“Yes!”
Every time Ian worked in the study, Rose, who had been coloring, finally expressed her desire to learn to read and write last night.
She hadn’t mentioned wanting to learn to read and write at the mention of ‘lowly blood’ before.
Originally, studying was planned after a bit more playtime, but since Rose wanted to do it, Ian immediately agreed.
“First, let’s learn your name.”
As the pen glided smoothly across the paper, beautiful letters formed.
“Rose Loenbaum.”
“Wow.”
Rose looked at her own name with sparkling eyes, finding her name fascinating.
“Shall I try writing it?”
Instead of the heavy fountain pen, her small hand held a colored pencil, writing her name in a wobbly manner.
“My Rose writes well.”
Praises made Rose, like a whale making a splash, shake her legs as she continued writing her name with excitement.
It was adorable, so Ian kissed the child’s forehead.
“Uncle, what’s your name?”
“Uncle’s name?”
Rose vigorously nodded her head.
“Uncle’s name.”
Ian filled the empty space beside Rose’s name with his own.
“Ian Loenbaum.”
“Oh?”
Rose alternated between her name and Ian’s, pointing to the letters ‘Loenbaum.’
“They’re the same.”
“That’s right. It means we’re family.”
At the word ‘family,’ Rose’s cheeks flushed.
Finding her adorable, Ian gently stroked Rose’s cheek.
“Family shares the same last name.”
“I see.”
Rose nodded and looked at Ian.
Ian tilted his head, sensing she had something to say but seemed hesitant to speak.
“Is there something you’re curious about?”
“Well…”
Rose’s voice, which had been fidgeting with her fingers, grew quieter.
“Hmm? What could you be curious about?”
When asked with an open-minded tone, Rose, who had been hesitating, mumbled softly.
“I want to know Mom’s name too.”
“Ah.”
Ian wrote Marianne’s name above Rose’s.
“Marianne Loenbaum. That’s Mom’s name.”
“Marianne.”
Although Rose considered her father a bad person, her mother, Marianne, was the one who unconditionally loved her.
So, it was natural for her to be curious about her mother’s name.
Touching the ‘Marianne’ part with her finger, whether missing her mother or out of curiosity, Rose asked.
“Does Mom’s name have a meaning too?”
“Yes. Marianne means ‘happiness.'”
“Happiness.”
Rose’s eyes flickered.
Despite the name’s positive meaning, Marianne had a challenging life.
“Rose, Marianne must have been happy.”
Rose looked up at Ian with eyes full of questions.
“Because your mom must have been happy looking at Rose.”
“But.”
“Did Rose see yout mom’s eyes as unhappy?”
Rose recalled her mother’s eyes.
Even when she was in pain, even when she couldn’t sleep, her mother always smiled at her.
As if truly happy.
Rose, remembering her mother’s image, lowered her head.
“Mom became happy because she had Rose, just like her name suggests.”
Rose buried her face into Ian’s chest.
Ian gently stroked her trembling back.
Thanks to the novels she had read, Rose already knew what feelings she harbored toward her mother.
So, he wanted to alleviate that burden.
There’s no life as unhappy as living with guilt… Ian knew that better than anyone.
Comforting Rose as she cried, Ian said,
“Rose, you’re love like your name, and happiness like your mom’s name. That goes for Uncle too. Rose, you’re lovely happiness.”
Ian hugged Rose tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably.
***
Commoner May had once stayed at a relative’s house for a while.
Since her relatives started the upper-tier business, they were too busy and needed any help they could get, even if it was just a pair of cat’s paws.
Contrary to just hoping for simple clerical support, May had a talent for upper-tier work.
Despite her young age, she quickly grasped anything she was taught, and being focused on developing her own upper-tier, she ended up taking on significant responsibilities.
From that point on, May wanted to learn and master many things here to create her own upper-tier.
She desperately tried to stay with her relatives, but May’s parents opposed the idea.
Her parents forcibly took May to the bakery, saying things like, “What upper-tier is there for a girl? Get married,” and such.
May made efforts to persuade her parents, but after years of repeating the same fights since turning 20, she was exhausted.
“When Mom and Dad go to Theron Territory to buy flour next week, I’ll sneakily go to the capital.”
Thinking about the pre-booked carriage ticket, she dreamt of going to the capital.
A jingling sound echoed.
“Mila Bakery.”
May instinctively greeted, and as she turned her head, soldiers in gleaming armor came into view.
‘Soldiers?’
Mila Bakery, operated by her parents, was the bakery located in the most outlying area of the dukedom, mainly serving local residents.
With neither high-quality ingredients nor exceptional taste, there was no reason for soldiers to visit.
The soldiers looked around the bakery and said,
“Is there someone named May here?”
A soldier speaking suddenly widened his eyes as he fixed his gaze on May.
Reflecting for a moment, he asked,
“Oh. Is the lady’s name May?”
The soldier who carefully scrutinized the visibly flustered May then inquired.
“Oh, by any chance, is Lady’s name May?”
May, feeling quite disconcerted, was thoroughly examined by the soldier who asked.
‘May? Why are they looking for me?’
May’s mind became momentarily complicated.
‘Was it because of Hans, whom I confronted a few days ago? No, even if that guy wanted to report, there’s nothing to report. Maybe the kid who tried to steal bread yesterday was a noble? But he was too scruffy for that.’
“No?”
Even if she lied, it was obvious she would be caught, so May nodded.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Are you 26 years old?”
“No, I’m 25.”
“Hm.”
The soldier seemed to be lost in thought. When he discreetly opened his eyes, another knight standing beside him nudged his side.
“Age can differ by a year or two, right? Red hair, freckles, blue eyes. Everything else looks the same.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. First, let’s take her with us. If she denies it, we can search again later. Waiting longer might get us in trouble with our commander.”
The persuasive soldier yielded and declared to May.
“Miss May, come with us.”
‘What, what is happening? What did I do wrong?!’
While May panicked, the soldiers walking with her felt pure joy at the thought that their mission was finally over.
***
“Phew.”
Rose, holding a towel, approached Ian who had just finished training.
“Here.”
Although there was little sweat since he moved during a brief break, Ian accepted the offered towel.
“Thanks, Rose.”
“Hehe.”
Despite the giggling Rose, the faint screams from the maids who had been waiting were ignored by Ian.
After Rose’s incident, Ian investigated all the maids and servants.
The result revealed a clear division between those who disliked Rose and those who favored her.
Their dislike for Rose wasn’t merely a consequence of Heidy’s influence.
People associated with the estate seemed particularly displeased with Rose, as if guarding against her gaining any of the Duke’s favor.
Ian wished to address the issue promptly, but it was too early to handle the estate’s affairs.
Ian instructed Sebastian to ensure that those associated with the estate kept their distance from Rose.
The individuals currently around her were maids who adored Rose.
Wiping his forehead with a towel, though he hadn’t sweated, Ian embraced Rose.
“Shall we go for snacks now?”
“Yes!”
As Rose excitedly wiggled her feet at the mention of snack time, her braided hair swung along.
Another round of delighted screams erupted when Rose playfully tilted her head.
Sebastian approached Ian and spoke.
“I have brought the woman you were looking for, May.”
“Where is she?”
“She is in the small living room.”
“We found her faster than expected. I was prepared to wait about a week.”
Ian nodded satisfactorily and instructed Sebastian,
“Then, bring snacks over there.”
With a puzzled expression, Sebastian asked,
“Is the young lady coming along as well?”
“Yes. It’s snack time,” Ian replied.
“Understood.”
Sebastian hurried to fetch the snacks, while Ian turned his body towards the reception room.
Ian thought to himself, ‘Now that we’ve found May, it’s time to start acquiring the mines.’
Ian paused and looked at Rose, then redirected his steps towards the living room.
“Rose, how about we go for an outing tomorrow?”
“An outing?”
“Yes. We’ll pack some lunch, find pretty stones, and visit the lake. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great! I want to go!”
Seeing Rose’s eyes brighten with excitement, Ian chuckled softly.
***
May wandered around with a vacant expression on her face.
‘Where am I? Why am I here…’
When the knights discussed her escort from the bakery, May felt her surroundings plunge into darkness. Whatever the reason, her parents’ voices, insisting she had done something wrong, were absent.
Overwhelmed with sorrow for dying without pursuing her dream of becoming an upper-class figure, May’s tears were about to fall when she sensed something odd.
The knights demeanor was too courteous for someone being taken as a criminal. When someone committed a serious offense, being escorted to prison was common, but May found herself riding in a somewhat luxurious carriage, not the expected prison transport.
Wondering who could warrant such an escort, May was puzzled by the knights’ polite attitude.
Riding for a considerable time, they arrived at a massive castle. To May’s surprise, the welcoming party included the courteous butler of the mansion. Perplexed by the unexpected situation, May sat in the opulent receiving room, uncertain about what to do.
However, this confusion was short-lived.
May, glancing around the lavishly decorated room, marveled at her surroundings.
“Is this a Maple workshop-made watch? Wow, is this real gold? Oh, this artwork! Is this the renowned Serena’s Smile that I’ve only heard about?!”
The reception room, filled with luxury items, was like another world to May, who sought high-quality items to become an upper-class figure.
“What’s this painting? I’ve never heard the story before.”
Smiling, May tilted her head at a frame full of sunflowers.
While not a masterpiece, the painting displayed exceptional skill, leaving May impressed.
“That painting represents Ludvenia’s paradise.”
May jolted at the sudden voice.
Despite his simple shirt and pants, the man holding a child had an orderly appearance, perhaps due to his upright posture.
“Wh-who are you?”
“One of Kirka’s early works.”
“No way!”
May’s head, turned to the man with a grin, quickly shifted back to the painting.
A nickname like “God-given painter” for Kirka, coupled with the term “early works,” was astonishing.
The current value of circulated paintings was impressive, but early works held exceptional worth.
‘I never thought I’d see Kirka’s early works with my own eyes.’
As May gazed with ecstatic eyes at a work she might never see again, a firm knock echoed.
“Duke, may I come in?”
“Yes.”
‘Du…ke…?’
May’s stiffened neck reflected her heightened tension.
‘No way that man is the duke, right? Please, let it not be true! Oh, God!’
Unfortunately, the gods turned away from May’s earnest plea.
