HWWRC Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Perhaps because Aria was so young, her cheeks would freeze quickly from even the slightest cold breeze. Anna teased Aria, calling her a perfectly ripe tomato, making her cry a few times. However, Anna, clearly concerned, personally went to the capital to bring back the finest furs.

The thick furs, crafted by experts, were made into a warm winter coat. The hood was especially well-made, with thick fur lining it, so no matter how much Aria played, her skin didn’t feel the cold.

“Our Aria is so cute. She looks just like a little white rabbit. Aren’t you cold?”
“My cheeks are itchy, but it’s warm like ‘Swoo’.”

‘Swoo’ was the new name given to the northern fox that Esh had gifted. The newly named Swoo, proud and aloof as though debuting into society, managed its fur so well that it was always soft to the touch.

Just then, Swoo came running from afar, rubbing its cheek against Aria’s head. The fox wore a scarf with white lace around its neck, and when Aria gently rubbed Swoo’s nose, it made a soft purring sound.

“Mom, where are we going today?”
“Hmm, we’re going to the winter lake today.”
“Are we going to play at the lake? Will we ride the boat?”
“The weather’s warm, so it should be fine… I’ll ask Baroness Verbel.”

Aria, excited about the idea of riding the boat, started to run around the carriage even though it wasn’t time to leave yet. Anna, who had suggested bringing the furs and making the coat, watched Aria and Swoo play, a satisfied smile on her face.

Charlotte lightly chuckled as she watched Aria, playing with Swoo, and noticed something—Anna had made Aria’s coat, but the fur on Swoo looked incredibly similar to the coat.

With a smile, Charlotte quietly whispered to Anna.

“Anna, is that fur… fox fur…?”
“Huh?”

Anna, who was asked a second time, suddenly let out a short scream.

“Goodness, miss! That can’t be true!”
“Guess that’s a relief, then.”
“Even though I’m rough and boisterous, I’d never…!”
“Alright, alright. I only asked because I was wondering.”

Anna’s response made Charlotte laugh, seeing how she was pouting just like Aria would.

Aside from the day she first met Aria, Charlotte had never ventured into the forest before. The snow from the previous night clung to the branches like fruit, and whenever the wind blew, the snowflakes scattered like dust in the air.

Charlotte had worried that Aria might still have trauma from encountering wild animals in the forest, but to her surprise, Aria was happily running through the snow. The snow from the night before had piled up to her ankles, and with each step, her feet sank deeply into it.

As they left the forest, the sound of laughter reached their ears from nearby. Charlotte stared at the scenery before her, momentarily lost in thought, nearly missing Aria running ahead toward the lake.

Charlotte, seeing Aria rushing to the lake, scooped her up into her arms. The winter lake that Anna had briefly described was even more beautiful than Charlotte could have imagined.

She had heard that the lake was unusually large compared to others, but it was even bigger than she had expected. The weather was warm, and the sky was clear, allowing the sunlight to pour down on the lake’s surface. The water gleamed like ivory-colored pearls, drifting on the surface, creating a mesmerizing glow. Every time the breeze stirred the water, the reflected light filled the winter forest, making the whole scene seem like a transparent ice world, casting an enchanting glow.

“Mom, Mom! Take me closer to the lake. I want to see it up close!”

Aria, eager to see the lake, started hopping around. But it was too dangerous to let a child approach the deep lake alone. As they got closer to the lake, a large glass greenhouse, previously hidden behind trees, came into view. Voices could be heard from within. Aria grabbed Charlotte’s sleeve tightly, looking up at the large greenhouse. Charlotte did the same, and as she touched the glass windows of the greenhouse, the door suddenly opened.

“Thank you for the invitation, Baroness Verbel. The lake is truly beautiful.”

Upon seeing Charlotte, Baroness Verbel’s face brightened, and when she saw Aria in her new clothes, she smiled like a blooming flower.

“Lady Blanche, thank you for coming. My goodness, Aria, you look so beautiful in that outfit. It looks so warm!”

Aria, looking at Baroness Verbel, got down from Charlotte’s arms and hugged her legs, holding onto her skirt. It was the kind of gesture she only made toward people she considered kind and affectionate. It seemed the fun Baroness Verbel had had with Aria before left a good impression on her. Baroness Verbel’s lips curled into a smile.

“It seems that Aria really liked how kind you were to her before.”
“My goodness… Aria is truly lovable and adorable. Alright, Aria. How about we go have some cookies?”
“Baroness Verbel, I want to ride the boat.”
“Oh, the boat? Yes, today the weather is warm, and much of the ice has melted, so I think we can ride it.”

There was a dock near the greenhouse. Watching the gentle waves, it seemed the lake hadn’t frozen over.

“Anna, you and Aria can play on the boat.”

Aria, who had been singing about the boat since they left the carriage, raised her arms excitedly toward Anna. Anna, too, seemed excited by the idea of playing on the beautiful and magical lake. She grabbed Aria’s hand and, with her other hand holding the hem of her skirt, ran toward the dock.

Anna, walking briskly through the snow-covered bushes, suddenly stopped and bowed her head toward a nearby tree. A man in a long navy robe walked out, brushing the snow off his head.

“That person is…?”
“Oh, my dear!”

“My dear? Does that mean he’s Baron Verbel?”

Baroness Verbel, upon seeing her husband, immediately ran toward him, her calm demeanor thrown aside. Charlotte, her eyes wide, watched the scene. As the Baron approached her, he gently took her in his arms, and Baroness Verbel, who had staggered, leaned into his embrace.

It truly seemed that they were a couple deeply in love. The Baron smiled softly as they embraced for a while, then looked over at Charlotte.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Blanche. I’m Baron Jade Verbel.”
“I am Charlotte Blanche, daughter of the Blanche family.”
“My wife told me about the tea party and invited me, so I thought I’d stop by.”

Charlotte quietly observed the Baron, who was quite handsome, though it wasn’t his looks that caught her attention.

Having been hurt by people before, Charlotte focused more on character and manners than appearance. No matter how handsome or pretty someone was, she had learned to distance herself if they were merely relying on their looks. But in this case, she couldn’t help but continue looking at Baron Verbel. He seemed to unconsciously gaze at his wife with such tenderness, his eyes softening as he looked at her. It was clear that their bond was deep.

Baron Verbel greeted the other guests, and as he did so, his wife stood a little apart, looking toward the middle of the lake where the boat was now floating. Aria, playing with the water, shivered from the cold and ran into Anna’s arms for warmth.

Standing beside Baroness Verbel, watching Aria, Charlotte couldn’t help but think about adoption again.

She had considered it before but had pushed the thought aside after the incident with the wild animal at the castle. But seeing Baroness Verbel now, her heart wavered again, and she thought about it once more.

Although Charlotte hadn’t taken care of Aria for very long, she couldn’t imagine letting go of her. Aria, like any child, needed constant attention. She cried and laughed with abandon, causing trouble but also showing so much affection. Charlotte had watched over her every day, from morning to night. Now, without Aria, something felt missing.

In the castle, the hallways were covered in soft wool carpets to prevent Aria from falling, and their shared room was now filled with Aria’s toys and clothes.

Beside the bed, adult-sized and child-sized pillows were naturally placed. Even the term “Mom” had become familiar to Charlotte, though she had tried not to get attached. But in the short time they had spent together, she had become so fond of Aria.

She often thought back to the first time she met Aria—the little girl, wounded and crying after the encounter with the wild animal. It wasn’t just that she felt sorry for Aria; she saw in her the same loneliness she had felt as a child, forced to leave a place after enduring too much ridicule and pain. She understood the loneliness of crying with no one to comfort you. That’s why she couldn’t turn away.

That was why she had taken care of Aria—to make sure she wouldn’t hurt anymore.

But in the end, it was Charlotte herself who had healed. Being with Aria, the wounds she had endured from others slowly healed, too. She wasn’t completely healed, but a lot had improved. And throughout it all, Aria had become so precious to her.

The thought of adoption made her heart ache.

‘I can’t be Aria’s real mother. Maybe it would be better for her to be adopted early… but why is it so hard to let go?’

As Aria played with the oar, she saw Charlotte and waved her hand, calling, “Mom!” When the boat rocked, Aria hid back in Anna’s arms. She was so lovely—so beautiful, so cute…

Charlotte murmured to herself. ‘It would be better for Aria to grow up with wealthier parents than to be with me.’ The painful certainty settled in. Charlotte silently waved back at Aria, making up her mind.

For Aria’s sake, she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Baroness Verbel.”
“Yes?”

Charlotte smiled, hiding the tremor in her voice.

“Could you possibly send a letter to the Kenness family, as you mentioned before?”