“Punishment for the wet nurse Sebinne will be carried out soon. To lay a hand on Young Master Dive—there’s no way that can be tolerated.”

For the first time, Count Alton’s eyes—always gentle and full of laughter—held a cold, bleak light.

“And the amount of money she’s been siphoning off is truly unbelievable. Even embezzlement alone will earn her a very heavy sentence.”

She had been skimming off almost all the money paid out each month in Dive’s name and spending it however she pleased.

With that money, she had bought off the other staff and thoroughly concealed everything she’d been doing all this time.

“The staff who were under Young Master Dive will all be punished as well.”

“Good. You did well.”

Duke Escra gave a light nod after hearing Count Alton’s report. But his expression looked thoroughly uncomfortable.

“Stop glaring at me.”

And it wasn’t surprising—because someone had been staring holes through him in silence for quite a while now.

“You know whose fault this is, right?”

Camilla glared at Duke Escra with a look mixed with contempt and irritation, sharp enough to cut.

“What did I do? I didn’t do anything.”

“That’s the problem!”

No matter how you looked at it, the greatest responsibility for Sebinne being able to run wild here like that lay with Duke Escra.

He had left everything about Dive to her and paid no attention at all.

The child, given separate quarters in an annex for “study,” had become more and more isolated, and that place had turned into her perfect kingdom before anyone even noticed.

You really couldn’t judge people by appearances. To commit those kinds of acts with such a kindly face.

“What are you going to do about that arm—about that arm! You saw the bruises on the kid’s arm, and you’re still saying it’s not your responsibility?”

“You’re speaking informally—”

“Is that what matters right now?”

“...It does matter.”

Duke Escra sent Count Alton a pleading look for help, but Count Alton only gave an awkward smile and pretended not to see.

“At least....”

Camilla stopped mid-sentence and let out a short breath.

She knew herself that she was more worked up than usual right now. But she couldn’t help it.

Because she knew too well.

What it felt like to live while realizing you weren’t loved by your parents—she knew it better than anyone.

What it felt like when every door connecting you to the world felt bolted shut tight.

“At least, for Dive... I hope you can be his father.”

With that, Camilla stood.

SMACK.

As she walked out, a brief silence fell over the office.

“Still, you really do take care of your younger sibling.”

The one who broke the silence was Count Alton.

“Who did she take after to go charging like that?”

Duke Escra stared at the space Camilla had vanished into, frowning deeply.

Remembering how she had just been pointing a finger at him and yelling, he gave a small shake of his head.

“Exactly like you, Kais.”

“What?”

“You saw her slapping her, right? No one around her even thought of stepping in. The presence was....”

Both Duke Escra and Count Alton had seen it. Camilla striking Sebinne across the face without hesitation.

The two of them had happened to be passing near the library when they spotted Camilla running somewhere in a hurry, and they’d followed, wondering what was going on.

They’d heard everything Sebinne had been spouting, and they’d seen her raise the switch.

They’d tried to step in immediately, but Camilla had been faster than them. After that, she hadn’t given them a single opening to act.

‘Someone very close to that child.’

‘What?’

‘Think carefully. About who I might be.’

When she took Dive and walked out after saying that, the two of them could only stand there like idiots.

“It seems like Young Master Dive is being acknowledged as her younger sibling, doesn’t it?”

As if deeply moved by her actions, Count Alton wore a pleased expression again and again.

But when he looked at Duke Escra, he clicked his tongue.

“And yet someone still gets called ‘you.’”

“So what? It doesn’t matter.”

“Then from now on, can I call you ‘you’ as well—”

“Have I been letting you off too easy lately?”

“Hahaha.”

“.......”

“...I’ll work.”

Avoiding Duke Escra’s eyes as they grew colder by the second, Count Alton hurried back to his seat.

*****

[I’m sorry. Hic.......]

The place Camilla met Sharua again—after she hadn’t shown herself all day—was the very garden where they’d first spoken.

[I really... I really think I’m an idiot.]

Camilla found her crying on the bench and said nothing.

What could she possibly add to someone who was already blaming herself enough?

[I really thought it was for the child. Sebinne... she always said it was.]

No, it wasn’t.

In Camilla’s eyes, Sharua—she felt it too.

That Sebinne’s behavior wasn’t normal. That her tyranny had long since crossed the line.

From the first time she spoke about Sebinne, Sharua’s expression had been full of unease.

She kept saying “friend,” “the one I trust most,” but her gaze had trembled again and again, and her voice had quivered in tiny ways.

That woman is the one who screamed at a child that he killed his mother.

Sharua wasn’t stupid enough to think that woman’s words were right.

She had just been brainwashing herself.

Because there was nothing she could do—she had wanted to believe in Sebinne somehow.

The moment she acknowledged that Sebinne was abusing the child, she wouldn’t have been able to endure it.

[Is Dive... okay?]

Still sniffing, Sharua looked up at Camilla with eyes brimming with tears.

She hadn’t been able to go near Dive all day—because she was sorry, because it hurt too much—so she had no idea what state he was in right now. She was worried, but she couldn’t bring herself to go.

“He’s been sleeping all day.”

Dive hadn’t wanted to return to the annex where he usually stayed, so Camilla brought him to her own room instead.

As if he’d been pushed far past his limits, the child spent the entire day repeating the cycle of eating and sleeping. And every time he woke, he checked to make sure Camilla was beside him.

‘Are you... my sister?’

‘Why do you think that?’

‘Because of how Father and Count Alton acted, and what you said to the wet nurse... and... your eyes.’

A smart kid.

Instead of answering, Camilla simply gave him a gentle smile. But for the child, that smile seemed to be answer enough.

‘Sis.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Hehe, Sis!’

‘Yeah.’

It might have been annoying, but every time he called her, Camilla repeated the same answer again and again.

She couldn’t bring herself to turn away from a child who was desperately trying to pry open the door of his heart that the wet nurse had slammed shut.

And because he was cute.

Every time he said “Sis” and smiled shyly, he was so pretty that she found herself answering without thinking.

Only after night fell, and she confirmed the child was deeply asleep, did Camilla step outside.

[D-Dive!]

That was when Sharua sprang up.

When Camilla turned her head, Dive was walking toward where they were.

His focus is gone.

His eyes were dull. The symptom again.

“I thought he’d be okay now that Sebinne is gone.......”

Tonight too, the child kept looking around the garden, scanning here and there.

But watching him, the words he’d said to Camilla here came back to her.

‘They said Mother really loved watching the stars here.’

Maybe....

The reason the child came here every time—could it be?

Camilla turned and looked at Sharua, who couldn’t hide the heartbreak on her face.

“Haa.”

She should have had medicine prepared ahead of time for chills, at least.

“Sharua.”

After a short sigh, Camilla called her. When Sharua turned, Camilla motioned lightly with her hand—come closer.

“Come in.”

[Excuse me?]

“Come in. Into my body.”

[......!]

Seeing Sharua’s eyes widen wider and wider, Camilla let out another short sigh. At this rate, she was going to become some kind of possession specialist.

“Come in. I think what that child is looking for... is you.”

*****

Where is this?

Everything in front of him was blurred, like fog had settled over it. He walked and walked, but there was no one around.

Am I left alone again?

It’s cold, dark, and scary.

Why am I always alone? I hate it.......

It hurts. My wrist hurts so much.

Is no one here? Really... no one?

“Dive.”

Who?

Someone gently took his hand. Warmth passed into his cold, chilled fingers.

“Baby.”

That warmth spread through his whole body. Only after being held tightly in someone’s arms did he realize it.

“...Found you.”

What he’d been searching for all this time.

“Dive.”

Camilla—no, Sharua—felt her chest swell as she spoke the child’s name out loud for the first time.

“Baby.”

The moment she held him in her arms, her chest tightened again.

She had never once been able to hold him like this. She hadn’t even been able to stroke his hair.

The child, who had been stirring in her arms, moved less and less.

Slide.

Then, after a moment, the child slowly lifted his arms and hugged her back.

“...Found you.”

At that single word, tears finally poured from Sharua’s eyes.

*****

“Dive.”

“Yes?”

“If you don’t want to eat it, you don’t have to.”

Today too, the sight of the child forcing down carrots in silence made Camilla speak up at last.

What was that woman even thinking?

Looking at it, it seemed like she’d specially asked the cook... Did she tell them the child liked carrots? Today too, Dive’s plate alone was piled with carrots.

She could feel anew that the ways to torment a child really were endless.

Did she feel some kind of thrill watching him obey because he couldn’t reject her will?

Remembering Sebinne smiling with satisfaction as she watched the child eat last time, Camilla cursed inwardly.

That damned bitch. I should’ve grabbed her by the /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ hair and shaken her around!

“B-But they said you have to eat even what you don’t like.......”

“Who? That woman?”

“...Yes.”

“It’s not completely wrong, but you don’t have to force it down like that.”

“Really?”

“Give it to the duke.”

“Pardon?”

“Your father loves carrots. Give him all of it.”

As the spark suddenly jumped to him, Duke Escra stared at Camilla with an incredulous look.

When did I say I like carrots?

So what? You want me to refuse?

When Camilla fixed him with a steady glare, Duke Escra finally let out a short sigh and slid his plate toward the child.