Chapter 51

***

On a day when only one step remained before winter deepened,

Even amidst the chilly weather, the Duke of Baldwin was personally waiting at the entrance for the postal delivery.

Upon spotting him, the postman approached with what could be considered the fastest speed in the world, quickly dismounting from the carriage and bowing deeply.

The Duke nodded in greeting, his voice tinged with a hint of anticipation.

“Any letters?”

Of course, there were many letters addressed to the Duke of the capital, whether personal or official.

Thus, the bundle of letters handed over by the postman was quite thick.

“I’m sorry, but again, today there are none, Your Grace.”

Even so, the postman added that ‘there were no letters,’ indicating the absence of a particular correspondence.

The Duke sighed deeply while receiving the bundle of letters. Among the multitude of letters, the response he was waiting for was absent.

“Understood. I always appreciate your hard work.”

After encouraging the postman sufficiently, the Duke returned to his office with somewhat weary steps.

The perceptive Butler Higgins served him tea, suggesting, ‘It would be good for you to rest for a moment.’

The Duke slightly shook his head and sat down, sighing softly while looking at the pile of letters in front of him.

“I’m not in need of a rest to that extent. However, I’ll gladly have the tea.”

A plain white teacup was gently placed beside the Duke. He waited for the warm tea to cool a bit before calmly tilting the cup.

A gentle aroma wafted through the air. It was the tea Higgins always offered first as the season grew colder. The Duke was reminded once again that it was winter.

“Already… Winter.”

The Duke swallowed the rest of his words along with the tea.

Yet, Higgins understood what he didn’t say.

“It’s not quite winter yet, Your Grace. We are still at the boundary between autumn and winter.”

Is that so? Indeed, the lake hadn’t even begun to freeze over, so it was too early to call it winter. Of course, it was too cold to be called autumn.

“I thought a reply would come this time. At least before the first snow.”

The Duke gently tapped the stack of letters, revealing his inner thoughts.

The butler could easily guess who the Duke was waiting for.

Jeremiah Baldwin.

The Duke’s youngest son, who had been living away from his family in the Tower of Mages. From around the age of six until now, at the age of ten.

A typical child might have felt lonely living away from their family, but not Jeremiah. In fact, he was excited and eagerly awaited going to the Tower of Mages.

And so it has been until now.

That young child had never returned home, not even once.

Sometimes, when the Duke missed his young son and went to visit, he was not given time, sometimes not even receiving a reply, and just made to wait for hours.

Nor did he send letters to at least maintain minimal contact.

Occasionally, when the royal family required the ‘guardian’s’ signature for some formalities, it was the only time they contacted the Duke’s house.

And even that was done formally, borrowing the form of an official document.

After several years of such a relationship, the Duke had come to accept one fact.

Jeremiah does not like the Duke of Baldwin, nor does he like this family.

For years he had completely refused to engage in conversation with the Duke, so there wasn’t even a chance to inquire about the reason.

The Duke could only guess at the answer from his past actions.

‘Could Jeremiah’s behavior be…’

Related to Beatrice’s incident?

Jeremiah was a child sensitive to magic, and his mother was…

As he delved into his most painful memories, a deep ache naturally emerged from within his heart. Although it was quite painful, it was an old and familiar feeling.

“It’s better if you rest for a while.”

As Higgins cautiously suggested that the Duke take a break, a servant knocked on the office door.

A guest, who was supposed to arrive in 30 minutes, had come a bit early.

The Duke got up from his seat, saying, ‘Then let’s go now,’ but Higgins, although it was presumptuous, blocked his way.

“There’s no need to give up your precious rest time for someone who has come unannounced. It’s okay to make them wait.”

“In this world, there’s no need for more waiting.”

The Duke’s crisp reply, almost like a joke, left the butler at a loss for words.

***

While the Duke was meeting with the guest, Loretta sneakily went to find Ronny, avoiding Melody’s eyes.

“What’s this, little one?”

Ronny tried to send Loretta, who had entered his room without even knocking, back out.

“In the Duke’s house, you must follow its rules. How dare you come in without knocking.”

“But Loretta… came secretly.”

“Secretly?”

“Yeah, it’s a wonderful secret between brother and Loretta.”

Enticed by a story that would make anyone’s ears perk up, Ronny couldn’t help but give Loretta a seat.

Since it was cold, he covered the child’s knees with a small blanket, and even shared the cookies he had been saving, cutting them in half.

Unaware of how precious the snack cookies were, Loretta quickly crunched and devoured them.

“How can you munch and crunch like that!”

With a look of dismay, Ronny had no choice but to hand over all the remaining cookies to Loretta.

“Eat them slowly. Bit by bit, melting them in milk.”

He gently tilted the warm milk to Loretta’s lips.

“How is it, isn’t it tastier this way?”

“Yeah, Ronny brother is a genius!”

The small child raised her thumb high in praise, and he quickly lifted his chin a bit.

In truth, he thought the term ‘genius’ was more fitting for his brother Claude, or his younger brother Jeremiah.

“So, what’s this secret you want to tell this genius brother?”

Ronny put down the milk glass and quickly asked about Loretta’s matter. He tried to imitate being a ‘cool brother,’ brimming with solemnity.

“I have one.”

Loretta, with cookie crumbs around her mouth, clasped her hands together.

“Loretta’s life is tough.”

“What?! Is some strange maid bothering you again?!”

Ronny quickly grabbed Loretta’s small hands, recalling an incident that had happened before.

“Mmhm.”

Then the child quickly shook her head.

“Or did that good-for-nothing Isaiah Mullern harm you?”@@novelbin@@

Again, Loretta shook her head.

Ronny was starting to get worried. What could possibly make such a young sister’s life so tough?

“What’s wrong? Tell me quickly.”

He dropped all pretense of the ‘genius brother’ solemnity he had been displaying just moments ago and became earnest.

“Well, it’s…”

Loretta swallowed another mouthful of cookie and milk before confessing her dilemma honestly.

“I have nowhere to hide.”

“What?”

“Loretta is playing hide-and-seek with Melody, but there’s nowhere to hide, so life is tough.”

Are you kidding me?

Ronny wanted to ask that. But seeing Loretta’s earnest expression, it seemed like a genuinely serious concern for her.

“Loretta hides really well, but Melody finds me right away.”

That makes sense, Ronny nodded.

He had played hide-and-seek with Loretta before, and it was so simple it was hardly a challenge.

This little child couldn’t manage to hide her whole body, always leaving the hem of her long dress or the brim of her hat sticking out.

“So, you came to this brother for that reason?”

“Yeah, because Ronny brother is a genius!”

Ronny couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling a tickle in his heart at Loretta’s story.

It was somewhat touching that she thought of him first in a difficult situation.

“I have no choice.”

He jumped to his feet.

“Though this brother is busy with his studies, I’ll help you for a moment. How much time do we have left to hide?”

At his question, Loretta pulled out a pocket watch she had been keeping in her pocket.

It belonged to Butler Higgins, apparently borrowed for a brief period for the children’s game of hide-and-seek.

“When the long hand reaches here, Melody will start looking for Loretta.”

30 minutes for the search to begin, it seems.

That meant they had less than 3 minutes left. Ronny regretted wasting time eating cookies.

“Quickly get up!”

Ronny grabbed Loretta’s hand and flung open the door to his room.

“This genius brother will take you to a place where no one can find you!”

Loretta looked at him with admiring eyes, making Ronny feel as if his shoulders had risen high into the sky.

The children passed through the corridor and hurried down the stairs, heading outside the mansion.

The cold wind bothered them slightly since they had come out without coats.

But by now, Melody would have started her search, so Ronny hurriedly led them to the back of the mansion.

There, a line of carriages of various sizes used by the Duke’s family was parked.

Ronny stopped in front of the smallest carriage.

“Listen carefully, Loretta.”

He opened the carriage door, lifted Loretta in his arms, and gently placed her inside.

“If you stay quiet here, Melody will never be able to find you.”

The child, seemingly a little frightened by the unfamiliar carriage, widened her eyes and looked around apprehensively.

“If you’re scared of this, you won’t make a fine noble child of the capital.”

He laid it on thick, ensuring that Loretta wouldn’t say she didn’t like it here.

“No matter how scared you are, you must bear it and wait crouched down below the window. Remember, patience is a virtue of the capital’s nobility.”

His words sounded quite convincing, so Loretta slowly nodded her head. After all, she was also aspiring to become a ‘fine noble child of the capital.’

“Mhm.”

“Can you do it?”

Ronny said, ‘And just in case,’ as he took off his thin jacket and wrapped it around Loretta’s shoulders.

Of course, that was a gesture befitting a cultured noble child of the capital. Although it seemed Loretta was unaware of that fact.