“Let’s do that.”

If that man, who was stroking the child’s head with a gentle smile, hadn’t said he couldn’t read…

If all the children except Melcom hadn’t looked like they were seeing this person for the first time, she might have dismissed it lightly.

“Then, Madam, I will go with Melcom. If you would wait a moment.”

“No, you don’t need to go.”

Stella blocked Bill, who was about to leave with Melcom’s hand in his.

“Stay here. I’ll send my people to your hut.”

“Having other people enter my hut without me is a bit……”

“No.”

Stella was firm.

“Stay here.”

The mouth that had been slightly open with a servile smile gradually closed. It took only a moment for his face to transform from an innocent groundskeeper to that of a kidnapper.

“Waaah!!”

Melcom, whose hand was already being held, was suddenly lifted up. Bill, or rather, the strange man, pulled out a small knife from inside his clothes.

It was clearly a knife made by a skilled blacksmith, difficult to obtain in this area.

“Everyone stay still.”

The man covered the struggling Melcom’s mouth while his eyes flashed.

Stella frowned.

“Do you think you can do this and get away unharmed?”

“Listen, lady.”

The knife tip trembled as the man laughed.

“What will you do if I don’t get away unharmed? Huh? My life is already ruined!”

The man, who had shouted loudly, ground his teeth.

“They throw me in jail just for playing a little prank with some kids, they take away all my property! Do you know how hard my life has been? Just because I made one mistake, just one… for that kind of mistake!”

Listening to him, it seemed he had simply paid the price for his crimes, yet the man was excessively resentful.

“And the brats! Huh? There was no problem with them. Their arms and legs were still attached!!”

He was even magnifying his own suffering many times over while dismissing the pain others might have experienced as nothing.

“Now this is the only path left for me.”

The tip of the knife pointed toward Stella.

“Hey, you. Lucky one.”

His bloodshot eyes gleamed.

“How nice to live well by latching onto a man. I heard you were begging on the streets, no better than any common beggar?”

“How dare you!”

When a guard tried to step forward, Stella extended her hand to stop him. Right now, Melcom was in that man’s grasp.

“If only I had been a little luckier, like you, if only luck had been on my side! I could have been living comfortably by now!”

He was just spewing groundless anger again. Stella took one step forward.

“So what do you want? I’ll give you what you want, so please let Melcom go.”

“What else would it be?”

The man raised the corner of his mouth sinisterly.

“Money. I heard you collected plenty of donations? Hand it all over. Every last bit.”

“I can’t give it to you right now. If you wait a moment.”

“I’m sure you can’t.”

The man chuckled like a madman and tightened his grip on Melcom’s mouth. Mmph, mph! Melcom struggled in distress.

“I’ll keep this brat until you bring all the money. I heard you’re such a charitable lady that you’re building a school for children?”

“……”

“Then you wouldn’t abandon a poor, pitiful commoner child. You’re buying the brat’s life with money. You have plenty, right?”

The man flicked the knife tip pointed at Stella once more.

“No need to feel too wronged. You get to be a charitable lady, and I get to start a new life. It’s a win-win, isn’t it?”

“You scoundrel!”

As a guard tried to intervene again at the endless mockery, Stella caught sight of someone passing at the edge of her vision.

Ah, I see.

Stella immediately turned her head back to look at the kidnapper and Melcom, trying not to give anything away.

The situation wasn’t good. The kidnapper was holding Melcom tightly, almost embracing him.

In that case, what she needed to do now was…

“Take me as a hostage.”

“…Madam?”

“Madam!”

Voices trying to stop her erupted from all around. But Stella took another step forward as if urging him to take her quickly.

“Wouldn’t I be a more valuable hostage than a child? And I’ll be obedient.”

“……”

“Please. Melcom is suffering so much right now.”

As Stella looked anxiously back and forth between the frightened Melcom and the man, he sneered.

“Trying to act kind until the end, I see. Fine, come here! If you come here, I’ll let him go.”

Stella nodded and approached calmly step by step. The moment the man released the child and extended his arm to grab Stella—

Bang—!

A gunshot rang out. The man staggered greatly. Stella quickly embraced Melcom and hunched her body.

“What? From where?”

Bang! Once more a gunshot echoed, and the man fell backward.

“From that far away…?”

Could a shot even hit from that distance?

Kalian stood there holding a rifle.

“Seize him!”

As soon as he fell, guards rushed over to restrain the man, and the nanny ran to check on Stella’s condition.

“Madam, are you alright?”

“Y-yes, I’m f-fine.”

Perhaps because she had moved with the sole thought of saving the child. Her fingertips, her whole body somehow felt cold. Stella hunched her shoulders.

“Stella.”

When had he arrived?

Kalian, catching his breath, stood before her.

“Let’s go back to the village.”

Kalian, who had draped his outer garment over Stella’s shoulders, gently lifted her up.

It’s over, it’s done.

Stella closed her eyes, feeling the warmth.

⁕⁕⁕

“What happened?”

In the inn room.

Stella, sitting in front of a warm stove holding Ivy, asked Kalian a question.

“Has it been confirmed what happened, Kalian?”

“Yes, it’s over.”

Kalian handed Stella some fruit along with warmed wine and sat down beside her.

“He was a man who had tried to kidnap children in groups under the pretext of a school long ago.”

Kidnapping children in groups.

For Stella, who had recently met Ivy, not a single word was acceptable.

“Should such a person be allowed to exist in this world?”

“Of course not.”

Kalian clicked his tongue softly.

“It seems he survived by using all his property and connections. There are many fools blinded by money right in front of them.”

Kalian nodded his head slightly.

“Don’t worry too much. This time, he won’t be able to die so easily.”

“I see.”

Something seemed different about his words, but it didn’t matter. Stella leaned her head against Kalian.

“I’m glad you were there. Actually, earlier. I had thoughts about what to do, how to move.”

Stella bit her lip, recalling what had happened during the day.

“But when I actually tried to move, I was scared, frightened, and my feet froze.”

As if to prove that Stella’s words were true, her hands were trembling slightly.

“Kalian, if it hadn’t been for you, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. Just stupidly……”

Looking at Stella, who dropped her head weakly, Kalian recalled what had happened earlier.

“Your Grace.”

While returning after checking the ledgers, a subordinate carefully addressed him.

“I hear there’s a place nearby that sells herbs good for sleep. Shall I send someone to get some?”

Kalian shook his head. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

“Knowing the cause, medicine won’t help.”

“But.”

Whatever else was said afterward, Kalian didn’t hear it. He could only see Stella in the distance.

Why did Stella, standing in the wide field and forest, look so anxious?

If he took his eyes off her even for a moment, it felt like she would disappear into that forest, just like that time, that day.

Without leaving any lingering attachment or regret, suddenly, as if lightly.

Just thinking about it made his chest tighten.

She won’t do that.

Kalian clenched his fist tightly.

Because he hadn’t done anything wrong yet, so…

‘She won’t leave…’

Kalian looked at Stella, who was nestled silently in his arms.

“That’s not true.”

Then he reached out and firmly grasped Stella’s hand. The trembling stopped immediately.

“You did well enough. Anyone else would have screamed and provoked the criminal.”

Pulling Stella into his embrace, he whispered softly.

“You were brave, and you handled it better than anyone. You were amazing.”

Only then did Stella lift her head from Kalian’s embrace and smile faintly.

“I’m truly glad you were there.”

Stella buried her face in Kalian’s chest.

“Truly.”

A comfortable expression, a satisfied smile.

Only after seeing that smile did Kalian’s anxiety, which had been raging lately, subside.

I can sleep tonight.

Though it would only be one night of peace.

Kalian closed his eyes as he kissed Stella’s hair.

‘When you’re given another chance, do well.’

Suddenly, his mother’s words came to mind.

Would his mother know? That this precious, invaluable opportunity she envied could disappear on its own at any time.

And that he would have to watch it happen without being able to stop or hold onto it.

It was a new anxiety that the Grand Madam of Rochester didn’t know.

‘It’s alright.’

Kalian smiled as he swallowed a rising piece of anxiety.

Stella would not leave him. There was no reason for her to do so yet.

Repeating only that one sentence to himself, Kalian savored the momentary peace that had arrived.

«Arrogant Regret» Special Side Story – The End