"... I'm not abandoning you."
Her voice softened.
Hearing those words, no one could have been cold-hearted enough to push the child away.
Just for today, I'll take him along.
Since Lennox was away anyway, one day shouldn't matter.
Unable to harden her heart, Estelle ended up holding Duren's hand tightly as they headed toward the annex.
"Wow!"
As soon as they neared the annex, Duren darted his head from side to side, eyes wide with wonder.
It was his first visit, so everything seemed fascinating to him.
"Come to think of it, there's only one blanket. I'm not sure if that's going to be okay."
There was only one bed as well.
It seemed best to request an extra blanket and quilt, lay Duren down on the bed, and prepare her own bedding on the floor.
In that case… I'll have to go back to the main residence again…
Crash—!
A loud noise came from nearby.
Startled, Estelle whipped her head around.
"Duren?"
Just a moment ago, Duren had been right beside her—but now he was nowhere to be seen.
Scanning her surroundings for the source of the sound, Estelle noticed a wooden barrel used for storing food had toppled over.
From inside came a faint whimpering sound.
"Duren!"
He was inside the barrel.
Until recently, it had held cheese, but since it was all eaten, it now stood empty.
Did he smell the cheese, try to reach for it, and end up stuck inside?
With the barrel open, the sharp, nutty scent of cheese still lingered at the tip of her nose.
"You scared me…"
Relieved, Estelle's lips curved into a smile—only to stiffen into a flat line.
Duren was trembling violently.
"You must've been so scared. It's okay."
Estelle reached out her hand to help him out, but Duren's wide eyes were still filled with raw fear.
"Mom too…"
" ... "
"When Dudu grows up… is that bad?"
"What are you talking about?"
Estelle had never spoken so sternly in her life.
Even she could feel how hard and rigid her own expression had become.
"Mom said… Dudu isn't a baby anymore… and told me to become a baby again."
" ..... "
"That's what Mom said."
A small barrel, just the right size for a child to fit inside.
Duren, who was terrified of cramped and dark places.
And his mother, who had once told him she didn't like it when he grew.
Could it be that Duren's mother…
"Dudu did wrong."
"No, Duren did nothing wrong."
Estelle couldn't bring herself to voice her suspicion aloud.
A mother who locked her child away in a confined space simply because she hated the thought of him growing up…
That kind of nightmare must never, under any circumstance, be true.
"Growing is a natural thing. Dudu hasn't done a single thing wrong."
"..."
"Mom wants Duren to grow bigger than Mom."
"Why?"
"Because Duren is precious to me. And if Duren grows, that means the preciousness grows too."
"They said… if I grow, I won't be cute anymore."
"You're cute."
"..."
"You're cute now, and you'll be even cuter when you grow."
Estelle stroked Duren's soft cheek.
"So, Duren, you have to eat a lot, sleep a lot, and play a lot so you can grow tall and strong."
Only then did Duren, with Estelle's help, climb out of the barrel.
That barrel—I should get rid of it.
Even now, he was still trembling, as if the shock hadn't worn off.
Estelle, who had planned to fetch extra bedding, changed her mind.
"Duren. Didn't I say you have to sleep early if you want to play again tomorrow?"
She laid him down on the only bed and then lay beside him.
Perhaps because he was still just a little child, his body small, the bed didn't feel cramped at all.
"Have lots of happy dreams, and tomorrow we'll play together again."
Lying on her side, Estelle gently closed Duren's eyelids with her fingertips. His brows twitched, as if he still wanted to open his eyes and play right away.
Such a lovable child.
Was it because his real mother was cruel that he accepted a stepmother's presence so easily?
If so, then perhaps… it might be better for Duren not to have a home to return to at all.
Maybe that was a selfish thought.
But parents who abused their children were better off not existing.
Pat, pat.
Estelle softly patted Duren's belly, helping him drift off to dreamland a little faster.
Since he had been inside the cheese barrel earlier, a faint nutty scent lingered on him.
Bending down to catch the smell more closely, Estelle pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head.
This time, Duren's eyebrows jumped high. It had been a feather-light kiss, but the reaction was big.
"Dudu likes Mom."
Wriggle, wriggle.
With his eyes shut tight, Duren burrowed into Estelle's arms.
The nutty fragrance grew stronger.
"Mom likes Dudu too."
Murmuring "I like you" and "I love you" again and again, Estelle eventually fell asleep with Duren in her arms.
It was a quiet night.
"Mom!"
—In the morning.
"Mom!"
—At lunch.
"Mom!"
—In the evening.
All throughout the day, Duren clung closely to Estelle.
The servants weren't much different from him either.
Because they too fussed over Estelle with great care, the annex was always as lively and bustling as the main residence.
Cough, cough.
In the middle of her usually busy day, Estelle suddenly burst into a harsh fit of coughing.
When she pulled away her handkerchief, it was stained with blood.
As long as I have mandrake medicine, I'll be fine.
By now, she had grown close enough to Pippin.
If she coaxed him well enough, she could probably get the medicine.
And as time went on, Estelle felt more and more desperately in need of it.
One such day, Lennox arrived at the main residence.
Upon entering, the first thing he did was seek out his elder sister.
As expected, his sister, Glacia, had locked her door tightly and refused to see him.
"Sister. I know you're listening."
After knocking on the door several times and finally giving up, Lennox spoke.
"I've obtained mandrake. The Tower Master—called the genius of the century—will personally prepare the medicine. Soon, everything might finally be okay."
" ... "
"When the medicine is finished, I'll come back."
No sound of movement came from beyond the door.
But Lennox believed his words must have reached her somehow. Leaving behind only that short farewell, he turned toward the annex where Estelle was staying.
Though in truth, he had no need to seek her out—
Because Estelle came running straight to him.
I told her to live as quietly as a mouse… yet here she is, running to me the moment I arrive.
Lennox openly showed his displeasure.
But Estelle, panting for breath, paid it no mind as she spoke.
"Duren."
"..."
"Please… find Duren."
"What do you mean?"
"Duren… he's gone."
"What?"
Duren—
That child had disappeared?
Such a thing had never happened in his previous life.
For a moment, Lennox wondered if Estelle might be lying.
But the desperate look in her eyes instantly told him the gravity of the situation.
"If he vanished inside the castle, then he's probably just playing hide-and-seek. If we mobilize the servants, he'll be found quickly."
"No… I lost him when I took him to the village. It's all my fault."
Through Pippin's reports, Lennox already knew that Estelle had been getting along well with Duren recently.
But to think that the woman who had promised to live quietly, unnoticed—
and the child who normally never ventured outside—
had gone out into town together…
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Lennox's face.
"I'll hear the details later."
But for now, the most urgent matter was clear.
No matter what it took, they had to find Duren.
Middle Chapter
To understand what had happened, we must go back two hours earlier.
By now, everyone knew that Duren needed to go on at least one walk a day.
Today as well, he was about to head into the garden when he happened to run into Pippin, who made a suggestion.
"Surely walking only inside the castle grounds must be tiresome by now. How about taking a little outing outside?"
"Outside? Would that really be alright?"
"Of course. As long as you bring a guide and a few escorts, there's no problem. And as it happens, today is market day."
And so, it was decided—Estelle and Duren would go on an excursion.
To keep things from getting too busy, they were accompanied only by one maid and two knights.
"There'll be a lot of people, so you must hold my hand tight, alright?"
"Mm!"
From the moment they stepped out of the carriage, Duren couldn't contain his excitement, wriggling in place.
When he saw the lively market scene, his eyes sparkled.
He looked ready to bolt off at any second, so Estelle quickly tightened her grip on his hand.
The market outing was delightful.
Because it was market day, there were countless food stalls with delicious street fare and stands selling curious, amusing goods.
Duren's eyes darted around endlessly.
"Shall we try a chicken skewer?"
"Yeah! Mm!"
There were so many tasty-looking things that drool seemed ready to spill from Duren's mouth, so Estelle led him toward a nearby stall.
"Well, well, such distinguished guests we have here."
Of course, bringing knights along and wearing fine clothes marked them as nobility. But it was also Estelle's beauty—so striking that ten out of ten passersby couldn't help but turn their heads—that drew attention.
And then there was the child clinging close to her side.
With hair as black as midnight and eyes as red as flame—the very mark of Winteren.
Recognizing who they were wasn't difficult.
"One chicken skewer, please."
"Skewer!"
Mimicking Estelle, Duren stretched out his tiny hand and chirped the word.
The skewer-seller, smiling warmly, picked out the biggest, juiciest pieces of meat and slid them onto the stick.
"You didn't have to go to any special trouble."
"How could I not? The young master is so adorable—I just wanted to give him a little extra. Besides, I always make the skewers generous when children come by, so please don't think too much of it."
Chuckling, the vendor brushed a rich glaze over the perfectly grilled skewer and handed it over.
From the moment the skewer hit the grill, Duren's nostrils had been flaring with excitement, and now his eyes sparkled.
"Duren, you should say thank you."
"Tankoo very mush!"
He shouted loudly, then opened his mouth wide.
Chomp!
"So yummy!"
"Then shall we walk around while you eat?"
"Mm-hm!"
Wherever he went, Duren was adored.
It wasn't because he was destined to be Winteren's heir—
but simply because he was a child. That alone was enough for people to welcome him warmly.
"My goodness, how precious."
"What a charming little gentleman! Here, have a slice of pear!"
Everyone's so nice!
At first, Duren had seemed bewildered, but he quickly adapted. Soon enough, he was even leaning his head forward, asking to be patted.
And so, while exploring the stalls with Estelle, something suddenly caught Duren's eye—
The familiar back of a person.
Short, white hair.
A hunched back.
Grandma!