Chapter 30
Jacquette held a pencil between her nose and lips, nodding her head as she thought deeply.
“It’s about making a wish list.”
“A wish list? What’s that?”
“It’s a list of things you want to do, written down with numbers.”
Things she wanted to do…
Jacquette didn’t know what she wanted. She had never thought about it because she wasn’t allowed to do what she wanted.
“Are you finished writing?”
Before finding a proper teacher, Theophanes had assigned Blake to teach Jacquette how to read and write.
The Umbra Knights, except for Dante, were all from noble families who served House Anaxi. They were usually children who couldn’t inherit their family titles but still received a high level of education. Theophanes believed that even knights needed to learn more than just physical training.
So, the Umbra Knights were all well-educated except for Emil, who was still in training.
“Oh, not yet…!”
Jacquette hurriedly answered Blake’s question and picked up her pencil again. She kept writing letters, stopping to think, then writing again. Seeing this, Blake closed her book.
“Whew…”
“Is something wrong?”
“Well…”
Jacquette took this chance to tell Blake what had happened yesterday.
“So, your teacher asked you to write a list of things you want to do, but you don’t know what you want?”
“Yeah…”
“That’s not difficult at all.”
Blake spoke so casually that Jacquette widened her eyes in surprise.
“In a little while, you’ll have a snack, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What do you want to eat then?”
“Um… choco! Choco cake!”
“That’s something you want to do. Eating, seeing something, or even going somewhere those can all be things you want.”
Jacquette looked like she suddenly understood, but then her expression quickly dropped again. Her face changed so often that it was amusing to watch.
Resting her chin on the desk, Jacquette mumbled softly.
“But you see… I don’t know much, so I don’t know what I want…”
Blake thought for a moment, then asked,
“Are you saying you haven’t experienced much, so you don’t know?”
“Yes! I haven’t done many things…”
“Then how about this?”
“Huh?”
“Listen to what other people want to do.”
“Other people?”
“Like the maids, for example.”
“Oh!”
Jacquette’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Blake.
“Then, Blake, do you have something you want to do?”
“I…”
Mary and Letty had finally finished their training and started working.
Normally, Daphne would have welcomed them, but she needed rest, so Jacquette and Sarah greeted them instead.
“Hello, miss.”
“Uh-huh, hello.”
“Miss, you should speak more casually.”
“Okay… I mean, okay-“
Jacquette nodded at Sarah’s words, though speaking casually still felt strange.
“I’m Mary.”
“I’m Letty.”
“I’m Jacquette.”
After introducing herself, Jacquette stepped closer to them.
The two maids blinked in surprise at their young mistress approaching them so suddenly.
“Do you need us to do something?”
Letty asked, but Jacquette shook her head and fidgeted with her fingers.
“Um… do you two have anything you want to do?”
“Something we want to do?”
Confused by the unexpected question, the maids glanced at Sarah.
Sarah, already familiar with the situation, explained.
Understanding now, Mary and Letty thought seriously before answering.
“Oh! I want to see the ocean! I heard it’s beautiful!”
“I want to eat at the famous restaurant ‘Waves’ in District 2.”
Jacquette tried to write it down, but since she had just started learning letters, she struggled.
In the end, she decided to draw pictures instead.
And so, Jacquette’s “WishList Exploration” began.
She led Mary and Letty all over the mansion, asking people what they wanted to do.
She asked Henderson, who was busy with accounting, then went to the kitchen. While she was there, she sneaked a few cookies since snack time had already passed.
“This is a secret from Sarah.”
“Uh-huh!”
As her drawings filled up, Jacquette continued on her journey.
She asked passing servants, the stable master, the Umbra Knights, and even the gardeners to trim the trees.
Watching from a window, Theophanes saw Jacquette running around busily, questioning everyone.
“What is my daughter doing?”
“She’s asking people about their wishes so she can make a wish list.”
Dante, who was reviewing documents, answered without looking up.
Theophanes silently watched Jacquette dart around the garden, interviewing the gardeners.
“Should I tell her to stop?”
“No, let her be. It’s cute.”
“Understood.”
Dante, unsurprised, shook his head and went back to his paperwork.
Theophanes continued watching as Jacquette, tired from running around, plopped onto the ground, while the maids panicked, trying to help her up.
After resting a bit, Jacquette jumped up and started moving again.
“She walks confidently… Maybe she’d make a good knight. Or, since she likes drawing, maybe she’ll be a painter.”
Dante looked up, thinking he misheard, but Theophanes was still talking to himself.
Dante chuckled before returning to his work.
Jacquette finished her exploration and returned to her room, her arms full of papers.
Now, how would she bring them to her mother?
After thinking for a moment, Jacquette grinned.
“Mary! I think I left a paper in the garden!”
“Oh, I’ll go get it!”
As Mary left to look for the non-existent paper, Jacquette turned to Letty.
“Letty.”
“Yes?”
“I’m so hungry…”
“Oh! But I can’t leave you alone…”
“I want to eat something, please?”
Jacquette gave her a pitiful look, and Letty sighed in defeat.
“I’ll be quick!”
“Okay!”
As soon as Letty left, Jacquette quietly opened the door.
She peeked around the corner, making sure Letty was gone, then quickly ran out of the room with her papers.
“Phew—”
Jacquette skillfully entered a familiar room.
On the bed, Daphne was sleeping.
Jacquette climbed onto the bed and placed her carefully drawn pictures beside her mother.
“Mom, I worked hard to gather these… I hope you wake up soon to see them…”
Feeling sleepy, Jacquette blinked a few times before snuggling up beside Daphne and falling asleep.
