The boy lowered his posture to make eye contact with the child next to him and declared in a very stern voice.

“You, can’t say ‘I don’t want to.’”

“No, I don’t want to!”

Was it Betty?

It was the reason why Duke Janus personally visited the Mceuena Mansion through this heavy snowfall.

She is sponsored by the duke, and in the spring she will be admitted to the guide training school, but her grade was barely even C. She was in short, a child whose academic opportunity was entirely courtesy of the duke.

But how could this be?

Yelena was terrified that the duke would strike the little child at any moment.

“…….”

“If I don’t like it, I will always say no.”

“Fine, do whatever you want. I will do whatever I want.”

Having declared so, the Duke changed his complexion in an instant, got up, and shook hands with the Count in a leisurely manner.

“Count, it’s snowing a lot outside.”

“I wonder if I can repay this honor to be visited by Your Excellency in this kind of weather…… Please have a seat.”

While the grown-ups had their ceremonial conversation, Yelena studied Betty with curious eyes.

Her red curly hair was sloppy, probably braided by the child herself. A pale face with a freckled nose, and a terribly small body compared to Matthew, who had just turned 10 years old.

Although her peridot-like sparkling eyes were lovely, the child had nothing special.

But Yelena knew what the Duke had put out for that little commoner child.

30% of mining rights in the Duchy’s emerald mine.

It was more than enough to win the heart of Christine’s hesitant father.

– That boy duke who was still wet behind the ears, I like his hobby! Haha!

It seemed that her father couldn’t understand why the Duke would spend that much money on an orphan with no blood ties with him, but Yelena knew the fact. She let her imagination run wild.

In fact, her dream was to establish a nursery or school for children.

She’s likely to be laughed at, so she’s never said it, but it’s something she’s dreamed of for a very long time.

‘The Duke might actually be a kind person.’

Thinking so, the image of the Duke, who was ecstatic with the young ladies beside him, became blurry.

‘At that time, he was just……being kind to the young ladies who were flooding in. He’s sociable. I’m not the kind of woman who speculates.’

While sitting down and drinking the brewed tea, her father introduced her to Duke Janus.

“This is my eldest daughter, Yelena. Girl, say hello.”

“It is an honor to see your unwavering spirit to the Empire. I am Yelena of Mceuena.”

She couldn’t keep her eyes on him.

If their eyes meet by chance, it’ll be like that time…….

“Yelena. I saw you before.”

“Yes yes! You really remembered.”

“Of course.”

The boy’s pure white eyelids gently curved, creating a captivating eye smile.

His pure white hair, shining in the light of the chandelier, shimmered as if there were hidden jewels everywhere; perhaps he caught the snow while entering the mansion after getting off the carriage.

“And this is my second child, Christine.”

“It is an honor to see your unwavering spirit to the Empire.”

“Well, Christine. Of course I remember.”

“Really? I’m happy.”

“This coming spring, my rosequartz, Christine, will be entering school as well, so Betty and her will be classmates.”

“Hi, Betty. Let’s be friends.”

“Yes. I look forward to it.”

No words came into Yelena’s ears.

On the surface, she seemed to be sitting still, but the girl’s head was about to explode at any moment.

‘It’s not just a polite thing to say! You really remembered me!’

“And this child is Matthew Mceuena, who will succeed me.”

“It is an honor to see your unwavering spirit to the Empire.”

“Ah, Matthew, I remember. I can’t recognize you’ve grown so much already.”

“Thank you.”

Yelena wondered how she looked now.

Her hair, which she brushed hard, might have gotten a little disheveled while mediating the fight between her younger siblings. Perhaps it might be all over the place.

Squeezing out her hand mirror to check it out, Yelena managed to focus on Betty.

“This is Betty, who is under my patronage, a child with great potential. Say hello.”

“I am Betty. With the grace of the duke, in the coming spring, I will enter the guide training school and will take lessons. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

“It goes without saying she has great humility.”

… To say that, it was still vivid to see the little girl fighting back just now against the noble who had been supporting her, but everyone in the parlor just laughed and added meaningless compliments to Betty one by one.

Even if the girl was rude, if Duke Janus said she was a person with humility, then she is a person with humility.

Christine pretended to be a good, innocent child and even had her eyes light up.

“I want to be friends with Betty. May I guide my friend on the way to the dining room, Your Excellency?”

It was definitely the butler’s job to tell the guests to move from the parlor and go to the dining room. What’s more, it was against etiquette to make a fuss about it when they had just warmed up in the parlor.

Count Mceuena burst into a hearty laugh and made an excuse to Duke Janus instead.

“My child wants to get closer to her friend as soon as possible. Please understand, Your Excellency.”

“No, the children will be hungry. Please guide me to the dining room right away.”

“Then I will guide you. This way.”

Before getting up and heading to the dining room, Yelena gestured to the chief maid and whispered a few things.

To make the refreshments that will be served in the parlor, the luncheon time to be moved forward, and the after-dinner piano player was told to check the piece again, and so on.

A few of the quick-footed maids, directed by the chief maid, quickly disappeared towards the inner aisle.