Home/My Youngest Keeps Bringing Me Male Leads/ch 50

Chapter 50

Even after returning to the Laverose estate, Agnes remained busy.

Items she had ordered continued to arrive at the mansion, and she also had to attend to the village, which was in the middle of the busy farming season.

Already short-handed, many of the villagers were in poor health, likely due to their inadequate diet over the years.

She brought in a doctor from Calben City to give everyone a thorough check-up and prescribed them medicine.

Fortunately, Ignitan, finding it boring to stay at the mansion all day, went down to the village every day to help with the work.

Not only the village but the mansion itself also required attention, so Agnes sent a letter to Calben City requesting more people.

The increased expenditure this year couldn't be helped.

Once food production stabilized and the village grew more prosperous, expenses would decrease significantly.

Cesenor also rarely came out of his room, seemingly busy with his own work.

She was worried about the relationship between him and Ignitan, but Agnes had more pressing matters to attend to first.

That was the matter concerning her father.

When she shared her thoughts from the Waldemar estate with Alfred, he nodded with a grave expression.

"I've had the same thought. There's no way the master would have done something like gambling."

"Right? So I'd like you to find the servants or knights who were with Father back then."

They had all left together three years ago when she let go of the mansion's employees.

So she had no idea where they were now.

"We can track down some people we're still in contact with. But it may take some time."

"That's fine. It's not urgent."

She also had to look after her siblings, who were still in Calben City.

Though Silmare had sent letters updating her on their well-being, that alone wasn't enough to put her at ease.

So she had been receiving news from the innkeeper where her siblings were staying.

Naturally, she was also paying him generously for his trouble.

Today, a letter had arrived, and Alfred handed it to her.

Agnes quickly unfolded and read it.

"Are they both doing well?"

Alfred craned his neck, curious as well.

Agnes smiled wryly.

"I must have been mistaken about my own siblings."

"Is there some problem?"

"No. Edmund seems to be struggling, but Bess is keeping him at it. I didn't know our Bess had such a strong sense of pride."

"Still, it mustn't be easy for them. Neither of them has ever done rough work before."

"I thought so too—I expected them to come back soon. Especially Bess, not Edmund—I thought she'd give up first."

Elizabeth, working at the dress shop, seemed to have decent handiwork and had been moved to a workshop.

Edmund, working at the publishing house, was helping with the production of books and newspapers.

She was worried they might be bullied by the adults around them.

But according to the innkeeper, both looked to be in good spirits.

The letter said they were paying their lodging fees on time and eating well.

The details were so specific that it didn't seem fabricated.

Agnes added a little more money along with a letter asking the innkeeper to pay closer attention to their meals.

"Come to think of it, Bess was always good with her hands."

"Yes. She used to help Marta with mending clothes."

"Really?"

Agnes smiled wryly and handed the envelope with the letter and money to Alfred.

Alfred met her gaze for a moment, his expression darkening.

He seemed to feel sorry for Agnes.

"Are you alright?"

"Why, do I look strange?"

"You must have mixed feelings."

"Yeah, a little. I feel sorry for them and also guilty."

"Those two have also grown a lot."

"I suppose. They're really not children anymore."

She'd thought keeping them safe inside the mansion was the best option.

But thinking back, Agnes herself had been fifteen when she lost her mother.

She'd managed to hold the household together alone at that age, so perhaps her siblings could too.

"But I had Rupert and Alfred."

"You relied on Rupert more than me."

"That's true. He was my peer, after all."

Alfred was Rupert's father.

Thinking of what had happened to Rupert made her feel sorry for Alfred too.

Agnes let out a deep sigh.

"I'm ashamed to face you, Alfred."

"Please don't say that."

"Amy was able to come back because of Rupert. There's no way she could have survived the Crack alone. And without Rupert, how would Amy be traveling across the continent right now?"

Agnes rested her chin on her hand and pictured the kind young man with the gentle smile on his gaunt face.

He'd been handsome but tall and skinny, almost pitiful.

What did he look like now?

"Do you believe it, Alfred? The Marquis and Ignitan both say Rupert isn't ordinary."

"I wonder."

Alfred bowed his head quietly.

"Rupert never confided much in me."

"Well, you still cared for him deeply."

Agnes looked at the middle-aged man before her with warm eyes.

"You and Rupert are truly like family to me. When Rupert comes back, I'll say it to him too—but I'm so grateful to both of you."

"No, my lady..."

Alfred paused, overcome with emotion, and barely managed to continue.

"Being able to keep living in the house where I was born... that alone makes me happy."

Another week passed.

The southern spring passed quickly, and by midday, it already felt like summer was approaching.

New people had also joined the mansion.

She'd hired guards to manage village security, a new maid, and a valet to assist Alfred.

Lilia seemed delighted to have someone her age around.

The two maids were now taking down the heavy curtains and putting up sheer summer ones.

Whenever the breeze came through the open windows, they billowed like waves.

She wanted to add more guards, but Cesenor smiled and shook his head.

"You no longer need to worry about the mansion's defenses. What do you think I've been doing cooped up in my room?"

Cesenor had Pavel throw a stone toward the window.

With a dull thud, the stone crumbled.

Seeing Agnes's surprised face, Cesenor looked immensely proud.

Soon, Amy's room was also finished.

The once-bare room had been completely transformed into a beautiful, cozy space.

The cold stone walls were covered with pale pink linen like curtains, with cute flower and butterfly embroidery at the edges.

A soft yellow rug was laid on the floor, so it wasn't cold to walk on barefoot.

The most carefully designed space was the canopy bed, with pink curtains layered like flower petals.

Whenever the wind blew, the curtain edges fluttered like wings, and on the bed were soft blankets and two plush dolls placed side by side.

Opposite the bed were a wardrobe, toys, and a low table sized for a child.

On the low table were a pen and ink, and beside them sat a large dollhouse.

There was also a large toy box filled with wooden blocks and toys that mimicked magical tools.

The magical tools had real jewels instead of mana stones, sparkling when they caught the light.

Naturally, the wardrobe was also fully stocked.

Summer clothes for immediate wear, dresses for autumn, comfortable shoes, and headbands and ribbons in every color.

Agnes suppressed her swelling heart as she checked each item one by one.

Every time she saw the small, pretty things, her eyes grew warm.

This was all scenery that had been ordinary for Agnes and Elizabeth.

Things she'd enjoyed as a matter of course from childhood.

Now Amy could finally have them.

Not the worn-out clothes and toys her sisters had used and stored away.

"Come back soon, Amy."

Smoothing the bed where Amy would sleep, Agnes whispered softly.

"I miss you."

Agnes hugged tightly the doll that Amy would later hold.

Before leaving the room, Agnes placed three sparkling pebbles on the table.

They were the ones left over from when she'd shared them with the village children.

For the next few days, whenever she had time, Agnes would go into Amy's room, dust off the dust, and check that everything was in its place.

As if believing Amy would be home any day.

And then, a few more days passed.

One morning, her heart felt especially restless.

Perhaps it was because the marigolds she'd planted with Silmare had finally bloomed.

The marigolds shone in a dazzling golden color, as if the sun had been moved into the middle of the garden.

Seeing them, Agnes thought of Silmare, and of Amy.

"I wonder if Sir Silmare is alright."

At the same time, Agnes thought she should order a bright yellow dress like the marigolds for Amy.

It would suit her perfectly.

She might even look like a butterfly about to take flight.

As she quietly gazed out the window, Agnes heard an unfamiliar sound.

It seemed like the distant sound of hoofbeats.

Suddenly, her heart raced.

Had Silmare finally returned?

Or perhaps, just maybe...

Agnes hurriedly opened the door and ran down the stairs.

Marta, passing by, looked at her with startled eyes.

Without stopping to explain, Agnes threw open the mansion's door.

She hadn't misheard.

Beyond the garden, at the gate, two horses were standing.

The person riding the brown horse looked this way. A stranger.

And beside him, on a black horse, a small silhouette sat in front of a tall man.

A child of about five or six.

The moment she spotted her, Agnes dashed forward with all her might.

And she shouted with all her strength.

"Amy...!"

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