<8>
As a reward for the napkin flower gift, a massive tea table was placed in front of Rowena.
“Wow!”
Rowena’s already round eyes became even rounder.
Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to say they widened in astonishment.
The table was piled high with all kinds of colorful desserts.
From sponge cake generously topped with strawberry jam to cream puffs that melted in your mouth with just one bite!
There were so many desserts that the entire dining room was filled with a sweet fragrance.
However, the reward awaiting Rowena did not stop at sweet desserts alone.
“I am thinking of taking you as my adopted daughter, Rowena.”
With a noticeably softened expression, Madam Hayworth dropped a bombshell announcement.
* * *
Should this be considered good news?
To receive an adoption proposal from Madam Hayworth!
However…
“Enter the Hayworth family register. I will raise you.”
“…Huh? (Yes?)”
It would have been better if the proposal had come after she finished eating everything in her mouth.
At the moment the words were spoken, Rowena had stuffed her left cheek full of Earl Grey madeleines and her right cheek with chocolate cream puffs.
Because of that, her already plump cheeks puffed out even more, making her look exactly like a squirrel.
It was hardly surprising.
She nearly hiccupped in shock from the bombshell declaration, but Rowena skillfully swallowed both desserts in one gulp and then spoke.
“Y-You mean as your adopted daughter?”
“Yes. This is both an invitation and a request. I have taken a liking to you.”
In truth, this was something anyone present — anyone who knew the strict Madam Hayworth — could clearly see.
Even though Rowena had chocolate cream smeared all around her mouth, Madam Hayworth’s face remained nothing but kind and benevolent.
“Rowena, while I cannot make you the heir of Hayworth, this will still be an immensely beneficial offer for you. Becoming my daughter means that everything I have will become yours.”
Why was she called Madam Hayworth?
The current head of Hayworth was Duke Seymour Somerset.
However, he merely held the position of family head and handled external affairs; all internal family matters were entirely in the hands of Madam Hayworth.
Naturally, the vast wealth of the Hayworth family was also under her control.
That was why society respectfully referred to her as Madam.
Therefore, becoming the daughter of Madam Hayworth meant that enormous inheritance would all belong to Rowena.
The butler standing behind her, Henry, nodded and chimed in.
“Living in Hayworth will be far more enjoyable and abundant than staying at the orphanage, little miss. If you wish, you can enjoy foods like this every day and wear beautiful clothes.”
“Every day?”
“Of course. You would become a noble lady like Madam Hayworth.”
There was an enormous gap in status between an orphan from the orphanage and a noble young lady.
Therefore, this proposal was undoubtedly an unprecedented stroke of luck for Rowena.
‘After saying this much, surely even the child will understand.’
Both Henry and Freya thought there was no reason for Rowena to refuse this offer.
However.
“I’m truly grateful, but I think that will be difficult.”
The answer that came from Rowena was a refusal.
Freya herself was shocked by the unexpected reply and asked,
“W-Why on earth? Is there a reason?”
“Yes!”
Unlike the shocked adults, the child giggled innocently and said,
“Because I want to become the family of Duke Somerset!”
Another bombshell declaration.
* * *
Become the family of Seymour!
This was the conclusion Rowena had reached after long and careful consideration.
While waiting for Madam Hayworth to wake up and diligently folding napkin flowers, Rowena had constantly pondered the future.
‘No matter how much I think about it, this is the only answer.’
At first, her only thought was to meet Seymour.
She had even considered clinging to him desperately once they met, hoping to somehow obtain the cure.
But after learning that Madam Hayworth had fallen ill due to grief over Rose’s death, her thinking changed.
‘This isn’t something that can be solved with one or two meetings.’
With such a lighthearted approach, she would never obtain the cure for lily disease.
Seymour’s condition was likely worse — or at the very least no better — than Madam Hayworth’s.
‘They said Seymour is currently living like a recluse because of the grief of losing his wife.’
As a result, his business has been in decline for several years.
If not for that, Seymour would have imported the cure much earlier.
‘At the very least, it wouldn’t have taken a full seven years.’
If she could advance it by just two years, that would be enough.
‘To do that, first I need to get Seymour out of his reclusive state…’
Even Madam Hayworth, his mother-in-law, could barely reach him.
Would Seymour suddenly recover just because Rowena gave him a tight hug once?
In the end, there was only one answer.
‘Close surveillance!’
To catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger’s den; to meet the villain, you must enter his house.
Therefore, to fix Seymour, she had to enter his house!
And as family, no less.
But to do that, there was one mountain she had to climb first: Madam Hayworth.
At Rowena’s declaration, she asked with a slightly dazed expression,
“You want to become Seymour’s family? Rowena, have you ever met Seymour?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Then I understand even less. I thought you were a sensible child…”
The eyes that had been nothing but gentle now carried a razor-sharp coldness.
“Are you saying that becoming my adopted daughter — even though you cannot become the heir — is not enough for you?”
“No! That’s not it!”
Rowena hurriedly waved her hands.
“I have no desire to become the heir. You don’t have to give me anything.”
“Then why?”
“Actually… I heard what happened while you were bedridden, Madam. I heard that you are always worried about the Duke.”
As Rowena fidgeted with her fingers, Freya slightly furrowed her brows.
“Henry, did you tell the child such things?”
“I did not… But judging by it, she must have overheard the maids gossiping.”
There were many whispers within the mansion speculating about Madam’s sudden illness.
Naturally, some of them mentioned Rose’s death and suggested that Madam had fallen ill because of her worry for Seymour.
Those were things a child wandering around the mansion could easily overhear.
“So… since the Duke has lost his family, I wanted to become his family. That way, Madam, you won’t have to worry as much.”
At Rowena’s dejected-sounding words, the expressions of Freya, Henry, and the maids melted away in an instant.
“So that was the reason…”
“What a warm-hearted child…”
“How can she be so kind?”
Seizing the suddenly warmed atmosphere, Rowena quickly continued.
“And if I become the Duke’s family, I think I can help solve the Duke’s problems!”
“By problems, do you mean solving the heir issue? How would you do that?”
“Well, you see…”
Rowena hopped down from her chair, trotted over to Freya, and whispered in her ear.
“…So… that’s how it is!”
“Hmm…”
After a long bout of whispering, Freya nodded with interest, and Rowena covered her mouth with both hands and giggled.
Then, her green eyes sparkling brightly, she asked,
“What do you think, Madam?”
Will you make me the Duke’s family?
* * *
And so, back to the present.
Madam Hayworth had proven to be an excellent ally.
She had pushed against that Seymour until he finally agreed to take Rowena!
And thus, Rowena was now riding in a carriage heading to the Somerset ducal residence.
‘Hehe.’
I really am smart!
Choosing to win over Madam Hayworth had been an excellent decision.
Of course, it hadn’t been easy.
Madam Hayworth would not easily trust the proposal of a mere child.
‘I do not believe you are trying to deceive me, Rowena. But people change. Do you truly think that ten years from now you will be the same as you are today? I cannot guarantee that you will not later develop greed for the position of heir.’
‘Therefore, write a pledge. If you write a pledge promising to uphold your proposal even ten years from now, I will make you Seymour’s heir.’
Rowena and Madam Hayworth wrote the pledge side by side, and Madam Hayworth kept her word.
‘Now all that remains is…’
Rowena smiled brightly and turned her gaze to the opposite side of the carriage.
There sat a man with an extremely sullen expression.
The man who had suddenly been blessed — or rather, cursed — with an heir he never asked for…
The unfortunate, no, fortunate man — Seymour Somerset.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
