Chapter 18
Today, Hayden wasn’t feeling well.
He’d been different since morning.
He refused his baby food, and although he didn’t have a fever, he looked unusually tired.
What’s wrong?
“At least the cheese tastes good, right?”
“Deh! Chee!”
Hayden reached out toward me, so I popped a small piece of cheese into his mouth.
As soon as he finished eating it, he became fussy again.
“Waaah…”
In the end, I picked him up.
Hayden buried his face against my shoulder and whimpered.
Every time I tried to put him down, he cried, leaving me no choice but to keep holding him.
It took an entire hour of struggling before I finally managed to get him to sleep.
With his face nestled against my shoulder, Hayden drifted off while I gently patted his back.
“It’s okay… it’s okay.”
“I’m right here.”
My wrist felt like it was about to break.
But what could I do?
There were days like this.
As I continued holding him…
His breathing gradually became slow and even.
The tiny fingers clutching my collar slowly relaxed.
The strength left his little hands.
His soft breathing settled into a peaceful rhythm.
Finally…
He was asleep.
Transferring a sleeping baby to the bed required more precision than defusing a bomb.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
“…Phew.”
Taking a deep breath, I slowly stood.
Seeing Hayden sleeping peacefully instantly soothed my heart.
Massaging my aching arms, I quietly tiptoed toward the door.
Then—
The door flew open.
“Your Grace! So this is where you were!”
It was Chloe.
She beamed brightly.
Is she out of her mind?
The curse almost escaped my lips on instinct.
“…Damn.”
I immediately turned toward Hayden.
He stirred.
My heart nearly stopped.
His eyelids trembled.
No.
Please… don’t wake up.
“Chloe… please be quiet…”
“Look!”
“I finally managed to get it!”
“It’s a nutritional supplement for infants from House Veloche!”
“It’s incredibly popular among the nobility, so I barely managed to get someone to obtain it for me!”
“They say it’s excellent for restoring strength.”
“I heard Hayden isn’t feeling well.”
“They say medicines like this work best if you give them immediately.”
“I think he should take it right now.”
Chloe proudly shook the elegant glass bottle in her hand.
It had a luxurious gold-embossed label.
She started walking toward Hayden’s bed.
I quickly blocked her path.
“Hayden is sleeping right now, Chloe.”
“He can take it later.”
“Please…”
My friend…
Now is really not the time.
“Hayden!”
“Chloe!”
My voice became sharp before I realized it.
But it was already too late.
“WAAAAAHHH!”
Hayden woke up.
The entire hour I’d spent trying to put him to sleep…
Disappeared in three seconds.
His little body stiffened.
His arms and legs flailed wildly.
His face turned bright red.
Since he’d already been feeling unwell, being forcibly awakened made him even more miserable than usual.
“WAAAAAH!”
Startled, Chloe took a step backward.
“O-Oh my.”
“Why is he crying so much?”
“Leave.”
“…What?”
“Leave.”
“Right now!”
My voice trembled.
The problem was…
Chloe genuinely didn’t understand what she’d done wrong.
“But I worked so hard to get this for Hayden!”
“I know it’s a good supplement.”
“And I appreciate that you went through all that trouble.”
I spoke through gritted teeth.
“But he was sleeping.”
“So please…”
“Just leave.”
If I said anything more…
I felt like I’d end up saying something I couldn’t take back.
In the end, Chloe placed the bottle on the table and left.
I picked up the crying Hayden.
“I’m sorry, Hayden.”
“Shh…”
“Let’s go back to sleep.”
For the first time…
I sincerely wished Chloe would leave this mansion.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
After being chased out of Hayden’s room, Chloe wandered aimlessly through the hallway.
Puffing out her cheeks, she let out a sigh.
Why didn’t anyone appreciate her good intentions?
Looking out the window, she noticed several carriages arriving.
“Oh.”
“Wasn’t there supposed to be a meeting today?”
Come to think of it…
Her mother had also mentioned she would be visiting the ducal estate today.
Chloe’s eyes sparkled.
She could attend that meeting.
After all…
She was the heir of one of the vassal families.
Normally, the Duchess also attended meetings like these in the South.
But Roana…
Chloe glanced toward Roana’s room.
Just taking care of Hayden already seemed overwhelming for her.
“Tsk.”
“What would they do without me?”
“If she can’t even fulfill her duties as Duchess, what’s the point of being one?”
As Roana’s attendant…
Chloe decided she would attend the meeting in her place.
After all…
There was nothing strange about a duchess’s attendant representing her at an official meeting.
This too…
Was for Roana’s sake.
And for House Beredan.
“I’m such a great friend, Cheres.”
“You really should appreciate me.”
Chloe hummed happily to herself.
Today’s meeting concerned preparations for the coming war.
They would decide how many troops each family would contribute…
How supplies would be divided…
And which noble would be responsible for each section of the coastal defenses.
It was one of the South’s most important meetings.
Every major southern noble was in attendance.
Yet…
Sitting confidently among them…
Was Chloe.
Cheres froze.
The moment he entered, Chloe smiled brightly.
“Cheres!”
“You said there was a meeting.”
“I can attend too, right?”
“I’m here to represent Roana.”
Silence fell over the conference room.
Everyone had expected tense political negotiations.
Instead…
Chloe had barged in.
Soon, every southern noble would be arriving.
Even those already present stared at Chloe with bewildered expressions.
Cheres slowly closed his eyes…
Then opened them again.
Just as Bogus cautiously stepped forward to escort Chloe out—
“Chloe.”
A low, firm voice interrupted.
It was Countess Maleite.
She had just arrived.
“Do you understand what kind of meeting this is?”
“Leave immediately.”
Her voice was quiet.
But sharp enough to cut.
Chloe opened her mouth…
Then quietly closed it again.
Countess Maleite rubbed her forehead before turning to Cheres.
“I sincerely apologize.”
Seeing the genuine shame on her face…
Cheres couldn’t bring himself to say a single word.
Everything Chloe had done eventually reached my ears through Mrs. Urein.
At this point…
Didn’t we finally have the perfect justification?
A legitimate reason to send Chloe away.
Cheres came upstairs after the meeting around sunset.
His face was etched with exhaustion.
But the moment he saw me…
His expression gradually softened.
I had been standing beside the window.
Turning around, I spoke.
“Cheres.”
“We need to talk.”
We went together into the sunroom.
I waited until he sat down comfortably before speaking.
“May I send Lady Chloe away?”
Cheres let out a deep sigh.
The man who had laughed with me just days ago was nowhere to be seen.
“The biggest problem…”
He said quietly,
“…is that Chloe sincerely believes everything she’s doing is right.”
That was exactly the issue.
Her behavior couldn’t be corrected.
If she were acting out of malice…
It would actually be easier.
People driven by malice could simply be hated.
But Chloe genuinely believed she was right.
She truly thought she was helping Cheres.
Helping House Beredan.
Everything she did came from good intentions…
And affection.
If they drove Chloe away outright…
Countess Maleite would inevitably feel hurt.
So…
The solution had to be one that was best for everyone.
“…Do you have a plan?”
I nodded.
“Will you trust me?”
“I’ll solve this in the best possible way for everyone.”
“But I’ll need your cooperation.”
Cheres answered with complete seriousness.
“Of course.”
“No matter what it is.”
“If I had to drink filth to make it happen…”
“I would.”
I smiled faintly.
“It won’t require anything quite that barbaric, Cheres.”
It was the smile of someone who had learned many things over the past few days.
“And…”
“I owe you an apology.”
“An apology?”
I tilted my head.
Weren’t we both victims here?
“…For standing by and allowing Chloe to come here.”
“Ah.”
That was certainly something worth apologizing for.
I nodded.
Besides…
I had a feeling part of him had found the situation amusing in the beginning.
“If I manage to send Lady Chloe away…”
“In a very gentle and peaceful manner…”
“Will your opinion of me change?”
Cheres answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Absolutely.”
It seemed Chloe had left everyone in the mansion with some very profound life lessons.
