and got up early to make sandwiches and soup with Ariana. I bought the soup in a big pot, so as soon as Lord William and his friends arrived, it was already simmering on the stove in a makeshift hearth made of stacked stones. James was keeping an eye on the fire.

Mario, who’d returned without anyone noticing, helped Frederick and the coachman, Jill, by laying more blankets on the assembled table.

“Those sandwiches look delicious.”

“Milady made them for us!”

Ariana said as she arranged the sandwiches on a big plate.

However, sandwiches and soup alone weren’t enough for Lord William and his friends, so Chef Phil brought them a variety of other things, which we arranged on the table as well.

While we were getting ready, Caddock, who’d gone to deliver some fish, returned. Alf also came over to help Gawain. Lately, Gawain had been trying to rebuild his stamina by taking a stroll at a time.

I sat down next to Gawain, while Cedric sat next to me, and Lord William across from him. Opposite me sat Al, Caddock, and Mario. Elsa and the others also sat around the other table after perfecting their preparations.

“Well then… Thank you for the meal!”

“Thank you!”

Led by Al, everyone said a prayer before the meal.

When we looked up, a lively lunch had begun. I ate my own, helping Gawain, whose right hand was still shaky.

“The sandwich is delicious. I especially love the one with chicken.”

“I know, right? My Liliana got up early to make it with Ariana for me.”

For some reason, Lord William answered pridefully.

“Lily, I never know you’re good at cooking!”

“Sir Frederick taught me carefully when we were in the little house. I’m glad it suited your taste, Lord Al.”

“It tastes great! Right, Caddock?”

Caddock gave me a thumbs up and smiled, praising my food. I was so happy, I smiled.

“Hey, Al! That’s mine!”

“First come, first served, Mario!”

“You’re giving Ceddie a bad example!”

“Sister, open your mouth.”

The table was very lively.

Cedric brought me some cherry tomatoes and cheese on a fork, so I took a bite.

How delicious! It also has a herb-flavored sauce on top!

“Sis! Sis, feed me too!”

“Hehe, my cute Ceddie is such a spoiled brat.”

Cedric was gaping his mouth like a baby bird, and I put a meatball in his mouth. Then, Cedric held his cheek and smiled happily, saying, “It’s delicious.”

“Liliana, me too, me too.”

“Huh? Lord William too…? I guess I have no choice.”

Lord William also opened his mouth. It was a bit embarrassing, but I fed him the meatball nonetheless. He munched it down with gusto. Then, he cut my favorite quiche into small pieces and fed it to me, saying, “Here, aah.”

The chef’s quiche is as delicious as always.

“It’s especially tasty when Liliana feeds me.”

“Okay, now it’s my turn.”

“—As if! You’re neither her husband nor brother! You’re fine as you are!”

Al raised his hand and Lord Wiliam frowned. Mario took that as an opportunity to steal the meatballs from Al’s plate. Caddock saw it, but he didn’t say anything and was focused on eating his own share.

“But she also fed the Duke!”

“Well, this is Lord Gawain we’re talking about! He’s like a father to Liliana! I don’t have much of a choice!”

“That’s right, I’m her father. Liliana, I want some pickles.”

“Yes, Father.”

I picked up the pickle Gawain was pointing at and placed it in his mouth.

Gawain seemed triumphant, but Al seemed annoyed, then a bit sour.

“Duke! From the beginning, I’ve been suspicious about something! I knew it—”

James appeared out of nowhere and shoved roast beef into Al’s mouth.

“Since you seem to be hungry, this lowly James shall lend you a hand. …Eh? Is it delicious? You want more? The marquis’ chef, Phil, sure is amazing!”

James shoved food into Al’s mouth one after another. Al pointed at Gawain while munching, but James didn’t listen and said, “Okay, here’s more~” Gawain sipped his mug with relish. I was a little worried about whether they’d be able to avoid lèse majesté…

“Al, your mouth is going to be the death of you someday.”

Mario said sincerely as he stuffed his cheek with a sandwich. That sandwich was for Al.

“Just now, I think I heard something that couldn’t be ignored…”

“You’re probably imagining it. Anyway, why don’t you feed Cedric too, William?”

Gawain told Cedric to open his mouth for Lord William. Lord William smiled and narrowed his eyes, giving Cedric his favorite carrot glace.

“Brother-in-law, picnic is so much fun!”

“I’m glad Cedric enjoyed it. I’m happy I was able to keep my promise. We can’t come in winter because it snows, but we’ll come again in the spring.”

“Yes!”

“Good for you, Cedric.”

“Yes!”

Cedric’s smile warmed my heart.

After that, we had Chef Phil’s special apple pie for dessert and cleaned up. Cedric must’ve been full and tired from all the fun, as he fell asleep with on Gawain’s lap. I gently covered him with a blanket.

Just looking at his cute sleeping face made me overwhelmed with love.

“Liliana.”

“Yes?”

I looked up when I heard a small voice calling me. Lord William extended his hand toward me.

“Do you want to take a walk around the lake?”

“But…”

I turned my gaze to Cedric. I was worried that he’d cry if I wasn’t there when he woke up.

“We’ll return before he wakes up. We won’t go into the forest, so we should be able to see him from where we are.”

“Liliana, go ahead. We’ll stay with Ceddie.”

“That’s right. We’ll be here.”

After hearing Gawain and Elsa’s words, I gently stroked Ceddie’s head and kissed her forehead. Then, I took Lord William’s hand and stood up. Elsa draped a scarf over my shoulders, so I thanked her.

“Here you go, Milady.”

“Oh, thank you.”

As I took Lord William’s hand, my heart began to race. Lord William was always so gallant, and my heart couldn’t get used to it no matter what.

“Well, I’m off.”

“Please take care of Ceddie.”

“Oh, take your time and enjoy yourself.”

“Yes.”

After everyone saw me off, I set off on a leisurely stroll with William.