Imperial Year 778.

I can’t remember the exact date, but I cannot forget that time.

It was not long after the days turned noticeably cooler and I had started wearing long sleeves and pants instead of summer clothes.

The child, who had been crouching in a corner of the garden, stood up at the sound of someone calling.

“Aren’t you cold? It’s been quite a while since your lessons ended, so I was surprised when you weren’t in your room. I asked the head attendant and he said you’ve been here for an hour.”

“Mmm−.”

The child slowly blinked, feeling the other person cupping both of her slightly chilled cheeks with their hands.

They seemed to have intended to cup her cheeks, but in reality, her face was so small compared to their hands that even her ears were covered.

Even before coming out to the garden, she had been worried that she would be cold going out like this.

‘It seems like almost everyone asked every three steps.’

The head maid, the head attendant, the guards and knights on watch, the servants, everyone.

Everyone in the mansion did that.

When worrying if the recently started studies were difficult, upon receiving the answer that she was keeping up well− they made a fuss, calling her a genius.

When she habitually looked for sweet things, as she usually liked them, they would advise her to eat in moderation as too much wasn’t good, but the moment she was eating, they would make a fuss trying to give her more, asking if it was enough.

Just a little while ago, when she tried to go out like this, they fussed about at least wearing a light coat, if she needed snacks to take with her, that it was dangerous to go alone so they would accompany her.

‘Excessive……’

It was true that she was young, but she wasn’t a baby, so she didn’t know why they made such a fuss.

It was common for praises to fly in, saying it was amazing if she just ate well, and it wasn’t a joke.

It was a good thing that her mom and dad were resolute in sternly scolding her when they weren’t around. Otherwise, her habits would have been spoiled more than a dozen times already.

The child, thinking so, raised her head with a bright smile.

Her eyes, containing a sparkling gold as if melting the stars and moon that she loved very very much, were beautifully curved.

“Your face and hands are so cold, what’s making you smile so much?”

“Mm, mmm− because I got to see Mom after a long time?”

“But you saw me in the morning too?”

“Still, I couldn’t see you during lunch so it’s been a long time.”

The affection may seem excessive, but that doesn’t mean she dislikes it.

The child truly loved everyone in the mansion.

In the first place, no one who disliked the precious and only descendant of the ducal family would have been able to set foot here.

The sight of everyone, from their eyes, shouting ‘I cherish you this much’, was to the extent that anyone other than her would not be able to overlook it.

Perhaps that was why. The child was known to have a gentle disposition that objectively returned as much love as she received.

To the point where in the empire, it was hard to find someone who didn’t know her name even if they didn’t know her face.

‘I know that much too.’

She couldn’t stand staying still, so she often went out with her mom and dad, so rumors were bound to reach her ears.

And unless those rumors were bad− there was no need for her parents to go out of their way to prevent them from reaching her.

The child wriggled her toes hidden by her shoes and brought her hands forward.

She had hurriedly hidden what she was holding in both hands behind her back, so she looked worried that it might have been damaged.

“Oh my, what’s this?”

“A flower crown……”

“……”

“Elder brother Nicky taught me how to make them, so uh, I made Mom and Dad’s but−.”

As expected, the flower crowns she took out were not in very good shape.

However, one thing that should not be misunderstood is that the appearance of the flower crowns was not damaged from hurriedly hiding them behind her back, but they originally looked like this.

That was because the fingertips of the young child, who had just passed 50 months old, were not very deft.

There were a total of 5 flower crowns she had made, albeit clumsily− but two of them were damaged while making them, and one was so small, about the size of her palm, that it could not even be called a flower crown.

The two she was holding now were the only decent ones, but if asked if they were okay…

“……”

No, not really.

She had specially selected pretty-shaped flowers, but the leaves were all crumpled and half-wilted.

Not to mention the vaguely crumpled shape that was too ambiguous to be called a circle.

‘And I made this without even eating snacks today……’

It was terribly disappointing.

That’s when the child lightly smacked her lips.

“I was wondering why you came all the way to the annex when the garden in front of the main building is prettier.”

“……”

“So Adi came here to give Mom and Dad a present?”

Oh, my baby is so thoughtful! Along with the sound of giggling like a young girl, her body was pulled forward.

The child, who was instantly embraced in Aeli’s arms, blinked her wide opened eyes in surprise.

Before she could even react, her feet were already in the air as she was lifted up.

“Wai− wait! I’m not a baby……”

“But you’re still Mom’s baby. Adi, do you want to put this on Mom’s head? Let’s go and show it off to Mari!”

“Don’t do thaaaat−,”

“But Mom is so so happy that Adi made a flower crown……”

“……”

“Is Adi not?”

“That, that’s……”

“Mom’s head feels so empty today without a hair accessory…… Ah, it would be really nice if someone could just place a flower crown on it……”

“……”

The child eventually drooped her head and hesitated, holding a flower crown.

After hesitating for a moment like that, Mom lowered her head a little. Seeing that, she carefully placed the flower crown on top of her black hair.

She had tried her best to make it as pretty as possible, even putting it on her own head to gauge the size.

But when she actually placed it on Mom’s head, it looked oddly small, making her feel gloomy.

She had made the two flower crowns the same size, so it was clear what it would look like when placed on Dad’s head if it was small on Mom.

‘It will look like a toy……’

But she couldn’t give it to one and not the other.

Smooch!

“……?!”

As she was pouting her lips with a serious face, something touched her cheek and then left.

Turning her head with a shudder, Mom, who was still holding her, smiled and said.

Dad had gone to the imperial palace for work, so they should go in first.

It was the right thing to do as the sky was already turning into a sunset.

“Adi?”

“……”

At the voice calling her as if puzzled, the child fidgeted and then muttered softly.

“If this gets damaged or withers……”

“……”

“Ah, I can’t give it to Dad then.”

“……Mmm, so that’s what you were worried about.”

Then Mom can help with that.

Saying that, Mom, who put her down on the ground, placed her hand on top of the flower crown.

Soon, bright light particles flew around, and the child unconsciously opened her mouth and blankly stared at the scene.

She had seen it many times, so she knew what it was.

The child raised her head upon seeing the flower petals of the crown becoming much more vivid as a preservation spell was cast.

“Shall we go have dinner now?”

“……”

“Adi, hold on to this, and when Dad comes, put it on him yourself like you did for Mom. How about that?”

Mom had already cast a preservation spell on Dad’s flower crown, so she should dry and decorate the one Mom received well.

Saying that, Mom handed back the flower crown she had enchanted and reached out her hand.

The child hesitated for a while, then raised her remaining hand and grabbed that hand.

Her face was already brightly smiling.

[This is the timeline separator]

After a satisfying meal of delicious soup, pasta, soft bread, steak, and even green grass with sauce.

“Mmph……”

The child, who had been in her parents’ bedroom with Mom waiting for Dad before going to sleep, let out a deep sigh.

She had only asked Mom for permission because she wanted warm milk with honey before going to bed.

Mari had placed her portion of milk and snacks on the table in front of the couch, and then noticed the flower crown still on Mom’s head.

So that was the problem.

[Why are you still wearing that wilted thing? You don’t need fresh flower decorations when you’re about to sleep soon.] [But Adi made this for me.] [……] [……] [That…… I meant why are you still wearing the fre.. fresh flower crown right before going to bed. What if bugs get tangled in the flower crown while you sleep?]

Mari, who had made a slip of the tongue without knowing anything, tried to fix the situation in a fluster, but it wasn’t easy to deal with the owner whose mischievous side had been aroused.

You changed your words just now, I heard it all, what are you saying. A few months ago, when the young master had just turned four years old, he rushed to make this right after his lessons, foregoing snacks, and you’re putting it down like that, you’re really mean, what are you saying.

Even in the midst of that, she didn’t stop bragging while grinning.

To put it differently, even if they were a lady and her maid, it was hard for the two who had grown up together like friends in the mansion since a very young age not to get worked up over mischief.

[Oh my, I shared snacks the young master gave me a few days ago.] [Wha− what?]

Mari, who opened her mouth with her eyes wide open as if she knew nothing, said a word that brought them to this point.

“Isn’t it better to keep something forever than something that disappears when you eat it? It can’t be compared to consumables!”

“But Miss, no Madam, you know how much the young master likes snacks. Moreover, it was Yorkshire! Pudding and cho! co! late! chip cookies!”

“……Mari, did you take Adi’s? How could you take the food of the owner you serve−,”

“No way……”

It was because Dad had seen the recent health checkup results that one of her molars had decayed.

It was a problem that arose when the promise to brush her teeth well was broken, so instead of telling the wizard’s tower, he said he would do a general treatment.

……Until that was over, he told her to cut her snacks in half.

But she couldn’t throw away the snacks that had already come up that day, so she shared them with Mari.

‘And it’s our secret that Mari secretly gave me one more cookie then.’

The child’s eyes trembled at Mari and Mom who turned their gazes to her in unison, demanding an explanation.

Unable to withstand the gaze of the two women looking at her, the child shouted.

“I− I’m going to sleep!”

“Adi, wait……”

It absolutely wasn’t because light and sparkles were still being scattered from the flower crown resting on top of the glossy black hair.

The child opened the door right next to her and slipped into her room.

Although it was noisy with voices still coming from behind the door, it was no different from any other day.

It was a warm and cozy day.

[This is the timeline separator]

She had only gone into her bed and fallen asleep like that.

“Adi, Adi. Will you wake up for a moment?”

“−Mmm……”

The child, who lifted her upper body in a daze at the hand shaking her, froze stiff.

“……”

“……Huh?”

Even though it was a dark night, everything was red all around.