Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle

What if she asks something she doesn’t know? She looked at the place where the child was pointing with concern, and there was a snowman.

“Someone has made two great snowmen. They look great together.”

Brielle replied with a warm smile. Because each snowman wearing a hat and ribbon was really cute.

“Right? Isn’t it just like the Duke and Duchess?”

It wasn’t like that at all.

Brielle thought so reflexively.

If Maximilian was a nice snowman, she was nothing more than a floor of melted snow.

But she couldn’t answer that to Clarisse, who glistened her eyes, so she was forced to nod.

“T, that’s right. First of all… the Duke is wearing a hat, and I’m wearing a ribbon!”

“Besides, you two look very good together. Isn’t that right, Duke?”

Oh, please.

Brielle hoped that the Duke would never hear such an embarrassing story.

No, even if he heard it, she hoped that he would give the correct answer to Clarisse’s words, saying, ‘We are a little different from the snowman.’ 

She can’t believe they resemble a snowman who is so affectionately facing each other.

Because it’s something that can never be accepted.

“Right.”

Brielle looked back at him in surprise at the unexpected answer. 

Maximilian even added the following words, which he said in his usual tone and expression.

“It’s quite similar.”

Brielle wanted to refute something, but she couldn’t say anything because Clarisse looked so happy when she said, ‘I knew you would answer that!’.

No, actually.

Brielle herself seemed to be the happiest of all.

‘What should I do if I feel happy like this?’

After returning to the mansion from the village, Brielle put her head in her room.

‘I decided to confess a lie, but I made another pleasant memory!’

After making up her mind again, Brielle waited for Quentin to leave work and went to the Duke’s office.

He was always working alone at this time, so she expected that they would be able to have a quiet conversation.

When she knocked lightly, she heard an answer that it was okay to come in soon. 

Brielle opened the door and looked inside.

“Duchess!” 

Then Clarisse, who came running in her cute footsteps, welcomed her.

“Clarisse… have you been here?”

“Yes! I was painting the portrait of the Duke.”

Clarisse gave a small clap as if everything had just worked out.

“I, I want to draw the Duchess too. How about the two of you sitting next to each other?”

“I, I’ll do it later.”

Brielle smiled awkwardly and waved her hands gently.

Because she wasn’t the ‘Duchess’ Clarisse was supposed to draw.

“What brings you here?”

Soon Maximilian’s voice was heard from inside the office.

He seemed bothered by the fact that she didn’t come in and was just standing at the door. 

“Ah, that…” 

Brielle was thinking of asking Clarisse to step aside for a moment.

“You know, Clarisse.”

“Yes, madam.”

But she just couldn’t get the words out somehow. 

Brielle only hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head.

“I’m glad you were here. I was worried… because Clarice wasn’t in the room. When you finish the painting, be sure to show it to me. I will look forward to it.” 

She managed to come up with an excuse for herself, but Clarisse’s face as she looked at her was full of doubt.

As if she had been expecting something else.

“Then I’ll go back. Please excuse me.”

Brielle greeted Maximilian lightly, and closed the door quickly.

“Whoo…”

Naturally, a sigh came out, which surprised Brielle a little.

It wasn’t a sigh that came from the sluggish situation.

Rather, she was relieved.

Why is she…. so happy that this useless lie continues?

「Perhaps… do you want to stay here longer?」

Suddenly, Asela’s question came to mind.

“….”

Brielle gently stroked the stone on the rugged inner wall.

With deep affection.

“I want to stay… but I can’t. I can’t fool the Duke any more.”

Feeling upset for some reason, Brielle quickly shook her head and hurriedly moved to the first floor.

Anyway, now as the hostess of this mansion, taking care of and leading the servants who worked hard throughout the day was the priority.

*****

“I think she has failed, Lady.”

Meanwhile, Asela, who was staying in the guest room, gave her maid a sharp look with bad news.

“Do you mean she still hasn’t told the Duke anything?”

“Yes, that pink-haired child is hanging out in the Duke’s office.”

“What the hell is she?! I’m so annoyed… The weather is so cold that I’m freezing to death. What is this! Hey, add some more firewood.”

The maid put the snack that Sheridan’s chef had prepared in front of Asela and quickly added firewood.

The fire temporarily increased its volume, but the coldness of the guest room didn’t disappear. 

“She followed them to the village earlier. What the hell is she? Is she a relative of the Duke?”

“The servants here say that she is the princess of the fallen Grezekaia.”

“What? So she’s a prisoner of war?”

“Yes, they say she’s a prisoner.”

“Ha, I’m dumbfounded.”

Because she was wearing fancy clothes, she thought she was a distant relative whom the Duke cherished. 

“I didn’t know that and even wondered if I should buy a present and look good to her.”

If she did, it would have been a great disgrace.

To hear that the Count’s daughter wanted to look good to prisoners. 

“It’s a really unpleasant mansion. I didn’t want to come to a place like this. Ugh, it’s annoying!”

Asela took a bite of the sandwich that the maid brought.

It was made with fresh cucumbers, which are hard to find in winter, and as soon as the fresh scent spread through her mouth, Asela quickly spat it out.

“Are you crazy? How many times do I tell you that I’m going to vomit if I smell cucumbers! Ugh…”

“I, I’m sorry, Lady! I’ll talk to the chef here and ask him to change it to a sour fruit snack.” 

“Are you crazy? If that’s the case, why don’t you put a big sign on the door saying that I have morning sickness?!”

Ashela screamed so hard that the room rang.

* * *

[Well done!]

The next morning, Clarisse smiled with a red face at the praise of the inner wall.

Even though Mallang on the bed was getting angry, saying, ‘Don’t make Clarisse work!’ 

[It is unbearable for that nasty woman to be the owner of this mansion. More than anything else, to trick the Duke with her vicious heart…!]

Clarisse nodded her head slowly.

“But on the other hand, it’s a pity.”

[Not at all.]

“What if she is in trouble because she has nowhere else to go?”

[Hmph, even so, I can’t give up the position of the Duchess of Sheriden.]

“It’s so strange.”

Clarisse tilted her head.

“If it were me, I would have been honest and asked for help. The Duchess is a kind person, so she wouldn’t have refused the request.”

[Phew, how can you be so nice?]

“It’s not nice. I’m just… pity her.” 

The fact that the Duchess, who has always been kind to herself, is in a painful situation where she has to lie.

Trying to cover it up with another lie.

“Looks like there’s a good way to make everything right now.”

Like being honest about everything.

It seemed to Clarisse that the Duke of Sheridan would listen to her wife and come up with the best solution for her.

But why doesn’t she do that?

“Adults are weird.”

[When you get older, Clarisse will understand a lot.]

Is that what a ‘The Great Eighteen’ is?

Now, for the first time, Clarisse realizes that her goal is so vague. 

“Anyway, I’m going to show the Duchess the picture I drew yesterday.”

[You do that. Please don’t leave the Duke and his wife alone.] 

“Eung!” 

Clarisse removed her hand from the wall, picked up Mallang from the bed, and stuffed it into her pocket.  

“You’re coming with me, right?”

“…Coo.” 

“I am not a nosy person. It’s just to repay the favor.”

Clarisse, holding a thick sketchbook, looked around the hallway with the door open.

Although she had grown accustomed to life in the Duke’s mansion, Clarisse had never forgotten her duties. 

She was a prisoner, and this room was a cell.

When leaving her room, it was natural to inform the knight or soldier guarding the hallway before moving. 

“Huh…?” 

But now, somehow, there wasn’t a single soldier standing in the hallway.

“Did the Duke or madam call them, and then they leave?” 

Clarisse stomped her feet, clutching her sketchbook. She was in a hurry.

“I have to go to the Madam quickly… I can’t be late…” 

“Ah, as expected.” 

Just then, a sarcastic voice came from right next to the door.

“….?”

Clarisse opened the door a little further and looked at the source of the sound.

“….!” 

There stood a liar guest whom she saw yesterday.

“I thought it was strange.”

Coming up, sweeping away her long silver hair, she glared at Clarisse with fierce eyes.

“You know something. So you’re trying to get in my way, aren’t you?”

Clarisse flinched and hugged the sketchbook she was holding.

The moment she heard her sharp voice, she remembered what she had almost forgotten about her peaceful life in Sheridan.

It’s very clear—.

｢Running around with a lowly smell.｣

How she looked at Clarisse now was very similar to that of the queen of Grezekaia. 

“On the subject of a lowly prisoner. Even if it’s not, doesn’t it seem like the gloomy mansion vibrates with a nasty smell because of you?”