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Chapter 7
Lately, he had felt that something was strange.
The woman who had never cared the slightest bit about childcare was suddenly looking for parenting books instead of jewelry magazines.
The woman who used to come to the main building every single day just to run into him was now staying quietly in the annex as if she were reflecting on herself.
The person who used to spend money like water had even stopped shopping unless it was for necessary expenses.
So this time, Vine was curious about what kind of trick she was trying to pull.
Then one day, after the spring rain had fallen and stopped, she came to the main building carrying his youngest son in her arms.
His youngest child was especially fussy and shy around strangers, and hated being held by other people.
And as far as he knew, until recently, the youngest had been afraid of Sierra.
Yet that same son had come in her arms.
By chance, Vine witnessed the scene through the window of his office and could only doubt his own eyes.
‘What is she doing?’
Covered in mud and soaked like a drenched rat, she appeared dressed far more plainly than usual.
Where had all the flashy accessories she loved so much gone? Butler Aiden said something to her as she stood there in thin clothes, and she waved her hands and shook her head.
Then she smiled.
‘Was she someone capable of smiling like that?’
That day, for the first time, Vine realized that Sierra could smile not with a fake, flirtatious expression, but with a simple and gentle one.
For just a moment, a very brief moment, it felt as though the face of the person he missed enough to die for flashed before him.
For some reason, he thought he saw the smile of his deceased former wife in Sierra’s smile.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Vine immediately shook his head.
‘Have I lost my mind?’
Even though it had only lasted a moment, Vine thought he had gone insane for entertaining such a thought.
Then, looking once more at the peacefully sleeping Sierra, he muttered quietly,
“…I do not believe in your sincerity. And there will never come a day when I love you.”
After speaking words that sounded neither like self-persuasion nor a warning, he left the room.
Without knowing how those words would one day come back to him.
“Ah… my head.”
The moment I woke up, my head hurt so badly it felt like it would split apart. Clutching my forehead as I sat up, I saw Jane standing in front of me with teary eyes.
“Madam! Are you alright?”
“Yeah, my head just hurts a little. Jane, why are you crying like that?”
“I really thought something terrible had happened to you… Your fever kept rising for three days, and you wouldn’t wake up. Do you know how worried I was?”
“Three days?”
At Jane’s words that I had been unconscious for three whole days, I stared at her in shock. Jane nodded and handed me a paper bundle.
“The youngest young master left this for you while you were unconscious.”
“Belkas did?”
When I unwrapped the paper bundle Jane handed me, inside were several flowers that had wilted somewhat with time, along with what looked like a drawing the child had made himself.
In the drawing was a woman with red eyes and long black hair. Flowers had been drawn on her head, and at the bottom, in crooked handwriting, were the words:
“Witch님 get well soon.”
How could anyone not be touched by this?
“Ah… what do I do.”
I shouldn’t cry, but the gift from that tiny angel-like child made me so grateful that tears ended up streaming down my face.
Watching me, Jane handed me a handkerchief and said,
“The youngest young master must have been very worried. He couldn’t come inside, but he came to the entrance every time to ask how you were doing before going back.”
“Really? Then this won’t do. Jane, I need to go out right now.”
“Right now? No, you can’t. Your body still hasn’t fully recovered. If you overdo it, something terrible could happen.”
“No, I’m completely fine. I feel reborn. So hurry and prepare for us to go out. And could you tell the main building so Belkas can come with us too?”
Jane hesitated for a moment, but knowing how stubborn I was, she finally nodded and left the room.
After she left, I stretched and stood by the window.
‘The weather’s nice too.’
Spring had fully arrived now, and a pleasant spring breeze drifted through the air. Feeling happier, I looked once more at the drawing Belkas had made for me.
“From now on, you’re my number one treasure.”
After shouting that at the drawing, I carefully folded it and placed it on the desk.
Soon, I should put it in a frame and hang it in the middle of the room.
Humming to myself as I prepared to go out, I suddenly remembered the Duke’s face from before I lost consciousness.
‘…Don’t try any tricks. Sierra Hecas. You will never become the mistress of this ducal house. I’ll make sure of that.’
‘So stay away from my children.’
The memory of his suffocatingly low, murderous voice and his fierce emerald eyes made me frown without realizing it.
Why did that unpleasant face suddenly have to come to mind?
“Argh! That jerk, that bastard!!! Who said I even like him? He’s seriously suffering from terminal narcissism!!”
Just as I shouted while angrily throwing off my pajamas, Jane walked into the room.
“Madam? What’s wrong?”
“J-Jane? You came back quickly?”
Caught red-handed yelling to myself, I looked at Jane awkwardly.
“Did someone make you angry? I heard you shouting ‘jerk’ and ‘bastard’ from outside.”
“Cough, no! You heard wrong. I was just stretching. Since I woke up after so long, my body feels stiff… hahaha…”
As I rambled out excuses in embarrassment, Jane glanced between me standing there in only my undergarments and the pajamas tossed onto the floor. Then she let out a small sigh and brought over my outing clothes.
“Even so, your body still hasn’t fully recovered, so please don’t push yourself. And, Madam… there’s bad news.”
At Jane’s words, I put on the dark green dress she brought me and asked,
“What bad news?”
Several thoughts flashed through my head instantly.
Did the Duke get angry and decide to chop my head off? Or were Sierra’s past misdeeds exposed before I possessed this body? Am I going to die like this?
Perhaps sensing my anxious expression, Jane adjusted my clothes and fixed my hair before speaking.
“The Master has ordered a ban on going outside…”
What? A ban on going outside? What a petty jerk. Is this his revenge?
“A ban? On me?”
“N-No… Young Master Belkas has been forbidden from going out. As soon as I went near the main building, Sir Aiden informed me, so I had no choice but to come back.”
“Has he lost his mind? A ban on going outside? For a little kid? What a petty bastard.”
“M-Madam…! Please calm down!! If someone hears you, there’ll be huge trouble!”
Whether Jane panicked at my words or not, curses slipped out before I could stop them.
Honestly, there was no way I couldn’t curse.
It seemed our dear Duke really didn’t like Belkas coming all the way to my annex personally.
“Seriously… that bastard.”
Grinding my teeth in anger, I soon let out a deep sigh. Looking at the picture Belkas had drawn of me sitting on the desk, I suddenly felt sad.
I miss you, Belkas.
I wanted to go out together, eat delicious food together, and buy him everything he asked for…
“…Jane, let’s continue with the outing anyway. I’m going to buy gifts for Belkas. And gifts for the other children too.”
“Ah, the gifts you mentioned before?”
“Yeah. Actually, that’s why I was going out in the first place. If I go argue with the Duke right now, he’ll probably put me under confinement too.”
Because he hated me.
If I asked him to lift Belkas’s restriction, he would probably punish me as well.
Sierra only had a terrible personality—she held absolutely no power in the ducal household.
For now, buying the children’s gifts came first.
I could already imagine Belkas’s face lighting up after receiving his gift.
Though I wasn’t sure if the other children would be happy too.
“It’s all done, Madam.”
Jane said she had put in extra effort since it had been a long time since my last outing. I looked at Sierra’s reflection in the mirror.
Her dark black hair was braided and pinned up with white pearl ornaments, matching perfectly with the dark green dress.
She looked noble and elegant, but because of her naturally cold atmosphere, she resembled a witch straight out of a fairy tale.
I felt like I finally understood why Belkas called me “Witch님.”
“Thank you, Jane. It’s beautiful.”
After smiling at Jane, who had worked hard for me, we headed downstairs to board the carriage.
Without knowing that an unexpected guest awaited us there.
The carriage prepared by the ducal estate was so extravagant it hurt my eyes.
Looking at the silver deer emblem hanging behind the carriage, I swallowed nervously.
Now that I think about it, today was actually my first time riding a carriage since coming here.
Before possessing this body, I used to get motion sickness pretty badly. Would I get carriage sickness too?
Thinking that, I carefully lifted my dress and was about to board the carriage when suddenly, from behind me, a tearful voice loudly called out to me.
“W-Witch님!!!!”
At that familiar and dearly missed voice, I turned my head.
“Go… going together!”
As expected, Belkas was running toward me.
“Belkas…?”
The child’s silver-gray hair fluttered and sparkled under the sunlight as he ran.
His face was flushed red, probably from running all the way here with all his strength.
Panting softly, Belkas immediately buried himself into the hem of my dark green dress.
“You pwomised… to go together with Bell….”
For some reason, his voice sounded slightly resentful, and feeling sorry, I gently rubbed his tiny head.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to leave without Belkas—”
“B-Belkas!”
Before I could finish speaking, a soft voice interrupted me. Turning toward it, I saw a little girl standing there.
A girl with silver-gray hair braided into round donut-shaped buns tied with green ribbons.
Was she just over ten years old now? Smaller than children her age, the girl wore round glasses with silver frames.
The moment I saw those glasses, someone suddenly flashed through my mind.
‘Briana.’
Without a doubt, the girl standing before me was “Briana Glade,” the only daughter among the three siblings.
As if proving it, Belkas spoke right then.
“Go away, Noona! I’m not going!”
“Belkas! If Father finds out… ah, uh…”
The moment her eyes met mine, Briana immediately looked away. Just like when Belkas had first met me, her face stiffened, and soon she began trembling all over.
