Chapter 2

The child watched Eugene collapse while clutching her head, completely at a loss.

“M-Mom… then I’ll just…”

“…Bonita.”

“…!”

Eugene called the child in front of her by that name. The girl called Bonita, tears still clinging to her lashes, broke into a wide smile.

“Yeah!”

Eugene slowly wiped the tear stains from the child’s cheeks with her fingers.

“Sorry. I think I was just a little tired.”

Reina’s memories flooded her mind.

But Eugene, no, Reina couldn’t bring herself to call herself Mom to Bonita.

Bonita, unaware of what Reina was thinking, simply beamed at the reassurance.

“…Yeah, you’re okay now? It doesn’t hurt anymore?”

“Yeah.”

Eugene pulled Bonita into her arms.

From that moment on, Eugene lived as Reina.

Reina was confused, but thanks to the memories left in her body, she quickly adapted to this world. Or maybe there were barely any memories left of Eugene to begin with. Maybe Eugene herself had been nothing more than a long dream.

Still, seeing how she could easily handle money calculations that the original Reina struggled with, and how she could read difficult words without stumbling, it was clear it wasn’t just an illusion.

‘Is it because I possessed this body?’

Even with those new abilities, it wasn’t easy to find work as a woman with no connections and a child to raise alone.

 
“Then who’s at home? Who’s watching the kid?”

“We can find someone with that level of skill anywhere.”
 

On top of that, she didn’t possess even a speck of magic, something every citizen of the empire was born with. No matter how quickly she calculated or how fluently she read, no one would hire her.

Reina honestly pitied herself.

She woke up one day in a stranger’s body, with no husband, only a child named Bonita.

The original Reina’s memories weren’t clear, and her memories as Eugene were fading as well.

The two sets of memories tangled together awkwardly, making it hard to adjust to her new life.

At least Bonita was a sensible child. And now, the memories of Reina were stronger than those of Eugene.

Maybe it was better that her memories of living as Eugene were faint. Otherwise, she might not have been able to endure such a miserable and harsh life.

“Did you wait nicely at home?”

“Yeah!”

A tiny child who waited only for her.

It didn’t take long for Reina to truly love this small girl, the only person in this world who welcomed her.

* * *

“Boni, Mom’s back…”

It was a cold winter day.

Reina had failed to find work again and returned home empty handed. She called for her daughter Bonita, but Boni didn’t answer. Feeling uneasy, she walked to the bed and saw the child breathing heavily. Bonita’s body was burning hot.

“Boni…! Oh my God, what happened? Oh no.”

Reina’s heart dropped.

She pulled out every piece of clothing she had and wrapped Bonita tightly, even taking off her own coat to cover her. Then she rushed out to find somewhere that could treat the child.

That night, the snow fell harder than ever. And the people were just as cold as the season.

No matter how many doors she knocked on, no household opened up. The physicians, once they realized she was a penniless unmarried mother, refused to treat her.

Even the temple she went to with hope was the same. When the priest said it was difficult to grant blessings without an offering to show faith, Reina could only stare helplessly as the temple doors closed.

Reina looked down at the child in her arms who was barely breathing.

“M-Mom…”

Delirious with fever, Bonita weakly called for her as if in a dream.

“Boni, it’s okay… you’ll be okay.”

Will she really be okay?

Deep inside, anxiety whispered viciously. It felt like she might burst into tears at any second.

The child, burning with fever, clutched Reina’s clothes and mumbled not to leave her.

Reina held Bonita close once more.

“Why would I ever leave you?”

When I woke up in this world, you were the only one on my side. You’re my world.

Every time the small child muttered not to abandon her, Reina’s chest felt like it was being torn apart. Her eyes burned with tears. But she couldn’t collapse here. Crying was easy. Crying didn’t solve anything.

Reina sniffed and forced back her tears as she lifted her head. That was when she saw it.

A grand estate.

The residence of the lord of this territory, Duke Winternight.

She had heard plenty of whispers calling him insane, calling him a villain.

But even God had already turned her away.

‘It’s to save Boni.’

To save this precious child, she would step through the gates of hell and take the devil’s hand if she had to.

Her legs trembled from running from house to house, but she forced herself toward the ducal residence.

Her entire body ached from the freezing snowstorm. It felt as if sharp blades were piercing her bones. Her feet were so numb she could barely feel them.

Even so, she held Bonita tighter, afraid even a bit of cold wind or a single snowflake might touch her.

“Please help us!”

The moment she reached the main gate, Reina cried out desperately. The gatekeepers stared at her in shock.

She looked utterly miserable as she wept and pleaded.

“Please, please save my child…”

The gatekeepers glanced at one another while looking at the obviously sick child in her arms.

“It’s unfortunate, but…”

Just as they were about to drive her away, a black carriage stopped in front of the gate.

After a brief silence, the door opened and a low voice spoke.

“What’s going on?”

“Y-Your Grace!”

He suited this merciless winter. His jet black hair was neatly combed back, and his eyes were a piercing sky blue like a frozen winter sky.

An inhuman level of beauty. An emotionless face. Everything about him felt like winter itself.

When his cold gaze fell upon the gatekeepers, they stiffened and looked toward Reina.

Reina clutched Bonita tightly and dropped to her knees before the Duke of Winternight.

“Y-Your Grace…”

“…”

If she hadn’t been holding a child, she might’ve pressed her forehead to the ground. Unlike the duke’s calm and icy expression, Reina’s face was stained with despair and grief.

“Please save this child.”

At her desperate words, filled with every emotion she had, the duke’s brow twitched slightly.

“I don’t care what happens to me…”

Just save this child.

That was the first meeting between Reina Botn and Damian Winternight.