Chapter 18

***

“Rabin. That, then…”

“…”

“Would you like to go with me….?”

Yuri’s purple eyes blinked helplessly. Rabin stopped eating bread, and he held a cup of milk, as if frozen in silence.

“… me, really. I don’t mean to make you do this.”

“…”

“I, I have to live in the North for a while…I don’t know much about this place.”

“Then they…”

“Everyone else will leave soon, so….”

Yuri was sure that Count Erentail would take her life someday. But that didn’t mean he would openly kill her at the door as soon as she arrived.

Originally……she would try to beg to live quietly, but she didn’t want to. Yuri remembered the things she had forcibly sold in order to survive. Smile, pride, honor. She sold it all for a loaf of bread.

‘I don’t want to live like that anymore.’

Instead, she wanted to beg for Rabin’s life. Since the Count’s son was about the same age as Rabin, and he was famous for being considerate for his people. So it was clear that at least Rabin would not be killed.

‘Because he is famous for being kind to children.’

He was a man famous for never turning down flowers and favors from children.

“Uh, of course… If you don’t like it, you can say no.” (Yuri)

Rabin seemed to ponder for a while, then he slowly opened his mouth. Contrary to his serious gaze, the corners of his mouth were full of breadcrumbs, as if to prove his young age and being clumsy.

“… What are you going to do?”

Looking at Rabin, who was full of mood with his face smeared with milk and crumbs, the maids burst out laughing.

‘You must have lived a hard life.’

To him, this world must have been cruel enough for a child to doubt the goodwill of others, and it must have been a world where he had to threaten to survive. Yuri replied with a bitter smile.

“… … Anything I can do, anything.”

A cold northern wind blew through the window. In fact, Yuri couldn’t even understand why she was being so kind to the child she just met for the first time today. 

“Okay. I’ll go.”

“Ha, thank you.”

“Anyway, it’ll be better than here… … ”

Rabin nodded his head as if his calculations were over. Rather than living on the street, he seemed to think it was better for him to follow an unknown stranger.

Surely it was because of Yuri’s attire and tone of voice, she didn’t look like a northerner. Then he, a native of the area, perhaps could help her.

The wind was too cold.

‘Because it was what I needed the most.’

She wanted to give it to a child who was similar to herself, although she had never received anything on her own. A warm bed, plenty of food, and learning for the future. All of these were the things she most wanted from her childhood.

Yuri smiled. Rabin looked at Yuri’s face, and he soon nodded his head lightly.

“Lady, that’s….!”

“Ah, this too…… Are you going to report it to the master?”

“Yes…..”

“Do as you please.”

“Oh, lady…..”

“You know, I, my situation……”

The maids sent by her brother, Herian, seemed displeased, but they had no reason to stop her. Yuri will die in this northern part. She must die in the North, no matter how long or little it takes.

“I don’t have a family. I don’t even have parents………”

It was Rabin’s youthful voice that broke the strange silence.

“Is that right? Me, me too.”

“And… the villagers hate me.”

“I see. Oh, that’s a coincidence. Me too.”

“So what I mean is that if you take me, you won’t get anything….”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“…”

“… I don’t wish for anything.”

Rabin’s eyes turned red. Yuri wiped Rabin’s eyes with her hand. She didn’t forget to wipe the crumbs off his lips with her sleeve.

“We … We have quite a lot in common.”

“….”

“Ha, I want to be a good friend.”

Tears began to drip from Rabin’s eyes. And soon after, he started crying out loud. It was awkward, but it wasn’t a bad sight.

“Rabin, I will treat you very dearly.”

“…”

“Uh, if you ever need anything, just tell me.”

“Yes..l.”

“Rabin…… You will definitely be happy.”

It was a word Yuri had heard many times, a word that crossed her mind. She thought she had heard it somewhere, but her memory of whoever said it was hazy.

‘If Rabin grows up on the street, he’d probably be like me.’

Even if someone tries to wield him, he will not be able to resist and will only be swayed. 

“That, so…..Ha, let’s go together.”

It didn’t have to be big. Yuri just hoped that this little boy wouldn’t grow up hungry. She hoped that he would not sell his pride and live a life of struggle because of a piece of bread like herself.

“…yes, I’ll follow you.”

Rabin soon cried like a child of his age. Still, he frowned for a long time, probably because he was annoyed by the clogged nose. Yuri liked the way he looked, and she smiled softly.

***

“Are you Miss Yuri?”

“Yes, I’m Yuri.”

“I’ve been waiting. Give me your luggage.”

The butler, who was waiting for Yuri in front of the Count’s residence, received her luggage. Yuri looked at the servants who bowed their heads to greet her.

‘It’s a different atmosphere from Slevard… ’

The servants of Slevard were a little more rigid than this. On the other hand, the northern servants only kept the minimum courtesy, and they felt quite free. After she responded with a smile, she turned her head out the door.

“Well then, goodbye.”

“… … That’s right. Everyone, everyone has suffered.”

“You have been through a lot, too.”

“Be careful and go back.”

Yuri saw off the servants and escorts Herian had sent. Although it was a short time, they were quite kind and loyal. Seeing they disappear with the carriage she had ridden in, Yuri took Rabin’s hand and said.

“Well then…… Shall we go?”

“Yes!”

“By the way, this child… .”

“This child is my servant.”

“…. Is that so?”

He was a younger servant than expected. This butler and Kasen from the Duke of Slevard, and most butlers were old enough to have two or more children, but this boy was too young. It was the first time this old butler had seen such a young servant. Yuri knew what the butler was thinking. 

“Ah, he’s from the North.”

“Is that so?”

“…… the Count. Can I see him? I’ll ask for his permission.”

Yuri spoke calmly. Count Erentail was famous for his kindness to children, so if she explained the situation, he would allow Rabin to stay. 

‘I don’t think he’ll be angry if I brought a guest.’

Watching the butler, Rabin’s hands trembled a bit, perhaps because of tension. Yuri gently held Rabin’s hand, which had just gotten cold.

“Lady Yuri, this is……”

“Oh, yes,l.l It’s where we’ll be staying for a while.”

The strange man. Yuri could not understand Larkshid Erentail. 

He had not even come to the wedding, but he had all the servants waiting in the garden.

‘To be honest, I was even prepared to be beaten in front of the door.’

Even last night, a letter delivered to the hotel where she was staying said they’ll welcome her. 

‘He’s a strange man.’

Yuri remembered the Count Larkshid she knew. On the first meeting, he tried to kill her. Wasn’t he who didn’t even attend the wedding with her?

“The buildings here were made to protect against the cold in the north.”

“….I see.”

“It will be a little cold outside, but it will be warm inside.”

The butler slowly talked about this mansion. How long she had followed the butler, Yuri soon entered the castle. As the butler said, the castle was warm.

“The master’s office is over there…”

“Hey!”

A little boy’s voice resounded. On the opposite side of the office that Yuri was facing, a little boy was angry.

“You! you….”

The main character of the voice started running to the first floor where Yuri was.

“John! Who are you?”

“Young Master, this is….”

“Are you the new maid?”

The butler, John, seemed to be perplexed at a glance.

‘This boy is…’

John soon read Yuri’s countenance and began to speak calmly to the child again.

“This is the Count’s wife and the Young Master’s stepmother.”

“What?”

“She’s going to be your stepmother.”

“What nonsense is this?”

Well-groomed blue hair, and green eyes. Maybe he resembles his mother? 

‘Isn’t he the Count’s biological child?’

In any case, he was indeed Count Erentail’s son since he was the only child in this castle even though he didn’t look like the Count. 

“… Oh hello, Young Master.”

“My father married a woman like this? I don’t like it!”

“Young Master….”

Certainly, there were no children who would accept right away when they suddenly have a stepmother. Yuri knew it in her head, but her heart felt different.

‘I don’t like your father either.’

Yuri suppressed the desire to say it like that. It would be ridiculous to fight with a child.

“Look at that woman! She’s limping too!”

“Young Master!”

“My father couldn’t have brought a woman like that!”

Yuri had heard that he was a spoiled child of the Count and his ex-wife. Yuri knew such children well. It was difficult to convince such children.

“And, she’s ugly too!”

Yuri was tired of listening now. Yuri stood silently and listened to his words. Other than that there was nothing she could do.

“Master, such words….!”

John tried to stop him. He continued to glance at Yuri and read her countenance.

‘I don’t care how you feel, I just want to rest.’

Yuri had a headache. Now more than anything else, she just wanted to sit down and rest.

It was then. Someone’s ferocious voice was heard.

“Hey, this kid!”

It was Rabin, who had been following Yuri while trembling and holding onto Yuri’s skirt.