“It’s okay Theo, don’t cry the fever will rise again.”

Charlotte picked up Theo and moved towards the laboratory where Sir Ahin was.

Sir Ahin was surprised and treated Theo.

The knee that was bleeding was healed and the scratches on his palm were completely gone.

When the blood and dirt were wiped off with a wet towel, Theo’s hands and knees became completely clean as if he had never been hurt before.

However, the crying did not stop during and after the treatment.

“Theo, are you still in pain?”

In response to Charlotte’s question, Theo nodded, the pain in Theo’s knee and  hands was gone, but something was still hurting him.

Charlotte asks Emma to bring the milk mixed with chocolate to calm Theo down.

However, Theo couldn’t even drink his favorite chocolate milk.

The moment the baby’s sad tears fell on the milk, Theo finally opened his mouth.

“Sister.”

“yes ?”

Theo’s pronunciation was unclear as he gasped. Charlotte listened carefully so as not to miss any of the baby’s words.

“Sister… you… why isn’t Sister not Theo’s mother?”

It seemed that Charlotte had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer when he asked her an unexpected question. It was a big shock.

Then Theo asked again.

“Theo… why, hick… mom.”

“…….”

“Where’s Theo’s mom?”

Charlotte could not answer. Perhaps that’s because his question could not be answered easily, not just for her.

The answer to Theo’s question was simple.

Theo’s mother, the former Duchess, died suddenly two years ago of sudden weakness. This was the reason why Theo did not have a mother now.

But is the answer really that simple? Charlotte didn’t think so. It definitely sounded simple, but it is actually a very deep and complex answer.

Will Theo, who waved his hand at Sir Heather’s funeral, understand his mother’s death, not knowing that Sir Heather was dead?

As it’s often the case, can Theo understand when you tell him that his mother is in heaven?

“Sister, where’s Theo’s mother?”

Theo grabbed Charlotte’s skirt as if to urge her to speak.

Charlotte looked at Theo and bit her lip. Because Theo’s face looked so sad.

He looked like a wounded little monster, it was the saddest expression Charlotte had ever seen.

And soon the child’s words changed from a question to a statement.

“Theo’s mother is not there.”

“Theo….”

All Charlotte could do was hug Theo tightly.

‘I didn’t know he would miss her.’

The former Duchess of Heinst died less than a year after Theo was born.

He had just started saying the word “mom”.

The kid who was always crying to find his mother couldn’t remember her face anymore.

Because he didn’t spend much time with her.

Nowadays, the word ‘Brother’ is probably more familiar to him than the word ‘mom’.

But just because he doesn’t remember her doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss her.

“Danny and Toto have a mother.”

After Charlotte heard Theo’s whisper, she had to find out why Theo cried so bitterly last night.

It’s not like Theo sympathized with Toto, he was envious of Toto. Toto has a mother and he doesn’t.

‘Why didn’t I notice?’

Theo expressed his longing for her with all his body, but she was not aware of it.

I thought he never missed her because he doesn’t remember her.

How much does a three-year-old miss his mother to the point that he hasn’t been able to eat properly?

Theo cried in Charlotte’s arms. Only today did I feel that little Theo is even smaller.

“Theo.”

“Aung.”

“Do you want to go see your mother?”

This was the only consolation Charlotte could give to a young child crying over the loss of his mother.

***

Charlotte took Theo who was crying and went to see Robert.

“I would like to see the photo of the former duchess, is that possible?”

“What happened all of a sudden….”

Upon her strange question, Robert looked at Theo with confused eyes, roughly examining the situation and instructing Charlotte.

“This way.”

Then we headed to the room at the end of the hallway on the second floor. Apparently it was locked, so Robert pulled out the key and put it in the hole.

Charlotte asked before the door opened fully.

“I think it’s a place where anyone can come in, is it okay to enter?”

“This room is usually locked because there is no one to enter it. Most of all, the Young Master wants to see it, so there is nothing I can do.”

He opened the door for Charlotte and took a step back.

“I’ll wait outside, call me if you need something.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As soon as Charlotte entered the door was closed. It was dark inside because the curtains were closed.

Charlotte lowered Theo to the floor and pulled the curtains. There was no dust on the curtains because the room was constantly being cleaned.

Once the blinds were removed, the light of the autumn sunlight poured into the darkened room.

“Ah.”

Frowning briefly from the sudden light, Charlotte turned her back to Theo’s exclamation behind her.

“wow .”

After the scene unfolded in front of her, Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief.

The large room that looked like four of her room was filled with pictures. The four walls were covered with paintings.

Theo jumped excitedly as if he hadn’t ever cried today.

“Theo, is this your first time here?”

“yes!”

Didn’t Carcel bring him here? So, Theo had never seen his mother’s picture before?

But Charlotte did not blame him or criticize him.

Likewise, Carcel who lost his mother definitely had a hard time because he didn’t show his mother’s picture to Theo.

Perhaps he wanted Theo to be unaware of his mother’s presence. If he didn’t know she existed,maybe he thought his little brother wouldn’t miss her.

Or perhaps it was too painful for him to even think about his mother.

Either way, Charlotte was in no position to argue.

‘By the way, how do I find a picture of the Duchess here?’

Pictures of grandparents were hung in order, but pictures of other family members were hung according to their size and achievements.

It was not easy for Charlotte, not knowing the face of the Duchess, to find her photo.

‘Should I ask Robert?’

Contrary to her fears, Charlotte managed , by looking around with her complicated heart, to easily find a portrait of the Duchess.

To be exact ,I managed to find a family photo, there was both familiar and unfamiliar face.

She walked towards the large painting on the wall facing the window.

Her gaze was focused on the child sitting to the right of the long sofa.

His hair was as black as the night and his eyes were purple, as if it studded with transparent amethysts.

A pale white face contrasted with black hair. Although his eyes were sharp, he had a cute impression.

‘… Carcel?’

His slightly atrophied appearance was a little different from what it is now, but his face was similar to that of Carcel.

‘he looks a little different than he does now.’

Charlotte had to think for a moment if he was the real Carcel, who looked completely different from now.

It was the necklace hanging around the child’s neck that made her sure.

Half of the necklace that was hanging around his waist that he shared with Charlotte.

I looked at the appearance of the former Duke Heinst for the first time.

He looked like little Carcel in black hair, eyes and facial features.

The former duke, who was said to be a skilled knight, also had the present Carcel strong impression.

‘I think Carcel will have a face like this in ten years.’

Charlotte turned her gaze to the Duchess who was standing next to him .

On the contrary, the Duchess with her blonde hair and purple eyes looked a lot like Theo. She looked really pretty with round eyes and soft lips.

‘I think she was a good person.’

The character can’t be judged only by the image, but somehow she felt it.

If she was still alive, she would have loved Theo so much and cared for him.

Charlotte kept looking at the photo as if to promise the duchess.

“I will take good care of him.”

Charlotte called Theo, muttering to herself a promise that could never be delivered.

“Theo, would you like to come here for a moment?”

Theo, who was noisily walking around the room, grabbed Charlotte’s side. He mumbled while looking at the picture.

“… Brother?”

Charlotte sat down with her knees on the floor, Theo’s eye level.

“That’s right, it’s Carcel.”

But unlike Charlotte, who pointed at baby Carcel, Theo pointed to the Duke behind him.

“Brother!”

“no, not him .”

Charlotte took the child’s hand and lowered it slightly.

This child is your brother Carcel.

Theo looked at Charlotte with a puzzled face.

“But isn’t Brother an adult?”

“This is a picture that was drawn when your brother was as young as Theo, isn’t it weird?”

“Aung.”

Charlotte raised Theo’s hand again toward the Duke.

“This is Theo’s father.”

“My father ?”

“Yes your father, do you remember your father?”

Theo tilted his head slightly and fell into his thoughts.

The former Duke of Heinst died only half a year ago. Clearly, Theo had a memory of him in his mind.

But what Theo remembers is the appearance of a duke twenty years older. He has white hair and wrinkles around his eyes.

The child can hardly match the appearance of his father who knows him and the appearance of the duke in the picture.

Finally, Theo shook his head.

“That’s not my father.”

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