It was right after Livian had returned home. Rosaline had just come back from shopping. A woman was riding on the horse with her.

While being held by Ian, Lil approached the two.

“Did Milena come with you too?”

The woman called Milena noticed Ian and spoke in a gentle tone.

“Oh, hello, Captain. Is that the little recruit?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I just finalized the adoption paperwork, so she’s my daughter now.”

Rosaline was so surprised that she dropped the horse’s reins.

“Wait a minute, when did that happen!?”

“My brother just came by earlier…”

Rosaline’s jaw dropped in shock.

“I see, well then, today calls for a celebration. I’m Milena. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Lil Wilson. Nice to meet you too!”

Lil cheerfully returned Milena’s calm greeting. Lil was certain that this was the person who had made the delicious food.

“I work as a cook. Tonight’s dinner is going to be a feast, so look forward to it.”

Just as Lil had guessed. She thanked Milena for the food and eagerly described how delicious it had been.

“Oh my, thank you,” Milena said, patting Lil’s head.

Ian’s heart warmed at Lil’s childlike behavior.

“Oh right, Lil. We bought you lots of clothes and sweets too. Let’s go inside quickly.”

Rosaline, brimming with excitement, pushed Ian’s back, urging him inside. Milena headed to the wash area to do the laundry first.

“Look, Captain! These are the finest clothes I handpicked!”

Rosaline began spreading out the items she had bought so that Lil could see them clearly.

Everything was adorable, and Lil’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“All of this… I can wear it?”

“That’s right, and don’t worry, your father paid for it.”

Ian, noticing Lil’s hesitant expression, patted her head reassuringly.

‘Michiru-chan’ had said that being spoiled was part of a child’s role, so Lil decided to accept the gifts without worry.

“Thank you, Dad, Rosaline.”

Thus began Lil’s fashion show. It was her first time wearing shoes, and while they felt a little tight, she enjoyed seeing the cute designs whenever she looked down. Since Rosaline kept dressing her in new outfits one after another, Lil was exhausted by the end of it.

With a chuckle, Ian prepared tea and lined up some chocolate. Encouraging Lil to take a break, he seated her in a chair.

Lil was fascinated by the chocolate. According to ‘Michiru-chan’s’ memories, this was supposed to be delicious. Cautiously putting a piece in her mouth, a rich sweetness spread across her tongue. Amazed by the taste of chocolate for the first time, Lil ended up eating five pieces in a row.

Satisfied, Lil looked over at Ian and saw that he was feeding Louis some chocolate. ‘Michiru-chan’ was shouting that chocolate was poisonous to dogs. Lil hurriedly stopped Ian.

“I’m a divine beast, so there are hardly any foods I can’t eat. Don’t worry,” Louis reassured her.

Relieved by Louis’s words, Lil relaxed.

“‘Michiru-chan’ sure knows a lot. I didn’t know normal wolves couldn’t eat chocolate.”

Ian’s impression of ‘Michiru-chan’ improved significantly. He assumed she must have been a highly distinguished individual. In reality, she was just an ordinary person from another world.

Before long, the knights patrolling the forest returned.

When Lil greeted them in the light blue dress Rosaline had bought, everyone complimented her on how cute she looked.

Hayden picked her up and spun her around in circles. Surprised at first, Lil soon found it surprisingly fun.

When they learned that Lil had officially become Ian’s daughter, everyone was surprised but congratulated her warmly. Lil felt shy yet happy.

In the dining hall, Milena had prepared a splendid meal. Everyone cheered in delight.

Milena usually returned home after preparing dinner and breakfast, but today she had been asked to stay. It was Lil’s selfish request because she wanted everyone to celebrate together, and Milena gladly agreed.

Hayden raised his glass. The toast was traditionally led by the Vice Captain since Ian, the Captain, was one of the guests of honor today.

“Alright then, let’s toast to the Captain and Lil’s adoption, and to Lil joining the squad! Cheers!”

Everyone toasted and drank their glasses dry. Lil tried to mimic them, but Ian stopped her. Apparently, draining the glass wasn’t exactly required; it was just a custom for drinking alcohol.

Lil’s eyes sparkled at the feast before her, wondering what to eat first. Seeing her indecision, the charming Martin and Milena put a variety of dishes on her plate for her.

Lil ate to her heart’s content. Though she regretted feeling full so quickly, it had been a wonderful time. The others seemed far from finished as they continued drinking and eating. Lil fed Louis some food from the table.

“Mmm, the meat’s juices burst out with each bite, yet it finishes with a refreshing aftertaste. Impressive,” Louis commented seriously on each dish, which Lil found amusing. She ended up feeding him a bit of everything.

When Lil told Milena about Louis’s compliments, Milena was delighted and said it was an honor to be praised by a divine beast.

Ian refrained from drinking that evening, keeping an eye on Lil instead. Seeing her happy throughout the night brought him relief. The long celebration seemed endless. At some point, Ian took Milena back to town on horseback.

When Ian returned, Lil had fallen asleep using Louis as a pillow. He carefully picked her up, intending to carry her to her room. Suddenly, Lil sat up abruptly, looked at Ian, and said,

“I’m glad… it wasn’t a dream.”

Lil’s tear-filled eyes pained Ian’s heart.

“It’s okay, it’s real,” he assured her gently, stroking her head.

“Want to sleep together?” Ian asked, surprised at how naturally the words had come out.

Lil beamed brightly.

“You’ll sleep with me? Dad?”

Though they’d only just become a family that day, Ian felt his paternal instincts taking root, and he smiled a little. This kind of life didn’t seem bad at all.

“I’ll sleep with you too,” Louis added.

And so, the three of them slept together that night.

Ian prayed silently that Lil would never have to recall her painful past again.