Chapter 47

Reina, who had been gently patting the child’s shoulder as if comforting her, continued speaking.

“Until a child can understand the world and make sound judgments on their own, it’s an adult’s job to teach and protect them.”

The strength in Estelle’s arms, which had been tightly wrapped around Reina’s waist, slowly loosened.

“A child shouldn’t be burdened with too much responsibility.”

“Is that how it is?”

“Of course.”

That was why Reina smiled and said she felt even more sorry toward Estelle.

“The reason everyone in this estate is on My Lady’s side isn’t just because you’re the ducal daughter. It’s because everyone knows you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Each of Reina’s words brushed softly against Estelle’s heart.

It felt like dandelion seeds drifting inside and blooming into flowers.

Soon, Estelle pulled away from Reina’s embrace and fidgeted with her fingers.

The child’s heart, which had been shaking with anxiety, returned to its usual steady thump thump thump.

“…Then Reina, you’re not leaving the estate, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Forever?”

“I won’t ever leave until My Lady tells me to.”

Estelle stretched out her little finger and held it out to Reina.

“Promise me.”

“Of course.”

Chuckling at the small hand, Reina hooked her finger with Estelle’s and didn’t forget to press their thumbs together to seal it.

Estelle said,

“I won’t ever tell you to leave, so you have to stay by my side forever and ever.”

“Oh dear, if you ever do tell me to leave someday, I might cry from betrayal.”

“I won’t tell you to leave. If I ever say that, it’ll be fake!”

At Reina’s lighthearted teasing, the child clung to her desperately.

“Then it’ll be easy to tell the real My Lady apart.”

Though Estelle was the young mistress she served, Reina cupped her cheeks and gently stroked them with affectionate eyes.

It was like the way one would treat their own daughter.

“My Lady would never push me away.”

“Yes!”

Estelle happily accepted the affection filled touch.

After watching Estelle for a moment longer, Reina withdrew her hands and glanced at the table in front of the sofa.

The untouched desserts shimmered forlornly.

“Are you hungry?”

“Ah…”

Only then did a growling sound come from Estelle’s stomach.

The hunger that had been suppressed by fear was finally making itself known.

“I-I’m hungry.”

Estelle’s ears turned bright red.

“Did you not eat?”

“I did eat but…”

She’d left far more than she’d eaten.

Estelle couldn’t bring herself to say that part, but Reina could easily guess.

Reina didn’t think filling up on sweets was a good idea, but she decided not to nitpick right now.

She picked up a cupcake topped generously with pale pink cream and decorated here and there with white sugar flowers.

Estelle examined the cupcake Reina handed her, then took a big bite.

Cream smeared around her mouth, but she didn’t care and focused on the sweetness.

Seeing the excessive amount of desserts for a single child, Reina thought again how much everyone in this estate adored Estelle.

“…It’s good.”

“That’d make the chef happy to hear.”

“Yes yes. I’ll go tell them later that it was good. I’ll say thank you too.”

They’d made all this just for Estelle alone, without being asked.

Estelle was slowly beginning to understand what that affection meant.

“And from now on, I’ll finish all my meals too.”

If she couldn’t, she’d be sure to say she was full even though it was delicious, so the chef wouldn’t worry.

With her mouth stuffed full of cupcake, all of Estelle’s words came out muffled.

Even that was unbearably adorable.

Reina smiled warmly and handed Estelle a glass of milk.

After finishing the cupcake, Estelle clutched the glass and said,

“Boni likes sweet things too, right?”

It sounded like a question, but it wasn’t really one.

Reina caught on and simply smiled.

“She does.”

“See? Boni likes tarts and cream puffs and cookies and cupcakes. All of them.”

Estelle rolled her eyes around as if thinking hard.

“Is Boni alone in her room right now?”

“No, she’s probably with the knights.”

“…!”

At Reina’s answer, Estelle’s eyes sparkled.

“Then we can take all of this to the knights and share it together. Right?”

“Shall I ask a servant to help carry everything?”

“Yes yes. I’ll carry the cookies. And I’ll give them to Bonita myself.”

Estelle smiled brightly.

“And tonight, I’ll ask if I can sleep with Reina and Boni.”

* * *

“Break!”

“Ugh! I’m dying!”

“Captain, isn’t this too much?”

Right after the knight commander returned, the knights were put through harsher training than ever.

The reason was simple. While guarding the estate, none of them had been a solid shield for Estelle.

They were told to consider themselves lucky they hadn’t been dismissed, and special training began.

“Quiet. If you can’t even endure this much, how can you call yourselves the Winternight knights? Train harder so you can properly protect the one you serve!”

“Aaagh…”

“Huff… huff.”

“Haah…”

Everyone groaned as they gripped their swords tightly.

Even the knights who had left with Damian and those who had taken personal leave were not exempt.

Some had already collapsed shirtless onto the dirt.

Just then, light and small footsteps could be heard from somewhere.

“Uncle Dean!”

Soft pink hair swaying, moist eyes like her mother’s.

When she first came to the estate, she was so skinny everyone worried, but she soon grew up adorably surrounded by love and care.

It was Bonita.

“…!!”

The knights rolling on the ground and the ones half undressed all snapped back to proper form at the speed of light.

It happened in an instant.

Bonita walked in with a bright smile, then froze with wide rabbit like eyes.

“…Um, am I bothering you while you’re resting?”

“N-No! Of course not, Boni. What’s going on?”

“How could Boni ever be a bother? Right, Captain?”

Everyone clearly wanted to approach Bonita, but worried about smelling of sweat, they only glanced nervously at the commander.

Seeing his subordinates’ gazes, the commander looked at Bonita, who stood there blinking in confusion.

“Ahem. Break until dinner time. Everyone go wash up.”

The moment he finished speaking, everyone rushed toward the washrooms.

Only Bonita and the commander were left standing there.

The commander glanced at Bonita.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he fidgeted slightly, then asked,

“I was heading to my office. Would you like to come along?”

Then he realized his mistake.

Having sworn loyalty to the Winternight duchy all his life, he’d spent nearly all his time with knights.

So he’d spoken stiffly to Bonita, as if she were one of his subordinates.

‘I was running training just now…’

The commander cautiously checked Bonita’s expression. If she cried because of his tone and Reina saw it…

‘Well, Reina Botn would understand, but still.’

As he fell into a long moment of worry, the child’s clear voice rang out.

“Can I come with you?”

“Hm?”

“Like, those places… Mom said I shouldn’t go because I’d be in the way when you’re working.”

So I shouldn’t go… she trailed off, clearly wanting to see it anyway.

Seeing the child’s obvious thoughts, the corner of the commander’s lips lifted slightly.

“It’s fine. If I leave you here alone, my men might start a mutiny.”

“What’s a mutiny?”

Bonita trotted over to him, not looking afraid of his large frame at all.

“Mutiny…”

It was a word he used naturally, but of course Bonita wouldn’t know it. Now that he thought about it, explaining it was tricky.

After a brief moment of pondering how to explain it to an eight year old, he spoke.

“It means someone below trying to stand above someone who’s above them.”

As they spoke, they naturally headed toward the building near the training grounds where the commander’s office was.

“Then if someone who’s below the stairs goes up higher, is that mutiny too?”

“…That’s different.”

“But that’s still going from below to above.”

“When I say below here, I mean status or age.”

“Ohhh.”

The commander paused and glanced at Bonita, who was struggling to keep up with his stride.

“…Hm.”

After a moment of thought, he suddenly scooped Bonita up into his arms.