Chapter 9

– You don't have to be so polite. I'm... not. There's no point in rushing like this, – Darwin, who was going to call himself her father, swallowed these words.

Duke Dehsin was not only not used to the idea that he now had a daughter, but also did not want to force Esther to do anything.

'We need time to accept each other.'

– Do as you feel more comfortable.

Darwin also didn't know what to say to the girl, since he only dealt with his sons. Ordinary children of this age were afraid of the Duke, so he decided it was better to leave the girl alone.

Esther, who was uncomfortable asking for anything for her comfort, lowered her head because she couldn't find where to look.

'Esther is…'

The girl got a new name, but still did not feel it. She still couldn't believe Duke Dehsin, who was so kind to her.

What Esther had to go through was too hard, so she couldn't start trusting a person just out of gratitude.

So, the girl tried to behave in such a way that she almost did not shine in Darwin's eyes. She hardly breathed for fear of pissing him off.

A lot of time passed in silence.

'It's a little...' – Esther was forced to lift her heavy eyelids.

Since they had a long way to go, and the girl was nervous, it was not surprising that she began to feel sleepy. The sleepless night before also played a role.

Esther kept her eyes wide open for a long time, but her head was lowered and soon the girl began to fall asleep. Her body tilted slightly and after a few minutes in the silence of the crew, a quiet snuffling was clearly heard.

As soon as the girl fell asleep, Duke Dehsin, who had been looking out of the window all this time, turned his head and stared intently at Esther, who was fast asleep.

'She sleeps well,' – Darwin's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the girl. Every time Esther's breathing stopped, the man froze for a moment.

'Now she looks her age.

The girl, who is only 12 years old, is so mature that I almost never read her true emotions on her face. However, it was just a mask. Now, when she sleeps, it is clear that she is very tired.

What kind of life did you have to go through?.. If you have the look of someone who is ready to die? Such a look can only be found on the battlefield.

I have already ordered an investigation into her past, but there was nothing special there. Like many abandoned children, she grew up in the slums, and then she got lucky and was sold to the temple.'

While Darwin was busy with his thoughts, the sunlight coming through the carriage window fell on Esther's sleeping face.

The man was pleased to see her sleeping. Although the girl's cheeks were sunken, but her large eyes and long eyelashes attracted the eye. A friendly smile appeared on Darwin's lips. It was a smile of tenderness that no one had ever seen.

Duke Dehsin thought he was just watching his "new" daughter, however, he didn't know how soft his expression was at that moment. However, at some point, Darwin's face became serious.

'Why are her clothes so short?'

The Duke's attention was attracted by Esther's clothes.

'I do not know how long she wears it, but the length is too small. The sleeves and legs are so short that exposed areas of skin are visible. In addition, the clothes are worn out and it is clear that they have been changed many times. Even the servants in my mansion are much better dressed.'

– ... – angry Darwin frowned heavily.

'I make huge donations to the temple every year, so I don't believe that they are not able to dress the candidates for Saints properly.'

Duke Dehsin wanted to return to the temple immediately and check this matter thoroughly. He was so annoyed that for the first time he decided to do something for Esther without asking her consent.

Darwin quickly and noiselessly opened the carriage window and Ben, riding next to them, immediately approached the window:

– Is something wrong?

– We'll stop at a clothing store. We're going to Odar, – the Duke continued to frown heavily.

Esther, who woke up from their conversation, pretended that she hadn't slept at all.

– You can go back to sleep.

– No, no, I didn't sleep, – the girl opened her eyes and her gaze trembled.

'Do they want my head right now?' – Esther thought that they were going to weaken the guard to dump her somewhere uninhabited and did not know what to expect next.

'Isn't the carriage going somewhere other than the Duke's house? I heard only the last words, but why should I go to Odar?..'

***

Tersia, ruled by Darwin, was a prosperous territory, second only to the capital.

People came here themselves after hearing rumors about good places to live. There were a lot of merchants here, especially on the Rue de Lil Odard.

The Rue de Lil was packed with boutiques with clothes and became a public symbol of fashion.

Among all the boutiques, Kristina's clothing boutique was the most famous. There were always a lot of customers in this place and it was a top-class boutique operating on a booking system.

Madame Kristina, as usual, received clients. While discussing the new dress, she was stunned by the whisper of the maid who ran into the living room.

– What? Is His Highness here?

– Yes, faster, faster. He had already got out of the carriage.

– He's never been here in person. What happened?

Kristina was the designer who was responsible for the dresses of Duke Dehsin's wife when she was alive. Their relationship continued because she was now in charge of the clothes of the Grand Duke and his twin sons, however, she usually visited his mansion herself. Duke Dehsin had never visited her in person before.

Kristina apologized to the guest and, leaving the room, ran straight to the first floor. Just in time, Darwin just stepped onto the porch of her boutique.

– Your Highness! What brings you here without warning? – Kristina hid her surprise and smiled broadly.

Darwin's cold gaze turned to Kristina and he went inside, expressing a chilling cold with his whole appearance:

– We were passing by. Do you have a free second?

– Of course. Your Highness, this is the first time you have visited us in person, – Kristina smiled radiantly, and then her gaze fell on the little girl standing behind Duke Dehsin.

'Who is it?

I never saw this girl when I came and left the Duke's mansion. Besides, old, worn and mended clothes don't go well with His Highness...' – Kristine looked at Duke Dehsin curiously.

Darwin raised an eyebrow slightly, and his cold gaze clearly expressed a warning that a woman should remain silent.

Kristina was alarmed by this look of the Duke:

– What kind of clothes would you like to pick up?

Darwin pointed at Esther and said softly:

– I need a dress that will fit this girl.

– Good, Your Highness.

Naturally, the woman did not ask why. It was a boutique where Kristina picked up clothes for customers as soon as they came to her.

The woman smiled amiably and approached Esther. For Kristina, who did her best for any customer, the little girl was no exception.

– Miss, will you come with me?

– ... yes, – Esther looked at the unknown Lady in surprise.

A middle-aged woman who had retired from secular society was more beautiful than any clergyman the girl had seen in the temple. And her gestures were full of grace.

Esther obediently followed Kristina, wondering how she could have become so elegant.

There was a living room on the top floor of a four-story building. It was a place prepared to serve special customers when they came.

The walls of the room were tiled, the chandelier shone brightly, and the top-class sofa made by special order was soft enough to sit on it for a long time, choosing clothes.

Mrs. Kristina decided to invite Esther, who was wandering around the room to enjoy her beauty, to sit on the sofa:

– Would you like to sit here?

– Can I sit on it? – Esther hesitated to sit on the sofa.

It seemed to the girl that if she sat on the sofa, which looked incredibly expensive, it would certainly become dirty.

And the memories from the temple also interfered.

In the temple, there was a fixed place for each person to sit on. If a person took the wrong place, then he was certainly punished.

The memory of this careful separation made Esther hesitate.

– Of course, as much as you want, – but Kristina smiled even more friendly and again invited Esther to sit on the sofa.

'This is not a temple,' – the girl sat down on the sofa, reminding herself that she had left the temple.

The sofa on which Esther sat was quite high and her short legs did not reach the floor. They dangled in the air and swayed slightly back and forth. The girl carefully put her hands on her knees, trying to stop waving her legs.

Kristina smiled at the girl's sweet behavior, fully understanding her:

– Please wait a minute. I'll get the catalogs.

While Kristina was walking between the bookshelves, several maids came to the table and placed several plates on it. Colorful plates were filled with various kinds of cookies and the sweet smell of freshly baked pastries tickled Esther's nose.

'It smells delicious...' – Esther inhaled the smell of cookies and looked at him intently. The picture of dark chocolate stuck in her thoughts and the girl's mouth watered.

'Come to think of it, I can't even remember the last time I ate sweets… While in prison, I ate only rice and liquid food, and in the temple they did not give me such expensive goodies ...' – the girl's hands were constantly reaching for a plate of cookies.

'I want to eat them!' – Esther's gaze trembled with a strong inner desire. She couldn't take her eyes off the cookies, even though she thought she would have to endure.

The cookies were on the plates, so it seemed to the girl that she could eat a lot of them.

'I think it'll be all right if I eat one thing…'

However, in the end, Esther, who could not decide, quietly asked:

– Um... can I have one?

– Of course, we have a lot of cookies, so please help yourself, – Kristina, who was taking catalogs out of the closet, smiled brightly.

Esther's eyes, shining brightly from a simple cookie, were very cute.

All this time, the girl followed Kristina like a puppet, she was not interested in the dresses filling the living room, but she was instantly interested in cookies.

'Should I say that she is too modest for a child brought by the Grand Duke? Besides, she doesn't look like an aristocrat of her age at all…'

After receiving Kristina's permission, Esther's face became brighter than it was before. The girl looked at the cookie very carefully, choosing it as if she was choosing something very important.

First, Esther sniffed the chosen cookie, because its smell was too good to eat it right away, and then, unable to stand it, took a tiny bite.

'So delicious!' – when the sweet taste spread from the tip of the tongue, Esther was very deeply touched.

It was so delicious because the girl had never tasted anything like it. She even had tears in her eyes.

–Ha, ha, ha, – Kristina laughed sweetly at Esther's behavior. The girl's eyelashes fluttered so sweetly over her wide-open eyes.

Having advised the happy Esther to eat as many sweets as she wants, Kristina opened one of the catalogs:

– Would you like to see this?

Esther, who was grabbing a cookie with both hands, nodded gravely.