After the banquet concluded, Mayfield moved locations.

“This will be your room from now on, Egru. It’s right next to my chambers, so you can visit anytime.”

After ushering Egru into the room, she conversed with someone outside the door.

“Just for tonight, I want to sleep together with Egru. I’m sorry, dear.”

“But, darling. With such a grown man…”

“Egru is a pure omega. You saw the trait test results yourself.”

“…Very well. One dear to you is dear to me as well. But you must return tomorrow.”

“Of course, my love.”

Despite his composed words, Röweghor’s dejected figure trudged away. After seeing off her sulking wife with a blown kiss, Mayfield approached Egru, who stood in a daze.

“What are you staring at?”

“Ah, my lady…”

Egru cleared his throat before asking.

“Is that… is that a down feather bed?”

“Hm? Yes, it is?”

“Ah, could the children…”

“You want to bring the twins to sleep here too?”

How did you know? Egru’s eyes widened roundly, his thoughts completely transparent on his face. Mayfield answered with a bright smile.

“No.”

“Ah…”

“They’re being lovingly cared for by their assigned nurse.”

Before any misunderstanding could arise, Mayfield continued her explanation.

“She’s an expert who’s raised royal bloodlines, so there’s no need to worry. It’s better for the twins too. Philip even reported they fell asleep happily while playing. In a down feather bed, of course.”

In truth, Philip’s interim report stated that the twins had thrown a crying fit. They’d apparently fallen asleep after crying themselves exhausted, barely touching their food.

Perhaps it was because they’d survived the ordeal of the slave market together. Despite the short time, they seemed to have formed considerable attachment.

But there was no way she could tell Egru such things. Especially knowing he would rush to them, putting aside his own rest.

“I was planning to talk to you properly about the twins later anyway. For now, let’s get some good rest and continue our conversation later, okay?”

“Yes, my lady…!”

Egru agreed readily. Mayfield smiled at his high level of trust in her.

“Starting tomorrow will be incredibly busy. There’s mountains of things I want to show you, tell you, and ask you.”

Mayfield spoke while placing her hand on the light-emitting magic stone.

“Let’s lie down now. I’ll turn off the lights and join you.”

“This is my first time properly lying down like this…”

Egru hesitantly climbed into the down feather bed, peeking out just his face.

Pillow, blanket, mattress. Not a single thing was hard or rough.

The sensation of being buried in a space that seemed to contain all the softness in the world…

His amber eyes blinked slowly. Was this what it felt like to float in clouds?

Rustle – Mayfield had already slipped under the dark covers and embraced him. Her warm embrace was incomparably cozy.

“Now that I’m touching you, you really have grown so much, Egru. It’s shocking. I thought you’d be smaller than me forever.”

“Me too, my lady…”

Mayfield’s quiet chuckling resonated softly.

“I’m happy you’re here with me, Egru.”

Words no one had ever said to him before tickled Egru’s ears. As his blinking eyes grew hot with tears, a thought suddenly struck him.

Even if this was all a dream, he felt he could live more happily from now on. Even if he woke up tomorrow in that drawer at Easthole, he could use this moving experience as his driving force.

“I’m… I’m happy too, my lady…”

Egru closed his tear-filled eyes after conveying his true feelings in a tiny voice. Mayfield’s arms wrapped around him even more deeply.

***

The next day, Mayfield moved busily in an excited state, saying she had preparations to make from dawn.

“Sorry I can’t eat breakfast with you, Egru. But I’ve passed along word, so you can dine with my husband. You remember the dependable and lovely Orc King you met yesterday, right?”

“Of course, my lady…!”

However, when Egru arrived at the dining hall following the attendant’s guidance, Röweghor had already finished eating and disappeared.

The two of them must be busy with something!

Egru didn’t mind at all. He simply melted once again while tasting the cheese served with breakfast. Though delicious enough on its own, the combination with soft bread, fruit jam, and prosciutto was simply magnificent.

Munch, munch…

The only problem was that even though his stomach was getting quite full, he couldn’t bring himself to stop. Perhaps due to his previous impoverished life, he couldn’t put down his fork even when satiated.

Once the floodgates opened, they couldn’t be contained. A strange anxiety that he might never eat like this again was the cause.

Though his mind knew he should stop, somehow he couldn’t control himself. Finally, as Egru was forcing down more food, the head chef personally intervened.

“I-I’m sorry…”

Egru apologized with a start. The piece of cheese he’d been clutching tightly dropped onto the plate.

“No, there’s nothing to apologize for. I was just worried you might make yourself ill.”

The head chef patted Egru’s back with a gentle hand.

“I’ll see you at lunch.”

Reassured by the chef’s farewell, Egru bowed deeply in response.

“This way, please. Her Majesty the Queen awaits.”

“Y-yes!”

And he hurriedly moved locations at the attendant’s sudden call.

Past the maze-like palace gardens, they arrived at a hall as vast as a sports field. Peculiarly, a blackboard and desk stood lonely in the center of the marble floor.

Following the courteous attendant’s guidance, Egru carefully approached the blackboard.

“My lady?”

“You’re here, Egru. Come, sit down.”

Mayfield stood before the green blackboard, holding a long wooden ruler.

“We’ll begin class soon.”

“Class?”

Egru tilted his head sideways.

“Like… like school?”

“Exactly. From now on, I’m going to teach you how to live in this world.”

“Wooow…!”

Egru’s eyes sparkled with excitement. School had always been something he could only watch from afar. It felt like a dream to have this chance to receive education directly.

As Egru hurriedly took his seat, Mayfield slapped her palm with the long wooden ruler.

“I’m going to reprogram your mindset from top to bottom, so remember that. From now on, no one will be able to look down on you or ignore you.”

“Yes, my lady…!”

“It’s not that you’re wrong, Egru. You’re perfect just as you are. However…”

Mayfield’s stern expression suddenly softened then. She couldn’t hide her fondness as Egru happily examined his notebook and pencil.

“The world can be harsh and cold. Everyone needs solid preparation, really. I’m going to help you with that. When I say ‘attention,’ you look at me. Understood, Egru?”

“Yes, yes! My lady!”

“Shall we begin then?”

***

“No, no. That’s not it. Let me ask you again, Egru.”

Unlike her energetic start to the lesson, Mayfield continued while holding her head.

“Think carefully, okay?”

Mayfield spoke while placing several pieces of cheese on the desk.

“Look, you have ten pieces of cheese. Now, what should you do if I demand all your cheese? Like this for example.”

Mayfield cleared her throat and then shouted angrily.

“Hand over all your cheese right now!”

“Here you are, my lady! You can have it all…!”

Egru handed over all the cheese pieces to Mayfield with a bright smile. Mayfield screamed.

“Wrong! You should say no! You should refuse! Ahhh, what am I going to do with you, Egru…!”

“Ah…”

As his cream-colored pointed ears drooped, Mayfield quickly spoke up.

“No, Egru. You’re not bad.”

Ngh, Mayfield propped her chin, lost in thought. It was already hopeless to try making such an innocent nature become tough.

Though she planned to have him stay in the palace from now on, she worried about the times when he would be out of her sight.

Wait, if that’s the case…

What about teaching him to act indifferent instead? That much seemed possible to instill somehow.

“Your Majesty, excuse the interruption during class.”

Just then, an attendant delivered urgent news with Mayfield’s permission.

“A visitor from the Empire requests an audience with Your Majesty.”

“From the Empire? How curious. There shouldn’t be anyone bold enough to visit the Demon Alliance Nation at this time.”

“They claim to be acquainted with Your Majesty. The head of the Milfia Guild based in the Empire, named Levi—”

“Wait.”

At the words ‘Milfia Guild Master,’ Mayfield whirled around to look at Egru. Fortunately, he seemed too distracted by the cheese pieces to have heard properly.

Mayfield stretched out her hand to summon one of the teachers waiting by the window.

“Egru, this is ‘Toby.’ He’ll be your writing teacher.”

“Writing teacher?”

“Yes, I have some business to attend to outside for a moment. Study writing together with him, alright?”

“Yes! My lady!”

At his spirited response, Mayfield smiled and patted Egru’s head. Then she whispered quietly to the teacher named Toby.

“Don’t let him leave this place until I give permission.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After giving Egru a smiling glance, Mayfield left the hall with her personal attendant.

To drive away a giant red leech.