Previously
Cassius (Freynide) is overcome with guilt and shock upon realizing Thiel was hidden by the Nestians and treated poorly. While Thiel is cared for by maids and eats ravenously in fear of being expelled, Ian and Cedric explain her traumatic upbringing to Cassius.
At the maid's words, all three men shot up from their seats.
Cassius hurried forward before she could even finish. Hurrying after him, the maid called out breathlessly,
She trailed off, on the verge of tears.
Cedric, his brow furrowed, spoke up.
At that moment, the sound of frantic footsteps echoed down the hallway.
They soon reached the room where Thiel was being kept.
Cassius reached out and knocked on the door.
Thud.
The sound of something falling echoed from inside. Unable to wait any longer, Cassius stepped in.
"…"
What caught his eye was an overturned tea table and a little girl trembling in a maid’s arms.
The maids cleaning up the room raised their heads in unison. Cassius looked down at the rug they were rolling up.
It was stained with vomit. The child kept her head bowed, trembling violently as if she had committed an unforgivable sin.
The floor was strewn with bread and sweets.
Taking in the maid’s report, Cedric’s words, and the scattered food, Cassius quickly grasped what had happened.
Starving, the child had eaten too many treats, upset her stomach, and brought it all back up.
Cassius wanted to reassure his daughter that it was not her fault, but he held his tongue.
‘Startling her further won't do any good.’
She was in too fragile a state. He had heard she was terribly skittish; having made a mess like this, she would be completely on edge.
Just as he feared, the little girl was shuddering in terror, mumbling apologies.
The maid holding Thiel patted her small back gently and said,
Cassius nodded, guilt weighing heavily on him. The maid carrying the child hurried out of the room.
Cradling Thiel in her arms, Leah headed toward the bath. She could feel the frail little body trembling against her chest.
The child was so shaken that she had started hiccuping.
Clinging tightly to Leah’s neck for fear of falling, Thiel opened her trembling lips.
Thiel repeated the words like a broken paper doll, her eyes squeezed shut.
Leah had no idea what the little girl had endured, but, heartbroken and flustered, she gently stroked the child's tangled hair.
She hugged her tighter, trying to lend her warmth.
A gentle, affectionate voice enveloped Thiel, seeming to soothe her just a little.
Arriving at the bathroom, Leah set the girl down beside her and began filling the tub with warm water.
It would have been far easier to have other maids assist with the bath.
However, because the child was so timid, Leah had no choice but to wash Thiel alone; Cassius had strictly ordered that she not be exposed to other servants for the time being.
Once enough warm water had gathered, Leah gathered Thiel in her arms again.
Leah asked gently. Thiel was still trembling, in no state to give a proper answer.
Even so, the child could not be left like this, so Leah carefully undid the pale yellow dress she was wearing.
As the soft fabric pooled at Thiel’s feet, it revealed pale skin covered in bruises and cuts.
The wounds and bruises were clearly not self-inflicted.
Leah froze, horrified by the child’s state, which was far worse than she had imagined.
Thinking she had done something wrong again, Thiel burst into tears as she apologized.
Leah tried to comfort the girl as she lifted her small body into the tub.
Thiel caught the comforting scent of the woman washing her as Leah carefully smoothed away the grime from her delicate skin.
Fragrant bubbles touched every inch of Thiel’s body and melted away.
Most of the wounds were quite old, yet Leah remained as gentle as possible, even when rinsing them with water.
Dark, dirty water pooled and drained away. It was only natural, given that no one in the Nestian clan had ever bothered to wash her.
It seemed the ends of her hair, neglected for so long, would need to be trimmed.
It was badly matted and overgrown, and likely beyond saving with a simple wash.
Yet there were only the two of them in the bath—just Leah and the young lady.
Unwilling to leave her alone in the bathroom to fetch scissors, Leah decided to postpone cutting her hair.
Hic.
Thiel’s sharp hiccup rang through the quiet bathroom.
She clamped both hands over her mouth, but the hiccups kept escaping between her fingers.
Seeing this, Leah gently lowered Thiel’s hands.
Her voice was warm and soothing. Leah poured all her care into washing the child’s frail body thoroughly.
After a long while, the dirty water ceased to run, and Leah only stopped scrubbing once every trace of grime was gone.
The foul stench that had clung to the girl vanished, replaced by the sweet scent of soap tickling the tip of her nose.
Leah wrapped the little girl in a large towel.
After drying her thoroughly, she dressed her in a small set of pajamas.
They were clothes usually worn by Olivia, Thiel’s cousin and the daughter of Cassius’s younger brother.
Since Olivia frequently stayed overnight at the Astrian estate, her spare clothes were kept on hand.
In the meantime, Thiel had fallen asleep, likely exhausted from all her crying.
Leah gazed down at her for a long time, her eyes filled with tenderness.
Leah whispered softly into Thiel’s ear. Cradling the sleeping child, she quickened her pace.
The place where she laid Thiel down was the room where Cassius’s niece, Olivia, stayed when visiting the Astrians.
Filled with pretty trinkets meant for young girls, it offered enough comfort that Thiel seemed at ease even when placed upon the bed.
After tucking Thiel in, Leah instructed another maid to summon Doctor Kid and Lord Cassius.
Shortly after, Cassius, Ian, and Cedric arrived accompanied by Doctor Kid.
Kid was a somber man in his forties with a perpetually gloomy impression.
Cassius hurried inside. Leah shook her head with a troubled look.
Leah turned her eyes toward the sleeping child. Thiel looked more peaceful now than at any point since arriving at the Astrian estate.
At Cassius's order, Kid took hold of the girl’s slender wrist.
After examining her for a long time, the doctor looked up at Cassius.
Ian murmured, comparing her to Rowen.
Rowen was a handspan taller than Thiel, despite both of them being seven years old.
Kid explained plainly. Cassius nodded in understanding.
He sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed the child’s cheek.
When she was awake, seeing him had terrified her so badly that he hadn't even been able to speak to her properly.
‘I can eat just a little, I can live like I don’t exist. I can sleep in a storeroom or a barn, so please…’
He hadn't even managed to tell her that she could stay in Astrian for as long as she wished.
‘I want to stay here.’
He was ready to tear down the Nestian estate brick by brick if that was what she desired.
Cassius resolved to tell Thiel as much the moment she opened her eyes.
From now on, this was her home; she had nothing to fear.
Anyone who dared try to harm her would have to answer to the entire Astrian family.
Cassius placed a soft kiss on the back of Thiel’s tiny hand and drew back.
Cedric then asked tentatively,
At Cedric’s question, Ian and Cassius looked at him without a word.
The child’s golden eyes were already undeniable proof of mixed Astrian and Nestian blood.
Cedric quickly offered an excuse.
Cassius said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind the child’s ear.
This time, Ian spoke up.
A paternity test required hair from both the child and Cassius.
Ian gestured to Leah, who stood respectfully nearby.
Leah produced a pair of scissors and snipped a small lock from the back of Thiel’s hair.
The pure white strands shone faintly in her palm.
Cassius had left a lock of his hair with them long ago, just in case the child was ever found.
If they only sent the child’s hair to the temple, they could receive the results immediately.
Of course, many people would be waiting in line, but that posed no obstacle to the Astrians.
Because the Astrian family made enormous donations to the temple, their request would take precedence over all others.
Cassius looked down at his sleeping daughter one last time.
Cedric said, exchanging glances with Ian. Ian nodded in agreement.
Ian murmured, looking at Thiel’s sleeping face.
Having said his piece, Cassius turned to Leah.
With that, the four of them departed the room.
Only the sound of faint breathing filled the quiet air.
And in that very moment—
Flash!
A brilliant light flared from Thiel’s tiny hand. It took the shape of a fish, then shifted into the form of a small bird.
Yet before anyone could see, the light flickered and quietly faded away.