TMRM 4

Chapter: 4

“Milady, you really are the lucky charm of our family. I’ve never even found a single coin while walking around, but you picked up a jewel on your very first day here!”

Bella chattered beside me.

Every time she spoke, her breath formed little white clouds in the cold air.

Once we earn some money, I’d make sure to stoke the fireplace until the room was scorching.

“So… milady, do you have any plans to pick up more jewels?”

“Bella, that was just luck.”

I replied calmly and then asked,

“Do you have anything to do?”

“My job is to follow you around, milady.”

“Not that. Something else.”

A poor ducal family wouldn’t assign a maid just to help me.

“That is my job. Serving meals to the Duke and you, cleaning rooms, washing clothes… I originally had more duties, but the maid who used to serve the Duke ran away.”

Ah, they reassigned her as a nanny for the children.

I ignored Bella’s sparkling eyes, hoping I might pick up another jewel, and changed the subject.

“Hmm… isn’t it almost time for lunch?”

“Really? Oh my! Is it that late already? Milady, what would you like to eat?”

“I’m fine. More importantly, there’s still some of the meat we bought last time, right? Make something hearty with that—something that’ll really restore my strength.”

I still hadn’t recovered from the shock of malnutrition.

I had grown up without it, but I’d never actually experienced malnutrition myself…

“You always take care of the Duke first, milady. Don’t worry! I’ll cook something with all my heart!”

After sending Bella off, I was finally able to think quietly to myself.

First, I needed to quickly recover what Prug had embezzled, but I wasn’t sure when to bring it up with Ruse.

It would be better to see how much Ruse trusts Prug first, then mention it.

Coincidentally, Ruse was passing by in the distance.

“Ruse!”

I waved my hands energetically to greet him.

His gaze, usually as cold as a star in the winter sky, softened like a spring breeze when he saw me.

Oh, how adorable.

The resolution I had made when signing the marriage papers—to stay away from him—was tossed far away. I waved even more enthusiastically.

But my little one was just too lovely.

Anyone who could ignore this child must also be able to ignore a baby kitten.

Ever since I had cared for him during his illness, Ruse had followed me rather closely.

He ran up quickly, stopped a step in front of me, spread his arms, and asked,

“Can I hug you?”

“Of course!”

I reached out first and held Ruse tightly.

The warmth of his small child’s body felt comforting.

“You don’t have to ask before hugging me?”

“But if I run over and hug you without asking, you might get hurt.”

“Huh?”

My goodness… he was concerned I might get hurt?

How could Ruse be this cute and considerate?

It was scary to think that this child would grow up to be the iron-hearted Duke who, before meeting the heroine, never truly smiled and had the habit of saying, “Hmph. How trivial.”

Puberty is truly frightening.

I felt a little melancholic.

“Are you sad, sister?”

“Uh… no.”

I tried to shake off the thought.

This kind of thinking would lead to obsession and trigger a death flag!

Someday he would marry the heroine, but at least she would never see Ruse this cute, which was a small comfort.

“Ruse, is there anything you want?”

“Anything I want?”

“Yes! Just say it!”

Children this age always want something.

I wanted to win Ruse’s favor, and I still had some money from selling the jewels.

Honestly, I just wanted to buy something for Ruse.

“Don’t worry, tell me,” I said.

Ruse thought for a moment, then whispered in my ear,

“Then can I buy you, sister?”

“What? Me?”

Don’t laugh.

If I laughed at that, little Ruse would be so hurt.

I forced myself to remain serious.

“People aren’t something you can buy or sell. Don’t you want something else?”

“…No…”

Ruse shook his head with a gloomy expression.

“Why do you want to buy me?”

“So I can stay with you all the time.”

“We’ve been together all the time.”

From morning to night, I had stayed by Ruse, nursing him, almost the entire day.

But Ruse stubbornly shook his head.

“Not recently. We’re apart now.”

Oh, so cute.

I had to bite my lip to avoid tightening my arms around Ruse.

Otherwise, he might get crushed in my embrace.

He had no peers, and everyone else around was busy working, so he must have been lonely in this castle.

As I cuddled Ruse, the detestable face of someone appeared in the distance.

Prug.

He approached us with a crooked smile.

“Seems you’ve recovered. I told you so—you didn’t need to waste money calling a doctor.”

Wow. The person who hadn’t even appeared while Ruse was sick was now saying that.

Apparently, Prug hadn’t realized I had secretly called a doctor with my own money.

I hid Ruse behind me and stepped in front of him.

Prug sneered at us like a hissing kitten and walked away.

Once I confirmed he was gone, I checked Ruse’s expression.

“You okay, Ruse?”

“Yes.”

Judging by Prug’s reaction, it seemed Ruse didn’t have a good relationship with him. This was a good opportunity to ask about it.

“Ruse, are you close with that man?”

“…Not really. I think Father liked him, but I don’t.”

Ruse’s sharp tone confirmed they didn’t get along.

Good. Then I could execute my plan by informing Ruse.

“Then, Ruse… can I drive that man away?”

He’s trying to steal your inheritance, embezzle the estate, and he’s a terrible person!

I was about to add that, but Ruse nodded before I could speak.

“Yes. If you want, sister.”

His gaze was gentle, full of trust.

Seeing him rely entirely on me, I hugged him tightly until he was almost crushed.

And I decided to give this adorable child a gift.

After Ruse recovered, I couldn’t stay with him as much as before.

I had to adapt to this world, review the original story, and spend time in the library reading.

But today, I decided to dedicate the entire day to Ruse.

“Really? Really?”

Ruse couldn’t hide the flush on his cheeks, repeatedly asking.

Recently, his previously hollow cheeks had filled out, making him even cuter.

“Yes! Really, really.”

Watching Ruse bounce around excitedly, I wondered what to play with him.

The blizzard had stopped—should we go outside?

I bundled him up in a thick coat, gloves, scarf, and fur hat, then went outside with him.

Ruse, small and frail from years of abuse, now looked like a round little ball.

I held his hand as we went out.

The poorly maintained garden usually had a gloomy atmosphere, but covered in snow, it looked quite charming.

The snow squeaked under our feet.

On a day like this, sledding was perfect!

I grabbed a suitable wooden board to use as a sled and brought Ruse to a sloped hill.

I sat on the board first, then placed Ruse in front of me.

His small body fit perfectly in my lap.

“Alright, Ruse. Hold the strap tight. Keep your legs up—otherwise, you’ll go too fast.”

I held the sled’s strap, arranged his legs, and asked,

“Ready, Ruse?”

“Yes…!”

“Then let’s count down, okay? Three, two…”

I stretched out the last syllable, teasing him as he looked back at me.

Then, shouting the last number, I pushed off the ground.

“One!”

The sled shot forward like an arrow.

“Waaah!”

“Ahhh!”

We screamed with joy simultaneously.

But one thing we hadn’t anticipated—

‘It’s too fast!’

It looked like we might crash into a tree ahead.

Desperately, I pressed my feet against the ground to slow down, and thankfully, the sled began to decelerate.

But we eventually toppled over from the rebound.

“Ow… Ruse!”

My face hit Ruse’s back, hurting my nose, but I worried more about him.

Ruse lifted his face, sneezing, with snow covering his nose and bangs, eyes sparkling.

“Ruse! Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“Yes!”

I checked carefully, but his thick clothes had prevented even a scratch.

Ruse tugged my hand, urging me to go again.

He usually wasn’t so proactive, so seeing him this happy was rewarding.

We decided to go to a lower hill to sled safely.

After a few runs, Ruse grew tired.

His strength was still weak after his recent illness.

“Let’s play again next time, okay?”

As I tried to comfort him inside, Ruse held my finger, looking reluctant.

“Will you be with me then too?”

“Of course.”

Ruse beamed at my answer—a smile as bright as a flower blooming on white snow.

“Oh my.”

It seemed last night, milady had finally given in to the Duke’s stubbornness.

Bella, who came to wake Ruse first in the morning, laughed when she saw the two children sleeping side by side.

Pelia sprawled across the wide bed, and Ruse curled up next to her like a little puppy, snuggling close.

It was an adorable sight.

Bella reached out to wake Pelia.

“Mi—”

Ruse, curled up right next to Pelia, shot awake and grabbed Bella’s hand.

“….”

Those red eyes staring straight at her were terrifying.

She had completely forgotten these past few days.

Even though she served him, Ruse was still intimidating to Bella.

In the enormous, cold Valpru Castle, he was like a ghost—the last pale, expressionless child remaining.

Seeing him stare with those red eyes, he almost didn’t feel human to her.

But things changed when Pelia was around.

Ruse behaved like a well-trained dog in front of her.

Before Pelia arrived, he was difficult even to speak to, but now he seemed like a normal child his age, which was comforting.

‘Thanks to milady, I had forgotten,’ Bella thought.

Ruse released Bella’s hand and whispered,

“I stayed up late yesterday. Let me sleep a little longer.”

Then he settled back next to Pelia, like a loyal beast guarding its sleeping master.

‘I’m so glad milady is here.’

Alone, Ruse could be frightening, but next to milady Pelia, he was not.