Chapter 9 — English Translation
“Uuung…”
Flitta wiggled her fingers and rolled her eyes around. Then, as the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, she quickly hid behind the nearby pillar.
The child’s pale white face disappeared behind it. Not long after, some of the household staff passed by.
“…Phew.”
Only after she was alone again did Flitta quietly step out from behind the pillar. She glanced left and right to make sure no one was around and let out a small sigh.
“Scary…”
It was scary, unfamiliar, and awkward.
She didn’t have many ways to describe it—she was just a child, after all. But that didn’t mean her emotions were any less complex. Still, Flitta lumped all her feelings into that one word: scary, and pouted.
She was bored. This place where everyone wore black was even more boring and scary than home.
“…Daddy.”
It would’ve been better if her father were here, at least.
To Flitta, “Daddy” was someone scary—but also someone good. He didn’t play with her. He was cold and stiff. But…
“…M, Mom.”
Flitta crouched down with her back against the pillar. She rolled an unfamiliar word around in her mouth for a moment, then nervously said it out loud.
“…Mom.”
“Mom… Everyone else has one. Why don’t I?”
That was what Flitta had been wondering and struggling with the most lately.
“What kind of person was Mom?”
“Why did she leave me?”
“Did she abandon me? Did she leave because she hated me?”
She had no memories of her mother. And no one ever spoke to her about her.
One day, she’d asked her nanny about her mother—only to get scolded.
「She was a lowly commoner! How could you say you want to see someone like that? You are a noble child of the Guenters, the daughter of His Grace the Grand Duke. That is all that matters. Do you understand?」
The nanny had grabbed both of her shoulders and pressed her. Frightened by her forceful tone, Flitta had nodded and said she understood—without really understanding anything at all.
After that, whenever she did something wrong, the nanny would blame it on her “lowly” blood and attribute it to her mother.
So Flitta stopped talking about her mother altogether. She didn’t want to get her mother in trouble because of her. She felt sorry.
“…Uuung.”
Tears welled up in Flitta’s light green eyes. The child curled into herself timidly, then shook her head hard. Trying to act brave, she spoke out loud.
“If I’m bored, I can just play by myself. I’m not a baby. I can play alone. Yeah. That’s right.”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, pushed strength into her legs, and stood up. Then, with an extra burst of energy, she dashed across the hallway, grabbed onto a window ledge, and looked outside.
“Wowww…”
Right then, a flock of birds soared across the sky outside. Flitta’s eyes widened in awe, and her little body twitched with excitement at each flap of their wings.
“I’m gonna go play with the birds!”
The birds were a welcome distraction from her boredom. Overjoyed, Flitta ran out of the building and started following the birds toward the royal mausoleum’s outskirts.
But no one noticed her slipping out toward the outer edge of the royal grounds. The entire household was busy entertaining royals and nobles gathered for the memorial service of the late king.
And even if someone had noticed her, no one would’ve bothered to stop her.
And so, Flitta, without anyone’s intervention, made her way alone to the lake on the outskirts of the royal mausoleum.
“…She must be there.”
Roze muttered to herself as she gazed at a distant building.
Fortunately, finding the royal mausoleum hadn’t been too difficult. Many people had gathered to mourn the late king.
Of course, not everyone could enter the mausoleum. It was a space reserved for royalty and nobility only. Commoners could only gather outside the boundary to offer prayers for the tragic young king.
Roze avoided the praying crowds and approached the fence that blocked outsiders. She began to slowly walk along it.
Beyond that fence were the child—and the man she once loved.
Just that thought made her heart pound. She remembered the child she saw in front of the Grand Duke’s estate—Flitta.
If only she could see her up close.
If only, just once, she could hold that small body in her arms.
Even though she knew it was a foolish desire, her yearning swelled within her. Roze clutched her clothes tightly.
“Huh? That child looks like she’s in danger!”
Just then, someone’s voice broke out. At the same time, Roze instinctively looked up.
“…Flitta.”
The child was toddling out from inside the mausoleum. Flitta. She wasn’t looking where she was going—her eyes were fixed on the sky as she headed toward the lake.
“No, don’t! Please, no!”
Roze’s face went pale. She started to panic, her feet dancing in place, afraid Flitta might fall into the lake. But Flitta, completely unaware of Roze’s concern, kept watching the birds and walked on, not seeing what was ahead.
“No!”
The moment Flitta stepped onto the wet ground and slipped into the lake, Roze leapt over the fence and ran toward her—all in the same instant.
The moment he heard the maid scream his daughter’s name, Heivon bolted out of the building.
What he saw was Flitta, lying limp and soaked on the ground.
She must have fallen into the lake—she was drenched from head to toe and her skin had turned a ghostly pale. Heivon’s eyes widened as he took a step forward.
He’d never spoken a kind word to her, but it didn’t mean he didn’t love her. He had been overwhelmed when he first learned about the child’s existence—but he had never hated her.
Heivon’s face twisted in pain, a sharp agony cutting through his chest, and he moved toward her. That’s when he noticed someone.
A woman bent over, constantly breathing into Flitta’s mouth.
Her damp brown hair dripped with water, and her skin was deathly pale, trembling with cold. But the woman didn’t seem to notice her own state and just kept trying to save the child.
But why?
The moment he saw her, the pain in his chest dulled into a deep ache. More than anything, he wanted to lift her chin and see her face.
“Y-Your Grace…! M-My lady, that woman—she’s touching the young lady…!”
The people who had been in shock snapped back to their senses when they saw the Grand Duke. One of them, eyes wide in outrage, stepped forward. Another rushed toward the woman and violently shoved her away.
“How dare a lowly woman lay hands on the young lady!”
One of the servants, watching Heivon for his reaction, quickly took initiative and kicked the woman—Roze—sending her body tumbling even further.
Now that the Grand Duke had appeared, they realized how dangerous the situation looked.
The Grand Duke’s daughter had fallen into a lake. Despite all the staff around, no one had protected her. To deflect the blame, they needed a scapegoat.
And there she was—the perfect target. Just her clothes alone made it obvious she was a commoner. And on top of that, she had dared to touch the young lady under the pretense of saving her…
“Impudent!”
No one cared that Roze had saved Flitta. No one even considered that she had touched the child only to resuscitate her. All they wanted was to escape blame.
They were about to kick her again—when Flitta let out a small cough.
“Cough!”
“M-My lady!”
“Lady Flitta! Are you all right?!”
As the servants panicked around her, Flitta coughed again and spat out water. Her breathing gradually steadied. And just like that, everyone’s attention shifted away from Roze.
Heivon, too, withdrew his gaze from her and gave a command.
“Take the child to the physician immediately. Have them check every detail of her condition.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
At his command, the staff rushed off with Flitta. Heivon watched his daughter being carried away on a servant’s back. Then his eyes returned to Roze.
Even though she was dripping wet, trembling from chills, and unable to stand after being kicked—her eyes remained fixed on the child.
…It was her.
Heivon was certain. She was the woman he had seen in the streets before. He didn’t know why she was here at the royal mausoleum—but he was sure she was the same woman.
“Your Grace.”
Just then, Fedwin approached Heivon. Heivon turned away from Roze.
He needed to check on his daughter first. Keeping his gaze forward, he spoke.
“I’m going to Flitta. I’ll see to her condition myself.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
Fedwin bowed and led the way toward the building where Flitta’s room was. The physician would be on their way as well. Heivon walked past Roze without a glance.
He didn’t realize that, gasping for breath, she had lifted her head and was looking right at him.
