The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Snuggling and Stuffed Animals

By the time they returned to the lord’s mansion, the eager winter sun had already begun to set beyond the ridge of the forest.

Perhaps tired from the carriage ride and the excitement combined, Serleine had started rowing the boat on their way back, and by the time they returned to the mansion, she had fallen fast asleep.

“Since it would be pitiful to wake her, could you carry her to her room like this?”

Roland lifted her up and carried her back to the room. Serleine seemed to awaken slightly upon returning, but soon resumed her gentle snores. Marie quickly lit the charcoal in the brazier, and Serleine’s maid fetched water in a kettle.

Considering her current state, changing clothes seemed impractical, so they decided to only remove her coat. They always prepared loose, soft clothing for her, so it shouldn’t be a problem for just one night.

“Mm, Your Highness…?”

As they were about to gently place her on the bed and quietly leave, a hand stretched out to grasp the skirt, as if to hold them back. It was the much smaller hand of Melfina, who still had a long way to go before adulthood. Roland and Cedric looked startled, and Serleine smiled wryly, putting a finger to her lips.

The child’s hand just before falling asleep was pleasantly warm. It felt like a lie compared to the icy cold hand she had held before. Her cheeks naturally softened.

“You played a lot today. Sleep well and have sweet dreams.”

“Um, Your Grace, I want to sleep with you, please.”

It must have been because Melfina had leaned against her during breaks or in the carriage. Roland and Cedric looked visibly surprised, while Serleine chuckled with a pained smile.

Serleine is not yet an adult; she’s still a child. It’s natural for her to have days when she misses being around adults.

However, in this world, even for royals and nobles, sharing a bed with someone other than a spouse is considered extremely scandalous. Especially for Serleine, a royal princess, sharing a bed with someone of the opposite sex is simply out of the question.

She gently stroked Serleine’s fluffy white hair.

“Serleine, you’re just like a baby.”

Remembering their conversation from earlier in the day, those words slipped out unintentionally.

“…I’m not that much of a child anymore.”

“You’re still a child. Eat plenty, play a lot, and get lots of sleep. And let’s meet again tomorrow with a smile.”

“…Yes.”

“Good night. May a bright tomorrow shine upon you.”

The phrase their nurse often used came out involuntarily. Back when Melfina turned seven, until she left the royal townhouse in the capital, she used to put Melfina to sleep like this quite often.

…She had completely forgotten about those times.

Around that time, her etiquette lessons began, and she got deeply immersed in wanting her parents’ approval, gradually forgetting about those moments.

When the nurse held her close, stroked her head, at those times, Melfina never felt lonely.

…It would be good if Serleine could have many memories like that.

She must have been at her limit of drowsiness; Serleine had already fallen back asleep with a gentle snore, her grip on Melfina’s hand loosened.

“Shall we go?”

Addressing Cedric and Roland with a somewhat awkward expression, she left the room. Walking down the corridor, they noticed something white fluttering down outside the glass window.

“Oh, it’s snow.”

“The first snow of the year.”

For those from the north, it wasn’t necessarily a cause for celebration; there was a hint of bitterness in Roland’s voice.

Winters in the northern regions were long. This snow would accompany them for the next few months.

The Enkar region would truly become a land-island in earnest.

“We made it just in time for the picnic before the first snow began. That’s a relief.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Anticipating the snowfall, Roland was sent back to the dormitory with a barrel of ale, ensuring everything was settled.

“It seems we can confine the night watch to indoors without issue.”

“I can manage alone, ensuring everyone’s safety.”

“Oh no, that won’t do. There must be someone who prioritizes protecting Serleine more than I do.”

They shared a modest laugh, and it occurred to them that there were no mascot characters in this world, unlike in “Maria of the Kingdom of Hearts”, where cute fairy-like creatures were absent.

There were toys for children, but they often had a slightly eerie feel, like wooden dolls or nutcrackers from a past life’s perspective.

“Perhaps creating a stuffed toy that Serleine could sleep with might be nice.”

Some time later, Melfina asked the hunter Godot for soft fur from a ten to create a stuffed toy, which she then gifted to Serleine.

Since there were no equivalents to stuffed toys in this world, Serleine, puzzled upon receiving it, thanked Melfina for making it for her and accepted it.

Upon hearing that Serleine slept with it at night, held by her personal maid or Simon, Melfina sighed in relief, having accomplished her goal for now.

In later years, contributing to Luxen Kingdom’s various developments and modernizations, the renowned ruler Serleine de Luxen, also known as Fina, cherished the doll made from fur and named it “my dearest friend”, keeping it close until her later years, a tale that would be recorded in numerous history books.

Upon seeing this, Luxen nobles would commission soft dolls resembling Fina, spreading the tradition of giving children their beloved companions across the country and beyond, a story as yet unknown to many.