With a flushed face, Vainti, who had been suppressing her boiling anger, looked down at Arianthe.

“Lady, if one day I’m found dead with my stomach burst open, it’s all Bridget’s fault. Got it? Chase her away.”

Meiana intervened, “Why are you suddenly saying such things to the lady?”

Vainti snapped, “You too? Listen to what Bridget is saying!”

Meiana pretended to glance at Bridget—this was nothing more than a pretense—then turned her gaze to Vainti. Only then did Vainti seem to realize that she had picked the wrong person… but it was already too late.

“Bridget isn’t lying. Right?”

“Well…!”

At that moment, Arianthe, who had been quietly listening to the three people’s conversation, tilted her little head and asked.

“Vainti, do you have a lover?”

Vainti, widening her eyes, looked at Arianthe. Then, soon after glancing at Meiana, she mumbled as if muttering.

“W-Well, I do have one.”

Arianthe, still with an innocent expression, but as if imitating the stern look of a teacher, awkwardly wiggled her index finger here and there.

“Then, will a baby be born?”

At that moment, the fact that none of the three people, including Meiana, fell backward was purely due to the patience trained as servants. Vainti’s face turned as red as a boiled crab, Meiana was flustered with wide-open eyes, and Bridget, like a monkey witnessing a fascinating acrobatics, widened her eyes and burst into laughter.

“Lady, you’re clever! How can you…?”

“Bridget!”

“Shut your mouth!”

Meiana and Vainti shouted almost simultaneously. Bridget finally closed her small lips and glanced around cautiously.

Vainti said, “A baby won’t be born, Lady! Just because you have a lover doesn’t mean a baby will be born. Who on earth said such a thing?”

Arianthe, still with an innocent expression, but as if mimicking the strict gaze of a supervisor, wiggled her little index finger here and there.

“Don’t you know that? I heard it before while hiding in the pantry. The cook and the maids were talking about it. They said someone held hands with their lover in the barn all night, and a baby was born. And if you touch your belly, a baby will be born, too.”

This was maddening. Meiana slapped her forehead. Vainti was in a similar state. Bridget seemed amused and delighted, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

It was common for employees to gather and subtly throw shade at each other or gossip about explicit matters. It couldn’t be a problem in itself, and besides, they probably wouldn’t even dream that Arianthe was hiding in the pantry, let alone knowing about it in their dreams…

Besides, when on earth did this become a problem? It was a situation where even questioning responsibility was impossible. But how and where should they start correcting this distorted, childlike thinking… Meiana found the road ahead daunting.

Vainti said, “Lady, you must not speak of such things anywhere, absolutely not! Do you understand?”

Arianthe, opening her eyes wide, responded, “Why? Why? Why can’t I?”

“Because babies don’t come about that way!”

Should they stop Vainti’s mouth even now…? While Meiana was pondering, Arianthe asked with curiosity.

“Then, how do babies come about?”

Vainti’s lips suddenly closed tightly, as if she had a sudden change of heart. She looked at Meiana as if asking for help, but even Meiana had never thought about this issue.

Now that she thought about it, when she first met Arianthe and tried to pat her cheek, she even said ‘evil child’ to herself… Maybe proper sex education should be given before it’s too late, but Meiana had no idea where to start, especially with her experience as a maid.

Vainti said, “Lady, you must never talk about such things anywhere, absolutely not! Do you understand?”

At that moment, Arianthe opened her eyes wide and nodded innocently.

“I understand. It’s a secret.”

Vainti sighed in relief, but Meiana couldn’t shake off the anxiety about how this distorted idea should be corrected before it became more deeply rooted.
Arianthe, turning around the three people enveloped in silence, began to shout like a parrot.

“Tell me! How are babies made? Huh?”

Meiana quickly grabbed Arianthe’s hand.

“Lady, aren’t you going to check the letter? Come on, let’s go quickly.”

“But how are babies made? Isn’t it by holding hands and touching the belly? Huh?”

“No, more than that, let’s check the letter first…”

“Tell me!”

Arianthe shouted loudly. That’s when it happened.

“Babies are created when a man and a woman share love.”

A low voice was heard. Except for Arianthe, the three turned their heads towards the source of the sound. Vainti’s face became even redder, and Bridget was the same. On the other hand, Meiana’s face turned pale.

However, the person who spoke, Ivie, just stared at them as if asking why they were reacting like that.

Bridget stammered, “I-I-Ivie. Maybe Lady should know about it… sooner or later, right?”

Then Arianthe rushed to Ivie.

“What does sharing love mean?”