DSMBL Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Cassius still seemed to be suspicious and uneasy about me, but he didn’t restrict my freedom within the mansion. I had sneaked out into the garden to drink tea. I hadn’t been able to do this for a while because I felt like I was being watched, but today the weather was so nice that I really wanted to enjoy the tea outside.

As I sipped my tea, I glanced at Luna. 

She must have told Cassius about this.

Of course, thinking that Luna was following me around innocently would be foolish. Luna was loyal to Cassius, and if it meant protecting the ducal family, she would have no hesitation in selling me out. That much was clear.

The real problem was, how was I supposed to sell the dresses? 

Ugh, I guess I’ll have to do it myself. 

Watching Luna go straight to Cassius to report everything about me, made me realize I was being betrayed. There was no one I could trust.

But how could I possibly carry all those dresses on my own? I’m not Doraemon.

Should I call someone from the wardrobe department? I stirred my tea with a spoon, lost in thought, when I suddenly felt a gaze upon me. It was intense, almost obsessive, yet strangely innocent…

I jerked my head around. 

“Theo?” 

The soft sound of little footsteps, like something small and cute running, reached my ears. It was slow and quiet, likely because he wasn’t yet strong enough to move fast, but it was still there. 

Thankfully, he came from a family with strong physical traits, so walking or running shouldn’t be too much of a problem for him. It was lucky that he had recovered enough after being bedridden. 

Where had he gone?

I heard faint, heavy breaths, as if he were trying to hide.

 Looking around, I finally spotted him—huddled like a rabbit in a bush. 

When he saw me, his face froze in surprise. 

“Ah!” 

“What are you doing here?” 

“I—I’m not doing anything,” he mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant, but his demeanor gave him away. 

He was acting like a kid caught doing something he shouldn’t be.

Does he find me scary? So I decided to take a chance. After all, we had been seeing each other every day. Surely a little more familiarity wouldn’t hurt?

I crouched beside him, stepping over the bush. 

Behind me, I heard Luna’s sharp intake of breath, clearly surprised by my actions. 

Theo looked up at me.

 “Why are you sitting here, Aunt?” 

“I’m not doing anything. I was just curious about what you were up to, so I thought I’d join you. Also, stop hiding and just look. You were peeking at me, weren’t you?” 

Theo’s face flushed a deep red, then quickly turned pale.

 He was caught, and the poor kid didn’t know how to react.

 “Theo?” 

He jumped to his feet, trembling, and shouted. 

“No, no! I wasn’t curious about you! I’m not interested at all!” 

Then he bolted. 

Thud, thud, thud. 

His steps were slow and unsteady, and he even tripped halfway. 

“Theo, are you okay?” 

I called out, but he didn’t respond immediately. His face was as red as a tomato, and he turned back for a second, then quickly stood up, brushing himself off. 

With an exaggerated pout, he looked at me before sniffing loudly.

 “Theo?” 

“I— I tripped over a rock!”

 He wiped his eyes furiously with his sleeve and dashed back to the mansion. I stood there, frozen, feeling like I shouldn’t chase after him. 

What was that? 

Where did such a cute little creature come from?

I dusted myself off and stood up.

 “Are you alright, my lady?” 

“Hm?” 

“Apologies. Theo’s only just woken up, so he’s still a bit unstable.” 

“Right, that’s why he was unsteady, huh? Hmm, should I give him some nourishing food? I’ve heard kids show their filial piety by eating well, sleeping well, and playing well. Is there any good nutritional supplement for children?” 

Luna’s eyes went wide, staring at me as if she didn’t understand. 

What? Did I say something wrong again?

Theo pouted, still upset. I’m not curious at all! How did she know I was sneaking around?

According to the nanny, I couldn’t just chase her away, that ‘bad woman,’ without consequences. So I had to be extra careful.

Theo turned to look back at Charlotte’s direction again.

 She’s always by herself. Just like me.

The nanny had told him that he couldn’t act recklessly. He needed to be cautious, even though Charlotte was alone.

He kicked a stone on the ground with a sigh. “I’m so bored…”

The moment the words left his lips, he quickly clamped his hands over his mouth. If he kept acting like a child, Cassius might get mad at him. nanny had told him that he was old enough to be independent now. He had to stop bothering others, especially when Cassius was so busy.

“I… want to see her.” Theo pouted again.

That was why he had been hanging around Charlotte, trying to find a way to learn more about her.

He dragged his feet and continued walking.

Luna, the maid assigned to Charlotte, watched Charlotte with a serious expression. Charlotte was currently discussing herbal remedies and nutritional supplements for Theo. It was surprising that the first place she visited after going out was the herbalist. When Luna was first assigned to Charlotte, she had chosen the position because of the high salary.

It was three times the salary she had been receiving before, so there was no way she could pass it up. 

She told herself to endure just a little longer, to turn a blind eye, and to pretend not to know. 

Charlotte’s verbal abuse could be ignored, and if she hit me, I’d just apply medicine and get better. 

But… Charlotte had changed. 

 No, it wasn’t that she had been reborn. 

She had completely transformed. 

There was no more needless hysteria, verbal abuse, violence, or indulgence. 

 Moreover… 

 ‘I’m sure she used to hate Theo.’ 

 For the past few days, Luna had thought it was some kind of scheme. 

She suspected that Charlotte was plotting something with ulterior motives. 

 So, when Charlotte suggested selling the dress, Luna felt it was suspicious and immediately informed the Duke. 

Even now, Charlotte still seemed strange. 

Instead of drinking, she was sipping tea in the garden and reading books.

 This was completely unlike the person who used to drink alcohol five days a week. She hadn’t begged for clothes or jewelry, and she had even cut ties with the social gatherings she used to attend without fail. Oh, and most importantly… 

 In the past, Charlotte would never have remained silent if Theo had been so rude. 

She didn’t have a personality that would allow a child to behave like that. 

Luna still remembered how Charlotte had pointed her finger and yelled at Theo when he was lying sick in bed. 

 What had she said again? She had probably called him a parasite feeding off the Duke’s wealth. 

She seemed so drunk at the time that she probably didn’t even remember saying it.

“Hm. So, what you’re saying is that if the child eats all of this, he will recover quickly, right?” 

 “Yes, that’s correct, Duchess. My child also took this and got rid of his illness. Oh, it would be best to take this one too. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s highly effective.” 

 “Really? Then I’ll take that as well.” 

 “Wait a moment, Duchess. I almost forgot this. This is called the divine nutritional supplement. It helps children get through winter without catching a cold. It strengthens the respiratory system…” 

 “Then add that too.” 

 “Well, this one helps with stomachaches…” 

 “That’s important too.” 

While Charlotte continued her shopping spree, Luna hesitated for a moment before raising her hand.

 “Excuse me, Duchess?” 

 “What is it?”

 “Are you planning to buy all of this?”

 Luna asked with a somewhat displeased tone.