CHA[TER 04
Eve smiled softly, like the spring sky.
Her long white hair fell down on both sides like a curtain.
Estella, who looked just like Eve, sat up while holding her mother’s thigh. Her eyes, pink like cherry blossoms, blinked slowly.
Then she suddenly opened her eyes wide, crawled off the seat, and pressed her face against the train window.
Ariane opened her eyes slightly to check on Estella and gave a small smile. She leaned back against the wall, still smiling, her blanket wrapped around her.
“Mom! Es (Estella) saw it for the first time! Stars are falling! Like this, like this!”
Estella jumped up and down, her little hands pressed against the window.
Although she was born on the Goddess’s Day, Estella had always fallen asleep before seeing a shooting star.
But tonight, on her 6th birthday, she finally saw one.
Her chubby cheeks turned red, and her pink eyes sparkled like stars.
Eve gently touched Estella’s cheek.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yes! Es is happy to see a shooting star!”
“Estella is pretty too.”
Eve leaned down and kissed Estella’s cheek.
Seeing Estella so happy made Eve feel it was worth staying awake.
Every moment with Estella was precious.
Eve hugged her daughter tightly and whispered,
“Thank you for coming to me, Estella.”
“Es thanks you too, for being my mom.”
Estella hugged Eve back with her tiny arms.
If it weren’t for this lovely child, Eve wouldn’t have decided to go to the capital.
Vibraze, the town where Eve had raised Estella until now, wasn’t a bad place.
Ariane was the one who took the memory-lost Eve to Vibraze.
Eve couldn’t remember who she was or what she did before.
Ariane only told her that her name was Eve Etherion and that she was pregnant.
‘What about the baby’s father?’
‘He’s in the capital.’
‘Then shouldn’t I go to him?’
Ariane didn’t want to talk more, but after much asking, she finally answered:
‘You left him yourself, Eve. Just think of him as someone who doesn’t exist.’
So Eve couldn’t ask anything more.
She thought the memories she had buried must have been too painful.
Still, despite Ariane and the people in Vibraze telling her not to go, Eve had to go to the capital.
Her body was getting weaker.
When Ariane saw Eve coughing up blood, she packed their things.
No one knew how much time Eve had left.
Even the best doctor in Vibraze couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He just said Eve wouldn’t last long.
They didn’t know if Estella’s father would accept her—but it was worth a try.
Eve gently laid the sleepy Estella back onto her seat.
She didn’t want to leave such a kind, beautiful child alone in the world.
Ariane never told her who Estella’s father was, but whoever he was, he wouldn’t be able to hate a child like Estella.
After making sure Estella was asleep, Eve finally closed her tired eyes and rested against the train wall.
When they arrived in the capital, Eve, Estella, and Ariane got off the train and took a carriage.
The train station was in the center of the capital, but the building they rented was on Rembrandt Street, far from the palace.
Ariane had arranged everything. For three months, she traveled back and forth to find and set up the new place.
“We’re here, Eve.”
Ariane woke up Eve and Estella.
It had been a 15-hour trip, and they were completely exhausted.
Eve fixed her messy hair and yawned.
“That was so far. I must’ve really hated this place to go all the way to Vibraze.”
She got off the carriage and reached for Estella, who was yawning too.
“Come here, Estella.”
“Hmm… Es can get down alone. Mom is tired.”
Estella shook her head and stretched her legs to find a step down.
Ariane and Eve looked at her proudly and hugged each other.
“She’s all grown up now!”
Ariane wiped away a tear.
“Ugh! Ugh!” Estella worked so hard to get down that no one could interrupt.
“Hehe! Mom, let’s go inside now.”
Just as Estella reached out to touch Eve’s dress with her dirty hands, Ariane quickly picked her up.
“Wash your hands first. What did I say, Estella?”
Estella looked sad and glanced up at Ariane.
“Mom is sick, so I shouldn’t touch her with dirty hands. Es is sorry.”
Eve sighed.
“You’re being too overprotective.”
“You’re too weak right now. Be careful. Little one, go wash up first.”
Ariane opened the shop door and let Estella down.
“Okay!” Estella answered cheerfully and ran inside. Ariane paid the coachman.
“Want help with the bags?”
The coachman grinned at the two women. It was clear he was trying to flirt.
Ariane frowned and snapped,
“No thanks. We’ve got it, mister. Go back.”
“Just trying to help, geez.” The coachman turned away and left.
Ariane ground her teeth, annoyed. Things like this happened often when it was just the two of them.
She picked up five big bags by herself.
Ariane was always as strong as five men and never needed help.
She even took the small bags from Eve.
“You always work so hard.”
“It’s okay. You just come in slowly.”
Eve nodded.
She actually wanted to look at the new shop.
Thanks to the success of their restaurant in Vibraze, they had saved enough to get this new building.
The pink sign read: Stars and the White Bird.
It showed symbols that reminded her of Estella and herself.
Eve giggled.
“Oh my! It’s so pretty!”
She ran around, peeking through the big glass window.
The inside looked spacious, decorated in light pink and ivory—just how she and Estella liked it. The bar was clean and organized.
I’ll go to the market early tomorrow and fill the herb jars first.
Their restaurant’s special touch was using different herbs in every dish.
Eve smiled softly, looking just like a cute little white bird.
Ariane leaned on the bar and watched her with a fond expression.
“Mom, you seem happy.”
“Yes! If Mom’s happy, Es is happy too!”
“Our little one. You say the sweetest things.”
Ariane lifted Estella onto her shoulders. She acted just like Eve.
While Eve was busy looking outside with her bonnet pushed back—
Rustle—
“Huh?”
She heard a crumpling sound under her shoe and looked down.
“What’s this?”
She bent over and picked up a flyer.
“Missing person…? No picture?”
It was a “missing person” flyer, but there was no photo—just a long paragraph.
“Vivian Endless Rubentas? Rubentas… isn’t that a royal family name?”
And the missing person was a crown princess?
“She must’ve been someone really important.”
Eve felt sorry for whoever made this flyer.
People often judge how serious a search is by the reward money.
And this flyer offered a reward so high that even nobles would struggle to earn it in ten years.
“If we find this person, we wouldn’t have to worry about Estella growing up.”
Eve mumbled and carefully read the flyer again, wondering if she had seen someone like that.
“White hair and pink eyes? That’s just like me!”
Eve laughed softly.
It was funny to think that someone who could’ve become the empress looked like her.
“What an honor, Miss Vivian.”
Feeling a bit silly, Eve dusted off the flyer and walked back into the shop.
