“It’s all true, Therese,” Agnes said. “You’re not married, right? Do you have a gentleman friend?”
Even the mere mention of such a thing made Cesar go bright red and start spluttering. Agnes shivered too, seeing the mad look in his eyes.
“Aaah!”
“Uncle, you’re frightening Therese.”
“I told you! Don’t bandy my beloved’s name about so casually! But I…I shall control myself.”
Agnes suggesting that Therese had a boyfriend, others referring to her by name—such small things, but they whipped the duke into a frenzy. What if Therese had been married? The duke might have gone on a bloody rampage.
What would Claude have done if Agnes had really married Philip? No…the thought was too frightening. Agnes wasn’t going there.
“I have always cared for and served Lady Agnes and Lord Kevin as if they were my younger siblings, or even my own children. I have no time for gentleman friends,” Therese said.
Oh phew, it looked like bloodshed would be avoided. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing as a collective exhale emerged from Claude, Gerome, and Agnes.
“In that case, would you please consider Duke Granier as an option for a moment? If you really aren’t interested, we’ll help you esca— We’ll help in any way we can,” entreated Gerome.
“It’s not that I dislike the duke. He is a fine person. It’s just…”
Cesar’s steely eyes lit up at the compliment. “What is it? If you’re worried about your social status, we’ll make you a noble. If you’re worried about high society, you don’t have to participate. I’ll accommodate any requirements you have.”
The love of a Dragonmate is an intense thing, indeed. Agnes sat there a little alarmed by it—although it wasn’t happening to her this time.
Suddenly, Therese cheered up and proclaimed, “Ah, indeed? My plan was to transfer to the Aznavour residence to continue to wait on Lady Agnes now that she’s married. So, then there’s no issue? I can continue to work as a maid, and perhaps we could get to know one another on a conservative basis?”
Seeing Therese smiling broadly, Cesar completely froze. Get to know one another on a casual basis? That was far removed from a “yes” to his marriage proposal.
Cesar turned slowly, like a rusty, creaking screw, to gaze at Claude before slowly smiling…
Uh-oh. Agnes was getting a bad feeling about this…
“Claude. From now on…you will call me Father.”
“What?!” Claude yelped, and a dark blue mushroom popped up suddenly on his arm. He shook his head hard, and the Entoloma cyanonigrum’s cap did as well.
“If I adopt you, Claude, then we can live as one household. Agnes will be there, with Therese! All issues solved,” Cesar determined.
“What? That’s insane! I’m the new Duke of Aznavour! That’s going to be my house!” Claude declared.
“How about installing a giant mushroom pillar? One that stretches all the way to the roof of the Granier mansion?” implored Cesar with a smile, unmoved by Claude’s loud protests. “And how about mushrooms on the gateposts? What variety of mushroom do you think would be best? We need something that conveys class, dignity.”
Right… The duke knew Claude. He knew all about his fungal fanaticism—and he was using it!
“In that case, how about Eryngii? It has a rounded and chunky appearance,” Claude quickly suggested.
“Claude, please! Don’t let him bribe you with mushrooms!” Agnes yelped, erupting an Eryngii itself with another loud pop.
After plucking the mushroom with a thick white stalk and a flat brown cap, Claude showed it to Cesar with a happy expression on his face.
“See, something classy like this.”
“Hmm, not bad.”
It was no good—Cesar had egged Claude on. How terrifying!
“I don’t want to live in a mushroom mansion! I shall return to live at the Lefort residence!” Agnes proclaimed exasperatedly.
“Uncle, you plan to force a situation where you and Therese live together? What about her wishes?” interjected Gerome.
“Like I said! Don’t bandy about the name of my beloved!”
“Oh, for crying out loud… Dragonmaters are incorrigible!” Gerome ran his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated.
“Prince Gerome,” Agnes implored, wishing he’d do more for the situation. This was his uncle, after all. “Please help.”
“Sorry, but the only thing that can rein in an out-of-control Dragonmater is his own Dragonmate.”
Right, so the only person who could stop Cesar was…
“M-Me?!” Therese blinked in surprise as Agnes and Gerome turned to her.
If Therese didn’t do something, Agnes would return home—before she’d even left.
Therese sighed in resignation, turned, and addressed Cesar, “Duke Granier.”
“Oh, call me Cesar.”
Therese flinched a little as he responded with extreme eagerness.
“Then, Lord Cesar… I am Lady Agnes’s maid. This is non-negotiable. I will be working at Duke Aznavour’s residence.”
Cesar crumpled, realizing that cohabiting with Therese was off the table.
“However, no doubt you will come to visit, as you are now Lady Agnes’s relative. On those occasions, I will treat you to cake. Is that okay with you?”
“…I understand. I’m prepared to wait years for you, my beloved Dragonmate. Until then, I’ll do my best to make you understand the depths of my devotion.”
It looked like Cesar had more planned than merely getting to know one another on a casual basis, but Agnes was relieved the situation seemed to be somewhat resolved.
“So, starting tomorrow…” Cesar began sheepishly.
“It would be unreasonable for someone to visit a newlywed on the day after their wedding, right?” Therese reprimanded quickly.
“Y-Yes, of course.”
“The next time I see you will be over a week later, so please take care of yourself until then,” she continued, unperturbed.
“Y-Yes, all right…” uttered Cesar, beaten down and visibly deflated.
It was a little heartbreaking to see such a dignified adult look so small—and Therese also felt the same.
“You poor man,” she said, bending down to smile at Cesar. “…I look forward to seeing you again, Lord Cesar. In one week from now.”
“Right!” Cesar returned brightly with a sparkle in his eye. He was brimming with excitement, like a dog wagging his tail, causing everyone to grin.
“…Surprisingly, things look promising,” Claude observed quietly as he shifted to sit next to Agnes.
“Yes, they do,” Agnes returned.
This was a start in the right direction. Like this, Cesar could keep up his strength—and woo Therese at a sensible pace.
Agnes smiled, filled with joy, as Claude hugged her tightly.
✦ ✦ ✦
🍄🍄🍄
Mushrooms of the Day
Entoloma Cyanonigrum
A deep blue mushroom. It doesn’t seem to be poisonous, but it doesn’t look very edible because of the color. During an earlier mushroom discussion, it was decided that its color most closely resembled Claude’s hair color, so it got designated the blue mushroom representative.
It feels a brotherhood with Claude due to their shared color palette, and it felt excited at the prospect of having a new father. It sprouted to say, “If Cesar is Claude’s father, then he is also my father!’’
Pleurotus eryngii
A mushroom with a thick white stalk and a flat brown cap. Although it is only farm-grown in Japan, it’s a standard edible mushroom overseas. Its unique texture has made it a popular ingredient in Japan as well.
When it was chosen to go on the gateposts of a nobleman’s mansion, it decided quickly to consult the Ganoderma applanatum. But the advice it received was a bit too hard to understand. Something about “get them in the mycelium and kick the spores out of them.” It realized being a furniture mushroom is hard work.