Chapter 97:  Reunion (3)

“Our young master will finally have a name now.”

Gemma spoke quietly to the baby while looking outside. The baby still didn’t have a name. Understanding Eirene’s lack of mention about naming him, Gemma didn’t ask first either.

She waited, thinking the miss would handle it when the time came. Eirene had lived well and bravely during the year without Clive.

The village people who treated her without prejudice and helped her had a big influence. But sometimes people would ask about the baby’s father out of innocent curiosity, or why she was alone.

Each time, Eirene didn’t react sensitively or respond expressionlessly, but laughed it off. Because of her uncommon appearance, rumors about Eirene spread to neighboring villages.

When she went to the town center to buy necessities, people who had heard stories about her would sometimes be rude. There were also men who bothered her.

But she didn’t mind and walked around confidently with her pregnant belly, even under disapproving gazes.

After leaving Dervel Palace, Gemma thought Eirene might return to her previous personality, but she tried to live even more brightly.

Though she seemed to have complicated feelings after giving birth.

Eirene’s Divine Power didn’t seem to help with childbirth, and she struggled physically. Still, she never showed signs of difficulty and endured well until now. Gemma had been guessing that someone was following them for some time.

They moved so carefully that she wasn’t sure, but her guess was right. Actually, Zeus deserved much credit for noticing.

When Zeus, who was sensitive to smells and sounds, frequently reacted, Eirene also noticed at first and left.

This time they must have hired someone more skilled, or observed from a distance, because they weren’t caught.

It took so long that she was curious when they would reveal their presence.

She was glad it was today.

If it had been any later, she might have gone to find them directly and told them to bring His Grace the Grand Duke.

“This worked out really well.”

Gemma looked fondly at the reunited lovers while soothing the fussing baby.

* * *

Eirene took Clive’s hand and led him inside the house. Her space was quite spacious compared to how it looked from outside.

Three yellow-painted doors were visible, and the living room with an attached kitchen was filled with cozy household items.

When he heard a clear sound from somewhere and turned his head, he saw a bell hanging in front of the window swaying whenever the wind blew.

Though it was incomparably simple compared to Dervel’s villa, it was a space filled with warmth.

Clive felt soft fur at his fingertips when he hesitated to step inside. Zeus was rubbing his head against him.

Right. You were here too.

The trained Zeus didn’t express her joy as intensely as before. After greeting Zeus, his heart felt much more at ease and he stepped inside.

“Come here. There’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

Eirene urged him. Someone she wanted to introduce. Clive knew who that person was too. Before meeting someone he had never faced, he followed while calming his overwhelming emotions.

Gemma, who had been standing next to a small wooden bed, stepped aside. A baby with white hair was lying there. His sparkling eyes were gray.

Without needing confirmation, he was definitely a child of the Bainfelt family. What was amazing was that while his appearance was exactly like Clive, his eyes were like Eirene’s.

Maybe because he was still young. They weren’t sharp but sparkled brightly. He stopped when he was about to touch the baby’s head.

“Where can I wash my hands?”

After washing his hands and returning, Eirene was waiting with the baby in her arms.

“You should say hello, baby.”

She turned slightly so the baby could see Clive.

“Hello, Daddy.”

Though he hadn’t spoken, it seemed like he could hear the baby’s voice. The clear eyes looked at Clive for a while, then soon broke into a bright smile. Did he recognize him?

Even if he didn’t, let’s think he did. No. He must have recognized him. Otherwise, he couldn’t have smiled at a man he was seeing for the first time.

The baby’s smile made him feel like he was under the midday sun. Something warm accumulated in his chest, seeming about to overflow.

Though he hadn’t seen all the babies in the world, this was at least the prettiest baby he had seen so far.

The smooth lips that resembled his mother were tinged with red.

Even a fairy couldn’t be prettier than this.

He extended his index finger and touched the baby’s cheek. The soft flesh was unbelievably tender, making him worry it might get hurt.

When he moved his finger to touch the baby’s hand, the baby grasped Clive’s finger like he had been waiting.

“Hello. Nice to meet you.”

He had received a completely unexpected gift.

The most precious gift of his entire life. He was grateful to Eirene for giving him this gift.

* * *

As soon as he entered the lodging room, Ulik stuck close to Clive.

“Where did you go?”

“For a walk. I thought you’d sleep late, but you got up early.”

When he didn’t even glance at the neatly dressed Ulik, Ulik unavoidably pushed his face close.

With narrowed eyes, he asked the same question.

“Where did you go?”

“You’re asking when you already know.”

“I didn’t say anything, but I was burning up inside.”

“It was just one night, what’s there to burn up about?”

“Just one night? It’s been a year!”

Seeing Ulik make an aggrieved expression made him chuckle.

Did he think he wouldn’t know for a whole year?

Though he hadn’t directly ordered him to find Eirene, he had been receiving reports about what Ulik was doing.

Knowing that helped him endure.

“You did well.”

“What does Miss Eirene say? Does she say she’ll leave for Dervel now?”

“Yes.”

“Should I send someone to Dervel?”

“No, it takes too long. Let’s find the best carriage here. Move quickly.”

Finding a good carriage in a rural village was almost impossible. But he wasn’t worried because he knew Ulik could do it.

“Can I move after breakfast?”

“Yes. You need to eat. I don’t want to hear that I starved you while working you.”

Ulik left Clive and went down to the first floor.

When only he appeared again today, the owner’s wife set a plate at Ulik’s place.

“Doesn’t your companion eat breakfast either?”

“He says he already ate.”

The owner couple looked at each other and exchanged glances. This village, which had almost no travelers, had no separate place to eat breakfast. There was a restaurant if you went down to the town center, but it only started business from lunch.

The wife, lost in thought, clapped her hands.

“Ah!”

But she immediately pretended nothing happened and lowered her hands. The husband, who was drinking water, was startled and spilled a little.

“What’s ‘ah’?”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You even clapped your hands?”

“I remembered something I need to do today.”

It was a rough excuse.

If Clive went out early in the morning and had a place to eat breakfast, there was only one place.

She soon sensed a pleasant farewell with the teacher.

* * *

Once she decided to stay by Clive’s side, things progressed quickly. While organizing the house, she gave useful items to neighbors who needed them.

When Eirene said she was leaving, everyone was sad, but when they learned her companion was her husband, they were as happy as if it were their own affair.

Settling in this village had been a stroke of luck.

She visited each person to express her gratitude, and some people showed tears when she boarded the carriage to leave.

“It’s good for the teacher, but it’s a bit regrettable since there’s no doctor here.”

At someone’s words, a neighboring woman poked their side.

“We’ve received enough help all this time, don’t say useless things. Go ahead. We’ve lived well without a doctor until now. Go quickly. We need to work too when you leave quickly. There’s so much work in spring.”

The carriage departed with the village people’s farewell. The longer the carriage traveled, the more tired but excited she became.

Going to Dervel, full of memories. Where Madam Hannon, Matilda, and Betty were. However, unlike her heart, her body was exhausted.

Eirene, who had been sleeping in the carriage the whole time, started to brighten up after seeing familiar scenery.

Though the quiet countryside was suitable for peaceful living, she preferred the bustling capital. They entered Dervel territory in the afternoon, and from then on she only looked out the window.

It smelled like what she had missed. Though she hadn’t lived in Dervel for long, she always thought about it.

She wanted to see the spring at Dervel Palace that Matilda had talked about. When the palace appeared in the distance and gradually got closer, her heart pounded.

“Clive. What should I do? I’m nervous.”

“You were calm when meeting me.”

“I was nervous when meeting you too.”

“I know.”

Clive sat next to Eirene and stroked her head. Finally, they entered the palace. A group waiting to greet them could be seen in the distance. Madam Hannon and Matilda were most noticeable.

She didn’t want to cry but kept getting choked up.

The carriage stopped and Clive got out first to wait for Eirene. The moment she took his hand and poked her head out of the carriage.

Matilda’s crying could be heard.

When Madam Hannon approached and hugged her, the tears that had been welling up finally fell.

“Welcome back. Welcome back, miss.”

Madam Hannon choked up.

At the warm touch patting her back, it seemed like everything that had happened became the past. Even while settling down and living, one corner of her heart had been empty, but now it was all filled.

Now that she had some composure, Eirene looked around. The sunset was already coloring the sky of Dervel Palace, and the garden flowers swayed in the wind.

To see spring at Dervel Palace.

I’ve returned.

I’ve come to our home.

* * *

Eirene was waiting in Clive’s bedroom until the bedroom that had no owner became warm. Clive was briefly away, and she was with Madam Hannon. She held the baby and didn’t know what to do, like she was looking at her own grandchild.

“We should find a nanny.”

“I want to ask Gemma.”

“Hmm. Someone who has raised a baby would be better.”

“Gemma has been taking care of him until now and she has been doing well.”

“True. I also never gave birth but was His Grace the Grand Duke’s nanny. How can he be so gentle?”

“He’s not gentle at dawn.”

She had lost weight and had shadows under her eyes for a while because of the baby.

“They’re all like that. Don’t worry here and rest well. Gemma is here, I’m here, and Matilda is here too.”

After Madam Hannon, who had been holding the baby for a while, handed him to Gemma, Matilda came in.

“Madam Hannon! Everything is ready!”

She entered the bedroom Clive had prepared for Eirene.

She remembered choosing wallpaper, carpet, bedding, and such long ago. She was finally using the bedroom filled with the products she had chosen then.

She finally got to see the place she had saved to use after the wedding ceremony.

“I feel strange.”

“Don’t you like it?”

“How could I not? I love it so much. I didn’t know I’d use this place without having a wedding ceremony. It’s like a dream…”

“If you want to use it after the wedding ceremony, you can use the villa for now. It’s clean since we’ve been maintaining it.”

“No. This will be good for the baby too.”

Matilda, who had been standing at the door listening to their conversation, took advantage of a brief pause to ask a question.

“Then, miss! Now only the wedding ceremony is left?”

“Were you looking forward to it?”

“Yes. I’ve been counting the days waiting for your wedding ceremony! There’s even the ceremony dress!”

“What if I want to live quietly like this?”

Matilda’s lower lip protruded when she heard an answer opposite to her expectations.

Though she didn’t know if it would be possible, Eirene didn’t want to have a wedding ceremony. It was embarrassing and she didn’t feel like having something noisy. She also didn’t like being talked about by many people.

She thought her personality had changed from living mixed with people in the countryside, but maybe not yet.

She decided to think differently.

“No. I’ll discuss it with His Grace the Grand Duke.”

Since she had come to Dervel Palace, she had to live as the Grand Duchess.

For herself and Clive. And for the baby.