Nia put the only rabbit doll in her yellow bag, staring blankly at her mom.

Her mom, looking at the torn military uniform, seemed lost in thought.

And the child figured it out.

Two days ago, when she woke up in the morning, Isobel was gone, and even the room had turned back into a warehouse, so she roughly caught on.

However, she wondered if her mom had a problem due to Isobel’s lies, and what happened to the lying Isobel.

She had many questions but couldn’t ask anything.

It was like, “You’re also a liar.”

She hadn’t heard why she had to hide being from an orphanage, and it sounded the same as the words that said to hide it.

Why should she hide it?

Do other adults also do that?

Why would adults be in trouble if that fact spread?

She simply didn’t like the thoughts that inflated in her head with the words that didn’t come out.

At that moment, something came into the child’s view.

A cookie bag with cute yellow chicks drawn on it.

It was a souvenir she received at the kindergarten entrance ceremony.

“If you’re hungry, eat it.”

“……!”

Mom’s smiling face.

Yes, it didn’t matter now.

Smiling widely, Nia carefully placed the cookie bag in the innermost thick leather compartment of her bag to prevent it from breaking.

And now, closing her bag quickly, Nia looked at her mom and reached out her hand.

As always, her mom held her hand on the way home from school.

And as usual, Lucia held that hand.

But soon, she knelt one knee in front of the child to meet her gaze.

Lucia’s eyes had no tremor as usual, but somehow they seemed a little sunken.

“Nia, do you remember the principality we went to last time?”

The child blinked at those words, raising her plump cheeks like marshmallows.

Arkis Principality.

It was a place where there used to be an orphanage, but now, Nia remembered the capital where she went to buy souvenirs with her mom and Mia sister, rather than the memories of that small village.

“Let’s go there with mom.”

“……?”

“Go to where we should originally be.”

At Lucia’s murmuring words, the child simply blinked.

And at the next words, Nia’s pupils shook fiercely.

“So, I think you might have to quit kindergarten.”

“……!”

As always, the parting was abrupt.

Inside the carriage heading towards the kindergarten.

Even in the state of breaking the knight’s oath and helping Lucia, the Emperor’s appearance might seem absurd, but everyone there knew the fact that they couldn’t punish the powerful woman.

So, until the Imperial Army and the governor of the Arkis Principality set up all the tables, Lucia had time to tidy up.

And the first place she headed to was the kindergarten Nia attended.

In the swaying carriage, Lucia scanned the child’s face.
Always a child with a well-ripened, firm cheek like a ripe peach leaning against me.

The face was as usual, without any sign of a shadow.

In fact, Lucia had prepared herself from early in the morning.

Ivannu, Princess Charlotte, and even Mia.

If the child were to be sad and throw a tantrum at the news of leaving this place, it was clear that the reason must be because of friends.

And Lucia had prepared herself to accept that.

Spending vacations together, spending vacations together.

However, the child, as always, responded vigorously to her own words without asking anything.

How could a 5-year-old child be so unattached?

‘Surely, there’s something I’m missing.’

With various thoughts, Lucia sighed and soon arrived at the kindergarten with the child.

However, it was strange.

‘What day is it today?’

Even in the early morning, there were unusually many carriages.

Moreover, judging by the splendid carriages with family crests attached, it seemed that high-ranking figures had gathered at this kindergarten.

With a puzzled look, Lucia, at any rate, led the child through the well-dressed servants and headed to the kindergarten office.

And after bringing the child to the kindergarten Sparrow Class, she went to the kindergarten office to handle her originally planned business.

It was to request a meeting with Principal Eldarian.

Lucia, who soon arrived at the small office right next to the kindergarten’s main gate, reached out her hand to knock on the door.

But then, the door opened before her hand could reach it.

“Oh my. It’s Lady Lucia, isn’t it?”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lady Georgia, the Viscountess.”

It seemed that she had met Director Georgia, who happened to have business in the office.

However, she soon looked in a hurry, turned her head to check the time on the clock, and hastily said to Lucia, who was standing awkwardly.

“Oh my! You’re late. There’s no time to stand like this. Go quickly. The meeting probably hasn’t started yet!”

“Yes? What meeting are you talking about?”

“…?”

Director Georgia rolled her eyes, and as if something had come to her mind, she furrowed her brows.

“…You didn’t receive an invitation, did you? Skipping the Sparrow Class at the representative gathering, I, as the director, should immediately…!”

Vaguely remembered from the notice.