Chapter 12
The kind of man Cheres was…
Considering how cold and hostile he’d been toward me the very first time we met…
Yeah… the real villains are still the Hezest family.
No matter how you look at it, Hezest is the one in the wrong.
“It’s alright, Cheres. I understand how you feel. I truly do. And I’m fine.”
“I think… Hezest deserves to be treated that way.”
Chares’s eyes trembled ever so slightly.
I knew he still didn’t completely trust me.
There was no way a few words like this would erase all of his suspicions.
Does Cheres know…?
That Hezest had a hand in his parents’ deaths?
The original novel never went into much detail about Cheres himself, so I couldn’t tell whether he knew the truth.
And besides…
That wasn’t the only reason the two families had become bitter enemies.
There had been countless incidents between them.
“…Thank you.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“If anything difficult comes up in the future, tell me.”
“If there’s anything I can do, I want to help.”
“I’m part of House Beredan now.”
“…Part of House Beredan?”
“Yes.”
“I bear the Beredan name now.”
“My roots have been transplanted here.”
“So… I think it’s alright to say that I’m one of House Beredan’s people now…”
I cautiously watched his expression before quietly adding,
“…Wouldn’t you agree?”
My voice naturally grew softer toward the end.
“…Ha.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Running a hand through his hair, Cheres gave a small nod.
This means… our relationship has improved a little, right?
Having a good relationship with the owner of the house was definitely a good sign.
I hope the next six months stay exactly like this.
…Six months.
Will Cheres really disappear from this world after six months?
*****
“My instincts are screaming at me, Your Grace.”
Bogus spoke with complete seriousness.
“This is merely a smokescreen.”
“She’s trying to enchant you with her beautiful appearance and sweet words.”
“The Duchess is a Hezest.”
“No one knows when she’ll stab you in the back.”
His instincts couldn’t have been more wrong.
Unfortunately…
There was no one here to point that out.
Cheres remained silent.
But…
The eyes that had looked into mine yesterday had been far too clear.
As though there wasn’t a single hidden motive.
As though every word she spoke came straight from the heart.
‘We’re husband and wife now, Cheres.’
‘From now on, I’ll place House Beredan—and you—above everything else.’
Could someone really say those words with that expression… and still be lying?
If so…
Roana would be a demon wearing human skin.
A monster who lured people in only to lead them to their deaths.
It had been a very long time…
Since someone treasured Cheres that much.
His parents had.
His older brother had.
Cheres knew how warm it felt to stand beneath the shelter of an umbrella.
He remembered the unconditional love and trust his family had once given him.
That overwhelming affection…
He still remembered it.
And somehow…
He felt that same warmth in Roana’s words.
He could feel how dearly she valued him.
That can’t be possible.
This had to be an illusion born from longing.
Cheres let out a quiet sigh.
The reason that illusion felt so unbearably sweet…
Was because he still missed his family.
Roana was poison to him.
An unbearably sweet poison.
Cheres pressed his palm firmly against his eyes.
This poison is dangerous.
“As originally planned…”
“We’ll bring Lady Chloe in as the Duchess’s maid.”
“Fortunately, she seems happy to accept the position.”
“And since she’s an old friend of Yours, I’m sure she’ll be a great help.”
“…Very well.”
Cheres answered in a tired voice.
As though saying,
If that’s what you want, Bogus, then do it.
There wasn’t even a trace of enthusiasm in his tone.
The confusion inside him was already more than enough.
*****
Early the next morning…
I went for a walk with Hayden.
According to the head maid…
Diane had never once taken Hayden outside.
She always claimed she was afraid he’d catch germs.
The world that should have grown wider for him…
Had remained trapped inside a tiny well.
“Ooooh!”
“Nya! Nya!”
Hayden reached excitedly toward a fluttering butterfly.
I carefully taught him the word.
“Butterfly.”
“Isn’t it pretty?”
“Nya-bi!”
“That’s right!”
“Our Hayden is amazing!”
I clapped enthusiastically and gave him a thumbs-up.
Delighted by the praise…
Hayden stomped his little feet and kept repeating,
“Nya-bi! Nya-bi!”
As he wriggled around happily in my arms, carrying him became difficult.
So I placed him in the small baby chair beside the garden table.
“This is a flower.”
“Fwow!”
“That’s right!”
“Excellent!”
“You’re incredible!”
“Fwow! Fwow!”
Showing off his tiny rice-grain-sized teeth, Hayden burst into a bright smile.
He’s so adorable.
The little devil who’d cried all night yesterday seemed to have completely disappeared.
Just to be sure…
I wrapped my finger in a handkerchief and gently felt inside his mouth.
…There it is.
A huge molar was coming in.
Tsk.
When my nephew got his molars…
I’d wanted to pierce the gums with a needle to help him.
I never imagined I’d go through this again here.
And it wasn’t just the molar.
Both of his upper canine teeth were erupting at the same time.
It was as though all the growth that had been delayed…
Was happening at once.
Hayden reached toward another butterfly.
Meanwhile…
I rummaged through the picnic basket to prepare his snack.
A picnic naturally needed lunch.
I figured we’d start with something gentle.
Bananas.
I mashed the banana until it was soft…
Then dabbed a little onto Hayden’s lips.
He smacked his lips…
His eyes immediately lit up.
“Mama!”
“Mama!”
Tastes good, doesn’t it?
I know.
Smiling with satisfaction…
I continued feeding him mashed banana.
“Oh my.”
“You eat so well.”
“When did our Hayden become so handsome?”
“Who told you to be this adorable?”
Hayden reached for the spoon.
I placed the spare spoon I’d prepared into his little hand.
I knew he’d do this.
While he happily dug around inside the bowl with his own spoon…
I fed him with the other one.
Maybe childcare really is my calling.
“This is called a banana, Hayden.”
“Nya-nya!”
“That’s right!”
I clapped again.
“Banana!”
“Excellent job!”
They always say praise can make even a whale dance.
Let’s keep working hard, Hayden.
Grow so much that you completely surprise your father.
Completely unaware of my ambitious plans…
Hayden simply smiled brightly.
The moment our eyes met…
He shouted,
“Mama!”
Yep.
To you, I’m basically food.
And honestly… I’m perfectly okay with that.
If his teeth hurt again tonight…
I’d wipe his gums with a cold, damp cloth.
If neither of us got any sleep again…
Tomorrow was going to be rough.
Let’s survive today first, little one.
I prayed that my bright little Hayden would take a good nap.
I had just finished giving him some lukewarm milk…
When someone approached with soft footsteps.
Oh, right.
The new maid was arriving today.
“Good morning, Your Grace.”
“We’re meeting properly at last.”
“We greeted each other briefly before.”
“My name is Chloe.”
She smiled so delicately…
It looked as though it might crumble at any moment.
Wow…
She’s beautiful today too.
I remembered hearing that she was one of Cheres’s old friends.
So she wasn’t someone I could simply order around.
She was Lady Chloe.
I immediately greeted her with a bright smile.
“I’m so happy to see you again, Chloe!”
“I hope we get along well from now on.”
“…I’ll do my very best to assist you, Your Grace.”
Seeing her gentle smile…
Even I began to relax.
I really am weak when it comes to beautiful women.
She belonged to House Maleite, right?
After everything with the Yotley family…
I’d become much more cautious.
Still…
Nothing alarming came to mind.
Maybe her family wasn’t particularly problematic.
Should I investigate her background just in case?
“You’re taking care of Hayden.”
“He’s such a gentle child.”
“Even when I visit occasionally, he lets me hold him without fuss.”
Before I even had the chance to ask anything…
Chloe brought up Hayden herself.
The way she looked at him didn’t seem bad.
I’ll keep watching her.
She’d probably be observing me as well.
At the same time…
I’d be carefully observing Chloe.
For now, though…
First impression: Passed.
