Dante’s back slumped as he spoke those words.

She knew well that this wasn’t genuine resignation, but rather self-sabotage.

Seeing Dante repeat before her eyes the same despair she herself had once experienced, her heart throbbed with pain.

Leaning against the cold glass window, Dante’s body seemed smaller than ever today. Unable to bear it any longer, she pulled the little dragon into her arms.

[……!]

A warm, comforting heat enveloped Dante. Tears welled up and shimmered in his bright yellow eyes.

The little dragon who had lost his courage let his body go slack in her gentle, sweet-scented embrace.

Sniffling, his tears dampening her sleeve, Dante asked in a voice thick with emotion.

[…Do I seem pathetic?]

“Not in the slightest.”

[You don’t hate me either?]

“Of course not. How could I possibly hate someone so adorable and lovable?”

When she kissed the tip of his nose, calling him silly, he laughed through his tears, his face twitching from the tickle—so heartbreakingly sweet.

The more special a child was, the more wounds they carried. And the more she wanted to cherish and love him.

It pained her that this feeling wasn’t getting through. Even more so because she didn’t understand why the child felt so insecure.

Perhaps encouraged by her kind words, Dante slowly lifted his head and asked.

“Then… I’m not a burden? Can I try just a little harder?”

Now she finally understood. Why the little dragon was so anxious.

‘He believes everyone suffers because of him.’

Realizing this, her throat tightened, and she couldn’t answer immediately. She took a moment to suppress the sob rising within before meeting his gaze.

“Of course you’re not.”

Children were meant to grow under the protection of adults, she whispered softly. Dante buried his face in Yerpi’s neck.

Normally, he would have grumbled about not being treated like a child, but this time, he said nothing.

In truth, Dante desired adult protection more than anyone else.

He had been pretending to be mature, hiding his true self—because he feared people disliked him, or thought he was a nuisance.

Looking at Dante, her heart ached. No, it was more than mere pain—she longed to connect with the child on every level.

[Then I’ll try. Truthfully, I didn’t want to give up. I’m curious—what would I look like as a human? What could I do with this changed body?]

“Then let’s find out together. I’ll be by your side.”

At that moment, a star fell against the dark windowpane. Once again, a rain of stars began to pour down. It was time to make a wish.

Lifting Dante to the windowsill, the child gazed at the meteor shower and made a wish. As the brightest, largest star streaked across the sky, night returned once more.

This time, the quiet darkness no longer felt frightening. The little dragon, cradling his wish, drifted to sleep in the warmth of spices.

***

It was an afternoon three days after the mage had visited.

Dante had regained his spirits and returned to class with his usual vigor. Yerpi sat at the table inside her chamber, poring over documents.

She also had to review the budget and annual expenses for the staff employed within the castle, and devise a new plan.

Unlike previous years, many people had left and new ones had arrived, so she needed to examine their personal records and wages.

‘The former duchess passed away, and since then, most of the castle’s budget matters have been handled by the steward.’

On paper, the budget had no major issues, though it was somewhat tight.

Yerpi slightly adjusted the wages and used the remaining funds for managing sponsorships.

Outside the window, a pale blue sky stretched high, dotted with drifting clouds. The weather was mild, and the castle was peaceful for once.

After recent continuous turmoil, this rare tranquility felt strangely unfamiliar.

Suddenly, a beautiful face—the source of all the trouble—flashed in her mind.

‘What could Charlotte be thinking right now?’

They hadn’t even briefly crossed paths, so it was impossible to tell. She briefly considered visiting, but then shook her head.

‘Don’t overthink it. She said herself she’d return when the time came.’

Worrying too much might only worsen their relationship.

The best way to calm her unease was to keep moving.

While Dante was in class, she decided to take a short walk. Yerpi rose from her seat and stepped out of her chamber.

Walking down a side path leading straight to the garden, she unexpectedly encountered someone on the descending staircase.

“Marian.”

“Your Highness. Did you have a pleasant morning?”

A maid with dark blonde hair braided into two pigtails and round glasses smiled kindly at Yerpi.

Her face was familiar—she had temporarily stepped away to serve Charlotte.

That made Yerpi feel even more pleased to see her.

“Yes. Good morning. Where are you headed?”

“I just came from delivering tea leaves to Miss Charlotte. Snowe will be serving tea using the leaves I provided.”

“I see.”

So Charlotte was living an ordinary daily life. Even that felt strangely unfamiliar.

Since there didn’t seem to be anything urgent, Marian walked alongside Yerpi, matching her pace.

The path to the garden appeared. At the doorway where sunlight and shadow divided the garden from the building, Yerpi offered.

“Shall we walk together for a while? Tell Charlotte I called for you.”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

Marian’s eyes looked slightly shadowed as she spoke. In the time they hadn’t met, she seemed to have lost a little weight.

A maid’s daily life was largely shaped by the temperament and environment of the person they served.

Could it be because her mistress had suddenly changed? Or was there some other issue? Yerpi grew concerned.

“She’s difficult to serve, isn’t she? Must be exhausting. I feel bad for making you suffer like this.”

“No, not at all, Your Highness.”

She said that, but her grateful expression showed she appreciated being understood.

Apparently, in the early days of serving Charlotte, she had been asked multiple times to bring the same tea leaves again due to Charlotte’s whims.

Besides that, Charlotte had a knack for exhausting people. But Marian smiled, saying that hadn’t been happening recently.

“Her insomnia has also improved significantly. So serving her has become much easier.”

“I see.”

Had her interest in Raymond truly been just a fleeting curiosity?

The fact that she’d grown calmer recently coincided with the time after Yerpi had spoken with her.

And now her insomnia had lessened too. It was fortunate she seemed to be doing better than expected, but hearing that the maids had suffered before made Yerpi feel guilty toward Marian and Snowe.

“When Charlotte leaves, I’ll make sure to give both of you something special. Would you prefer a raise or a vacation?”

“Your kindness alone is enough. But if you insist… if you ever visit the Autumn Territory, could you please take me with you? Erka went with Your Highness to her hometown, and I was quite envious.”

It was an unexpected request, but certainly not one she could refuse.

In fact, she had already planned to bring Marian if she went to the Autumn Territory.

“Of course. I’ll take you with me then.”

“Thank you. My hometown is a land of dense maple leaves and abundant golden harvests.”

People of Growen, born in each season, held deep pride in their homelands.

This was the first time Yerpi had spoken personally with Marian.

Even before becoming a maid, she had been known for her gentle and kind nature, popular among the other servants.

Walking together under the lazy sunlight, Yerpi suddenly asked.

“What is the Autumn Territory like?”

“Well, it’s prosperous, yet highly structured. If the Summer Territory is overflowing with passion and freedom, the Autumn Territory is divided into nobles and officials centered around the lord, along with laborers who handle farming.”

Marian was from a noble family of the Autumn Territory.

Listening to the structure she described, the Autumn Territory seemed similar in some ways to the imperial social hierarchy.

“Still, the atmosphere isn’t overly strict. The lord and other nobles help maintain prosperity, and they treat the laborers kindly. In many ways, it’s much gentler than the Winter Territory.”

Marian hinted that the truly rigid system existed in the land of winter.

Yerpi had also heard about the Winter Territory—about the eternal prison buried in its frozen land.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. She needed to focus on the Autumn Territory.

“Do you happen to know anything about the Great Tree?”

“Oh, you mean Langrosa’s guarded tree? To reach it, you need the lord’s permission. The forest leading to the Great Tree is like a maze, and only the lord’s family has known the path for generations.”

Langrosa was the name of the spirit guardian protecting the Great Tree. Apparently, the forest housing the Great Tree was strictly off-limits to outsiders.

“I see. Thank you for telling me. You may go now.”

Yerpi bid the maid farewell. From what she heard, the area was tightly controlled—so why had the tree’s guardian spirit become so violent?

She had come out to clear her mind, but now her thoughts were even deeper.

The next morning.

At the same time as the day before, Yerpi encountered Charlotte on her walking path.