Ariante’s lips faintly quivered. Her flushed cheeks were fully puffed, and her whole body seemed to be protesting, ‘I’m angry.’ However, she did not attempt to escape Mayana’s arms.

Mayana waited for Ariante to speak on her own. She neither asked the same question twice nor shook her shoulder to hurry her. She simply patted her back.

“Where did you go?”

Finally, breaking the long silence, Ariante opened her mouth. Her voice was still tinged with anger but pitifully small. Mayana glanced at the child’s hand tightly gripping her knee, then bent her upper body to meet her eyes.

Ariante quickly turned her head away. Mayana, holding back a smile by biting her lip, extended her body to try and meet Ariante’s eyes again. Yet again, Ariante turned her head, but Mayana did not give up.

“What are you doing! I asked you where you went!”

If it was a battle of patience, Ariante would never beat Mayana. Although she shouted, Ariante’s gaze finally met Mayana’s directly. In that moment, Mayana gently cupped Ariante’s flushed cheeks with both hands and touched her own forehead to the child’s rounded one.

“Were you angry because you woke up and couldn’t see me?”

A subtle warmth rose on Ariante’s cheeks as if she was about to burst into tears again. Ariante, who had been smirking, pushed Mayana’s shoulders away with both hands.

“Ventia just said he didn’t know where you went.”

“So you thought I’d left you, Princess?”

The child didn’t answer. However, that silent absence itself was like her whole body agreeing to Mayana’s words.

A piercing pain suddenly came to one side of Mayana’s chest. It must have been frightening… Ariante was more attached to Mayana than anyone else, something Mayana knew very well. To not know that would be absurd.

Ariante’s gaze, expression, actions—all of them showed her absolute trust in Mayana.

Kindly whispering, embracing, acting cute, and listening well… the love shown by a child was not solely that. Mayana knew this.

Some children scream, throw tantrums, cry, and get angry as a way to appeal to the person they trust and love. Ariante was a prime example of such a child.

And the cause and responsibility clearly lay with all those who surrounded Ariante. Even Sedilloy could not be free from that responsibility.

“Princess.”

Now, Ariante neither shouted nor threw a tantrum; she was merely shedding tears. As Mayana gently wiped away her tears, she bowed her head to look at Ariante.

“Princess, I won’t leave you and go anywhere.”

“…Liar.”

“It’s not a lie. I promise. Until you grow up and become an adult, I won’t go anywhere. So don’t worry about that.”

“Will you leave when I become an adult?”

Mayana looked at Ariante’s hands clutching her hem and smiled as if she were heartbroken.

“When you’ve grown up and can handle anything on your own.”

The child did not reply again and closed her mouth. She seemed to be pondering Mayana’s words. Becoming an adult meant no longer needing such care. Even young Ariante could understand that. But she didn’t want Mayana to leave…

Still, she hesitated to tell that to Mayana. Ariante did not yet know what ‘hesitation’ meant, nor did she know the identity of the numerous emotions that came with it.

Although she didn’t want Mayana to leave her side, she didn’t want to say she didn’t want it either. She couldn’t explain why she didn’t want it, and it was hard to do so.

“Then promise.”
Ariante spoke. Meianna looked down at the child with a slight smile.

“What shall we promise, Your Highness?”

“When I… when I turn sixteen, I can leave. Sixteen means… I become an adult, right?”

“No, you don’t become an adult. You just get to go out into society and meet people. It’s called a debutante ball.”

“Right! That’s it. When that time comes, you don’t have to be my maid anymore. But not until then. Promise you won’t go anywhere.”

I will. Meianna answered first in her mind. The answer wasn’t for Ariante. It felt more like a promise to herself.

The color of Ariante’s irises, strangely azure pupils surrounded by lighter shades like the edge of a lake, captivated Meianna’s heart.

Ariante could have undoubtedly grown into a magnificent human being. Strong and intelligent enough to rival anyone, and rightfully a successor of the Balterminster ducal family.

Until then. Meianna thought. Until then, she had to protect Ariante. She didn’t find it strange to feel this drawn and affectionate toward a child with whom she had no blood or flesh connection.

“I will do so, Your Highness. I promise not to go anywhere until you turn sixteen.”

“Mm.”

Only then did Ariante quietly nod and lean her little head on Meianna.

That evening, Sedilroi wanted to dine with Ariante after a very long time.

Hearing the news, the head chef was bewildered and perplexed, but the Duke’s command was not to be disputed.

Whether the butler Jocelyn heard the news or not, the kitchen staff were momentarily slow, gossiping about the subject.

One of the chefs who was trimming potatoes spoke.