How About a Refill? ~The Elegant Tea Party of the Grand Witches~ - Chapter 82

The Immortal Girl and the Golden Knight 1

“I will marry you when I grow up, Miss Ria!”

It had been a few months since Robin (7 years old) started living with Valeria in her cottage in the forest. Valeria had been looking after him, who was going through the same situation she had gone through 800 years ago.

At first, she had set a bed for him in the drawing room. However, she had soon taken pity on the child as he cried every night, missing his family, and so a week later she had placed his bed in her room and began sharing her room with him.

“Don’t talk about growing up when you can’t even eat the carrots on the plate in front of you.”

“Umm.”

It was only natural for Robin, who had been brought here to a strange world against his will, to feel attached to people who treated him well. He was especially attached to Miriam who always played with him, and Valeria who he lived with.

After the group that had summoned Robin here had been dealt with, they had begun discussing what to do about his future. Since he was still quite young, and considering the circumstances around his summoning, it had been decided to put him in care of a family as an adopted son.

There were a number of families that were put forward as candidates but, in the end, they settled on the Caparoni family. The reason was that Robin was already quite attached to Miriam, and also, Valeria wanted to be able to check in on him from time to time to see how he was doing. After Marquess Caaproni and his heir, Leonardo gave their approvals, Robin moved out to go live with the Caparonis.

　―――――――

The day of his departure, Valeria had escorted Robin to the palace where Leonardo and Emilio were waiting for him. She was now back in her room staring vacantly at the wall as she mindlessly stroked the edge of his bed. 

“It’s gotten quiet…”

It had been 800 years since she had been summoned to this world. She had lived in the palace for a while at first. However she hadn’t been able to get used to the life of nobility with maids and attendants always surrounding her.

In her original world both of her parents used to work. Valeria would spend her days looking after her younger brother, and doing household chores. And then she had been summoned here suddenly. Ever since then, she had wondered on countless occasions what became of her family.

Maybe the time flowed differently in this place. 800 years may have passed here, but maybe it was still the same back in her original world.

The hero action figures she had seen in Robin’s memories looked familiar to her. He probably came from the same world as her, from a time not too far from her own.

She began taking off the bed sheets from the bed as these thoughts went through her mind.

“I keep thinking about that kid. It was never like this with other people who came from different worlds before…”

She pulled off the sheets from his bed and, putting them in the laundry basket, went out to the garden.

Valeria didn’t really use magic for chores. She always did the cleaning, washing and cooking by herself. That was the kind of life she was used to.

“I hope he doesn’t feel lonely… Well, he’s with Millie’s family so I’m sure they’ll treat him well.”

　―――――――

‘This is delicious, sister Ria!’

This was the first time she was having dinner by herself in months. Her mind involuntarily went to Robin’s face as he smiled at her from across the table. She let out a bitter smile at the memory.

“Geez, who’s the one feeling lonely…”

She had lived by herself for too long (about 800 years). Although these last few months with Robin had boisterous moments, it had been a fun time. Valeria hadn’t felt lonely like this in a long time.

And so she resolved to look over him and protect him until he grew up and would become able to leave the nest.

Or so it was supposed to be but…

　―――――――― 10 Years Later

“…how did it come to this!?”

A certain person was visiting her cottage in the forest quite frequently these days. He had shining blonde hair and clear, sky blue eyes. He had developed a muscular body after going through intense training drilled on him by his former Knight Commander father. He had grown taller, tall enough that Valeria had to lean up to look at him. This person was Robin, who was now 17 years old.

“I’m not going to leave today until you agree! Ria, marry me!”

“No way!”

“Why not!?”

“It’s impossible! I’m going to be 827 this year! How can I marry a man 810 years younger than me!?”

“I don’t care about age! I don’t care that you don’t age either!”

“You should care about that! Anyways, just go back home already!”

Valeria quickly waved her wand over Robin who was coming closer to her.

The next moment, Robin was shrouded in a blue light.

“Ah! This isn’t fair! It took me so long to get here too_…”

Valeria mercilessly teleported Robin back to the Caparoni residence in the capital.

“Where did I go wrong!?”