"Hello, Duren."
Even though she knew the child wouldn't look at her, Estel gave a small wave.
She couldn't get any closer, afraid Duren might run away.
"Sorry for disappearing earlier without even greeting you. My name is Estel."
Flinch—
At the sound of Estel's voice, Duren reacted.
"Call me whatever you like. Estel is fine, or you can use my nickname, Tia."
Estel considered revealing that she had become the child's new mother, but stopped herself.
This was a child who had lost his family and suffered a great shock.
He hadn't even accepted his new father, Lennox, yet—if she suddenly called herself his mother, it would only stir up more resentment.
"....."
Other than that first flinch, Duren showed no further reaction.
As Estel gazed endlessly at the boy's back, her eyes suddenly caught sight of his small hand.
Duren was clutching the curtain as if it were a lifeline.
He was afraid.
This can't go on.
Not only his body, but even his spirit was withering away.
Realizing she could no longer just stand by, Estel put her plan into action.
"Ah, I'm so hungry."
It was a lie.
She wasn't hungry at all, but she deliberately raised her voice so Duren could hear her muttering.
"Maybe it's because I haven't eaten all day, but I'm so, so hungry."
"....."
"Look, there's food here, isn't there?"
Trying to act naturally only made her tone sound more awkward.
Her cheeks flushed hot with embarrassment, but Estel stubbornly carried on with the act.
"This bread looks so delicious! I'll just have to eat it all myself!"
If her little plan worked and Duren started eating, then a bit of humiliation was nothing at all.
"Mmm, yum-yum."
Estel took a piece of bread from the basket and pretended to eat with great enthusiasm.
And then—
Peek.
Duren poked his head out.
"!"
Their eyes met.
Startled, as if burned by fire, Duren quickly hid behind the curtain again.
Good, he reacted.
He was still extremely wary, but this was far better than remaining indifferent even after hearing eating sounds.
Estel immediately moved on to the next step.
That was—
"Oh no, my bread!"
Pretending it was an accident, she dropped the bread.
"My freshly baked bread—so fluffy, chewy, and soft!"
Roll, roll—
The bread rolled toward Duren.
Estel let out an exaggerated cry of dismay and hurriedly pretended to snatch it back up.
She made it look as though she didn't want anyone to steal it.
Take the bait, take the bait.
Once again, she hoped Duren would respond.
Estel pretended to frantically snatch up the bread while desperately praying inside.
If she kept picking it up for too long, the child would surely find it strange.
Just as cold sweat began to bead from her growing impatience—
Swoosh—
A small, pale hand reached out.
Only a moment ago, he had been so far away.
In the blink of an eye, the child had closed the distance, kneeling down and reaching for the bread.
His eyes burned with the intensity of a predator fixated on its prey, never leaving the bread.
And from his slightly parted lips, drool dripped down, drop by drop.
Got him!
He had taken the bait perfectly.
But it was too soon to celebrate.
Tap—
Using her physical advantage, Estel snatched the bread faster than Duren could.
If I'd been even a little slower, I wouldn't have caught it.
One knee on the floor in her haste, Estel let out a sigh of relief inside.
"... Nngh."
From between the child's teeth came a sound, almost like the faint chirp of a baby chick.
Just a moment ago, his bright, eager eyes now looked hollow—like a cat that had tried to wash a fish in water only to lose it.
When Estel saw those eyes brimming with moisture, as though he might cry any second, her resolve wavered for an instant.
But then, noticing the boy slowly edging his body backward, she quickly regained her focus.
"Want some?"
She hurriedly put the bread that had rolled on the floor back into the basket and pulled out a fresh piece.
Flinch.
Catching the scent of the bread, Duren froze, his round eyes darting restlessly.
His crimson gaze, full of suspicion, flicked back and forth between Estel and the bread.
Should he run? Or should he eat?
That conflict was plain to see.
"You know… this is a secret."
At that moment, Estel lowered her voice to a whisper. The conspiratorial tone made Duren's ears prick up.
"I also baked cookies for dessert."
Estel quietly pulled out a cookie with her other hand.
When she waved it before Duren's eyes, the buttery aroma wafted into his nose.
Sniff, sniff—
Catching that sweet, nutty scent, Duren swallowed his saliva with an audible gulp.
"Only those who finish their bread and soup can have this special cookie."
It wasn't just the smell that was appealing.
The cookies had been shaped into bears, puppies, and kittens—adorably crafted.
Because food that looks good tastes better, Estel had asked Pippin for help in drawing Duren's interest.
[Could you prepare some animal-shaped cookie cutters? The cuter, the better.]
[...]
[Ah, right. I'd also like to use the kitchen in the Main Hall. I'm planning to make the food Duren will eat myself.]
Since Duren hadn't been born or raised in Winterren, he had no memories to lean on—unlike Pippin or the others, who could make nostalgic dishes to stir his heart.
Even so, Estel tried to meet him at his own level, making an effort to bridge the gap.
"Normally, Duren wouldn't be allowed to have these, but since they're so cute, I'll give you one as a special treat."
Estel pressed a finger to her lips.
"It's a secret from everyone else."
... Nod.
After some hesitation, Duren finally nodded.
He didn't want to miss this special chance.
"Since they're special cookies, you only get one."
Estel held out the cookie.
Duren opened his tiny lips as wide as he could.
Waaah—
He seemed to be opening them to the fullest, yet they were still so small.
Adorable.
With a pleased smile, Estel moved to place the cookie in his mouth.
But then—
…Huh?
Duren didn't just take the cookie—he bit down on Estel's hand as well. Hard.
Caught off guard, Estel found herself offering not only the cookie but her own hand. In that moment, a passage from the novel Vera suddenly resurfaced in her memory.
—Duren bit Vera's hand.
Crunch. A sharp, vivid sound rang out, and Vera screamed.
She quickly shoved the child away, and the boy, sprawled on the floor, let out a growl.
Like a wild dog that had never once been tamed, his blood-red eyes gleamed with a ferocity that made Vera's skin crawl.
Estel clearly remembered reading such a passage.
And yet—
"…It doesn't hurt?"
Far from drawing blood, it only tickled.
"My hand doesn't taste good, does it?"
Estel gave a small laugh, feeling no threat at all.
But it was Duren who looked flustered upon seeing her smile.
He froze for a moment, then bared his teeth.
Grrr—
With a low growl, he revealed his tiny, white teeth, small like corn kernels.
The fierce air he gave off made it seem as though he might bite Estel at any moment.
What is this… even his teeth look cute.
Of course, that was only her inner thought.
Suppressing her amusement, Estel spoke firmly and sternly.
"Duren, you mustn't put just anything in your mouth."
Grrr—
"If you keep this up, you won't get your special cookie."
Nnngh—
Not wanting to lose the cookie, Duren furrowed his brows and finally let go of her.
Clutching the cookie, he dashed back to the corner—apparently, the spot near the window was his little nest.
Crunch, crunch.
Duren devoured the cookie in a hurry, all the while sneaking glances at Estel.
That sight was just so…
A puppy?
Yes, he really did seem like a puppy.
From the very beginning, whenever she faced Duren, Estel had felt a faint sense of incongruity. But she had been too focused on winning the boy's favor and getting him to eat to figure out what it was.
Now, however, she understood.
His behavior is more like a puppy's than a person's.
It wasn't for nothing that the original story had given him the nickname "Mad Dog."
In fact, Vera herself had once said in the original:
[Lord Lennox's son… he's like a dog! No, I don't mean it as an insult—I mean he's really like a puppy!]
Back when she had read that, Estel had brushed it off, thinking, Well, he's just a child, so that makes sense.
But now that she was witnessing it firsthand, she finally understood.
"Duren, want more?"
"Woof!"
The cookie disappeared in the blink of an eye, and for the first time, the ever-wary Duren vigorously nodded his head.
Estel took out the bread and soup she had prepared in advance and set them down along with the cookies.
Wadada—
Sniff, sniff.
As the savory, delicious aroma spread through the air, Duren cautiously drew closer.
So hungry was he that, instead of running away, he sat right there and began devouring the bread in a frenzy.
"Eat plenty."
Worried he might choke, Estel gently pushed the soup dish a little closer to him.
Nom nom nom.
Before long, Duren buried his face straight into the bowl, gulping down the soup.
His messy eating sent soup splattering everywhere.
Naturally, Estel's clothes were soon dotted with stains as well.
Watching him silently, Estel slowly reached out her hand.
Swoosh—
So absorbed in eating, Duren didn't notice the hand approaching.
And then Estel's hand—
Pat, pat.
She softly patted Duren's back.
"No one's going to take it from you, so you can eat slowly."
When Estel's hand touched him, Duren flinched—
but soon after, he went back to eating his soup.
This time, at a slower pace than before.