Chapter 9

* * *

“…Ugh…”

With an expressionless face, the duke crushed the groaning figure collapsed beneath his foot.

The narrow room was drenched in blood, yet not a single drop had stained him.

Wiping the blood from his sword with a rough motion, he asked the knight behind him.

“Did you get the information?”

There was no emotion in the duke’s voice.

Rather, that flat tone carried anger. The quiet pressure alone made even the knights following him instinctively tense.

“Yes, my lord. We interrogated them about the child’s location just moments ago.”

“I see…”

He kicked the mercenary on the floor as if discarding trash.

“Then clean up properly.”

“Yes.”

Once more, he checked his clothes to ensure there were no bloodstains.

If the child were awake, seeing blood might frighten her.

“It might be a diversion.”

One of the elite knights whispered in concern.

“That’s right.”

They had arrived at the location Reina indicated, yet there wasn’t even the shadow of a child.

When the duke saw mercenaries gathered in a narrow, decrepit house, wielding vicious looking weapons, he immediately realized they had never intended to take care of Bonita.

‘Scum.’

He’d never believed kidnappers to be sane to begin with.

But to toy with the heart of a parent desperate to save their child was beyond contemptible.

Normally, the duke would’ve extracted every scrap of information before dealing with them.

‘This isn’t like me.’

The moment he realized they had deceived Reina, he forgot even to issue proper commands and launched the assault himself.

“My lord, please calm yourself next time.”

“Are you ordering me now?”

“…This is a loyal plea.”

It took only minutes.

The time required for a single man to slaughter every mercenary in that house.

‘As expected of the sword’s owner.’

The knight commander looked at the duke, who was still radiating a vicious aura. Even knowing him as his lord, at moments like this he seemed like a monster.

“How long until we arrive?”

“I-It’ll take thirty minutes.”

“If we hurry, ten will do.”

“Move out.”

“By your command.”

It was an order that truly fit the word absurd.

Reducing a thirty minute ride to ten meant pushing both horses and riders to their limits.

They had already rushed to reach this location, and many knights were exhausted.

Even so, the duke didn’t slow down.

‘I hope she wasn’t hurt at all.’

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to face Reina Botn.

Riding hard, a small estate soon came into view.

“A villa?”

“It appears to belong to Baron Testoa.”

“Testoa…”

The duke had crossed paths with Baron Testoa on rare occasions.

“Did he really have reason to make such a threat?”

The duke had many enemies and kept close watch on every house that could become one.

Testoa was a minor noble who, even twenty years ago, had never placed his daughter in any imperial faction.

All he possessed was a vast orchard, a thoroughly unremarkable figure.

‘Then he’s acting on someone else’s orders.’

There was another mastermind behind him.

Since Testoa had little notable interaction with other nobles, there was little information on him.

“At least one name will be erased from the noble registry because of this.”

“…”

“Did he really think he could touch Winternight and live?”

The duke stared coldly at the estate before him.

Compared to his presence, the building looked strangely small and pitiful.

“Knights, move in.”

“Yes!”

* * *

“Reina…!! The knights are here!”

“…!!”

“In the garden, Boni is with… Reina!”

Before the words even finished, Reina ran out barefoot. She heard her coworkers trying to stop her.

Her hastily tied hair came undone as she ran.

The same Reina who always scolded Bonita for walking barefoot now sprinted across the freezing floor without hesitation.

“Boni…!!!!”

In the dark night, knights filled the area. They flinched at the sudden scream that sounded like a woman crying out.

Reina didn’t stop, rushing straight toward where Bonita was.

Bonita was wrapped in a large blanket, held in the duke’s arms.

“Ah…”

“M-Mom.”

Reina forgot even to greet the duke. With trembling hands, she reached for Bonita’s cheek.

She was afraid it might be a mirage. Afraid only a cold body had returned.

But the child’s cheek was soft and warm, just like when Reina had gently touched her while she slept the night before.

“Thank you… thank you.”

“M-Mom…”

Bonita, now transferred into Reina’s arms, kept apologizing in a flustered voice.

“I-I’m sorry… I said I’d stay in my room today… but the knights practicing looked so cool… so…”

“Boni.”

Bonita froze as Reina cut her off. Though everything was over, fear still trembled in the child’s eyes.

“…Mom, so… I.”

“Are you okay?”

“…Huh?”

“Were you scared? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Bonita blinked, then nodded repeatedly.

Only then did Reina manage to smile.

Smiling through tear soaked cheeks looked almost strange.

“Thank you for being alive.”

“…”

“Thank you for coming back to Mom.”

* * *

A few days after the kidnapping incident.

Bonita sat calmly on the bed, watching Reina quietly sew.

It was a familiar morning scene, except today Reina was in casual clothes.

“Mom, you’re not going to work today?”

“Yeah.”

Thanks to the duke’s consideration, Reina had been given a full day off.

“Today, you and Mom are going out. We’ll eat something good, have dessert, and buy clothes.”

“Clothes? What clothes?”

“Something to wear before the Star’s Birthday passes. It gets really cold after that.”

“In winter, I won’t even be able to wear a dress.”

“Then there’s the green dress.”

“…Boni.”

“…”

When Reina called her name, Bonita looked away. Reina crouched in front of her and spoke gently.

“Boni, if next year you haven’t grown much and don’t need a new dress, would you still not want to buy one?”

After thinking for a moment, Bonita nodded.

“Then next year, Mom wants to do so many things with you. Go to the spring festival, visit the seaside village… go to the autumn festival… and in winter, celebrate the Star’s Birthday together. But if you wear the green dress every time, won’t it all blur together one day?”

“I can remember it instead!”

Reina shook her head.

“If you say it was fun that day, but you wore the same dress every time, won’t you forget which day it was?”

“…Hmm.”

“As the seasons change, Mom wants to see you grow in different ways.”

Bonita finally nodded.

Reina smiled brightly and buttoned Bonita’s collar tightly in case of a chill.

“Let’s eat lots of what you like and look at fun things today. Okay?”

“…Okay.”

As they left the dormitory hand in hand, a dark haired man was waiting.

“Reina.”

“Thank you for today.”

“…Uncle Dean!”

The knight Dean, whom Bonita knew well, smiled warmly at her.

“It’s still dangerous to go out right now, so I’ll escort you.”

“Having you with us is reassuring.”

Dean lifted Bonita into his arms and nodded to Reina.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Reina felt grateful that Dean had volunteered even though it wasn’t his duty.

“Sir Dean, is there something you like?”

“…Pardon?”

“Food, or anything. I can’t buy anything expensive, but I want to thank you.”

“…Hmm.”

After thinking for a moment, Dean met Bonita’s gaze and smiled.

“I like honey bread the most.”

“Oh.”

Reina said in mild surprise.

“I thought you were from a noble family?”

“I am, but we’re not wealthy. Our title barely counts.”

Still, seeing a knight who liked honey bread made Reina smile without realizing it.