Arinne felt bad that she seemed to have made the children cry.

This was just her face, her personality. It wasn’t a situation to smile about. Forcing a smile wouldn’t help anything.

Not smiling when she didn’t feel like it, being annoyed when she was annoyed, getting angry when she was angry—that was her way.

“I’ll go right now! I just have to go, right?!”

“Calm down.”

Of course, Arinne hadn’t realized the children would be scared by the attitude she’d always taken for granted.

She was upset, true, but she was pissed at a situation she didn’t want to deal with—definitely not angry at the children.

The sharp words that burst out because she couldn’t hold back her irritation were directed at the knights. She wasn’t like that toward the children, so why were they crying? 

Arinne found it hard to understand the existence called ‘children.’

“I’m not angry. I’m not mad at you two.”

“You are angry.”

Jade retorted clearly, his face completely crumpled.

“I just naturally look angry.”

Arinne replied, feeling wronged.

“First, can you give me some time to think? Right now, I’m just too… flustered.”

Whatever her own feelings were, the children already looked hurt.

Not considering that the children were with them had been a mistake.

Arinne learned just now: even attitudes natural to her needed to be careful around children.

“The sun will set on the way back. How about having them stay at the ducal residence tonight?”

Jo interjected, speaking soothingly to Arinne.

Arinne caught her breath for a moment and looked up at the sky. The sky as summer passed already had a reddish tinge.

She’d been so focused on sending the children back as soon as possible that she hadn’t even thought about them returning at night.

“Jo. You take care of the children. I’ll go see the Duke first.”

Arinne, her voice tired, turned toward the mansion first.

She realized once again how young and absurd her attempt to become the Marquis’s wife had been.

How could she have tried to become someone’s wife and mother when her own feelings and heart were always what mattered most?

It was fortunate her marriage attempt had failed.

“I’m leaving right now.”

“If you keep staying here, you’ll catch a cold! Even if you seem fine, you came by luggage cart, so your body must be tired.”

“I said no?! I’m going now!!”

Arinne had to turn back around before she’d even walked a few steps.

“Jade. That’s enough.”

At the firm call, Jade flinched. Smart child that he was, he must know this wasn’t the time to be stubborn.

‘He’s scared and his pride is hurt.’

She understood the urge to be stubborn. He couldn’t escape the situation on his own, and all he could do was insist and throw a tantrum.

No matter how smart and sensible, a child was still a child.

“The sun will set on the way. I’ll send you back as soon as it’s light.”

“……”

“Let’s go inside first.”

Arinne spoke as calmly as possible, conscious of the children.

“Come on. It’ll be cold after the sun sets.”

She held out her hand toward Jade. Jade stared blankly at her hand, then lowered his gaze.

“You didn’t tell anyone you were coming, did you?”

“I did. …With a note.”

Jade sniffled once and kicked at the ground with the toe of his shoe like venting his frustration.

“A note?”

When she asked again,

“I left it on dad’s desk. He must have seen it by now.”

Jade added sulkily.

“I see. He’ll come soon then. Let’s eat first and wait for the Marquis together.”

Arinne, speaking as kindly as possible, secretly signaled Myle with her eyes without the children noticing.

Myle, who’d been just as tense as the children, immediately mounted his horse.

“You’re really not angry?”

“No.”

Ray carefully gripped Arinne’s dress. The fabric wrinkled as much as his tiny hand.

“Hold hands?”

“Hold hands……”

“Alright. Jade?”

Arinne took Ray’s hand and held out her hand to Jade again.

“I’m fine.”

Jade shook his head and grabbed Ray’s other hand instead of Arinne’s.

“Do you know where this is?”

“……Sister’s house?”

Ray’s head tilted to the side. Jade perked up his ears beside him, pretending not to.

“This is the Marcedea ducal residence. So who’s the master of this house?”

“Duke Marcedea……”

This time Jade answered.

“Right. So if I bring guests without the Duke’s permission, I get in trouble.”

Arinne decided to use the Duke to soothe the children.

A father who’d never been particularly helpful—at least let him be useful to his daughter this way.

“Sister gets in trouble too?”

“Yes.”

Ray’s water-blue eyes grew huge.

“Is he scary??”

Equally surprised, Jade forgot he was supposed to be sulking and chimed in.

To Jade, Arinne was a strong, scary person who could scold and even kick his father, the Marquis Carentium.

‘There’s someone who scolds the Lady?’

He couldn’t believe it at all.

“Yes. Really scary.”

“Eek!”

There was someone scarier than her. Jade gasped and hunched his shoulders.

“If he says it’s okay, is it fine? If he gives permission, you won’t get in trouble?”

“Um, maybe?”

Arinne mumbled her answer.

To Ray, that looked like she was scared and reading the room.

“……I’ll ask for you!”

Despite Jade’s attempts to stop him, Ray suddenly felt brave, just like when he climbed into the luggage cart.

“What if the Duke,”

“Sir duke.”

“Ray knows too! Jade, be quiet. What if, what if! The Dook, no, ah, argh!!”

“Duke, sir!”

“Okay, okay! Duke. Sir! If he scolds Sister, I’ll get scolded instead!”

Ray declared dramatically, hands on his hips.

The little guy whose short tongue kept twisting so he couldn’t say a single word properly, puffing out his chest to show off his courage—he was just adorable.

“Ray is brave, wh……”

Whether he couldn’t hear the words trying to stop him or not, Ray boldly took the lead and froze the moment the mansion door opened.

‘I knew this would happen.’

Air leaked from Arinne’s lips. It was a situation as obvious as day.

“……”

“……”

“Kid. Who are you?”

Gleaming purple eyes scanned every bit of the child’s appearance.

“R-Ray… is me……”

“Re-Ray?”

“N-no… just Ray……”

Ray, intimidated by the Duke’s atmosphere, drew out his words and slowly backed away.

“Sorry, I can’t get scolded instead… Duke-sir is scary…!”

Ray, who’d returned to Arinne’s side, hid completely behind her, avoiding the Duke’s gaze.

Jade read the room and gently patted the sniffling Ray’s back.

“You’re scaring the kids.”

When Arinne scolded irritably, the Duke, finally noticing the children’s state, stepped back a few paces.

“You’re still as rude as ever.”

“I wonder who I take after.”

At the blunt retort, the Duke’s expression crumpled unpleasantly.

Arinne was the only person who could be this disrespectful to him. Even the Emperor couldn’t be like this with him.

“Those kids,”

“They’re Marquis Carentium’s children. We ended up coming together. I didn’t kidnap them, so don’t worry.”

Arinne anticipated what he’d say and preempted him.

“I’m going in now.”

She hated long conversations with the Duke.

“Years pass and you don’t change at all. Not a shred of respect for your father.”

The Duke frowned.

It was a father she was seeing after a long time, her first visit to the capital in years, yet his daughter consistently showed an indifferent attitude—he was so dumbfounded he let out an empty laugh.

He hadn’t expected a tender reunion, but still, he’d thought his daughter would have grown up a little.

“You’re someone who never changes, Duke sir, so of course I, who received your blood, would change so easily.”

Arinne deliberately sneered more. It was ridiculous that the person who made her a troublemaker talked about respect and wanted to be treated like a father.

The servants, their faces deathly pale, hurriedly hid themselves to stay out of the Duke and Arinne’s sight.

The lobby emptied in an instant.

“We’re going inside.”

“But……”

“Those two fight often normally.”

Jo calmly took care of the children. Ray and Jade kept looking back even as Jo pushed them along.

“Why did you come to the capital?”

“Just because.”

“Staying at the Marquis Carentium’s residence? What’s your relationship with the Marquis that you stayed a whole week… And why did you bring those kids?”

“It just happened.”

Arinne answered perfunctorily and followed Jo and the children.

The Duke didn’t directly block Arinne but followed her, pouring out nagging and questions.

“Did you really have business? Unless you plan to become a laughingstock again,”

“Duke sir.”

Arinne cut off his words, openly showing her annoyance.

“I have nothing to do with Marquis Carentium, and those kids will go home soon. Once I return to the east, there won’t be more talk.”

Arinne felt uncomfortable. Her mood, which had been a mess since the carriage, hit rock bottom the moment she faced the Duke—nowhere lower to go.

“Do you think I’m doing this because I’m scared of some gossip?”

The Duke, provoked by Arinne’s words, raised his voice.