"Be quiet, my dear, close your eyes,
The stars are twinkling; it is time for night.
The moon glows softly over the sea,
Dream of the miracles you will see.
Sleep, little baby, in this sweet cradle."
"Go to sleep, my dear Agatha. Before Greenwater Lake freezes over, we'll go see the black swans tomorrow."
In the empty room, the young nanny gently kissed the girl's forehead and soothed her tenderly.
After the girl closed her eyes and peacefully drifted into sleep, the young nanny finally rose, blew out the candle, and tiptoed out of the room.
Creak—
The door closed softly. Moonlight spilled across the floor like a transparent silver veil, making everything in the room seem exceptionally peaceful and quiet.
Suddenly, a breeze blew in, gently pushing open the floor-to-ceiling window beside the balcony.
Under the moonlight, two figures silently appeared.
Dago pushed open the door and slowly entered the room.
He crouched beside the crib, his black robe spreading across the floor like ink.
A two-year-old girl slept soundly in the bed.
Dago's gaze slowly passed over the girl's face, hair, and body before suddenly settling on the toy she held tightly in her arms.
It was a little cloth bear, crudely made, with its exposed stitches crooked and uneven. It was also very old; one of its button eyes had already fallen off.
"Lier."
Dago looked at the toy bear, his lips moving faintly as ripples stirred in his eyes.
If he remembered correctly, this toy bear had been handmade by his former self for Lier's fifth birthday. She had loved it dearly and played with it until his former self, "Dago," left home.
He had not expected the bear to end up in Lier's daughter's hands, becoming her favorite toy as well.
Dago gazed gently