Chapter 367
Michael scooped up some baby food with a small wooden spoon and brought it to Rubyâs mouth.
âAh.â
As he slightly opened his own mouth and made a sound, the baby, who had been staring intently at Michael, broke into a bright smile and mimicked him by opening her mouth.
âAh! Ah!â
When the baby food entered her tiny mouth, Ruby chewed and swallowed diligently.
Even then, her gaze remained fixed on Michael.
Then, when Irene approached with a clean cloth to wipe her mouth, Ruby turned her eyes to Irene and burst out laughing.
âGood girl, Ruby. Are you happy after eating?â
âAh! Ah!â
Though she couldnât speak yet and could only make sounds, it was clear that the babyâs words meant yes.
Seeing this, Reyna let out a sigh.
âWhat should I do about my daughter⌠Sheâs already such a flirt. She always has a different look on her face when Sir Michael or Irene is taking care of her.â
But the truth was, Reynaâs own face was brighter than anyoneâs as she said it.
When Irene first arrived, Reyna had thought she would only ask for help for a day or two.
One had to have some shame. How could she ask her guest to help with the hard work of childcare?
But, contrary to her worries, the two of them eagerly volunteered.
âReyna, if itâs alright, can I keep Ruby with me all afternoon today?â
âFelix, if you donât mind, Iâd love to watch you make baby food.â
Perhaps because they were expecting a child themselves, Irene and Michael looked at everything with keen interest and actively took part in caring for Ruby.
Ruby was actually a rather picky baby.
If the baby food wasnât at just the right temperature, sheâd spit it all out, and if something wasnât to her liking, sheâd cry all day and refuse to sleep.
So both parents, Reyna and Felix, were often exhausted.
But since Irene and Michael started helping, Rubyâs fussiness began to decrease little by little.
It would be a lie to say Reyna didnât feel a little sad about it, but she was far more grateful to them for taking such good care of Ruby.
âThanks to them, Iâve been able to rest, even if only for a few hours.â
It hadnât been long, but even that was enough.
Being able to go shopping at the village market with Felix for a bit, or to sit alone on a bench overlooking the lake and take in the sceneryâŚ
Even that little bit of time was enough to ease her frayed nerves and bring peace back to her heart.
In the past, when Ruby cried, Reyna would get upset and nearly cry herself, but now, she could soothe her child with composure.
âWhen you have your baby, Iâll make sure to come help you.â
Vowing to repay the favor, Reyna clenched her fist with determination.
Just then, Felix returned from buying groceries at the village.
âIâm back. Ah, here are the apples you asked for, Sir Michael.â
He set the large sack heâd been carrying on the table and patted his shoulder.
âI had no idea you both liked apples so much.â
At Felixâs comment, Irene and Michael shared an awkward smile.
In a corner where Reyna and Felix couldnât see, a tentacle was dancing with joy.
âAnd I heard in the village⌠It sounds like Princess Cecilia is in the nearby city.â
Princess Cecilia.
At that name, Irene and Michael exchanged glances.
In this life, Princess Cecilia was still alive.
It was only natural. She hadnât even had a chance to torment Irene this time.
They couldnât judge her for sins from a previous life.
Now, nothing at all had happened between them.
But that didnât mean the two of them had left Cecilia alone.
âWe took away all the artifacts she had.â
The things that had lost all their power and were just monster corpses were left behind, but everything else had been returned to the monster realm.
Not only what was in the Visconti royal palaceâs storerooms, but even the artifacts Cecilia had personally hidden away.
Most of those were sent back to the monster realm, and a few were quietly given to pairs or others who had lost their lives because of her.
âI canât believe this! Where did all my things go? If I catch whoever did this, Iâll kill them!â
Watching Cecilia sob in an empty secret storeroom, all traces of her usual elegance forgotten, Irene said to Michael,
âUm⌠if I say that seeing the princess like that makes me feel incredibly satisfied, would you be disappointed in me?â
Michael kissed her forehead and replied,
âI was thinking Iâd like to kill her one more time. Would you be disappointed in me for saying that?â
ââŚâŚâ
Seeing the depth of his grudge, which far surpassed her own, Irene cleared her throat and looked away.
It seemed Michael was holding back a great deal.
