“You guarantee it. It was you who brought me the news of Berbo and Liriya’s death. I couldn’t find a trace of sorrow in you then. Can you answer why? Like I have the blood of Valterminster, so does Berbo. Why didn’t you love my brother as you loved me?”

There was no answer. Sedilroy struggled to calm his trembling body with rage.

“……Leave. But remember this. Never again, from anyone’s mouth, should the story of Ariante’s birth come out. That child is Valterminster’s descendant, no matter what anyone says. Make sure no one insults Ariante. The same goes for Mayana. Do you understand?”

Only silence followed. Joslyn bowed her head quietly, not looking at Sedilroy, and left the room.

Fatigue gathered at Sedilroy’s eyes, left alone. Desperate, he covered his face with his palms and bowed his head.

No one could see his eyes blazing fiercely behind his fingers.

(This is a time separator.)

Ariante, who boasted of catching a hundred bedbugs, suddenly wiggled her toes with a sullen expression. Mayana, who was sewing lace with a thin needle, quickly noticed the change and asked,

“Why so sudden, Princess?”

Ariante pressed the table with her fingertips, and was silent. Lost in thought, she was quiet.

“I wonder where Marshal went.”

“He doesn’t work here now, does he? I haven’t seen such a child.”

“He was driven away, by Joslyn.”

Mayana furrowed her brows and repositioned her needle.

“Why?”

“He taught me bad things.”

It was an understandable thing. Joslyn was never the person to tolerate Ariante playing with servants, burning wood or catching insects.

Ariante continued in a defeated voice.

“I saw Joslyn beat him because of me……. I tried to apologize, but the next day he was already gone. He said he had to earn money without going home……. I wonder where he is.”

“Princess, it’s not your fault that Marshal was beaten. It was Joslyn, the butler, who was bad.”

“But still…… It happened again today. Because of me…….”
Ariante’s gaze briefly glanced at Mayana’s face. Jocelyn’s slapped cheek was still red and swollen. Apparently embarrassed by the sight, the child quickly looked away.

“Does it still hurt?”

Mayana smiled without a word and gently stroked Ariante’s head.

“It’s nothing, Your Highness. I’m fine.”

Mayana continued.

“If you’re worried about me, you better heal quickly. There’s a lot to do with Your Highness.”

“What to do? Going to pick strawberries again?”

“Well, we can go pick strawberries…… or catch locusts. Or catch cicadas.”

Ariante’s eyes sparkled with interest. The longing to go out immediately was both pitiable and adorable as he looked out of the window and tapped on the table.

“How to get better quickly?”

Mayana put on a deliberately serious expression.

“Hmm, well…… First, you must take your medicine regularly, and you need to eat your meals on time and balanced. You must sleep well, and be as quiet as possible.”

“I don’t want to take the medicine. It’s bitter.”

“Then I’ll make it so it doesn’t taste bitter. Will you take it then?”

“Liar, how can you make a medicine that doesn’t taste bitter?”

“You’ll see. Look forward to tonight’s dinner.”

Ariante stared at Mayana with puzzled eyes. But he didn’t throw a tantrum about not eating it.

As Mayana hummed a tune while making a small bonnet, Ariante fell asleep, sprawled on the cold table. He usually never took naps, but perhaps the shock of the incident at the dining hall had him fast asleep, his face still flushed.

‘Maybe I should take her to the bed?’

Putting down her sewing, Mayana picked up Ariante. Although small for a sevenyearold, her sagging asleep was not particularly heavy, and it was all the more pitiful.

When Mayana carefully laid Ariante down and turned around, Grete was standing in the doorway. Her expression was somehow dark, and she seemed restless and anxious, like someone with something on her mind.

“Grete, what’s wrong? What’s the matter?”

When Mayana asked, Grete looked around as if someone might be watching and said.

“Mayana, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it? Just tell me.”

But Grete, without answering, glanced into the bedroom. There was no doubt that she was conscious of Ariante.

Mayana said.

“The princess is asleep, so it’s okay… No, that’s right. Let’s talk in the living room. Is that okay?”

Grete’s head moved up and down. Mayana covered Ariante with a thin sheet, closed the door, and went to the living room.

“What’s the matter?”