The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 38

“This is the most appropriate place. It isn’t far from the city, and since it was run by an old couple, it has regular customers. However, the workshop focused on repair work rather than producing goods because they didn’t have a separate craftsman.“ 

“Then I don’t have to hesitate.” I picked up the second document. “Please buy it right away. Madame DeJoue?”

When I called her, Madame DeJoue came to my side. I gave her the papers and said, “Please send the maids who are on call at the mansion here right away. Have you told them yet?”

“Yes. They said it doesn’t matter where they work. They actually seemed happy to work at a workshop.”

“That’s good.”

I turned my head toward Huran. He had been quietly staring at me. The moment I met those eyes, I felt goosebumps.

Ah. I thought it was really Chan.

Meeting Huran was dangerous. I felt as if I was getting closer to that man.

“Thank you for coming today, Huran.”

“It’s an honor to see you.”

***

“Ughhh, I’m tired.”

Huran didn’t go back until it was almost dinnertime. Then, at night, I comforted Carol, who had a slight fever, and put her to bed. Finally, I stepped out to the garden for a moment. It was a bit chilly in the evenings in late spring, so I adjusted my shawl.

I walked about the garden for a while.

It was because I was a little upset after seeing Huran’s face.

The regrets that sometimes struck me when I was in Korea came to bother me again tonight.

The desolate garden had become trimmed up thanks to the efforts of Madame DeJoue and the head maid.

Under the duchess’s neglect, not a single flower had bloomed in this barren land. Now, primroses shone brightly under the moonlight.

It was when I was slowly walking around the empty garden that I heard something.

Rustle.

“What’s that?”

I hurriedly turned my head. I looked around to see if a cat or something had been hiding, but I didn’t see anything.

“Did I imagine it?”

But as soon as I said that, I heard more rustling sounds.

“Who, who is it?!”

I clenched the shawl tightly and stepped back.

“Sharon, it’s me.”

Fortunately, a familiar voice spoke nearby. Julien appeared between the trees.

“Wh-what are you doing? I was really surprised. How did you get in?”

“The gatekeeper let me in. But Haru couldn’t come in, so it’s just me.”

The prince shrugged. It had been a long time since the gatekeepers were replaced with Madame DeJoue’s people.

It was possible because Madame DeJoue had already made connections with most of the duke’s soldiers. That was why Julien was able to enter.

“It’s nighttime. What’s up?”

The prince came to me without answering. His red hair gleamed distantly under the moonlight.

His expressionless black eyes stared at me persistently.

“I wanted to see…”

“Carol’s already sleeping.”

“I’m not talking about Carol.”

The words came out with a sigh and passed by me.

“Did something… happen?”

“No.”

The prince shook his head lightly. He looked up toward the moon.

“Did you know that today is the last day of spring?”

“No.”

His gaze was fixed on the moon.

“There’s an old tale in the empire that says that the last moon of a season is magical.”

“…Is that so?”

I felt like I heard it before. I remembered laughing at it because it was similar to how you made a wish when you see the full moon in Korea.

“Yes. On the last day of the season…”

The prince’s voice was covered by the night sky. Julien turned to me and slowly came closer.

I subconsciously stepped back, but Julien caught me.

“Don’t step away from me.”

“Ah, it wasn’t on purpose. It’s because you approached me.”

“…That doesn’t make any sense. Am I scary?” Julien asked, frowning.

“It’s because you grew up so suddenly. Did you get taller again? That’s why I was thrown off.”

At my words, Julien released his frown and laughed.

“Don’t get big too quickly, or I can’t adapt. I’m not very tall.”

Julien tousled my grumbling head.

“I’m going to grow more diligently. So that you…”

“Yeah?”

“Nothing. Anyway, I can’t help it if I grow. You have to get used to it.”

I sighed. He wasn’t cute anymore.

He had been cute when he was my height, but Carol and Julien seemed to grow every day while I slacked behind.

Now that I thought about it, the original Sharon was also short.

“Hmph. Anyway, why did you come here? Were you dropping by on your way somewhere?”

As I sassed him, Julien looked at me like I was being absurd. He bent down and tapped my nose.

“Yeah. I had to go for a monster subjugation with the knights.”

The prince had accompanied the knights to hunt the monsters that occasionally appeared in the forest since he was 14. Today must have been one of those days.

“Ah. Do I smell?”

“No. I don’t smell anything.”

“Thank goodness. The monsters don’t smell very nice.”

The prince took away his hand from me.

“…You must be tired. Why are you here instead of resting?”

“Ah.”

The prince turned his head again and stared at the moon.

“It’s the last day of the first season of the year, and the moon rose. And now that I’m 15, I’ve been formally ordained as a knight.”

Julien’s profile as he gently explained his reasoning was beautiful.

The kid was so pretty. He didn’t have a single flaw.

The prince’s gaze returned to me.

“If I couldn’t meet you today, I was just going to give up, but…”

The prince slowly bent down, kneeling in front of me.

“Wh-what?!”

“Since I met you, I can’t let this opportunity go.”

Julien’s fingers grasped my hand. He appeared almost reverent as he kissed the tip of my fingers.

“I pledge to my precious person that I will protect you forever.”

The prince’s eyes were fixed onto me as he said that.

“Julien…?”

“It’s a knight’s oath. It’s a promise that must be kept, and it can only be made by a 15-year-old knight under the last moon of the first season.”

The prince lifted his lips from my hand and smiled like an evening primrose. That brightly blooming face was so sweet that I couldn’t answer him.

“It’s also a confession that you are precious to me, Sharon.”

“Julien…”

Really, when did he grow up like this?

It was worth it to raise him.

“What if Carol gets upset?”

The prince leaned his face against my hand.

“This is an oath I made to you, regardless of Carol. I want to protect you, who had protected my nights.”

If that was why, then, sure.

I was surprised again. I was wondering maybe—well, it was nonsense, but what if?—he was confessing that he liked me.

I must have been drunk because of the magic of the moon. My heart was beating at an overwhelming pace.

Thump, thump, over and over again.

Ah. I was going nuts…

Chapter 9. Sharen’s Awakening

After the day when I met the prince in the garden by chance, I felt strangely nervous at night. I was certain that I was intoxicated by the magic of the moonlight.

And today was finally the day when the ex-duchess, who had been released from prison, returned to the duchy.

It had been three days since Huran came and went.

A carriage was already heading over to the duchy from the imperial palace.

I waited on the landing of the stairs. Madame DeJoue was beside me, whereas Carol couldn’t get out of bed because of her fever this morning.

“The duchess has arrived,”

said the chamberlain, standing by the door.

I heard the clip-clop of horses outside of the open door come to a stop.

“What ‘duchess’…”

The divorce documents had already been filed at the Department of Justice.

. The only tie between the duke and Sarah was Carol.

It was also thanks to Carol that Sarah was allowed to stay here for a while after being released from prison.

“Shush, milady. Be careful of what you say. There are many listening ears.”

Madame DeJoue gave me a sharp warning. I shrugged and ended my commentary there.

“We humbly see Duchess Gratoni.”

All the servants went to see her, who entered the door while being supported by a maid.

Sarah walked between them in an orderly manner. The servants held their breaths.

The ex-duchess seemed to have become tamer from her struggles in prison, She lifted her head and saw me leaning against the railing.

“If you saw me, you should come down and bow. What are you doing?!”

Nevermind. She was the same as always.

How could a person be so stagnant? It was contemptible.

Sarah’s body trembled as if she had read something in my eyes. I knew how arrogant I seemed, leaned on the railing.

I stood up. Glancing at Sarah one more time, I turned away without acknowledging her.

“T-that cocky bitch!”

“Duchess. Lady Sharon is under the guardianship of the duke and is His Excellency’s niece. It isn’t right to speak like that to her,” the butler said smoothly.

I left the fuss behind and walked away.

“Madame DeJoue, I’ll eat lunch with Carol today. Please get it ready.”

“Milady, Carol may pass on her cold to you…”

“I don’t think she will.”

Carol’s illness was not a cold but pain from her heart.

I felt bitter.

Carol’s illness had been lingering ever since the incident with Sarah.

Well, it was understandable. Carol was only 15 years old, and it was hard for her. Right now, just staying by her side would help.

Wait for me, Carol. I’m coming!

***

Carol couldn’t open her eyes all day. Her fever only fell after 9 p.m.

Nevertheless, Sarah hadn’t come to see Carol at all, saying that she wasn’t her child…

Did that woman know anything of a mother’s love?

I closed the book I was reading and checked Carol’s forehead again.

“Her fever’s gone down a lot.”

“Yes. Her forehead is lukewarm now. Before, it felt like it was boiling.”

I received a soft towel from Madame Berna to dab away Carol’s sweat. Madame DeJoue was busy preparing for Sarah’s departure.

Sarah would go to Salamanta, the continent farthest from Clementia. It took five months by boat to go to Salamanta from Clementia.

As expected, Sarah’s birth family turned away from her, who was dishonorable, and agreed to

her exodus.

Maybe she would lead a nicer life there. No, if she couldn’t change her personality there, she probably wouldn’t be able to live long.

It was a cold, frozen land.

I realized that the towel had become damp and handed it over to Madame Berna.

“Now that her fever has gone down, you should go and rest, Madame Berna.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, Madame Berna. I’ll sleep all day tomorrow, so you have to stay by her side then.”

At my teasing words, Madame Berna nodded helplessly.

“Perhaps that would be better. Then, I’ll go to my own room.”

“Yes. Good night.”

Madame Berna prepared a fresh towel. Then, I saw her off as she left Carol’s room.

A light breeze blew from the window, fluttering the curtains. The curtains were pastel violet and yellow lace, reflecting my and Carol’s tastes.

An orange flame burned in the fireplace below the mantelpiece, decorated by a cloth that Carol embroidered with flowers.

Carol’s room changed a lot from the past. All around, it was a room that was suitable for a 15-year-old girl.