Chapter 71

‘I hope it’s something warm.’

Having gotten dressed quickly, Reina neatly put the embroidery hoop, needle, and thread into the box.

“What should I do with the handkerchiefs.”

She stared down at the four handkerchiefs she’d finished in a flash, then in the end folded three of them neatly and slipped them into her pocket, leaving the last one out.

She lightly tapped the now bulging pocket, hoping it didn’t look strange to anyone else.

At this hour, she often ran into staff responsible for keeping the manor clean. People wiping windows, dusting, checking decorations.

“Good morning, Botn.”

“Did you sleep well?”

Most of them were friendly toward Reina.

Some even asked if she was alright after the Count Embron incident.

On the other hand, those who’d been close to Sofia avoided Reina’s gaze. They didn’t think they’d done anything wrong, yet they still felt uneasy.

‘I’ve been spending more time with Peter and Master lately.’

Maybe that was why all those looks felt unfamiliar after so long.

Back then, being with Damian had made her uncomfortable. Now, it was other people who did.

She had to face all kinds of looks filled with meanings that weren’t exactly pleasant.

Reina lowered her gaze and quickened her steps.

When she reached the kitchen, a delicious smell drifted through the air.

“Oh, Reina Botn came in person today?”

“It’d be stranger if someone else kept coming in my place.”

“Haha. What are you saying? The rumor that Reina Botn’s about to receive a title has already spread through the entire manor.”

The cheerful head chef laughed heartily.

He added that he should call her Botn as much as he could while he still could.

“Alright, today’s breakfast is brioche, butter, and peach jam.”

He walked over to a pile of brioche and picked out the one that looked the freshest, placing it into a basket.

“But soon you won’t need to eat the same meals as us anymore.”

“I like the food I eat now.”

“That’s surprising. You’ve attended formal dinners before. Usually, once people taste that kind of food, everything they ate before starts to feel like pig feed.”

“How could I ever call it pig feed when I know how skilled you are.”

When Reina answered with an awkward smile, emotion filled the chef’s eyes.

Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and spoke.

“Reina Botn has a way of making people feel good.”

‘More like the taste doesn’t differ that much for me.’

Some people had such refined palates they could even tell where salt came from, but Reina was far from that.

The chef, unaware of the truth, was simply moved, and Reina decided there was no need to point out such an inconvenient fact.

Looking down at the breakfast piled high on the tray, Reina asked,

“Do you think there’s anyone who feels negatively about me receiving a title?”

It was almost an impulsive question.

If the chef hadn’t brought up the topic first, she never would’ve asked.

“Do you want an honest answer?”

“J-Just a little.”

The chef smiled with his brows furrowed. It was a habit of his when he felt awkward.

“Some think you’re just lucky. Others think it can’t be helped. You’re the only maid her ladyship has truly grown attached to, right? That means, to her ladyship, Reina Botn is someone she needs for the next few years at least.”

“For several years?”

“Don’t underestimate how children form attachments. Didn’t Boni have something like that too?”

A doll, a blanket, anything.

The chef explained further, and Reina fell into thought.

‘Did Boni have anything like that?’

No matter how much she thought about it, nothing came to mind.

“She didn’t really have anything like that.”

When Reina shook her head, the chef exclaimed that she was lucky and continued,

“So, Reina Botn, you’ll have to go to the capital. And since you’re so closely tied to her ladyship, you’ll end up meeting plenty of noble lords. If things go wrong, even members of the imperial family. At that point, being a commoner wrapped in the prestige of the ducal house won’t be enough to hold your ground.”

“You know a lot about this.”

“Haha. I’m from a baronial family myself.”

The chef gave a playful wink.

“So no matter the reason, it’s better for you to receive a title. That’s what it comes down to.”

“You’re very kind.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

On her way here, Reina had felt many people’s gazes.

Where there had once been mostly pity, now there was admiration, envy, jealousy. None of it had been welcome before, and now it was mixed with an even heavier discomfort.

Reina glanced at the chef standing before her with a puzzled expression.

‘Annemarie and the chef haven’t changed.’

They said the best way to truly know people was to sink to the very bottom.

But the opposite was also true.

As someone who’d once been at the bottom rose by chance, the pity in people’s eyes turned into a subtle hostility.

When Reina stopped responding, the chef looked at her with concern.

“Is this because of Sofia?”

“Ah…”

Sofia’s true nature had already spread throughout the manor.

She’d been kind to everyone, especially to Reina, so the shock had been great.

Those close to the Botn mother and daughter had been hit the hardest, and the chef was one of them.

Suppressing his sympathy, he continued in a calm voice.

“There was a big notice about it this time. They said the recent magical tool rampage was caused by that artifact too.”

“Oh, was that so?”

“You didn’t know? Well, you were busy yesterday too. Because of this incident, they’re rechecking all staff records and inviting Mage Examiners from the mage tower to test everyone’s magic.”

At the mention of Mage Examiners, Reina thought of Eleanor, who’d swept through in a frenzy and left after just one day.

“…A Mage Examiner did come before, right?”

“Lady Eleanor? Yes. She went back to the mage tower to urgently request reinforcements. Normally she would’ve stayed a few more days.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to call someone else?”

“The mage tower doesn’t like outsiders. Tsk. We’re actually one of the better cases.”

Better in what way? Just as Reina was about to ask, the kitchen clock chimed.

“Oh, I’ve kept you too long. Your daughter might be awake, so hurry back.”

“Ah, yes. Yes.”

Reina bowed repeatedly, picked up the tray, and headed back to her room.

‘One of the better cases.’

As she walked down the corridor, she thought it over.

‘Is it because of Count Pantale?’

Damian had said he was pushing for their restoration for some reason.

Count Pantale had been heroes who changed the history of magical tools and the very value of mages. It made sense that they’d be on good terms with Damian.

‘That name really comes up a lot.’

It appeared in the original story too, so maybe it couldn’t be helped. Still, every time she realized how deeply Damian was entangled with Count Pantale, she felt surprised.

‘Did the original novel mention Master pushing for their restoration?’

She didn’t think so.

But the order in which memories of the original story surfaced was chaotic, and the criteria unclear, so she couldn’t be sure.

Reina frowned and let out a low groan.

‘If memories return, shouldn’t they all come back at once?’

Why did they surface so little by little?

Not even knowing the trigger made it all the more frustrating.

As she walked lost in thought, a familiar voice called out from afar.

“Reina, you’re out early this morning.”

“Ah, Sir Dean.”

Looking up, she saw Dean Peronte jogging toward her with a bright smile visible even from a distance.

For a moment, Reina thought he was like a large dog, then hurriedly erased the rude thought from her mind.

“Let me carry that for you.”

“No, no. I’m fine.”

Reina always found herself caught in endless chains of thought.

Hadn’t she just been doing that again, thinking things she’d only end up postponing anyway?

That was why Dean’s voice felt especially welcome.

It usually was, but today even more so.

“This works out well. I thought I might not see you since you’re heading out again today.”

Asking him to hold the tray for a moment, Reina pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to him.

“This is…”

“A handkerchief. It’s a simple pattern, but it’s clearly a star, right?”

Dean couldn’t take his eyes off it, turning it over and over in his hand.

‘He’s kind of cute.’

Like a younger brother.

She didn’t have one, but she imagined it might feel like this.

Taking the tray back from the clearly moved Dean, Reina spoke.

“I got carried away and ended up finishing them all.”

“Th-Then am I the first one to receive it?”

Reina looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded.

“I guess you are.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Even though my skills aren’t great, seeing you so happy makes me happier.”

Watching Dean beam with joy, Reina giggled and bowed lightly.

“Morning training, right? I’ll be going then. Please take care of Boni today.”

“Yes.”

His ears were red.

Reina headed back to her room.

‘Anyone watching might think he likes me.’

That couldn’t be it.

She thought so.

After all, she was a woman with a child.