Upon seeing the Duke’s residence’s butler, I was so prepared to grab him by the collar if necessary. After all, his master wasn’t normal, and he should put an end to what he had started. However, no matter how much I looked around, the butler was nowhere to be found.

It seemed my request to explore alone had been interpreted quite literally, as there were no servants in sight either.

Seeing no one around, it appeared they might have been called back to the mansion for some other reason. What to do?

After some thought, I concluded there must be a reason for the butler’s absence. Considering the family had just hosted the funerals of the Duke and his son yesterday, if there was an urgent matter, it likely related to that and I wouldn’t want to intrude.

So, I decided to wait for the butler’s return by exploring the garden.

As I ventured deeper into the garden, I saw towering trees. The sunlight filtering through the leaves sparkled so brilliantly it felt as though I’d traveled to a completely different place.

Perhaps a place inhabited by forest fairies.

Surely, they would be playful and tiny, perhaps even napping on an exposed root, softly snoring away. Right, just like that little boy.

“…Huh?”

For the second time today, I found myself doubting my eyes. Really, why, in Duchy Glentino’s garden, was there a boy sleeping?

I approached quietly, careful not to make any noise.

The boy seemed somehow familiar. The sunlight glinted off his chestnut-colored hair, the long eyelashes covering his closed eyes, and the cute shorts that suited him perfectly. This charming young boy…

…Wasn’t he the one I saw at Arnold’s funeral yesterday? What was his name again? Oh, right,

“Arne, isn’t it?”

“Correct.”

Oh my!

Startled, I quickly turned around to find Owen Ta Glentino casually standing there, hands in his pockets, leaning slightly and watching us.

If the sleeping boy resembled a fairy of the forest, then this man appeared like a handsome god dwelling in the woods, enchanting people who passed by.

Seeing his expression, which seemed a mix of relief and a touch of emptiness, I asked in a whisper to avoid waking the child.

“Have you finished your work?”

“I’m currently looking at it.”

“Yes?”

The man swiftly walked over to the tree where the child was sleeping.

“This little one disappeared from his room, and all the servants have been looking for him.”

“Ah…”

It seemed that the child was being taken care of by the Duchy since the butler was looking for him yesterday. After all, it would indeed be troubling if a child he was supposed to look after went missing.

With a gesture lighter than picking a flower, the man gently lifted the boy.

The child continued to sleep soundly. As I was thinking about how adorable it would be to poke the child’s chubby cheeks, he asked.

“When were you introduced?”

“Oh, just yesterday. We happened to meet by chance. I doubt Arne knows my name, though.”

“I see.”

Arne had left quite an impression with his brief but striking comments yesterday. Still, they seemed more like something children would say, so it wasn’t necessary to elaborate.

Watching Arne sleep, I found myself saying, mesmerized.

“He’s really adorable and cute.”

“That’s good to hear.”

The man responded without much expression — I would later realize this was actually his version of being extremely tense — for a moment, I thought I misheard him as saying, ‘So what?’ However, being a well-mannered individual, I politely asked for clarification.

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

As he adjusted the boy slightly in his arms, the man said slowly.

“This child is yours.”

I didn’t understand his words. They were simple yet hard to understand.

I asked again blankly.

“What do you mean, my child?”

“Exactly what I said. This child, Arne, is Lady’s child.”

I was about to ask again when the child suddenly opened his eyes.

“….!”

Green eyes appeared and disappeared under his eyelids before finally focusing clearly. His gaze wandered and then fixed directly on me. Then, with a smile bright enough to light up the world, the child exclaimed.

“Mommy!”

“Eeck!”

Why would I be your mommy?!

As I looked up at the man holding the child, he nodded as if to say that was exactly what he meant. What on earth was this? A scam team bringing a child into their scheme? A new type of scam targeting naive young ladies of marriageable age?

Unaware of my turmoil, the boy confidently uttered.

“That’s why I said we should meet again.”

But you called me Sister yesterday! You little rascal!

* * *

Originally, I intended to continue our discussion in the garden, or rather, to get some explanations. Nonetheless, it didn’t seem right to argue or question in front of a child claiming me as his mother.

Needing some time to process, we moved back to the reception room.

‘D*mn, I escaped to avoid having snacks only to end up having them again.’

However, it was a different story if the snack was raisin cookies. That was something I could never have in a household that only had chocolate cookies. Plus, with my mind not at ease, I needed something to chew on.

After taking a sip of the warm tea and preparing myself with a bite of the raisin cookie, I asked.

“So, you’re saying that child is mine?”

“Yes.”

The man’s demeanor was as if he was stating the only truth in the world. It made me feel like the bad person for doubting him, but it really was a lie!

“Huh, how can you be so sure that child is mine?”

Upon hearing my words, the butler who had come in to serve tea looked shocked, probably seeing me as the most shameless person on earth. Regardless, being a competent butler, he quietly refilled the cookie tray and left the room.

Despite my reaction, the man in front of me reached into his pocket as if he expected it. His long fingers pulled out an envelope from his jacket.

“It arrived three days ago.”

The envelope looked pristine and stiff, as if well-kept. He extended it towards me and stared at me without blinking.

Has anyone ever looked at me this way before? Had I ever received such a look in my previous life, without harsh emotions, anger, or contempt? His eyes didn’t reveal much emotion. It somehow made one feel both nervous and tickled.

Thinking I’d be intimidated was a mistake. I took the envelope with my chin up.

The letter began like this:

[ Dear Lord Glentino,

This child belongs to Sophia Ta Bartolli. If it’s not too much trouble, could you please take care of him? ]

“….?”

What was with this eye-doubting unbelievable content? Who would send such a horribly poor joke of a letter, and that too, without informing me, directly to this man?!

The rest of the letter contained basic information about the child. His name was ‘Arne,’ and he was about to turn ten, but that was it. Given the shortness of the letter, my eyes quickly reached the end.

The sender was…

[ Elouise Ta Bartolli. ]

“Huh…”

When something was so absurd, words failed.

My hands trembled with a sense of betrayal.

“Elouise…!”

My youngest sister, who claimed she’d wander the continent as a minstrel, what on earth was she doing?!

I managed to calm down and catch my breath before speaking.

“Whoo… I apologize for the disturbance. She’s not usually like this…”

I couldn’t finish. So, I changed my approach.

“We should verify the authenticity of this letter first. This alone doesn’t prove it was sent by my sister.”

“Oh, regarding that.”

The man handed me something. I took it instinctively.

“This is….”

“It was enclosed with the letter.”

It was a silver feather-shaped hairpin with a few pearls. When I flipped it over, Elouise’s name was engraved on the underside of the feather decoration, and I couldn’t deny it even if I wanted to.

…It was because it was a gift I had given Elouise myself! For her tenth birthday!

“Judging by your reaction, it seems you’ve confirmed the sender of the letter.”

While the man’s tone suggested he knew all along, I didn’t respond but pocketed the hairpin. Still, my voice softened significantly.

“But really, the child isn’t mine.”

“It seems the child believes otherwise.”

He was referring to Arne, who had woken up and was now gazing at the sky in the garden. However, that was something I couldn’t understand either. So, why exactly?!

Glancing out the window, I saw the young child sitting at a garden tea table. He had light green eyes, pale skin, and chestnut hair shining in the sunlight. Yes, it was clear that if he continued to grow up like this, he would become a handsome man capable of stirring the empire, much like the man before me.

Noticing my gaze, the child turned his head towards me. As I was shocked, he smiled at me.

‘Crazy, crazy.’

I hurriedly looked away and subtly gestured to the man before whispering,

“If we’re to compare, doesn’t he resemble you more? Could he possibly be your child?”

“Let’s just go with that then.”

Unexpectedly, the man whom I expected to deny nonchalantly continued with this nonsense.

“Excuse me?”

“You being the mother and I the father, so it can be mine and your child.”

“…Excuse me?”

After setting down his empty teacup, the man stated.

“Let’s get married.”

__