“I thought it would be okay.”
“Uh, Mom?”
“You are the only princess of this duchy. Everyone will be on your side, so it’s okay.”
The good news was that Count Embron did not cause any physical harm. It wasn’t until the very end, when he realized that his brainwashing wasn’t working and everyone in his mansion was turning hostile towards him, that Count Embron didn’t lay a hand on Estelle. And the moment he was about to hit Lady Estelle, the master appeared and blocked him. And from that incident, at Estelle’s request, he investigated all of the vassals’ families. It is inevitable for the eradication of deep-rooted evils.
When Reina arrived at her room, she washed her hands and changed her clothes. And for the first time in a long time, she spent time alone with Bonita.
“Mom, is it okay if you don’t stay with them today?”
“The Count says I don’t have to take charge of it for a while.”
Bonita, who was quietly listening to Reina reading a story about a squirrel going in search of a huge acorn, asked. Reina was worried about Estelle again and fiddled with the corner of her book.
‘It’ll get better soon.’
Reina kept repeating the same thoughts over and over and she couldn’t move forward. Then Bonita hugged Reina.
“I won’t talk about the grandfather, teacher.”
“Huh?”
“Mom’s expression got weird after I told her that.”
“…”
‘Was I that mean?’
Reina comforted Bonita with one hand and caressed her cheek with the other. Bonita was quick to notice someone’s emotions. Reina gently patted Bonita’s back.
“Bonnie, it would be best if you don’t go out often for a while.”
“Why?”
“Because a guest is coming.”
“How much can I go out?”
“Hmm, if you normally went to the training ground every day, now about once every three days?”
“That’s fine! What about Mom?”
“Mom has to go help with something else.”
In fact, Reina didn’t have to do anything other than taking care of Estelle anymore, but she didn’t like doing nothing. Because she had never rested.
“Then am I waiting?”
“Yes, that will do. Mom’ll bring food.”
“Huh!”
When she looked through the window, the sun had set and evening time was approaching.
‘Now that I think about it, how does she eat?’
That part didn’t appear in the novel. She told herself that no matter what, she wouldn’t let her child starve, so she would get the food from the kitchen and take a peek into her dining room.
* * *
“Are you going to eat in your room today?”
“For some time to come. I’ll come pick up the meal myself.”
“Let’s eat in the kitchen like usual, but I also want to see Bonnie.”
The chef looked at Reina with a very disappointed face.
“Be sure to ask Bonnie to look at the vegetables in the stew. I cut them into the shapes of flowers, stars, and rabbits.”
The chef said so, scooped up the white stew with a ladle, and showed Raina the vegetables.
“Cute.”
“Really? Even children who don’t like vegetables eat it well if you make it this way. I know this because my grandchildren are picky eaters.”
“If I grew up eating the chef’s cooking, I don’t think I would be a picky eater.”
“Borton has a knack for making words really pleasant!”
In fact, Bonita was not a picky eater at all. Raina didn’t want to hurt the chef’s feelings, so she didn’t add her words.
“Has the lady started eating?”
“Well, I heard she is having a meal with the new Count. In a small restaurant, not a large restaurant.”
“Okay.”
The chef said that they should avoid small restaurants. She guessed it was because she thought there was nothing good that would come of getting involved with nobles.
‘The small restaurant is the shortcut to the room.’
But Reina had no intention of seeing her secretly. If there were knights standing near the door, she could just tell them that she did it to take a shortcut.
“All right.”
Reina carried a tray with a bucket of bread and two bowls of steaming warm cream stew with a very delicious smell. She walked down the hallway, careful not to tip over her tray, and glanced around to see if anyone was there. There were a lot of drivers outside the mansion, but there was hardly any sign of presence near the restaurant door.
‘The door is slightly open.’
Bright light leaked through the dining room door. Reina frowned and put her eyes through the gap. Fortunately, her position was perfect, so she was able to see Estelle sitting through the gap. Estelle’s menu was different from the food Reina received today. In front of a richer dinner, Estelle’s expression looked complex and subtle.
‘Why are you doing that?’
At that time, she heard the old man’s voice.
“Your dining manners are terrible.”
“No matter how noble you are, you are half barbarian.”
“S-sorry…”
“The princess must be perfect. Otherwise, it will be a bother to His Excellency the Duke. It will be a shame and a burden to this family.”
At Count Embron’s words, Reina’s eyes fluttered violently. Everything he said was to disparage Estelle and was intended to hurt that child in some way.
‘Uh, what should I do?’
Reina opened and closed her thin mouth. Her first thought was that she was worried about Estelle, but her hesitation got the better of her.
‘What can I do by stepping in…?’
She was just a commoner maid who left behind the status of a Duke. Even if she entered the restaurant with only the desire to help, she would not be able to help at all. However, the Count’s verbal abuse towards Estelle gradually went too far.
‘…It won’t work either.’
Reina tightened her hands holding the tray. She thought it would be better to end the situation for now, whether it helped or not. She couldn’t allow the little child to hear words that would hurt even an adult.
‘No matter how much you decide to solve it later.’
Still, all the words she just heard would remain somewhere in her heart. Reina was thinking this and was about to approach her door.
“Reina!”
Someone grabbed her forearm from behind her, softly shouting Reina’s name. The plate containing the cream stew shook slightly from the sudden force.
“So, Sophia?”
“Reina, no. If you interrupt the nobles’ meal time, you will not be given a warning.”
“Go quickly. Quickly.”
Sofia pushed Reina’s back and walked away from the small dining hall.
“Do you want to be kicked out with Bonnie? It’s the middle of winter, and you don’t know it, but your daughter will be in big trouble.”
“Don’t worry too much. Anne-Marie and I will probably take care of her for a while. I know what you’re worried about.”
Sofia comforted Reina, who had a stern expression on her face.
“…”
Reina looked at her tray with her confused face.
“I’ll protect the lady instead of you! Hurry up and eat with Bonnie! Okay?”
“…yes.”
Reina eventually had no choice but to return to her room under Sofia’s gaze.
* * *
‘Is it really okay to keep going like this?’
‘One of the maids took the initiative to bully Estelle.’
A maid who believes that Count Embron may actually be Estelle’s replacement and take over her, secretly helps brainwash Estelle. However, the maid’s name did not even appear in the book.
Reina did not say this to Sophia. She said that if she shared information that she was not sure about, it would only make them feel anxious and suspicious of each other. In the book that Reina remembers, a maid who believed that Count Embron would act as Estelle’s replacement and take over real power helped brainwash Estelle. However, she never mentioned the maid’s name, let alone her hair color or eye color. She, like Reina, was created to appeal to the character Estelle, but she ended up being better than Reina. She ‘was not killed, but was permanently exiled from the estate without a letter of recommendation.’ In fact, it was similar to starving him to death, but somehow he was sent out alive. Damian headed to the Holy Kingdom, and Peter followed him.
All of Reina’s power currently comes from Damian. Therefore, it meant that she now had no power and the scope of her activities was narrowed.
‘In the past, I didn’t want to have status or anything like that.’
She had no interest in things like power because the more power she gained, the more she felt like she was being forced onto the stage. However, Reina has already entered the stage by making a different choice from the original. Unlike the original story, the current Reina did not leave the stage. Her presence began to take on great importance. So she didn’t even want much power. For her, weight and power meant responsibility, and for Reina, just taking responsibility for her Bonita and herself was overwhelming. Not only that, but in general, those who suddenly gain power become greedy and lose their original intention, and they lose their original intention and crave for more and do not see a good ending. That’s why Reina was afraid of gaining greater power and receiving better things.
She felt like she was making herself change, and that change was going to hurt her.
‘But I need it now.’
She couldn’t even restrain Count Embron on her own.
‘Having no power means there’s really nothing you can do.’
She couldn’t even protect someone weaker than her.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on February, 3.
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