“Uhng.”

Stella, who made a small noise, blinked her heavy eyelids as she woke up from sleep before an unfamiliar ceiling caught her sight. Her body shrank as she gazed at the interior decoration, which was different from the imperial palace.

‘I came to the North with my brother.’

Her whole body had been burning with pain, but now she didn’t feel hurt. In addition, the unfamiliar air felt strange yet strangely comfortable and cozy.

‘I miss brother… but I have to be patient.’

As she remembered Timothia’s cold gaze, Stella subconsciously hunched her body, swallowing back tears that threatened to burst out. At the same time, fear washed over her like a wave as she remembered her words that if she misbehaved, no one would like her.

When she sat up creakily in bed, the towel draped over her forehead fell off.

‘Towel? Ah… I had a fever.’

Stella, who had put the fallen towel on the table, trembled at the sight of the woman sleeping next to the bed.

‘Who is it?’

Her long silver hair shimmered as if it had been sprinkled with stardust.

‘…Pretty. This person must’ve taken care of me.’

Stella remembered that it was the older sister she had seen briefly when she had opened her eyes and carefully removed the blanket so as not to wake her.

‘Huh?’

There was a small rabbit doll next to the stardust sister.

‘It’s cute.’

The rabbit doll wandered around next to the sister and shook its head while clasping its hands on its waist.

‘…Am I still dreaming?’

Stella, who was rubbing her eyes with both hands, realized that it wasn’t a dream and carefully picked up the cute rabbit doll. Even though the startled rabbit doll stopped moving, she burst into laughter as she had already seen the doll moving.

“Hi?”

Seeing that the rabbit doll was as stiff as a rock, she poked its face with her little fingers.

“The doll is alive and moving… it’s amazing. What’s your name?”

At her words, the rabbit doll started to shake its head but stopped moving again as if it had changed its mind.

“So cute.”

Perhaps hearing her voice at that time, the stardust sister groggily sat up as she rubbed her eyes.

‘Huh?’

It felt as though she was looking at a beautiful painting where the older sister’s pupils were like blue paint spread out.

“Your Highness?”

Stella, who had been staring at her as if entranced, snapped back to reality.

“Ah!”

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Karentina, daughter of the Duke of Lorraine.”

“N-Nice to meet you.”

As Karentina beamed, Stella’s face flushed red with embarrassment. The only people who had looked at her so warmly were her brother, Gemma, and her father, who occasionally got up from his sickbed.

Karentina smiled happily as she looked at the rabbit doll Stella was holding.

“Did you say hello to Leah?”

“I’m sorry for touching it without permission. It’s just so cute that I didn’t even realize…”

“It’s okay. Leah said it was nice to meet you, too.”

As the child watched Karentina gently stroking the rabbit doll, a strange feeling tickled her heart.

“Uh, but how does the doll move as if alive?”

“My dolls move with magic.”

“Magic!”

Just as her eyes widened in surprise, the door creaked open and someone walked in. The child murmured with shaking eyes.

“…Brother?”

 
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