GBHDF 05

Chapter – 05

The little girl standing before her didn’t look nervous in the slightest.

No—in fact, she was looking at Freya with eyes full of anticipation.

The corners of her tightly pressed little lips were slightly turned upward, making her already plump cheeks look even rounder and more adorable.

‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a child who wasn’t intimidated by me.’

She hadn’t seen one since her daughter had grown up.

Because of Grand Lady Hayworth’s famously strict and cantankerous nature, there were practically no children who weren’t intimidated by her.

Thanks to that, some of the irritation that had been weighing on Grand Lady Hayworth’s mood began to ease.

‘I hadn’t intended to go on a walk…’

But she couldn’t bring herself to embarrass a child who had come all this way.

There was no helping it.

Grand Lady Hayworth rose from her seat and straightened her back.

“If you wish to walk with me, I have no reason to refuse. Come along. The walking path is this way.”

Naturally, she assumed that this bold-looking little girl would eagerly scamper after her.

However—

“No! I don’t want to walk with you, ma’am.”

Rowena’s next words shattered everyone’s expectations.

For a moment, silence descended, and Grand Lady Hayworth’s expression hardened coldly.

“…What did you say?”

Her patience had already reached its limit today.

In other words, she was fully prepared to be merciless even toward a child.

“Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

When Grand Lady Hayworth’s face darkened with anger, the teacher who had been showering her with flattery only moments ago went pale.

“R-Rowena! What on earth are you saying?! M-My lady, I sincerely apologize. The child must have misunderstood—”

“It’s not a misunderstanding!”

Rowena was one step ahead.

She curved her round eyes into a sweet, charming smile, then skipped over to stand beside Grand Lady Hayworth.

“I really think your way of speaking is incredibly elegant, Grand Lady. So I was wondering… I’d like to read a book to you!”

“…A book?”

“Yes! I thought reading to you might help me improve my own accent. Would that be all right?”

Rowena looked up at Grand Lady Hayworth with emerald-green eyes that sparkled brightly.

“…Hmph.”

At that hopeful expression, Grand Lady Hayworth let out a short, incredulous laugh.

Her reaction made the teacher’s face turn even paler.

Just as the teacher hurriedly reached out toward Rowena before the child could cause even more trouble—

Grand Lady Hayworth raised a hand and spoke.

“Henry. Arrange a place inside the estate where the child and I can read together.”

“Yes, my lady. Is there anything else you require?”

Grand Lady Hayworth’s cold gaze briefly settled on Rowena.

Those bright, sparkling green eyes.

After staring at them for a moment, Grand Lady Hayworth let out a low hum and added,

“Prepare something for the child to drink, as well as some snacks.”

Hooray!

That was the moment Rowena silently cheered in triumph.

Inside the estate.

“Your name was Rowena, was it? Tell me. Why did you do that?”

At Grand Lady Hayworth’s stern voice, Rowena blinked her round eyes innocently.

“Pardon? Do what?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I already know perfectly well that you didn’t do that because you genuinely wanted to read to me. You kept sneaking glances at me all throughout tea, and then suddenly you wanted to read a book?”

“Oops. I thought I was hiding it pretty well.”

Had she been that obvious?

Hehe.

Rowena gave an awkward little smile, and Grand Lady Hayworth’s lips curved slightly upward.

“You were obvious from the moment tea began, so don’t bother trying to fool me any further. Why did you do it? Did you think I looked foolish?”

“Of course not!”

Rowena jumped up and waved her hands frantically before lowering her voice to a whisper.

“You’re sensitive to pollen, too, aren’t you, Grand Lady?”

“…What?”

“When Martin sneezed. I saw you sneeze quietly, too. You were actually uncomfortable being out in the garden, weren’t you?”

That was why Grand Lady Hayworth had been so lenient with Martin.

And she hadn’t really liked the teacher’s flattery, either.

‘The old doctor said that as adults grow older, their noses and throats tend to become more sensitive.’

For someone as old as Grand Lady Hayworth, avoiding sneezing when surrounded by drifting pollen would probably be quite difficult.

The problem was that she was extremely concerned with maintaining appearances.

“That’s why I thought it would be better to go inside so you could be comfortable! That’s all.”

“So you noticed that and kept sneaking glances at me?”

“No, that’s not it…”

For the first time, Rowena pressed her lips together.

Then she raised the book she had been holding and covered her face completely with it.

Afterward, she cautiously lowered it halfway, leaving only her eyes visible, and asked in a tiny voice,

“Can I tell you honestly?”

It was rather adorable how she tried to hide behind a book even though there was no way an adult’s anger could be avoided that way.

Without realizing it, Grand Lady Hayworth let out a small laugh.

“Let me hear it, then. Go ahead.”

“The truth is, I needed some time alone with you.”

“Alone with me?”

“Yes. There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

At those words, the relaxed expression on Grand Lady Hayworth’s face stiffened ever so slightly again.

“You wanted to ask me?”

“Yes. Will you hear me out?”

“Absolutely not.”

Grand Lady Hayworth’s expression was now downright chilly.

“Young as you are, you’ve already learned to scheme your way into making requests? How insolent. Even the most influential people in this region wouldn’t dare make a request of me. What reason could I possibly have to grant a request from a mere child like you? Be grateful that I’m not disciplining you severely on account of your age.”

Her cold response wasn’t enough.

Grand Lady Hayworth even picked up the bell beside her and summoned the butler.

“Henry! Call the teacher and have her take this child away.”

At those words, Rowena’s heart sank.

‘Of course, I didn’t expect her to agree right away.’

But she hadn’t expected such a frigid response to the mere word request.

What if she was thrown out and punished for this?

‘I don’t want to be locked in solitary confinement!’

And it wasn’t just the solitary confinement.

If she missed this opportunity, she might never get another chance to speak with Grand Lady Hayworth alone.

No.

She wouldn’t get another chance.

After all, how hard had she worked to get this opportunity in the first place?!

And before she could even think things through, a desperate voice burst from her mouth.

“G-Grand Lady Hayworth!”

“What is it?”

“W-Well, um…”

It was one thing to muster the courage to call out to her.

But the moment Rowena faced Grand Lady Hayworth’s terrifying expression—scarier than any tiger—her mind went completely blank.

In the end, there was only one thing Rowena could say.

“W-When we say goodbye in front of the carriage… c-could you let me kiss you… on the cheek?”

“…What?”

“B-Because if you don’t, I might get in trouble with my teacher…”

I really don’t want to go into solitary confinement…

Please…

To cut straight to the conclusion—

Rowena succeeded in kissing Grand Lady Hayworth on the cheek.

The orphanage teachers were overjoyed that one of their children had won Grand Lady Hayworth’s favor.

And the other children applauded Rowena’s courage with genuine admiration.

She had practically put a bell around the neck of a cat—

No, a tiger!

“You’re seriously brave, Rowena!”

“I see you in a completely different light now!”

“Martin said he wouldn’t have gotten sent to solitary because of you, so he told me to give you this apple.”

Because of what had happened at the Hayworth estate, Rowena began receiving praise and envious looks everywhere she went.

In other words, she was enjoying her moment in the spotlight.

Except—

“…Maybe I should just die…”

The person at the center of all that attention was actually doing terribly.

The reason was simple.

‘Rowena, you stupid idiot! Of all the things you could have said, was a kiss really the best you could come up with?!’

She was absolutely miserable over the fact that she had wasted her chance to speak with Grand Lady Hayworth alone.

As soon as Rowena returned to the orphanage, she threw herself onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow, sobbing.

‘I’m worse than a rotten apple! Even if someone threw me into a field, I wouldn’t even make decent fertilizer!’

How could she have wasted such an amazing opportunity?!

Even if she ended up in solitary confinement, she should have talked about her request while she had the chance!

Grand Lady Hayworth would never give her another opportunity!

‘…But I still don’t want to go to solitary confinement.’

Sniff.

What was she supposed to do now?

‘Dying would still be worse than solitary confinement, though.’

Unable to think of a single good solution no matter how hard she tried, Rowena eventually fell asleep while sniffling.

But why?

The next morning, after waking up with her eyes swollen from crying—

An astonishing piece of news was waiting for Rowena.

“Rowena! Rowena! What are you doing, girl?! Hurry up and get ready!”

“W-What? But, Teacher, it’s still morning. We don’t have anywhere to go today—”

“No! Grand Lady Hayworth has ordered me to bring you to her! Get ready immediately!”

The teacher threatened that Rowena had better be prepared to receive a severe punishment if she was late, then hurriedly left.

At any other time, Rowena would have grumbled.

But not this time.

As she grasped what was happening, a smile slowly spread across her little face.

“Long live kisses!”

She could meet Grand Lady Hayworth again!