Chapter 17: Mom?

As the sunlight shone glaringly onto my eyes, I gave up on lying down and got up.

“The sun has already risen.”

In the end, I couldn’t sleep a wink before the morning had come. Rubbing my sore eyes, I started my day a little earlier than usual.

I could barely remember how I’d gotten back to the bedroom yesterday.

When Theodore said that his brother had died when he was the age that Theodore was now, I was lost for words and didn’t know what to say.

Watching me like that, Theodore calmly said “let’s wash up and sleep early today. Tell the butler to deal with the dress. I have a lot to do, so I’m going to spend tonight in the study,” before disappearing.

After that, I hurried to wash up so that nobody would see my blood-stained state, and once done, crawled into my bed.

I thought I’d feel more comfortable since there was no one next to me to worry about, but the large bed unexpectedly felt lonely.

‘Since I woke up early, I should get ready and go see Selphi.’

Although I hadn’t heard that anything had happened during the night, I thought that confirming it for myself would put my mind at ease.

I grabbed the bell rope next to the bed and pulled it. Shortly after, I heard a knock.

“Come in,” I said while turning my stiff neck, to which the heavy bedroom door opened. The morning attending maids and Rebecca came in together. As soon as Rebecca saw me, she ran toward me with a worried face.

“Your Highness!”

“Ah, Rebecca. Yesterday, I…”

“I heard you were very sick yesterday! Sir Finneas told me. Are you okay?”

I had been worried about what kind of excuse to give Rebecca, but it seemed that Finneas had given a suitable excuse. And since it was the opinion of a doctor, there was no reason to suspect.

“I must have been tired.”

After giving a brief excuse, I patted my face with the warm towel the maids had brought. As the warmth spread across my face, it felt like all of my worries from last night were disappearing.

“Is it because of the poison from last time?”

With a long face that looked like she was about to cry at any moment, Rebecca mumbled, ‘my poor Grand Duchess’. I put on my dress with the help of the maids, before smiling toward the sad-looking Rebecca.

“Yesterday was really because I was tired, so don’t worry.”

“Although it’s a shame we won’t be able to go to the festival, it’d be best to rest at the estate for now. His Excellency will understand.”

After I finished putting the dress on, Rebecca guided me to sit in front of the dressing table, before picking an ornament.

“The festival?” I mumbled quietly, to which Rebecca’s hand stopped, turning to stare at me with a surprised expression.

“…Did you perhaps forget again?”

I’d completely forgotten about the festival. Oh yeah, a festival was opening, right?

Instead of replying, I smiled ambiguously, to which Rebecca’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

“Did you truly forget? His Excellency will really be upset this time!”

“I was pretty out of it since I was sick. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“His Excellency the Grand Duke is the hero of the festival!”

“I know, I know. I can just start getting ready for it now. When does the festival start again?”

“Today! It’s already started!”

Ah, it had already started?

As I smiled embarrassedly, Rebecca sighed, before picking out a necklace that would look good with my dress.

“What if His Excellency gets mad? I heard he’s really scary when he gets angry.”

“There’s no reason he’d get mad at me, so it’s fine.”

We’re just in a contract relationship, anyway. There was no reason he’d be upset or even get angry that I’d forgotten.

At my certainty, Rebecca stared at me with a strange expression for a while. Then, she spoke with a tone of fascination.

“To be honest, I didn’t know your relationship would be this good.”

“Our relationship is good?”

Was Rebecca’s vision bad? Maybe she needed glasses.

“You know how the rumors surrounding His Excellency are all over the place. And there’s even the rumor that he’s not interested in women…”

Looking around, Rebecca bent her waist to whisper something quietly into my ear.

“And I heard he has a hobby of killing people.”

Yeah, I heard that rumor too. The rumor that he enjoyed massacre.

Just what kind of crazy bastard made such a false rumor? Just see if I catch you, I’ll sew up your mouth…!

“That’s why I was so surprised when I saw His Excellency the Grand Duke treasuring you so much, Your Highness. And when I heard that you two use the same bedroom, I almost bit my tongue.”

“We’re not to that extent.”

Smiling while trying not to get our relationship exposed to Rebecca, I changed the topic.

“You’ve helped me enough for today, Rebecca. I’m going to go see Selphi.”

“Young Master Selphius?”

“Yeah, I want to see if he slept well last night.”

Although it was a bad excuse, Rebecca nodded in understanding.

“Since Young Master Selphius is only nine years old, he probably needs Your Highness’ help.”

“My help?”

Why would Selphi need my help? He always did well on his own, though? I was just going to check whether Selphi was hurt anywhere.

At my question, Rebecca responded as if the answer was obvious, while waving her hand.

“Well obviously since he’s at the age where he still needs the warmth of a mother.”

“The age where he needs the warmth of a mother?”

“Yes. And you said he’s going to attend the Academy soon. It’s natural for things to be scary when you first try them. Most children rely on their parents a lot. Even I did when I first went to the Academy.”

Is that so?

I thought back to Selphius when he’d first looked around at the Academy.

‘I don’t think he looked that scared, though.’

“Then I’ll be in the annex building, so call for me if you need me! Oh yeah, especially when you have anything you’re curious about the festival!”

“Okay, got it. Thanks.”

After Rebecca and the other maids left, I walked by myself to Selphius’ bedroom. Stopping in front of the bedroom door, yesterday’s memories started flooding back, and it felt like I could smell blood from somewhere.

‘It’s fine. He’s probably sleeping.’

Clenching my fists, which were trembling in nervousness, tightly, I knocked gently against the door.

Knock knock.

There was no response. The inside of my mouth dried.

Knock knock knock.

This time, I knocked a bit louder. However, it was still quiet inside. It felt like my heart was about to plummet to the ground.

‘Did something happen overnight?’

As soon as that thought flew through my head, my body moved first. I quickly opened the bedroom door, and ran in while calling Selphius’ name loudly.

“Selphi!”

Even at my bellow, the bedroom was silent. After that, I could hear the light breaths of a child and the sound of birds chirping.

I stared at the bed that Selphius was sleeping on with a dazed expression for a long time, watching the tranquil scene in front of me. Unlike yesterday, his face had a healthy complexion, at which my shoulders relaxed.

‘Is he okay?’

With a worried expression, I slowly walked towards the bed. I could hear the loud and regular breaths of Selphius. That sound brought me a sense of equilibrium.

“What a relief.”

It seemed he was okay now.

Subconsciously, I reached up to Selphius’ forehead and caressed his bangs. His temperature seemed normal too.

‘I won’t wake him up today, but just let him sleep properly.’

With a sigh of relief, I removed my hand. After watching Selphius for a while longer, I turned my body. The moment I was about to start walking away, I heard the bleary voice of someone who hadn’t fully woken up yet.

“…Mom?”

With that short word, I stopped my steps as if a rope had been tied to my feet. When I turned my head to look at the bed, I could see Selphius, who was staring at me with half-opened eyes.

I couldn’t respond with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Like a rooted tree, I couldn’t move, and just stared down at Selphius silently.

Shortly after, Selphius, who’d woken up, opened his two eyes wide. Then, as if in shock, he got up from the bed quickly.

“W-What did I just say…?”

“Did you sleep well?”

“W-Why is the Grand Duchess here?”

“I was wondering whether you slept well last night, and also wanted to see how your condition was, Selphi.”

“My condition? What about my… Ah.”

It seemed his memories of yesterday’s events had returned, for Selphius stopped speaking.

“…Oh yeah, that happened yesterday.”

Selphius knitted his brows. Then, he avoided my gaze and turned his head.

“What’s wrong?”

Surprised at his suddenly changed expression, I rushed to his side. I put my hand on his forehead, and checked his temperature first.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

It didn’t seem like he had a fever.

Instead of responding, Selphius bit on his bottom lip as if he was enduring pain.

‘Is he hurt again?’

“Wait, I’ll call Sir Finneas.”

“No!”

As I tried to leave the bedroom, Selphius rapidly grabbed my finger. Then, surprised at his own actions, he flinched before letting go.

Selphius mumbled with a tiny voice.

“…I’m fine. I’m not hurting anymore.”

“Really?”

At my question, Selphius nodded slowly. Then, he started to suddenly throw furtive glances at me.

“What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

“It must have disgusted you yesterday, right?”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry for dirtying your dress. I tried to hold it in, but on days like yesterday, blood just comes out regardless of my will.”

Even after having been in so much pain yesterday.

He was still concerned that I would’ve been surprised, that I would’ve been disgusted by him. At this, I felt myself choking up.

“No, it’s fine. Selphi, I can buy another several of those dresses. I have lots of money.”

“Pardon?”

“What’s more important is that you’re not hurt.”

Crouching down, I looked eye to eye with Selphius. Then, I outstretched my hand toward him.

“Shall we go to eat breakfast together?”

Selphius stared silently at my outstretched hands. Then, his face crumpled into an expression that was neither a smile nor a cry.

“Are you hurt, Grand Duchess?”

“Of course I’m fine. Ah, I think my hand hurts right now, though?”

Smiling as if at a loss, he grabbed my hand.

“Okay. I’ll go wash, and then let’s go together.”

Our linked hands felt especially warm.

* * *

“What the?”

As soon as Selphius and I entered the dining room together, everyone’s attention was focused on us. Ignoring them lightly, Selphius escorted me to my seat, even pulling it out for me himself.

“My goodness, Selphi.”

Sercia started clapping toward Selphius with a touched expression.

“After being in a lot of pain yesterday, you’ve finally become a human, Selphi?”

She’d been so worried while tearing up yesterday, but now…

“Are you still hurting somewhere, maybe?”

Sercia kept giggling while speaking in a teasing tone. Then, she reached out to touch Selphius’ forehead, as he was sitting next to her, and switched back and forth with her own forehead.

With an annoyed face, he coldly pushed Sercia’s hand away.

“Put your hand away.”

Sercia, touching her swelling hand, stared at me with a surprised expression.

“…He’s still the same as ever to me, though? Sasha, how did you do it? How did you tame this fussy kid?”

“I-I didn’t really do much.”

At Sercia’s question, I put down the silver spoon I had lifted to eat soup.

Selphius, who saw this, frowned.

“The Grand Duchess needs to eat, so stop bothering her. And how am I a fussy kid?”

“Since you’re fussy, and a kid.”

“Then you must be a bad-tempered drunkard.”

“What?”

“Since you’re bad-tempered and always drunk on wine.”

“That’s because I run a wine business and have to taste test them.”

“Regardless.”

“Do you want to see what a bad temper really looks like, Selphi?”

The two kept bickering as if they were friends. Selphius started lightly ignoring Sercia’s words by turning his head, to which the bickering came to an end.

After their conversation came to an end, Theodore, who’d been enjoying brunch, nodded in agreement and spoke up.

“Selphi has never escorted someone before. Did you find his weakness or something?”

At Theodore’s brief sentence, Sercia furiously turned her head. Then, she spoke in a cold tone.

“Theo, watch your mouth.”

“…?”

“My Sasha isn’t the type of person to use someone’s weakness. If she was that kind of person, she would’ve already spread rumors about our family’s secret, don’t you think?”

At Sercia’s aggressive tone, Theodore slowly shook his head, before mumbling to himself quietly.

“…Ha, from how I see it, it’s not just Selphi she’s tamed, but Sercia, too.”

tl: youj; pr: youj