# 45
"Shivlin? When did you wake up?"
[The blanket, brought by Sherry.]
In the dim light, she saw Helen Shevlin pulling a very large blanket over her small body.
“You brought a blanket to cover your brother? How cute!”
[Cover by my brother.]
Helen took the blanket from Shevlin and gently placed it on Luann.
As Luan curled up, Helen gently patted his back.
“It's so warm...”
“Warm.”
Having a new family filled the void in the child's heart.
Aachen immediately lifted Luan's house arrest.
The first thing Luan did was visit the Aachen office to apologize.
“Dad...”
“Luann.”
“I'm sorry. I was wrong.”
Aachen stroked Luan's hair gently.
'I am happy that their relationship has improved.'
Helen was watching the scene through an ajar door, and could not hold back her smile.
As planned, Luan applied for a leave of absence from Kimmich Academy, and spent his time doing the activities he was missing.
He would take long afternoon naps and read books in the library until sunset.
"Shivlin! Let's make a snowman!"
[“Okay!”]
Other times, he played abroad with Schieffelin.
As Luan and Shivalin grew closer, Shivalin adjusted well to Hestor Castle.
At the same time, Helen officially began running the castle as its mistress.
The first step was to receive the financial records that Garn had been supervising.
Helen reviewed Garn's reports very carefully.
“If we adjust this, we will be able to reduce expenses and allocate more benefits to citizens.”
“Okay, I'll do it right away.”
Garn was very pleased with her deep understanding of finances.
“Your Highness, there is a reading salon scheduled at the end of the month.”
“So it will be held this month.”
“If Her Highness chooses a book for the topic, I will inform the audience.”
As Garn listed the names of the guests, he hesitated a little before mentioning one name.
“Countess Rosanna Reul has confirmed her attendance.”
Helen noticed his wariness.
"Is there anything I should pay special attention to? Any important people I should know about?"
“There is a tradition for ladies to bring their children to the reading salon.”
Helen was surprised by this unusual custom.
“Children… in a reading salon?”
In Pitstein, such gatherings were the preserve of adults.
“In fact, it is an opportunity for children to make friends before they enter the community.”
Garn's explanation made Helen furrow her eyebrows.
“A social event, huh? Wait… Countess Reul…
The Countess lost her husband shortly after their marriage.”
She did not have enough time to have a child, yet she was hosting a reading salon.
“Countess Reuel has no children, does she?”
Garn confirmed her suspicions.
“Crown Prince Henry of Daphne is studying at Kimmich Academy and is currently staying at Reul Palace under the pretext of studying abroad.”
“She's hosting this event just to introduce her nephew?”
Helen could not understand Rosanna's actions.
“At the banquet, she told me she was looking forward to seeing what I would do with the Reading Salon.”
Even as she was forced to leave that day, Rosanna stood tall, mocking Helen.
Someone like her would not sit idly by at such an event.
“How is the relationship between Crown Prince Henry and Luan?”
“Hmm… well… their relationship isn’t that close.”
Garn struggled to find the right words, but Helen caught on immediately.
“So, they don't agree.”
Her head was already hurting, but she refused to be surprised.
Most importantly, she didn't want the children to get hurt.
“What are Luann and Shevlin doing now?”
“They're in the library.”
Helen left her office and headed there.
Inside, the two children were sitting close together, reading a book.
‘What two beautiful children.’
Seeing them like this made her smile warmly.
"My mom!"
“Her Highness?”
Shevlin spotted her and ran towards her, while Luan closed his book and looked at her.
“So, you were reading together.”
As Helen looked at the books stacked around them, her eyes widened.
“This… the New Testament?”
Even priests find it difficult to study this holy book.
“Luann, do you know the Psalms?”
I wondered if he had chosen a book at random or if he was genuinely interested.
“A little. I enjoy memorizing it...”
Luan scratched his head in shame.
Helen decided to test it.
“…Luann, can you recite Psalm 23?”
“The Lord is my shepherd, I will lack nothing.”
Despite the sudden question, Luan recited it perfectly.
“…Correct. Do you know the entire New Testament by heart?”
“Hmm, yeah. I just read it, and it stuck with me...”
Considering his age, this was an amazing achievement.
[Brother, awesome!]
“I'll teach you too, Chevlin.”
[Okay!]
Luan read patiently to Chevlin, who listened in fascination.
"Have a good time. See you later."
Helen ruffled their hair one by one before leaving the library.
“The theme of the reading salon will be the New Testament.”
She immediately informed Garn, who was waiting outside.
“Garn, advertise this reading salon.”
The program will focus on the New Testament.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Garen said goodbye to Helen quietly and left
It had been several weeks since Helen had begun sharing the couple's bedroom with Aachen.
“Today is Reading Salon Day, which means it has been almost a month since I arrived at Hestor Castle.”
Although she had been awake for some time, Helen kept her eyes closed, arranging her thoughts.
Preparing for reading salon was mentally exhausting.
In contrast, Aachen, who had woken up early, was quietly moving around the room, preparing to leave.
She vaguely remembered hearing him mention last night that he would be traveling to the area today.
Maybe he will be gone for three days. It's cold, he'll have a hard time.'
Since she wouldn't see him for a while, she wanted to bid him a proper farewell, but she couldn't bring herself to get up.
'I have to get up...'
While she was hesitating, she suddenly felt a light touch on her forehead.
Aachen's lips touched her skin gently before he pulled away.
'Did he... just kiss me?'
Helen was so shocked by this unexpected behavior that she couldn't open her eyes, and had no choice but to continue pretending to be asleep.
Then I heard a faint chuckling sound.
“…I’ll be back, see you later.”
With a sweet voice, Aachen bid her farewell with these words as the door closed.
Helen rose to her feet and pressed her fingers to her forehead, tracing the spot where she could still feel his touch.
'...strange man.'
She felt a twinge of regret for not saying goodbye to him.
The reading salon was set up in the interior of the garden.
'My Lady Baroness.'
“It is an honor to meet Her Highness, the Grand Duchess. Johann, greet Her Highness.”
The reading salon was set up in the interior of the garden.
Helen, who arrived early with Luann and Shevlin, welcomed the first guest.
“I… I am Johann Hess… I hope that Freya’s blessing… is with you...”
Johan, a shy boy who inherited his shyness from his mother, spoke hesitantly.
Helen smiled warmly and accepted his greeting.
“Thank you for coming today, Johan.”
Johann quickly hid behind Baroness Hesse.
“I apologize, Your Highness. My son is very shy...”
When Helen saw the Baroness looking worried, she shook her head reassuringly.
“It's okay. This is completely normal. Luan, Shevlin, why don’t you introduce Johann to the park?”
"Good."
At Helen's request, Luan gently held Johann's hand and led him despite his shyness.
“Shivlin, let's go.”
Even as he was leading Johan, Luann made sure to include Schevelin.
Soon after, the sound of Johann's laughter rang out, moving the Baroness to tears.
Viscount Eldin's wife and daughter soon arrived, who helped Helen at the banquet.
“Her Highness! It is an honor to meet you! My name is Shurina!”
“Nice to meet you, Shurina.”
As befits her age, the young woman was full of energy.
“Shushou, go and play with the others.”
“Yes, mother!”
Viscountess Eldine bid her daughter farewell to join the other children.
“Your Highness, thank you for inviting us. Oh, I also baked a pumpkin pie. Please try it.”
The Viscountess handed Helen a box filled with carefully arranged pumpkin pie.
“You didn't have to bring anything; “It must have been stressful.”
Helen accepted the box, raising her eyebrows slightly in apology.
“Consider it a small token of appreciation."It's nothing to mention."
And suddenly—
Squeaking sound—
A luxurious carriage stopped behind Viscountess Elden.
The Reul family crest was engraved on its side.
“Oh my God.”
“That cart...”
Viscountess Elden and Baroness Hesse gasped in amazement at its enormous size.
A little while later, Rosanna came downstairs, accompanied by her nephew, the Crown Prince of Daphne, Prince Henry.
When Rosanna's eyes met Helen's, a bright smile appeared on her lips.
Once again, she arrived resplendent in her luxurious attire.
Rosanna looked around as she came forward, and was the first to speak.
“…Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. Since this is your first reading session, you must be ignorant of a lot of things.”
She was hinting that she should ask for help.