Recently, a smile never left Ella's face.
"It's delicious... really delicious."
Because she had achieved what she had longed for so desperately.
She thought she would never see her again.
She thought she would never again see the child she had treated harshly, considering her a burden after having an unintended pregnancy from a love that bloomed at a young age.
The child who gave love to an inadequate mother.
"Read me... a storybook."
The good child who never complained to the worst mother.
"Thank you for the teddy bear."
"...Ha."
Because she had lost.
The belated maternal instinct had made her make a foolish choice. The child who had always seemed like a burden had grown too large in her heart.
"Wait here. I'll come back for you soon."
She had gambled, not wanting to pass down her rock-bottom life to her child. That gamble had failed, leaving only scars in her heart.
"I heard there was a murder case..."
"What...?"
"Those heretics... they say they killed a child. After hearing your story, I realized that silver-haired little one hasn't been seen since then... oh my..."
The dream that had ended in despair was finally coming true. It was approaching like a miracle to the most incompetent mother in the world.
The child she had hurt with her own hands had grown to shine brighter than anyone else in the world.
"I'm Mikhail. That's my name."
"..."
"I'm living as a man due to circumstances, but I'm doing well. I attend the Academy and even ranked first in the rankings."
"...That's amazing. I didn't do anything for you."
"...Speak comfortably."
"No... how could I do that... I... I..."
The child's dream cannot become my dream.
I, who couldn't do anything for her, cannot take credit for her success.
She was just grateful that her child ate the food she prepared and remained alive before her eyes.
For finding her incompetent mother.
For reaching out to someone who committed an unforgivable sin—it was all because the child living as Mikhail had shown courage.
Ella clenched her fist and sighed, thinking of the benefactor who had connected everything.
"Sigh... this is a problem."
She wanted to repay the favor, but there was nothing she could do.
"Enjoy your time. Mother."
She didn't think she could prepare a gift that would satisfy a servant of the wealthy Desmont.
As the butler of the Young Duchess, he must have received many expensive jewels and gifts. Even the sword she had glimpsed on her benefactor seemed priceless, so she couldn't even consider gifting a weapon.
Though her heart wanted to sell the store to prepare a gift, she couldn't because of her desire to keep a place for her child to return to.
With a worried expression, Ella prepared to leave the store carrying a paper bag full of bread and cookies—the only gift she could offer with her humble skills.
'I'll just deliver the bread and come back...'
Despite her fear of the Desmonts, Ella believed nothing would happen if she just delivered the gift. As she was about to step outside with a heavy heart...
*Ding-a-ling.*
With a clear bell sound, the store door opened, and an elderly man in a formal suit walked in.
Ella smiled apologetically at the customer who entered. She had planned to end business for the day.
"I'm sorry, customer! Today's business..."
Ella's expression froze.
"Why are you...?"
The person who opened the door was a face she couldn't forget despite the years that had passed.
The butler of Wolfgang.
The ill-fated person who had coldly thrown her out of the mansion had come.
"You've become quite successful."
"..."
"Heh heh... We meet after so long, and you're not even happy to see me? Tsk tsk... after all I did for you."
Wolfgang's butler smiled as he ran his finger over the leaves of a potted plant next to the door.
"What brings you here?"
"I came to eat at a restaurant. What other reason would there be?"
"..."
Ella clenched her fist at his glib response. The elderly man she remembered would never visit without a reason.
"Please leave. We're closed for today."
"Just serve me something simple. I'm hungry and need to eat something."
"There are many restaurants in Hamel. I'm sorry, but please leave."
Wolfgang's butler, wearing a benevolent smile, looked at the paper bag on the table and said:
"Give me that bread, then. I'll pay you handsomely."
"...This is packaged as a gift for someone else."
"You're probably giving it to a commoner anyway. You seem to have plenty of bread, so wouldn't it be better to sell it to a noble for a high price?"
"I told you it's not for sale."
"Are you defying a noble's words...? Who is so important that you're being so protective?"
"..."
"Are you planning to welcome a new spouse?"
"How rude."
"Shut up."
Wolfgang's butler, his benevolent smile gone, frowned as he looked at Ella with her lips tightly pressed.
"Just because time has passed doesn't mean our origins have changed. You were just a lowly dancer who luckily opened a restaurant... and I am a noble of high standing."
"...Why would such a distinguished person visit this humble restaurant?"
"Hmm..."
*Pluck.*
The butler tore off a plant leaf, clenched his fist roughly, and dusted off his hands.
"I was trying to be friendly, but you lack class... This is why commoners are problematic."
"..."
The butler, spewing contempt, spoke with a cold expression, as if giving an order.
"I'll get straight to the point."
"..."
"If you're seeing someone, end it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Exactly what you heard. I said if you're seeing someone, end it."
"...I don't think it's your place to care about who I meet."
"It's an order."
"I'm no longer Wolfgang's person, and I don't want to be involved with Wolfgang... It's extremely unpleasant that you order me around after throwing me away like a dog."
"The master wants to see you."
"Ha... that's fortunate. I thought he might have a terminal illness."
"How dare you..."
"I refuse. That person no longer exists in my life."
"He ordered me to bring you back... and you're refusing?"
"Yes."
"How rude."
Wolfgang's butler approached slowly and looked directly into Ella's eyes.
"You said you have a child."
"...!"
"A son?"
"..."
"Speak."
"A daughter."
"Daughter?"
The butler frowned briefly and opened his eyes coldly.
"I see... yes."
He thought something was strange, but he didn't know she was disguised as a man.
"Then it's better to leave her as a man."
"What...?"
Ella couldn't ignore the butler's words. She clenched her fist and spoke as if she would kill him. Every word he spoke seemed to refer to someone.
"Tell me..."
"I told you to shut up."
"Tell me right now... what are you plotting?"
It absolutely couldn't happen.
She would rather die than be entangled with that hell again. Her daughter must not be involved with them.
How could she return to the hell she had escaped...
How could she do this to the child she had finally found...
"What did you just say?!"
It absolutely couldn't happen.
Wolfgang's butler, pushing Ella away as if nothing had happened, spoke in a calm voice.
"Mikhail."
"..."
"The young master is the master's child, so we must take responsibility."
"Shut up...!! What have you ever done for us that gives you the right to talk like this...!!"
"It won't be bad for her either. A lowly commoner status instantly elevated to the child of a marquis."
"Absolutely not."
"Persuade the young master to come to the Wolfgang mansion as soon as possible. The master has specially offered the position of concubine, so consider it an honor and move quickly."
"...I won't do it."
"What?"
"I said we won't go to that hell!!!!"
*Grind.*
The sound of teeth grinding could be heard.
He couldn't ignore the words of a woman who dared to defy the order of the master of the West, a marquis.
Originally, he had planned to kill her.
If the outside world learned about the mixed common blood, there would certainly be talk, so he had planned to cover it up by saying they had found a child thought to be dead. But that wouldn't be enough to convince the child called Mikhail, so he had decided to let her live.
-This is interesting.
-...
-Well done, butler. If people learn that the owner of the holy sword is Wolfgang's person, it will be well-received. And you said that Desmont Young Duchess's favorite man is Mikhail.
-Yes, that's correct.
-Hahaha... Everything is falling into place. It seems things will work out without having to join hands with the heretics.
-Indeed.
But now.
The butler clenched his fist and began walking toward the woman who was objecting to this perfect plan.
"How did I escape that hell?!"
"..."
"Why did I leave my daughter in the slums!!! Believing only your words!!! If I hadn't believed that vermin, none of this would have happened!!!"
"..."
"No!!! I would rather die than send my daughter there!!!"
"How dare you..."
As the butler's clenched fist extended menacingly...
"Ah...."
Along with a chilling energy, blood stopped flowing in his hand.
"It's noisy. No matter how lightly you regard us, Hamel is the Duke's territory..."
As the roughly grabbed hand approached as if to crush her wrist, Wolfgang's butler drew the sword from his waist and thrust it forward. Anyone who dared to touch a noble's body had to pay for their crime with death.
He couldn't be a noble.
A customer visiting this low-quality restaurant must be a commoner or an adventurer.
But.
"Do you want to die?"
The cold gaze looking down made him lose his burning murderous intent. The man was not hiding his killing intent, making it clear he would kill at the slightest movement.
Wolfgang's butler, who had stopped thrusting his dagger, trembled as he looked at the red-haired man holding his wrist.
Desmont.
"What business does Wolfgang have in Desmont territory...? Without the lord's permission."
"..."
"Are you declaring territorial war?"
"You are..."
"Not 'you'—you should use honorifics. Even among butlers, there are ranks."
The death god looked down at him and issued a command.
He couldn't find fault with the attitude of the man who spoke so arrogantly despite holding the title of baron. The man glaring at him as if ready to kill at any moment was like the grim reaper.
"I was watching to see how far you would go with your loose lips... but the stench became unbearable."
"How dare... a mere commoner...!"
"I am Ricardo, the personal butler serving Young Duchess Desmunt Olivia. If you have any complaints, speak directly to the Young Duchess."
"You're messing with Wolfgang's butler. Think carefully..."
*Crack.*
The red-haired man glared as if about to break his wrist and spoke coldly.
"I told you."
"..."
"There are ranks."
"..."
He felt suffocated.
A gut feeling that something had gone terribly wrong...
"Do you really want to die?"
It sent chills throughout his body.