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Chapter: 13
‘A Special Child’
“Sir Bay…?”
After glancing at Serena, who was fast asleep, he lowered his voice.
“You don’t need to worry about me and the young lady. But if the Grand Duke truly has no intention of letting the Grand Duchess go, what do you plan to do then?”
“That won’t happen.”
Sir Bay cut her off rather firmly.
“In this world, there is no such thing as something that absolutely will or won’t happen. If the two of you do end up separating like this, I will at least see to the Grand Duchess’s safety—to a certain extent. That is, if you don’t return to the island. Ah, I say this because there is a risk His Highness’s reach could extend there.”
“Why would you go that far for me…?”
At her trembling question, Sir Bay gave a bitter smile.
“It may sound improper to say this, but in the Grand Duke’s residence, the only person who truly cared for the young lady was the Grand Duchess. Do you remember? When the young lady fell into the pond in winter, you didn’t hesitate to jump in and pull her out.”
“Ah… that. Well, I’m quite resistant to colds, you see.”
Serena was mischievous even now, but she had been worse as a child. She loved playing with water so much that she often gave the maids headaches.
When it rained, she would splash around in puddles wearing proper shoes instead of boots, laughing with delight.
On days without rain, she would seek out damp places, leaning her back against moss-covered shaded walls and even dozing off.
Catching a frog and declaring she would live with it—placing it right on her pillow—was so common it hardly counted as an incident. Some elderly servants even clicked their tongues, saying the young lady was more like a boy.
Those things could be brushed off as harmless, but the incident Sir Bay mentioned had made many people pale.
It was the first winter after she entered the Grand Duke’s residence, and that year the snow had fallen heavily.
The young lady, excited by the snow piled up in the morning, went out to play and then suddenly vanished from everyone’s sight. It happened in an instant. Overcome with guilt, Sir Bay shouted loudly and began searching for Serena.
“Miss Serena!”
“Where are you, Miss Serena?!”
“Hu—huh….”
“Ah—no! The Grand Duchess…!”
At that moment, someone emerged from the pond holding something in their arms. The person walking out of the pond, carrying a thoroughly soaked Serena, was Ail.
Ail had stepped out briefly to enjoy the snow and noticed something making faint squeaking sounds in the not-yet-frozen pond. It was Serena, submerged in water, too shocked to move.
There was no time to shout at another servant to hurry and save her. How could she just stand by when a child was struggling?
Without even thinking to gather up her trailing skirts, Ail jumped straight in and brought Serena out.
As a result, the drenched young lady was confined indoors for nearly ten days.
During that time, Ail didn’t even catch a cold and felt perfectly fine—yet she worried about Serena every single day.
That wasn’t the only reason Sir Bay was grateful.
“No. In the three years I’ve observed her, the Grand Duchess’s feelings have always been sincere. I can guarantee that.”
“Sir Bay…”
“From the Grand Duchess’s position, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to neglect Serena. And yet, I have never once seen annoyance on her face when she set aside her own work to play with her. Even I, as her guardian knight, have felt that way at times.”
“……”
“So, if you’re willing, please tell me your plan.”
Sir Bay had urged her to speak, but the moment the words employment agency left her mouth, he couldn’t help pressing a hand to his forehead.
The illustrious Grand Duchess of Kran registering at an employment agency to work?
Even considering the entire lineage of Grand Duchesses, such a thing had never happened. Well, perhaps the island was more conservative than the continent—but even taking that into account, the naïve Ail seemed to believe the Grand Duke would simply stand by and watch.
“…The Grand Duke has no interest in me. Once he agrees to the divorce, won’t he leave me alone no matter what I do?”
“I don’t think so. In any case, please listen to my advice. Whew… even this hotel won’t satisfy His Highness’s eyes, but the place from earlier was truly unacceptable.”
After Sir Bay pleaded with her repeatedly, Ail finally had no choice but to give in.
Her worries were short-lived. A few hours later, Serena, who had been sleeping soundly, opened her eyes. After blinking a few times, her deep green eyes caught the light—beautiful and adorable.
“Mmm….”
“You’re awake.”
“Stepmother! You’re here…!”
Still half-asleep, Serena grabbed the hem of Ail’s skirt with her tiny hands. She wriggled closer, resting her head on Ail’s thigh and smiling brightly.
She really was adorable. Smiling softly, Ail patted the back of Serena’s hand.
“I told you I wasn’t leaving.”
“Hehe, you were surprised I found you in just one day, right? Sir Bay is super capable! If I say the word, he does everything right away!”
That was true.
The inn they had stayed at the night before was a place even Ail herself had never imagined choosing until she arrived. That made it all the more impressive that he’d found it without hesitation.
They ate their meal on the terrace of their room, away from prying eyes.
Serena seemed delighted that it was just the three of them, kicking her feet energetically.
“Hehehe!”
“Miss Serena. Please maintain your decorum.”
At Sir Bay’s quiet admonishment, Serena shot back sharply.
“Hmph. I know already. I only do this in front of Stepmother. I don’t do it in front of others!”
“And why is that?”
“Because only Stepmother sees me as a baby! Everyone else is desperate to treat me like an adult, but she’s different, right?”
Her cute display made Ail forget her harsh reality for a moment, and she smiled.
“Our Serena will be cute no matter how old she gets. Even when you’re grown up.”
“Heehee! That’s why I like Stepmother so much. No matter what anyone says, I’m always on your side! I’ll even pluck the stars and the moon for you!”
Watching the well-matched stepmother and stepdaughter, Sir Bay clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. Because Your Grace indulges her so much, I worry about her future. Once there’s no one left in the Grand Duke’s residence to indulge her, the young lady’s temper may worsen.”
“What’s there to worry about? Stepmother and I are going to live together here from now on.”
“……”
“……”
As if by prior agreement, Sir Bay and Ail both fell silent.
It was Serena’s unrealistic dream—one that could never come true. And yet, it felt cruel to crush the hopes of the innocent child who had chased her all the way here.
Soon enough, the Grand Duke would order the child to return, and something would surely happen. For now, it was impossible to predict what.
After finishing their meal, they took a walk through the quiet hotel garden.
Admiring the neatly blooming flowers, Ail asked,
“It’s very quiet… Did you perhaps tell the other guests not to come out, Sir Bay?”
“No. It may simply be that the peak season is still far off.”
It would be easier to find work in a crowded place.
A new worry arose, but there was no clear solution. She had already caused a major incident—what else could she do?
Counting the remaining silver coins in her suitcase, she gave a weak smile.
Without Sir Bay, she wouldn’t even be able to stay in this hotel for more than a few days. There was no need to think too hard about it.
When I was on the island, I lived with the Grand Duke’s help. The moment I left, I’m living by Sir Bay’s kindness.
That entire day passed without incident, right up until bedtime.
Paradoxically, that made her worry even more about Ruphelion.
If he had already returned to the Grand Duke’s residence and learned of this situation, wouldn’t he have sent someone after her? His patrol around the island didn’t seem like something that would end easily—nothing dangerous had happened to him, had it?
She forcibly pushed thoughts of him aside.
…If the island were truly in danger, the regular ferry wouldn’t have been running. What am I even thinking? Sigh. Maybe I’m the one who can’t let go.
The night grew deep.
Serena whined for a full hour, insisting on sleeping with Ail, and in the end they shared the same bed. Sir Bay was surely listening attentively from the next room.
“Heehee.”
Wiggling bare feet brushed against Ail’s thigh. The soft, warm, pliant touch made her brow relax.
If only this child weren’t the Grand Duke’s daughter—if she weren’t Serena. If she were just the child of an ordinary maid, and the two of them could live together without a second thought… they truly would be happy.
She also wished that when Serena grew up, she would meet a good man. That she wouldn’t make the same mistaken choices, intoxicated by one-sided love as Ail had. Please, at least you—grow up beautifully and live without knowing hardship.
Suppressing her tenderness, she spoke gently.
“Serena. Go to sleep now, and from now on, don’t put Sir Bay in a difficult position, okay?”
“Nuh-uh.”
Serena shook her head side to side.
“Why? Because you napped earlier?”
“They said you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. I don’t even know what I might do in the future.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“But if Stepmother begs me sincerely, I’ll think about it. Heehee!”
“Serena…”
Even at her impish words, Ail couldn’t bring herself to scold her. In this regard, Serena and Ail were exactly alike. She could have just answered casually, but she never could…
Deciding it would be better to get her to sleep quickly, Ail laid Serena’s head down properly. As she gently brushed through the beige hair that had come loose from its tie, Serena’s eyes closed, and a soft, sleepy breathing sound followed.
“Khh….”
Ail couldn’t fall asleep at all. Though she lay beside Serena, restless thoughts kept crashing through her mind. And then something struck her thigh.
Thump!
“Mm?!”
“Hnngh….”
The culprit who kicked her thigh was, of course, Serena.
Was she pretending to sleep and playing a prank?
But no matter how closely Ail looked, Serena’s nostrils were steadily flaring with calm breaths. If she were pretending, her cheeks and lips would surely be twitching.
So she must have kicked unconsciously in her sleep.
Suddenly, Ail remembered something her late grandfather once said.
“Ail, you really grew up to be a calm child.”
“Me?”
“You never once kicked me while sleeping. Children who are anxious about being separated from their mothers will instinctively flail their feet in their sleep, checking to make sure someone is nearby. But you never did that, no matter who you slept with. Heh heh—perhaps that’s just your nature.”
So I was like that…
And yet Serena, even surrounded by people, is still starved for affection.
