Chapter 74
As I quietly looked at Lari, Rohen opened his mouth.
“Yeah. When I was with Lari, it felt like I was sleeping more too. Every time you weren’t there, I kept falling asleep. I didn’t think it was strange, but today, after throwing away the doll and sitting next to Lari, I didn’t feel sleepy. Of course, maybe I just sleep a lot.”
“Hmm….”
Then perhaps what had been inside the doll was something with sleep-inducing properties.
“Not much help, right?”
“No. It was helpful.”
At the words that it had helped, Rohen brightened like a child and continued.
“Until now I didn’t really think I’d been sleeping more, but after clearing out all the dolls and sitting next to Lari, I could definitely feel it. Come to think of it, the last time we got rid of that doll too….”
“That was Lari’s favorite doll, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
Doll. Cotton. Seeds. Sprouts. As those thoughts ran through my mind, I examined the pillow Lari was resting on.
Could there be something like that inside here too?
Seeing my actions, Rohen seemed to realize immediately and checked the blanket as well. But even after opening it and looking at the stuffing, nothing seemed particularly strange.
“So it was only in the doll.”
“Yeah.”
It was possible with the doll, but not with the blanket or pillow. Why?
‘The doll isn’t washed often, but the blanket and pillow are changed frequently. Or perhaps the seeds are too precious to put in those… difficult to obtain….’
I don’t know.
Shaking my head, I lay down next to Lari.
“For now… let’s wait until Rex and Riren bring back information.”
“Okay.”
Before I knew it, Rohen had lain down beside me.
“Aisha.”
“Yeah?”
“Lying like this reminds me of the orphanage. You used to think I was Lari and hug me tightly while you slept.”
“…Ah.”
I suddenly felt embarrassed.
“You should’ve said something back then.”
“What Aisha wanted was to send me away. I thought if I said anything, you’d send me off.”
“Still….”
“I do miss that time a little.”
“Why? Do you not like living here?”
For once, Rohen was calmly talking about his feelings.
“It’s not that I don’t like it… just. Back then, you seemed a little more at ease.”
“Ah.”
“Of course, it was horrible. Just thinking about that orphanage director makes me jolt awake from sleep.”
Rohen let out a sigh and shook his head.
That was understandable. Whenever he was stressed, he took it out on the children. Since someone backed him up and allowed it, the orphanage director tormented the kids as much as he pleased—without even the slightest guilt.
“Maybe as time passes, I’ll get better too… but anyway… my heart keeps wavering. Sometimes I think it was better there, and then when I think of you, I think it’s better to be here. I keep thinking that.”
“It’s right for you to be here. So trust me.”
“…That kind of thing….”
“What?”
“No one ever said that to me before. To trust them. Because trust comes with responsibility in the end. There was no one who would take responsibility for us. But you… Aisha, you’re different.”
Rohen turned his body and met my eyes. At some point, he seemed to have grown much taller. I was the same in height and build, but Rohen was growing day by day.
“Still, being here… Aisha. It feels like you’re alive… so I’m glad. So, Aisha.”
“Yeah?”
“What should I do?”
“Just… grow up as yourself.”
“Other than that. What do you want me to do, Aisha? I can’t just stay here forever. In the end, I’ll either have to become Grand Duke or leave this place at the right time. What should I do? What would help?”
“Become the Grand Duke.”
There wasn’t even a trace of hesitation in those words.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
The Grand Duchess would eventually be driven out or punished. But her son Ron would remain. If the seed remained and that seed was made to covet the position of Grand Duke, something like this would happen again.
‘No matter what, the Grand Duke will give the position to the twins….’
I don’t want a half-baked position. I don’t want something forced awkwardly.
“Not right now, but study a lot and work hard, and rise to the position of Grand Duke. Of course, after Lari wakes up.”
“If that happens… Noona.”
“Uh…?”
Rohen rarely called me Noona, so I was startled.
“Then would I be able to protect you? Not someone who’s protected like now?”
“That’s right.”
“So if I become smart and strong… that’s enough.”
Though his voice was calm and subdued, his eyes looked slightly different.
“I will. I’ll grow strong enough to protect everything.”
“Yeah. You’re pretty.”
I stroked Rohen’s head. I just felt like doing it.
Perhaps he liked the gesture, because he closed his eyes.
For a moment, I felt at ease. At least in this moment, my heart was as calm as when we were together at the orphanage.
‘And someday far in the future, if you and Lari can live like ordinary people… I’ll have to leave.’
I’m someone who already betrayed you once in the past, and it’s already been decided that I’ll rely on the temple. I… will have to leave.
Still, until then, I hope we can be happy.
Like before… like back when I tried with that childish heart that said I would protect you. I hope we can be happy.
The next day.
The Grand Duke came to see us early in the morning. Perhaps because he hadn’t been able to come the day before, he deliberately brought things to review into the room. Having woken before Rohen and come out to the sitting room, I couldn’t close my mouth at the procession of documents being brought in.
“Is it really alright to bring all of this into the room? If it’s because of us….”
“It doesn’t matter. The major matters are finished; only minor ones remain.”
He said that, but judging by how busily he flipped through the papers, he still had plenty to do.
“More importantly, sit.”
“Yes?”
“We agreed to talk once a day.”
“Ah. What should we talk about?”
“Hmm… what would be good. When you first saw Rohen and Lari… what were they like?”
As if curious about everything regarding the children, he spoke slowly.
“You’re curious about that?”
“There are many things I’m curious about… but I don’t know what to ask first. Tell me what you know.”
“They were like beasts.”
“Their first appearance?”
“Yes. It may sadden you, it may pain your heart even to imagine it… but that’s how the children were when I first saw them. Hair so long you couldn’t tell its length, fingernails so long I thought they might pierce my hand. Grimy faces and shabby clothes.”
“…….”
“And… marks from being beaten.”
When one faces the truth, perhaps that’s when one can move toward the future.
“That’s regrettable….”
“That’s why. They were on edge and couldn’t trust people. They were wary of others because that’s how they lived. So don’t try to approach them in a rush—approach them slowly. Rather than something good and expensive, give them gifts that come from the heart.”
“What is a gift that comes from the heart?”
“When you’re with them, there are moments you suddenly think, ‘Wouldn’t they need something like this?’ If a child looks hungry, you think to give them appropriate food so they don’t get sick. You have to think like that. If you feed them expensive and excessive things, it’ll only upset them. The twins are the same.”
As I chattered beside him, he let out a small laugh.
“I see. You’re saying I should think once more.”
“It’s actually the opposite. You can think more simply. What children want isn’t something good, expensive, or rare.”
“You seem… better than I am. Because of you… the way I see you and the twins has changed.”
That was pleasant to hear.
Come to think of it, the sharpness he always had toward me had softened considerably.
He even seemed gentle.
‘Are the twins truly that precious?’
It was simply fascinating.
The conversation continued after that.
After some time had passed, there was a sudden knock.
Thinking it might be Riren, who had gone out to prepare the meal as soon as she woke up, I quickly raised my voice.
“Yes.”
As expected, it was Riren who entered. But she was not alone.
“The physician sent by Her Grace the Grand Duchess has just arrived. Shall I let him in?”
He’s come right on time. I stood from the sofa.
“Your Highness, Grand Duke.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s go to the temple now.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes. Right now.”
“But they say a physician has arrived.”
“Wouldn’t it be fine to receive treatment at the temple?”
At that, the Grand Duke let out a small laugh and nodded.
“It seems you want some sort of guarantee. Even though so many physicians have said it’s nothing serious?”
“Yes.”
As if he immediately understood, he nodded.
“If we do that, will you be able to trust it? No matter what the result?”
“Yes. Surely they wouldn’t lie in front of the High Priestess.”
“Very well. If that’s what you want, let’s go. Riren. Tell the physician to come in.”
At his words, Riren opened the door wide. A somewhat shabbily dressed physician stepped inside.
“I-It’s my first time meeting you. I-I greet Your Highness, Grand Duke.”
A man clearly watching his surroundings carefully. It seemed he had never imagined the Grand Duke would be here; his body trembled even more than before.
“I-I am Physician Merken.”
“Very well. Since you’re here, examine my daughter.”
“Y-Yes….”
“But not here. Let us go to the temple.”
“Pardon? A-At the temple??”
