Chapter 26

* * *

‘They’re angels.’

‘So adorable.’

‘Two angels have descended.’

‘Maybe today’s the day I die.’

After making about six little snow rabbits huddled together, Estelle and Bonita burst into giggles and declared they would now make a snowman family. With the knights’ help, they began building it. Then they started adding stories to the snowmen they’d created. Everyone’s reactions were slightly different, but they all reached the same conclusion. Estelle and Bonita were unbearably cute.

After working together for quite a while, the children looked at the remaining snow.

“We’re out of snow…”

“You’re right…”

“What do we do…”

“What should we do…”

They both looked crestfallen.

“I-it’s alright, my lady. We’ll gather more snow.”

“Of course. Just wait a moment. We’ll even sweep up all the snow from the back garden.”

“…”

Watching the knights panic over the children’s disappointed expressions, Reina thought.

‘They’re probably called demons elsewhere.’

Looking at them now, no one would ever guess they were members of the Winternight knight order.

Reina glanced down at the shovel in her hands, wondering if she should help.

“Uoooo.”

“Hurry. Gather more snow.”

“Whoever brings the least has to run thirty laps around the training grounds after this.”

“…Hmm.”

It didn’t look like she needed to help.

If she joined in, she’d definitely come in last in the snow gathering contest. That was the name Reina had just made up in her head.

‘And I’d be the one running those thirty laps.’

Of course, it didn’t seem like they had any intention of including her, but she didn’t want to create an awkward atmosphere.

After thinking for a while, Reina decided it would be better to bring drinks instead.

She leaned the shovel against a nearby tree and headed toward the mansion.

“Ha…”

Now that the knights had cleared the snow, the ground was visible again. As she walked, white breath puffed from her lips.

She decided on cocoa for the children and tea or coffee for the adults.

As she moved forward, she noticed several carriages parked near the estate.

‘Oh.’

Hadn’t the vassals come to visit. There was some kind of meeting. Whatever it was, it didn’t feel pleasant.

The closer Reina got to the kitchen, the more bustling sounds she heard. Yet despite the noise, it didn’t actually look busy.

‘Huh.’

If there were many guests, wouldn’t they prepare tea for hospitality. But there was no sign of any tea sets being taken out.

“Botn, what are you doing here?”

As Reina lingered awkwardly near the kitchen, a sharp voice called from behind.

“Annemarie.”

“What are you standing around here for. If you block the way like this, what are we supposed to do. This is where we carry hot things through all the time. Be careful.”

‘This is oddly comforting.’

Reina was technically still working as a maid. In reality, she was Estelle’s nanny. Yet she was treated like an honored guest.

But Reina had never been treated as someone precious before.

She was always the one watching others’ moods. Having people watch her mood instead felt awkward.

It felt like wearing clothes that weren’t hers. Strange and uncomfortable.

Everyone else carefully tiptoed around her feelings.

Only Annemarie bluntly spoke to her and picked at her over small things.

Because of that, Reina felt the most comfortable around her.

“So why are you here? I heard my lady was playing with the snow today.”

“Oh, I was hoping to ask for two cups of hot cocoa and several cups of tea.”

“How many cups?”

“Um…”

How many people were gathered to build the snow house. As Reina hesitated, another voice spoke up.

“Eleven cups of tea will be enough.”

“Sir Dean Peronte.”

Annemarie blinked a few times at Dean’s sudden appearance.

“Please prepare two trays.”

“Sir Dean.”

“Reina and I will carry them, so two trays should suffice.”

“What brings you here?”

“I came to help. I was out there earlier too.”

Dean smiled and raised both hands. His gloves looked much warmer than the usual ones worn by the knights.

“Oh.”

“Yes, I was chosen as one of the members. It was exhausting. At the end, the knight commander even manifested aura.”

“What on earth happened at dawn.”

How had she not woken up during that commotion. Maybe she slept more deeply than she thought.

Aura was an ability that only those talented in swordsmanship possessed.

Reina recalled how the novel had occasionally mentioned aura.

‘It was supposed to be extremely rare.’

Was it not that rare in this knight order. Tilting her head slightly, she asked Dean.

“Can you use aura too, Sir Dean?”

“Oh, no. I can’t. I don’t really have the talent.”

“Really?”

If he lacked talent, he wouldn’t have been able to join the Winternight knight order in the first place. And he certainly wouldn’t have been included in today’s event with Estelle.

Yet here he was among them, saying he had no talent. It was ironic.

“Yes. No matter how hard I tried, it wouldn’t work. When you first join, a mage affiliated with the ducal house, more precisely a magician, examines you.”

“Examines?”

“Yes. They use processed magical aptitude to test you. It measures magical power. The weaker the light, the lower your magic and divine power.”

“You can’t distinguish between the three?”

“Not yet. It hasn’t advanced that far. Anyway, I was exactly average. Manifesting aura was impossible for me.”

The more Reina listened, the more impressive she found him in another way.

“You’re incredible, Sir Dean.”

“What?”

“You’re standing on equal footing with the other knights even without aura.”

She couldn’t even imagine how much painful effort it must have taken for him to reach that level.

“…”

Dean didn’t respond.

“Sir Dean Peronte. Reina Botn. Everything’s ready. Please take it.”

“Oh, Sir Dean. Let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

Reina led the way, carrying the tray with two cups of cocoa.

Dean briefly touched his slightly flushed ear, then followed behind her.

“Is it really alright for you to help me? I heard last place has to run thirty laps.”

Walking carefully to avoid spilling the drinks, Reina asked him.

“Ah, that?”

Dean smiled calmly.

“It’s fine. Thirty laps is just light exercise.”

“…What?”

Reina’s face went pale. She had heard from Bonita that the training grounds were enormous.

Well, it was the Winternight duchy’s training grounds. It couldn’t be small.

Seeing Reina stiffen, Dean chuckled softly.

“I’m joking. If I say I was helping you, they’ll go easy on me.”

“Oh.”

So it was a joke. Only then did Reina relax and continue walking.

* * *

“How irritating.”

Damian had already finished one round of meetings and was now seated in his office.

He suppressed his temper, unwilling to take his irritation out on someone else.

“Please endure it.”

“I am enduring it.”

“…”

Peter glanced at Damian, who claimed to be enduring it while clearly frowning.

‘He really has calmed down a lot.’

In the past, Damian would have drawn his sword several times already. It seemed having Estelle made a difference.

‘Or maybe not. Now that I think about it, he hasn’t done that for years.’

Perhaps it was because the vassals hadn’t provoked him much in recent years.

After losing his wife and growing stronger, the vassals had judged that crossing him would bring more loss than gain. Except for unavoidable matters, they kept quiet.

But this time, they had gathered noisily because of Reina Botn, worried that their share of benefits might shrink.

‘There were no benefits to begin with.’

Since childhood, Damian had never let himself be swayed by them. He hadn’t given them anything, nor did he plan to.

Damian clicked his tongue.

“Was it next month? That Count Elbron is coming.”

“Yes. He said he would depart after finishing matters at the academy.”

“Hmm.”

Damian skimmed the letter.

Count Elbron was one of the nobles loyal to the Winternight duchy.

He was a renowned academy professor, volunteered at several orphanages, and had been close to the previous duke and duchess.

“He would be suitable to oversee my lady’s education.”

Even Peter trusted him.

Damian nodded.

“You send the reply.”

“Understood.”

Peter bowed lightly and left the office.

“Ha…”

Alone at last, Damian lowered his head.

He wasn’t sure if he was doing things properly.

It was a thought that had come to him often lately.

‘Am I doing this right?’

Would it have been better to prepare a separate residence for them. Perhaps that would have been better for everyone.

“…”

Damian opened the hidden compartment at the bottom of his desk and took out a small box.

Click.

Inside lay a single ring set with a black gemstone.

A gloved hand gently brushed over the dark gem, as if wiping something away.

“What am I supposed to do.”

His instincts told him something.

If he sent Reina and Bonita away from the estate now, something would happen to them.

Twice before, he had ignored his instincts and paid dearly.

He didn’t want to go through that again.

And yet, the Botn mother and daughter had no real connection to him at all.