Chapter 26
The shadow, pressed against the wall across the small reception room, twitched its ears as it watched Lilia quietly.
“Huh, I think someone just saw me.”
When Lilia quickly turned her head, the presence and the watching eyes disappeared.
Duke’s Office
Emmet had lately been reporting on Lilia’s daily life, which felt odd, but not unpleasant.
Today, he had almost been seen by Lilia and needed to finish quickly. She was a sharp child.
The duke, who had been buried in papers all day, looked up when Emmet entered.
“What brings you here so early?”
“Ah, Miss Lilia said she needs help from a direct adult relative.”
“…Needs help from a direct adult? For what?”
The duke rubbed his jaw beard and leaned back in his chair.
Emmet explained,
“She went to the heir tutor in the East Wing to ask about going out to the temple. But, as you know, Miss Lilia doesn’t have a guardian who can give permission, so she was refused.”
The old duke couldn’t believe his ears when he heard “temple outing.”
There was no temple in the vast Roberc territory.
The reason was simple.
The duke didn’t trust the temple people.
A group skilled at using divine power to take gold and falsely accuse anyone in the way—this was the duke’s definition of the temple.
Most high nobles in the Arcas Empire had temples in their lands, but the Duke of Roberc strictly forbade it.
“My god is only the heart that uses magic, and my scripture shall be my spellbook.”
Even Roberc’s history books recorded this.
So allowing a Roberc child to go to a temple was nearly impossible.
Besides, the temple was very far away, not a path for a small child.
“…A temple. Impossible. What could a six-year-old have to do there?”
“To pray to God for her sick father,” Emmet replied.
The duke fell silent for a moment.
Such a tiny child, yet so dutiful.
Clasid… that kid is better than me.
Later…
After finishing the desserts, Lilia walked down the main building’s long hallway, shaking Marit’s dress.
“Marit, can’t we ride a carriage to the summer palace?”
Marit carried a basket of cookies and madeleines packed by the chef.
“Shall we? Miss, you ate so much earlier, and you’re taking all these cookies too? How cute.”
“Hehe, yes! Emergency rations!”
She had actually saved them for Noah.
Since meeting him, Lilia couldn’t stop worrying if he was safe, or if the lodge caretaker was being mean to him.
‘His eyes looked sore… I need to check on him today.’
While Lilia waited, Marit sent another servant to fetch a carriage.
The coachman was Ralph.
Perfect.
But Marit would never take her through the dangerous North Gate.
Lilia would have to sneak out quietly on her own, just like last time…
Not knowing Lilia’s plan, Marit loaded the cookie basket into the carriage and offered her hand.
“Miss, time for your nap at the palace. Hop in.”
Lilia took her teddy bear from her bag, hid it, and kept up her act.
“Oh, Marit… what should I do? I think I lost my teddy in the main building.”
“Oh my, it really is gone.”
“Ugh, where did it go?”
“Don’t worry. Go back to the palace first. I’ll find it for you.”
“Thanks…”
As Marit moved away, Lilia whispered in her heart,
‘Sorry, Marit!’
Lilia quickly climbed into the carriage and spoke to the coachman.
“Coachman! Please drop me off at the East Gate again, like last time.”
She carefully passed the North Gate and waited in the shade of a tree for Noah.
Twenty minutes had already passed.
She had wandered around the nearby stream, then returned to the tree.
Of course, she hadn’t set an exact meeting time, so it was normal she hadn’t found him yet.
“I’ll leave the cookie basket under the tree.”
“Psst!”
Kiki sniffed and tried to approach the basket, but Lilia stopped him.
Though disappointed she couldn’t meet Noah, she still wanted him to get the treats.
‘He’ll know I came, right?’
Lilia left the basket and quietly walked around.
She had been lucky to sneak out before, but fooling the North Gate soldiers every time would be difficult.
“I need a secret way to come and go… maybe a small passage or tunnel.”
She naturally looked at Kiki.
The ferret’s long body could fit through narrow spaces.
“Kiki, please. Find me a small hole to go through here.”
Kiki quickly turned his head. It looked like he might refuse, but then he extended his tiny paw.
“…What? You want jerky?”
“Psst!”
“Okay, ten pieces! No, twenty! I know the chef now! I wonder how the master chef’s jerky tastes.”
Lilia teased him, and Kiki’s eyes sparkled.
“Psst! Chup!”
From that day, Kiki began acting on his own.
A few hours later…
A boy’s shadow stretched as he came over the hill.
Swollen face, split lip, limping leg. Not a single part unhurt.
Today, Uncle Humbltin was especially irritable.
“I told you, don’t open that cursed eye, no matter what!”
Because he accidentally removed his blindfold and opened his eyes, the frail boy was beaten violently.
But that didn’t matter.
It didn’t happen often, and once used to it, he could endure.
Still, Humbltin’s next threat made him nervous.
“If you don’t listen next time, I’ll put this on your ankle!”
It was a heavy metal shackle, used for slaves or criminals.
Noah hated it more than death itself, so he decided to stay very quiet.
Coming to rest under a tree as usual, Noah was startled.
Something unusual caught his eye.
A basket with ribbons and lace.
He instinctively remembered the girl he had seen.
He tried not to look, but couldn’t help it.
The little girl with pink hair and green eyes.
Noah, still cautious, carefully lifted the basket lid with his wooden sword.
A rich, savory smell drifted out, making him hungry.
He remembered the cookies she had given last time.
Even though they were simple baked flour treats, the flavor had been new and delicious.
Instinctively, he took a bite. Crispy, savory, and a little sweet.
Noah blinked, stunned.
‘How can it taste even better than last time?’
He quickly finished all the treats in the basket, then stared at the empty basket before disappearing somewhere.
