So, they had arrived at the Mason estate now.

Although she knew, strangely enough, her heart was pounding loudly when she actually arrived.

‘Am I, nervous?’

It seemed like she was a little less nervous than when she told her parents about her relationship with Lutis or when she told them the news of her child’s pregnancy.

That was strange. No, it had been nearly 4 years since she died and came back to life – no, was it 5 years?

…… Anyway, it would be stranger not to be nervous about seeing her parents for the first time in a few years.

Even though those parents couldn’t know that she had come back alive, and she couldn’t reveal that fact.

“…….”

Still, it was exciting.

When she placed her hand on her heart, where a pleasant tremor lingered, the gazes of the child and Lutis, who were looking at Aeli strangely, followed.

“Mommy, are you hurting?”

“Aeli.”

Aeli took a deep breath and shook her head.

“…… No. Just-,”

Just, a little. It felt refreshing.

Aeli, who said that, smiled faintly and pressed down the hood of the cloak she was wearing. It meant that she would go out now.

Although she had the brooch, she felt reluctant to get out of the carriage from the beginning with her face exposed, how should I put it, she felt uncomfortable.

Aeli, who was anxious for no reason, told the child and Lutis to get off the carriage first, and then moved her body.

‘There will be gazes anyway. Let’s not receive an escort.’

If she acted like that in front of the Mason estate, especially in front of the mansion, she would have nothing to say even if she was stoned and chased away by the servants.

At the very least – it meant that she could only walk with her shoulders up after attaching the Mason surname back to her name.

Aeli, who tried hard to ignore Lutis’ hand extended to her, took a big step and got off, successfully placing her feet on the ground.

Honestly, it was possible because she had anticipated this and deliberately chose shoes with low heels.

“Welcome, Baron.”

Not far away, she saw the head butler greeting Noel, who had taken the lead.

The head butler approached Lutis and the child and bowed his head after finishing his greetings to Noel.

“I am seeing the Duke. It is an honor to see you after a long time.”

“Yes. It has been a long time for you as well.”

“Ah, uh…….”

Lutis was used to it since he had been staying in Mason since childhood.

The child didn’t seem to be.

The child, who was alternately looking at the head butler and Lutis next to Lutis, greeted awkwardly.

“Ah- hello…….”

“…….”

“……?”

When there was no answer, the child tilted his head slightly.

Since Aeli noticed the head butler’s eyes that had widened in surprise, there was nothing else she could do but silently watch, rather than ignoring the child’s greeting.

After some silence, the head butler, who reacted a little late, hurriedly bowed.

“Yes. It is a great honor to see the young master.”

If it seemed to contain more sincerity than when he greeted Lutis, was it just a feeling?

It didn’t seem to be.

Although most of them already had some acquaintance with Lutis since he had stayed in Mason for a long time – there would be quite a few who were inwardly dissatisfied with what happened while he was out at war.

‘They just can’t show it on the outside.’

While Aeli was thinking like that, the head butler said that the former Baron couple had come out to greet them and guided them to the mansion.

No, to be precise, he ‘tried’ to.

“But this person is…….”

“…… Ah.”

Uh, hmm.

Aeli licked her lips while rolling her eyes for no reason.

Since they were passing by the servants lined up from the main gate, it felt like the gazes were focused on them when they stopped in the middle awkwardly.

She couldn’t bring up the story of the Mason’s branch family or something like that in front of these many people without permission yet.

How should she introduce herself when asked like this?

When Aeli was in a difficult situation, feeling like sweat was running down her back.

“She’s with us, so just let her in.”

“…… Yes.”

Noel, who was walking ahead, opened his mouth instead of her, looking back.

At Noel’s words, the head butler, who had looked at him, Aeli, Lutis, and the child with an incomprehensible gaze for a moment, soon bowed his head and answered.

Aeli blinked her eyes quickly as the person who had been frozen started walking ahead, showing his back again.

So,

‘…… Did he help me?’

Well, once she had come this far, it would be a headache if things started off on the wrong foot, so it was natural to think about it.

Aeli, who hadn’t expected him to openly help like this, fiddled with the brooch on her chest for no reason.

Only after sighing with relief and wiping her chest inwardly did Aeli hurry to follow Lutis and the child.

And finally, in front of the main gate of the arrived mansion.

Aeli unknowingly swallowed her saliva and lowered her gaze. Her eyes were hidden by the hood anyway, so it wouldn’t be noticeable even if she did this.

Two pairs of familiar feet were reflected in her view, which was half-covered by the hood.

“It’s been a long time, Duke.”

“Yes. Has the Baroness been well all this time?”

Aeli silently listened to their conversation with Lutis, who rarely showed a subdued appearance to anyone other than Aeli and the child.

If there was one question, it was that she couldn’t hear any voice from the former Baron – that is, Aeli’s father, who was clearly standing side by side.

Aeli, who had a question, unknowingly raised her head slightly.

It was then that their gazes met.

“…… Aeli?”

“……?!”

Startled by the name that came as soon as her gaze met the familiar golden eyes, Aeli froze on the spot.

Just when her eyes were trembling finely, wondering if the brooch had no effect.

“…… Honey.”

The former Baroness grabbed the arm of the person who was half-dazed and shook her head.

Only then did Aeli’s father, who had slightly opened his mouth and blinked his eyes as if sighing, bow his head.

“- Excuse me.”

“Oh…… no. I mean-,”

“I’m sorry. I heard roughly from Noel, but…….”

“…….”

“We have a daughter about the young lady’s age. Ever since that child passed away first, he reacts like this whenever he sees women of similar ages. Were you surprised?”

“…….”

…… No. Aeli denied it slightly. She herself didn’t know exactly what that denial was for.

Aeli blankly looked at the man in front of her eyes.

She imagined countless times how the former Baron couple would react when they arrived at the Mason estate, from the moment they departed from the mansion in the capital.

They might smile and hug her when they see Adi, or they might shed tears as soon as they see her. They might get furiously angry at Lutis – or they might welcome her as if nothing had happened, like usual.

But none of them included this.

‘- His hair,’

The hair color of her father that she remembered was definitely a deep honey color, the same as his eyes.

When she saw his hair color faded to a pale lemon color, she was at a loss for words.

4 years may not be considered a short time, but is it long enough for hair color to change?

Of course it can be. For someone, but……

‘At least that’s not the case for Father.’

Like most noble families, Aeli’s parents, the former Mason Baron couple, became a family at a young age.

Although her mother was of commoner origin and there were various rumors from the beginning, that didn’t change.

In other words, since they got married at a young age, naturally they had children at a young age as well.

Aeli slightly frowned as she tried to calculate her parents’ age now.

‘…… Even roughly, they should be in their mid-40s.’

If gray hair appears at that age, it appears – but the hair can’t noticeably thin out like this.

Then, there must be a reason other than a natural one, and if it was a reason like this, there was only one.

“…….”

As if a stone was placed on her chest, making it difficult to breathe, Aeli moved her lips blankly but could only shake her head without being able to say a single proper word.

More than that – in other words, she absolutely.

She couldn’t say it out loud.

After some time passed, the gazes of the former Baron couple left her and turned back to Lutis.

Only then did Aeli, who had been looking at her parents with a dazed face like her father did earlier, lower her gaze.

It was because she suddenly felt someone pulling the hem of her cloak.

“…… Yes. Did you call me?”

And naturally, there was only one person who would pull her cloak in this place right now.

“Mo-,”

“…….”

“…… Ah.”

She had organized how to address her throughout the ride in the carriage, saying that she shouldn’t call her mom on the estate.

Aeli widened her eyes at the child who unknowingly made a sound, probably because it had been on her lips until now.

Only after seeing that expression did the child, who belatedly recalled his mistake, hurriedly close his mouth and roll his eyes.

“Uh, ah- M- Mmm…….”

“…….”

“Mmmh, I- I’m hungry…….”

Aeli’s mouth corners trembled as the child rubbed his stomach and licked his lips.

That was because they had definitely eaten a late lunch at a village they stopped by a few hours ago.

Not only that, when the dessert didn’t suit his taste, he took out and ate the cookies Mari had packed after returning to the carriage.

‘He can’t be hungry.’

That had to be a lie.

Although a troubled expression appeared on the child’s face for a moment as if he had realized his mistake after saying it, unfortunately, she couldn’t help him.

“…… Child, are you hungry?”

“Huh, y-yes?”

“It’s not dinner time yet, so the meal preparations will be incomplete…… I’ll have to tell them to hurry.”

“…… Huh?”

“Shall we go inside and have something light to eat for now? Ah, since the weather has turned cold, I’ll tell them to prepare warm tea.”

“No, I- I mean……”

“If there’s anything you want to eat, feel free to tell me.”

“Th-that’s not i-it……!”

Because as soon as she heard the child say he was hungry, the startled mother moved busily to put something in his mouth.

‘…… I experienced that from Grandmother when I was young, too.’

At that time, she clearly remembered her mother being very flustered about how to feed her so many things.

But even though she couldn’t even properly introduce herself to the child in the current situation, she had this reaction.

Aeli, who was reminded of her paternal grandmother, slowly turned her head and avoided the child’s gaze asking for her help.

She couldn’t dare to intervene there, so she thought she would have to prepare digestive medicine.