Chapter 84

The butler guided Reina and Bonita to the room they would be using.

In the Winternight duchy, furniture had been added to an already existing room, so it had been extravagantly ornate. The room assigned to them in the capital townhouse, however, was simple and neat, which Reina preferred.

‘Thank goodness. I was worried it would be as flashy as the ducal castle.’

“His Grace informed us that Baron of Lian prefers things that aren’t too extravagant, so we prepared it accordingly.”

“His Grace did?”

“Yes. Does it meet your liking?”

Reina couldn’t hide her delight as she looked around the room.

“Very much… I love it.”

“That’s a relief.”

Smiling, the butler led Reina and Bonita toward a door set into the adjacent wall.

“This way, please.”

“Is this the bathroom?”

At Reina’s question, the butler shook his head and extended a hand toward Bonita.

“This is the room of the young lady of Lian.”

“Boni’s room?”

“My room?”

Neither of them had ever imagined they’d be sleeping separately, so they asked at the exact same time, eyes wide.

“The doors are right next to each other, so it’s hardly different from being one.”

As the butler opened the door, a warmly colored room came into view.

Bonita’s room was filled with charming, petite furniture.

“We arranged furniture in sizes suitable for a child.”

“I’m not a child!”

Bonita bristled at the butler’s words.

“I’m nine now. I’m not a child.”

“My apologies, my lady.”

Even at the slightly sharp protest, the butler apologized in a gentle voice.

Only Reina gave an awkward smile.

“Since you’re a lady, I thought you might prefer your own proper room. Still, the connecting door means you can come and go anytime.”

“I don’t know how to thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“Not at all. I’m the one honored to serve Baron of Lian.”

Every time the butler called her Baron of Lian, Reina flinched.

“…I’m sorry, but may I ask one favor?”

“Of course. Is there something you dislike about the furniture, wallpaper, or curtains?”

“N-No.”

If she didn’t answer quickly, he looked ready to bring out a furniture catalog. Reina hurried to stop him.

“I-It’s just that being called Baron of Lian feels unfamiliar. Could you please just call me Reina Botn?”

Even as she asked, she stuttered slightly, glancing at him cautiously.

She promised herself she’d change, but her timid nature wasn’t so easily altered.

The butler might have been surprised, but he showed no sign of it, keeping his gentle expression.

“If that is your wish, then so it shall be. In that case, may I ask that Reina Botn also speak more casually to me?”

“More casually…?”

Reina looked at him with a sinking feeling. He smiled brightly.

“Could you refrain from using honorific speech?”

“…”

“If Reina Botn continues to speak formally to me, the head butler will scold me.”

“…”

Cold sweat formed on Reina’s back.

Until now, there had only been one person she spoke casually to. Bonita.

She simply wasn’t used to speaking down to anyone.

“I-I was a commoner until a few weeks ago…”

“Yes, I know. You made a remarkable discovery. The capital is still abuzz. Everyone is praising Reina Botn.”

The more the butler praised her, the paler Reina became.

Unaware of her draining complexion, he continued enthusiastically.

“Since Lian is quite far, the news about the magic stone powder was only recently published in the capital papers. Would you like to see?”

“N-No… that must be trouble for you…”

“Not at all. I happened to tuck it inside my jacket.”

‘Why would you tuck that in there?’

The retort rose to Reina’s throat, but she swallowed it down.

The butler took out the newspaper and showed it to her.

[New Discovery. A New Advancement in Magical Tools and the Dawn of a New Era for the Empire.]

The edges of the paper were curled from being read so often.

Reina couldn’t possibly look at it with a clear mind. Beside her, Bonita was excitedly saying, “Wow, my mom is amazing.”

The butler smiled warmly down at her.

He handed the paper to Bonita, who was practically hopping in place but holding herself back.

The vocabulary was difficult for a nine year old, so Bonita stumbled through it before hugging the newspaper tightly to her chest.

Reina, meanwhile, pressed her now cool cheeks with her hands.

“I’ll try. No, I’ll try.”

“Thank you.”

The butler smiled and bowed lightly.

Then he led them around Bonita’s room, explaining the details.

“If you look out this window, you can see the back garden clearly. My lady, do you like flowers?”

Bonita answered proudly.

“You can just call me Bonita. And yes, I like them.”

“That’s good to hear. And this is a secret, but while the young lady’s room has the best view of the garden, this room has the best flower fragrance.”

He added that if she slept with the window slightly open at night, she’d be able to smell the blossoms.

Bonita’s eyes sparkled. Her cheeks flushed as she glanced at Reina.

Tugging at Reina’s skirt, she asked.

“M-Mom, can I sleep with the window open tonight?”

“Hm?”

“I mean, if I sleep in this room…”

“Do you want to sleep separately?”

“If Mom’s okay with it.”

Bonita rolled her eyes in a circle and looked up at Reina again, clearly gauging her reaction.

Reina bent down to meet her gaze.

“Of course it’s okay. But if the window stays open all night, you’ll catch a cold. Would it be alright if Mom comes in later to close it?”

At Reina’s gentle answer, the slight stiffness in Bonita’s face melted.

“Yes, that’s super super okay.”

“All right. Then we’ll do that.”

Bonita gave Reina a tight hug before letting go.

The butler watched them fondly, then checked his pocket watch.

“Now that you’ve seen the young lady’s room, shall we go see Reina Botn’s office?”

“…Pardon?”

Reina’s voice squeaked.

“M-My office? I mean, m-my office?”

“Yes. Reina Botn has her own personal space as well. The bookshelves are not yet fully filled.”

Reina’s pupils shook violently.

‘But I’m just a governess.’

Did governesses usually get offices? She had never known anyone who served as a noble young lady’s governess, so she had nothing to compare it to.

“His Grace said you may use it however you wish. This way, please.”

The butler led the way. Reina’s office was a bit farther from her room than she’d expected.

‘Still close enough for Boni to walk over by herself.’

She glanced at Bonita walking beside her with no sign of fatigue. That reassured her.

“It was previously used as storage and renovated quickly, so it isn’t very large.”

“No, it’s more than enough.”

Reina looked around in awe.

Beautiful wooden furniture with neat finishes and brand new books brought in for today.

The wide window faced the front gate.

‘It’s good for seeing what’s happening outside.’

“If you pull this cord, a servant will come to assist you.”

Reina stared at the cord.

‘So now I’m the one who calls.’

It felt strange.

‘Maybe it’ll still feel strange even a year from now.’

No matter how much time passed, she felt she might never grow used to being a baron.

“Is there any particular type of book you’d like?”

“N-No… I didn’t even know a space like this would be given to me.”

Reina waved her hands frantically.

‘It’s not like I’ll be doing more research anyway.’

Most of the books were about magical tools or magic power.

It seemed they had prepared them because of her success with magic stone powder.

‘I’m not planning to create other magical tools.’

She had only sought a legitimate way to earn a title before becoming a governess.

‘And even that wouldn’t have been possible without His Grace’s help.’

Reina still saw herself as incompetent.

She had enjoyed researching magical tools, but she didn’t want to put the children aside.

Taking care of them was her role. She didn’t want to chase research she had no special talent for just because it was enjoyable.

After looking around briefly, Reina asked.

“May I turn this into a space for the children instead of keeping it full of books?”

“A space for the children?”

“Yes. So that My lady or Boni can come anytime.”

Beside her, Bonita visibly perked up.

“It is possible… though it may feel somewhat cramped.”

Both walls were lined with bookshelves. Reina pointed to an empty one in the corner.

“If we remove this shelf, we could use the space more freely.”

Her honorific slipped out again. Embarrassed, she touched her lips.

The butler briefly showed a troubled expression before smoothing it away.

“If that is your wish, it shall be done at once.”

“Thank you. No, thanks. I don’t have to force myself too much, right?”

“This office is Reina Botn’s personal space. His Grace instructed that any space granted to Reina Botn may be used as she pleases.”

“…His Grace did.”

Her chest fluttered slightly.

At first, he had been terrifying. But over the past few months, she had learned many things.

“I’m happy.”

He had trusted someone as worthless as Reina and made her into someone of value. No one else knew how much effort Damian had put into that process.

No one except Reina, who had once secretly witnessed it.

‘Come to think of it, I never gave him the handkerchief in the end.’

Even though she had said she wouldn’t, she had brought it with her to the capital without forgetting.