My head throbbed. It felt like my heart was there, not my brain.

Swan replayed Jocelyn’s words in her mind in the room adorned with portraits of the past dukes. The mention of a connection between the Baldemins and the Duke of Valtminster, implying that she could be the heir to the ducal family… Could that be true?

Could I really be more than Ariante…

Lost in thought, Swan’s ears were suddenly greeted by a lively voice.

“Master Swan! You’re here! I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

Startled, Swan turned her head, and her eyes met Bridget’s.

“Why are you here? Do you have something to tell the Count?”

Bridget’s voice was incredibly kind and gentle. Her rosy cheeks looked affectionate, and her smile was warm. Swan shivered, recalling the cold and eerie touch of Jocelyn’s fingers that had grasped her hand like a vice.

“No… It’s not that. I was just curious because there are people here…”

Swan added hesitantly,

“I didn’t come to spy.”

A pitiful smile appeared on Bridget’s face as she looked down at the boy who seemed quite disheartened.

“I understand, Master. The young ladies and their friends went into the forest for fun and got lost. It could have been a big problem.”

“Yeah…”

“Now, let’s go together. Ibi will bring dinner soon. Do you like venison?”

Bridget reached out her hand towards Swan. Her hand was different from Jocelyn’s, which felt like a dry twig. It looked milky white and soft as if made of milk, but Swan hesitated to take that hand.

[Trust no one, Master. Even though the maids on the east side may pretend to care about you, they will all side with Lady Ariante. The only person in this mansion who sincerely welcomes you is me. I’m the only one who knows that your bloodline is connected to the Valtminster ducal family…]

“Master?”

As if waking up from a dream, Swan shook his entire body and blinked. Jocelyn’s voice echoed in his mind like a sinister echo.

“Hurry, aren’t you hungry?”

Swan replied,

“I can go back alone.”

Bridget, looking at Swan with a complex expression, grabbed his small hand.

“I know. But as your servant now, I can’t just let you go alone. Even if you can go back by yourself, I can’t just leave you and go, right? Come on, let’s go.”

Bridget’s hand was much warmer than Swan had expected. She didn’t drag him along like Jocelyn nor rush him. She occasionally asked Swan various things, chattering about the evening menu.

Swan, who had only nodded or shaken his head, lifted his head with a shiver.

“Bridget.”

“Yes, Master Swan. Why?”

Grabbing Swan’s hand, Bridget shook it back and forth. It was a light movement, as if going on a picnic, but Swan’s heart couldn’t match that.

“Is it because of Meiana that you pay attention to me?”

Bridget blinked with a puzzled expression.

“Meiana? Why do you think it’s because of Meiana?”

Swan’s small lips trembled. He recalled Jocelyn’s cold and awkward fingers, hesitating as if he was about to let go of the hand he was holding.

“Meiana… Told me to take care of you. And because Meiana manages the east side… She might get mad if you don’t pay attention to me, right? Isn’t that it?”

“Oh, Master.”

Bridget said in a small voice. Swan withdrew his hand from Bridget as if to break free, and turned his head away. Although his eyelids were stinging as if tears were about to fall, he didn’t want to show that he was crying. His pride was hurt, and he was scared of mockery.

While Swan was facing away, Bridget bent her knees and sat down.
“Young Master, that’s not true. Why would you think like that?”

Swan’s hunched shoulders seemed to hesitate, as if about to reveal themselves. Swan, wiping his eyes with his forearm, stubbornly turned away and replied.

“I’m an intruder.”

“What are you saying! That’s not true. The Count brought you here; who would dare think such a thing?”

Surprised, Bridget interrupted.

“Young Master, did someone say something bad to you? Who said that?”

“No one said such things…”

“But why would you think that?”

Bridget gently turned Swan’s shoulders. The still young face was distorted with sadness.

Bridget grabbed Swan’s hands.

“Young Master Swan, you don’t need to have such thoughts. Whether it’s me, Meiana, or Valentina Ibi, we all consider you as important as the young lady. It’s true.”

“…But the young lady dislikes me. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s…”

A perplexed expression appeared on Bridget’s face. If Meiana were here, she would have come up with a witty remark to cheer Swan up! Despite getting used to taking care of Ariante, situations like this were not easy.

In Swan’s eyes, which trembled as if appealing for help, there was a dark shadow.

“If the young lady continues to dislike me, the Duke won’t like me either.”

Bridget raised her head.

“That’s not true! The Count would never do that, and Lady Ariante will soon come to like Young Master Swan. You know, the lady is a bit picky, but she’s not a bad person. How much did she dislike Valentin? But now they get along and even play together.”

“But what if I…”

For a moment, Swan and Bridget felt a chill and simultaneously fell silent.