Chapter 89

‘That’s a pointless thought.’

Whether or not Reina was in love with Damian wasn’t something Madam Beanz particularly cared about.

She corrected Reina’s posture as she watched her.

“Reina Botn, your shoulders are slouching again.”

“Y-Yes.”

“One answer only. And don’t slur your words.”

“Yes.”

Madam Beanz observed Reina walking forward step by step.

“There’s much for you to learn from now on. Your gait, your pronunciation, the fifty essential books nobles read for socializing, twenty plays, dining etiquette, even dancing…”

She had received a rough outline of Reina’s background from Damian.

Until recently, she had been a commoner and a maid.

In truth, Madam Beanz had already known that before hearing it from Damian, but she wasn’t foolish enough to bring it up.

‘It seems she still doesn’t know about the confirmed invitation.’

Damian had deliberately kept it from Reina. The Damian Madam Beanz knew would have burned it immediately, yet he also knew he couldn’t refuse the invitation itself.

He must’ve judged that telling Reina now would only bring harm and no benefit.

‘I should start with dancing. Teach what’s prioritized at social parties first. The most basic steps.’

At the same time, another thought surfaced. Does Reina Botn even have a dress?

Well, if it’s the Duke of Winternight, he’ll manage to obtain one somehow.

Just as Madam Beanz was about to call Reina over and explain the lesson plan, she found herself unable to speak.

In the brief moment she had looked away, Reina was demonstrating the exact gait she had been taught, flawlessly.

Few habits were as deeply ingrained as one’s walk.

You could change it briefly with effort, but maintaining it was difficult.

Reina lifted her chin properly and took one elegant step, then another, just as instructed.

For a moment, it felt as if time had stopped. Even the dust in the sunlight moved slowly and clearly.

‘Why does this feel so familiar?’

Madam Beanz couldn’t quite put a name to the unsettling sense of déjà vu.

Reina stopped and turned her head toward her.

“Madam?”

“…It’s perfect.”

Madam Beanz doubted her own eyes.

Then again, this woman had discovered the theory behind magic stone powder in an incredibly short time, something others had failed to uncover for years.

“Have you ever received training before?”

“Other than learning theory from Peter at the ducal castle, no.”

“Truly?”

“Yes? Yes.”

To grasp it this quickly, she must have learned it long ago.

Reina moved as if she were retrieving something her body had already memorized.

There was something strangely foreign about it.

“Is there a problem?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

Without knowing the cause of that unfamiliarity, she couldn’t speak carelessly.

‘Strange.’

Madam Beanz prided herself on her sharp mind.

“More importantly, Reina Botn, regarding your future lessons…”

But she hadn’t been summoned to this mansion to analyze strange feelings.

She had come to teach Reina Botn to appear like a proper noble.

So she set aside her useless curiosity.

* * *

After the lesson ended, Madam Beanz and Chelsea Dun left.

The moment they did, Estelle and Bonita clung to Reina.

“Reina, I got so much praise today.”

“Mom, me too, me too.”

Perhaps Chelsea was an excellent teacher. The children were beaming.

“Once we finish this book, we’re supposed to make our own story.”

“Mm-hm.”

The book they showed her contained several short stories.

Reina sat on the sofa and skimmed through it lightly. The children held tightly onto her arms on either side.

‘They chose a good book.’

At first, the stories used very basic vocabulary, but as it progressed, more difficult words appeared.

Reina smiled and closed the book.

“What kind of story do you two want to write?”

“I-I want to… um… write a story where everyone becomes happy.”

“I want something like the fairy tales Mom told me.”

“Reina tells you fairy tales?”

At Bonita’s words, Estelle’s eyes widened with curiosity. Bonita nodded.

“Yes. They’re really fun. The best one was… there’s a princess story too, but the one where someone pulls a sword out of a huge rock like this…”

Bonita waved her arms dramatically as she explained to Estelle.

It wasn’t quite the same as how Reina had told it, but either way, the two girls looked delighted.

Reina let out a small laugh.

“Bonita’s version sounds more fun.”

“N-No. Mom’s was way more fun.”

“Yours was super fun too.”

Bonita shook her head in denial, but then suddenly leaned against Reina’s thigh.

Reina immediately started tickling her. Bonita burst into laughter, and Estelle watched with wide eyes before joining in.

Bonita squirmed and laughed loudly.

Hearing that laughter almost made it feel like the crying from a few days ago had been nothing but a nightmare.

Reina stopped tickling and helped Bonita sit properly.

She smoothed her tangled hair and straightened her clothes.

“My daughter is good at everything.”

“That’s because I take after Mom.”

“No. When Mom was your age, she wasn’t as capable as you.”

Then she pulled Estelle into her other arm.

“And I wasn’t as lovely as my lady either.”

“N-No. Reina’s really pretty.”

“Yeah. Mom’s really pretty.”

Reina knew she wasn’t pretty.

Every time she looked in the mirror, she was startled by how plain her features seemed.

She assumed the children only said she was pretty because they liked her.

“My lady and Bonita are both very pretty.”

“Reina’s prettier.”

“Yeah. Mom’s prettier.”

The two girls peeked up at her from her arms.

“That’s because you both love me.”

“Then is that why you say I’m pretty too?”

“Is that it?”

Reina rolled her eyes playfully and hugged them tightly.

“You two really are the most lovable in the whole world.”

At Reina’s chaotic way of speaking, the two girls laughed loudly in her arms.

Savoring the sweetness of this peaceful moment, Reina said gently,

“Shall we go on a picnic soon?”

At the word picnic, both girls lifted their heads at once.

“A picnic?”

“A picnic?”

“Yes. A picnic. I told you before, didn’t I? When spring comes, we’d go on one.”

So let’s go soon. Reina whispered with a smile.

* * *

By the time Damian returned from outside, all three were fast asleep.

“…”

He hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do, then gently shook Reina’s shoulder.

“…Huh?”

“She’s sleeping like she has no care in the world.”

“Ah.”

Reina hadn’t intended to fall asleep.

She had planned to wait until the children were in a deeper sleep before carrying them to their rooms one by one.

“Have you been tired lately?”

“N-No. It’s just…”

She figured it was because she had stayed up for several nights, worried about Bonita’s crying.

Damian looked down at her.

“Are you really alright?”

“…”

When he asked again, Reina’s eyes darted around.

“Th-That is…”

She hesitated, wondering if she should tell him.

This was something deeply personal between her and Bonita.

But in the end, she parted her lips.

“On the first night we slept here, Bonita cried a lot.”

“She cried?”

“It wasn’t just crying. She looked terrified.”

Reina still had no idea why.

The next day, while Bonita was playing with Estelle, she had searched the room thoroughly.

There had been nothing there.