WARDV 35

CHAPTER 35

He was the kind of person who abandoned my sick mother and young self—and later treated me as nothing more than a money pouch.

‘Come to think of it, I figured I’d hear something from my father after the news with Phaedon. But it’s strangely quiet, isn’t it?’

Just as I began to question the oddly silent reaction from my father…

Amon, having finished his deliberation, nodded with a heavy expression.

“You’re right, Lady Leticia. I think it’ll be better for the child to explore a wider world at your side than to keep getting hurt like today.”

Just then, there was a cautious sound of footsteps coming from the second-floor staircase.

I chuckled lightly and looked up the stairs.

“Well then, Aria.”

At that moment, my eyes met Aria’s—round and wide like a startled rabbit’s.

“Want to go on an outing with me today?”

“…Where?”

“Hmm…”

What should I say to pique the little lady’s interest?

As I thought for a moment, I remembered the “prince” who had won Aria’s favor a few days ago and made a suggestion.

“How about the house where the prince lives?”

“The house where the prince lives?”

As expected, Aria’s eyes began to sparkle.

“Is it a really big castle?”

“Well, kind of. It’s huge and has lots of delicious food.”

“Then Aria wants to go! Aria wants to go too!”

Aria came dashing down the stairs, tears still faintly staining her eyes, which now sparkled brightly as if she’d never cried.

Amon looked at her in disbelief before letting out a helpless laugh.

“Thank you, Lady Leticia. Then… I’ll leave Aria in your care for a few days.”

“I’ll accept your thanks in the form of results.”

I reached out my hand to Aria.

“Shall we go then, Aria?”

After glancing cautiously at Amon, Aria huffed and took my hand.

“You should say goodbye to your dad, you won’t be seeing him for a few days.”

At my words, Aria glanced once more at Amon, hesitated, and then walked up to him.

Amon, as if he had been waiting, lifted her into a hug.

“Listen to the grown-ups, eat lots of good food, and have fun.”

“Okay. Daddy, you work hard too.”

After a final hug, Aria came back to me, and I turned to leave with her hand in mine.

Then suddenly, I came to a halt.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot why I came here in the first place.”

“The reason…?”

“I was worried I might’ve made it harder by giving you too vague a topic to work with.”

“Ah… Actually, I was struggling a bit. Without a theme, it’s hard to settle on a concept…”

“The theme is ‘butterfly.’”

“Butterfly?”

“We’re planning to use the butterfly as the symbol for the brand we’ll be launching.”

From the moment I decided to enter the fashion industry, the butterfly had been chosen as the symbol.

“Is there a reason you chose a butterfly?”

“The general reason is to represent a brand that creates clothing as beautiful as butterfly wings. And secondly…”

I added, recalling the butterfly I had seen just before returning to the past.

“Just like a butterfly earns its wings after enduring its time as a caterpillar and a chrysalis, the clothes we create will symbolize a new life for our customers.”

Just like how they opened a new life for me.

Amon fell silent in thought for a moment after hearing my explanation, then slowly nodded as something came to mind.

“Wings toward a new world… Hearing that, I think I might be getting some inspiration.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Leaving him with those words of encouragement, I stepped out of the shop with Aria and Wigg.

But then—

“…Aria?”

Gone was the excitement from earlier; Aria had frozen and was now hiding behind me.

Perplexed, I followed her gaze—and saw Wigg, looking sullen.

That was enough to tell me what was wrong.

‘She’s afraid of Wigg…’

Unfortunately, Wigg had a deep love for all things cute.

No—more than love, it was adoration.

Small bunny dolls, stray cats…

I was used to that face by now and knew how gentle he really was, so it just made me laugh.

But seeing my subordinate be avoided simply because of how he looked did make me feel a little sorry for him.

Still, I couldn’t blame Aria for being scared.

‘Even if someone says “Our bear is gentle,” would you really believe it right away…?’

After a short moment of thinking, I turned to Wigg and said:

“Wigg, could you go to that snack shop and buy some treats?”

“Yes, Boss.”

Whether it’s a person or an animal, nothing breaks the ice better than food.

Catching on to my intention, Wigg hurried off to the snack shop, and I spoke to the girl hiding behind me.

“Aria, that mister is going to buy you some snacks. Why don’t we get in the carriage first?”

“Okay.”

I got into the carriage with Aria.

“Wow, it’s like a princess carriage! It’s so big!”

After curiously peeking around the inside for a while, Aria suddenly sat quietly next to me, as if she remembered something.

She hesitated, then carefully opened her mouth.

“Hey, Boss unnie.”

“…Boss?”

“Yeah. Isn’t your name ‘Boss’?”

She must’ve misunderstood after hearing Wigg call me that earlier.

‘Well, I’m not a duchess anymore, and being called “young lady” feels odd too… Though I’m more of an aunt than a sister.’

It was funny, so I decided to leave it as is.

“Hm… go on, I’m listening.”

I chuckled and waited for her next words.

“Will I get to meet the prince if we go to the castle?”

Her eyes sparkled with expectation as she asked.

‘This little one…’

So that’s why she followed me so eagerly—she wanted to meet the “prince.”

‘Kids really do show different faces depending on the person.’

I let out a small laugh at how different she was from when facing Wigg—but then, an important fact hit me.

‘Wait a minute… Am I even allowed to bring Aria to the mansion without Idris’s permission?’

Worried, I took her to the Grand Duke’s estate anyway…

“Go ahead.”

His answer was so quick, I felt silly for worrying.

“Are you really… okay with it? You don’t have to pretend if you’re not comfortable.”

“Do I look like someone who’d say yes just to be polite?”

“I said that because I don’t think you’re as cold as people say.”

Idris gave a faint smile at my concern.

“There’s no reason not to be okay. The mansion is big, and it’s not like we don’t have people who can take care of a child.”

“Well, yes, but…”

Even with everything in place, letting a stranger into your personal space isn’t easy.

But Idris, seemingly unbothered, continued:

“The annex is yours to use, after all. Do what you want.”

‘This man really doesn’t suit the villain role, does he?’

In any case, it was a relief for me.

“Thank you for allowing it. Alright, Aria, let’s—”

I stopped as I looked down at Aria.

She was staring at Idris with such sparkling eyes it was almost overwhelming.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

‘She really likes him that much, huh?’

Unfortunately, Idris was going to be buried in work today.

“Aria, the prince is really busy today, so he can’t play with you.”

“Since we have a guest, I’ll try to make time tomorrow instead. Sound good?”

When Idris chimed in, Aria, who had looked disappointed a moment ago, immediately brightened up.

“Okay!”

With the child nodding enthusiastically beside me, I led her out of the office.

That night, I had no idea that the pure emotion in her little heart… would one day uncover a certain truth.