Chapter 34

Bonita headed to the room as usual, holding onto two of Reina’s fingers.

A servant walking side by side with the duke, along with that servant’s daughter, was quite a strange sight to any third party.

The people who had been pressed against the windows sucked in a sharp breath, then quickly returned to their work.

There was nothing good to be gained from being caught secretly watching that scene.

Thanks to that, the corridor was unusually quiet as Reina walked along, her eyes darting around.

Noticing that Bonita looked a bit deflated, Damian opened his mouth, even if only to make small talk.

“Reina Botn.”

“Y-Yes.”

“When all your lessons are finished and you meet the requirements, I’ll give you a congratulatory gift.”

“Mom gets a present from Your Grace too?”

“…That sounds fine.”

“It’s separate from your wages. Take it as a sign that I look forward to working with you.”

‘What are you planning to give me.’

Reina knew very well the kinds of gifts Damian gave Estelle.

On Star’s Birthday, he had planned to give Estelle land, and when it came to Reina, he had even suggested giving her several hundred million Theon before calling himself crazy.

‘What on earth are you trying to give me.’

Damian’s gifts were an unknown terror to Reina.

It wasn’t that she disliked them, but they were so massive that she wondered if it was even okay to accept them.

But looking at Bonita with her eyes sparkling, Reina couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

In the end, she just said she understood and sent Bonita into the room.

She also didn’t forget to tell Bonita to eat only five of the snacks she’d brought back today, not all of them.

After the door closed and they’d walked a little farther away, Damian spoke in a serious tone.

“…From now on, I’ll refrain from games like that. I was thoughtless.”

“More importantly, why were you playing with my daughter in the first place?”

“…”

In that moment, Reina realized that shouldn’t have been her first question, and her face went pale.

“Even if a child asks, if it’s dangerous, an adult should say no.”

“…”

“If a child asks, are you just going to do anything. No matter how amazing you are, you could still make a mistake.”

“Th-That… I’m sorry.”

A commoner scolding a noble.

Only now did Reina panic internally, thinking, ‘What just happened.’

But an unexpected response came back.

“What you said was reasonable.”

“No, no, even so. Even so, I’m sorry. I think I was so shocked I couldn’t see straight.”

“It means you’re a good guardian. You didn’t act like that for yourself, but for your child, didn’t you?”

“Th-That’s…”

“Protecting one’s child isn’t wrong. I’m a parent too, so I understand why you acted that way.”

Damian stopped walking and looked out the window where light streamed in.

On the snow that hadn’t yet been completely cleared, many footprints remained.

Looking closely, there were even small, dainty footprints that clearly belonged to Bonita.

“Still, in places with many people, it’s better to be careful. It doesn’t look good.”

“I understand.”

Reina had no intention of ever getting that angry again.

“It seems your daughter spends a lot of time alone. You haven’t found her a tutor yet either.”

“Ah, I did ask another acquaintance, but Bonita seems shy around strangers.”

“I’ll take the role.”

“Yes?”

“Huh?”

“Y-Your Grace?”

Reina stared at Damian in shock, but he looked back at her as if he didn’t see what the problem was.

“It’s enough to set up a spot in one corner of the office. If she stays by my side, she won’t be bullied, and it’ll be the safest place.”

“That’s not exactly…”

As Reina slowly blinked, she realized something even stranger.

‘Why is the lord of this territory offering to take care of a servant’s child.’

Before she could voice that question, Damian spoke first.

“Then it’s decided. I’ll instruct the head butler to prepare the furniture. Starting tomorrow, bring Bonita to the office before you go to your lessons.”

“…”

Reina stared at Damian with her mouth slightly open.

When he turned to face her, she couldn’t even look away, she was too shocked.

“Your answer.”

“I-It’s an honor…”

* * *

“Aaah, white hair.”

“Run. If you get hit by white hair, your hair will turn white too.”

Among the children at the orphanage where Estelle lived, there was no one younger than her.

A scrawny, pitiful body, rough gray hair dyed with cheap dye, and pink eyes.

Malnourished, her eyes were dull, and her skin was pale to the point of looking bloodless.

“It doesn’t stain…”

Estelle stood alone in the empty backyard after everyone had left, muttering words no one would hear.

From a very young age, Estelle had dyed her white hair gray.

The reason it was gray was simple.

That dye was the least popular, so it was cheap.

The low quality dye gave off a strong, unpleasant smell.

“It stings.”

Her long bangs, when they grew thin, poked into her pink eyes.

“White hair. What are you doing there. Get back to your room.”

“Y-Yes.”

Everyone bullied Estelle because she had inherited Finecke’s appearance.

“It’s ominous.”

Not a single teacher at the orphanage treated Estelle kindly.

Even after dyeing her white hair gray, they still called her white hair, and their malice was obvious.

The orphanage director always spoke with a benevolent smile.

“White hair, I could’ve abandoned you, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Everyone said you were creepy, but you were just so pitiful.”

Yet it was the director who slyly led others to call her white hair.

Estelle lived alone in an attic that outsiders never visited.

The warmth of magic heating never reached there.

When the other children gathered to eat together, Estelle had to hide somewhere out of sight to eat.

There was something the teachers always said whenever they saw her eating.

“How can you eat so messily.”

At first, every single word stabbed at her heart.

Now, it didn’t hurt much anymore.

It just stung a little.

“Pl-Please give me just one Theon.”

Estelle’s suffering didn’t end there.

The child often wandered the streets to beg.

Whenever the director got drunk, they shouted at Estelle, saying she cost too much money.

Estelle was afraid.

‘What if they really abandon me.’

In a few months, the cold winter would begin.

‘Then I’ll really freeze to death.’

Even though the attic wasn’t warmed by magic heating, it was warmer than outside.

There was also a blanket, a worn out bed, and food.

It was better than the streets, so white hair didn’t want to be chased away.

Carefully keeping her eyes lowered, the child grabbed at every adult who passed by and begged for just one Theon.

And one day, just like any other day of begging.

White hair met Damian, the Duke of Winternight, and became Estelle.

* * *

“Her fever is completely gone. That’s a relief.”

The doctor checked the thermometer and let out a sigh of relief.

“I was worried since she’d been sick for so long. If my lady hadn’t woken up like this, His Grace would’ve killed me… No, never mind. Haha.”

“…”

Estelle had a very long dream.

It didn’t seem like a good dream.

“Shall we help you sit up?”

“…Mm.”

The doctor nodded to the assistant standing nearby.

The assistant carefully propped pillows against the headboard and helped Estelle sit up.

“My neck hurts…”

“You were burning with fever for a long time. You’ll need to take medicine for a while. Do you like strawberry flavor. It’s strawberry flavored medicine.”

Instead of answering, Estelle nodded.

“A maid will come shortly. We’ve informed them that you’re awake. I think washing up should come first.”

‘Is it Reina?’

Estelle slowly blinked her eyes.

“Then I’ll go report to His Grace. Please wait a moment.”

After the doctor left, the person who appeared was not Reina.

With light brown hair and brown eyes…

“My lady, I’m Sofia Baran, the maid in charge of your bath today.”

It was a maid named Sofia.

‘Where is Reina?’

Was she busy?

Listening to the doctor, Estelle realized she must have been lying down for a long time.

Reina might have been temporarily assigned elsewhere.

Estelle tried her best to understand.

If she complained about wanting to see Reina, it would only trouble her.

Sofia lifted Estelle into her arms and headed to the bathroom.

“Oh dear, you finally gained some weight, my lady, but you’ve lost it again. I should ask the chef to prepare a full spread.”

“It’s okay…”

Sofia chatted nonstop so Estelle wouldn’t get bored while gently washing her.

Even so, Estelle’s mind was filled with only one question.

‘Why didn’t Reina come.’

Then suddenly, she felt ashamed, thinking she was being too greedy.

‘Reina isn’t my mom.’

Even knowing that Reina wasn’t her mother, sometimes she wished she were.

But knowing something and feeling something were not the same.

The first day they met, the day Reina carried her to the bathroom.

The gentle words she’d spoken then.

To Estelle, Reina was the first person who had ever shown her kindness and warmth.

But she couldn’t keep leaning on Reina forever.