The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 36

“A pickpocket. I’ll go and catch them right away.”

 

Before Grace could even finish her sentence, Lisetta bolted off.

 

“Ouch! Ow!”

 

A few seconds later, a small thief was dragged back by Lisetta, who had him firmly by the arm. He looked about twelve years old.

 

Lisetta brought the boy right in front of Grace and shoved his arm away roughly.

 

“How dare you, without fear, lay a hand on the duchess’s property! You will be judged according to the laws of the territory.”

 

At Lisetta’s cold, stern voice, the boy flinched and his shoulders drooped.

 

Grace examined the boy for a moment before speaking.

 

“Your face… wait a second.”

 

“She’s telling you to lift your face.”

 

At Lisetta’s strict command, the boy slowly raised his face. Knowing he had done wrong, he couldn’t bring himself to meet Grace’s eyes.

 

“Why… why did you… do it?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Instead of scolding, a gentle question was returned, and the boy blinked in confusion.

 

“The painting… why did you take it?”

 

Grace was curious. What kind of story did this small child have, that he would steal a painting—not food or something shiny like jewelry?

 

“Um…”

 

The boy fidgeted and stammered.

 

“My mom… she’s sick… and… she said she wanted to see the sea…”

 

“Sick…?”

 

Meanwhile, Lisetta was starting to lose track of the conversation.

 

They had caught the thief who stole the painting. All they needed to do was take the painting back and punish him. So why were they exchanging such pointless questions?

 

“Why the sea…?”

 

“She said… she used to live near the sea. And… she misses it. She really wanted to see it one last time before she dies.”

 

“…….”

 

“I know I can’t really show her the sea… but then I saw the painting of it… I’m sorry.”

 

The boy’s voice had no strength in it.

 

“I’ll accept any punishment. I did something bad.”

 

His face was filled with resignation. Now that he was caught, he knew he’d face harsh consequences. Maybe whipping. Maybe even losing a hand.

 

“Where… do you live?”

 

“Over that way.”

 

The boy pointed west with his finger. Grace was silent for a moment, then spoke.

 

“Let’s go… to your home.”

 

“Madam, are you serious?”

 

Lisetta’s eyes widened in shock. Was Grace joking?

 

“Yes. He said… she’s sick.”

 

“Is that necessary? Just punishing the thief should be enough.”

 

Grace shook her head.

 

“Frederick… said I’m the lady of this estate.”

 

Lisetta wondered if she really understood what “lady of the estate” meant. But her next words left no doubt.

 

“Stealing is… bad, but if someone’s sick… I need to see them.”

 

Grace’s eyes were clear and bright. Her phrasing might be clumsy, but her intent was obvious.

 

She was the lady of the estate, and if she wanted to see someone, she would.

 

“Let’s go…”

 

At her words, the boy took the lead.

 

It was a narrow alleyway with few people around. Some of the walls were crumbling.

 

They followed him through a maze of twisted, complicated paths until they reached a tiny shack. It was even smaller than a blacksmith’s workshop.

 

Cough.

 

As soon as the boy opened the door, a coughing sound came from inside. A woman was sitting on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Her body was thin and pale—she clearly looked very ill.

 

“Mom…! Are you okay? Are you in pain?”

 

The boy rushed to her and knelt by the bedside, full of worried questions.

 

“Y-yes. Leslie. I’m okay. But… who are these people?”

 

The woman, who had been smiling at the boy, looked confused when she saw Grace and Lisetta.

 

“This is the Duchess of Winstaine.”

 

“T-The Duchess…?”

 

The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“Why would such a noble person be in a place like this…?”

 

“Your son took a painting the duchess had purchased—”

 

“Lisetta.”

 

Grace interrupted before Lisetta could finish. She shook her head, and Lisetta fell silent, understanding not to speak further.

 

“Is it… hard to get a painting?”

 

“Pardon…?”

 

“She’s asking if your household can’t afford to buy a painting.”

 

Lisetta clarified Grace’s question. The woman still looked confused by why the duchess would ask such a thing, but nodded slowly.

 

“Y-Yes, of course. Paintings are expensive. Even the cheapest one could feed us for two or three months… and many cost far more than that. So for us, it’s a luxury we could never dream of.”

 

“…….”

 

So it’s that valuable.

 

Grace, unfamiliar with the value of money, hadn’t fully understood when she’d heard the price at the shop. But now she could grasp the meaning.

 

If it could feed them for months… then yes, it was far out of reach.

 

After thinking for a moment, Grace held out the seascape painting to the woman.

 

“Take this… please.”

 

“Huh…?”

 

The woman looked stunned. Then, her expression turned to panic.

 

“N-No, I couldn’t possibly. I don’t even know why you’re doing this—how could I accept something so precious?”

 

She waved her hands in refusal, but Grace didn’t pull hers back.

 

“He said… seeing the sea might help you feel better.”

 

As she spoke, Grace pointed at the boy. The woman turned to look at him.

 

“Leslie, what on earth did you do out there? And what have you been saying?”

 

“M-Mom, I…”

 

“I already have many paintings… so I’m fine.”

 

Seeing the boy’s guilty expression, on the verge of tears, Grace gently spoke.

 

“Even so, I just can’t accept this. My foolish child must’ve begged you for the painting. I’m so sorry.”

 

Grace shook her head and shifted the painting toward the boy instead.

 

“Get better soon… and go see the real sea, okay?”

 

“Yes… I’m sorry. Thank you.”

 

The boy bowed deeply, holding the painting tightly in his hands.

 

“I won’t ever do it again. Never again… Thank you so much.”

 

“Thank you… thank you.”

 

Tears streamed down the boy’s face. The woman still looked confused, but she followed her son in expressing her gratitude.

 

Grace replied with a faint smile.

 

“Madam… why did you do that?”

 

As they left the shack, Lisetta finally let her frustration out. Not only had she spared a thief, but she had also given him a gift. What kind of sense did that make?

 

“Punishing a thief is necessary to prevent them from doing it again.”

 

“I think… he won’t do it again.”

 

Grace smiled at Lisetta.

 

“Because I gave him… the sea he wanted.”

 

“Even so, it was wrong. How can you just let it go?”

 

“I… was also let go.”

 

“…What do you mean?”

 

Lisetta asked, puzzled by Grace’s words.

 

“I… am someone who was wrong.”

 

Grace looked straight into her eyes as she continued.

 

“Everyone called me… a bastard. No matter what I did, they hated me. Said I was born bad… that I was filth, garbage. That being born… was a sin. That I was disgusting. Don’t show yourself. I want to kill you…”

 

“……!”

 

Grace spoke calmly, recounting the things she’d heard while living at the Reinheim estate.

 

Lisetta was shocked into silence. A bastard? She had always thought of Grace as just a simple-minded noblewoman. She hadn’t imagined she’d lived through such scorn.

 

“Everyone, except for one… they hated me. Hit me. Cursed at me.”

 

“…….”

 

“But here… Frederick and the people treated me kindly. They said I was okay. They didn’t send me away. They gave me delicious things… nice things… and taught me. So I can… be like that too.”

 

Ah. Lisetta could only let out a sigh, her mind still blank. What could she possibly say to that?

 

After a long pause, she managed to speak.

 

“…His Grace must care deeply for you.”

 

As she said it, she remembered the day Grace unexpectedly showed up at the knights’ training grounds—and the way Frederick had held her hand so tightly. There was nothing cold or formal about it.

 

“Frederick is… a good person.”

 

That much was clear from the smile that bloomed on Grace’s face.

 

“And… I think you’re… a good person too, Lisetta.”