The atmosphere at dinner was warm and harmonious.
It had always been this way lately, ever since the Light Dragon died and the war ended.
This was because Carius would soon be returning to the territory.
"I received a letter from Carius. He says he'll be back by the end of spring at the latest."
"Thank goodness."
Lellia nodded as she listened to the conversation between her aunt and grandfather.
Beside Lellia sat her grandmother, who was watching her eat with a benevolent expression.
Depending on her condition, Lisandra would sometimes see Lellia as Elizabeth, and other times as her granddaughter, though her attitude wasn't particularly different either way.
However, when dealing with Lellia, her tendency to dote on her was more pronounced. That was also when she maintained her original mental state.
"Dear, you need to eat your vegetables too."
"...."
Lellia, who had been secretly pushing away the paprika, got caught by her grandmother's eyes.
"Our Elizabeth ate her vegetables well too...."
"Yes, Grandmother. I'll eat them well too."
Lellia speared the paprika with her fork, put it in her mouth, and chewed with exaggerated movements.
Uncle Xenon scolded her for being picky despite being fully grown, but Lellia pressed her lips together firmly.
Uncle doesn't eat seafood either, claiming to dislike it.
When Lellia looked at him with a meaningful gaze, Xenon subtly turned his head away.
Seeing this, both grandfather and aunt laughed out loud.
Lellia felt regretful. Once she left the territory for a while, this warm dining table would be no more.
As the meal was coming to an end.
Lellia cautiously spoke up.
"Grandfather, Grandmother. Uncle, Aunt."
At Lellia's serious voice, all eyes gathered on her.
Lellia suppressed her tension and spoke with courage.
"There's something I need to tell you.... I... I want to go to the capital."
"...."
"The capital?"
"Why the capital?"
At the word "capital," the expressions of grandfather, uncle, and aunt crumpled.
Their complexions darkened likely because of Emperor Perseus in the capital.
"Are you perhaps planning to go find your father?"
Uncle Xenon, the eldest uncle, asked in a slightly hurt tone. Lellia quickly shook her head.
"It's not that! Actually... there's an alchemical medicine I'm researching. To obtain the ingredients for it, I have to go to the capital."
"Hmmm...."
At Lellia's words, silence circulated as everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts.
"Would it be difficult to send someone to find them?"
"I must go myself."
Lellia answered firmly to her aunt's words.
"...Go, then."
After a long silence, Duke Superion spoke. Lellia looked at her grandfather with surprised eyes.
'I thought grandfather would be the most opposed....'
She was bewildered by the unexpected response.
"However... dear."
"Yes."
"Grandfather has just one request. You must return once. Definitely."
"What do you mean... just once, Grandfather!"
Lellia's eyes became moist. It seemed grandfather thought she was planning to leave for good.
"I'm going to the capital to cure Grandmother's illness. Returning is a given. This is my home...."
As Lellia shed tears, Duke Superion smiled benevolently. The wrinkles around his eyes had deepened since they first met.
"Then I won't worry."
Even with the Duke's answer, Lellia continued to cry.
Her heart ached because she could guess what feelings her grandfather had when he gave his permission.
"Father needlessly makes the child feel hurt and cry like that. Will Lellia come only once? This is her home."
"That's right, Father really... Lellia, stop crying. Okay? Aunt will give you spending money."
Lellia ended up laughing at the tone of her uncle and aunt who took her side while still treating her like a child.
Artias, who had been looking at Lellia as if she were cute, suddenly realized something and spoke.
"My husband happens to need to go near the capital for merchant business, so you can go together."
"That would be good."
At her aunt and uncle's words, Lellia nodded.
Uncle Xenon and her aunt didn't stay at Superion Castle but had set up their household in a nearby mansion.
She had seen Uncle Xenon and her nephews a few times, but she had hardly ever met Aunt Artias's husband.
This was because he was always busy running the merchant group.
So Lellia speculated that the reason her aunt had incurred gambling debts might have been loneliness.
However, no matter how much she investigated and looked into it, her aunt had no hobbies like gambling.
'The future must have changed.'
Lellia thought it was fortunate. But just in case, she planned to finish her business in the capital as quickly as possible and return.
While other things were also important, protecting her family was the top priority for Lellia.