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Chapter 41
“Wow. Buying new clothes… I’m really excited, right?”
I deliberately spoke up to break the freezing silence, and an answer immediately came back.
“Uu!”
“Yeah, excited!”
“I see.”
And just like that—the conversation ended.
All three of them were only looking at me when responding, without even trying to make eye contact with each other. It was as if I were some kind of relay station.
Haah. No matter what I said from earlier, it kept turning out like this. I told them to talk to each other, so why is everyone only looking at me?!
‘At this rate, there’s no chance for Jayden and Cain to get closer.’
I should’ve at least arranged the seating better.
Jayden, the moment he got into the carriage, naturally took the seat on my left.
So now I ended up sitting alone facing Cain, with Melody on my right and Jayden on my left.
Oh dear.
Where do I even begin fixing this? In the end, I gave up trying to open the conversation and fell into thought for a moment—then it happened.
“Viola.”
“Yes?”
Cain suddenly reached out and leaned toward me.
“There’s dust on your hair…”
Just as his hand was about to brush my hair—
“Huhk!”
Jayden, who had been tightly clinging to my side, flinched and shrank his shoulders.
It was such an obvious reaction of fear, as if a predator’s paw had reached toward him.
Cain’s hand paused in midair, then calmly withdrew after brushing off the dust instead.
‘It’s ruined…’
The atmosphere grew even heavier than before. Would these two even be able to exchange a single word today? Would they?
Ah. We’ve got a long way to go. A long, long way.
Finally unable to hold back, I raised my hand.
“I have a suggestion!”
“Uu!”
Agreed!
Huh? We haven’t even started talking yet, but Melody cheerfully raised her hand as if agreeing.
Jayden, not to be outdone, quickly shouted too.
“I-I agree too!”
I haven’t even said anything yet, though.
But fine, whatever. Decision by majority vote!
“After we buy clothes, let’s all eat together! Something delicious!”
Huh?
Jayden looked like he realized his mistake too late, but this is exactly why you need to vote carefully. It can’t be taken back now, young master.
“Is that okay with you, Your Grace?”
“It’s already decided by majority.”
He shrugged lightly.
“Alright! Then it’s decided!”
Let’s eat something good.
While we were at it, the carriage seemed to have arrived at the boutique street and gradually slowed to a stop.
“Looks like we’ve arrived.”
When we got out of the carriage, what lay before us was a dazzling shopping district.
The shop windows of the lined-up stores sparkled like jewels under the sunlight.
“Wow…”
So Winterwald really is huge.
This area was even more luxurious and extravagant than the one I had seen when I first arrived. It seemed to be a street mainly used by nobles.
“These silk gloves are so refined…”
I unconsciously stopped walking and muttered in front of one shop.
They were men’s gloves I didn’t even have a use for, but the simple yet elegant design caught my attention.
As I stood there blankly, Melody tugged at my sleeve.
“Mom? Huh?”
“Viola, Viola! Over here!”
Jayden was already running ahead, waving at me.
“Ah, I’m coming!”
Honestly, what was I even doing?
I pulled myself together and followed Jayden.
Soon, the four of us entered what looked like the largest boutique on the street.
Ding.
With a clear bell chime, the interior revealed itself like another world.
On luxurious velvet carpets, dresses and suits displayed their graceful silhouettes.
Unlike me and Melody, whose eyes were spinning from the dazzling sight, Cain and Jayden looked completely accustomed to it.
As the boutique doors closed, Cain removed his cloak.
With a soft rustle, his silver hair was revealed, making it unmistakable that he was the Duke of Ashlen.
The boutique madam showed no surprise, instead bowing respectfully as if she had been expecting him.
“Your Grace, Duke of Ashlen. We were informed in advance.”
Ah, come to think of it.
No wonder the place, which was so large, had no customers in sight at all…
‘Did he rent out the entire boutique?’
Gasp. An unintentional rustic exclamation slipped out.
Noticing my reaction, Cain turned to me.
“What is it?”
“Ah, n-no…! Nothing!”
I said that, but my heart was pounding.
I had only suggested going out with Jayden as an excuse, but the scale was way bigger than expected, which was both overwhelming and—
‘Still, money is the best!’
The kids looked so happy.
All things considered, I was glad I brought them out.
“Oh my, how cute…!”
Before I knew it, Melody was wearing a pale pink lace dress and spinning in front of me.
The large light-green ribbon at her waist looked like butterfly wings.
Ugh. So this child had never gotten to wear such clothes because her mother had no money…
I was ruining Melody’s beauty…!
While I was melting at her cuteness with my hands over my mouth, something happened.
“Viola! Look!”
The fitting room curtain opened, and Jayden walked out proudly.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and a deep red vest, he looked like a proper little noble young master.
However…
‘Hm? Something’s off.’
He had his shirt collar stiffly popped up like a lizard, shrugging his shoulders.
“Cool, right?”
His awkward outfit made me suppress a laugh, just as I was about to reach out—but stopped.
Right, that wasn’t the point of coming here…
I turned slightly and saw Cain leaning quietly against the wall.
I had brought him here hoping he’d get closer to Jayden, but he had stayed silent the entire time as if not wanting to interfere.
We came all this way—I can’t just leave it like this.
Clapping my hands toward Jayden, I subtly signaled Cain.
“Wow, young master. You look amazing!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Hurry and show it to the Duke! Quickly!”
Meanwhile
In truth, Cain realized it the moment he boarded the carriage.
Why Viola had suggested this absurd outing.
It seemed that the request to pick out clothes was just an excuse—she likely wanted him and Jayden to grow closer.
But that was not something so easily done.
Jayden was so afraid of him that he looked like he might faint if spoken to.
He had once heard from Conrad that his nephew feared him because of the overwhelming dragon-blood aura he carried.
After that, Cain had tried to suppress his aura as much as possible when approaching him, but Jayden still remained afraid. Their first meeting must have been wrongly set from the start.
Even though his brother’s children had been left behind after their parents’ sudden accident, Cain wanted to fulfill his duty as their guardian.
But he could never replace their parents.
Between inheriting the ducal title and dealing with monsters raging across the territory, he rarely had time to stay at the mansion.
Even if that weren’t the case…
‘Maybe it was impossible from the beginning.’
Even his own mother had once called him a monster when he was a child.
If even his mother feared the child she gave birth to, it was only natural for his nephew to be afraid of him.
So he understood Viola’s intention in bringing them out, but he could not comply with her wish.
He knew his role too well.
To not interfere with the children’s happiness.
Come to think of it, Conrad had once given him unsolicited advice—saying that a “scary but good boss” was someone who said nothing and only paid at meals.
This wasn’t a subordinate relationship, but still, perhaps that was all he was meant to do today.
Simply lean against a wall, let the children enjoy themselves, and quietly pay when needed.
However, Viola seemed determined to achieve her goal for the outing.
“Wow, young master. You look amazing!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Hurry and show it to the Duke!”
She gestured toward him as if asking for his response.
‘It won’t matter.’
No matter what he said, the boy would only get scared and retreat.
“…Huh?”
As expected, when told to show it to the Duke, Jayden flinched in surprise.
Normally, he would have shrunk back.
But surprisingly, he hesitated… and then slowly began walking toward him.
‘…Viola really does have an unbelievable influence over him.’
