ALL NOVEL Chapter 71
When I returned to the mansion after checking the preparations for the reopening, the sun had already set.‘I don’t know if the kids have eaten.’Thinking that I had wasted too much time, I got out of the carriage upon arrival and was about to enter the mansion when the children came running out of the garden, looking like wet mice.“I hate you, brother!”“Why do you hate me?”“You come to Tia and you do this to Tia!”!”“That’s why I fell in with you.”“Hic, I don’t know. Tia hate this!”As Tiaris cried while fiddling with her wet clothes, Escal comforted Tiaris.“I’m sorry. Instead, brother will give you candy later.”“Really?”“Yeah, five candies, because brother was wrong. What do you think?”“Really? You promise?”Tiaris reconfirmed as if she was about to receive a promise, and put her finger on Escal.I stared at them in disbelief, and Escal, who was running toward the front door, and Escal, who was running to the front door, found me and stopped.“Uh, yo-you back.”As if he knew what he had done, Escal blushed and stammered.“You’re back!”Of course, Tiaris was still bright.“What did you two play?”“We played tag in the garden.”“If you were playing tag, why are you soaked?”“Uh…”“He fell in the fountain while running with Tia.”Ugh, these troublemakers.“Are you okay?”“Yes.”Escal replied softly.Even after falling into the fountain, he ran for a while, and his wet clothes were covered in dirt and messed up.I sternly speak to Escal.“You should play well. What would you do if there was an accident?”“I’m sorry. I won’t do that next time.”“No. Tia is also joking around.”Thinking that I was scolding Escal, Tiaris rushed forward and wrapped up Escal.If that’s the case, even if I want to be angry, I can’t.I couldn’t help but laugh at the eyes of the children who begged me not to scold them.“Let’s go inside, You’re going to catch a cold.”“Yes.”I went into the mansion with my two children.“Come now, ma…”Merlin paused in her greeting.I looked back to see what was going on, and black dirt footprints were imprinted wherever the children walked.Merlin must be in trouble.I clicked my tongue and turned to Mary, who was following.“Mary, I have to wash the kids, so prepare bath water.”“Yes. Shall we prepare separately?”“Huh?”At Mary’s question, I realized I almost made a big mistake.No matter how young you are, it would be unreasonable to wash together.“Escal washes in the bathroom and Tiaris in her room…”“Oh, I’ll do it when grandpa comes.”Tiaris said with an embarrassed expression.As she wondered what was wrong, and glanced at her arm.‘Oh, is it because of the scar?’Although Baron Hazel healed Tiaris’ scar with the Magic Stone, it didn’t completely disappear, so I thought that she might be reluctant to reveal the scar.Because even in the original, Tiaris tried to hide her scars.There is even a rumor that if you come in contact with someone bitten by a monster, you can get sick, so Baron Hazel may have asked her not to tell anyone..‘You still have to wash up.’Baron Hazel went to the Imperial Palace with Helios on a call from His Majesty the Emperor, so I didn’t know when he would return.Then she catches a cold while waiting for the Baron to come back.“Do you want to play with me then?”“Yes?”As if surprised, I opened my eyes and whispered a small whisper to Tiaris, who asked the question.“I know that Tia has a scar on her arm, so it’s okay.”“Ah…”Tiaris, who was worried as she licked her lips, nodded her head.“Mary, I will go to the bathroom with Tiaris. Let Escal wash in his room.”“Yes.” ***** “Madam, all the bath water is ready.”“Okay, let’s go.”Upon hearing the news that the bath water was ready, Tiaris and I headed to the bathroom.When she stepped into the steamy bathroom, she gasped.“Wow, it’s so hot…”Chuckling at the pure and honest reaction, I took off the clothes and put my feet in the bathtub.The water temperature, which is a little lower than usual, was just right for her.The rose flower floating on the water wrapped around my body in a pleasant way.“Come in, Tia.”“Tia, afraid that the water is hot…”“It’s not hot at all. Come and touch it.”In a flash, Tiaris put her finger in the water slightly and then pulled it out.“Is it hot?”“It’s not hot.”“Then come in.”“Yes.”Tiaris nodded gently, took off her clothes and entered the bathtub.Tiaris was cautious at first, but then began to play with the roses floating in the water.With each movement of her tiny hand, ripples spread out in circles.The bumpy scar on the arm of the child playing in the water was clear.‘That’s better than how it was before.’I felt sad because I wondered how bad it would have been before the treatment with magic stones.‘In this place, a woman who has a scar on her body, it’s a big flaw.’I shook my head, wondering if the magic stone couldn’t even remove the scar.With or without scars, Escal will love Tiaris, but what does that matter?I asked, tearing off the petals from Tiaris’ face.“What does Tia feel about staying here?”“I love it so much. The rooms are very spacious, and the people are kind!”Tiaris replied with a smile.It seems that the maids love Tiaris so much.“Anything uncomfortable?”“No.”Again, the answer came immediately. I smiled and asked mischievously.“Isn’t Escal bothering you?”“Huh, no. Brother is nice to me.”“Is Escal nice to you?”“Yes. He was when we lived in the tree house, but he’s even better here.That’s how sincere he is.Still, I opened my mouth again, thinking that the effort was worthwhile for Tiaris to recognize.“Then, would you like Tia to continue living with Escal brother here?”“Uh? I…”I expected her to say yes, but surprisingly, the answer didn’t come out.The child who was wiggling her fingers with a worried face said softly.“But grandpa says We won’t stays here for a long time.”“Why?”“Uh… That’s… I don’t know, either.”Tiaris shook her head sullenly.Baron Hazel’s heart was completely understandable.If it was the Baron without much greed for power, he would have decided that there was nothing good about being involved with the heir of the Duke of Anthemion.Since he saved the Emperor’s life, he could be awarded not only the great title but also the estate if he wanted to, but seeing that he refused everything, it seemed like he just wanted to live a quiet life.He also refused the room in the mansion and used the annex because he feared it would be difficult later when Tiaris got used to the life of the Duke, so it was like drawing a line from the moment they entered.But Tiaris might have a different opinion.“How about Tia?”Tiaris rolled her eyes at my question.“I’m so glad Tia is here. Escal as well.”“… I also like it, but…”Tiaris blurted out impatiently.It looks like Baron Hazel made a firm request.The decision rests with the guardian anyway, so convincing the Baron is the priority.“If you have fun, I’m sure your grandfather will understand Tia’s heart.”I said kindly and got out of the bathtub.“Now, let’s get you soaped up. Be careful getting out, the floor is slippery.“Yes.”I gently hugged Tiaris, sat her on a chair outside the bathtub, and wet the shower bowl with plenty of soap and wiped the child’s body.“Haha, it tickles me!”Tiaris squealed every time the shower ball touched her body.Raising the corners of my mouth at the squeaky voice, I rinsed off the soapy water and was about to wipe myself, but Tiaris shouted with her eyes shining.“Tia will do it for you!”She seemed to like the feel of the shower ball soaked in soapy water.“Okay, then. please.”I left the shower ball and turned around.Tiaris soaped my back with her fern-like hands.It felt like it was tickling rather than wiping it off, but the way she whined is cute and quiet.“Huh?”Tiaris suddenly stopped her hand.“I have something here that same as Tia.”“What?”Tiaris said, carefully tracing the scars on my back.“It was the same scar as Tia.”“……”I turned my head to the words I couldn’t pass and asked the child.“Is the scar on my back the same as the scar on Tia’s arm?”“Yes. The monster bites Tia, so it’s like this.”“A monster?”A monster, it can’t be.I’ve never read that Lenia Evelyn was bitten by a monster.Did Lenia ever encounter a monster? If she did, Helios would have told me…“Are you hurt?”“What? Oh no. Thank you.”‘Maybe, it must be a coincidence.’I struggled to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.