After hearing the word ‘Mother’ four times, Orzena spoke seriously.

“Would you call me that once more?”

“Mother.”

“My goodness, just one last time.”

“Mother.”

Only after hearing it six times in total did Orzena release Lena’s hand with a satisfied sigh.

Orzena looked at Lena with an expression like a satiated predator and said.

“Now, try this scone made by your ‘Mother.'”

The scones were still warm.

“Your ‘Mother’ will cut it for you.”

Orzena cut the scone in half for Lena’s convenience and even spread custard cream on it.

“The raspberry scone is tangy, so custard cream will complement it well.”

Following Orzena’s words, Lena carefully took a small bite from the edge of the scone with a yum…… sound.

Sweetness filled her mouth, followed by a rich, nutty flavor. It was by far the best custard cream she had ever tasted.

This custard cream was also made by Orzena herself.

The tangy aftertaste suggested she had bitten into the raspberries she mentioned.

Seeing Lena’s expression soften and then slightly furrow, Orzena was beside herself with how adorable Lena was.

“Is it okay? How is it?”

“It’s delicious!”

Lena carefully replied, covering her mouth.

Orzena stroked her chest as if relieved by Lena’s reaction and smiled brightly like a young girl.

“I’m glad. Do you like blueberries?”

“Yes, yes! I like them!”

In front of the delicious scones, Lena nodded like a child.

Afterward, Orzena placed jam-covered scones in Lena’s hands several more times.

Lena diligently ate everything she was given, even after consuming five scones and feeling stuffed…

That evening, Orzena ultimately had to squirm before Delian because Lena had indigestion.

Delian, who had come to hear Lena’s storytelling, patted her back as she took digestive medicine and said.

“Are you a fool? Why couldn’t you say you’d had enough?”

Each pat from his large hand made her stomach gurgle even more.

Lena clutched her dizzy head.

“I’m sorry……”

“It’s not about being sorry……! Haa, never mind.”

Delian said there was no point in talking to someone who was sick and pulled Lena’s head to rest against his chest.

Normally she would have resisted at least once, but she must have been truly unwell as she leaned against him without any resistance(?).

Though her docile appearance was cute, he couldn’t help feeling upset.

Delian gently kneaded her cold hands, which had become chilled from the indigestion.

“How’s your stomach?”

“Much better than before.”

“Should I warm your hands a bit more?”

“It’s not that bad.”

Lena gently smiled and shook her head slightly at his concern.

“I should be reading the book soon… I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong with skipping just one day?”

Delian spoke casually while blowing warm breath onto her fingertips, which were fortunately starting to warm up.

Lena stared at him for a moment, then smiled, shrinking her shoulders slightly.

“Why?”

“I was just thinking how kind you really are.”

“Me?”

Delian let out a hollow laugh as if in disbelief. He also seemed momentarily flustered.

Throughout his life, he had often been called rude or ill-mannered, but this was the first time anyone had called him kind.

“You must be really sick.”

Delian muttered, checking her forehead for fever.

Lena opened her eyes wide, then smiled until her eyes curved.

“You can laugh even when you’re sick?”

“I don’t know. It just comes out.”

“You’re silly.”

Lena pulled away slightly from Delian’s embrace and looked into his eyes.

‘It’s true. Like dandelion flowers.’

She had always thought he resembled a predator or wolf.

His overall aura, the scent of conifer leaves and thyme—everything made him seem particularly fierce.

But apparently that was just his outward appearance. Being fully embraced in his arms, she couldn’t feel more secure. And he was incredibly warm.

She had thought he was like winter, a lone wolf walking aimlessly, but it turned out he was like spring when dandelions bloom.

Lena rested her head against his pounding chest again.

‘This feels nice.’

It felt like being loved.

‘Though it’s probably just my imagination.’

It felt like becoming someone precious.

‘He seems to cherish me.’

Lena looked at his large hand, which kept fiddling with her own, and clenched her fist.

Her pale fist fit perfectly inside his large hand with its healthy complexion.

Delian murmured.

“Really small……”

Was it because her head was against his chest?

It felt like the sound came through vibrations, reaching her head rather than her ears.

Delian gently opened her fist with his thumb. No matter how he looked at it, it was a tiny hand.

It could be believed to be the hand of a fairy transformed from a young maple leaf. The calluses embedded all over that small hand were clearly visible.

‘How can calluses form on such a small hand?’

It was truly one of the body’s mysteries.

Delian forgot his original purpose and explored Lena’s hand for quite some time. Though her fingers were small and thin, they were strangely long.

‘Is that why rings suit her so well?’

A transparent diamond ring would look even prettier on this hand.

He felt a needless desire.

‘Should I give her one, pretending it’s nothing special?’

While thinking this, he heard steady breathing.

Delian lowered his head slightly and gently brushed aside her hair that had fallen.

“She’s asleep.”

Her thick eyelashes, distinctly light in color like her starlight-colored hair, were lowered.

She seemed to be sleeping more peacefully than ever, and Delian unconsciously stroked her round shoulders and murmured.

“Sleep well, Lena.”

Afterward, Delian continued holding Lena for a long time, not even realizing his discomfort.

❀❀❀

It was still the dim early dawn.

Tap! ……tap–tap!

The sound of something hitting the glass window woke her in the early morning.

“Mmm……”

Lena slowly blinked her eyes.

Tap–tap!

That sound again.

Lena got up. Though she couldn’t see outside because of the canopy and blackout curtains, she wasn’t scared thanks to the lights Delian had left on everywhere.

Lena squeezed through the canopy gap and drew back the curtains.

“Roberto.”

Sure enough, her brother was outside the window.

“Hello, Sis.”

Roberto’s face had a small bruise. When Lena opened the window in surprise, Roberto shivered.

The cold wind was so strong that the warm air in the room instantly chilled. Because of this, Lena unconsciously let Roberto into the room.

“Didn’t you say this wasn’t your room? Is it okay to let me in like this?”

Roberto pretended to be concerned.

Lena, not even suspecting his words were mockery, nodded that it was fine. Then she hurriedly handed him some warm water.

There should be tea or cocoa somewhere, but she didn’t know where since Penna always prepared it for her.

Roberto was inwardly annoyed at receiving plain warm water instead of soup or cocoa, but he pretended nothing was wrong and bowed his head.

Lena sat down in front of Roberto and examined her brother’s face.

“What happened to your face? Who hit you?”

“Ah, no. This is… nothing.”

Roberto covered his face, pretending as if he had just noticed it himself.

From experience, he knew this would only deepen Lena’s concern.

“It’s not nothing. Let me see.”

Just as he expected.

Roberto pretended to give in and showed Lena his bruise.

“Who hit you?”

Anyone could tell it was an injury from being punched. Roberto bit his lip for a moment, then nodded.

“Who is it? Who did this to you?”

Though there was nothing she could do, Lena asked, seething.

She was always like this.

Though she couldn’t do anything, this stupid sister would always get angry about things that happened to him.

Roberto hated that.

‘If you can’t do anything, just stay quiet. Then at least you’d be neutral.’

He had realized the truth of society all too early—that not getting involved was the way to survive.

Nevertheless, Roberto revealed the truth to Lena. That was why he had come in the first place.

“Father……”

“Huh?”

“Father hit me.”

“W-what?!”

It was like a bolt from the blue for Lena. Though their father had always been violent, he had never raised a hand against Roberto.

Because he was the only son.

He often slapped Lena’s terminally ill face, and frequently “spoke” to their mother with his fists and kicks, but he never touched Roberto.

Because he was the only male, the only worker, and he was smart.

Because he was the son who would someday make him live comfortably in the capital.

The fact that such a father had raised his hand against Roberto was shocking.

“Why, why? You…… Why? Father? Really?”

When Lena couldn’t believe it, Roberto bitterly lowered his head.

“I was surprised too. To think Father would hit me……”

“But why? What could you have possibly done to deserve being hit!”

Lena hissed in a shrill voice, but Roberto only clenched his fists. As if he couldn’t bear to say it.

Lena pressed him.

“I’ll help you with anything I can.”

From the moment she heard Roberto’s words, Lena no longer cared about how her brother and parents had treated her.

She was only worried about the family that was already broken, now damaged beyond repair.

And the young Roberto growing up in that environment.

Before coming to the ducal residence, Roberto had inwardly rejoiced at having hit his own face.

“…Really?”

When Roberto looked at her with pitiful eyes, Lena nodded firmly.

“Yes, really. So tell me. Why were you hit? Why did Father lay hands on you?”

“Well……”

Roberto hesitated for a long time before slowly opening his mouth.

“He’s fallen into gambling.”

“Gambling?!”

Lena unconsciously raised her voice, then covered her mouth.

Roberto continued.

“And then… the ring you gave me last time, he found out about it. When I told him it was for taking Mother to a doctor and buying medicine……”

“……”

“At first, he was angry. He said if he just won at gambling, he could get more money than by selling the ring. So he told me to give it to him.”

“……”

“I refused. It’s gambling! What if he lost? I said we don’t need that much money, and then……”

Roberto sighed dramatically.