Chapter 62. A Saint who was Adopted by the Grand Duke
“Brother Dennis. Please stop Brother Judy. Okay?”
Esther, teary-eyed, raised her head to face Dennis. He naturally faltered in response to her fatal cuteness.
“Don't worry. I'll take Judy with me.”
He dragged Judy while at the same time assuring her.
“Ugh, why! I’ll just look for a second… Aren't you gonna let me go?”
Judy fought to shake off Dennis's hand that remained glued to his shirt.
Dennis didn’t train as much as Judy, however, his grip was powerful.
Esther cheered for Dennis internally as she adjusted the cloth.
“Esther, do you like Dennis more than me? That's unfair.”
Judy did not hide his disappointment as he retaliated with Dennis.
“Do you expect her to like you when you ignore her pleas and act as you please?”
"I was just curious. Esther didn’t play with me for days and only stayed here…”
His shoulders naturally drooped as Esther sided with Dennis.
“I'll show you when it’s completed, so please wait a bit.”
“Finnee.”
Judy yearned to pull the fabric nonetheless, but he held the urge. He didn’t want Esther to dislike him.
“Ah, then do me a favor.”
But it wasn't Judy to act depressed. Instead, he approached Esther, his eyes sparkling.
“What is it?”
“Last time, you did this in the garden to the fountain.”
Judy waved his arms in all directions, mimicking Esther’s movements.
“The water floated and then spilled like this! Show me one more time.”
Following their visit to Sebastian’s mansion, Judy informed Dennis of his conversation with Esther their ride back home.
From that day onward, Dennis no longer hid the knowledge he knew of Esther. Although he didn’t mention anything to anyone, of course.
“What if someone witnesses the whole situation? Don’t request for such favors.”
Dennis slammed the book he was holding over Judy's head, a pathetic expression on his face.
“C’mon! It was awesome!”
Upset, Judy turned his head and shot Dennis a glare. This was a situation that would eventually lead to a fight.
‘What do I do?’
Esther hesitated to reach her hand towards them. The whole disagreement seemed to have emerged because of her, so she must be the one to stop their argument.
Rather than intervening in their conversation, Esther reached for a vase. It was then that the water filling the pottery left its shape and advanced like a thread.
The very thin, sparkly stream of water connected to Esther’s palm. The jet of liquid blocked the two boys from each other.
“…Oh my god.”
“Wow! I didn't see this last time!”
Judy and Dennis, mesmerized by the strange vision before them, silently admired the creation.
“It's much more intriguing than what I heard from Judy.”
“Just look at this. It was even more amazing last time.”
Judy’s anger seemed to have gone in a flash as he shrugged his shoulders boastfully.
“But why are my legs so itchy…”
A green entity swiveled along Judy’s legs.
“Argh! Why is this here again?”
He screamed and fled.
Esther chuckled as she observed Judy. She failed to recognize BamBam earlier on.
'I should have let BamBam go since the beginning.’
She gave a promise to herself for BamBam to stand guard the following days.
“I'm leaving for now! Next time, you have to tell me what you’re hiding!”
His phobia of snakes was enough a cause for Judy to voluntarily leave the room. Only his voice resounded as he disappeared behind the door.
Dennis rolled in laughter at Judy's foolish behavior.
“I'm afraid I might also raise a snake. I can't believe Judy hates them that much.”
After cackling to his hearts' extent, he wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled Esther’s way.
“Sorry for disturbing you, Esther. I'll leave now.”
After Dennis left the room, it felt as if a storm had just passed by.
Esther stood by for a few seconds in case the two returned before withdrawing the cloth from the canvas.
“…It was almost a disaster.”
At that time, a sketch Judy and Dennis could not yet receive clearly revealed under the sun.
On the canvas, three individuals were outlined against the platform.
Darwin, a dependable father. Playful but friendly Judy, intelligent and mature Dennis.
"Family."
Esther fumbled with the paper as she mumbled the word to herself.
The picture already seemed perfected enough with the three people, but there remained a space that had not yet been occupied.
Esther held her brush and hesitated for a while before placing it against the space and displaying her talent.
“Because I'm family too.”
Esther's eyes glowed a beautiful golden as she filled in her remaining sketch.
***
A few days later.
Esther prepared to leave the mansion with the packed canteens.
“Will you bring everything?”
“Yes. I promised him last time.”
"It's not that we don’t have any, but why so much…”
The five large canteens of water had Dorothy tilt her head in bewilderment.
By all means, the water wasn’t simply h2O.
Esther formerly assembled a strong combination of holy water as a means for Noah.
However, one wouldn’t discern the liquid to be ordinary unless they were conscious of mana.
“He may not have the resource.”
Victor hoisted the jugs as he responded to Dorothy’s speculations.
“I'll move everything to the carriage.”
“Yes, please.”
With this, Noah would remain conscious, whether Esther encountered him or not.
“Where should I take the lady?”
“Here.”
Esther entered the wagon and handed the horseman a paper.
It was the same note where Noah listed his address.
Dorothy closed the door, confirming Esther was safely seated. She then asked.
“Will you meet the friend from last time?”
“Yes, because I promised.”
She understood how painful and unbearable it was to wait for someone who would never come.
Esther failed to keep her word the previous time, so she would make sure to uphold her promise henceforth.
“But, aren’t we on our way to the mine?”
Esther glanced outside the window in mystification. Every road they passed seemed familiar.
“That's right. We will pass the mine eventually… Your friend resides in quite a remote area.”
“I know.”
The mine was located on the far outskirts of Tersia, so not many lived there.
Therefore, the location of Noah’s home wouldn’t be visible even if one washed their eyes.
‘Is it because of his disease?’
While Esther sympathized with the boy, the carriage hastened its pace before reaching the destination.
“Be careful.”
As she left the wagon with help from Victor, who insisted on escorting her, an empty range caught her view.
A small house centered amidst nature, no different from the sanctuary.
“He lives here?”
Esther squinted as she scrutinized the small building. She didn’t hold a liking towards the lonely seeming dwelling.
Just then, the door creaked open. Noah came into view. He halted the moment their eyes met.
The boy rubbed his eyes in doubt of the moment, then sprinted, confirming she truly existed before him.
His expressionless face filled with innocent laughter.
“Did you come to see me?”
“Yes. I have something to give you.”
Esther struggled to conceal her embarrassment at his overwhelming cheerfulness.
“My Lady, where shall I place this?”
Victor lifted a canteen from the wagon and threw it on the floor.
“I stopped by to give you this.”
It was perfect timing.
Esther smiled, her finger pointing towards the pitchers. She had originally planned to give him these, so there wasn’t a need to feel flustered.
“I see. You can just come if you miss me.”
Noah seemed to have confused Esther’s words for an excuse with his reply.
Flushed, Esther shifted her eyes from Noah's and spotted Palen leaving the building.
Palen immediately hurried to Esther and bowed respectfully.
“It's been a while.”
“Oh, back then… Right? Hello.”
Esther greeted Palen gladly upon recognition. She recalled the face that accompanied her to the sanctuary a few times before now.
“Yes, that's right.”
Palen was a superior of Esther's, but his heart overflowed with gratitude towards the person who saved Noah, his child.
*TL/N: He thinks of Noah as his own son.
Consequently, he couldn’t control his emotions before Esther.
“Thank you so much…”
Noah hurriedly grabbed Palen’s arm before he could continue his words.
“Palen, please help move that inside.”
“…I understand.”
Palen pursed his lips and left for Victor as he wiped tears from his eyes.
“W-wasn’t he just crying?”
“No, he wasn’t.”
Esther, puzzled by Palen’s sudden fit, questioned the situation. Noah dismissed her worries firmly.
“Would you like to enter my house?”
“It’s fine. There's a mine I own nearby, so I was thinking of stopping by.”
Originally, she planned on briefly greeting Noah and returning to the mansion, but now that she passed by the construction, she thought to retrieve a few diamonds.
However, as soon as Noah listened to Esther’s response, he clapped his hands in surprise.
“Are you talking about the mountain behind me?”
“Yes, why?”
“I did think the clanging racket was endless. I guess there was a mine.”
Noah frowned and rubbed his ears.
“Was it loud?”
“A little.”
Esther stood speechless at his unwavering affirmation.
“Uhh… Sorry.”
Noah retorted that very moment. It seemed almost as though he anticipated her to apologize.
“If you're sorry, take me with you.”
“To the mine?”
“Yes. I won't disturb you.”
He claimed to have suffered due to the worksite, and his smile was too beautiful for her to refuse.
Eventually, Esther invited Noah to the mine.
