Chapter 40

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Sapphire Room
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'What...? Real sapphires?'

At the unexpected news, I was so surprised I went pattering over to the fireplace.

Eugene, still clutching my hand, pattered along with me.

I hadn't noticed from a distance, but up close, it was obvious this wasn't an ordinary wall.

'No wonder the surface had such a peculiar sheen!'

It was distinctly different from the other walls, which had no luster at all.

"This is insan..."

I muttered, completely dumbfounded.

It goes without saying, but sapphires are incredibly expensive gemstones.

Of course, the price would vary wildly depending on their grade, but...

Judging by the wall's brilliant color, they hadn't used low-grade stones.

This was the moment my modest, commoner's assumption—that a room decorated with jewels simply meant a room *with* jewel decorations—came crashing down.

What kind of madman would even think of making a wall out of gemstones?

As I shook my head in disbelief, Lily led Eugene and me to the window.

"Another reason the Sapphire Room is so special is the view. You can see the entire beautiful garden at a glance."

"Whoa...!"

This time, a gasp of pure admiration escaped me.

According to Axel, the magnificent Elpinade garden—tended year-round by five gardeners and their staff—was on full display.

There was a fountain spouting water, brightly colored flowers in full bloom, and lush green lawns.

'And there's my four-leaf clover patch!'

Delighted, I pressed my face against the window, and Lily chuckled softly.

"For this reason, the Sapphire Room has, for generations, been given to the daughter most cherished by the head of the house."

"Why did the Duke give a woom like dis to me...?"

"It means he's not just putting on a show. He truly cherishes you, Young Lady."

'But...'

Why?

If I were a real child, I would have simply enjoyed it without question.

But I was an adult in a child's skin, so a question popped into my head.

Was this kindness without strings attached?

Did such a thing even exist?

I hadn't done a single thing for Duke Elpinade.

If I scraped together every trivial thing, the best I could come up with was the basket of four-leaf clovers he'd confiscated while I was silently holding back tears.

'But to get this in return for that...'

This room was far too extravagant.

It glittered over here.

It sparkled over there.

Everywhere I looked, my eyes landed on precious, expensive things. Just being here felt like an honor I didn't deserve.

"Young Lady?"

Seeing that I wasn't as delighted as she'd expected, Lily looked puzzled.

But before her confusion could grow, Rose and Daisy arrived, laden with food.

"Have you been waiting long? Come on over!"

"We didn't know what your friend likes, so we just brought a bit of everything."

Rose and Daisy proudly arranged the dishes on the table.

I helped the hesitant Eugene into a chair before taking the seat across from him.

Seeing him from this slight distance, I realized he was much thinner than I'd first thought.

The forearm peeking out from under his sleeve was incredibly thin.

"Go on, eat. It's all yummy."

I had faith in the Elpinade kitchens.

No matter what they served, I could always count on it being delicious.

But Eugene only glanced nervously between me and the maids, not daring to pick up his fork.

'Is it because I'm not eating?'

I picked up my fork and speared a piece of my favorite meat dish from the spread on the table.

The meat, cut into bite-sized pieces perfect for a child, was simmered in a sweet sauce. Just popping it in my mouth was enough to make me happy.

As I happily picked out my favorite dishes, Lily silently placed a helping of salad in front of me.

I shot her a look of protest, but she just gave me her usual gentle smile and shook her head.

"You must eat your vegetables, too. That's how you'll grow big and strong."

"But you haf to eat meat to gwow big and stwong..."

"You can have the meat with it."

Lily placed a piece of cooked fish on top of my salad like a garnish.

And of all things, it had to be fish, which I hated.

'Sigh. When I was an adult, no one cared if I was a picky eater.'

What a crime to become a child and lose my dietary freedom.

As I glared at my plate, trying to figure out how to avoid the fish and vegetables, I heard a clatter from across the table.

"I-It's delicious...!"

Eugene, who had just tried the same meat dish I'd eaten first, was staring with wide, shocked eyes.

His expression seemed to say, *What on earth did I just eat?*

Just as I thought, good food is the best way to open a person's heart.

The plan was a success!

After that, there was no stopping him.

Eugene began to eat with a frantic haste, stuffing food into his mouth.

He looked like someone who hadn't eaten in days.

His previous wariness, like a cat with its claws out, was completely gone.

'Maybe it wasn't just that he *looked* like he hadn't eaten in days. Maybe he really hadn't.'

I remembered Eugene's face as he begged me not to kill him, promising he would only eat a little.

Considering how easily he'd said that, tears streaming down his face, it didn't seem like he'd had a normal life at the Kroiche estate.

'Duke Kroiche, what in the world did you do to this child?'

I subtly pushed another dish toward Eugene, who was eating everything without complaint.

At that, the maids watching us nearby gave me looks that seemed to say, *How can she be so mature!*

The life of a child, being praised for such a small gesture!

It was a life I was experiencing for the first time, and it still felt awkward.

'At this rate, I'll end up getting praised just for breathing.'

* * *

With a full stomach, Eugene completely let his guard down and began to doze off on the sofa.

The frail child swayed, unable to support himself, looking just like a sick chick.

Just as Eugene, unable to fight it any longer, was about to topple forward...

Lily, who had been watching nearby, skillfully reached out and caught him before he could fall onto the table.

She calmly laid him down on the sofa and even covered him with a blanket.

Though she must have known the situation was unusual, Lily didn't ask any questions about him.

A truly experienced maid, I thought.

Looking at Eugene's face, dead to the world, I felt a yawn escape me as if his drowsiness were contagious.

As I let out a big "Yaaawn" and rubbed my eyes, Rose and Daisy clutched their chests and stomped their feet excitedly.

"Oh, I can't take it. She's too cute."

"I'd die happy if I could just pinch those pudding-like cheeks once."

Even the sound of their whispering felt like a lullaby.

My eyelids grew heavy, and I was blinking slowly when the door burst open, announcing an unwelcome guest.

"What? Grandfather really gave you this room?"

It was Noah's voice.

The drowsiness that had filled my body vanished in an instant.

My eyes snapped open. I looked toward the doorway to see Noah surveying my room with a look of displeasure.

* * *

Seeing the normally quiet main building abuzz with activity, Noah's eyes lit up.

'Isn't that the Sapphire Room?'

A room named after a gemstone!

The Elpinade gemstone rooms were famous in high society.

It was an unspoken rule, for example, that the Duchess Elpinade resided in the Ruby Room, to the point that rubies were considered her symbol among the nobility.

Furthermore, the gem a room was named for subtly reflected one's standing within the family. In generations with many siblings, the assignment of these rooms by the family head was often a source of tension.