Chapter 4.2

“Your Highness, wouldn’t it be wonderful if you personally gifted this book to Carnier?”  

“…Personally?”  

“Yes. She’s asleep now after crying herself to exhaustion, but next time.”  

The unfamiliar woman, with her unfamiliar gaze, made yet another unfamiliar suggestion.  

“Next time, would you honor us by visiting the Ducal estate?”  

“…What if she cries again when she sees me?”  

“She won’t. Children at that age cry easily, but they also laugh easily.”  

If that’s the case… 

Servante nodded slowly.  

He was curious about what the adorable baby pig would look like when she smiled. 

Would she smile like the Duchess, with her gentle warmth? Or perhaps like the Duke, with his hearty laughter? Maybe she’d smile quietly and softly, like the Duke’s son.  

Just then, a knock on the door was followed by a maid announcing.  

“The audience time is over. Your Highness, it’s time for your imperial studies.”  

“Oh dear, what a pity.”  

The Duchess, who had been holding Servante’s hand firmly, finally let go. The warmth that had enveloped his hand disappeared.  

“Then we look forward to meeting you again, Your Highness. It will be even more enjoyable than today.”  

“…Okay.”  

It was only after she spoke that Servante realized he had enjoyed today’s meeting.  

And now, he looked forward to the next one, which would be even more enjoyable.  

“Tell her I’m sorry for making her cry. And that I’ll see her next time.”  

A sharp intake of breath came from his nanny, who had been watching from the side. But Servante did not retract his words.  

The Duchess, who had been quietly signaling her husband and son to behave, smiled brightly.  

“Of course, Your Highness.”  

And so, the Duke’s family left. None of them knew it would be their first and last meeting while they were alive.  

A month later, the young Duke and Duchess lost their lives in a carriage accident.  

Servante visited the Duke’s estate not as an invited guest but to offer his condolences.  

‘…You said next time would be more enjoyable.’  

None of the promises from that day were kept.  

He couldn’t give the storybook to the girl who had lost her parents, and when he saw his fiancée again, she was crying even harder than before.  

***

It was only natural for the Duke’s household to falter after losing its lord and lady.  

To protect the sole remaining bloodline, a fifteen-year-old young heir officially inherited the title, but his position remained precarious. Discussions arose about breaking the engagement with the Imperial Family.  

However, Servante, the Crown Prince, rejected this outright. He had not forgotten the promise he made to the late Duke and Duchess.  

“She’s my fiancée, so I’ll take full responsibility for her.”  

Faced with their son’s stubbornness, even the Emperor and Empress relented. Thanks to the maintained engagement, Carnier’s elder brother managed to hold onto his position. Over time, Servante and the new Duke grew closer.  

“I’m always grateful to you, Your Highness.”  

“…I only did what was right.”  

“It may not have been the right thing for everyone.”  

The new Duke of Raymore, who said this, had gradually stopped smiling and had become flawless in his demeanor.  

As he grew, his exceptional swordsmanship gained him fame, and his humble and courteous attitude earned him respect. He was praised as a moral figure, a knight who stood against injustice.  

When he became the Vice-Commander of the Imperial Knight Order, everyone applauded him as the epitome of knighthood.  

The boy who used to dote on his younger sister and speak his mind with an expressive face was long gone.  

Watching someone change so drastically, especially someone so close, left Servante with mixed feelings.  

As if sensing this, the Duke occasionally—very occasionally—spoke to him in private.  

“I’m fine.”  

It wasn’t a very convincing statement.  

In any case, while the previous Duke and Duchess were gone, the promises and traces they left behind continued to bind Servante and the Raymore household together.  

“Hello, little piggy.”  

“I’m not a pig…!”  

Sometimes, Servante wondered if this bond was a gift left behind by the warm-hearted couple.  

He visited the Raymore estate often. Unlike the cold and silent Imperial Palace, which felt empty despite its many occupants, the Raymore estate had a warm atmosphere, even with fewer people than before.  

Perhaps it was because of a young lady who resembled both her father and mother.  

When the adorable girl glared at him in disapproval, Servante chuckled. Though her baby fat had long faded, and everyone now admired her doll-like beauty, in his eyes, she still looked like the baby pig from the storybook.  

“Oh, you’ve grown taller.”  

“Really?! …Ahem, thank you, Your Highness.”  

Carnier, who had been about to brighten up, quickly composed herself, conscious of the maids behind her. However, no matter how much the young girl tried to hide her expression, her delight at the compliment was still obvious.  

Servante grinned and added, 

“But you’ll have to work harder if you want to grow as tall as a giraffe, like you wished.”  

“I don’t think that anymore…!”  

“Oh? Why not? Didn’t you say dreams should always be big?”  

“That was when I didn’t know any better…”  

Her face turned bright red as she lost her composure.  

At eleven years old, she no longer cried or threw tantrums, but to eighteen-year-old Servante, she still seemed like a child.  

‘Trying to act like a lady just because she’s learned a little—it’s cute.’  

His hand moved instinctively, patting her head. Carnier’s expression twisted oddly. She seemed torn between enjoying the gesture and disliking being treated like a child.  

Watching her internal conflict, Servante’s smile deepened. Anyone who had only seen the cold and composed Crown Prince in the Imperial Palace would have been shocked.  

“…Your Highness, are you teasing Carnier again?”  

The Duke, who had just returned from handling family matters, clicked his tongue.  

Both Servante and Carnier responded in unison.  

“I wasn’t teasing her.”  

“He was teasing me!”  

“….”  

The Duke wondered if he should be relieved that they didn’t seem to get along poorly. Without further comment, he took a seat at the table.  

“Carnier, didn’t you say you wanted to do something today?”  

“Oh, right! I recently learned how to brew tea.”  

Prompted by her brother, Carnier’s eyes sparkled.  

“Beth, bring my tea set… No, I’ll get it myself.”  

“Ah, Miss! Please don’t run!”  

In her excitement, Carnier hopped off her chair and ran out. Her maid, who was of the same age, quickly followed, leaving the drawing room silent.  

The Duke, who had been watching his sister’s empty seat in embarrassment, sighed.  

“…I apologize, Your Highness. My sister is still lacking in etiquette…”  

“It’s fine. It’s just us.”  

Servante waved it off casually. He found her childishness endearing.  

‘Now I understand why the Duchess looked at me like that back then.’  

At just ten years old, he had spoken of responsibility and compensation, which must have seemed both pitiful and inevitable given his position.  

That was why the Duchess’s words, actions, and smiles had felt so unfamiliar at the time.  

From a young age, he had been treated as the Crown Prince, not as a child. She was the first to treat him like any other child, with genuine warmth.  

And it was no surprise that her daughter, Carnier, had grown into a straightforward girl with an honest smile.  

“Children being childlike is a good thing.”  

“She seems to cling to you more than anyone else, which worries me, Your Highness.”  

“Are you jealous?”  

“….”  

Jealous, indeed.  

Seeing the Duke’s silence, Servante chuckled. Yes, he had changed a lot, but he was still the same person who once passionately insisted, “Our little angel is no pig!”  

“By the way, her birthday is coming up soon. What did you prepare as a gift?”  

“A limited-edition Twinkle Moonlight Sugar Teddy Bear from Etoile Crafts.”  

“…Isn’t that just a teddy bear? Why is the name so long?”  

“It’s one of the most exclusive handmade items from Etoile. Only five were made this year.”  

The Duke’s tone carried a hint of pride.  

At some point, the two men had started an unspoken competition over who could give Carnier the better birthday gift. The goal was to see whose gift she liked more.  

‘Hmm, I guess I’ll have to rule out a teddy bear.’  

Lately, he’d been too busy to think about a gift. If he wasn’t careful, he might lose this year’s competition.  

Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by the sound of it opening.  

The child who had left, eager to show off her new skill, had returned.  

Servante turned his head absentmindedly and froze.  

“Miss, I told you I’d carry it for you.”  

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”  

Carnier carefully walked in, carrying a silver tray.  

Servante wasn’t surprised by the precariously rattling tea set.  

It was the small wings on her back that caught his attention.  

‘Those are…’  

Noticing his gaze, Carnier’s face turned slightly red. She tried to act as if nothing was wrong, placing the tray on the table.  

The Duke, who had also been staring blankly, stammered.  

“Carnier, that outfit…”  

“I just thought it matched the tea set, so I changed into it.”  

Carnier, dressed in a lovely pink dress adorned with frills, responded with a pout. Behind her, the finely crafted wing-shaped decorations on her back swayed as she sat down.