Chapter 11

Over time, he gradually calmed down. He remembered that he has to take his actions as fast, and as swiftly as he can.

He turned to the knights who had pledged allegiance to him and gave orders.

“Track the train.”

“Yes? Ah······ Y-Yes, sir!”

“Tell our people to strengthen the inspection at each station. Tell them they have to keep in mind not to miss out every little piece of detail, even if it’s trivial.”

“Yes!”

The knights, who were ordered, gave a salute and began to move in haste. Calix watched the scene quietly, then shifted his gaze to the long railway where the train had just disappeared.

“·····.”

If you thought you could get away from me with a train or anything, you’re terribly mistaken·····.

A laugh of ridicule came out of his mouth. She seemed to overestimate herself too much. Do you think I won’t be able to find you? Really?

You can never get away from me.

You’ll eventually, come back to me. Laure.

Calix’s blue eyes glowed haughtily. He had no doubt that he could get her back.

I will find her, pull her back into my arms, completely lock her up, and then make her unable to escape again.

A cool smile hung over his thin lips. Calix was confident. He’s sure he’ll be able to find her in no time.

But it didn’t take him long before he realizes,

It was only just his arrogance.

*         *         *         *         *

Nearly seven years have passed since I left the Imperial Capital.

I realized here that time could flow so fast.

Before her child was born, time seemed to be dreadfully slow. But after I had my cute daughter, the years passed by as if it was tied to a speeding arrowhead.

“Mom, Mom!”

The child who came down the stairs snuck into my arms. Then a big smile surfaced on my lips.

Tomorrow, Letizia will turn six. She speaks well because she is smart, and she also reads children’s books really well.

Not long ago, when she started learning a foreign language, she immediately memorized a whole sentence. Isn’t my daughter a genius?

“Mom! Look at this! Letty drew a picture!”

“Wow? Really?”

Letty popped out her sketchbook. And I accepted it with an admiring look on my face. On a white drawing paper, there was a picture of Letty herself holding hands with two angels.

“The angels came out in my dreams and congratulated me!”

“Really? What felicitations did you get?”

I asked pretending not to know. Letty frowned, then pouts her cute lips. The child asked with a sullen look.

“Mom, do you know what day tomorrow is?”

“Tomorrow? What day is it tomorrow? Mom doesn’t know?”

As I shudder, keeping myself from laughing, Letty increasingly became tearful.

She knows she shouldn’t keep on teasing her. But Letty’s sulky face is so cute.

As I made an expression that I really didn’t know, Letty said in a resentful voice.

“I hate you, mom.”

“Hey, my daughter! I’m just kidding.”

Letty pretended to still be sulky and turned her head. In the end, I stopped teasing and hugged her tightly.

“Mommy was just kidding. Why will I forget what day it is tomorrow? It’s our Letty’s birthday!”

Then, Letty pulled out my arms and looked at me with his head out. An inquiring smile appeared on her face making sure that I’m not just lying. Oh, how can my daughter be so cute? As I look at her with eyes full of affection, Letty asked.

“Is it really true that you didn’t forget Letty’s birthday?”

“······Of course!”

I didn’t reply immediately in order to tease her more. My cute daughter, she’s so cute that I keep wanting to make fun of her. I embraced Letty and rubbed her cheeks. Letty huffed, then exclaimed.

“I’ll let it go only this time.”

“Yes, thank you. Princess.”

I hugged Letty up. The child’s blonde hair fluttered gently. Letty resembles me and Calix fifty-fifty. However, her round face and emerald-green eyes looked just like mine, and anyone who sees would be able to recognize that she was definitely my daughter.

“My daughter, what would you like mom to buy as your birthday present?”

“Mom, you don’t have money.”

“Of course not, I have the money to buy my daughter’s present!”

I answered confidently, but Letty glanced at me with a glint in her eyes that implies she didn’t really believe what I said. This, this kid! You’re embarrassing your Mom!

It’s a secret to Letty, but I’ve actually ordered her gift since a week ago. All she has to do is go find it later. But this little kid doesn’t believe in her mother.

I gave Letty a kiss on the cheek. I was about to say that I prepared a surprise gift for her, but Letty opened her mouth first.

“Letty wants mom to wear a pretty dress and put on a hairpin.”

Letty fiddled with my brown-dyed hair. I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected remark.

I asked you to tell me about what you want as a birthday present, but your mom was the first thing that came to your mind? I felt so touched that I almost cried. I felt so proud that tears surfaced at the corners of my eye.

Gasp, or is that it? Is she embarrassed that I don’t dress myself up? Was our Letty old enough to care about something like that? I looked at Letty timidly.

“Letty is sad! Mom is the prettiest in our neighborhood, but Mom only wears weird clothes!”

“Is, is that so?”

“Un!”

Letty seemed to mean it. But my daughter, mom doesn’t have the money to buy clothes····· I’ve already used up all the money I secretly stashed from the Ecree Marquis while raising you.

There are still a few dresses that I wore in the past····· But they were already out of fashion.

‘Should I wear those clothes after repairing them·····.’

It’s made of expensive materials and the color is still quite good.

“Anyway, Letty doesn’t really need a gift.”

“Really?”

“Ye~es.”

It was so funny how mature Letty was. I desperately blocked the leaking laughter out of my mouth. As if noticing my expression, Letty narrowed her eyes.

Oh my, you scare me. You can be the pirate king if you want to with just the way you look.

I turned my head, pretending not to know.

“But Letty, why is this angel here····· wearing a horse mask?”

I pointed to the angel in the picture drawn by Letty. Like an angel, she had four pairs of wings, but somehow she wore a horsehead mask that covered her entire face.

“Oh, that.”

My palpable delusions were raging, and Letty said in a calm voice.

“Angel Hippos is so timid that she can’t talk to other people without wearing a horse mask.”

“Uh······ is that so?”

“Yes. And the angel with deer antlers here, this is Angel Elafi, I met her for the first time in my dream last night.”

“Oh······ I see.”

As I listened to Letty’s story, I tried not to make a serious expression. What Letty is talking about at the moment was the names of Phoenix’s Seven Angels.

The Osborne couple is quite a devout believer, so I’ve taken Letty to the chapel a few times.

However, Letty’s story was outright specific to be just picked up by barely going to the chapel. Is it just my child’s superfluous imagination? But do you usually make your imaginary friend an angel?

“Angel Peristera said that mom was a fool.”

“······What?!”

The unexpected words brought me to my senses. I laughed with a puzzled look on my face. The angel in Letty’s dreams called me stupid?

D-Does that mean my daughter always thinks of me as an idiot······ Yeah, I know I’m a little lacking for a mom, but isn’t that a bit too much?!

“You don’t have to mind what she said, mom. Because Letty thinks that you are a genius!”

“Huh?“

What, what is it? I’m confused. Ting, the door of the shop opened with the sound of the bell.

“Auntie Rose! Letty!”

A little girl came in with her curly-red hair flying. It was Nana, Letty’s neighborhood friend.

“Sister Nana!”

Letty slipped out of my arms and ran toward Nana.

I looked at Letty with a slight sense of betrayal. Do you like your friend more than your mom! Can you rely on yourself alone anymore·····!

“Auntie Rose, good morning. You think I’m being an annoyance again, don’t you?”

“Huh?”

What the hell is my image to the kids in this town? In her moment of anguish, Letty asked in an excited voice.

“Mom, can I go play with Nana and the other older brothers and sisters?”

“Well····· who will be there?”

I looked at Nana and asked. Letty was still young to wander outside without a guardian.

But I thought it would be okay if children around 14 years old were with her.

They wouldn’t even go far anyways. It’s not that dangerous these days.

“”My older brother Hans and older sister Harriet is coming with me. Oh, and also Clara!”

“Hmn, is that so?”

I nodded after thinking for a moment. Well, I guess that much would be fine.

Hans, the oldest of the children in the neighborhood, was a smart and quick-witted kid. If Hans is around, he’ll able to take care of the kids who came with him.

“Go out and come back safely, okay? Listen to your older brothers. Don’t go anywhere alone. If a suspicious person talks to you, wear the ring that Aunt Alice gave you! And last but not the least, you have to come back home before five o’clock, do you understand?”

“Yes, mom! Bye! See you later!”

Letty waved her hand to say goodbye then ran out like the wind. She was as fast as a flying squirrel.

I looked inside the shop, feeling betrayed again.

“······.”

Sniff, my daughter. You used to only play with your mom when you were a kid! You said your mom was your only one! But when you made your own friends, you’re always so excited to hang out here and there.

I began to clean up the shop, wiping away tears that I had not shed.

This shop I’m helping and working with belonged to the Osborne couple. It was both a house and a shop at the same time, a two-story house with a yard in the back, and the store is on the first floor, facing a large street.

The items we’re selling are magical items and mana stones engraved with magic. Mr. Osborne and his wife were also good at repairing things using magic.

I also started learning it since five years ago, but my aptitude is not that great that’s why I can only do simple things.

Still, I am quite good at engraving magic. Is it my inborn talent that I didn’t know? These days, I used to feel quite proud because there were so many customers looking for me.

“When the stormy sea~ Once it calmed down~ Will you come today~ across the sea······.”

While humming folk songs from the Jura Peninsula and organizing things, the door opened once more with a jingling sound. Is it a customer? She raised her head and smiled broadly.

“Welco······.”

Her smile faded even before finishing the greeting. Ah. God damn it·····.

“-come······. Your Excellency, Baron Camnell.”

Why did this jerk come again? It’s been quiet these days. I tried my best not to reveal an ugly expression on my face. Baron Camnell smiled his creepy smile at me. Uh. I feel nauseous just looking at his face.

“Hello, Rose. My gorgeous flower.”

“······.”

Crazy jerk······. Struggling to keep the curse out of my mouth, I smiled synthetically.

“I heard you singing. Are you humming while waiting for me to come?”

“Haha······. How is that possible? I was just singing.”

Why would I wait for you, you crazy bastard.

“Even today, your fresh green eyes are sparkling like jewels······. But why are you alone?”

“Oh, yes. My father-in-law and Wall went to the market for a while.”

“Hmmn······. Really?”

James Camnell looked at me with disgusting eyes as he touched his chin. Then slowly began to approach. Argh, he’s so annoying! You crazy bastard!

I quickly moved behind the counter and asked Baron Camnell.

“What’s your purpose for coming here, by the way?”

“What do you mean purpose? Of course, I came to see you.”

This jerk really doesn’t get tired of it. Am I the only woman in the world? Why do you keep on flirting with this single-mother?