Please Save My Child

“Would you like to change into comfortable clothes?”

 

“Huh.”

 

She didn’t have the strength to move around anyway. Estelle was squatting in the bathtub while Sofia left to fetch her clothes.

 

‘But it’s better than before’

 

At first, she was anxious about what would happen if she wasn’t really his daughter. She was afraid that if it was a misunderstanding and not the princess of this house, all this favor would be lost. However, as she lived in the public domain, she received the affection of many people, and she found some sense of security.

 

‘I am the child of this family.’

 

She had never seen the Duchess’s face, but when people saw her makeup, they said she looked exactly like the Duchess.

 

‘This is my home…?’

 

Before the doctor left, she told Estelle that the reason she had been sick for a while was because she had finally relaxed. Estelle didn’t think she was wrong, she thought. 

 

Soon after, Sophia brought her a simple cream-colored dress. It was an outfit that didn’t have much decoration, so it wouldn’t be uncomfortable to toss and turn in bed. She changed her clothes and went back to her room to find that the bedding had already changed.

 

“The colors are bright and pretty, right? When the young lady was lying down, everyone was thinking hard. We were wondering what your favorite color was.”

 

“Yes, it’s pretty.”

 

The yellow blanket felt like spring. It was the middle of winter, but spring had come to Estelle’s room. Estelle was very grateful to the maids who cared about her.

 

“Master will be here soon. I will stay with you.”

 

“Huh.”

 

Not long after, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard from beyond the door.

 

“Estelle!”

 

“Oh, Dad?”

 

Damian, who usually knocked when entering Estel’s room, forgot even the basics today and opened the door. What surprised Estelle more than his behavior was Bonita in Damien’s arms.

 

“Miss, are you okay?”

 

“Bo, Bonnie?”

 

Why was Bonnie in her father’s arms? That was Estelle’s first thought when she saw the two.

 

“I was playing in the Duke’s office, and they said the young lady had woken up, so I came to see her!”

 

Damien put Bonita down from his arms. Bonita held a bunch of papers in her arms and walked towards the bed where Estelle was sitting.

 

“I drew this with the hope that you get better quickly so we can play together.”

 

Bonita smiled brightly and showed Estelle the paper she was holding in her arms. It was drawn in a haphazard manner with not very good drawing skills, but on the other hand, Bonita was drawing a picture of herself and Estelle having fun in the garden.

 

“Awesome.”

 

“Right? I told Mom and the Duke, and later in the spring, we can all go on a picnic together.”

 

Bonita smiled brightly and chatted quietly, as if she was glad that Estelle had woken up. Estelle just listened quietly to Bonita’s chatter. For some reason, this moment felt uncomfortable.

 

“Miss, I heard you’re awake?”

 

At that moment, Reina and Peter appeared through the open door. While she was in class, she heard that Estelle had come to her senses, and she seemed to have come in a hurry. In addition, there were many people waiting for Estelle to wake up, including employees and knights.

 

“Mom!”

 

“Bonnie, were you here too?”

 

“Yes, I asked the Duke if I could go with him, and he said yes.”

 

Bonita gave Estelle a picture she had drawn of her and she ran into Reina’s arms. The child smiled brightly, and although Reina’s tone was encouraging, the smile was all over her face.

 

“Master, I’m sorry. Aren’t you having a hard time because of my daughter?”

 

“It’s fine. It doesn’t interfere with work… Everyone likes your daughter more than me.”

 

“Haha… even a joke…”

 

“It’s real.”

 

“She kept coming in and out of the office to give something to the child. She thought the office was the floor of the market.”

 

“…s-sorry…”

 

“This is a joke.”

 

Estelle watched the conversation between the adults and she leaned on the bed.

 

‘I guess a lot happened while I was sick.’

 

Without realizing it, Damian, Bonita, and Reina seemed to have become closer. Estelle didn’t think she could fit in there, she thought. People who were worried about Estelle laughed at Bonita. It was just a moment, but Estelle did not miss it.

 

‘I am…’

 

Estelle was the Duke’s daughter, so she was cherished and loved by everyone. It was unknown whether she was alive or dead, and because she was the daughter of a Duchess, she was loved even though she was only a half-blooded Finecke.

 

And Bonita was just Reina’s daughter. Still, many people liked Bonita. Estelle has never been loved as Estelle, just as the Duke’s daughter.

 

‘If I wasn’t a princess… would you have liked me?’

 

At that point, the Stell silver award was not awarded at all. Estelle was hated again because she had white hair, pink eyes, and was a Fineke, so she wasn’t sure if she could ever receive such unconditional affection. It was only in an instant that the feeling of relief that had settled in turned into anxiety.

 

“By the way, Estelle, she has only just woken up, but she has something to say.”

 

“What is it, Dad?”

 

“It looks like I will have to leave the mansion soon due to work. Count Embron said he will teach you in the meantime.”

 

“It shouldn’t happen, but if he’s bothering you, don’t hide it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

That anxiety whispered to Estelle. ‘If you become even a little annoying, that love will be eaten away and disappear. Because you are loved only because you are a princess… You are not as lovely as Bonita.’

 

* * *

 

“I think Master Ma will arrive at the mansion around the time His Excellency the Duke comes after finishing this job.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes, while we are measuring Reina Borton’s magical power, we will also test Bonita.”

 

Peter said this to Reina as he finished class.

 

“Bonita too?”

 

“Yes, I heard Bonita said she wanted to learn swordsmanship from Your Excellency? Before bringing in an instructor, we need to check her qualifications.”

 

“Uhm…”

 

“Do you have any problem?”

 

“Oh, no nothing.”

 

Contrary to the answer, Reina’s face was full of worry.

 

Reina was a rare person in the empire who had no magical power at all.

 

‘Maybe I don’t know how to write’

 

“If I have magical powers, can I learn to handle them from then on?”

 

“Imperial citizens usually have magical powers. That will happen.”

 

‘First of all, since I am also a citizen of the empire, I guess I also have magical powers.’

 

Reina wanted to at least feel the flow of her magic power. All magic tools that did not use magic stones could be operated using each person’s own magical power. However, Reina was unable to use her magical power at all, so she could not properly use even the few magical tools she had where she lived before.

 

‘Every time, Bonita turned it on for me.’

 

Even if Reina didn’t have magic power, Bonita definitely had it. ith that alone, Reina had avoided the ‘worst’.

 

“Peter, is magic inherited?”

 

“They say that it is generally true, but sometimes it is not. So we are researching that principle at the Magic Tower as well.”

 

“Aha…”

 

Reina nodded and submitted the assignment Peter gave her last time. Peter replied that he would check this assignment in a few weeks and gave Reina another assignment. Reina spoke to Peter without checking the contents.

 

“You were leaving today, right?”

 

“Yes, we have to leave before the sun sets, so today’s class will end early.”

 

‘Lord Dean also left a few days ago.’

 

Reina saw off Peter, who left first to load the luggage into the carriage.

 

“Mom~.”

 

“Reina!”

 

“Bonnie, girl.”

 

Estelle and Bonita peeked their heads out of Damien’s office and approached Reina. After Estelle’s body recovered, she found out that Bonita was hanging out in Damien’s office because Estelle had said she wanted to do so.

 

“Today is over quickly?”

 

“Today ended quickly.”

 

Reina burst into laughter when she saw her two children saying the same thing over and over again.

 

‘They look like twins.’

 

Although her appearance and personality were different, the words they said to Reina were always similar.

 

“Yes, it was over quickly. Today is the day the aide is going to temple with the master.”

 

“Oh, that’s right! I heard it from the Duke earlier. Right, Miss?”

 

“…”

 

Estelle’s expression darkened slightly when she heard that Damian was leaving the dukedom today. Reina didn’t miss the change in the child’s expression and she spoke quickly.

 

“Miss, master will return as soon as possible.”

 

“…”

 

Estelle didn’t make any reply but just nodded her head.

 

‘I’ve never been this depressed recently.’

 

Ever since Estelle recovered her health, her condition has been strange.

 

‘After she got sick, didn’t she start to trust everyone in the house?’

 

Perhaps Estelle’s story would have changed with Reina making a different choice and remaining in the mansion. She didn’t want the story to change in a bad way for Estelle. She did this not because Estelle was the main character, but because she was a child.

 

“Miss. If you feel lonely and scared at night after your master leaves, you can sleep with us.”

 

Raina thought for a moment and then asked Estelle. Estelle’s eyes widened at Reina’s words and she looked at them alternately.

 

“Well, is that okay?”

 

“Of course. Bonnie, are you okay?”

 

“Huh.”

 

Bonita nodded, holding the hem of her Reina dress tightly.

 

“If mom is okay, I’m okay too. The bed in our room is also spacious.”

 

“Thank you for understanding.”

 

Reina looked at her daughter happily and stroked her head. She then took one of Bonita’s small hands and looked at her Estelle. It was because Raina couldn’t hold Estelle’s hand first.

 

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