Please Save My Child

“Thank you.”

“I just said I like what I like.”

She once spent the entire day bragging to everyone Bonita met about how amazing the honey bread she had with Reina was. That was the day following the first outing. Reina felt little humiliated, but she let her go because she saw the child joyful and pleased. Reina believed Dean was a very kind man after she realized he recalled everything the youngster said.

As she walked out of the mansion, she heard a commotion.

“230 Theon per Crawler Donut!”

“Something precious has arrived.” Take a look and leave!”

When Bonita heard the word “crawler donut” among the various touts, she rolled her eyes that way. Dean noticed this and told Reina. 

“I love honey buns, but the crawler donuts are really good too.”

“…crawler donuts?”

“Yes, these are swirl-shaped doughnuts. When I was younger, my nanny purchased them and gave them to my elder brothers and me. I recommend it because it tastes very good with a lot of sugar powder on it.”

Suddenly, the three of them were in front of a stall selling Crawler donuts. They stated if you buy five, you’ll get 100 Theon discount, so Reina purchased five. Crawler donuts, still hot in a paper bag, smelt both sweet and savory. Reina folded the donuts in napkins, one for Dean and the other for Bonita, and delivered them to them. 

“Mm, it’s delicious.”

Reina thought it tasted quite familiar even though it was her first time eating it.

‘Did I eat it when I was Eugene?’

It appeared to her that she had eaten this type of food before, even as Eugene. However, when she recalled her recollections, they were foggy, like smoke.

“It’s good!”

Reina’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a child’s innocent exclamation. Bonita took a mouthful to see if it fit in her mouth, and her eyes twinkled as she moved on to the next huge mouth.

“Bonnie, don’t overeat.” “You’ll have to eat later.”

“Yeah, okay, Mom.”

Bonita stared at the sugar grains on her fingers for a moment before feeling Dean’s gaze on her and wiping the sugar away with a tissue. Bonita was so endearing that Reina, who was behaving shady for no reason, let out her laugh and threw it away.

‘It feels like what happened a few days ago is a lie.’

A few days ago it was like hell, but now it was like heaven. She seemed to have woken up from a terrible nightmare.

“Mom! Look at that!”

After eating the sweet food, Bonita, who felt much better, pointed in one direction with her bright face.

“What?”

Reina, unable to see anything due to the crowd, worked hard on her tiptoes to see what Bonita was saying. Dean was normally calm at the mansion, but this was the first time Reina, who had always kept her cool, was working so hard on her tiptoes, and he burst out laughing. He said.

“It’s a traveling troupe.”

“Troupe?”

“Yes, because it is the birth of a star, arrive early to get a spot. It’s difficult to set up a tent when there are so many people.”

“Amazing…”

“Have you never seen it before?”

Reina lived in the Duchy of Winternight. If so, she was like the birth of a star, but even after seeing the extreme, Dean stared at her with interest.

“Every day was busy until the master took us in.”

“Ah, they said you were separated from her husband.”

“…hm, yes. It was hard to find work. “Especially since we moved from another territory.”

Reina didn’t want to discuss, so she kept her mouth shut, and Dean believed it was impolite to ask any further, so he didn’t.

“The content of this play is said to be a story about God.”

“About Bendicion?”

It was the name of a god revered not only in the Aizen Empire, where Reina lived, but throughout the world. There was a tradition that those who were blessed by the gods gained magical power, while those who received the gods’ love shared divine power. 

“Yes, they say it’s about Bendicion and the first human he fell in love with.”

Actually, it wasn’t a particularly exciting narrative for Reina, who had been turned down by the temple where Bonita had gone to seek a treatment for her child on the day she was critically ill, but it didn’t appear so to Bonita. Bonita, who had no recall of the day due to an illness, glanced at the group with smiling eyes. Eina muttered as she brushed the sugar roux from her child’s cheek.

“Shall we go see the birthday of a star with mom?”

“…”Is that okay?”

“…Uhm, actually your mother wants to see it too, but she thinks it would be better if she could see it with Bonnie.” 

Bonita was afraid that Reina would do her things because of her, she nodded her head in relief when she heard that.

“So, after going to the troupe, I’m going to buy clothes now… I’m going to buy Bonnie’s favorite toys and food.”

“Huh.”

Reina moved to the cute clothing store, which she often passed by in the old days. A majestic, pure white building caught her eye.

‘…Temple.’

A place where sacred priests who believe in God gather. However, in Reina’s mind, the winter of that day remained like a lump.

* * *

“Did you find the person behind it?”

“…I have no face.”

The Duke strained his eyes with a fatigued expression. The obvious suspects were apprehended and executed, but the Duke was unwilling to sleep or take a break because he was hunting the true mastermind. He didn’t expect to find the man behind it in one day. He hoped to locate even the smallest clue, but he couldn’t figure it out.

“He wouldn’t have done this on his own in an inconsequential aristocratic family. Someone must have encouraged it.

On the surface, it appeared that a noble kidnapped a maid’s child, but their real purpose was Estelle. If Reina had given up on her garbage, he would have lost her daughter yet again. 

Peter said while examining the dark-eyed Duke.

“Rather than that, shouldn’t we pay enough compensation to that maid, Reina Boton?”

“…yes.”

Damian squeezed his tired eyes and said.

“First of all, we need to give Reina Boton enough compensation, but I don’t know how much would be suitable.”

Reina remained loyal to the family even when her daughter’s life was threatened. And that loyalty helped save Estelle.

“What would be good?” First, I compiled a list. 1 billion Theon, valuables obtained from the imperial family last year, or houses that require a manager in the system…”

They claimed that the monetary award was the quickest and most reliable. Damian, on the other hand, grimaced in disapproval.

‘Wealth.’

Was it acceptable for him to offer the wife such a large fortune? He thought so as he rolled the pen holder in his hand. 

“Not right now.”

“Pardon?”

“She’s the one who saved my daughter.”

Reina was an ordinary woman with no ties. When a helpless individual seizes a huge sum of money unexpectedly, they will soon face catastrophe. The Duke had lost his parents at an early age, thus he received the title unprepared. That’s why he was well aware of what happens when a great wealth is given to an unprepared person. It reminded him of Reina, who rushed out barefoot last night. Her hair was tangled, and he remembered her staring at the Duke, clutching her kid, and thanking him for saving her life.

“I can’t give her that much money right now.”

The Duke desired a safer and more guaranteed reward. 

* * *

“…oh.”

It was the perfect day. Reina was initially concerned that she had taken her struggling child out for no apparent purpose, but when she saw Bonita beaming brightly, she was relieved as well. They had an inexpensive and tasty supper at a restaurant recommended by Dean and purchased a navy blue frock with white frills and a bonnet for Bonita. The child looked at the box containing the stretched garments, as if they were heavy to her. Her hands were full of envelopes as she purchased various items, including books that Bonita would be interested in and toys to play with while waiting for Reina. Reina crushed a leftover Crawler donut into one of the bags.The three said that they were very tired today, but they had fun and went back to the mansion around sunset. However, the end of a perfect day was a little jarring.

“…The lodging has changed?”

“Mmm.”

As she was about to enter her quarters, the head maid called Reina and stopped her. She informed her that Reina and Bonita’s rooms had been relocated, and they would no longer be using the employee quarters.

Dean was surprised, as if he had not heard the news.

“What is that…”

“This is the master’s order. Reina, the news is not good.”

The head maid summoned the butler to show Reina and Bonita the new accommodations. He must have been asked to lead them to the lodge, but the butler took them to the mansion.

“…Butler? “I think you misled me…”

“That’s correct. “Follow me.” 

Reina stepped onto the beautiful carpet, her eyes twitching furiously. What’s happening? What is happening to them now? The thought passed across her mind. Soon, the two were in front of an ornate door. Could this be the wrong room? While Reina was rejecting reality, the butler unlocked the massive door. Even the combined sizes of the places Reina and Bonita had stayed in previously were smaller than the new room they had received this time. The room contained a door that led to another room, as well as a separate toilet and bathroom. There was no wind pouring in, and there was no reason to be concerned about noise pollution from the room next door. The bed was so large that the two of them didn’t have to sleep together. Bonita climbed out of Dean’s arms, gave a brief admiration, then walked over to her bed and pressed her hand against her.

“…mom.”

“Huh?”

“…Could this be made of clouds?”

How soft and fluffy it was, Bonita knew for the first time in her eight-year-old life that such a soft bed existed.

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