Episode 08
Unaware that she had inflicted serious injuries on the maids, Nibelia headed to the dining room for breakfast.
From morning, employees were busy moving around.
Deter’s explanation was heard above Nibelia’s head as she watched this.
“We have guests coming today.”
“customer?”
“The Duke of Daygladis will be visiting.”
“What is that?”
“The duke who lives across the street. Do you remember the neighbor who lives across the street?”
But Nibelia didn’t remember.
Instead, attention was focused on the servants who worked harder than usual to prepare the mansion for guests.
“Deter, can I pay off my debt now?”
“You promised to pay the debt after dinner. Otherwise, you’ll be arrested again for violating child labor laws.”
“I know the law, Nini. It’s really difficult, annoying, and tough….”
Last winter, Nibelia was detained for violating child labor laws after skipping breakfast to run errands.
And Kaleo, who had sent him on an errand, was also imprisoned.
Justice was served thanks to Muniel and Selena, who happened to be on their way to the restaurant when they witnessed the horrific scene of overwork.
“Nini only counted to five and came out, but Dad stayed for a long time?”
“The master, who was so wonderful in his youth, has become a very interesting person since the young lady was born.”
“Daddy is so funny! Nini loves it!”
The whole family was gathered at the restaurant we arrived at.
“and!”
Nibelia smiled brightly and quickly sat down.
There was always an empty seat at breakfast. But today, for some reason, everyone was gathered together.
Before the meal began, Ardores, who was sitting at the head table, spoke.
“They say guests will be arriving in the morning.”
“Nini, I heard it earlier. Deter told me.”
“I see. Then you’ll greet the guests nicely, right?”
“huh!”
Nibelia nodded with a stern expression, as if telling me to trust her.
“Nini, you must be busy today?”
Selena said, wiping the corner of Nibelia’s mouth, which was now covered in jam.
“I have to welcome guests and pay off debts.”
“There are only three left!”
Five little fingers spread wide.
“…That’s it.”
Nibelia, who checked my fingers, quickly folded the two back.
Thanks to several days of diligent work, there were now only three blank spaces left on the debt reduction certificate.
After finishing her meal, Nibelia quickly set to work to repay her debt. The thought of her guest had long since faded from her mind.
Nibelia brought her father a newspaper and distributed the bundle of letters sorted by the butler to her grandmother and grandfather.
Nibelia smiled brightly as she attached the sticker Ardores had given her to the certificate.
“Now there is only one left.”
“You worked hard.”
“Nini, do you want to run errands again?”
“What should I do? I have no more errands to run.”
Ardores chuckled as he checked the letters.
Nibelia, who had lost her job, quickly explained what she could do.
“If Grandpa gets sick, I’ll call a doctor for you. Give me a sticker.”
“…Don’t say anything scary. If you get sick at this age, you’re taking a direct train to heaven.”
“I know heaven, Nini. It’s so great. When are you going?”
“I won’t hang up.”
Ardores, unable to bear the thought, suddenly lifted his granddaughter into his arms. Far from being surprised, Nibelia burst into laughter, delighted.
“You’re so cheerful from the morning.”
Muniel watched the tender moment between grandfather and granddaughter with a happy smile.
She stood up and looked out the window for a moment. A familiar carriage pulled in through the window, which overlooked the garden.
“…Should we go out soon?”
A welcoming smile appeared on Muniel’s face.
“A guest has arrived.”
* * *
A huge carriage pulled by six large, black horses stopped.
The horses that ran a long way tapped the ground with their hooves.
“and.”
Nibelia opened her mouth wide.
Solace, who was nearby, quietly grabbed her younger brother’s hand. It was a precaution to prevent him from running away.
Soon someone got out of the carriage.
He was a truly handsome man. His tall stature and blunt demeanor gave him an air of intimacy that made him difficult to approach.
In particular, his neat and tidy clothes and hair style, which were completely free of any dishevelment, made his cold feeling stand out even more.
But to Nini, he was just a stranger.
The child hid behind Solace’s back.
“Nini, it’s okay. You’re the Duke. Don’t you remember?”
“Your Majesty?”
“Mr. Karlarov. My father’s best friend. The neighboring family that lives right across the street from our house.”
“…….”
At that moment, a vague memory was about to come back to me.
Someone else got out of the carriage.
“…uh?”
Duke Deigladys had children of similar ages to Solace and Nibelia.
So Solace naturally assumed that the Duke’s sons had also come.
But the child who got out of the carriage was a skinny, blond boy. All the duke’s sons had black hair like the duke.
‘Who is it?’
My head tilted naturally, but Nibelia ran out in an instant.
“Nini!”
A surprised Solace shouted.
The adults, startled by Nivelia’s sudden actions, tried to grab her quickly, but their fingers barely managed to brush against the fluttering hem of her dress.
Nibelia, who was running as quickly as a cat, stopped in front of a skinny boy who had just gotten out of the carriage.
Nibelia took a quick, excited breath.
The boy in front of her stared at Nibelia with a surprised expression.
The boy had clear skin and wore fairly neat clothes. Even his features were sharp, and he looked promising for the future.
In particular, the red pupils boasted a tempting color like precious red berries that grow in winter.
But because he was so skinny, I felt sad rather than amazed.
“…….”
The boy blinked his large eyes slowly, as if in bewilderment.
I’ve never seen such a beautiful child in my life. I instinctively knew that the expression “doll-like” was meant to be used in situations like this.
Pure white silver hair like finely piled snowflakes, eyes like the blue sky with floating clouds, and even chubby cheeks from eating and sleeping well.
“…….”
“…….”
The strange confrontation between the two children continued for quite some time.
The adults watching also held their breath. Deter, in particular, wiped her sweaty palms on her maid’s apron.
At that time, Nibelia spoke first.
“Wolf.”
“…….”
“Aren’t you hungry? Are you hungry?”
“…hungry.”
The boy covered my mouth with his hand.
Although she was from an orphanage where she was poor and uneducated, she could tell that the girl in front of her was a young lady of very noble status.
How dare you speak informally to such a being.
Fortunately, the adults didn’t point out the boy’s rudeness. They simply watched the two children staring at each other with a strange air.
Duke Deigladys, who was watching from the closest distance, was surprised in a different way.
‘You can talk.’
He brought the boy directly from the orphanage at the request of Muniel and Ardores.
I hardly saw him speak the whole time I was bringing him here, so I even wondered if he wasn’t able to speak properly.
“lol!”
Nibelia chuckled.
“You haven’t been eating again. That won’t do. You need to eat to feel stronger!”
“…….”
“Let’s go! Nini, Nini is going to give the wolf….”
Nibelia, who had been muttering something incomprehensible, suddenly closed her mouth.
The corners of the child’s mouth, which had been raised, suddenly dropped, and before he knew it, tears welling up in his eyes began to flow down his cheeks.
The jaw that had been trembling slowly opened… .
“…Hueeeeeung!”
Soon a loud cry erupted.
“Eeeeek! Eeeeek!”
Nibelia cried so hard that she felt like she was gasping for breath.
It was a truly unexpected cry, and the boy who saw Nibelia crying right in front of him froze like a statue.
The boy felt a pang of anxiety, as if his heart was hitting the floor.
* * *
The adults who were watching hurried to comfort Nibelia, but the child’s crying wouldn’t stop.
Moreover, Nibelia had been holding the boy’s loose clothes tightly for some time and would not let go.
“I’m so sorry about this.”
Kaleo quickly picked up the boy. The boy, who had never been held by an adult before, was carried to the bedroom by Nibelia.
“Eww! Eww!”
“Why is our Nini crying all of a sudden, huh?”
Celestina continued to comfort and soothe Nibelia, who was crying endlessly, while holding her in her arms.
Nibelia, her tears gradually fading, fell asleep. Selena placed a hand on her daughter’s forehead, now drenched in sweat. A slight fever was running.
Only then did the boy regain his freedom.
The boy who emerged from the room felt slightly dizzy. So much had happened in a short time that he couldn’t even grasp what was happening.
‘Why did you cry when you saw me?’
You called me a wolf?
Why did you ask if I was hungry?
The boy couldn’t understand anything.
But I didn’t dislike the way Nibelia smiled at me, or the way her hand gripped my hem tightly. That much was certain.
“Surprised?”
Kaleo, who brought the boy out, apologized once more.
The boy was surprised once again that an adult was apologizing to him.
It was the most polite speech an eight-year-old boy could remember in his short life, even though he hadn’t lived very long.
The duke who brought me here was quite kind. But he wasn’t this affectionate.
“Nini is my daughter. She’s a bit quirky, but she’s a good girl. I hope you don’t hate her too much.”
“…….”
“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself.”
Kaleo lowered his body.
“My name is Kaleo. What is your name?”
“…….”
The boy was speechless.
“…….”
Because there is nothing worth introducing by name.
