Chapter 020
To achieve what he wanted, Theo thought he really needed to grow taller.
“Yeah, it’s true. Look, even Cassius grew tall by eating well. Right, Cassius?”
Charlotte winked at Cassius.
“Right.”
He answered without realizing it. Charlotte was good at making others agree with her, speaking in a soft, persuasive way.
Theo licked his lips and set his fork down. Watching him, Charlotte suppressed a laugh. He was just too cute.
Her younger siblings had been just as adorable when they were little and innocent, but that was a thing of the past.
Shaking off bittersweet memories, she turned to Cassius.
“Cassius, we’re going to do some origami. Want to join us? Theo will love it.”
Theo had mentioned something similar before. Cassius glanced at Theo, whose eyes sparkled with excitement.
No one could say no to those eager eyes. Without thinking, Cassius replied,
“I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”
“Don’t worry. I’m really good at it.”
Charlotte smiled, and that smile tugged at his heart in an unfamiliar way, making him frown slightly.
It had been a long time since he’d done origami.
The origami book had some interesting designs. Back when she was locked away, she often did origami out of boredom. Her room was always full of paper, and she had nothing else to do.
Who knew those idle times would come in handy?
Cassius had asked the servants to clear the floor and move the table to the side. He, Charlotte, and Theo sat on the rug, Cassius, Theo, and Charlotte all gathered in a circle while Luna peeked at them curiously.
“What should we make?”
Theo held up the origami book excitedly. Boys usually liked making boats.
“Alright.”
“Sounds good.”
Charlotte glanced at Cassius, who was staring seriously at the book Theo was holding as if he were analyzing it under a microscope.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve never made one before?”
“I never had the chance. No time for things like this.”
Cassius picked up a sheet of paper with determination.
The paper came from the newspapers Charlotte had specially requested the butler to save for today.
Theo eagerly looked at both of them.
“It’s easy. You can do it. If you can’t, just tell me, and I’ll help.”
“I’ll give it a try.”
Cassius said, lifting his hands seriously, almost like a surgeon preparing for surgery. Then, he laid the newspaper flat in front of him.
Cassius was confident he could make a boat, so Charlotte decided to make something else. A paper knife. It seemed like it would be fun to add some creativity. If there was a paper boat hat, there should be a knife too.
The room was filled with the soft rustling of paper. Theo, leaning on his hands, watched them with excitement, his legs swinging happily.
Before long, Charlotte had finished her creation.
“Look at this! What is it?”
“A sword. Want to decorate it? You can make it look really cool.”
“Yeah!”
Theo nodded enthusiastically and grabbed some colored pencils. While he started decorating, Charlotte turned to Cassius.
Cassius was still struggling, holding the paper with a frown.
“Need help?”
“This part… I don’t understand how folding it like this leads to that shape. Hmph.”
His expression was so serious that Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh.
Was this really something to get so worked up about?
Cassius glanced at her, puffing his cheeks slightly in annoyance.
He looked just like Theo at that moment.
Theo happily returned to his room, armed with his paper sword, hat, and even a makeshift cape.
He felt like the most awesome knight in the world, especially since the hat was made by Cassius himself.
“Nanny!”
“Yes, young master Theo? Where have you been?”
The nanny narrowed her eyes at the sight of Theo wearing his “gear.” Theo beamed and nodded excitedly.
“I had dinner with my brother and sister-in-law, and we did origami! Look at this! My brother made this, and my sister-in-law made this! Aren’t they amazing?”
“These… these are just trash.”
“…What?”
Theo blinked in confusion as The nanny’s voice was filled with cold disdain. Theo awkwardly smiled.
“Nanny, are you mad?”
The nanny knelt in front of Theo and began taking off the paper creations one by one. Theo watched helplessly, feeling his chest tighten. He clung to her, tears welling up.
“Why?”
“You can’t let things like this deceive you, young master. What did I tell you? The Duchess is a witch. She’s trying to manipulate the duke and take everything from this family!”
“Well, but…”
Theo mumbled, unsure.
The nanny had always been a central figure in his life, someone who had cared for both him and Cassius since their mother’s family had sent her to the estate. She was like a mother to him.
“No buts. Didn’t you say you wanted to protect your brother and the family? To do that, you need to stay away from her.”
She glared at the paper creations, her voice firm.
“And these filthy things…”
She threw them into the trash bin without hesitation.
Theo couldn’t hold back his tears any longer and started crying, but the nanny remained resolute.
“Quickly wash up, take your medicine, and go to bed,” the nanny said firmly.
Theo sniffled but nodded, his small shoulders trembling slightly. The nanny remained unmoved, her expression stern.
‘Tsk. I let my guard down for a moment…’
She had thought that Teo really hated Charlotte, but somehow, Charlotte had managed to change the stubborn child’s heart. Was Charlotte truly a witch with magical powers? The nanny frowned.
Charlotte’s meddling was starting to irritate her.
The nanny had ruled over this household for years, No one dared disrespect her authority. She had earned respect for raising Duke Isteria’s children, including Theo. For years, she had effectively played the role of the lady of the house.
But ever since the Duchess changed, everything had become unstable.
The nanny decided she needed to focus her efforts on Theo. He was the key to getting rid of that troublesome woman.
“I won’t let her take anything from this house,” she thought, grinding her teeth.
The next day, I headed to Theo’s room as usual. To my surprise, the nanny was already there.
“Good morning, Duchess,” she greeted, though her slight nod was far from respectful. The hostility in her voice was unmistakable.
Theo sat on the bed, his face gloomy.
“Theo, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” I asked, concerned.
He glanced at me briefly, then at the nanny behind me, and quickly shook his head. His expression told me something was off.
I frowned slightly, kneeling to hold his hand and check on him. But before I could use my divine power, the nanny interrupted.
“You need to leave,” she demanded.
I stood up and looked at her calmly.
“Why should I?”
The nanny’s face twisted with anger.
“It’s strange! What exactly are you planning to do with him? Why must I leave?”
Luna, standing nearby, interjected in a firm tone, “Are you defying the Duke’s orders?”
“I’m his guardian!” the nanny shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
But Luna stared at her with a calm, unwavering gaze.
“By the Duke’s order, the Duchess has the authority to care for him. Step aside.”
The nanny’s face darkened with suppressed rage, but I turned my attention back to Theo. Holding his hand gently, I offered a reassuring smile, silently vowing to uncover the truth behind his sadness.
