Chapter 32
When we arrived at the market, I helped the children disembark from the carriage one by one, making sure none of them got hurt.
The children, who had been so eager to follow me, seemed a little intimidated once we actually arrived. Even Jack was cautiously scanning the surroundings.
It made sense; it had been a long time since the children had gone out on such a proper excursion. Excitement mixed with fear was natural.
I watched them for a moment, then took Cloanne’s hand in my left hand and Edie’s in my right.
Both children looked up at me at the same time. Cloanne’s eyes widened in surprise.
“What’s this?”
“W-Warden?”
Edie, too, seemed flustered, as this was the first time I had held her hand like this. Ren, Roddy, and Jack were watching us from nearby.
I smiled gently at the children and said,
“It would be a big problem if anyone got lost, so let’s all hold hands from here on.”
“W-what?”
“Hands?”
“I-I don’t want to!”
Unlike the other children, who just tilted their heads in confusion, Cloanne shouted and tried to pull her hand away.
This kind of contact, with anyone other than Ren, was unfamiliar to her.
But I didn’t let go of Cloanne’s hand.
To advance a relationship, you need to balance pushing and pulling. We had maintained a proper distance until now, so it was time to pull.
Above all, Cloanne was the most high-risk child on today’s outing. If I didn’t keep hold of her hand, she might disappear out of curiosity at any moment.
That didn’t mean I intended to forcibly restrain her—that would only provoke more resistance.
I gave Ren a subtle look. Ren, who blinked in response, soon understood my signal and grabbed Cloanne’s other hand.
Cloanne, struggling to break free from me, looked at Ren in surprise.
Ren smiled brightly and said,
“Let’s hold hands like this, Cloanne.”
“…Ugh.”
Cloanne’s face flushed at Ren’s cheerful smile. With both hands held, she lowered her head.
She no longer tried to pull her hand away from me. I looked at Ren with gratitude, and Ren smiled back.
“Edie, could you hold Roddy’s hand? Roddy is younger, so it would be good if you and Jack watch over him.”
“Ah… okay.”
Edie responded, glancing awkwardly at Roddy.
Although Edie had become close to the children at the orphanage, she was still somewhat awkward around Roddy, who idolized Ren.
Roddy had spent most of his time following Ren, so he had little time with Edie.
“Um, Roddy… shall we hold hands with your sister?” Edie asked cautiously, her face full of concern about whether Roddy would refuse. I, too, watched Roddy with a slightly tense expression.
I worried that Roddy might insist on holding Ren’s hand instead.
Of course, it would have been fine for him to hold Ren’s hand, but Ren was already occupied with Cloanne. This was a chance for Roddy and Edie to grow closer.
“Okay!”
Fortunately, Roddy held Edie’s hand tightly without complaint.
Edie’s eyes widened in surprise at Roddy’s sudden closeness. Roddy looked up at her and smiled brightly.
I felt an inexplicable warmth in my chest, struck by Roddy’s cuteness.
Finally, Jack, who had been watching, took Roddy’s other hand on his own.
Thus, a line of connected hands was formed, with me in the middle.
Having visited the market several times before, I led the children to places I thought they would enjoy. The first stop was the toy store.
The children couldn’t take their eyes off the rows of toys stacked to the ceiling.
I told them to each pick a toy they liked. After some time, Cloanne chose a leather ball, Ren a needle and thread, Edie a cute rabbit doll, Roddy a toy sword, and Jack a set of darts.
I looked at Edie’s doll with satisfaction but was surprised by the sword Roddy had chosen.
Roddy was holding a sword as big as his torso with both arms.
Knowing that in the future Roddy would become a gladiator to protect Ren, I looked at him with complex feelings and asked,
“Do you like swords, Roddy?”
“Yes!”
“Why do you like swords?”
“Because I want to protect.”
Roddy looked up at me with clear blue eyes, moving his lips as he spoke.
“With Ren, Edie, Cloanne, Jack… and also…”
Counting on his fingers, Roddy suddenly smiled brightly and said,
“Warden, I will protect you too.”
Though only seven, Roddy was unusually small for his age, looking more like a five-year-old.
Seeing such a tiny child smile widely and declare he would protect me stirred an indescribable feeling within me.
How should I describe it? Overwhelming affection? A poignant sense of responsibility for someone so small?
I looked at Roddy with a complex expression and gently brushed back his golden hair. His twin locks got slightly messy under my touch.
“I’ll protect you too. Roddy, Edie, Ren, Cloanne, Jack.”
I would make sure that none of them would be hurt, lost, or forced into a situation where they would get wounded as gladiators protecting Ren.
“I’ll definitely protect you.”
Roddy, seeing the determination in my eyes, smiled brightly and nodded.
“Yes!”
I felt an unfamiliar warmth in my heart.
After leaving the toy store, the children and I went to a bookstore. To avoid intimidating them, we entered a small, quiet bookstore instead of a large one.
“Welcome.”
“We came to browse for books for the children.”
An elderly man, who had been dozing in a chair, nodded and gestured inside.
“There aren’t many customers anyway, so feel free to look around.”
“Thank you.”
After instructing the children to behave, I began choosing books myself.
‘It’s strange. The script is completely unfamiliar, yet it feels somehow readable.’
The curly script, reminiscent of Arabic, seemed to naturally translate in my mind. For someone who couldn’t even read English properly, reading the Imperial language still felt miraculous.
“Oh, this book…”
I found a book about herbs and flowers. Without realizing it, I began flipping through the pages.
‘If I learn more about these herbs, it might help when making tea bags later…’
Perhaps some of the herbs would appeal to Duke Clayman.
As I eagerly turned the pages, I suddenly realized,
“…What am I doing right now?”
I sighed and put the book back.
Was this really the time to leisurely study tea bags, with a banquet tomorrow and long-term plans to consider?
Yet…
My gaze kept returning to the book.
I couldn’t help thinking of Duke Clayman, who kept saying he liked the scent of tea bags.
“…Ugh…”
Finally, I made up my mind and took the book I had set aside earlier.
“Not just for the Duke… I’m genuinely interested too. Maybe I’ll discover some good herbs for the children…”
Muttering to myself, I carefully tucked the book under my arm.
After browsing a few more places, I checked on the children to ensure they were choosing books properly and not causing any trouble.
‘Hmm, they’re choosing quietly. That’s a relief.’
Cloanne, my main concern, was still blushing, holding Ren’s hand tightly. Edie was reading a storybook to Roddy—a heartwarming sight.
I nodded in satisfaction but suddenly noticed an empty spot.
I looked around for Jack and soon found him.
Jack was standing in a dark corner by a window, reading a book.
Unlike the lively surroundings, Jack’s spot was quiet and dim. His dark skin blended into the shadows, almost disappearing.
I quietly approached him, and he didn’t notice me coming.
I stopped three steps away and silently observed him, not wanting to disturb his reading.
Then, the title of the book caught my eye:
“History of the Royal Family and the Central Nobility Almanac.”
It was an ordinary history book, but perhaps because it was Jack reading it, I hesitated to approach.
His gaze was calm and low, and even the way he turned the pages was precise.
Yet somehow, he seemed fragile to me. As if he might collapse at any moment.
Hesitant, I took two more steps closer.
Jack still hadn’t noticed me; he was deeply engrossed.
“…Do you like that book?”
“Ah.”
Only when I spoke did Jack realize I was there. He quickly closed the book.
I looked at the closed book, then back at Jack. His brown eyes wavered before shaking his head.
“No, I was just curious and flipping through it.”
“If you like it, I’ll buy it for you.”
Jack stared at me for a moment. His brown eyes held a more favorable light than before but still weren’t fully open to me.
After a brief moment, he shook his head.
“It’s not very interesting. You don’t have to buy it.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Jack firmly nodded, returned the book to the shelf, and went back to the other children.
He began selecting storybooks suitable for Roddy, who was smaller than the others.
Though this was Jack’s usual, everyday behavior, I had noticed the brief flicker of emotion he had shown me.
I turned my gaze and pulled the book he had placed back from the shelf, opening the page marked with his finger.
