(1) A quiet house

'Child, are you hungry, aren't you hungry?'

'I didn't eat anything all day.'

On the streets, very few people were

interested in a child selling flowers in a flimsy outfit.

Most people were close to avoiding even the hem of a burnt-out clothes when they came out and walked out.

Of course, it wasn't that there was no lady who had compassion for me and treated me, but this is the first time I've ever spoken with a trembling voice with wet eyes like this one.

Elegantly twisted silver hair and a blue-eyed lady. Even if I pretend not know, she

seemed to be a very high ranking person.

The same was true for the brown hair and black-eyed gentleman standing behind here.

Made from high-quality fabrics, clean clothes that look evident, faces with structure, and elegance felt from one gesture.

By the way, she grasped my messy hand

holding a flower without hesitation.

'The flower is very pretty. I want this flower, how much can I give it to you?'

Besides the flowers I gave were fresh, they were also wild flowers that even felt shabby when compared to the person in front of me.

These unsightly flowers could not feel pretty to them who would have lived with only the most beautiful and good things in the world.

In fact, it would have been difficult for me to give this to her unless I was also begging for their compassion.

'One copper, please.'

'If I want all the flowers in the basket?'

'Uh… all of this?'

I tried to take my hand off from her hand. Phosphorus leaned down to her body, facing her gaze. I couldn't see her eyes straight.

'I don't know how many there are, so I have to count them…..'

I mumbled and tried to count the flowers in the basket, but she never let go of my hand.

So I had to put the basket on the floor and count the flowers in the basket with one hand.

It was the next moment that she, who was watching the flower I was talking about, seemed impatient.

'Child, won't you go with us?'

I raised my head without understanding what I was hearing.

'I'm sorry. I know this abrupt remark is embarrassing….'

And the woman I faced has more moist eyes than before, and I opened my mouth to the blue eyes that seemed to cry at any moment.

'But I'm afraid I won't be able to leave here.'

She has already asked other people in Mellington and that they knew I was

living alone.

So, from the first time they saw me at streets a few days ago, she was hesitating and wondering how many times she could speak to me.

Then, the moment I approached her and gave her flowers, she later told me that she couldn't stand the words that reached the end of her neck.

'I want you to be my family.'

With that said, I remember looking at the blue eyes I faced for a long time. Then she quietly opened her lips towards me as she was waiting for my answer.

If I go back to that point in the past again, I would definitely have made the same choice. I was pretty sure about that.

"How can this happen?"

"I can't believe it's happening on the private property of the imperial family."

I thought as I heard murmured with a grunting voice around me. Today Ernst's funeral came with a lot of people.

The number of relatives associated with Ernst was not small, and there were many other family members who visited to pay tribute to them.

In addition, even today, Arlanta's royal families were in this place. Well, it would be so. Ernst couple died while defending the crown prince, which they regarded as a forbidden tree.

"But they're saving someone whom to be the next Emperor."

"Duke Ernst went on to do the job of worthy of the name of the Imperial Sword until the end." They said.

The later criminal was the emperor's chief. When evacuating assassins, instead of using the imperial wagon to disturb them, I heard that crown prince was on Ernst's carriage.

At that moment, there was also a Cabel, and the fact that Ernst had three boys was already public, so it would have been a good plan to pretend to be Erich in case of emergency.

The plan was initially successful, but Ernst's wagon was chased from the start.

In the end, the wagon that speeded up to the limit to overturn the chasers was overthrown, causing an accident.

"Piezer, she must have been on the edge of the cliff quite a bit. It's going to be a lot of work."

"Because she had a son, she would have thought that the world would be hers if only the crown prince were gone."

"That's what a prostitute's blood is."

"Your Majesty, you are new to Chonghui, right?"

"I heard that he is younger, and he is still young. Was it eighteen or nineteen? So, I'm just nervous."

The traitors were immediately arrested by the knights mobilized shortly thereafter, but none of them were executed.

When they're opening the door of the broken wagon, Ernst couple said to be dead as they're holding their children as if to protect them.

"From the imperial's standpoint, Ernst is like a benefactor who saved the life of the crown prince, so it will be even better position for them in the future."

That's why the emperor himself stepped into today's funeral. So, in a sense, the death of the Ernst couple may have been truly glorious.

"But when it comes to this, don't you think this make Ernst is a bit dangerous either?"

"They have the eldest son. He look so mature. As expected from the Ernst too. I mean look at the way he handle in such a situation."

Perhaps, Eugene is also listening to what they are saying. Count Schumaha was the guardian of the three brothers, and Cabel was in serious condition and would have to take more time there.

And since Erich heard his parents' obituary, he cried too much and came to the point of dehydration.

"It's really a pity. The youngest is still so young…."

I saw Erich crying at his aunt's arm, Marquis Leonard wife. Unlike Eugene, who keeps a consistent face, Erich was still crying.

"Is that the child? Last year the girl who joined the Ernst."

"Mrs. Ernst must have had a hobby in charity."

"Oh my, but look at her, not shedding any tears."

"I don't even know her, and all of this, the way she get into Ernst and behaving like that…"

"How ungrateful."

The narrative voice also contained a story about me. I stood silently and listened to what they were saying.

Yeah. They saved me, but why couldn't I save them. How? I wanted to save them.

I didn't want to let they die this time. I wished this time that everyone was together lasted a long time…

Originally destined to die in a wreck-over accident, they also died for similar reasons this time, but the situation was worse.

This time, Cabel got caught up in and got a big blow. Was there an assault at the hunting site at this time? I didn't remember.

So the Ernst couple eventually die.

After the incident, Cabel suffered a serious injury that could not easily healed.

Perhaps I didn't even know that I was feeling proud because I knew the future so I thought I could make things a little easier in the future.

'Hari is our baby too.'

Mrs. Ernst's voice dimly echoed in my head, so I trembled at my fingertips. It was strange. It's not that their death wasn't sad, but why don't my tears come out?

"It's going to be a lot of hard work for a while, but you have to be strong. If you need help, you can always tell us without difficulty."

"It's okay even later, so please contact me."

I nodded my head, thinking of Johannes

and Louise, who had been in contact with me via the letters and correspondence since the first meeting.

"Eugene, you don't have to hesistate to lean on us from now on."

And at the end of the funeral, relatives, including Marquis Leonard, who was holding Erich, approached and said,

"The harder the time, the more we should lean on each other. We are a family. Even as mature as they say, Eugene was still a 14-year-old child, and it would be difficult to handle all of this suddenly happening

alone."

Eugene just stand still, with his dry eyes. I stood a little far away, as I stood and looked at them….

Now that the Ernst couple died, can I stay in the mansion? The question I had a long time passed through my chest again and again. Of course, no one answered.

After that, Eugene was busy. Not surprisingly, he took over his father's position one morning and became the head of the family.

Originally, Eugene had a busy life as if he had ten bodies, after the death of the Ernst couple.

Any successor to the family was still attending an academy where they had to write down their academic, and in the meantime, he had to step up from the funeral of the Ernst couple to the process of proper succession.

This was even more so because it was not a succession prepared in advance, but was due to the sudden death of the Ernst couple.

Originally, during the semester, he had to live in a dormitory, but taking into account Ernst's situation, he stayed in the mansion for a while.

So, from early in the morning, Eugene used to go to the palace of the Imperial Palace and the Senate and sleep in Ernst's residence later at night.

So naturally, only me and Erich remained in the mansion.

"Erich, let's eat."

"Don't want to eat."

Today, Erich was stuck in a room and didn't even take a step outside. On days of repeated like this, I exchanged my gaze with Hubert from the back.

After a while, a maid with a tray and Hubert entered the room.

"Hey, even if you don't have a taste, you should not skip the meal. Get up and eat a

little."

They put a tray of hot soup next to Erich's bed, but the next moment, the dishes and plate on the tray flew in the air.

Prang!

"I said I didn't want to eat!"

The face of the third brother, wrapped in a blanket for a moment, appeared, but when he stared at us fiercely, he turned back and flipped over the blanket.

It was the scene that continued when Eugene not in the mansion for three days.

Eventually, today too we had to leave

the room without Erich touching his food.

I stepped in front of his door, reminiscent of Erich's swollen eyes. Honestly I don't know what to do. Unlike before, I was an adult, but I couldn't figure out how to deal with them.

Of course, Eugene left the mansion before I woke up and come back after I asleep. After that, I was repeating my dailyroutine.

So, with him whom I hardly meet, I haven't had anything to do for a few days, but what should I do with Erich, who doesn't eat like that and stays in his room?

Despite this being my second experience, it was very difficult. The first time the Ernst couple died, I was too young.

So honestly, I think I've been doing without knowing what it is. And at that time there was Cabel at the mansion.

But now, Cabel was also being treated while staying at Count Schumaha.

"Please eat. You must eat well, Miss Hari."

Eventually, I was alone in the dining room. When I sat down, Hubert said,

"The duke said he was coming in early today."

But I don't even have Erich, it's kinda sad

like eating alone…

What is this creeping feeling. By sleeping, people live with a heart of mind. If he starves, he becomes more depressed and sorrowful, and that's it.

Klang.

I started eating alone.

Since the death of the Ernst couple, unlike Erich, where Eugene hardly starves unless he is forced to feed, I have never missed a meal.

Still, it was fortunate that none of the servant in the room, including Butler Hubert, had said something to me.

Of course, like the people who came to the funeral and chatted at their will, they might be saying something different from behind, but at least it didn't matter if it wasn't in my ears.

I went back to my room after I had a meal. As I did all morning, there was nothing to do after lunch, so I sat in bed and just stared out the window.

When Eugene came back, I was planning to go out at that time, but Eugene, who said he'll came back before dinner time, didn't reveal his appearance even after the sun go down.

Somehow I was concerned about what Erich was doing, so I quietly opened the door and went in.

"Get out."

Apparently, the sound of opening the door didn't seem to be loud, but a small voice

stopped me immediately.

The voice was quieter than at lunch.

"Are you going to be like that?"

"What do you care?"

"I don't want to see you, so go out."

That said, for a moment I silently looked at Erich's back wrapped in a blanket. The next moment something is thrown in front of me.

I'm sorry, but your arms was so weak that it couldn't hit me and it land downon the floor.

As I looked down, I saw Erich lying alone by bed yesterday, and it was the doll I brought that he thrown. I quietly picked up the doll's long ears.

"Erich."

At that time, a soft call came from behind his back. When I turned my head, Eugene returned to the mansion and stood at

the door.

"Wait a moment, I'll talk to Erich."

Finally, before leaving the room, he was gazing down with his lips tightly closed.

There was also Hubert, who seemed to go upstairs, to do something that had been

instructed in advance, and after a while the servant took the plate that he brought to Erich's room.

This time, no crackling sound was heard from inside. After a while, the servant, who had gone inside, came out empty-

handed, I stood still in the hallway with static flows with Hubert.

There was a faint leaking sound from the inside. When the sound of the cry slowly faded, and more time passed, Eugene stepped out with an empty tray.

"From tomorrow on, he won't skip meal, pay special attention to his meals."

"I will."

Hubert left the hallway first after receiving a tray from Eugene. Then I hesitated for a while because I didn't know what to do

with Eugene, and when I met him, I opened my mouth in a mess.

"Did you already eat?"

Oh, God. Is this the only thing I have to say? I look like someone who can only talk about rice.

"Yeah. Did you already eat?"

"I already ate too."

"Then go in and take a rest."

It seems that I'm the only one who feels awkward at all, as Eugene replied casually.

I want to say more, but Eugene's face looked so tired that I couldn't say anything

else.

This was even more so frustating, as I moved, I looked at Eugene's exhausted

back and put the doll I was holding down in front of Erich's visit and quietly turned.