Joseph’s chair wobbled as he stood on it. Letty and Nas, pale-faced, grabbed Joseph’s waist.

“Young master, it’s dangerous! Change your clothes first.”

“Uh, promise, promise with mother first.”

Jane burst out laughing as if she couldn’t stop him, then made a pinky promise with Joseph.

A smile bloomed like a flower on Joseph’s face.

Seeing this, Letty and Nas’s eyes curved gently like bows. Then Nas puffed out her cheeks.

“But young master, what about me? Aren’t you going to take us?”

“Huh? Uh?”

Joseph blinked his big eyes in confusion.

“Young master, I want to go with you too, I feel left out!”

Joseph’s lips quivered. He seemed very surprised by Nas’s whining.

However, Jane watched their conversation instead of intervening.

Joseph was delighted by Letty and Nas’s affectionate complaints. You could tell by his twitching cheeks.

Joseph, who had been fidgeting with his fingers, stretched out both hands.

He opened his heart to Letty and Nas and took a step closer.

The tips of Jane’s and the other two women’s noses tingled.

“Waaah, young master!”

Letty clung to Joseph’s small body.

* * *

The carriage carrying Jane, Joseph, Nas, and Letty headed to the outskirts of town where the ranch was located.

Among several ranches, Norbert recommended one operated by Tuo Trading Company.

It was close to Somnium House, and he had heard news that they recently brought in some good horses.

Jane looked at the changing scenery through the wide-open carriage window.

As they moved towards the outskirts, the road got rougher, but the scenery created by the lush forest and brick houses scattered on the meadow was beautiful.

Joseph seemed to enjoy the novel scenery, sticking to the window and not budging.

But that was only for a moment; Joseph, like a child, soon lost interest in the landscape.

Joseph fidgeted with a few strands of thread looped around his fingers.

After a while, he started nodding off while playing the string game Nas and Jane had taught him.

“Lie down here.”

Jane patted her thigh, moving her dress to one side. Joseph hesitated.

“Uh, your clothes will get wrinkled, Mother.”

“It’s okay. They’re already quite wrinkled.”

“And, and what if I drool?”

“We can do this, young master.”

Letty took out a handkerchief and spread it over Jane’s dress.

Rather than just saying it was fine, Letty understood and practiced better than anyone that the child needed to be reassured.

‘I really picked a good one.’

Though the Hastings servants were basically smart.

Jane felt pleased.

Joseph rolled his eyes around in thought, then carefully rested his tiny head on Jane’s lap.

Soon, the sound of soft snoring was heard. Jane gently stroked Joseph’s hair.

“He must have been very tired.”

Jane said, looking at Joseph with warm eyes.

“Yes, he’s been waking up at dawn every day lately.”

“Is Joseph having trouble sleeping?”

Jane’s voice trembled slightly, worried that she might have missed Joseph’s pain, wondering if he was having nightmares or if something was hurting.

Nas waved both hands.

“No, it’s because he’s waiting for you, madam.”

Nas was certain that Joseph was the first person to wake up at Somnium House.

He woke up before the sun even rose.

Nas’s expectation that mornings would be leisurely serving the young master was shattered.

But she had no complaints about it. She only felt sorry for Joseph, who would be quietly sitting on the bed, already awake no matter how early she hurried.

Though he laughed well and was lively when they were all together, the child alone was suddenly enveloped in a loneliness that even she, an adult, couldn’t imagine.

“I see…”

A heavy stone dropped onto Jane’s solar plexus with a thud.

She thought he had improved a lot, but it seems it wasn’t enough to fill the emptiness in the child’s heart.

Who on earth could have put a hole in this beautiful child’s heart?

Jane stared blankly at Joseph’s light brown hair.

Who could be the child’s birth mother?

That question coiled tightly somewhere in Jane’s heart.

* * *

When the ranch came into view, Jane woke Joseph up.

Usually, children get cranky when woken from a nap, but Joseph rubbed his eyes and mouth with the back of his hand and soon smiled brightly as he looked out the window.

What a gentle child.

‘He doesn’t resemble Cain.’

Cain, with his sensitive temperament, was particularly low-pressured right after waking up. The wrinkles between his brows would also be deeper than at any other time.

“We, we’re here, I think. The, there are horses running!”

Joseph shouted, almost hanging onto the window.

Horses were galloping freely across the wide meadow outside the window.

“Wow.”

Nas and Letty couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, apparently visiting a ranch for the first time.

Their reaction was so enthusiastic that it made the person who brought them feel proud.

When the carriage stopped and the door opened, a man who introduced himself as the ranch manager came out to greet Jane’s party.

“I received word from Mr. Norbert.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jane Hastings.”

The man bowed deeply as he introduced himself. He was the person in charge of managing the ranch.

“Please call me Hall. I heard that young master Hastings is looking for a horse to ride.”

Hall guided the party inside. It seemed he intended to serve tea first in the office.

As a result, they moved away from the ranch where the horses were running. Joseph kept glancing back.

“Wait a moment. Are we heading to the office?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If we don’t have to stop by, I’d like to see the horses first. The child wants to tour the ranch.”

Hall looked at Joseph, who was holding Jane’s hand. Seeing the child’s expectant eyes, Hall quickly revised his plan.

“Of course, you should tour the ranch first!”

Hall was completely taken by Joseph’s chubby cheeks and small lips like a well-ripened apple.

Hall put his hands on his knees and met Joseph’s gaze. As the big man came close suddenly, Joseph’s hand tightened in surprise.

“Young master, shall I show you the horses?”

Joseph glanced at Jane as if seeking her approval. She nodded in permission. Joseph’s face brightened like a clear sky after a sudden shower.

“Yes. I, I want to see them.”

“Duchess, I will escort the young master on a tour of the ranch. Would you like to rest in the inner office for a while?”

“I’d like to go together.”

“It rained yesterday, so the path is muddy. Your clothes and shoes will get dirty.”

Only then did Jane notice the mud splattered on Hall’s trouser hems and the wooden planks placed here and there around the ranch.

“I think it’s best to listen to Mr. Hall, madam. I’ll accompany the young master.”

“Madam, I agree with Nas’s opinion.”

Although she felt uneasy about being separated from Joseph outside, Jane had no choice when both Nas and Letty gave the same advice.

“Then please take good care of him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”

“Yes. I’ll bring him to the office when the tour is over.”

Jane let go of Joseph’s hand.

Hall, who raised three children, was very skilled in handling children.

He asked Joseph if he could hold him, then swiftly lifted him up. He then strode towards the ranch and called over a woman to talk to her.

The woman he was talking to put down the bucket she was holding and approached Jane.

“I’ll guide you to the office, Duchess.”

Jane and Hailey followed the woman with a warm impression into the ranch office.

An employee working in the office jumped up and served the refreshments that had been prepared in advance.

After Jane tasted the tea and put down her cup, he brought out pre-prepared materials and handed them to Jane.

“I’ve selected the best horses from our ranch.”

The employee’s detailed explanation continued. The materials prepared by the employee even included detailed drawings of the horses.

All the horses looked healthy and excellent.

That’s why the decision wasn’t easy.

Even though she had studied what makes a good horse, when she actually saw them, they all looked the same.

But she couldn’t just buy any horse on impulse, so Jane postponed her decision.

“Thank you for the explanation. I’ll call you when I’ve decided.”

“Of course, you should take your time to make a careful decision. I understand. Please rest comfortably.”

Unlike other salespeople, the employee retreated neatly. As expected of a Tuo Trading Company salesman.

Tuo Trading Company had a motto: ‘If you prepare good products and wait, customers will come on their own.’

They avoided excessive promotion and overly aggressive sales.

As a result, their growth rate was slow, but they were steadily increasing sales mainly through repeat customers.

As the employee was tidying up the materials to one side, the office door burst open without a knock.

A vein popped on the employee’s forehead.

‘I told them in advance that an important guest was here, who dares to burst in without knocking!’

The employee turned around sharply, intending to give a stern warning before the guest could be offended.

“How dare you come in without knocking… Oh, you may. Welcome, President.”

The employee’s energy deflated. He bowed low.

The person who opened the door had the qualification to enter without knocking.

It was none other than the president of the Tuo Trading Company’s Hausten branch. And not just a simple branch president. He was the heir apparent to inherit the entire Tuo Trading Company.

“Jane?”

His eyes widened as he stepped inside.

“Cedric? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Neither did I.”

Cedric’s eyes curved like crescent moons and his voice dripped with delight.

“You two know each other?”

The employee asked with a bewildered face.

“We’re acquainted. She’s someone I care for very much. Jane, what brings you here?”

Cedric answered the employee, then sat opposite Jane.