I take a moment to wash up again at the bathhouse, before I head back home. I stop just outside the door and listen to Elzbieta softly singing, while she works, for a moment, or two, a smile slowly blossoming on my face. It is actually pretty nice to return to a house that is not empty for a change. It is something I could get used to.

Eventually I head back inside though and she greets me with a grin. I wave in return as I stop just inside the door.

“Ready to head for lunch?”

Her grin widens a little.

“I sure am.”

I help her put away the mana mill. I check up on the shop once more out of habit too, making sure that it is closed up properly. At last I put the sign out back to let Urszula, or anyone else who happens to drop by for that matter, know that I'm out for lunch and will be back shortly. Then we head down to the inn together.

Today's meal has my mouth watering and my stomach rumbling before we reach the inn. The smells wafting on the slight breeze are just that captivating. I'm not sure what the meal will encompass in detail, but some kind of roast has to be part of it. The tempting smell leaves no doubt in that regard.

I pull Elzbieta a little closer as we squeeze through the inn's front door. She doesn't offer any protest. Quite the opposite is true in fact.

It's a good thing that we are a little early. If a roast is to be had I'm pretty sure the place will be packed later on. I doubt anyone will risk missing out on that.

Maryla greets us from the counter, where she is filling mugs for some of the other guests already here.

“Welcome, you two! Meals for two and some beer to go with it? We have wild pig today. Maybe some desserts as well?”

I nod with enthusiasm, and so does Elzbieta at my side.

We pay and get seats for ourselves. And we don't have to wait long afterwards.

Maryla delivers the mugs she has been busy with, then she takes care of our order without any further delay.

Before long we have our meals. Thin slices of steaming, roasted pig that smell outright divine. There are plenty of various steamed vegetables too. What really catches my attention though are the potatoes. They are sliced, diced and deep fried. A sprinkling of fine salt and some other spice tops them. They are almost as mouth watering as the roast itself.

And of course Elzbieta's helping seems a little bigger than those of anyone else once more. Curiously enough though, my potatoes seem to come with more of the finely ground spice.

I bow my head before Maryla can leave again.

“Thank you for the meal!”

She winks at me.

“Be careful with those fried potatoes, dear. They are quite hot.”

A moment later I realize what she means with those words. Of course they are hot. They are deep fried after all. That isn't all though. No, they are spicy too. More than just a little.

I can feel my cheeks and ears heat up as my mouth burns. Not so much as to make it painful, but still enough to be quite noticeable.

“Oh! Oh my!”

A moment later, Krystina comes to my rescue, as she drops off our mugs of beer. She just winks at me, very much like her mother. Then she is off again, to leave us to enjoy our meals.

And that is exactly what we do, Elzbieta and I both.

It takes us a while, but eventually we both sit there in front of empty bowls. I let out a content sigh.

A moment later Elzbieta matches me, after drinking the last of her beer. Then she speaks up.

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“You know that we aren't quite done yet.”

I blink in surprise. It takes me a moment to get the meaning of her words.

“Dessert?”

“Yes, dessert.”

I let out a little groan, before I speak up again, just as Maryla arrives with two small cups. Most curious.

“It might be a little too much right now. Can we take these home? I'll drop the empty dishes off with you later?”

She nods and puts the cups down in between us before she grabs our empty dishes.

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Thanks! See you later!”

We don't dawdle, grab our desserts, puddings as I realize now, and are off. They need the seats after all since the inn is filling up nicely by now.

We are not in a hurry on our way back, yet we arrive just in time. As we reach the shop, Urszula is just coming down the road, carrying her youngest. I greet her with a friendly wave, as we wait for her at the roadside.

“Welcome you two. We only have pudding for two, but I was planning on making some coffee to go with it. Do you want a cup as well? That is, unless you are in a hurry?”

She tilts her head slightly, pondering my question. Finally she nods.

“I have a little time. The rest of my rascals are having some story time with their grandfather right now. By the way, he should drop by a little later with your shoes.”

Together we head around to the back. First I get the mana spiked coffee brewing. Then Urszula helps me set Milena up for her meal. The little one doesn't need any additional prompting and starts to suckle with great vigor, as I hold her gently, while I sit out back together with her mother and Elzbieta, eating pudding.

Well, Elzbieta is eating her pudding, while Urszula feeds me, one spoon after the other, since I'm focused on her nursing daughter.

The experience is a little different compared to last time, but not in a bad way. Or maybe I'm just getting used to it? I'm not sure, but I sure won't complain.

By the time I'm done with the pudding the little one is done as well. Or at least that is what I assume at first. It turns out I'm wrong.

Urszula chuckles, and after a moment Elzbieta joins in too, as Milena starts starts to try and get at my other breast.

“It seems she likes you. We might have to drop by more often.”

I shake my head in disbelief, but in the end I accommodate the little girl and before long she is quietly drinking again.

“Well, I don't mind. Could you get the coffee though? It can get bitter if we let it brew for too long. Just add a little sugar to the cups, yes?”

The young mother gets up and does as I asked. After a moment she returns with the cups and we fall silent again, as we sip slowly, enjoying the hot drink.

Eventually Urszula and Milena leave again, once the little one is satisfied. I see them off after straightening out my clothes.

“Tomorrow around noon again? Like today? That is, if Milena has an appetite.”

Urszula nods.

“I'll stop by, or I'll send Luisza to let you know if we can't make it.”

As I return to the back Elzbieta is just about to get ready to resume her work with the mana mill. She flashes me a wide smile.

“Looking forward to it?”

I blink in confusion for a moment. What does she mean? Milena's next visit? Having children myself? Can I be blamed for coming to conclusion like these?

“Uh … maybe? I'm not in too much of a hurry though.”

Elzbieta stops her preparations, tilts her head and blinks at me in faux confusion and grinning a grin that very much doesn't strike me as very innocent.

“Whatever do you mean? I was talking about your dancing shoes, you know?”