***
After Damian left the mansion crying and eating mustard.
Lilian and young Damian planned to attend a benefit concert at the House of Lannister.
Originally, she politely declined this invitation because she had to take care of young Damian unscheduled.
But last night, when she thought of Damian, who whispered that it was his first time on a picnic just by spreading a mat in the garden, not far away, she couldn’t just stay at home.
Unable to go anywhere for her personal safety, Lilian decided to ask the Lannisters for their understanding.
Fortunately, the Marquis family was happy to understand, and thanks to that, at the Grand Duke’s residence.
The two of them were in full swing preparing to go out.
When told that she’d go out with young Damian, she went through the children’s clothes she got from somewhere.
“His Highness Matteo kept some of the clothes he wore as a kid, and they’re so useful now.”
Mrs. Maureen chose a royal blue children’s suit modeled after a navy uniform and showed it to Lily. Lilian nodded her head.
Mrs. Maureen tilted her head as she changed the clothes on Damian.
“Oh, I thought it’d be a little big, but it fits well…”
Obviously, until yesterday, the clothes Matteo wore when he was three or four years old fit well, but today, the clothes slightly larger than that fit perfectly.
“Did you grow up a bit? That can’t be…”
“Um…it could be. It’s not that he’s really a child, just His Highness’ soul that materialized.”
His physical condition, which had been solemn, improved after the picnic, so it wasn’t strange that he grew taller overnight. Lily’s explanation convinced Mrs. Maureen.
While Lilian was talking to Mrs. Maureen, Damian was tugging the sleeves of his suit, feeling uncomfortable.
“Your Highness, are the clothes uncomfortable?”
The clothes might be too tight. When Lily thought so, Damian thought for a bit and then shook his head.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
Lily knelt down as she needed to carefully consider the child’s condition. She stared into Damian’s purple eyes.
Young Damian stared at Lilian with purple eyes in long twinkling eyelashes and came close to whisper in her ear.
“…it’s not my clothes…”
“I don’t know if it’s okay to go out while wearing it.”
Lilian swallowed her heartache. Then smiled softly.
“Because of this Lily’s lack of time, the deadline was tight so I couldn’t pay attention to quickly make clothes for His Highness. It might be inconvenient, but will you excuse me until the clothes are finished?”
Damian nodded his head with difficulty, doubtful at Lily’s words, which blamed herself for his anxiety. Lilian smiled broadly.
“Thank you for your understanding. I was looking forward to this outing today.”
Young Damian stared at Lilian with his purple eyes. Then, in a small voice, “…me too.”
***
The charity concert of Marquis Lannister had quite a long history.
It was prepared in earnest and when they performed, they even presented a small opera performance. Today, it’s not that much, but several repertoires for string concertos and trio were prepared.
The people of the Lannister family had been trained in the culture of concerts since childhood, so there’s nothing that made them tremble on the day of the concert.
When Lilian visited the waiting room, Illasia matched with the viola and greeted Lilian with a calm face.
However…
“Y-Y-Y-Your Highness, you, you’ve come, for your shabby foot to step in this precious place, ah, no, not this.”
“Solaria.”
Lilian was a little surprised.
“Are you nervous?”
“I-I’m fine. I’ll show you how good I am…!”
Before Solaria could press a key, a scream erupted from the side.
“Hey, Solaria! You stepped on my foot just now!”
“Oh my God, sorry, Tasha! I thought it was a pedal!”
Lily murmured.
“You’re nervous.”
Illasia calmly nodded her head.
“She’s terrified.”
“No! I’m not! I can do it, look…!”
Solaria gritted her teeth and tried to step on the pedal again, avoiding Tasha’s feet, but ended up stepping on the tail of Cory the cat who was hovering under her feet.
“Ayow!”
Cory, with its hair up, sprinted away, knocking over the music stand one after another.
“Gee, Cory!”
“Oh my, my music sheets!”
The music stand collapsed and the paper flew in all directions, while the cat whose tail was stepped on sprinted vigorously through the mess, making it even more messy.
“Someone catch Cory!”
“Oh dear, the string broke!”
In an instant, it became a mess. Young Damian, who had been standing quietly by the hem of Lilian’s skirt, crept closer to her.
Cory was barely subdued by two sturdy servants. It took more than ten minutes just to roughly gather the papers and rebuild the music stand.
“It’s not always this messy. It seems that Solaria is almost beside herself when she heard that Her Highness is coming. What if the young guest is surprised?”
Illasia looked at young Damian with a worried expression.
Since young Damian’s face was enchanted with a mild cognitive impairment magic, Illasia didn’t notice that the child’s face was a replica of Damian’s.
Damian, now externally young, was a child of Lilian’s close family, and she was supposed to look after him for some time.
“I apologize if we startled you.”
At Illasia’s apology, Damian silently shook his head.
In an instant, Lilian realized that young Damian wouldn’t be used to being in front of many people.
She brought him out to entertain him, but she couldn’t make him feel awkward.
“As a child who grew up in a secluded place, it seems that he’s shy dealing with people, so please understand.”
“We are more sorry for making you go through such a mess. We won’t make mistakes on the stage…”
Then Solaria screamed. Because she had put the cover of her piano over her fingers.
“We will try our best.”
Illasia barely finished speaking. It seemed that Lily had to leave quickly for Solaria to calm down.
“I will cheer you on.”
***
Leaving the messy waiting room, Lilian asked Damian.
“If you’re uncomfortable, shall we go back home?”
“It’s okay if the two of us spend time like yesterday.”
Damian seemed to think a little, then shook his head. And shyly added.
“If you stay by my side…it’s fine.”
Every time young Damian, who must have been hurt, opened his heart, Lilian was grateful and affectionate. So she couldn’t simply miss a single word.
“Yes, I will be by your side.”
“It’s a bit noisy back there, but the concernt won’t be bad. I hope His Highness can experience it.”
Damian slightly nodded. It was a very lovely look.
Then the other side of the hallway became noisy.
“Oh my, Your Highness!”
“Kyaa, Your Highness is here!”
Young girls all dressed in bright colors such as light yellow, apricot, and light pink started running.
“Blooming Ladies.”
They were the debutantes of the May Lily Sorority.
The girls, each with a familiar face, stepped aside from their resigned partners and rushed towards Lily.
“I wanted to see you, Your Highness!”
“Have you been healthy?”
“Thanks to everyone’s concern, I’ve been very healthy.”
Lilian’s kind smile and soft reply made the young girls melt in a daze all at once.
Just then, young Damian pulled the hem of Lily’s skirt lightly.
“What’s wrong?”
When Lilian was surprised, the eyes of the surrounding ladies also turned to Damian.
Damian flinched at the sudden concentration of attention and sneaked behind Lilian’s skirt. Lily appeased, “it’s okay, they’re all my friends” and tried to calm him down, but he couldn’t relax at all.
“Girls, I’m sorry.”
Eventually, Lilian raised her head and apologized.
“He’s a child I’ve been taking care of for some time due to circumstances, but he doesn’t like being in crowded places. If you girls would understand…”
“Oh, yes, yes. Of course, Your Highness.”
“You came to enjoy the concert, but we were so noisy…”
They shook their heads as they comforted Lily and Damian.
“Everyone is very considerate. Let’s talk more next time when circumstances allow.”
“Yes, yes!”
“You promised, Your Highness.”
Lily said yes and greeted them one by one and passed them by. However…the girls tilted their heads in unison.
‘The child under the care of Her Highness…’
‘Somehow, it’s like he’s looking at me with a very elated expression…’
‘It must be an illusion?’
They’re not sure, but it felt like they lost a lot in a skirmish or a fight.
“Dame Kyrie, it seems that His Highness will feel burdened entering the music hall.”
Only Lilian, who knew nothing, was talking to her escort.
“I heard that the music hall has a two story structure. How about going to the mezzanine and enjoying it there?”
The sincere Dame Kyrie had roughly grasped the structure as soon as they came to the Marquis of Lannister.
Lilian nodded her head, thinking of Solaria, who had made a mistake just by looking at her. It seemed that she would benefit in many ways if she stayed on the mezzanine.
“I’d love that.”
The group was moving to the mezzanine but the lower floor suddenly became quiet.
“What’s going on?”
The answer to Lilian’s question came from downstairs.
“Fire! The servants said there’s a fire outside!”
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