Janet quickly approached me at my call.
"Yes, ma'am.
What can I do for you?"
Janet's voice and expression were gentle.
However, just a moment ago, she was looking at Sardine with a wary look.
'You must have noticed.
'I asked Sardin to keep an eye on her.'
But it didn't matter if you noticed.
I intended to make sure Janet couldn't do any tricks.
“There's something you need to do.”
“Yes!
Command me, and I will do anything!”
Seeing Janet's unusually bright eyes, I smiled slightly and told her what to do.
Her eyes and mouth began to tremble slightly.
This was understandable, as I ordered her to handle all internal palace affairs.
“Me, alone?”
“Yes, for now, since you and Sardin are the only ones who support me.”
Heard County, the Emperor's secret estate, and the current title of the land I own.
The condition of this province, which had been so long without a master, was much worse compared with that of the duchy.
Moreover, the estate was neglected because the person who was managing it under the Emperor's orders died of old age just before my arrival.
‘The only servants available are the supervisor’s daughter and son.’
Of course, the superintendent's children were diligent and ran the property faithfully, but running such a large place with just two had its limits.
'Honestly, neither of them is good at cooking.'
So, I planned to employ them as housekeepers and servants to manage the property and recruit dedicated professionals, including a cook.
‘I also need to recruit workers for the territory.’
Even though I was just a facade as Countess Heard, I was still the lady of this land.
I had the responsibility and duty to manage the property.
'But now, everything is in bad shape.'
The land I owned was small, lacking specialties or landmarks, and suffering from a lack of jobs.
While the managers should have worked to improve these conditions, they were only maintaining the property adequately to prevent it from collapsing, resulting in no development occurring.
For this reason, many of the estate's residents lived lives that were merely subsistence.
However…
‘Once the diamond mine is discovered, the situation in the estate will change, right?’
But caution was necessary.
Sudden wealth can bring chaos.
Therefore, I decided to first strengthen the internal structure and organization of the property before developing the mine.
I planned to fire the incompetent managers and formally hire a manager to oversee the affairs of the estate.
Additionally, to ensure my child's safety, I intended to recruit knights and soldiers to improve security.
“I have assigned Sardin to the estate's security; for now, you will need to deal with the palace's internal security.”
At that, Janet sighed, then smiled and nodded.
“I understand.
I will do my best to ensure that you do not feel any inconvenience during your stay here.”
Right now, Janet will be too busy with her duties to engage in any distractions.
'She'll be so busy that she won't find time for anything else.'
After a moment, I said to Janet, “Thanks in advance.”
"Yes."
After Janet left, I scoffed.
'Well, it doesn't matter why Janet sticks with me.
Now that she's here, I'll make sure to put her to good use.'
At that moment, someone entered through the window.
When I recognized it as Sardine, I lowered the pistol I was holding.
“I told you to use the door.
I almost shot you.”
Sardine shuddered, perhaps sensing a threat to his life, and responded.
“I'm sorry.
It's a habit...”
“So, what about the tasks I gave you?”
“Oh!
Many knights from other noble houses have come forward, as well as a few apprentices from the Eastern Academy.
Many veteran mercenaries have also come forward.”
As expected, the offer of a large sum of money attracted a fair number of applicants, although the quality was not great.
'Most of them are just beginners.
Well, I expected that.'
Then Sardin spoke, looking worried.
“Honestly, none of them seem fit to be captain, so I'm worried.
Do you intend to appoint Janet as captain of the knights?”
I shook my head.
“No, I intend to keep Janet as a bodyguard in the palace and use her for surveillance.”
Sardine sighed deeply and said, “Then perhaps we should inquire in the capital.”
I shook my head and said, “No need to ask.”
“No?
What do you mean...”
“I plan to entrust my leadership position to someone I can truly rely on.”
Seeing Sardine still looking at me with a stunned face, as if he didn't understand what I was saying, I smiled for a moment before adopting a serious expression.
It is time to give a gift to a loyal follower who has served me for a long time.
“Sardine, do you know what this is?”
Sardine, with a dark expression, nodded.
The paper proving Sardin's submission to me.
I set fire to his slavery documents and threw them into the fireplace.
Sardine looked visibly shocked by my actions.
“Madam, what is this suddenly...”
“I free you because I need you.
From now on, you will serve as my Knight Commander and protect me.”
At that moment, Sardin's expression stiffened like a statue.
“Why me...”
His gray eyes trembled, as if he was deeply shocked.
Even though I was hoping he would be happy, he looked hurt somehow, and I sighed.
'Thinking about it, I haven't acknowledged his efforts for a long time.'
I've always been stingy with praise.
Even when he helped me or saved my life, I took it for granted.
Only before death did I realize that it was not something to take for granted.
After all, aside from me being a princess and a duchess, Sardine was the only one who stood by Damian and me when we escaped.
'I was foolish.
But now I will correct this mistake.'
“No matter how much I thought about it, there was no one else.
There was no one I could trust as much as I trust you.”
At my words, Sardine looked at me with a face as if he were about to cry.
“Madam, I...”
To him, I revealed feelings that I had never expressed in my previous life.
“Honestly, the reason I took this action is because I believed that you would stay by my side.
I felt that with you, you would definitely protect me and my child.
So, I want you to be my knight leader.”
Sardin looked at me with tear-filled eyes, then lowered his head and responded.
“Yes, I will.”
I smiled, feeling a strange sense of relief.
As time passed and my due date approached, the weather became colder.
Although I expected this, preparing for the birth on my own was not an easy task.
The recruited staff and subordinates were now performing their roles thanks to continuous training, but they were still inexperienced.
As a lady, a mansion owner, and a mother, there was so much to do, so I had no choice but to keep moving without rest.
"It's dark.
We should install street lights here and rotate regularly.
This section of the castle wall needs repairs."
Carrying the heavy weight of my belly was very tough, but the anticipation of meeting my baby helped me endure.
Finally, the day arrived.
"Waa!
Waa!"
As I hugged Damian after what seemed like forever, I burst into tears of joy at finally meeting my baby.
'Damian, I really wanted to meet you.
I wanted to see you even in my dreams...'
I looked at the warm little breaths coming from my baby in my arms, and I whispered.
“My little one, this time, I will definitely protect you.
So, please, grow up healthy and kind.”
Although there are difficult times in raising a child, as I had hoped, Damien grew up healthy and strong.
From making baby noises, chirping, and rolling to crawling and standing on his own, every stage was truly emotional.
When he took his first steps and called me “Mama,” my heart swelled with emotion, and I ended up shedding tears.
I thought, ‘What a precious moment.’ In the past, the time I spent raising the child seemed meaningless and exhausting.
My sole focus was on Eric, and the joys of raising him were often overshadowed by the challenges of fatherhood.
But now, experiencing those moments again with Damien made me happy.
It made me realize how valuable and precious it was to be there for every moment of his growth.
"Mummy!
I want plums!"
"Okay, you want prunes?
Just wait a minute.
I need to get them ready."
"millimeter!"
The child was like my mirror.
As he grew up imitating and following me, I also learned from him—how to care and interact with others.
“Mami!”
It had been four and a half years since we arrived here, and Damian was now over three years old.
He was now able to run enthusiastically.
"Mami, guess what!
I saw a man in my dream!"
"Huh?
Where?"
“In my dream!”
Damien would often wake up and share his dreams with me.
Sometimes they were about monsters, or unicorns, or adventures with a brave knight.
The dreams were full of such childish fantasies.
'What kind of dream did he have today to be so excited?'
I smiled and asked, “So, what did this guy look like?”
"He was tall, with blond hair, and he was so adorable!
He came to grab Mami and me, like he was playing hide and seek!"
At those words, my expression stiffened.