Chapter 95

* * *

When the carriage arrived, the servants who had followed behind tidied the area and withdrew, while the knights gathered in formation to check the perimeter.

Reina held the two children’s hands tightly and looked out at the wide open scenery.

“The view’s beautiful.”

“Reina, what’s a view?”

“Mom, what’s a view?”

“…”

Reina felt at a loss over how to explain it. As she stared blankly into the air, Damian happened to enter her line of sight.

“…”

“…”

Without saying a word, Reina sent Damian a silent plea for help with her eyes.

“…A view is.”

Damian immediately caught her signal and opened his mouth to explain.

After thinking for a moment, he continued,

“It’s scenery.”

“Dad, what’s scenery?”

“Your Grace, what’s scenery?”

“…”

“…”

Reina and Damian both forced calm expressions.

Various words spun through their minds. Landscape, panorama, nature, ambience.

But any substitute they could think of would still be words the children wouldn’t understand.

Reina thought for a long moment.

“When you see a really wide field of flowers, you feel happy, right?”

The children nodded.

“When that happens, His Grace and I think the view or scenery is nice.”

Only then did the children nod again in understanding.

Soon, a servant approached and informed them that everything was ready.

It was beneath a large tree on a low hill.

‘It really looks like something straight out of a fairy tale or a novel.’

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this place had been made just for picnics.

‘Still, that’s why it’s good.’

No, that was exactly why it was good.

Reina remembered once wishing she could have a picnic in a place just like this.

Beside her, Damian spoke quietly.

“This place was prepared for today.”

Reina stared at him with her eyes opened as wide as they could go, her mouth hanging open.

Damian lifted her chin with his hand and closed her mouth.

“It’s a joke.”

“I-I thought you were serious.”

“Of course it’s a joke.”

He took Estelle’s hand and naturally lifted the child into his arms.

By now, it was a very familiar embrace.

“It was Titania’s dream, though.”

“The Duchess?”

“Yes. She once said she really wanted to have a picnic in a place like this someday.”

“I see.”

Reina nodded and looked up at the enormous tree they had nearly reached.

‘Everyone has a dream like this when it comes to picnics.’

A checkered picnic mat just like the classic image. An elegant tea set. And the picnic basket everyone imagines without needing to say it.

‘It really looks like a painting.’

When Reina took off her hat, Bonita slyly took it and pulled it down over her own head.

Even though it was far too big, Bonita wore it proudly.

“Boni, do you like the hat?”

“Yes. It’s the same hat as Mom’s.”

It wasn’t really the same hat since it was just the one Reina had been wearing, but she simply smiled, finding her daughter adorable.

“You’re right. You really look just like Mom like this.”

“Yes!”

Estelle climbed down from Damian’s arms.

“Boni, Boni. Let’s go over there.”

“Where?”

“Dad said there’s a really pretty flower field over there.”

At the mention of flowers, Bonita’s face brightened.

‘Are flowers really that exciting?’

Both the ducal castle and the ducal residence had flowers far more splendid and beautiful than those blooming in a field.

The two children whispered into each other’s ears about something, giggled, and then ran far off together.

“Reina, don’t follow us!”

“Your Grace, you can’t follow either!”

Holding hands, they ran into the distance laughing.

Their giggles could be heard even from far away.

Damian asked Reina, who was smiling warmly,

“Is it really fine not to follow them?”

“If we follow now, they’ll probably really hate us. What about you, Your Grace?”

“Same here. I’d really rather not be disliked by a child.”

The two parents felt exactly the same.

Damian and Reina sat down at opposite ends of the mat.

A warm breeze blew, rustling their hair, but they didn’t speak.

After idly moving his fingers, Damian spoke casually.

“There’s no blueberry jam in the sandwiches this time.”

“Right?”

Since the two of them had prepared the fillings together, Reina already knew.

“Some of the jam cookies might have it, so be careful.”

“Thank you.”

She barely ate cookies to begin with.

Reina let out a faint smile at Damian’s consideration.

That consideration wasn’t about the cookies, but about him starting a conversation so Reina wouldn’t feel pressured by the silence.

“What were you talking about in the carriage?”

“Was that why you spoke to me?”

Reina deliberately asked pointedly. Damian cleared his throat.

“I can’t deny it.”

There was a hint of laughter in his voice.

The atmosphere between them gradually grew as comfortable as the spring breeze.

“They were curious about what was in the lunch box.”

“So did you tell them?”

“No, I only gave them a hint. I said you and I worked hard together. That just made them want to see it more.”

“Is that so? Then we shouldn’t take it out beforehand.”

There’s also the fun of checking it themselves, Damian added awkwardly.

Reina stole a glance at his profile, then looked away again.

As she lightly swung her shoes, she saw the children hurrying back from afar.

“Oh my…”

What on earth had they been doing. There were bits of grass stuck all over their clothes, and Bonita’s hair was completely tousled.

Estelle was no different. She still had her hat firmly on, but her neatly styled hair was sticking out in places, and there was dirt on her cheek.

Reina was startled.

“…Oh dear.”

Damian was equally surprised.

The two adults, who had been sitting leisurely, stood up at the same time and went to the children.

“Estelle, where did you go?”

“Boni, did you fall?”

They asked in worried voices.

The two children grinned with their hands clasped behind their backs.

“Dad, could you lower your head?”

“Mom, lower your head. Please?”

Reina and Damian exchanged a look, wondering what kind of mischief the children were planning.

Either way, they had to play along.

When they bent down as if knowing nothing, something was placed on their heads.

“It’s a present.”

“This one turned out really nice. Really.”

It was a flower crown, far neater than the ones they had made before.

“The young lady and I worked hard together. The ones we made before were a total mess.”

“Yes. Boni and I practiced a lot when we were alone. We really wanted to give it to you today.”

The children beamed, and the two adults were deeply moved.

Reina touched the flower crown with an emotional expression, then asked Bonita,

“Boni, where’s your hat?”

Only then did Bonita realize the hat was gone and panicked.

“Huh? What? Where did it go?”

She must have forgotten about it while making the flower crown with Estelle.

Bonita’s face turned pale as she fidgeted anxiously.

“Boni, Mom will go find the hat.”

“But…”

Reina gently placed the flower crown she had received onto Bonita’s head.

“Boni, you keep this pretty crown safe for me, okay?”

Bonita seemed to feel guilty about losing something that wasn’t hers.

Reina gently held Bonita’s cheeks and rubbed noses with her.

“It’s okay. Mom will definitely find it.”

“You’re not mad?”

“I’m not mad. It’s okay. I’ll be right back.”

Reina guided the children back to the mat, then headed toward the flower field where Estelle and Bonita had gone.

She lightly lifted the hem of her soft lavender dress with both hands and hummed to herself.

Without realizing it, she listened to the rustling sound of grass beneath her steps.

The flower field soon came into view. It was so vast that Reina’s mouth fell open.

“So pretty…”

Countless nameless spring flowers bloomed in vivid colors. There wasn’t a single flashy or expensive flower like those in the ducal garden, yet it was beautiful.

Careful not to step on the flowers, she took one cautious step, then another.

She heard the soft brushing of grass, the wind brushing past like feathers, and her own gentle footsteps.

It was time alone, something she hadn’t felt in a long while.

Reina thought, ‘A long while,’ then stopped abruptly.

‘A long while?’

Could she really call it that.

How many times had she ever strolled alone like this. She stood still, staring into the air.

Beautiful, colorful flowers filled her vision. Beautiful, but a sight she wouldn’t have seen if Bonita hadn’t left her hat behind.

“…”

Reina lowered the corners of her mouth and looked around. Not far away, she spotted the hat.

She walked over and picked it up.

A few blades of grass clung to it. She brushed them off and checked for any damage.

It was borrowed, so she couldn’t treat it carelessly.

‘Seems fine.’

Earlier, she’d also noticed that Bonita’s dress would come clean with just a little wiping.

Judging there was no real problem, Reina nodded to herself.

After debating whether to put the hat back on, she decided to just carry it.

‘They must be getting hungry.’

They’d eaten a light breakfast because of the picnic, so they were probably hungry by now.

And knowing those children, even if Damian suggested eating, they’d surely refuse and wait for her instead. Imagining them clutching their hungry stomachs made her uneasy.

She didn’t want them to be hungry even for a few minutes, so she decided to hurry.

Just then, in the distance, a strange carriage came into view.