When I opened my eyes, it was already night time. The lights in the nursery were off, so I could only guess that it was late in the evening already. To have slept through dinner, I must have been so exhausted. Even without a mirror, I could tell that my eyes were all puffy. I reached out to scratch my head when I felt something stuck on my forehead.

Is this… a band aid? Ah..!

It was then that I realized that my forehead was wounded. In that moment, memories of the events from the afternoon flooded in my head. Maddie. The table. The book. Dimitri. His handkerchief.

So that was why he placed that on my forehead…

I felt troubled at the recollection. Dimitri suddenly became worried for me and even acted like a caring older brother. Even though he only ever acted disinterested and indifferent when he came to visit the nursery. Even though he seemed to think of me as just another child of this house... I just couldn’t understand.

Not to mention, the way he became so angry at Maddie like that.

I shivered at the memory of his glare. His gentle side was already unexpected, but his enraged words caught everyone completely off their guard. No one probably expected him to become so heated in that moment. Everyone in the estate knew that Dimitri was impartial to his younger sister.

So why? Does he really… no.

I shook my head. I thought back to what I knew of Dimitri, both from the game and the one I knew now. Then I thought back to the words he had spoken this afternoon. The things he said, no matter how anyone looked at it, they were not ones you’d expect to come from a six-year old child. However, Dimitri is known to be the mature and well-behaved young heir of the Mallory house.

From a young age, he must have been taught of the great responsibility he will soon bear. Dimitri must have developed a strong sense of duty to eventually become this mature. Then that means that his actions and words probably came from that same sense of obligation. Objectively speaking, Maddie’s earlier actions were worthy of denunciation.

That should be it. Why else would a child who is so dispassionate towards me act that way?

I nodded my head resolutely as I believed to have found the answer. At that instant, I heard the door to the nursery open quietly. My eyes shot up to the direction of the door and I froze at the unexpected figure.

Dimitri.

If looks could kill, Dimitri would be bleeding by now. However, the brat didn’t even attempt to respond to my glare. Instead, he reached his hand towards my forehead and I immediately pushed it away.

“It seems you’re lively enough to push my hand away now.” He said with a slight smirk before his expression reverted back to a frown. He looked over me from head to toe and remained silent for seconds. “You’re lucky you didn’t get any serious injuries, considering how hard you fell back today.”

And whose fault did you think that was?

Dimitri let out a small sigh. “Why are you glaring at me like that.” His words felt more like a statement than a question. He hands me my drinking bottle which was filled with warm milk. I blinked at the sudden gesture and found myself just staring at his face.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he met my gaze. “What?” It looked like he was irritated that I didn’t accept the bottle in his hand immediately, so I quickly took it from him. When I started drinking, I finally noticed that I was famished.

“The maids reported that you slept through your dinner. It was good that I ordered them to prepare your milk. I figured you’d wake up in the middle of the night because you’d get hungry.” He told me as he watched me drink my milk. I met his gaze with a puzzled look, and my eyes soon find their way to the white handkerchief in his breast pocket.

…The wound on my forehead…

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

When I had fallen down, Dimitri had speedily placed his handkerchief on my wound. I didn’t even realize at that time what he was doing. Somehow, I felt touched when I remembered this small gesture. But this feeling didn’t last long. A sense of dread soon washed over me.

Why is Dimitri doing all of this?

When I saw a hint of concern from his face, I shot him another dirty glare. I couldn’t understand any of his actions right now. “You. Why are you glaring at me like that? …Is it because you’re blaming me for what happened before?” His voice became low, as if he felt guilty.

But why in the world would you feel guilty?

Maybe my discomfort is misplaced. If adults were able to read my mind, they may even tell me I had to reason to be so distrustful of Dimitri right now. But it’s just not that simple. Not when you think about his mother, or the looks he sometimes gives me.

Dimitri Ellen Mallory.

He is the only son of Duke Mallory and the heir to the great dukedom. Unlike Olivia, he was not an illegitimate child born from a woman of unknown origins. His mother was Lady Ellena Caissie, the third daughter of Baron Caissie, a countryside noble from the now destroyed Kingdom of Vannier.

She was a lady-in-waiting of the kingdom’s late queen. She was a bright woman who had dark brown hair and deep emerald eyes. The game described Dimitri to have inherited his mother’s eyes. She was a woman who reminded people of the earth.

Although she wasn’t someone you would call a great beauty, she was beloved by many men who wished to court her. Yes, even by Duke Mallory himself who everyone believed to have a heart as hard as stone. Their love was reminiscent of those found in novels, and eventually they married.

Their joy however, was cut way too short by tragedy. A year after their marriage, Ellen was blessed with a child. The future birth of an heir was meant to be an event to be celebrated. But Lady Ellena’s health deteriorated when a plague affected the kingdom during her pregnancy. Duke Mallory was distressed at the health of both his wife and child. The servants of the house was concerned that both their mistress and her child would become ill.

When it was finally time for Lady Ellena to give birth, everyone rejoiced to the birth of a healthy baby boy. However, fate only allowed them a few minutes of celebration. After she held her baby for the first and last time, Lady Ellena took her last breaths. She passed away with a sweet smile on her face.

And Duke Mallory, who loved his wife with all of his heart, gave his son a second name. Ellen. From Ellena. A reminder that Dimitri was his mother’s son. His beloved’s son. The child Lady Ellena gave her life to.

The once joyous Mallory household became noticeably glum after the Duchess’s death. And while Duke Mallory did not spare anything to make sure his son was raised well, Dimitri grew up with an undeniable hole in his heart. A place in his heart that never knew of a mother’s love.

In the game, Dimitri was described to sometimes stand and watch the portrait of his mother. What thoughts were running through his mind? Was he thinking of what life could have been had she been around? Did he wonder what his mother’s voice sounded like? Did he imagine what it’d be like to be held in her embrace?

Even when he had never met her, Dimitri probably loved his mother and held her deeply in his heart.

And that’s exactly why he’d sometimes look at me like that.

When Lady Ellena died, no other woman in the kingdom thought that they could have Duke Mallory’s heart. Everyone believed that Lady Ellena was the first and the last. No one would be able to move the demon’s heart once more.

And then there she was, Lady Olivia Mallory sleeping soundly in her father’s arms when he returned from his long journey.

Lady Olivia’s existence became a huge topic in different nobles’ social circles. Who was this child the Duke brought home? Where did she come from? Who was her mother?

“Her mother is unimportant. This child is my daughter, and she will be treated as a duke’s daughter should.”

With these words, Duke Mallory had basically announced that Lady Olivia was born from a woman he had no affections for. Then most likely, she was born from a one-night stand. A child whose mother’s origins were unknown. A child whose mother was unimportant.

If Lady Olivia’s existence came as a shock to everyone, it was most likely even more so for Dimitri. Everyone else had said that it was impossible for the Duke to be with another woman. Everyone else had told him that his father’s love for his mother had no end.

Yet here this child was, sleeping and drinking her fill in his parents’ house.

Even I could understand the unfavorable glances Dimitri sent my way. Bitterness. Anger. Frustration. For many times now, I’ve caught this child look at me with such eyes. But I don’t blame him, for he is just a child subjected to a motherless fate. None of these were his fault.

And even though he sends me those looks, I know they’re all just harmless…

While it was undeniable that Dimitri may hold some level of disdain towards me, he did not hold a strong sense of hate towards me. I just know it. I could tell from his eyes.

I know very well the eyes of someone who scorns and abhors.

And Dimitri did not have those eyes. He’s just a child who is unable to understand the uneasy emotions he held in his small heart. Even so, I was very well aware that these very same emotions are directed towards me.

And that is why I can’t understand right now. Why… why are you being kind to me?

My eyes seemed to pierce through Dimitri because he looked straight at me. He slowly raises his hands and reaches out to touch my cheeks. “I’m sorry. So don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?”

A warm, fuzzy feeling abruptly burst in my chest. I felt it break through different parts of me. And when I realized that it slowly made its way to my heart, I froze.

…No.

I swat Dimitri’s hand away. His shoulders stiffened at my gesture, but I don’t care. Rather, I can’t bring myself to care. I have no intentions of getting along with this boy. And it didn’t matter to me if we didn’t get along. That would be better for the both of us anyway. It would be for the best if you just went on treating me indifferently like you always have.

Now that I think about it, why did I help out that maid anyway? Whether or not she was fired, should it really even matter? Did I help her because I felt pity for her? No, that’s not it. Then why? I was a fool. I should have just kept quiet.

I faced my head away from Dimitri. I didn’t want to see his face any longer. I just wanted to be alone. I wished he would just leave. When I heard him take a step back, I knew that he got the message. He stayed still for a moment, before I heard his foot steps go farther away from my crib. Then he comes to a halt.

“Be sure to grow up strong and healthy.” Without another word, he closed the door. I frowned.

Because I felt it.

A seed somewhere in my heart.

And I knew that if I let it be, it'll grow into a tiny seedling. To a sprout. Stems would soon grow, and eventually— a flower.

I closed my eyes slowly.

If that's the case then I'll just have to dig it out.

I thought to myself, ignoring what felt like thorns in my chest.