"........,"  

(Y/N) held Alissa close, her small arms wrapped around his neck, and Bun-Bun perched comfortably on top of his head, his soft weight almost forgotten.

Before them stood a group of children, their curious eyes shifting between him and Winter.

Winter stood in front of the kids, gently squeezing (Y/N)'s hand in his own.

"Are you sure you'll be okay returning home now?" His voice was soft, concern laced in every word.

(Y/N), in response, offered him a carefree smile. "Of course, I'll be fine."

The children’s gazes lingered on Winter, particularly the bandage wrapped around his neck.

It was unusual, and they couldn’t help but notice.

Alissa, always perceptive, looked at Winter with wide eyes.

“Did you get hurt?” She asked innocently.

Winter chuckled lightly, giving her a reassuring smile. “I just hurt myself by accident, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about.”

Alissa seemed worried but was satisfied with his answer and soon wriggled in (Y/N)’s arms. “Dad, can you put me down? I want to say goodbye.”

Reluctantly, (Y/N) set her down, watching as she skipped over to the group of children.

She began talking to each one, her voice light and cheerful as she said her goodbyes.

When she reached Laon, the boy with a lion mask, she surprised him by kissing his cheek.

Laon's face immediately flushed a deep crimson, and Alissa giggled at his reaction.

(Y/N) felt a wave of protectiveness surge through him, followed by something darker.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and the air around him seemed to grow colder.

A murderous aura began to emanate from him, causing the children to glance nervously in his direction.

Sensing (Y/N)’s growing tension, Winter leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, trying to defuse the situation.

The coolness of Winter's lips brought (Y/N) back to reality, but instead of calming down, he turned to Winter and kissed him on the lips.

It was quick, but enough to make the children gasp in surprise.

Laon quickly covered Alissa's eyes, while Ryker did the same for Aiden.

Isla and Elva, caught off guard, scrambled to cover each other's eyes.

Bun-Bun, still sitting atop (Y/N)'s head, made a nagging comment, “Honestly, you two need to control yourselves. There are children watching!”

(Y/N) pulled away from Winter, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips as he glanced at the kids. “What? Just a little kiss,” He teased, a chuckle escaping him.

"........," 

୨⎯ " (Ყ/ɳ)'ʂ ΡσƲ " ⎯୧

"........," 

As I climbed into the carriage Winter had called for us, I couldn't help but feel a little smug, the soft cushions inside a welcome relief.

The kids' reactions were priceless, and the way Winter's cheeks tinged with the faintest shade of pink was just a bonus.

I settled into the seat and extended my hand, waiting for Alissa to take it.

She hesitated for a moment, turning back to wave at her friends one last time.

She then looked up at me with those big, trusting eyes before placing her small hand in mine and climbing in beside me.

Winter stood outside the carriage, preparing to close the door.

His movements were careful and slow, and I noticed the slight wince as he leaned forward.

'I really did a number on him, huh?' The thought crossed my mind with a mix of guilt and satisfaction. 'It wasn't like I meant to be rough, but… well, things had gotten a bit out of hand.'

Winter caught my eye, and for a brief moment, the concern in his gaze made my smugness falter.

He gave me a small smile, trying to reassure me, but I could see the exhaustion in the way he held himself.

I leaned out of the carriage slightly, unable to resist teasing him one last time.

"You sure you’ll be okay walking today?" I asked, my tone light but with an undercurrent of genuine concern. "You look like you might fall over any second."

Winter looked away in amusement but didn’t lose that gentle smile. "I’ll manage," He said, though his voice was soft, almost as if he didn’t want me to worry.

"Just take it easy, alright?" I added, watching him closely as he moved to close the carriage door. "And try not to overdo it. I still need you in one piece."

Winter chuckled, though it was clear he was holding back some discomfort.

"I’ll be fine, love," He repeated, but the look he gave me was one of quiet understanding. "Take care of Alissa."

I nodded, squeezing Alissa’s hand gently. "I will."

As the carriage door closed and we began to move, I found myself still thinking about Winter.

The image of him standing there, trying to act tough despite the obvious strain, stuck with me.

He really was something else.

And as much as I enjoyed pushing his buttons, I couldn’t deny the growing worry gnawing at the back of my mind.

Alissa leaned into me, her head resting against my arm, and I brushed a hand through her hair, trying to focus on the here and now.

Her small fingers played with the hem of my sleeve, already chatting away about her plans for the time she’d be spending with me.

Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile down at her smaller frame as she spoke.

The carriage ride was pleasant enough.

To say the least.

"........," 

As we entered the manor, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallways, growing louder until Hans came into view.

His orange hair was disheveled, and his eyes wide with desperation.

The moment he spotted me, he practically threw himself at my leg, clinging to it like a lifeline.

"Your Grace... Why did you stay away for a whole day?" Hans wailed, his voice thick with melodrama. "I was drowning in paperwork! The agony, the suffering! You can't just leave me like that!"

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

I stared down at him, half-exasperated, half-amused, as he continued to cling to me.

His sobbing intensified, making it impossible to take a single step without dragging him along the polished marble floor.

"Hans, get a grip," I said, trying to shake him off, but he only tightened his hold, his sobs turning into exaggerated sniffles.

Behind us, Ron, the head butler, walked at a measured pace, his ever-present smile firmly in place.

Alissa was holding his hand, looking at Hans with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

In her arms, Bun-Bun seemed to roll his eyes, clearly unimpressed with Hans's antics.

"Young Master, welcome back," Ron greeted smoothly, as though everything was perfectly normal. "It seems Hans missed you dearly."

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

I sighed, still attempting to free my leg from Hans's death grip.

"So it seems," I muttered, giving up on shaking him off and instead resigned myself to dragging him along as I headed towards my bedchamber. "Hans, I was gone for a day, not a year."

"But it felt like a year!" Hans protested, his voice muffled as he buried his face into my leg. "Do you have any idea how many forms I had to sign? My poor hand... It's cramping just thinking about it!"

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop a small smile from tugging at my lips.

"You’re being dramatic, as usual," I said, though my tone lacked any real bite.

Hans always did have a flair for the theatrical, and as annoying as it could be, it was also oddly endearing.

As we reached the bedchamber, I finally pried Hans off my leg and nudged him towards a chair.

"Sit," I ordered, as I made my way to the bed, the only place where I could finally collapse after a long day.

Hans pouted but did as he was told, flopping into the chair with a sigh.

"Next time, you’re not allowed to leave without me, Your Grace," He declared, crossing his arms like a petulant child.

'He acts like we're married,' I thought, a sigh escaping my chest.

"We’ll see about that," I then replied, amused at his persistence.

Ron stepped forward, tilting his head. "Shall I bring you some tea, Your Grace?" He inquired, already anticipating my needs.

"Yes, that would be nice," I said, glancing at Alissa. "And bring Alissa some sweets. Have Sandra help her change her clothes as well."

Ron nodded, his smile never wavering. "Of course, Your Grace. I shall see to it immediately."

He then bowed slightly, before turning to Alissa. "Young Miss, if you’ll accompany me?"

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

Alissa, who was still clinging to his hand, looked at me, and I gave her a reassuring nod.

"Be a good girl for Sandra, alright? We'll see each other soon enough." I told her.

She nodded in response, giving me a small, cheerful wave before Ron led her away.

As the duo left the room, taking Bun-Bun with them, the deafening silence returned at once.

With the wide space now mostly empty, I noticed the change of clothes laid out on the bedside table.

The fabric looked comfortable yet royal, fitting for my status, but still practical for the time.

I took off my cape, unbuttoning my top and letting it fall to the floor, and began to reach for the fresh clothes when I suddenly remembered.

Hans.

He was still in the room.

"Don't you have something to do, Hans?" I asked, half-turning to give him a pointed look.

Hans blinked, seemingly snapping out of his sulk. "Oh, right! Yes, of course, Your Grace. I was just leaving." He cleared his throat just then.

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

He moved toward the door but paused, reaching into his coat to pull out a stack of papers. "Before I go, I know you said you don’t want to read these, but you might as well do... If you don’t, soon we’ll be drowning in them."

I took the stack with a frown, noticing how none of the letters bore either a seal or a signature. "That's odd," I remarked, flipping through them. "Are these from the same person?"

Hans shrugged, his expression serious for once. "That's what I suspect, at least. They all arrived within the last few years, too. I thought you should read them before they pile up."

“........,”

╔. ■ .═══════╗

╚═══════. ■ .╝

“........,”

The lack of a signature or seal was indeed unusual, especially for correspondence addressed to someone of The Grand Duke's rank.

"I’ll read them," I said, my voice more serious now. "Thanks for bringing them to me."

Hans gave me a small, relieved smile.

"Take care, Your Grace. Try not to overwork yourself, though." He said before slipping out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

I glanced at the papers in my hand, a sense of unease settling in my stomach.

But that was a concern for later.

For now, I focused on changing into the comfortable, yet royal, clothing set out for me.

The soft fabric felt good against my skin, and as I dressed, I couldn’t help but think about the strange letters Hans had left with me.

'I'll take a look at them,'

But first, a moment of peace.
.
.
.
╰┈➤ ❝ [Ɒσи'τ fσяɢєτ τσ vστє αиɒ cσммєиτ!]

₊❏❜ ⋮ ⌒(A/N): Thank you so much for reading this chapter! ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ )

“........,”

Looks like (Y/N) and Winter's PDA just caused a mini heart attack for the kids—Bun-Bun’s probably going to file a complaint! (  ≧ᗜ≦)/

Happy reading! >ᴗ<

ִֶָ๋𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘࿐