Chapter 96

‘Another noble?’

This land wasn’t private property, so it was possible for other nobles to come by.

Still, running into one even by chance would be troublesome, so Reina hurried toward the place where everyone was waiting.

Security would be tighter there, so there’d be no chance of “accidentally” meeting another noble.

“Oh my, who might you be?”

“…”

At the voice coming from behind, Reina stopped dead after only a few steps.

How could the timing be this perfect. The moment she decided she wouldn’t run into anyone, she did.

Reina forced a smile and turned around.

The noble before her had an elegant appearance that sharply contrasted with Reina’s simple attire.

Whether she was a madam or a lady, there was no harm in being polite for now.

‘If I reveal who I am here, it’ll just get annoying.’

If she introduced herself as the Baron of Lian, there were only two possible reactions. If the other person was aware of current affairs, she’d realize it was that Baron of Lian. If not, she’d assume Reina was some backwater country noble and pick a pointless fight.

Rather than getting into an argument with a complete stranger and souring her mood, it seemed better to brush it off and leave quickly.

‘Maybe she approached me because she knows His Grace is here.’

While Reina was thinking that, the other noble was also judging her.

An ordinary, almost plain A line dress that a noble normally wouldn’t wear, a simple hair ornament made from a handkerchief, and in contrast to that, a very fine wide brimmed hat.

Even so, it wasn’t the sort of hat a high ranking noble would use.

In an instant, the noble decided Reina was nothing more than a servant from an insignificant family and scoffed.

“I don’t know which household you serve, but to see a noble and not even greet her. How shameless.”

At that moment, Reina had only one thought.

‘That artifact really works amazingly well.’

There was no way this noble had followed the Duke of Winternight’s picnic.

* * *

Even after the incident with Count Embron, Reina herself hadn’t changed much.

That was only because she was surrounded by good people.

Reina was fundamentally weak to kind people. More precisely, she was weak to anyone who didn’t openly show malice toward her.

That was her nature.

Put another way, she was the opposite toward people who did show malice.

Since getting further involved wouldn’t do any good, she bowed her upper body and apologized.

“I-I’m sorry.”

In other words, she no longer felt much of anything toward people who openly looked down on her.

‘It’s a relief artifacts aren’t easy to make. If they were, they could be abused.’

Even as she apologized, Reina’s mind was blank.

When Reina bowed deeply, the other woman seemed to feel somewhat appeased.

“Hmph. Well, that can happen. Lift your head.”

“…”

When Reina slowly raised her head, she saw a face that had softened compared to before.

“Still, you know. You shouldn’t be so careless.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t it proper etiquette that noble picnics don’t overlap unless they’re arranged in advance?”

“Pardon?”

That was nonsense no matter how you heard it.

Reina found it absurd, but she kept her composure on the surface.

Madam Beanz had taught Reina many rules of noble etiquette, but she’d never heard anything like that. To begin with, that statement was full of flaws.

Not overlapping unless arranged in advance.

To avoid overlapping, you’d have to know the other party’s schedule beforehand.

There were countless nobles in the capital. How could anyone possibly know all their schedules.

‘And what happens if they do overlap?’

If they overlap, does the one who arrived first stay, or do they check who planned their outing first.

‘That makes no sense.’

At that moment, a lesson Madam Beanz had taught came to mind.

“Lately, nobles in the capital are desperate to push down newly risen nobles or families from the countryside.”

“Is there some political reason for it?”

“No.”

“…No?”

“It’s just people who’ve grown arrogant after inheriting their titles and forgotten their duties, doing pointless things.”

“…Is it really okay to say that elsewhere?”

“Of course not.”

“….”

‘So this is that.’

Like kicking a stone that rolled in for fun. Reina realized she was experiencing exactly that.

Because the artifact’s effect was so strong, the woman hadn’t considered that the Duke of Winternight was here, nor did she know Reina was the famous Baron of Lian.

“Wow…”

Reina let out an unintentional murmur of admiration at the artifact’s effectiveness.

Unaware that Reina hadn’t listened to a single word she’d said, the noble smiled arrogantly.

“Our house is quite something. Someone as insignificant as you wouldn’t dare set foot here carelessly.”

Reina simply listened.

She wanted to leave already, but it seemed like she wouldn’t be allowed to move an inch until she was dismissed.

‘I just want to say something and go.’

Reina didn’t like using status to crush others. More importantly, this picnic was supposed to be secret. If she revealed who she was, everything would be ruined.

So she put on a perfect polite smile, half listened to the woman’s bragging, and when the woman paused for breath, she spoke.

“Then may I go now. His Grace is waiting for me.”

“…What?”

The noble’s face stiffened, as if this wasn’t the reaction she’d wanted.

“An insignificant…”

Reina thought this situation felt strangely familiar.

Like something she’d experienced before. Maybe she really had.

In any case, it wasn’t important. She figured she could just listen to a bit more of the woman’s chatter and then leave.

“R-Reina. You were taking so long, so I came to get you.”

“…My lady?”

Why was Estelle suddenly here.

Reina slowly turned her head, which had been trying not to look back. Thankfully, Estelle had her wide brimmed hat pulled down firmly.

‘R-right. We can just leave now.’

As if mocking that thought, a strong gust of wind blew, sending Estelle’s hat flying far away.

“Ah…”

“…”

“…”

Reina thought,

Ah. We’re done for.

She hurriedly took the hat she was holding and placed it on Estelle’s head.

“…Fi-Fine… That means…”

But the noble woman noticed Estelle faster.

Reina thought again. This is really bad.

Estelle wasn’t ready to face other nobles yet. And this wasn’t even a formal occasion.

‘More than that, the noble in front of me doesn’t even seem like a decent person.’

“R-Reina. What’s wrong?”

“N-no. It’s nothing, my lady. Please go on ahead. More importantly, why did you come alone?”

“I wanted to look for you because you weren’t coming, but Dad and Boni are wearing flower crowns. Someone has to watch over the crowns, so I came.”

“I see…”

Damian sending Estelle alone meant the surroundings were safe.

‘It’s not private land, so there’s no barrier, but there must be knights nearby.’

“Th-that…”

While Reina was quietly assessing the situation, she heard stammering from behind.

The woman had realized Estelle was a young lady, and that Reina was the servant.

“W-Winterni…”

“Then we’ll be going now.”

Reina cut her off and bowed.

“N-no, th…”

The noble woman fidgeted and watched Reina’s face.

Reina turned Estelle’s body gently away and smiled kindly.

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with someone as insignificant as me.”

The woman’s face turned pale.

* * *

“Dad, I’ll be back.”

“Alright. If the flowers aren’t there, come back right away.”

“Yes, I know.”

Damian adjusted Estelle’s hat properly and smiled.

His smile was different from before, more natural and warm.

Estelle hugged Damian tightly, kissed his cheek, then trotted off with the widest strides she could manage.

“…”

Damian watched until the back of her head disappeared, then settled down on the picnic mat.

“…”

“…”

Bonita looked sullen, as if her earlier laughter had been a lie.

She carefully picked bits of grass off her clothes and stretched her legs out so her outfit wouldn’t wrinkle.

Damian glanced at Bonita.

“…It’s fine.”

“I forgot the hat. It wasn’t even mine.”

“Reina Botn wasn’t angry.”

“That’s because Mom is kind.”

No matter what Damian said, Bonita’s expression didn’t brighten.

“Mom is really kind. My lady is kind too, and Your Grace is kind too. That’s why no one gets angry at me.”

Damian paused to think at Bonita’s words.

“Then let me ask you something. If I’m busy and get your practice sword a few days late, would you be angry at me?”

“…Your Grace is really busy. You wouldn’t do it on purpose, so I wouldn’t be angry.”

“Right.”

Damian nodded at her answer.

“Then you’re kind too.”

“…”

“It’s right to be kind to people who are kind to you. So you don’t need to feel so down.”

Damian spoke as gently as he could, trying to match a child’s level.

It was the greatest kindness he could show, and he thought it was the closest to the changed answers Reina would give.