Thrown Into A New World: Let The Punishment Begin!

Noticing that someone had entered the store, she turned and bowed towards the newcomers who were most likely to be customers of this store.

She had made the right move as the owner of the store had rushed forward when the old lady glanced at who had arrived.

The Baroness could not take her eyes away from the child standing next to the owner of this store whom she was familiar with as she had visited this store numerous times in the past.

However, never had she seen this child working here before and the noble lady did not hesitate before questioning the owner.

The old lady sighed and went on to explain that the child was someone who had lost her parents in the plague.

She was wandering the streets in search of some work to earn money so that she might buy something for herself to eat.

.....

Despite being in a pitiful condition, the child did not beg for or even steal money and food like many others who had been displaced and lost their parents in the plague.

This child, instead, wished to earn her living through honest means which impressed the old lady who brought her over to the flower store she owned.

The old lady had also lost her nephew who helped her with the store during the plague so she needed someone to work at the store and this child was the perfect replacement.

According to the old lady, the child had been working here for over three weeks and had proven herself to be a diligent worker and was well-liked by the other customers as well.

When the Baroness heard this, she recalled the description her maid had given about the child working at the inn.

Therefore, to probe further, she inquired about the child’s previous living circumstances.

If the answers coincided then wouldn’t this be the same child that she had sent her maid to fetch from the Lumex fief?

The child was hesitant to speak at first but after receiving an affirming nod from the old owner, she began to pour out everything she had been through.

The little girl revealed how her parents used to run an inn in the Lumex fief, which though not lavish, was enough to give everyone who visited it a safe and comfortable stay.

The plague had ruined that environment as her parents who offered to turn the inn into a makeshift clinic had also contracted the plague while serving the people.

They had then been brought to the Royal Hospital in this neighboring fief which was also where they had succumbed.

She could not meet them even after they had died due to the troublesome circumstances at that time.

Therefore, she decided to head back to the inn in the Lumex fief to restart the establishment her parents had worked hard to build.

Along the way, she had worked to earn money that funded her travel.

However, she had been robbed of all of her money in a town not far from here and thus was left stranded in this place.

She had walked on foot until she reached the next closest town and this was when she came across the old lady who was kind enough to offer her a place to stay and food in exchange for working at her store.

The Royal Hospital was quite far from the flower store they were in right now.

Therefore, the Baroness who heard this heart-rending story could not help but lament the hardships she had to face at such a young age.

After hearing these details about the child’s life, she no longer doubted that this was the long-lost daughter that she was looking for.

However, this was not the appropriate place to reveal this news so she signaled her personal maid who had been stunned for a while now, asking her to pay the owner first.

The old lady who owned the store was perplexed but heard the maid’s advice and accepted the money without asking too many questions.

The Baron was busy with his duties as the Fief lord and so was everyone else.

Hence only a few servants who were at home had noticed the Baroness’s return with a new child by her side.

It wasn’t uncommon for maids as young as this child to be brought into the mansion so no one thought too much about it.

They would hear word about a new maid being recruited anyway so they did not pay much attention to it.

On the other hand, the child whom they had thought to be a new colleague would soon turn out to be their long-lost Young Miss who had been separated from the family at birth.

When the Baroness explained the details of her birth to the child who called herself Hilda, it was understandable that she was speechless.

Hilda was at first surprised but when she saw the portrait, she soon realized that she looked nothing like the couple whom she previously believed to be her parents.

Upon closer inspection, it was true that she looked much like this new woman who had brought her home today.

It took some time but unlike what the Baroness was worried about, Hilda turned out to be a kind-hearted child who did not blame her for the past but accepted the reality of her birth soon enough.

She also cried when she thought that she had lost her parents and would remain an orphan all her life but God had given her new parents after hearing her cries.

The Baroness felt distressed upon hearing this statement and hugged her despite the dirty dress that the child was wearing.

She kept repeating that they had been her parents all along and now that they had reunited, no one would be able to separate them ever again.

This scene that took place in the Madame’s dressing room was only witnessed by one other person and that was the Baroness’s personal maid.

She too could not help but wipe her tears at the sweet yet sorrowful moment taking place right now.

Due to their blurry eyes and heavy hearts, no one noticed that the child whose face was pressed against her newfound mother’s bosom had a smile that was unlike her age.

Sadly, they were too lost in their thoughts to have witnessed this gleeful smile which soon faded and was replaced by pursed lips that trembled ever so slightly as she held in her sobs.

In no time, the entire Baron’s household heard the news that the child being brought by the Madame wasn’t a maid but the firstborn of their Lord.

This information thoroughly shook up the members of the Baron’s family who assembled to meet this so-called firstborn that very evening.

___

“Mother?” A tender voice echoed in the room, snapping the Baroness out of her reminiscing thoughts.

Turning her gaze towards the source of the voice, her gloomy air faded and a wide smile appeared on her face in the next moment.

Stretching out her hand, she beckoned the one who was peeking his head through the slightly opened door.

“Come to Mama.” She whispered and chuckled when the chubby little figure came dashing towards her.

The little boy who was now hugging her legs was hoisted up and made to sit on her lap.

“Did my baby have fun outside?” She questioned while dusting his trousers, uncaring about the dirt that fell on her dress in the process.

Those chubby cheeks jiggled as he nodded and were flushed red, indicating that he had run all the way here.

“Mama missed seeing the white ponies!” The boy sulked and puffed up his cheeks at this thought.

His mother had promised to take him to the stables and meet the horses but had changed her mind at the last moment.

Therefore, he had to go along with the maid who was his nanny while his mother stayed behind.

In the past, his mother would never say no to anything but that had changed since the new sister had entered their home.

Anything he wished for, the new sister would explain was bad for him and his mother would agree as well.

This made him unhappy for so many days but his father always taught him to be a good boy so he did not throw a tantrum even though he eagerly wished to.

Just like always, today as well, he could only spend time with his nanny because his mother was busy with the new sister.

“Can we meet the ponies together before I leave?” The little boy pleaded, wanting to spend some time with his mother since his time to leave home was fast approaching.