Chapter 48
“Of course I’d recognize her. What parent wouldn’t recognize their own daughter?”
“Do you even realize how different a seven-year-old and a thirteen-year-old are? Even if you grew up in the same environment, there’s a world of difference. And besides—”
“No. If it’s the parents, it’s different. No matter what form their child takes, they’ll recognize them. A parent just knows.”
“So you’re saying that if some stranger suddenly showed up one day claiming to be your child—one you never even knew existed—you’d be able to tell whether it was true or not?”
“That’s a bit of a different case… but probably, yeah. It’s not something you judge with your head. It’s instinct.”
“You? Talking about instinct when you’ve never even married?”
Rabian’s sharp retort carried a faint curve at the corner of his eyes—something between mockery and a reluctant smile. It was the kind of laughter that slipped out unconsciously, amused at the other’s cliché words, but not entirely displeased by them.
“…Maybe so.”
The penthouse had over ten rooms, including Nina’s bedroom, though most of them were locked, so the girls couldn’t look around much.
Still, after wandering about together in good spirits and completing a rough “tour,” they returned to Nina’s bedroom.
“Hey, can I try lying down here?”
“Mm, of course.”
“Thanks. Wow, this is amazing.”
Katya flopped onto the bed with an exaggerated groan like an old lady. Her tousled tangerine-colored hair scattered across the sheets.
Nina smiled, then suddenly asked:
“By the way, did anyone tell you where your room is?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, no one’s said anything.”
“Then why don’t you just stay with me? You’re here to be my caretaker anyway.”
The moment Nina perched on the edge of the bed, Katya shot upright, her deep blue eyes widening.
“Wait—are you serious?”
“Yeah. Don’t want to?”
“Of course I want to! I was just worried you wouldn’t like it.”
Katya shook her head with all her might, then beamed with a bright, carefree smile.
“So this is the bathroom, right? Then this must be the dressing room? …Huh? Why’s it empty?”
Her genuine curiosity made Nina a little embarrassed.
The only clothes she owned here were a few ready-made outfits Mercy had bought her earlier.
‘It’s enough, I guess…’
She had little experience picking clothes she actually liked, and with her circumstances, she hadn’t thought much of it.
But seeing Katya dressed up in a cute maid outfit that transformed her appearance so completely, Nina couldn’t help wondering if she herself might look better in something like that.
“I actually only got here recently too. They said we’ll go shopping this weekend.”
“Oh, so that’s what they meant! Anyway, shopping sounds fun. I love even just watching.”
And then—
“Dinner’s hereee~!”
A bizarrely loud, drawling voice echoed through the hall, both gruff and playful at once.
Nina and Katya exchanged a glance, then burst into muffled giggles before hurrying out together.
“I’m starving.”
“Me too.”
“Wanna race to see who gets there first?”
“Hey, wait, that’s cheating!”
Katya dashed ahead, but Nina quickly caught up, golden curls—still damp from earlier—fluttering behind her.
The fragrant breeze of Nina’s hair brushed past Katya, who instinctively reached out toward the shimmering strands.
“I’m gonna grab your hair!”
“Kyaa! Don’t!”
Laughing, the two burst into the kitchen, where—unsurprisingly—the same pigtail-wearing gang member who had played tag with them at the playground was setting the table alongside the silent man in the leather mask.
“Welcome, little ladies,” Pigtails greeted warmly, flashing a toothy smile.
Nina cheerfully chimed back, “Mister… what are your names?”
“You can call me Lisa. That one over there is Günter.”
At the mention of his name, Günter gave Nina a startle and raised his thumb. Whether he couldn’t speak or simply preferred silence was unclear.
Meanwhile, Katya peeked at the table and gasped.
“Wow, this looks delicious!”
The meal was simple—pumpkin soup with roasted peanuts, white bread, potato salad, and veal steak—but for two young girls, it was a veritable feast.
Through the wall of glass behind them, the glittering city nightscape shone like a luxury restaurant backdrop.
Katya stared dreamily out the window before murmuring:
“It’ll be even more amazing during the festival.”
“Festival?”
“Yeah. The Carnival’s coming up soon. Didn’t your hometown have one this time of year?”
“I’m… not sure.”
Nina avoided the question, sliding into her chair. She knew the capital held a Carnival around this season, but she had never gone herself.
Katya turned to her, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Then why don’t we all go together this year? Not just the two of us, of course, but—”
“Oh my, wouldn’t that be fun? The Boss is planning to go to the capital for the festival. Why not ask his permission?” Lisa interrupted excitedly.
The room fell silent.
Nina blinked wide-eyed. Katya, who had been about to say “ah,” froze. Even Lisa’s friendly smile faltered.
“…What did you just say?”
“Well… um—”
“So everyone knew… except me?”
Nina’s pale blue eyes trembled in shock.
Katya’s face tightened. She had only learned of it by chance, when she noticed a peculiar clause in her contract. She hadn’t thought Nina would still be unaware.
“I—I just found out by accident. Maybe he didn’t tell you yet because it’s not certain.”
“Y-yeah, we only heard it secondhand, too,” Lisa chimed in quickly.
But their words didn’t reach Nina.
Her eyes shook like an earthquake.
‘Did Rabian go to the capital around this time in the dream too?’
It was pointless to recall—her dream-self had barely interacted with him back then, knowing nothing of his movements.
That Rabian would head to the capital wasn’t strange. There was the Duke Cerny matter, and he needed to grasp the palace atmosphere.
The problem was that everyone else clearly knew—while she alone had been left in the dark.
The excitement that had been bubbling inside her deflated instantly.
‘Why would he tell Katya and not me? And if he goes… how long will he be gone?’
Her heart sank, leaving her gloomy and dispirited.
Nina’s lips tightened, appetite vanishing.
Günter, in the middle of slicing steak into bite-sized pieces, glanced at her with concern. Katya and Lisa both looked stricken.
‘Well… I am technically a hostage. Maybe he planned to explain later, since this involves the palace.’
Maybe she’d hear the full story over the weekend.
Steeling herself, Nina forced her face into calmness, shoved a piece of steak into her mouth—
—and immediately grimaced.
“Ugh…”
“W-what’s wrong? Is it bad?” Lisa asked gently.
Nina shook her head quickly.
“No, I just bit my tongue by accident.”
“Oh dear, then chew slowly, carefully.”
“Okay.”
But it wasn’t her tongue.
The moment she chewed into the juicy steak, her teeth throbbed painfully. The meat wasn’t even tough.
‘A cavity?’
She had never had one before. She thought she brushed properly… but the idea that she might really have a cavity made her stomach twist.
‘Nothing ever goes right.’
Truly, nothing at all.
That night, Nina locked herself in the bathroom and brushed her teeth furiously—until her gums went numb and bled.
