I wanted to see Benjamin happy, but it’s unfortunate. Still, he agreed to respect my educational philosophy, so it’s not a complete failure. Let’s call it a draw.

As she was consoling herself, Windsor stopped in front of the door, turned his upper body while holding the handle.

An indifferent voice came across the table.

“Please let me know the exact date and time. I’d appreciate at least two days’ notice so I can adjust my schedule.”

“… Of course, Lord Preston!”

Jacqueline, who had been staring blankly with wide eyes, quickly nodded. Hurriedly, lest he change his mind.

Windsor left the dining room, and she stared at the closed door for a long time. A gentle smile formed on Jacqueline’s lips.

“Benjamin!”

The door burst open with an excited voice. Benjamin, who had been reading alone, widened his eyes at Jacqueline’s sudden appearance.

“Hello, Miss Somerset.”

The child blinked his light brown eyes and stared at Jacqueline’s unusual attire. She approached with large strides and put a wide-brimmed hat on Benjamin.

“!”

The hat, larger than the child’s head, came down low over his forehead. Benjamin tilted his head slightly as he lifted the brim.

“It’s mine, but it is a bit big for you.”

Jacqueline stepped back to look Benjamin over and shrugged lightly. It didn’t matter.

“Shall we go?”

“… Where to?”

Jacqueline shook the small bucket on her arm. Seeing the trowel inside, Benjamin’s eyes grew even more confused.

Jacqueline smiled as brightly as the spring sunshine. It was a smile that seemed to light up the surroundings.

“To catch ants.”

“…”

Between the radiant smile and the unexpected words, Benjamin couldn’t immediately understand what she had said. The child stood still, half dazed.

“Let’s go!”

Jacqueline boldly took the lead, but Benjamin still didn’t move from his spot. She stopped after a few steps and looked back.

Benjamin slightly raised his chin and put his legs together. He put his hands behind his back. He looked like a miniature version of Windsor. In a word, like a soldier.

A rather mature voice came from between the child’s teeth.

“The future Marquess of Preston doesn’t catch ants, Miss.”

“I’ll teach you how to catch the queen ant. I studied ant behavior all night. There’s no book missing from the library. If you catch the queen ant, the worker ants and soldier ants will follow in droves. Then we’ll create a new kingdom in the bucket.”

Jacqueline’s voice was as sweet and secretive as a demon’s whisper. Benjamin, who flinched involuntarily, shook his head with difficulty. His fluffy hair fluttered lightly.

“I promised never to disappoint Uncle again, Miss Somerset.”

“Hmm.”

Jacqueline looked with surprise at the child whose will had grown so strong in just one day. She raised her chin with a rather proud expression.

“What if Lord Preston gave permission?”

“Pardon?”

Benjamin widened his eyes in disbelief. As a result, the hat slid down to his eyes once again.

The child’s gaze, as he slightly lifted the brim, was mixed with a hint of doubt. Benjamin had the ability to learn, and he vividly remembered being scolded by his uncle every time he followed Jacqueline’s words.

“That can’t be. Uncle would…”

“Lord Preston is as rational and reasonable as I thought. We reached an agreement through conversation last evening. Lord Preston agreed to respect my educational philosophy.”

“!”

Benjamin’s expression was filled with astonishment.

The next moment, the child’s eyes sparkled. Benjamin looked up at her with admiring eyes, like a citizen welcoming a victorious general.

“Shall we go?”

Jacqueline took the lead, puffing out her chest. Benjamin, who had been hesitating, pushed up his fallen hat and followed her.

Quick footsteps hurried to her side. The child’s voice was filled with undisguised excitement.

“Did Uncle really give permission?”

“Of course, he did.”

“Will a new kingdom really be created if we just catch the queen ant?”

“According to what I read in the book, yes. If you put a queen ant, worker ants, and soldier ants in a glass container filled with soil, you can observe how the kingdom is built.”

“How do we catch the queen ant? She’s hidden deep underground, isn’t she?”

“I have a secret weapon.”

“A secret weapon?”

The child had many questions. It was the most talkative he had ever been. Jacqueline smiled and touched the crooked brim of his hat.

“The sun is strong. It’s good we came out wearing hats.”

Standing in front of the entrance and looking around, Jacqueline pointed to the left with the hand holding the trowel. Then, like a general ordering an advance, she said proudly.

“We should go that way! I have a feeling there might be an ant kingdom near the greenhouse.”

“Yes, Miss Somerset!”

Benjamin nodded with a rather determined expression. The two set off into the unknown world like a captain and sailor searching for a new continent.

“Ah!”

Benjamin quickly grabbed his hat that was about to fly away in the wind and ran energetically to catch up the distance that had opened between them.

Betty, who was cleaning the windows, cast a puzzled look at the two, but neither of them noticed.

“It’s finally time to reveal the secret weapon.”

Jacqueline muttered meaningfully as they arrived under the almond tree next to the greenhouse. She put her hand into the bucket.

“Ta-da! Can you guess what this is?”

“Um, a cookie… isn’t it?”

Benjamin answered uncertainly. No matter how he looked at it, what she was holding was clearly a cookie.

But seeing Jacqueline’s triumphant expression, he thought it might not be a cookie after all. She wouldn’t look so self-assured over just a cookie.

Maybe it’s a bomb shaped like a cookie. To blast the ground all the way to where the queen ant is hiding.

“It’s not just any cookie. It’s our guide that will lead us to the ant kingdom.”

“…”

“Watch closely.”

Jacqueline crouched down in that spot. Careful not to let her dress touch the ground.

Benjamin crouched down opposite her and stretched out his neck. The hat fell back behind his neck with the movement.

“If we sprinkle cookie crumbs here like this…”

The child looked down at the damp soil with sparkling eyes.

“If we sprinkle cookie crumbs… Hmm.”

“Nothing’s happening, Miss Somerset?”

Benjamin’s voice took on a disappointed tone. Jacqueline wrinkled her nose with a troubled expression.

“That’s strange. The book clearly said… Ah, look there, Benjamin.”

Jacqueline lowered her voice and pointed somewhere. Benjamin’s head followed the direction of her finger.

An ant appeared from somewhere. After looking around, it headed straight for the cookie.

Benjamin leaned forward to get a better look. The child’s fingers twitched. He seemed to want to catch the ant right away.

Jacqueline shook her head firmly.

“Wait a little longer. We’re not trying to catch just one ant, we’re going to move the entire ant kingdom. Sometimes you have to be patient for a greater goal.”

“Yes, Miss Somerset.”

Benjamin clenched his fist tightly. The small fist was the child’s patience.

The ant struggled to lift a piece of cookie several times larger than its body. But after repeated failures, it eventually turned back the way it had come.

The corners of Benjamin’s eyes drooped dejectedly.

“The ant gave up and went back, Miss. Maybe we should break the cookie into smaller pieces.”

“Did it really give up and leave? Let’s wait a little longer.”

“… Yes.”

Benjamin’s bottom fidgeted. The child was worried about losing the one ant that had finally appeared, but he patiently endured as Jacqueline had said.

The tightly clenched fist kept trying to loosen. Just as the thread of patience was fading…

“Oh?”

A group of ants appeared from somewhere. The ants, lined up in a row, marched forward diligently as if they had a set destination.

“Wow!”

Benjamin let out a soft exclamation. Although they all looked the same, it was easy to guess that the ant at the very front was the one from earlier.

The ants worked together to lift the heavy piece of cookie. Two ants that arrived late placed small crumbs on their heads.

“The ant brought its friends, Miss Somerset!”

“So it did.”

Jacqueline’s eyes sparkled too. The ant didn’t give up on an impossible task. Instead, it brought companions.

They easily lifted the cookie piece and moved it to their kingdom. With very proud steps.

“Making good friends is also something the Marquess of Preston should do. There are many things in this world that can’t be done alone.”

Jacqueline paused there, remembering Windsor’s words and curling her lips.

A few ants might not be able to protect the future Marquess Benjamin Preston, but she hoped that today’s memory would protect him.

“Yes, Miss Somerset.”

Benjamin answered perfunctorily and followed the ants as if possessed by a ghost. Jacqueline leisurely followed the child, holding the bucket in one hand.

The ants disappeared under a cherry tree. Benjamin crouched down and stared at the damp ground for a long time.

“Now it’s finally my turn to step in.”

Jacqueline rolled up her dress sleeves and gripped the trowel firmly with one hand.

Thud.

She plunged the trowel into the damp ground like an explorer discovering a new continent. And straightening her shoulders, she said confidently.

“The ant kingdom will be under here. And the queen ant will be in the deepest part. If we just catch the queen ant, we’ll be able to build a new kingdom quickly.”

Benjamin silently stared at the soil. There were several small holes underneath. An ant peeked its head out between the holes, looked around, and soon moved with busy steps.

Another ant disappeared into a hole carrying the carcass of a small insect. At that moment.

“I’d rather leave it as it is.”

A soft voice floated on the spring breeze.

Jacqueline paused as she was about to hand the shovel to the child. Benjamin watched the ants coming and going with round eyes.

“You don’t want to take it home?”

“No, I just want to watch.”

For a moment, Jacqueline’s eyes softened. The child clearly didn’t want to destroy the kingdom the ants had worked so hard to build.

She liked Benjamin. That gentleness so unlike the heir to the Preston family.

Perhaps Benjamin would become the finest master of the Preston family, just as Windsor hoped. No, she was certain of it.

Looking down at the child’s small back, Jacqueline whispered in a subtle voice.

“If we put them in a glass container and decorate your room with it, you could see the ant kingdom whenever you want. That would be very enjoyable.”