Chapter 10

It was the first time she had crossed Kress Bridge since coming to Rebunto.

To think she was crossing the bridge she had never been able to cross alone, holding someone’s hand.

Elena swallowed.

Clip-clop.

Forgetting all decorum and craning her neck to look outside, Elena caught sight of the horse setting its hooves on the bridge.

‘So it really…’

So this was possible after all.

So it had been nothing at all.

Her heart raced.

Elena swallowed.

And when the carriage had completely crossed Kress Bridge, Elena regained her composure.

Rubbing her flushed cheeks and sitting up straight, Elena surreptitiously checked Hazel’s reaction.

Fortunately, Hazel seemed thoroughly absorbed in her book.

Her chest swelled.

A deep sense of liberation brought a smile blooming to Elena’s lips.

Elena unconsciously wiggled her feet.

Careful not to disturb the sleeping Leana, she straightened her posture, yet her heart seemed to be out there beyond.

She felt like a bird that had opened its cage and flown freely.

She no longer had to engage in pointless struggles with Cecile.

She no longer had to fret and worry to protect Leana from Cecile.

Just that alone put her heart at ease.

Hazel peeked over her book at Elena’s blooming face.

When the child who had been squirming since departure finally stuck her head out the window, Hazel had to struggle to hold back her laughter.

‘She has more adorable sides than I thought.’

Hazel liked Elena more and more.

For a fellow like Maxim—full of wounds and hostile toward the world—a soft, downy child like Elena was a good match.

Didn’t she look positively radiant with warmth at a glance?

The carriage picked up speed.

The train station was drawing closer.

For a while, Hazel planned to stay at Maxim’s mansion under the pretext of helping Elena find a governess position.

With a young man and woman under the same roof, there was no way nothing would happen.

Even without looking, it was clear that fine sparks would fly between them.

There might be unnecessary rumors along the way, but if she, a princess, was in that mansion and claimed Elena was her guest, that would smooth things over to some extent.

Hazel hummed with delight.

“Leana, wake up. We’re at the train station.”

“Mmm?”

Leana, blinking, met Hazel’s eyes.

Hazel smiled brightly.

For the progress of Elena and Maxim’s relationship, Leana was a bit of an obstacle.

It seemed she would have to throw herself into childcare for the first time in a long while in Andres.

Hazel held out her hand to Leana, who was blinking like a cute rabbit.

“Come here?”

“…”

“Won’t you ride the train with me? It’s been so long since I rode one that I’m a little scared. I would love it if Leana would hold my hand.”

“You’re scared?”

Leana asked with wide eyes.

The look was the spitting image of her sister.

“Of course. It’s so scary. Is Leana all right?”

“Yes! Leana is, cough, Leana is brave! I’ll protect you!”

Leana’s small hand slipped right into Hazel’s.

Hazel’s nose twitched.

How could anything be this adorable?

Having raised only a dark-skinned son, she had never experienced this kind of joy.

It seemed her life was about to bloom in her later years.

Hazel happily opened her parasol.

Tilting the parasol toward Leana, Hazel asked.

“I smell something delicious. What kind of candy does Leana like?”

“C-candy? W-whoa…”

Leana swallowed.

Even the way she checked her sister’s reaction was adorable.

When Elena gave a slight, helpless nod, Leana shook Hazel’s hand.

“This one… and this one…”

Watching her stand on tiptoe, peering at the stall and poking at the candies with her small finger, Hazel smiled softly.

It was hard to believe such a daughter had grown up under Cecile Joseph.

‘Her sister must have raised her, working her fingers to the bone.’

The thought made her heart ache.

She truly was a child unlike the young ones of today.

Hazel swallowed a small sigh and held out money to the stall owner.

“Give me every flavor you have.”

“W-whoa!!”

Leana bounced up and down.

Her cute cheeks flushed pink.

“Grandma, you’re the best!”

“G-grandma…”

Hazel swallowed at the unfamiliar word.

She had thought her head was throbbing, but it seemed it was also pleasant.

Hazel smiled awkwardly.

Compared to her son, who cared nothing for marriage and only knew how to swing a sword bluntly, this child was pure cotton candy.

“Leana, you should say thank you.”

At Elena’s stern words, Leana bowed her head politely.

“Thank you, Grandma!”

“I told you to call me madam.”

Elena sighed and straightened Leana’s clothes again.

Then she picked out the candy the child liked most and popped it into her mouth.

Because they had no money, she had only occasionally bought one at a time—how happy must Leana be to have an armful like this?

She understood the feeling, but she was still cautious.

Elena and Leana were now entrusting everything to Hazel.

A small mistake could overturn everything.

Elena checked Hazel’s expression.

Because of the parasol’s shadow, her face was hard to see.

“That’s enough, Elena. I like being called grandma. Leana, didn’t you say grandma was the best?”

“Yes!!”

Fortunately, beneath the parasol tilted back, Hazel’s face wore a bright smile.

Elena secretly pressed a hand to her chest in relief.

“Let me show you just how great this grandma is! Have you ever ridden a train?”

Leana shook her head from side to side.

Hazel smiled slyly.

“Shall I let you ride that train?”

“R-really?”

“Of course. I’ll let you sit in the biggest seat.”

“Whooooa!”

Leana grew even more excited and stamped her feet.

After spinning around, unable to contain her joy, she clutched tightly at Hazel’s leg.

She was honest about her feelings and, in some ways, heartbreakingly mature—but sometimes, like this, just a child.

Elena swallowed back tears.

Seeing Leana laugh like that made it real once more.

Cecile had hated the sound of coughing, so Leana’s daily life had been spent watching the adults’ moods—how long had it been since Elena had seen her laugh out loud like this?

Elena gripped the handle of her bag.

Hazel held Leana’s hand firmly and took the lead.

Elena followed behind.

“Would you like to try it yourself?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you want to buy the train tickets yourself. This grandma will help you.”

“Can Leana do it?”

“Of course!”

Hazel lifted Leana up in one swift motion.

Leana held out the money in her hand.

Hazel whispered in Leana’s ear.

“Ask for three tickets to Andres.”

“Three tickets to Andres, please!”

Leana cried out like a parrot.

“Well done.”

Hazel smiled softly.

The attendant exchanged the money for train tickets, and Leana clutched them to her chest, beaming as if she owned the world.

The train was coming in.

“Who is that? Isn’t that Countess Hazel?”

“Oh my, you’re right. She must be going to Andres. Is something happening at the imperial palace?”

“Who knows. But who are the child and the young lady beside her?”

“I’ve never seen their faces before…”

Those who recognized Hazel, the celebrity of Rebunto’s social circles, whispered among themselves.

But even that was drowned out by the train’s whistle.

Watching the massive iron beast roll in, Elena blinked.

She was leaving.

Leaving Cecile behind.

Elena turned to look back, then stopped herself.

And she boarded the train just like that.

Striving to shake off her lingering attachments.

* * *

Cecile hesitated, then knocked on the door of the Presto estate.

The head butler came out to receive Cecile but did not open the door.

“What business do you have?”

At the butler’s rude manner of leaving a guest standing at the entrance, Cecile’s eyes sharpened.

But Cecile had not forgotten where she was.

“…I have come because I have something urgent to ask the countess. Would you tell the countess that Cecile of Joseph has come?”

The head butler cleared his throat.

As it happened, Countess Presto had given strict instructions before leaving.

That if a woman named Cecile came looking, she was absolutely not to be let in, and that not a word was to be said about the guests who had briefly stayed.

The butler spoke with tact.

“Unfortunately, today will not be possible. The countess is bedridden with a high fever.”

“Oh my, good heavens.”

Cecile covered her mouth with her hand.

She was putting on a show of concern, but inside she was furiously racking her brain.

The countess, who had been perfectly well, suddenly had a fever?

Something smelled off about that.

Cecile took a step back.

“Then I shall come another time. I hope the mistress recovers quickly.”

“I will convey that. Thank you.”

Cecile glanced toward the stables.

The family’s carriage was still there.

Cecile bit her lips over and over.

Surely she had not guessed wrong?

Or was the countess deliberately hiding her?

She did not know yet.

But if the countess would not open her mouth, there was nothing to do but find Elena herself.

Cecile hurried her steps to secure a hired carriage to Andres.