Chapter 2

“Ki…….”

“It would be better not to go right now.”

Raon caught Bersha, who was about to follow after her as she quickly disappeared.

“But…….”

“You should think about the position of Viscount Sennet’s daughter as well.”

It was not that he did not understand Bersha’s feelings for her friend, but it would not be of much help. All the more so if the person used for comparison was Bersha.

“It’s because the men don’t know Kina’s true charm.”

Bersha muttered sulkily.

“I know.”

Raon looked for a moment in the direction where Kina had disappeared, then turned his head away. Bersha’s gaze lingered on him for a long while.

The atmosphere, which had briefly gone quiet, soon became noisy again as if nothing had happened.

Kina, who had been running off as if fleeing, spotted the children and straightened her clothes before taking a deep breath.

The children were with a gentleman. It was not often for a noble to approach children first. Yet the man was smiling as he handed out small candies to them.

Watching the scene from a distance, Kina wore a pleased smile, but then her eyes narrowed.

It was clearly a warm sight, and yet the children seemed slightly wary.

Kina quickly approached.

“Excuse me. The event will be starting soon, so I think the children need to go now.”

She spoke carefully, hoping her gaze would not make him think she found him strange. Fortunately, he stepped away from the children without much comment. Kina let out a small sigh of relief and bent down to the eye level of the nearest child.

“The teachers must be waiting. Hurry along now.”

Thankfully, the children answered brightly and moved away. Even while Kina was saying goodbye to them, the gentleman remained where he was and examined her face closely. His eyes, as they looked over her, sparkled.

“Are you Miss Kina Sennet, by any chance?”

“You know me?”

Kina slowly straightened up. She had hoped he would leave while she was saying goodbye to the children, but it seemed it was already too late.

“I am Abil of the Winders family.”

So this was him. 

It was the Earldom of Winders, a family rumored to be wealthy. It was also the family that had made the largest donation for this event.

“Ah……. It is an honor to meet you.”

Seeing him in person for the first time, Kina hurriedly bent her knees in greeting. Then Abil held out his hand. It was not a form of greeting often used outside a ball. After hesitating, Kina cautiously placed her hand on his.

“Your hand is very soft.”

He lightly pressed his lips to the back of her hand, then held it firmly as he spoke.

“……Thank you.”

Abil did not let go and carefully stroked her hand with his thumb, and at his behavior, Kina could do neither this nor that, only smiling awkwardly.

“It feels just like a baby’s skin.”

Abil smiled as he stared straight at Kina. It was certainly a gentlemanly smile, and yet a faint shiver rose from the back of the hand he was holding. Even so, she could not pull her hand away at once, because she knew how much better the children could live even from something as brief as this.

“……Thank you.”

Maintaining her smile with difficulty, Kina answered. Abil did not take his eyes off her face.

“I would believe you if you said you had only just had your debut ball.”

“Pardon?”

“Haha. It is a compliment. I meant that you look so young that it would not be wrong to call you a girl rather than a lady.”

“Ah…….”

What Abil had said was an expression nobles used when indirectly saying that someone lacked proper decorum. But looking at Abil, who was laughing heartily, Kina only gave a faint smile.

‘It only has to be for a moment.’

Kina reminded herself once more of the thought she had repeated ever since taking full responsibility for the poorhouse.

“It is nice to see that you possess the sensibilities of a young girl.”

“It is my style,” Abil added. At those added words, Kina’s smile rapidly turned stiff.

Earl Abil Winders was of the same generation as Kina’s father. On top of that, since Kina knew how poor his marriage was, she quietly averted her eyes.

Thinking it was a gesture born of shyness, Abil watched her with a satisfied smile. Unlike the curve of his lips, his cool eyes swept over her from head to toe as though measuring her. Unable to see Abil’s expression, Kina was thinking about how she might leave this place.

“Kina.”

At that moment, there was a voice calling her. A little later, a small figure rushed over and threw himself into Kina’s arms.

“Devil.”

It was Devilito, one of the children from the poorhouse. He was a child who usually followed Kina well too.

“What is it?”

Kina met Devilito’s eyes.

“The teacher said she needs your help, Kina.”

The place Devil pointed to was where the poorhouse teachers were.

“Really?”

Kina stood up, relieved inwardly.

“Please excuse me first.”

“You may go. We can always meet again next time.”

The Earl of Winders answered with an easy smile. Without giving any firm reply, Kina simply offered a parting greeting and then left the place with Devil.

“Kina, you dislike that man too, right?”

Perhaps he had heard the small sigh she let out, because Devil looked up at her. Ten-year-old Devilito was a child who had been abandoned at the poorhouse when he was young. Perhaps because of that, he followed Kina especially well, like a mother. Devil was dressed in neat clothes prepared for today’s event.

“Why do you think that?”

Kina deliberately avoided giving an answer. She did not want to show someone as young as Devilito what it looked like to be wary of someone.

“Because I dislike him.”

Her efforts were in vain, as Devil already seemed to have learned the feeling of dislike.

“A while ago, while saying he’d give them something to eat, he kept touching the girls’ hands.”

Devil spoke quietly, covering his mouth with one hand.

“Really?”

Without realizing it, Kina frowned.

“So I asked him to give me some too, and he didn’t like my hand.”

“I think that’s strange,” he added. Muttering in a dissatisfied voice, he complained that the man only gave tasty things to the girls. Kina turned her head and looked toward where the Earl of Winders had been, but he had already disappeared.

There had been rumors in society that he liked young women, but she had not known that included little children as well. Kina found herself reconsidering the things he had said to her too. It seemed she would need to keep a close eye on the girls today.

“Kina.”

Devil called to Kina, who had sunk into thought.

“Would it be pretty if a flower gave off light?”

He was looking up at her with sparkling eyes, as if he had never made that displeased face at all. Kina had no idea what it meant for a flower to give off light, but she tried to respect children’s imagination. She did not want to be the first to teach a young child about limits.

“It would be pretty, wouldn’t it?”

“Do you think you would like it too if you received that flower, Kina?”

“Hm?”

“There isn’t a glowing flower yet. But I’ll give you this.”

Startled, Kina’s eyes widened. There was a flower in Devil’s small hand. The tips of the hand clutching the flower were faintly stained green.

“You did this to give it to me?”

“I hope this makes you feel better, Kina.”

Holding Kina’s hand, Devil said it with shining eyes.

“……Should I go pick one more?”

But when Kina did not accept it right away, Devil soon glanced at her carefully and asked in a cautious voice.

“No. It’s just that I’m grateful…….”

Only then did Kina accept the flower and stroke his head. At her delighted smile, he blushed shyly.

Devilito liked kind Kina. Even when others mocked things as useless thoughts, she alone listened without ridiculing him. He liked all of that, as well as her face, which was as lovely as her heart.

“If I make a glowing flower, I’ll give it to you first, Kina.”

Devilito wanted Kina to smile every day. As she wiped his hand with a handkerchief while those eyes still shone, Kina ended up laughing after all.

“Really? Promise.”

Kina held out her little finger to Devilito. He quickly hooked his little finger around hers.

“You know that a promise made with a pinky swear must absolutely be kept, right?”

The way he answered while quickly nodding his head was so cute that Kina stroked his head once more.

“The teacher must be looking for you. Shall we go back now?”

“See you later.”

At Kina’s urging, he waved his hand and headed toward the event hall. Watching his retreating figure, she lifted the flower in her hand and breathed in its scent. It felt as though it gave her strength.

* * *

Fortunately, the event was ending without any problems. The children, who had done well just as they had practiced, were delighted to receive the gifts prepared by the Imperial Family.

“It’s the Princess.”

A few of the girls showed interest in Stella, who was wearing a splendid dress.

One child absentmindedly reached out to touch the dress, but fortunately Stella readily allowed her, saying it was all right to touch. Because of that, the girls around her crowded around and fussed, asking her to play with them, and the maids beside her ended up having a difficult but adorable time as well, though it was nothing to worry about.

“Lady Sennet.”

It was when, thanks to the time the young noble ladies spent playing with the children, Kina had at last been given a moment to rest.