El’s face was flushed, likely from playing outside, as she looked around for me. I stood and lifted her small frame into my arms. She wrapped her thin arms around my neck, giggling.
“Yeah, it’s really Bee!”
She nuzzled my neck, laughing softly.
“Bee’s smell!”
Contrary to my worries, El didn’t remember much of her kidnapping. The drugs had kept her asleep, sparing her the trauma—a small mercy.
Thankfully, the drugs used on her weren’t harmful. After a few days of grogginess, Anasha’s devoted care had restored her energy, enough to run around the garden.
“Were you playing with Lai?”
“Yeah, hide-and-seek! But Bee, Lai’s terrible at it. I always find him.”
El whispered in my ear as if sharing a secret. Despite Lai’s impassive expression, I noticed his ears twitch.
I could picture their game clearly without seeing it. Lai, knowing El couldn’t see, must have deliberately made noises to let her find him easily.
“But it was fun, right?”
“Super fun!”
El spread her arms wide, beaming. I carried her to the sofa.
“I brought a guest today. Want to meet them?”
“A guest?”
“Yup, my little brother.”
“Bee’s brother?”
“That’s right. His name’s Lant.”
I set El down beside Lant. She waved her hands excitedly, grabbing his clothes.
“Lant, I’m El!”
Her cheerful introduction left Lant looking at me, flustered. I smiled, avoiding his gaze.
“Lant’s older than you, El. You can call him big brother.”
“Big brother? Isn’t Lant a friend?”
“What do you think, Lant? Want to be her big brother or her friend?”
Lant glanced between El and me, still uneasy.
Having only dealt with people older than him, El must have seemed like an alien creature to Lant.
I couldn’t ease the guilt consuming him, but I couldn’t just watch him spiral either.
So, I chose to change his environment.
Being around peers might lift the weight crushing him. It was a desperate hope, like grasping at straws.
“Lant, answer her. El’s waiting.”
His gaze settled on El, who looked up at him as if she could see, smiling brightly. Slowly, his reluctant lips parted.
“…Call me Lant.”
“Okay, Lant!”
“I’m Lai.”
El’s grin prompted Lai to step forward, extending a hand to Lant. Lant looked at me again, uncertain. I ruffled his hair.
“Lai’s your age. Lai, be good friends with Lant.”
“For big sis’s sake, I’ll make an exception and be your friend.”
Lai, scratching his nose awkwardly, grabbed Lant’s hand and shook it. Lant still looked confused. I stood them up, nudging their backs.
“Now that you’ve got a new friend, go play and bond.”
“What about you, Bee?”
El turned, her face anxious. I patted her head gently.
“I’m staying late today, so don’t worry. Go have fun, El.”
“Okay!”
El reached out, and Lai quickly took her hand. She waved her other arm, urging Lant.
“Lant, hurry, hurry!”
Lant, still hesitant, glanced between El and me. Impatient, Lai grabbed his hand, pulling him along.
“Come on, El said let’s go!”
I sat on the sofa, watching them leave. Anasha gave me a knowing smile.
“Did Lai just get a rival? You didn’t plan this, did you?”
“If El likes someone, does it matter who?”
“True, but there’s attachment after spending time together. Though I quite like young Lord Elient too.”
Anasha tapped her cheek, feigning thought.
“Both are such fine prospects for a son-in-law. If only I had two daughters. What a pity.”
“You’re quite greedy.”
She giggled, amused by her own fantasy.
I hadn’t considered El and Lant as a pair, but if they liked each other, I wouldn’t object. Knowing Lai, he’d do anything to win El’s heart. Even for someone as exceptional as Lant, competing with Lai wouldn’t be easy. Of course, that assumed Lant liked El.
Imagining the kids vying for El’s affection brought a smile to my face, their youthful earnestness heartwarming.
“Madam, the tea is ready.”
A knock echoed in the drawing room.
“Come in,” Anasha said.
The butler entered with a tray, placing teacups before us with practiced grace.
“Enjoy your conversation.”
He left, and I stayed silent until he was gone. Anasha only offered tea, saying nothing else.
After a long pause, she sighed.
“Don’t be too angry.”
I lifted my teacup without responding. She looked at me, embarrassed, as I sipped.
“El came back safely.”
“That’s not an answer, Anasha.”
I set the cup down firmly.
Even setting aside the betrayal, the Pison household staff’s actions blatantly disrespected their master. Overlooking that could be seen as condoning insubordination.
“I know their actions weren’t right. But I’m at fault too for neglecting them. It’s not just their blame.”
“You’re a noble, Anasha. You don’t need to consider their feelings.”
“I know. A typical noble wouldn’t. But I’m not a typical noble.”
A bitter smile crossed her lips. Like her staff’s disregard, she was still ostracized by noble society for her commoner roots—an unavoidable reality.
But that would change soon.
I’ll make sure of it.
As Lant and El grew, they’d inevitably debut in society. The current social order wouldn’t easily accept them.
To help them adapt, I was reshaping society itself, carefully dismantling its rigid structure.
“You married my grandfather legitimately. Your commoner origins no longer matter. You’re the rightful Countess Pison.”
“Thank you for saying that, Bijonne.”
“It’s only natural.”
“And I’m sorry for making you the villain.”
I frowned at her.
Anasha’s gaze rested on her teacup, a faint shadow under her lashes.
“As family, if you, bearing the Elient name, harshly threaten the Pison household, they’ll naturally turn to El, who carries the Pison name. You pushed them harder for that reason, didn’t you?”
“You’re overthinking it. I just didn’t like their reckless disregard for their master.”
“If you truly disliked them, you’d have dismissed them all, like you did with the Elient staff years ago.”
“You’re the head of the Pison household now, Anasha. I may carry Pison blood, but I’m an outsider. I don’t have the authority to dismiss them.”
She looked up, a calm smile on her face.
“We both know that’s not true.”
“Anasha.”
“You did it to secure El’s position, to ensure they’d never see you as the head of Pison.”
Her steady gaze met mine. I sighed, raising my hands in surrender.
“I didn’t expect to be found out so quickly. Guess my acting was terrible.”
Anasha chuckled softly.
“You’re too clever for your own good, Bijonne.”
I smiled, sipping my tea.
For El, for Lant, for all of us—I’d play the villain if it meant securing their future. The Black Priest and the barrier could wait. Today, I’d focus on building a world where they could thrive.
