Chapter 87

Reina felt the back of her neck grow warm and suggested to Estelle that maybe they should pick one more flower, this time for Damian instead of just for her.

Estelle and Bonita realized then that they had picked flowers for Reina but not for Damian.

The two immediately grabbed each other’s hands and ran toward a flowering bush. Reina stood up, keeping her eyes on them to make sure they wouldn’t fall.

“I-I think it was just a side job because I needed money. There really wasn’t anything else left to sell.”

“Nothing else left to sell.”

“Well… how many jobs do you think a single mother can actually get.”

Reina laughed and said that she really must have been blessed with good luck to make it this far. Damian thought that if Reina had truly been blessed with luck, she wouldn’t have met such an irresponsible man in the first place.

“Other than handkerchiefs, what else did you sell?”

“Hmm… I sold all kinds of things, so I don’t remember everything. But there’s one thing I still can’t forget.”

After a brief pause, Reina continued.

“The necklace my father left me.”

She hurried to add that it wasn’t left only to her but also to her mom.

That it was left to both her and her mom, and when her mom left, she left her share too… but as she kept adding explanations, the mood grew heavier, so she decided to stop.

She rolled her eyes once, exaggeratedly.

“You must’ve regretted it a lot.”

“Rather than regret… it was just… like that.”

“Like what?”

“My mom said it was really expensive. Dad told me it was extremely important when he gave it to me and said I should never lose it.”

Even as she said that, Reina suddenly wondered if calling them Mom and Dad at her age sounded childish.

“Did you feel guilty because you sold something you were told never to lose?”

“It was ten thousand Theon.”

“…”

“Ten thousand Theon. That was the price of the necklace.”

The monthly wage of the lowest ranked maid in Winternight was twelve thousand Theon.

* * *

“I thought it was a real gem, but the appraiser said it was a crude fake. Still, it was a relief I got ten thousand Theon.”

Reina laughed it off, saying it was fortunate.

Back then, she had been looking for a new job as always. And as always, it hadn’t been easy.

“No matter what, I couldn’t let Boni starve. With ten thousand Theon, we could eat for a month.”

If she stretched it carefully, even two months were possible.

Reina didn’t add that, knowing it would only make the mood worse.

Beside her, Damian’s expression grew grim.

“…I didn’t realize my territory had such severe disparity.”

“Well, I moved around a lot, so that probably made it worse.”

At least Winternight was better than other territories, which was why she settled there.

“Even if winters are colder than elsewhere.”

Reina didn’t mind at all, but Damian remained serious.

“I’ll need to send a letter soon.”

“A letter?”

“Yes. I’ll have the territory thoroughly investigated.”

Reina stared at him with wide eyes. He spoke calmly, unfazed by her obvious gaze.

“There’s no way someone like you is the only one. Even if I can’t employ everyone, I should at least make sure they can live at a basic level.”

“Your Grace is very kind.”

“Not particularly.”

How many nobles actually cared this much about commoners’ lives.

Only then did Reina truly understand what Peter had meant before. She had never once seen a noble like this in any other territory.

As time passed and the past became history, nobles who inherited titles forgot their duties and lived only in lofty isolation.

“Dad, here.”

Estelle came hopping over from afar and hugged Damian.

In her hand was a beautifully blooming pink flower. She handed the lovely flower to Damian.

“A flower for me?”

“Yes. Boni helped me choose it too. There were so many colors, it was hard to decide.”

As Estelle said that with a smile, Bonita’s cheeks turned a faint pink.

Reina gently stroked the shy Bonita.

“…Thank you.”

Damian carefully took the flower, the corner of his lips lifting just slightly.

Seeing his pleased expression, one he was clearly trying to suppress, Reina asked,

“…Aren’t you going to use preservation magic on it?”

“Hmm.”

The question reminded him of the flower crown.

Damian easily realized that Reina was teasing him lightly.

“I think it’d be better as a bookmark.”

He slowly examined the pink flower in his hand.

“Can you do it for me?”

He then gently handed it to Reina.

“You’re good with things like this, aren’t you. You made your daughter’s flower crown quite well before.”

“…You saw that.”

“Yes. Before coming to the capital, that flower crown was one of the first things you packed.”

“…”

Reina’s face turned bright red. Beside her, Bonita gasped, saying Mom’s face looked like a strawberry.

“That’s embarrassing.”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about.”

Flustered, Reina didn’t notice Damian letting out a small chuckle.

“My lord.”

From behind them, the head butler called Damian.

“Ah, it seems the meal is ready.”

At the word meal, Reina looked up. Only then did she realize the sky had turned a deep crimson.

“Time really flew by.”

“We did quite a lot today, didn’t we.”

“I don’t remember doing any work.”

“We arrived at the capital house, checked the rooms, and toured the garden. That’s plenty.”

Everyone began moving in the direction the butler indicated. Bonita, unusually bouncy, hopped along beside Reina.

“Mom, Mom. Is there a place here where the knight uncles practice swordsmanship too?”

“You mean the training grounds?”

“Yeah, probably that.”

Since this was Reina’s first time at the mansion as well, she couldn’t answer right away. Damian, who had overheard their conversation, answered instead.

“There is.”

“Then can we go?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.”

Bonita grinned and lightly shook Reina’s hand.

It was something she did whenever she couldn’t hide her excitement.

Reina smiled back, squeezing her small hand.

“Boni, are you learning swordsmanship well from Sir Dun?”

At the question, Bonita hesitated, her mouth working silently.

“Uncle Dun is kind.”

That was all she said.

Reina already knew that Dun was gentle, and so did Bonita.

“What about swordsmanship?”

“I don’t know.”

Bonita let out a small groan.

“I don’t know.”

She answered the same way again.

Reina wanted to ask why, but they were already near the dining hall, so she couldn’t.

Only when they reached the door did another question occur to her.

“Are we eating together too?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“…What?”

In the past, Reina wouldn’t have asked so directly, but this time she looked straight at Damian.

They were entering the same dining hall so naturally that her confusion was understandable.

Damian parted his lips as if to answer, but no words came out.

No matter how he thought about it, the situation wasn’t unnatural at all.

The long silence was broken by Estelle.

“R-Reina, do you not want to eat with me?”

Startled by the worried question, Reina hurriedly replied,

“Of course I do. Eating with the young lady is always a wonderful time for me.”

Even so, Estelle still looked a little dejected.

Reina felt cold sweat trickle down her back.

Noticing how pale Reina had become, Damian spoke.

“In that case, from now on, we’ll eat together whenever there’s time.”

“…B-But.”

“Reina Botn, you have a title now. You can be confident.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say that making meals for two or four wouldn’t be much different. That would’ve sounded too pitiful.

Reina glanced down nervously. Bonita was looking up at her with a puzzled expression.

“Then, I’ll accept gratefully.”

“Good.”

‘Is this really okay.’

Strangely enough, more and more people around Reina were becoming kind to her.

Whether strangers or acquaintances, she was clearly living a life like a Cinderella story.

‘Though I don’t think there’s a Cinderella here.’

There wasn’t even Santa, so how could there be Cinderella. Reina nodded to herself, thinking of the fairy tales she had read to Bonita.

“…It smells amazing.”

When the door opened, a spread worthy of the word feast awaited them.

Roast chicken drenched generously in herbs and butter, colorful grilled vegetables, warm bread, a massive fish steamed in tomato sauce, and even a clear consomme soup.

Bonita stared at the table with her mouth open.

“Mom, Mom, it smells really good.”

“It looks like there’s lots of food you like.”

“There’s food I like too.”

Estelle tugged lightly at Reina’s clothes. Reina smiled and nodded at her as well.

Only after seating the two children did the adults sit down.

As Reina was serving vegetables onto Bonita’s plate, Damian spoke.

“And this time, Boni isn’t hiccupping.”

“…Hic.”

“Oh, Mom, are you okay?”

“Reina, are you alright?”

Damian had dragged up the memory of their very first formal dinner.

Reina coughed lightly, relieved that her mouth was empty.

“That’s an embarrassing memory.”

Her face had already turned red earlier. She really didn’t want it to happen again.

Reina tried hard to regain her composure.

Damian, as if the comment meant nothing, didn’t bring up that dinner again.

Only the children chattered about what was tasty and what they liked, laughing happily.

Watching them, Reina smiled, feeling that the present was far more comfortable than the past.

Hoping that this kind of daily life would continue for a long, long time.