Chapter 21
Eluana sat on the windowsill of the study, tapping the window with her finger. Outside, a lavender garden rippled like waves in the breeze. If she opened the window, the scent of lavender soaked in the season would come drifting in—a small yearning stirred within her.
Of course, the fragrant lavender oil Cindy had applied to her hair still gave off a rich, deep aroma. But it wasn’t the same as what the wind could carry.
Leaning her head against the window, Eluana thought of Arden.
The two-story house filled with memories, the lavender garden, the forge blazing with heat, the cool, sweet spring water, the forest paths between thick trees, the squirrels Louis used to chase, and the neighbors’ kind greetings.
Those were days filled with small, beautiful things.
She was fifteen, and though her life hadn’t been long, everything Eluana loved was in Arden.
Once the upcoming Flos Festival began, Eluana would be officially recognized as an adult. From then on, she’d be allowed to work in her own name. She had dreamed of peacefully living her life, making swords and farming tools, and watching Louis grow up.
Would it still be possible if she returned to Arden with Louis now?
‘…Probably not.’
Eluana knew. That life was no longer an option.
She didn’t want a life on the run. She hated war even more. And she absolutely didn’t want Louis to be hurt. So the only choice was to live as the adopted daughter of the Duke of Spes.
That decision had been made the moment she took the Duke’s hand and walked out of prison.
‘I don’t regret it, but…’
A storm of indescribable emotions swept over her and scattered. Eluana tried to picture what life would be like as the Spes family’s adopted daughter.
There were two paths: live quietly under the Duke’s protection or become his successor and step forward.
The first path seemed safe on the surface, but it carried the greatest risk. That peace would last only as long as the Duke lived.
Stella had died at 9, Ron at 14. Eluana knew well that the Duke—who would soon officially become her adoptive father—could die suddenly, too.
Her thoughts gradually leaned toward the second choice. Rather than relying on power, it was clearly better to become someone who held it.
‘It’s obviously not going to be easy.’
Maybe Eluana was walking straight into the fire on her own. She sighed softly, imagining her final moments as ashes blowing in the wind.
‘That’s enough thinking for now.’
She steadied herself. She had decided to tell Louis about their mother.
‘Will he really understand?’
Even she was struggling to accept it emotionally, so trying to explain it to Louis felt daunting. But one way or another, he had to be told. Louis was also of the Cantio line, and he needed to know the truth to be prepared—for anything.
Eluana stepped down from the windowsill and opened the study door. Seeing no one in the sitting room, she was about to go look for Louis when the door suddenly burst open.
A head of beloved pink hair popped through the open door.
“Nuna!”
A gentle smile naturally curved Eluana’s lips.
“You’re back?”
“I went to look at the garden. It’s really big! There’s even a huge statue!”
Louis raised both hands high in the air as he spoke, clearly excited.
“I need to tell you something.”
“Okay.”
Louis rushed over and grabbed Eluana’s skirt. His round pink eyes looking up at her were absolutely adorable. After a few days of proper meals, his cheeks had filled out again, and his face looked smooth and healthy. His soft, fluffy hair had also regained its shine.
Determined not to make Louis suffer again, Eluana gathered her thoughts and began her story. A long tale, connected to the thousand-year history of the empire, slowly unfolded and ended with a simple, “That’s how it happened.”
Eluana anxiously waited for Louis’s reaction.
‘Did he really understand? I hope he’s not frightened…’
Louis blinked a few times, then nodded.
“So that’s why. I get it, Nuna.”
“Huh?”
“You looked like you had a lot on your mind. Now I understand.”
Seeing him nodding, Eluana quickly added,
“The name ‘Stella’ might be common, but talking about Mom could put us in danger. So we have to keep her name a secret.”
“Okay. It’s a secret.”
His answer was calm. Eluana wasn’t sure if he truly understood.
Do six-year-olds usually grasp things this well? She knew he was smart for his age, but wasn’t this too mature?
As Eluana puzzled over it, Louis slowly turned his head to look at a portrait in the study.
“She’s our mom, right?”
“Yes.”
“But in the painting at home, her hair was brown.”
“She dyed it in Arden.”
“I see. So Mom was originally blonde. She’s pretty. She looks like you.”
Normally, someone would say you look like your mom, but Louis saw things the other way around. Since his only image of their mother came from a portrait, for him, his sister came first.
“Right… So you understand? Mom had royal Cantio blood. That means you and I do too.”
“Yeah. We’re the last of the Cantios, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll be careful. We can’t get found out.”
“Exactly. We need to stay cautious.”
“You be careful too, Nuna. They say if we don’t die ‘naturally,’ natural disasters will happen.”
“…Yeah. I will.”
Only after answering did Eluana realize something felt off. Watching the composed Louis, her confusion deepened.
Since arriving at the ducal estate, Louis seemed more mature. Could the trauma from being imprisoned have made him into a child who no longer showed surprise? Eluana felt guilty for not protecting him better.
As Eluana’s face darkened, Louis looked at her directly.
“Don’t feel sorry for me. I don’t want your pity.”
“Huh?”
“Just love me.”
“Of course I love you.”
“That’s all I need.”
Louis dove into Eluana’s arms and rubbed his face against her. As she gently stroked his soft hair, the storm in her heart began to calm.
‘Maybe I’m the one who’s been unstable.’
Eluana sighed, patting his back out of habit. Had she really looked so anxious that even this little one had noticed?
At this rate, who was protecting whom?
“I’ll protect you,” came a small murmur from her arms.
A smile bloomed on her lips.
“So reassuring. My Louis is the best.”
If Ron had seen this, he would’ve sniffled and said, “My child is so smart.” It was one of those days she missed Ron more than usual.
✦✦✦
Cindy carefully opened the door to the Lavender Room. Eluana, who had been reading a thick book that could double as a pillow, looked up. Meeting Eluana’s questioning gaze, Cindy spoke immediately.
“How would you like your meal, miss?”
“I’ll eat in the room with Louis.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Cindy gave a short reply and turned to leave the Lavender Room.
Her steps down the hallway were light. She’d been worried Eluana might say she’d eat in the dining room. As she rounded the hallway corner, Maggie’s eyes sparkled.
“What did she say?”
“She’ll eat in her room. We’re feasting today.”
“That’s nice, but… won’t we get caught like this?”
Unlike the confident Cindy, Maggie looked nervous.
“It’s fine. We snuck two extra plates out this morning and no one noticed. Go get Jane too.”
Leaving Maggie with her assignment, Cindy headed downstairs proudly. She told the chef, “They’ll eat in their room,” then returned to the third floor.
In a tucked-away corner of the third floor was a secondary kitchen, connected to the main kitchen below by a food lift. Cindy’s job was to wait by the lift, retrieve food from the main kitchen, and deliver it to the guest rooms.
Inside the small kitchen, Cindy hummed as she admired the arranged teapots, cups, and tea leaves. Soon, a green light lit up on the lift. Inside was a full tray of dishes for Eluana and Louis. Cindy carefully unloaded each one until the counter was packed.
Lowering the lift again, she looked over the food and grinned widely.
“What should I eat today?”
Skip the bread, pass on the stew, no to the salad.
She stacked the less appetizing dishes on the upper tray and scooped about half of the smoked salmon onto a new plate.
“Definitely having this.”
The smoked herring from last time hadn’t been great, but she had high hopes for the salmon—it was her first time trying it. She also picked out fruits she hadn’t tasted before, leaving half and returning the rest to the tray.
And now—the main dish: steak.
Cindy had never dared touch the main course until now.
“But it’s beef.”
Grilled steak was a rare delicacy. Especially beef—who knew when she’d get to taste it again?
“There are two plates. Taking one should be fine.”
Just as she boldly took one steak plate, Maggie returned with Jane, eyes wide.
“That’s the main dish!”
Cindy, eyes sparkling, held out the steak.
“You’ve never had steak, right? This one’s ours.”
“C-Can we really?”
“Don’t worry. She’s a country girl—probably doesn’t even know what nobles eat daily. She asked if we eat like this all the time, and I said, ‘Only because guests are here.’ She won’t suspect a thing.”
“If we get caught, we’re dead.”
“Then we won’t get caught.”
Jane, who had been watching silently, stepped in and grabbed a knife from under the counter. Carefully slicing the meat, she popped a piece into Cindy’s mouth.
“How is it?”
Cindy’s eyes sparkled.
“It melts in your mouth. You guys have to try it!”
Jane and Maggie each tasted a bite.
“It’s amazing. The juices!”
“So this is what nobles eat…”
In no time, the steak was gone. The smoked salmon that followed was just as heavenly.
“This is too good.”
“I could die happy now. Thanks, Cindy!”
Jane’s praise made Cindy beam with pride.
“Meet here again for breakfast tomorrow. Don’t show any signs when you go back to your rooms.”
“Of course. Don’t worry. But seriously, that was incredible.”
Jane longingly eyed the last steak still on the tray. Cindy felt the same. The flavor lingered stubbornly in her mouth.
Eventually, Cindy picked up the remaining plate.
“We might as well eat it all.”
“What if we get caught?”
Maggie was still anxious, but Cindy smiled confidently and grabbed a knife.
“It’s fine. They wouldn’t even notice if we spat in the stew. I actually did that at lunch.”
Giggling, Cindy sliced the steak into thirds and popped the pieces into their mouths without hesitation.
Chewing happily, they cleaned the tray and realized quite some time had passed. Everything else was okay—but the stew had gone cold.
“Should we reheat it?”
Maggie asked, but Cindy waved her off.
“Nah, it’s fine. Not a big deal. I’m heading off.”
Even as she pushed the tray away, Cindy’s steps remained light.
