"My love," said Celine, jumping to her feet as Blanc entered the cave, "I see you brought back a feast."
"We have to celebrate something good happening, at least," replied Blanc, locking lips with her.
"Stop kissing in front of others." Complained Miyanna.
"Stop saying others what to do," replied Blanc, putting the things he brought near the firestove.
"It's been only a day, and I'm already tired of you all," Miyanna muttered as she turned to go back to her room.
But a question from Blanc stopped her movement, "Are you eating with us? I brought enough food for all of us."
Miyanna turned around, stared for a few moments at both Blanc and Celine, who offered her a nod accompanied by the same warm smile from before.
"Sure, I'll eat. Call me when it's ready," Miyanna nodded before leaving.
"Did I guess right that this was what you wanted?" Blanc asked in a whisper.
Celine waited for Miyanna to not be able to hear them before answering, "Yes, but that was quite the guess, impressive."
"It made sense. Did you find out anything?" Blanc wondered.
"Not yet," Celine shook her head, "But she is soon to loosen her tongue. We will find our answers soon. Either way, she is quite the beautiful woman, don't you agree?"
"Is this some sort of trap? I will use my right as a Noble Blood to refrain from answering such a layered question," Blanc sighed.
"Silence is also a form of answering a question, my dear future husband," Celine replied, putting a hand on his shoulder, and offering him a smile, "Your wife asked you a question. And she wishes for an honest answer."
Blanc felt a tang of danger rising in the air as he began washing the vegetables he gathered. But still he answered, "Yes. She is a beautiful woman. But that is all there is to it. I wanted her gone and was ready to kill her. So it does not matter to me."
"I asked for an answer, not an explanation, my love," Celine replied.
"Then yes, she is beautiful. However, you are just, if not even more beautiful than her! But what is this all about?" Blanc asked, exasperated.
"Nothing, just wondering." Celine shrugged her shoulders, letting go of him and moving to help him prepare to help with the vegetables.
I should have asked more questions about women from Mom… Blanc sighed, letting his eyes close for a moment.
"Ah, there was something else," Blanc said, remembering the new Mark he received.
"What?" asked Celine, startled by the sudden words.
Blanc moved closer to her and whispered what had happened today in her ears, in case someone else was around.
As he recalled the events with the Raw Vita from the rabbits, Celine's eyes went wide, then she laughed, before realizing something and falling into complete silence.
"M-my love?" Blanc stuttered, not realizing what he had done wrong.
"Bastard…" she murmured before splashing him with enough water to drench his entire head. "We were just talking about another woman, and that is what you suddenly remember?"
"What? Wait. No, no, no. What? I was just thinking about all that has happened today, and that's when I remembered, I swear to you. Why would you… sigh, you know what, never mind."
What was all this? Blanc asked himself.
After all, Celine wanted her to remain here. To not allow him to kill her and be rid of her.
He did not want Miyanna there, but he trusted Celine. And she requested him to trust her. That she will take responsibility for Miyanna. And now this?
Was this jealousy? But for what?
He mentioned before that he did not even think about having multiple wives. Especially not now. There was no time for such things.
They had to survive, to live to see another day, as their family wished, a family fighting a war just outside this giant, which was the Golden Forest.
He did not have time to think about romance. He found Celine enough for that. He loved her dearly. He cherished her.
And to be fair, he thought her to be enough for him for as long as he lived. So what was all this?
I do not understand women, Blanc thought, as he began skinning the rabbits, near Celine, who began cutting the freshly washed vegetables.
True. He chose a bad moment to remember and mention his new Mark and its placement. So sure, that was his fault, definitely, but his excuse was that he did not care that much about Miyanna to have her in his thoughts, especially in the way Celine perhaps thought.
He was wary of her, of the danger her presence posed. He was still of the idea that removing her from this world would be better for their safety.
Nevertheless, this conversation he had with Celine confused and saddened him quite a bit.
He wished to ask why or what all this was for.
But he let it go for now, since they were cooking, and Kael and Lune's voices could be heard approaching them. Perhaps attracted there by the smell.
"Brother!" Lune yelled as they entered the kitchen.
"I'm back, Little Flower. Were you good while I was gone?" Blanc asked, patting her hair.
"Of course we were," replied Kael, "How did everything go?"
"Quite well, there is plenty of food around. And I did not even have to go fishing for it," Blanc said, laughing.
"Thank the Vita for that," giggled Lune, "last time you brought back a fish, you only brought its head."
"What? How did that happen?" asked Celine.
"I pulled too hard and brought only the head to the shore, while the rest of the fish got swept away by the river," Blanc sighed, recalling that embarrassing day of fishing.
"Some fish would be quite the addition to our diet," Celine mentioned.
"I can fish better than him," said Kael, raising his hands, happy to see Blanc returned, as Celine mentioned he would.
"That is true, we can go fishing tomorrow or the day after, if you like," replied Blanc to Kael as he stirred the pot full of vegetables and rabbit meat, before tasting it.
"It is done," Blanc said, turning towards Celine, "Go call her out to eat."
With a nod, Celine departed the kitchen, going to bring Miyanna.
"Come, little ones, dinner is ready," said Blanc to the twins.