Chapter 8

* * *

‘If someone’s family were taken hostage like Botn’s.’

Not everyone would make the same choice Reina did. Some might truly harm Estelle to protect their own family.

It was almost surprising that Reina had been able to make such a rational decision.

How much fear must she have endured before coming to the duke and begging him to save her daughter. The process that led her to that conclusion wasn’t something he could even begin to imagine.

Unlike Reina, the Duke of Winternight possessed overwhelming power. He had the strength to protect what was his. He couldn’t fully understand the despair of having no choice but to beg someone else.

He recalled Reina’s face as she confessed like a sinner and pleaded for her child’s life.

‘What does she think I am.’

He was rumored to be a cold blooded villain, but no matter how harsh he was, he couldn’t possibly feel nothing over the death of an innocent child.

He knew Bonita as well. Sometimes, when he saw that small girl, he was reminded of Estelle.

If that child were to die in Estelle’s place, he would carry the ghost of that memory forever. And if something truly happened to Bonita…

‘I don’t even want to imagine it.’

Frowning, the duke summoned the head butler.

This incident had made him realize he needed a stronger system to protect those around Estelle as well.

It was bitter, but Estelle liked Reina more than she liked him. And because Estelle treasured her, both Reina and Bonita had become weaknesses in his life.

‘That’s why.’

He couldn’t forget the sight of Reina crying and begging for her daughter’s life.

But he shook his head and quietly walked away.

Their relationship was nothing more than that.

* * *

After barely regaining control of her emotions in the empty office, Reina slowly lifted her head.

The sun was setting, and the entire room had turned a deep orange.

She decided she couldn’t stay there any longer.

When she opened the door, a small girl stood in front of her.

“Reina? Did you cry?”

It was Estelle.

Two knights stood behind her, and judging by their tense expressions, they already knew something had happened.

“…No. It’s nothing.”

Reina shook her head. She didn’t want to tell a child who knew nothing about this.

Estelle still looked worried.

“Miss, what brings you here?”

“Oh, I had something I wanted to ask Father.”

“…His Grace just left the office.”

“I see…”

‘A request?’

That hadn’t been in the novel. Perhaps things had already changed because of her actions.

The thought that she might have kidnapped Estelle made her chest ache.

Reina had always shown Estelle a gentle face, and she did so now as well.

But her eyes were red and swollen. No matter how she smiled, the sorrow she couldn’t hide would be visible. Even a child could sense it.

Estelle stepped closer and tugged at Reina’s clothes.

The knights remained tense, watching carefully.

“Reina, Reina.”

Reina bent her knees to meet Estelle’s eye level, as she always did.

“Miss?”

Without a word, Estelle wrapped her arms around her.

“You always smell nice, Reina. I think it’s because you’re a good person. It’ll be okay.”

“…What?”

“It’s okay, Reina. It’s okay.”

She didn’t even know what had happened, yet she kept repeating those words.

The child’s thin body was incredibly warm.

“You know, Reina. I’m Finecke. Not all of it… but I am. And Finecke can use many kinds of magic.”

“…”

“Some Finecke can see the future. So it’ll be okay. I’ll definitely be able to see the future.”

Estelle whispered that everything would be alright.

Having Finecke blood was considered disgraceful in the empire. They were often bullied just for being Finecke. Estelle must have suffered before gaining the Winternight name.

That name held painful memories for her. Yet she brought it up just to comfort Reina.

“So it’ll be okay. Even if I don’t know what’s wrong, I know I’ll see a future where you’re smiling.”

Estelle loved her that much.

“…Yes.”

Reina felt crushed under the weight of that unconditional love.

She would never say the cruel truth. That her own daughter had been kidnapped in Estelle’s place.

Estelle and Bonita overlapped in her mind. No matter what happened, a child could never be the target of resentment.

To Estelle, Reina had been the first kind adult woman in her life.

“I’m sure the gods won’t bully someone as kind as you, Reina. The gods are gentle, right?”

Reina couldn’t answer.

She didn’t think she was that kind. If she hadn’t known the future, she might have kidnapped Estelle to save Bonita.

She was a pitiful adult.

In the end, leaning against the warmth of the child’s embrace, Reina burst into tears once more.

* * *

“…”

At some point, she must have collapsed.

When Reina opened her eyes, she was lying on a bed. The maids she was close with stood around her, looking worried.

“You’re awake, Reina! You suddenly fainted, do you know how scared we were?”

“…”

“You’ve been losing weight lately. I can’t believe you fainted like that.”

“Is it because of Boni? It’ll be fine. The First Knights of Winternight have already set out.”

“…”

Reina slowly pushed herself up. One maid hurried to bring her water.

Her expression looked as though if anything happened to Boni, she would lose her mind.

“Reina… don’t think bad thoughts, alright?”

“That’s right. Everything will be okay.”

After a long silence, Reina finally spoke.

“…I’m.”

“…Yes?”

“Bonita is such a mature child.”

Her voice trembled.

“I’m a bad mother.”

The child hadn’t hated pretty clothes. Whenever stories about princesses were told, her eyes sparkled. She loved the part in the fairy tales where beautiful dresses appeared.

She didn’t dislike sweets either.

It was just…

“Reina, what are you saying? There’s no better mother than you.”

“That’s right. Boni adores you.”

“Sob…”

Bonita had simply been watching her mother’s expressions all along. There was no such thing as a child who became mature without reason. If a child was overly mature, it meant the world had forced her to be that way.

Bonita had grown up careful so that Reina wouldn’t be burdened.

She chose cheaper things. She picked meals over snacks. She restrained herself so her mother wouldn’t struggle.

Excessive poverty confined a child’s world and forced her to hide her desires.

Reina knew it. She had always known.

She had noticed how much Bonita loved the sweetness of honey bread, how she licked her fingers clean. She had noticed that Bonita had actually wanted the white dress embroidered with gold thread, not the green one. She had noticed that she wanted more pudding but hid it so Reina wouldn’t feel pressured to buy treats every week.

She had known everything.

Yet she had felt relieved. Relieved that her child didn’t openly show her desires. Relieved as their finances slowly improved.

She had pretended not to see.

And now she regretted it.

If she betrayed Estelle, perhaps Bonita could live. Maybe the duke would have spared Bonita out of pity. Maybe he would have sent her to another country.

She couldn’t stop thinking about what might have been.

“Reina, you haven’t eaten properly all day! If you keep crying like this, you’ll faint again!”

“Y-Yes! Boni will be back soon…!”

The maids exchanged troubled looks as Reina continued to cry.

Just then, someone rushed in and flung the door open.