‘If it’s at this time of the year, then their peaches would be delicious.’
This was around when those small, red peaches would fully ripen.
As they drew closer to the tart store, with light steps, Yelena approached the door.
It was at that moment.
“…!”
Just as Thomas had opened the door, a small child who wasn’t looking where they were going ran through the door and crashed face-first into Yelena’s skirt.
Thud.
If it was just the child’s face, then it would have been easily fixed, but the tart in the child’s hand also splashed quite thoroughly across Yelena’s skirt.
“Oh my goodness, Anna!”
A young woman who had been following the child let out a scream.
The instant that name entered her ears, Yelena involuntarily glanced at the woman before freezing.
‘Anna?’
Yelena stared at the young woman, her eyes wide and unblinking.
It was Anna. The woman who she had met in the future, the one who had run the pub called the <Sun-Rising Forest> along with her husband and who had offered Yelena help. This had led to Anna’s eventual death at the hands of a demon, but now she had reappeared right in front of Yelena’s eyes.
“Anna, how on earth are you here…”
Having been close enough to hear Yelena mutter these words to herself, the young woman responded immediately, “…do you happen to know my daughter?”
‘Daughter?’
At these words, Yelena had a sudden realization.
Ah.
It was currently 20 years before the ‘future’ that she had seen. So of course Anna’s age must be younger by the same length of time.
‘That means…’
Yelena lowered her gaze. She eyed the young girl who was fidgetting restlessly after having ruined Yelena’s skirt.
‘This child is-’
No, she couldn’t be sure of it just yet.
If you really thought about it, the name Anna was quite common, and Anna’s appearance was also on the average end of the spectrum. This meant that it was quite possible for Yelena to meet a large number of people with the same name and appearance as Anna.
However, even as she had this thought, Yelena bent her knees and lowered herself to the child’s eye-level.
“So your name is… Anna?”
“Yes.”
“How old are you?”
“I just turned seven.”
‘How small,’ Yelena observed subconsciously.
The girl was short and very thin. From all appearances, she didn’t look like she was seven at all.
‘Instead, she looks like she’s around five years old.’
Though now that she thought about it, the child was able to speak much more clearer than she had expected. That was the only indication that made it seem like she really was her age.
“Um…”
The young woman, who might be the girl’s mother or a family member, nervously looked at Yelena.
Yelena immediately rose back up.
“Your child is so pretty. And I think she’ll become even more beautiful as she grows up.”
“Ahhh… Th-thank you. Um, about the cost of that dress…”
“It’s fine,” Yelena said in a soft tone as she lightly waved aside this matter.
“Lily.”
Lily was the name of the maid attending her today.
The maid stepped forward.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Go and buy the same sort of tart as the one that the child was holding and give it to her.”
“Yes.”
The maid moved quickly. Only a few moments later, the child was holding onto a new and intact tart in one hand.
“Now then, remember to be careful while walking around holding on to this. Be sure not to spill it again.”
“…thank you.”
“Th-thank you. Really, thank you so much.”
“Be on your way.”
While repeatedly bowing her head to Yelena, the young woman quickly walked away from the spot, dragging the child along with her.
Yelena stared in the direction that they had disappeared into for quite a while before turning to leave without even entering the tart shop.
“Let’s just head back now.”
***
As soon as Yelena returned to the castle, she changed her dress and went looking for Ben.
“Ben, there’s a child who I would like to sponsor.”
The whole way back, the young child’s small figure kept flashing in front of her eyes.
The child who might just be her ‘Anna’.
‘If she is Anna, then I definitely have to help her, and even if she isn’t…”
She decided that it would simply be a good deed to help support a child born in difficult circumstances. After all, there was no reason not to.
“Sponsor a child? Which child exactly?”
“Her name is Anna… and she’s turned seven this year. Do you need a physical description as well?”
But instead of asking any further questions about the child, Ben gave a completely unexpected reaction.
“Ah, you’re talking about Anna?”
“…do you know that child?”
“If it is the Anna I’m thinking of, then that child is already being sponsored by the Duke’s castle.”
“What?”
“Since it started back in spring, then it’s already been for about 3 months now.”
Yelena blinked in surprise before saying, “…is that right?”
“How did you come to meet with Anna?”
“At the start store…”
In the midst of replying, Yelena’s mind recalled a detail about the girl’s appearance that she had previously missed. Her clothes.
The clothes that the child had been wearing at the store were neat and in good order. Although they didn’t make her look wealthy, she also didn’t appear to be in such dire straits that she couldn’t even afford regular meals.
“…phew.”
She felt both disappointed and relieved.
After a sigh, Yelena immediately asked, “But then, what reason does the castle have for sponsoring Anna? If it’s only been three months, that means it didn’t start too long ago…”
“Ah, about that.”
In the explanation that followed, Ben revealed the unexpected circumstances behind this sponsorship.
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