Episode 33
Dylan nodded at Mitzu’s response.
“So, do you also know a dragon who runs a bookstore?”
“A bookstore? A dragon, you say?”
“Not a pure dragon. There’s human blood mixed in.”
“Oh? Really? Even so, a bookstore? That’s amusing!”
Mitzu squinted his eyes with an intrigued expression.
A half-dragon running a bookstore?
It was a peculiar and somewhat embarrassing hobby to present to the world.
“Surprisingly, they concealed their presence quite well.”
“But surely, you recognized them, didn’t you?”
“I did notice, but I pretended not to.”
Dylan smirked as he recalled the bookstore owner’s twitching lips whenever they met.
“If they bother you, I can handle them for you. Wouldn’t it be easier to cut the problem off at the root?”
“They are not bothersome to that extent.”
“Then why does it concern you?”
“I just thought it might be useful if handled properly.”
Although the bookstore owner’s overly cheerful nature could be overwhelming, they possessed qualities that Erina would likely find favorable.
Having someone outside the estate to keep an eye on Erina’s every move, and act as an extension of his eyes and ears, didn’t seem like a bad idea.
If they were a half-dragon, they wouldn’t easily die in an attack, making them an even better candidate. Dylan planned to send Mitzu soon to negotiate. 1I have been using ‘they’ and ‘them’ because their talk here is truly ambiguous, making me wonder if the book owner was really a female. Hopefully we will see soon.
Of course, it was a negotiation only from Dylan’s perspective; for the other party, it was a life-threatening coercion.
Mitzu clicked his tongue as he glanced at his silent superior.
If it had been an order to deal with them quietly, he would have happily complied. Stretching his legs and getting some action would have greatly boosted his efficiency afterward.
He then wouldn’t mind handling a hundred documents or staying up three days straight. But just threatening them?
That was dull.
Noticing Mitzu’s disappointment, Dylan raised an eyebrow at him.
“Mitzu, feel like moving around a bit?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“Then take Lia out for a stroll.”
The sudden command left Mitzu scowling.
“Lia? You mean your niece, Lia?”
“Yeah.”
“Why do I have to take her out for a stroll?”
“She seems to have a similar temperament to you. Take her out and give her some lessons. Call it advanced training.”
Mitzu’s jaw dropped. His superior’s words left him speechless.
Running a hand roughly through his hair, he grumbled,
“Advanced training for someone who just finished their first molting? She can’t even fly yet, let alone handle her second molting.”
“Exactly. That’s why it’s advanced training.”
“You just want her out of your sight for a few days. You think I don’t know that?”
Dylan merely shrugged without denying it, showing no shame despite being caught.
Mitzu snorted in exasperation.
“Anyway, take Lia out soon. Let Erina know; Lia will listen to her.”
“Erina? Who’s that again?”
“The human who looks after the kids.”
“Oh, that woman?!”
To Mitzu, Erina was just ‘that human woman.’ It was a mystery why the triplets were so attached to her.
Did they have eyes on the soles of their feet?
Mitzu pursed his lips, his thoughts less than respectful.
“Why? Don’t you enjoy fieldwork? Or would you prefer being buried under more paperwork?”
“No, I didn’t say that! I love fieldwork!”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“Not at all!”
Mitzu quickly bowed his head.
Dylan was relentless once he started nitpicking, and Mitzu had learned that the hard way over the centuries.
Resigned, he left the office with slumped shoulders.
Watching him leave, Dylan let out a brief chuckle.
Mitzu doesn’t know Erina’s true nature. When he finds out, how much will he regret underestimating her?
Dylan smirked at the thought.
Then again, he had no intention of letting anyone see her true self, with her shining hair and all.
***
The morning sunlight streamed warmly into the room.
Erina carefully climbed out of bed, making sure not to wake the sleeping triplets.
She planned to wash up quickly and head to the kitchen to prepare their meals. The children refused to eat food unless it was made by her.
During her absence, Resen, who had a preference for raw meat, managed to sneak some from the servants. But Ria and Poi had nearly starved themselves.
Erina had been shocked when she first heard about it, coaxing the children into eating the servants’ food for their first meal back.
Yet, by the next meal, they stubbornly demanded only her cooking.
The rumor spread rapidly throughout the estate.
The servants glanced sideways at Erina, who had suddenly appeared and was now caring for the triplets.
They neither openly approached her nor conspicuously avoided her, maintaining an ambiguous and unfamiliar attitude.
Erina quickly noticed the subtle change but knew there wasn’t much she could do.
All she could do was tread carefully and avoid drawing more attention to herself. That’s why she had gotten up early this morning to prepare breakfast.
She avoided using the kitchen when the servants were most active, knowing it might make them uncomfortable.
Quietly, Erina descended the stairs and headed to the far west side of the main building.
The west kitchen was less used than the central one and she typically only saw servants later in the morning, making it a better choice for her to prepare breakfast unnoticed.
She had gathered this information over the past few days by observing the servants’ movements.
“Let’s see.”
Erina muttered to herself as she inspected the pantry, selecting a few ingredients for the day.
The different climate meant that the vegetables and fruits grown here were unfamiliar to her.
She often studied their appearances and cross-referenced them with books she had purchased from the local bookstore.
After confirming what she had learned the previous day, she chose a few ingredients.
To introduce the children to a variety of flavors, she avoided using the same ones too often.
By the time breakfast was ready, it was almost time for the children to wake up—and for the servants to start using this kitchen.
Erina was hastily plating the food when a servant entered and greeted her.
“Good morning.”
“Oh, good morning! It’s a lovely morning.”
Erina returned the greeting with a smile.
She noticed the servant’s gaze briefly sweep over the children’s breakfast she was holding.
There was an unspoken disapproval in their eyes, making Erina pause. Was there something wrong with the menu?
She double-checked the dishes she had prepared, but they were all foods the children usually enjoyed. Only the filling ingredients had changed.
“Well, I’ll be on my way now.”
“Alright.”
The servant gave a curt response before turning away. Feeling a bit uneasy, Erina quickened her pace as she headed upstairs.
When she reached the central staircase and carried the breakfast to the children’s room, she found them already awake and quarreling on the bed.
“That’s mine!”
“No, it’s Lia’s!”
“No, it’s Erina’s!”
They were bickering over a ribbon Erina had left on the bedside table the night before.
Lia, noticing Erina entering the room, was the first to grab the ribbon and jump off the bed to run to her.
Resen and Poi followed closely behind, darting after her.
“Erina! Lia wants to wear this!”
“That won’t look good on you, Lia! The ribbon is sky blue, and sky blue goes well with Resen’s hair. Right, Erina?”
“That’s not Resen’s or Lia’s; it’s E-E-Erina’s… Waaah, Mama!!”
The argument ended only after Poi burst into loud sobs, leaving no victor in the squabble.
