“It’s the child of the Count. So the Count should raise them.”

The voice of a woman faintly echoing in my ears rang out. It was familiar. If I listened more, I felt like I could identify the owner of that voice.

Just a bit more, just a bit more.

The sound of stepping on fallen leaves swallowed the woman’s voice. The noises and vibrations colliding around me. Soon, darkness fell black and everything stopped.

“……”

I came to my senses and found myself sitting up in bed.

The sharp sound of birds could be heard from outside. The maids were already up, hanging laundry, and the butlers were inspecting the stables and carriages.

A savory smell wafted faintly from the kitchen, likely from baking bread.

The dawn was breaking through the window.

As I stepped out of the room to drink some water, I saw the twins unusually awake early. From morning, they were energetically running and playing around every corner of the mansion.

“Oh? Lize! Perfect timing. Want to play hide-and-seek with us? I’ll let you be the seeker!”

“No thanks. I just woke up.”

Among them, Swel was the first to spot me and spoke. When I refused to play with them, Swel didn’t reply much and chose a hiding spot.

Heading straight to the dining room, I saw Bernard and Felicia already seated and eating. They seemed to have finished getting ready for school.

“Hi, Lize.”

“Hi.”

Felicia greeted me half-heartedly without even looking at me. Bernard was the same. I sat across from the two of them, drinking water and stretching my stiff shoulders and back.

“Are you going to school?”

“What are you saying? I’m not going to school today. It’s ‘Nobility Day’.”

Felicia said. Ah, is it already Nobility Day?

It’s a day when the nobility can suspend all work and rest for three days out of the year. It’s quite an ironic system considering it’s actually the commoners who are sweating and working hard.

“But why are you already up?”

“What, why are you pretending not to know? We decided to go to grandfather’s house today.”

“Felicia, she’s not going. Mother said she won’t take her.”

At Bernard’s words, Felicia glanced at me and closed her mouth. I also quickly grasped the situation and didn’t say a word. I expected it, but hearing it directly was still a bit of a shock.

‘I shouldn’t keep letting my heart weaken.’

In the north, slightly outside the capital, lived our strict and fussy grandfather. But that was only his outer appearance; in fact, he had tremendous love for his grandchildren.

Whenever it was the children’s birthdays, he would send a bundle of presents every day. I was no exception.

However, that didn’t mean my relationship with grandfather was always good.

According to Rodney, when I was a newborn baby, grandfather was quite fond of me, his youngest grandchild. Although he was surprised by a child suddenly born without notice, he always took care of me.

The problem arose when it was discovered that I was an illegitimate child.

As I grew up and my hair color became distinct, grandfather’s suspicions began. Even if my eye color could be overlooked, my hair color couldn’t have come from Isabel and Father, so he found it suspicious and soon realized I was an illegitimate child.

After that, grandfather and I became an awkward relationship where he couldn’t simply adore me.

Both grandfather and I felt uncomfortable with each other.

From the age of eight, our relationship became even more awkward. When everyone was holding hands and playing with grandfather, I alone was left out. Grandfather also didn’t take the initiative to talk to me or show interest in me as I stayed far away.

Then at nine years old, when I couldn’t go to my parents’ home due to a cold and the siblings visited grandfather’s house, they returned to the mansion with an even bigger bundle of presents than before. They all said in unison that playing with grandfather was more fun than ever.

So earlier this year, through Isabel, I said I wouldn’t go to grandfather’s house on this day. I clearly said that, but…

“Lize, you’re going too, right?”

As Bernard casually spoke, Felicia next to him jabbed his side. Bernard realized he had misspoken and inhaled.

“I’m not going.”

“…Lize, if you want to go, you can go. You can play with me there too.”

Felicia cautiously said. I could feel her desire to comfort me.

“It’s fine. You guys have a good trip.”

I put down the glass with a nonchalant expression. Since I had finished drinking water, there was no reason to stay at the table. Ignoring Felicia’s voice calling me, I went back to my room.

My chest felt a bit heavy as if my heart was being squeezed tightly.

As soon as I entered the room, I threw myself on the bed. I felt gloomy and unpleasant from the morning.

I know. Last year, when I couldn’t visit the mansion due to a cold, grandfather was comfortable. I understand. I understand. …I tried to understand.

“Lize! Lize!”

While I was hiding under the blanket, the door swung open. It was Swel.

“You be the seeker! I keep getting caught. Okay? Okay?”

He doesn’t even know how I feel…!

As I stayed still, Swel forcibly pulled off my blanket and shook my shoulders. Feeling a bit angry, I threw a pillow at his face.

“Puhah! What are you doing?”

“Get out!”

“…What?”

“I said get out! Get out!”

Even though Swel raised his voice, no one could overcome my current mood. When I pointed to the door with my finger, Swel flinched and quietly left the room.

“O-Okay. I just need to leave, right!”

The door slammed shut. As the room became quiet again, I tightly closed my eyes. I prayed to fall asleep like this.

* * *

When I woke up again, unlike the morning, intense light was seeping into the room. The slightly hazy weather had disappeared, and the sun had fully risen, making all the colors vivid.

Looking at the time, it was already 11 o’clock.

Feeling a bit hungry, I went out and was greeted by a deserted and quiet corridor. It was a contrast to when Swel and Silke were noisily running around.

‘Maybe I should have played hide-and-seek with them earlier…’

I remembered the last time I took out my anger on Swel. Recalling Swel’s face as he closed the door in shock, I felt a bit regretful.

“Oh my, young lady. Did you just wake up?”

Bitty, who had finished the laundry and was wiping a picture frame, noticed me and asked.

“Did everyone leave?”

“Around eight o’clock. The madam said they would return late at night and asked to take good care of the young lady’s meals.”

Take good care, yeah right. She probably told her to watch me so I don’t cause trouble.

It’s rather fortunate. Being alone in the mansion is not uncommon, and I’m used to it now. And when I’m alone, I can freely do things I normally can’t without worrying about others. Like reading books or playing chess…

Practicing the violin as Roger emphasized would not be bad either. After thinking of a schedule in my head, I quickly changed into casual clothes.

Then, after eating the meal Bitty prepared, I lay on the sofa and read a book.

The maids remaining in the mansion moved diligently. At the same time, they were careful in their behavior so as not to disturb my reading.

‘Lize! You can’t lie down in that posture!’

If Isabel were here, she would point out my current actions and posture.

Swel and Silke would be playing sword fights behind the sofa, and Bernard and Felicia, who had just returned from school, would be grumbling about who annoyed them today.

“Hmm.”

The book was uninteresting today for some reason.

It might be because I read it a month ago. Putting the book down, I brought out the chessboard and placed the pieces on it. The pieces were in their positions, but the problem was there was no opponent to play with.

Was there a maid who could play chess? I looked around, but everyone was busy working.

“…This is boring.”

I lay back down on the sofa. Reading a book failed. Playing chess also failed, so the remaining option was practicing the violin.

…Let’s do that later.

‘That’s it! Why don’t I go visit Roger in Roscoff Village?’

It wasn’t a bad idea. Having made up my mind, I quickly got up to grab my outerwear. As I ran up the stairs with energetic steps, I remembered what Roger had said yesterday while teaching me the violin.

‘I’m going to my grandmother’s mansion tomorrow. All the relatives will probably come too.’

He said he was going to his grandfather’s mansion. Similarly, Yurik made a sad face, saying he was also going to his grandfather’s mansion.

My steps going up the stairs stopped. I had lost my destination.

“Young lady?”

As I stood absent-mindedly on the stairs, Bitty, who was about to pass by, asked. Worried about my poor complexion, she put down her basket and approached me. Her hand gently touched my forehead.

“Are you feeling ill somewhere? But you don’t seem to have a fever…”

“Bitty. How can I make a month pass by quickly? I wish I could open my eyes and a month had passed.”

Then I could go to the beach.

Bitty, not understanding my words, tilted her head and then lightly clapped her hands.

“Young lady. Would you like to go flower viewing with me? The weather is nice today. It’s not cold either.”

“Flower viewing?”

“Yes. I’ll go get your outerwear!”

Bitty suggested it to relieve my boredom. She entrusted her basket to another maid and went to get my outerwear.

In the meantime, I reluctantly pretended to go out while hurriedly tying my shoelaces, having changed into winter outdoor shoes.

Wearing tightly laced shoes, I went outside. The cold wind turned cool, and leaves began to sprout one by one on the bare trees.

“Young lady, let’s go together!”

Bitty followed behind me. To get to the flower garden, we had to cross a small forest next to it.

“Young lady, do you want to grow up quickly?”

“Huh?”

Bitty suddenly asked as she came to my side.

“No, you said earlier that you wished a month would pass by quickly. Don’t you want to become an adult soon and have a social life?”

“Not really. I used to think that way, but not anymore.”

“Why? I thought the young lady would surely want to grow up quickly.”

“Because being an adult comes with responsibilities. If you’re unlucky, you have to take responsibility for things you don’t want to. I find that difficult.”

“…Sometimes, you seem like an adult, young lady. As if you’ve already lived a full life.”

She’s perceptive.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Like someone who has played the role of the head of household alone. There are characters like that in plays, right? The protagonist who has struggled from a young age due to poor family circumstances. A character who has done all sorts of work and matured from childhood.”

“So how does the ending turn out?”

“…It usually splits into two paths. Either they meet a prince and live happily, or they die miserably. I’m not at all saying that’s what will happen to you, young lady! Ah, you have… You have the madam, the master, and many siblings! And the Marsen family is such a prestigious family!”

“Bitty. Why don’t you quit being a maid and start working as a fortune-teller right now?”

“What? Ah, y-young lady?”

I laughed, pretending not to know at Bitty’s question. She nervously followed behind me, thinking I was angry.

“Ah, young lady!”

I wasn’t angry. I just realized that reality and plays weren’t that different when she mentioned a miserable death.

‘The prince doesn’t exist.’

In the meantime, we passed through the forest and arrived at the flower garden. The garden that had been filled with only winter flowers was gradually being colored with different hues, and grass grew on the hard ground.

“……”

“Lize?”

A soft voice pierced my ears.

Raising my head, I discovered Yurik smiling slightly. His white hair swaying in the cold winter wind suited him well. Perhaps because of the color of the flowers, Yurik’s face looked even brighter.

But why was he here?

“Yurik?”

“We meet again.”

Then he smiles brightly.

Come to think of it, even if princes don’t exist, heroes do.

In my first life, my hero was Yurik Penton from the novel I cherished, “The Hero of the Penton Family”. And in my second life, that Yurik Penton exists and is standing in front of me.

“I missed you, Lize.”

Just like now.