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Chapter 40
“Wow. The meal today looks very appetizing.”
“This is how it’s supposed to be.”
“It’s because this is only normal for a noble like you.”
It was a sincere voice that didn’t contain any sarcasm. Jeffrey nodded and put his hand on his chest.
“I would like to pay a tribute to- Hey! Aren’t you going to do the greeting?”
Despite Jeffrey’s nervous tone, Frederick only blinked vacantly.
“Greeting is a noble’s custom. I’m a commoner, so I don’t do that. For us, there’s nothing more sacred than rice.”
“No one asked you to pray! I’m saying you should express your gratitude to the Marquis and Madam.”
“Ah! Yeah, I will do that! But I’m going to greet them in person later.”
“It’s been a while since you went out. How do you feel?”
After finishing her meal, Daisy asked River and Luciana. They were scheduled to leave the estate the day after tomorrow and go to Itarin, the empire’s capital.
It was her first outing as the Madam. She was so excited to bring the children along.
“Ahh! Rappi likes it! Rappi likes it as much as pwuding!”
“I’m so happy that Ravi likes it so much. Is there anything you want to buy or eat?”
“I want Whitey doll! Whiyee doll!! He will be Tino’s friend!”
“Are you worried that Tino might feel lonely? Ravi is so kind~”
Ravi beamed at Daisy’s words. Looking at such a bright child, Daisy felt worried and relieved at the same time.
Daisy suddenly remembered Carlyx’s request.
”Don’t let River walk on crutches. I will assign another knight to carry River.”
Just as he said, River could fall in the crowded capital if he walked around using crutches.
Who knows what kind of attention he’d get or what kind of whispers he’d hear.
‘I also think it’s only right to keep him away from people until River grows up a little.’
In the first place, people like to comment on something that has nothing to do with their lives. They didn’t know that their words could be a dagger that stuck in the child forever.
River doesn’t have to know or hear any of that. That’s more convenient.
But it was just a selfish excuse.
“Friend, friend! One for Whitey and one for my dragon! One, two…three! Three friends! Oh, one for my sister too!”
River furrowed his eyebrows, folded and spread his fingers repeatedly. He kept squirming his fingers as if he was confused.
After quite a while, he smiled and waved his small hand.
“Five! Then I will habb five fwend too! Uwaaa a lot of fweend!!”
“Wow, that’s right! You have so many friends! I don’t even have that many friends.”
“You don’t have that many fweend? Not even five fwend? But five is too little.”
The stunned River opened his round eyes bigger and exclaimed ‘Ah!’ a moment later.
River stumbled to get up and urged Tyler to bring his crutches.
“Let’s go get mine. Hurry, hurry! Let’s go get it.”
When Tyler did not respond immediately, River yanked Tyler’s clothes impatiently. Daisy gestured to Tyler to do as the child wanted.
Tyler disappeared with River. Luciana and Daisy, who remained seated, shared a small smile.
“I wonder what he wants to bring?”
Luciana answered her question quietly.
“I think River went to get a perilous bag that he always carries around.”
Luciana seemed to have mistaken “Perilous” for “Precious”.
‘How can you make such an adorable mistake?!!’
She felt her facial muscles twitching, but she tried to stay calm.
Luciana added quietly.
“I heard the bag he always carries doesn’t suit a noble family. Is it…okay for River to keep using it?”
Luciana’s eyes were trembling in anxiety. Her drooping ears looked like a cat left alone in the rain.
“Do you think he’ll get into trouble if he keeps using it, Auntie?”
It was originally an adult concern. Luciana didn’t have to worry about it.
“No, Luciana. It’s alright. Fashion will always have a different interpretation depending on the person. To me, the bag that River carries is cute and practical.”
Luciana’s expression brightened a little when Daisy chuckled and spoke so lightly of it.
Daisy then added.
“I know why you’re worried about that. But let’s take a moment to think about it. We don’t know River’s future yet, and we can always protect him.”
“Can we protect him?”
“Yes, of course! Because we’re family. We can protect each other.”
The darkness that enveloped her face gradually disappeared, and the corners of her mouth slowly rose upward, spreading a genuine smile.
Daisy reached out and stroked Luciana’s head.
“Just do your best. You’re so amazing no matter what you do.”
Luciana was mature beyond her age. Daisy was always worried when Luciana thought and acted like an adult.
At this rate, she’d end up carrying a big burden as she grows up.
“Don’t forget that Auntie is an adult, too. Let me know whenever you need help or are worried about something.”
“Auntie is an adult….”
Luciana grasped her chest with her head down. She mumbled the words several times as if letting that sink into her mind.
Adult, adult, adult.
When Daisy pulled her hand, Luciana looked up with round eyes. Her gaze fell intently on Daisy’s face.
‘You don’t want me to pull away yet?’
It was so adorable how she didn’t realize that at all.
Daisy clenched her other hand and began stroking Luciana’s hair again. Only then did Luciana stammer timidly.
“Adult Auntie. There’s something I want to say. It’s nothing serious, but it may be a little long.”
“I’m listening, Luciana.”
Daisy’s touch gave her warmth just as she wished to.
“Actually, River did not carry the bag in the early days of his life.”
Luciana continued calmly, fiddling with her fingers.
‘Where did you learn to say ‘early days of his life’? Aren’t you a genius? I should consider to make you a scholar’
Daisy tried to calm herself as she was still in the middle of serious talk.
‘Silly thoughts. Let’s make a fuss later.’
Daisy bowed slightly to match Luciana’s eye level.
“After the accident, he started wearing messenger bags when he was using crutches.”
When he started using crutches, it was also the time when Carlyx’s ex-wife changed.
Daisy’s blue eyes sank deeply.
It wasn’t like that before, but now River even carried his messenger bag during meal time.
He didn’t only wear it during a walk around the Jean residence, but he also wore it during an outing.
“River carrying the bag is not the problem here, but rather…”
Luciana trailed off the end of her words, but Daisy understood what she meant.
She was worried that there was a particular meaning behind his action. And it most likely wasn’t a pleasant one.
“Stepmotyeer! Stepmothyer! I brought it!!”
At the loud sound, Daisy took her off Luciana’s head and turned her head. There she saw River who smiled so brightly.
His smile that resembled the sun was likely to expel any bad energy.
“Rappi picked it up last time. Rappi brought it for you! This is rweealy precious!”
The appearance of little River walking on crutches was lovely. It would have taken time and effort for him to train using the crutches. But how can he smile so brightly?
“Whoosh, whoosh. Rappi is trying to whooosh quickly. A little bit tired, but Rappi is so fwast, right?”
River tried to pick up his breath. Looking at his eyes filled with excitement, Daisy held her breath and nodded eagerly.
“Close your eyes! Stepmother!”
Daisy closed her eyes immediately. A moment later, a cheerful voice rang.
“Gib your hands now!”
Daisy held out her hands without saying a word. Then something gently landed on her palm.
“Can I open my eyes now?”
“Yeaah!”
Daisy, who received permission, pushed up her eyelids. In her hand, there was a small rabbit doll with fraying threads and stains like an abandoned doll.
A small and precious doll.
“This is your fwend! Now stepmotyer has a lot of fwend! Three fweend!”
One, two, twee, four…
River proudly spread his little fingers. Luciana, who was watching him, took off the unicorn pin from her dress.
“It’s five now. Auntie has five friends. That’s a lot.”
[T/N: It’s five including Whitey (Carlyx), Luci, River and 2 gifts]
Luciana handed the unicorn pin to Daisy.
“How can you give me such a precious thing….”
Daisy looked at the two gifts on her hands.
A certain emotion surged up. These were such precious gifts that they each put their whole heart into.
“One, two, twee, fwoo…”
“One, two, three, four…”
River started mumbling, followed by Luciana.
Giggle, giggle.
Daisy held back her tears looking at such a heartwarming scene and listening to their laughter.
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The pleasant sound rings like a song, leaving behind complicated thoughts.
Daisy decided to enjoy this moment to the fullest.
She vowed to make these children happy. The thought of squandering the estate’s wealth for the children passed by briefly.
After dinner, Carlyx walked in.
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