Marianne had described her life as Frau Schneider as pruning. It might not have been an inaccurate description.

Christoph had thought that he could make her happy with lavish jewels and expensive dresses, perhaps without realizing that her branches were being trimmed.

“If it were me, Marianne wouldn’t say such things.”

Michael murmured so softly that only Christoph could hear. Christoph slowly turned his gaze towards him, his look as cold and barren as an arctic wind.

Michael didn’t rein himself in. In a mocking tone, he whispered.
“Christoph, look closely at what you’ve taken from Marianne.”

Christoph clenched his fist firmly. He knew without Michael saying it. No, he knew it better than anyone else, to the point that it cut deep into his bones.

“I could make Marianne happy if it were me.”

At those words, Christoph’s lips twitched. However, his cold pupils didn’t reflect any hint of a smile.

“It’s not your place to say that, considering how you tormented her all through our school days.”

“Ugh.”

Michael glared at him with a fierce look, but Christoph didn’t even give him a glance. His gaze remained fixed on Marianne.

She slowly helped Daniel to his feet and dusted off the dirt from his pants.

“Sometimes it’s good to run away. Just because you run away doesn’t mean anyone can call you weak, Daniel. But…”

With a habit of standing up straight, Daniel looked at her. Marianne smiled more affectionately than ever before.

“You should run away when you can steal bread on your own, right? You can’t do anything on your own yet, can you?”

“Uh.”

Daniel’s face turned red. He wanted to argue, but the right words didn’t come to him. The boy knew better than anyone that he couldn’t do anything on his own without someone’s help, especially after these past few days of living on the streets. The fact that he would starve to death without help was all too real.
People didn’t give anything to the beggar boy in exchange for the gold coins; instead, they tried to take what he had. If it hadn’t been for Peter, who had cut a piece of bread for him, he would have collapsed on the street by now.

“So let’s think of this time as an opportunity to learn how to eat and live well on your own for the future. When you’re fully prepared, that’s when you’ll run away. I’ll support your escape, Daniel.”

“No, what’s that…”

Yan had a baffled expression at Daniel’s hesitant words. Cheering for a runaway lord was beyond absurd.

But it seemed that Daniel didn’t think so.

“How to eat and live well on your own.”

Daniel mumbled those words with determination and tightly grasped Marianne’s hand. It was an expression of his intention to return with her.

“Then I want to thank Peter. And I want to repay what I received from him, to show how much I’ve grown.”

“Yes! I’ll show you how I can even pick up apples that have fallen on the ground!”

Marianne grinned and tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Well then, shall we go back?”

Marianne walked with Daniel, and Yan followed them, shaking his head in amusement. Michael and Christoph were the last to move.

The owner of the bakery, left alone, watched them as they moved further away. Then, he scratched his head and turned back into the shop.
The children, drawn by the enticing smell of fresh bread, gathered around, hiding behind the wall, and peered into the bakery. Among the eager eyes searching for an opportunity, there was also Peter’s.

“Hey, have you heard what Lady Heinze mentioned to us? It’s the first time I’ve ever had a conversation with someone so high. Oh, of course.”

Jan paused briefly there and looked at Marianne and Christoph, as Michael had already left.

“Except for Lord Schneider and Lady Schneider. You’re not Lady Schneider, you’re Marianne, right?”

At that moment, Marianne came to a sudden halt. Jan glanced at her, wondering if he had unintentionally upset her.

“Did I go too far with that…?”

But Marianne’s gaze was directed not at him but towards the police department building. At the edge of her vision, she spotted a familiar silhouette. The person who had just come out of the police department noticed them and slightly widened their eyes.

Marianne quietly held her breath, and the footsteps behind her stopped. The visitor who had walked directly towards them greeted Marianne first.

“It’s been a while, Marianne.”

“…Nice to see you, Princess Nadia.”

Expression vanished from Marianne’s face. Through hesitant lips, she delivered a stiff greeting.

Why was she here?

Doubt flickered in Marianne’s eyes. Then, a few days later, she remembered that Schneider Viscount’s birthday was approaching and nodded inwardly.
Jan, who had been alternating his gaze between the two, suddenly gulped and swallowed hard. It was because he never expected to encounter someone so high-ranking in his lifetime.

First, Duke Heinze, and now Princess Nadia! Wasn’t that skipping too many levels?

In an instant, his cheeks turned bright red. His hands fumbled, and his feet shifted in place.

Nadia turned towards the awkward commotion, and with a slight curve of her eyes, she offered an elegant smile.

“You’ve worked hard, Constable.”

“Oh, good day, Your Highness.”

Startled and belatedly regaining his composure, Jan turned to Marianne. A nervous smile quivered at the corner of his lips. His flushed face seemed like it could burst into flames at any moment.