"Lino is Lina's older brother, five years her senior. I heard he was disowned along with Lina; he left, saying he would earn money and come back."
Sia quietly told her where the children weren't around.
'Lino...'
Stella wore a bright smile, pretending not to know anything.
"Stop drawing and come here quickly. Lady Stella says she'll read a book to you."
"Waaah."
Stella and Sia took turns reading storybooks to the children who could not read. They read diligently while observing the children's expressions: the parts where their faces brightened, the parts where they burst into laughter, the parts where they concentrated with serious faces, and the parts where they felt bored.
When it was Sia's turn to read the storybook, Stella quietly slipped away. She saw the back of Lina kicking stones in the backyard.
"Hi?"
"..."
Lina looked at Stella. Her surprised rabbit eyes were cute.
"Do you want to be alone?"
"..."
"If that is the case, I'll step aside."
Lina shook her head. Stella smiled faintly.
'So it's not that you dislike me.'
Stella talked to Lina about everyday things, such as whether the orphanage meals suited her taste and what her favorite foods were. Lina, who knew how to write, answered by writing on Stella's palm. Then, suddenly, Stella noticed that Lina's gaze rested on her earring.
"Oh, do you want these earrings?"
Lina nodded. Stella fiddled with her earlobe.
"Lina is still young, so I think it would hurt if you wore earrings."
And Stella took out her bracelet.
"How about this bracelet?"
Wow. Lina's face lit up. Stella put the bracelet on the child's arm. Lina, who was 12, had a thin wrist. However, Stella's wrist was also quite thin, so when she pulled the string just a little, it fit Lina's arm perfectly.
'Good.'
In this way, Stella began to grow closer to Lina. She also visited the orphanage every other day to establish a proper system. She had to hire a cook to prepare the children's meals and find a teacher to instruct them in literacy and arithmetic. Although Sia was acting as the director for the time being, someone was needed to take over the role, given the significant amount of work she originally handled. There were many things to worry about in various ways.
"How is the children's reaction?"
Roy also still had a lot of interest in the children at the orphanage.
"Cute. If the story is interesting, the voice gets louder, and if it's boring, the voice yawns right away. I like that it's immediate."
All adults were once children. Roy also had a lonely childhood, just like Stella, and he liked children.
"There are still many children who can't read, so I do have to read to them myself. But it's fun."
Roy nodded. Stella asked the children if they would like another writer teacher to come, and the children all liked the idea.
"Then I'll visit the orphanage tomorrow."
"Yes."
Stella shared her entire schedule with Kendrick. Kendrick, who originally hated sweets, preferred holding Stella's hand to eating candy. So, whenever possible, he wanted to coordinate their schedules to increase the time they spent together.
"I decided to go to the orphanage with Roy tomorrow."
"Young master Andra? Are you saying you're going alone?"
"Since there are children, it’s not just the two of us."
Kendrick made a displeased face.
"I think I'll just read a book, have lunch, and come right back. I have a manuscript I'm working on as well."
Kendrick grinned.
"I'll be going tomorrow, too."
"Yes?"
"Since it is an orphanage directly run by the Duke's family, I should show my face at least once."
Isn't that right?
Kendrick was certainly wary of Roy. He always had several burly knights keeping watch over him, even when meeting him for writing, so he couldn't do that at an orphanage where children were present.
'He probably intends to come in person and stick around.'
Stella did not want to be caught in the middle of the war of nerves between the two men. She easily became exhausted from being on edge, constantly worried that a fight might break out. Stella shook her head.
"Then how about coming next time?"
"No. I happen to have some free time this afternoon, too. I'll come visit right away tomorrow as soon as my prior engagement ends."
"Mmm." Stella groaned, but it was no use. Kendrick met Stella's eyes and smiled, as if nothing else mattered to him.
Stella met Roy and headed to the orphanage.
"There are a few naughty kids."
"Kids can be like that."
It was the first time Roy had officially met so many children.
"Still, they are all kind-hearted kids."
"Yes."
She was nervous yet excited.
"Hi, kids. It's the writer teacher I mentioned last time."
As Stella entered with Roy, she heard a gasp of amazement.
"Wow, he's really handsome."
Praise for Roy's appearance was widespread among both men and women. And rightly so, as Roy was the quintessential handsome blonde. His long eyelashes, sharp nose, and elegant blue eyes combined to exude a noble aura.
"It's the writer I mentioned last time. Say hello."
"Hello, nice to meet you."
To the children, it seemed as though a halo was shining behind Roy. A girl approached Stella and poked her arm.
"Lady Stella."
As Stella looked at her as if asking what was wrong, the child whispered in Stella's ear.
"Mr. Andra... I think he is the most handsome person I have ever met. He looks like an angel descended from heaven."
Stella let out a slight laugh at the child's whisper, which was so cute. Roy had a kind personality and was skilled at handling people. Knowing that children couldn't easily approach him because of his flashy appearance, he deliberately wore a friendly smile.
"Oh my..."
Several girls were completely captivated by this. Kelly, Sally, and Millie showed the most interest. Roy read the fairy tales he had written to the children.
"My ears are melting."
"His voice is just like sweet castella cake."
Stella had also marveled when she first heard Roy's voice. Although she had grown accustomed to it through frequent meetings, she vividly remembered the emotion she felt the first time. It was like honey and butter blending together and dripping down. The children seemed completely captivated by Roy's charm, as they gathered in a circle around him. Eyes filled with curiosity and envy toward this new person were all directed toward Roy.
'If I had known he would be this popular, I should have brought him in sooner.'
Thanks to that, Stella had a slightly lighter day. She stepped back and watched Roy read a book to the children, surrounded by them. Kelly quietly slipped out of the group and approached Stella.
"By the way, Lady Stella."
"Kelly, what's wrong?"
"Is that angel-looking writer Stella's boyfriend?"
"My boyfriend?"
Roy and me?
Stella burst out laughing. It was because Kelly's expression was so serious. It seemed that Roy had become a small spark in eight-year-old Kelly's heart. She wanted to tease cute Kelly by saying she was right, but she couldn't.
"No, right?"
"No. We're just friends."
"Phew, that's a relief."
Soon, Kelly giggled.
"Were you worried that I might be in a relationship with that teacher?"
Kelly nodded.
"Because Lady Stella is so pretty, kind, good at studying, and writes well. I was worried that Lady Stella might be Mr. Roy's girlfriend."
"Don't worry."
Stella smiled and stroked Kelly's head when a man's voice came from behind her. It was a very low voice, like one echoing in a cave.
"Who is whose girlfriend?"
Stella turned her head slightly. Kendrick was standing there with a gloomy expression.
'You must have misunderstood again.'
Kendrick was naturally taciturn and cold. With his sharp, slanted eyes, he was often misunderstood when he remained silent. He was aware of how he appeared, so he usually managed his facial expressions to avoid being unnecessarily misunderstood by others. However, it was different when it involved Stella. Anyone could tell from his current expression that he was angry.
"I, I'm scared."
Sure enough, Kelly was terrified. Stella ran to Kendrick and grabbed his hand. Kendrick's face turned red in an instant.
"Kelly, this is my husband."
Kelly was startled.
"Lady Stella's husband?"
Stella raised her index finger and brought it to her lips. Shh.
I didn't want to disturb Roy while he was reading. At Stella's signal, Kelly clamped her mouth shut and nodded. Stella smiled with satisfaction. Deciding to introduce Kendrick after Roy's story-reading time was over, she led him into the hallway.
"Why?"
Kendrick fidgeted with his hands.
"Why did you drag me here?"
Perhaps because Stella held his hand first, Kendrick's face softened.
"I have something to tell you before meeting the kids."
They say that when you fall in love, you become either a child or a dog; perhaps due to the love potion, Kendrick became complex yet simple, like a child.
"Hmm... those kids don't know I'm the Duchess."
"What?"
Stella did not reveal to the children that she was Stella Adrian, the mistress of the Adrian household. She was worried that they might feel distant and uncomfortable around her.
"They just think of me as a temporary teacher who buys snacks and reads books."
"How is that possible?"
"The director didn't teach the children anything. So they still don't know how the world works."
Kendrick stroked his chin as if surprised by the situation. Perhaps it was because he had lived his entire life receiving attention as a member of the Adrian family. It felt strange to him that there were children who did not know his identity and status.
"They'll find out later anyway."
"Even if I do that, I don't want to reveal it yet. So please keep it a secret, Kendrick."
Kendrick nodded as if it were no big deal.
"But, did you drag me here just to talk about that?"
Stella shook her head. And she fiddled with his cheeks.
"Kendrick."
Stella raised her arm higher and playfully touched the corner of his eye.
"I'm telling you to lighten up."
Then, he lowered the corners of his eyes.
"The kids are scared."
Kendrick quietly watched Stella rubbing his face and nodded.
"Alright. I'll give it a try."
"You usually look handsome and not scary at all, but why do you look like this today? Try smiling like this."
Stella grabbed the corners of Kendrick's mouth and pulled them up. Kendrick pressed his lips together tightly.
"Say it one more time."
Kendrick's face flushed even redder than before.
"Huh? What? You mean, stop frowning?"
"No, not that."
Do you think I’m… handsome, too?
Sia quietly told her where the children weren't around.
'Lino...'
Stella wore a bright smile, pretending not to know anything.
"Stop drawing and come here quickly. Lady Stella says she'll read a book to you."
"Waaah."
Stella and Sia took turns reading storybooks to the children who could not read. They read diligently while observing the children's expressions: the parts where their faces brightened, the parts where they burst into laughter, the parts where they concentrated with serious faces, and the parts where they felt bored.
When it was Sia's turn to read the storybook, Stella quietly slipped away. She saw the back of Lina kicking stones in the backyard.
"Hi?"
"..."
Lina looked at Stella. Her surprised rabbit eyes were cute.
"Do you want to be alone?"
"..."
"If that is the case, I'll step aside."
Lina shook her head. Stella smiled faintly.
'So it's not that you dislike me.'
Stella talked to Lina about everyday things, such as whether the orphanage meals suited her taste and what her favorite foods were. Lina, who knew how to write, answered by writing on Stella's palm. Then, suddenly, Stella noticed that Lina's gaze rested on her earring.
"Oh, do you want these earrings?"
Lina nodded. Stella fiddled with her earlobe.
"Lina is still young, so I think it would hurt if you wore earrings."
And Stella took out her bracelet.
"How about this bracelet?"
Wow. Lina's face lit up. Stella put the bracelet on the child's arm. Lina, who was 12, had a thin wrist. However, Stella's wrist was also quite thin, so when she pulled the string just a little, it fit Lina's arm perfectly.
'Good.'
In this way, Stella began to grow closer to Lina. She also visited the orphanage every other day to establish a proper system. She had to hire a cook to prepare the children's meals and find a teacher to instruct them in literacy and arithmetic. Although Sia was acting as the director for the time being, someone was needed to take over the role, given the significant amount of work she originally handled. There were many things to worry about in various ways.
"How is the children's reaction?"
Roy also still had a lot of interest in the children at the orphanage.
"Cute. If the story is interesting, the voice gets louder, and if it's boring, the voice yawns right away. I like that it's immediate."
All adults were once children. Roy also had a lonely childhood, just like Stella, and he liked children.
"There are still many children who can't read, so I do have to read to them myself. But it's fun."
Roy nodded. Stella asked the children if they would like another writer teacher to come, and the children all liked the idea.
"Then I'll visit the orphanage tomorrow."
"Yes."
Stella shared her entire schedule with Kendrick. Kendrick, who originally hated sweets, preferred holding Stella's hand to eating candy. So, whenever possible, he wanted to coordinate their schedules to increase the time they spent together.
"I decided to go to the orphanage with Roy tomorrow."
"Young master Andra? Are you saying you're going alone?"
"Since there are children, it’s not just the two of us."
Kendrick made a displeased face.
"I think I'll just read a book, have lunch, and come right back. I have a manuscript I'm working on as well."
Kendrick grinned.
"I'll be going tomorrow, too."
"Yes?"
"Since it is an orphanage directly run by the Duke's family, I should show my face at least once."
Isn't that right?
Kendrick was certainly wary of Roy. He always had several burly knights keeping watch over him, even when meeting him for writing, so he couldn't do that at an orphanage where children were present.
'He probably intends to come in person and stick around.'
Stella did not want to be caught in the middle of the war of nerves between the two men. She easily became exhausted from being on edge, constantly worried that a fight might break out. Stella shook her head.
"Then how about coming next time?"
"No. I happen to have some free time this afternoon, too. I'll come visit right away tomorrow as soon as my prior engagement ends."
"Mmm." Stella groaned, but it was no use. Kendrick met Stella's eyes and smiled, as if nothing else mattered to him.
***
Stella met Roy and headed to the orphanage.
"There are a few naughty kids."
"Kids can be like that."
It was the first time Roy had officially met so many children.
"Still, they are all kind-hearted kids."
"Yes."
She was nervous yet excited.
"Hi, kids. It's the writer teacher I mentioned last time."
As Stella entered with Roy, she heard a gasp of amazement.
"Wow, he's really handsome."
Praise for Roy's appearance was widespread among both men and women. And rightly so, as Roy was the quintessential handsome blonde. His long eyelashes, sharp nose, and elegant blue eyes combined to exude a noble aura.
"It's the writer I mentioned last time. Say hello."
"Hello, nice to meet you."
To the children, it seemed as though a halo was shining behind Roy. A girl approached Stella and poked her arm.
"Lady Stella."
As Stella looked at her as if asking what was wrong, the child whispered in Stella's ear.
"Mr. Andra... I think he is the most handsome person I have ever met. He looks like an angel descended from heaven."
Stella let out a slight laugh at the child's whisper, which was so cute. Roy had a kind personality and was skilled at handling people. Knowing that children couldn't easily approach him because of his flashy appearance, he deliberately wore a friendly smile.
"Oh my..."
Several girls were completely captivated by this. Kelly, Sally, and Millie showed the most interest. Roy read the fairy tales he had written to the children.
"My ears are melting."
"His voice is just like sweet castella cake."
Stella had also marveled when she first heard Roy's voice. Although she had grown accustomed to it through frequent meetings, she vividly remembered the emotion she felt the first time. It was like honey and butter blending together and dripping down. The children seemed completely captivated by Roy's charm, as they gathered in a circle around him. Eyes filled with curiosity and envy toward this new person were all directed toward Roy.
'If I had known he would be this popular, I should have brought him in sooner.'
Thanks to that, Stella had a slightly lighter day. She stepped back and watched Roy read a book to the children, surrounded by them. Kelly quietly slipped out of the group and approached Stella.
"By the way, Lady Stella."
"Kelly, what's wrong?"
"Is that angel-looking writer Stella's boyfriend?"
"My boyfriend?"
Roy and me?
Stella burst out laughing. It was because Kelly's expression was so serious. It seemed that Roy had become a small spark in eight-year-old Kelly's heart. She wanted to tease cute Kelly by saying she was right, but she couldn't.
"No, right?"
"No. We're just friends."
"Phew, that's a relief."
Soon, Kelly giggled.
"Were you worried that I might be in a relationship with that teacher?"
Kelly nodded.
"Because Lady Stella is so pretty, kind, good at studying, and writes well. I was worried that Lady Stella might be Mr. Roy's girlfriend."
"Don't worry."
Stella smiled and stroked Kelly's head when a man's voice came from behind her. It was a very low voice, like one echoing in a cave.
"Who is whose girlfriend?"
Stella turned her head slightly. Kendrick was standing there with a gloomy expression.
'You must have misunderstood again.'
Kendrick was naturally taciturn and cold. With his sharp, slanted eyes, he was often misunderstood when he remained silent. He was aware of how he appeared, so he usually managed his facial expressions to avoid being unnecessarily misunderstood by others. However, it was different when it involved Stella. Anyone could tell from his current expression that he was angry.
"I, I'm scared."
Sure enough, Kelly was terrified. Stella ran to Kendrick and grabbed his hand. Kendrick's face turned red in an instant.
"Kelly, this is my husband."
Kelly was startled.
"Lady Stella's husband?"
Stella raised her index finger and brought it to her lips. Shh.
I didn't want to disturb Roy while he was reading. At Stella's signal, Kelly clamped her mouth shut and nodded. Stella smiled with satisfaction. Deciding to introduce Kendrick after Roy's story-reading time was over, she led him into the hallway.
"Why?"
Kendrick fidgeted with his hands.
"Why did you drag me here?"
Perhaps because Stella held his hand first, Kendrick's face softened.
"I have something to tell you before meeting the kids."
They say that when you fall in love, you become either a child or a dog; perhaps due to the love potion, Kendrick became complex yet simple, like a child.
"Hmm... those kids don't know I'm the Duchess."
"What?"
Stella did not reveal to the children that she was Stella Adrian, the mistress of the Adrian household. She was worried that they might feel distant and uncomfortable around her.
"They just think of me as a temporary teacher who buys snacks and reads books."
"How is that possible?"
"The director didn't teach the children anything. So they still don't know how the world works."
Kendrick stroked his chin as if surprised by the situation. Perhaps it was because he had lived his entire life receiving attention as a member of the Adrian family. It felt strange to him that there were children who did not know his identity and status.
"They'll find out later anyway."
"Even if I do that, I don't want to reveal it yet. So please keep it a secret, Kendrick."
Kendrick nodded as if it were no big deal.
"But, did you drag me here just to talk about that?"
Stella shook her head. And she fiddled with his cheeks.
"Kendrick."
Stella raised her arm higher and playfully touched the corner of his eye.
"I'm telling you to lighten up."
Then, he lowered the corners of his eyes.
"The kids are scared."
Kendrick quietly watched Stella rubbing his face and nodded.
"Alright. I'll give it a try."
"You usually look handsome and not scary at all, but why do you look like this today? Try smiling like this."
Stella grabbed the corners of Kendrick's mouth and pulled them up. Kendrick pressed his lips together tightly.
"Say it one more time."
Kendrick's face flushed even redder than before.
"Huh? What? You mean, stop frowning?"
"No, not that."
Do you think I’m… handsome, too?
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