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Chapter 64
After even the maids had left, only the four of them remained in the reception room.
“I’m sorry, Madam.”
“Huh?”
Daphne was taken aback as the Countess suddenly bowed deeply in apology.
“Our Rennox isn’t a bad child. It’s just that he doesn’t understand and repeats what he’s learned…”
Countess Villeden faltered as she spoke, and Rennox hung his head, looking completely dejected.
Then, with tears welling in his eyes, Rennox spoke.
“I’m sorry…”
At that moment, Jaquet, who had been observing the situation, tilted her head in curiosity.
“Wait a second. Um… Bil—”
“Villeden, Jaquet.”
Since she hadn’t memorized the Anaxis lineage yet, it was unfamiliar to Jaquet.
“Villeden Rennox?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’m Jaquet Anaxis. And you are?”
Rennox, who had been momentarily frozen, opened his mouth a beat later.
“I-I’m Rennox Villeden.”
“Good. Rennox. Can I just call you Rennox?”
“Uh-huh, yes.”
“You can also call me Jaquet. Anyway.”
Daphne watched for a moment, considering the child’s composed and skillful manner of introducing himself and summarizing the situation.
The child was gradually starting to resemble Teophanes.
She hoped that he wouldn’t inherit his father’s unpleasant habit of smiling when he was in a bad mood.
But she couldn’t strongly oppose him taking after his father either; she could only hope he learned no bad habits.
“Why are you apologizing to Mom?”
“Huh?”
Jaquet’s question made Rennox tilt his head in confusion.
But the adults, Daphne and the Countess, immediately understood what she meant.
He had fought with her. He had called her a lowly commoner. He had caused injuries. And yet, he was apologizing to her mother instead of her.
Seeing Rennox’s puzzled expression, Jaquet pressed further.
“So, you fought me, right?”
“Uh-huh, that’s right.”
“And you called me a lowly commoner, didn’t you?”
Rennox hesitated, then nodded slowly.
“Yes… I said that…”
“And these injuries, you caused them, didn’t you?”
Jaquet pointed to the scratches and bruises on her arms, legs, and face.
“Yes…”
“Right. So why are you apologizing to Mom? You should be apologizing to me.”
Upon hearing this, Rennox seemed to realize something. He opened his mouth slightly and nodded.
“Now, apologize.”
Jaquet, having explained everything, nodded as if she were ready.
“Ah, okay. I’m sorry.”
“I want you to say exactly what you’re sorry for. That way, you won’t make the same mistake next time.”
Jaquet didn’t intend to harass Rennox. She simply wanted him to understand precisely why he needed to apologize.
Rennox, looking a bit guilty, counted off each point on his fingers and apologized carefully.
“…I’m sorry for that.”
Having already been guided once, it wasn’t too difficult, but each apology made Jaquet’s expression brighten.
By the final apology, Jaquet smiled and nodded.
“I accept your apology. Don’t act like that again. And this isn’t just for me—it’s for other children too.”
“But you’re a noble, aren’t you? Shouldn’t that mean you shouldn’t do this? Commoners are commoners, after all.”
Typical child logic.
Hearing Rennox speak, the Countess gaped, speechless. She looked like she might cry, and Daphne moved to correct her, but Jaquet was faster.
“Do you know what ‘lowly’ means?”
“Huh? No?”
“It means that others are as common as the stones on the road. Since there are so many, they aren’t valuable, and people think it’s okay to treat them carelessly.”
“But it’s true that commoners are as numerous as stones on the road. That makes them common, right?”
“Look. Do you look the same as me?”
“No?”
“What about our mothers and the Duchess?”
“They don’t look alike.”
“And our mothers and I?”
Rennox rolled his eyes, looking back and forth between Daphne and Jaquet, then spoke.
“They do look alike.”
“What? Really?”
Jaquet’s face lit up and she smiled widely, clearly delighted by the compliment.
But then she remembered her original purpose, cleared her throat, and returned to a serious expression.
“Just because you look alike doesn’t mean you’re the same. There are always differences. That applies to you and the Duchess too.”
Rennox nodded at Daphne’s words.
“Even though we are family and so different, the people walking along the road are all different too. So everyone is unique and should be respected.”
Rennox still seemed confused, but he nodded.
“In a world with social classes, the first thing children of noble families are taught is noble authority. Class distinctions separate nobles from commoners and create hierarchies even among nobles.
Of course, Jaquet now lives as an Anaxis lady, but she grew up in an orphanage as a commoner, a weak orphan. Thinking everyone is valuable naturally comes from that experience.
The Countess simply observed, saying nothing, though she could have corrected this as nonsense.
“People act with their own will, and respecting them is right. So don’t use the word ‘lowly.’ Understand?”
Rennox still looked unsure, but he nodded.
“Okay, I won’t use it next time.”
“Where did you learn that?”
“My dad…”
Rennox was about to mention his father, but Countess Villeden panicked and quickly covered his mouth.
At that moment, a dark mark was briefly visible under his sleeve.
“Rennox. Don’t say anything.”
The Countess’s hand trembled slightly.
It was clear the Count wouldn’t speak favorably of him within the family.
Children learn by observing adults; parents are mirrors to their children. They first imitate their parents.
When Rennox quieted down, the Countess released his hand.
But the word “dad” had been clearly heard, and Jaquet looked a bit serious and shocked.
This seemed to be private family matters, so Daphne held Jaquet’s hand tightly.
“Jaquet, I think Rennox understands now.”
Jaquet nodded.
More concerning, though, was the dark mark under the sleeve she had just seen.
It was definitely a bruise.
A bruise can happen—if you bump or fall—but this wasn’t on the outer part of the body.
Daphne wondered how to ease the sudden tension caused by mentioning the Count.
Luckily, the maids entered with food just then.
They began placing dishes from the trolley onto the table.
The dishes were prepared as Daphne had instructed, easy to eat.
There was steaming soup, warm bread.
The children’s eyes followed the plates.
“Shall we eat first? Even Mount Geumgang…”
Daphne realized mid-sentence that she shouldn’t say that and stopped.
“Mount…? I’ve never heard of that mountain.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s eat, shall we?”
Daphne smiled and began eating at Jaquet’s question.
The children ate their meals quite neatly.
The only one struggling to eat was Countess Villeden.
She only pretended to eat soup, then put down her utensils.
“Madam, is the food not to your taste? Should I bring something else?”
“Oh, no. I’ve just gained a little weight recently…”
Daphne fell silent, noticing how frail the Countess appeared.
