3. Third method. Making my side. Chapter 11

Carl was still nursing but the wet nurse had had kids of her own. Due to this, they grew

up together. The nursery had three babies and three older children, who were a few years older

than Carl. Carl managed to get along with the other children. However, he still was a cute baby

who loved being in my arms when I came to play.

Carl was now old enough to get his hands on this and that and filling his curiosity by

putting them all in his mouth. All the employees in the castle loved the little Duke, who

wandered around but still treated me with a much more amicable attitude.

Mrs. Blone told me to watch Carl grow up day by day.

"I elected an escort for the Young Lord. You must accept the pledge of loyalty for him."

"What? Suddenly?"

"He is the one and only successor of the Duke of Demanche, he needs to be protected."

It was questionable whether Carl would need an escort as he was always in the castle or

nursery. However, she had a point that Carl was the sole heir. Due to this Carl, as a baby, would

need an escort.

"Oh, but wouldn't it be better for Gellerhard to be here and pick? From the point of view

of the knight, I think he'd rather make a pledge of loyalty to the Duke of Demancier than to me.

And in a few months, Gellerhard will be back."

Carl's escort would focus on Carl, but their loyalty was to Gellerhard. But now that he is

out for the war, I as the Duchess had to act for him. Mrs. Blone would take care of picking but

Gellerhard knew the knights better. I don't want to hear about picking a weird guy when he was

back...Mrs. Blone replied while I was thinking.

"It could be more dangerous now than ever without the Duke in the castle. You don't

have to worry about the pledge of loyalty. As the Duchess, you only accept the vows of loyalty

from the knight and tell them you trust them."

She seemed to think I was putting off the core of loyalty because I felt burdened by the

pledge. That was true to some extent. But as I listened to her, I realized the painful truth.

It was true that the castle, without the Duke, was vulnerable. However, last year Carl was

in the nursery with no problems without escorts while the Duke was away. If Carl needs an

escort this year without the Duke...

It seems that since I've started sleeping with the Duke, Carl became a target. Perhaps

my guess was right. I still spend quite a bit of time with Carl, and with an escort, my behavior

could be monitored.

The doubt was bitterly disappointing, but it was not beyond comprehension. The young

son with the largest inheritance in the North, including the title of duke, and the stepmother, who

is likely to bear the Duke's child, alone in the castle. It was like the beginning of a thriller novel.

To lessen the doubt and to avoid a situation that could put Carl in danger, I decided to

accept an escort for Carl. I'm upset, but I'll take it. It was obvious that Count Betrika would be

behind this, I didn't want to deal with it. Anyway, it's for Carl.

"Yes, the escort can be changed after the Duke returns."

Stressing my hesitation was due to wanting the Duke to pick the escort I got up. Seeing

that I'm the Duchess now, I expected to accept some pledges of loyalty.

"Carl's in the nursery, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"I'll go get him. Then I'll take him to meet who will serve him."

When I opened my arms to him Carl came up and hugged me holding on tight. When I

saw Carl like that, my irritation melted away.

"My sweet prince, Carl! I'm going to see the knights with Mandy~"

"Maaaaa!"

"Yes, I'm going with Mandy."

Laughing with him, I carried Carl around. He was getting quite heavy now. I heard Mrs.

Blone's explanation as I headed to the knights. There were a total of three knights for Carl's

escorts, they will take turns protecting him. Theirs were the three pledges of loyalty I would

receive. I think it's going to be very cheesy...let's just get it over with.

Yet, I was still apprised to face the three escort knights patted the doors opened by the

servants.

Normally, the knights that stayed back to protect the castle were not very capable, but

they had a good face and a nice body. The talented ones would go to the border with the Duke,

while the next best men would stay behind for the heir and castle. Of the remaining knights, only

the ones with a good append shape stood by the nobles. My ex-fiancé was such a knight.

Carl's three guards were all very good-looking young knights, and one even looked like

someone I knew.

Oscar, my ex-fiancéwas one of the knights!

"Madam, please accept the pledge of loyalty,"

The second Knights Commander was the first to speak. He was the first line of defense

for anyone who coveted the Duke position while the Duke was away, though there was no one.

Doubting if my eyes were correct in seeing Oscar, I asked.

"Who picked the escorts?"

"I've discussed it with the leader."

Mrs. Blone stepped forward to answer. I looked at her and asked.

"I see a familiar face, and as far as I can remember, he was a knight of the Countess of

Betrika. Can I pick Carl's escort from the outside?"

T/N: Outside the Duke's order of knights.

I purposely fixed my eyes on Mrs. Blone and asked. Oscar knew I was talking about him,

but he didn't come forward. Why would I choose a knight loyal to Count Vietrika rather than the

Duke to protect the Duke's only heir? Not to mention my ex-fiancé?

Mrs. Blone answered my question without any indication of embarrassment.

"The Count of Betrika is heirs grandfather. Because he was worried about his only

grandson, the Count selected an outstanding knight and sent him."

I could laugh right now. Mrs. Blone didn't even try to hide that she was worried about me

being Carl's stepmother, so she picked the escort. She was now blatantly warning me that

Count Vietrika was watching. Indeed, Mrs. Blone was the appointment of Count Vietrika in the

first place.

The tension rose sharply. It's not enough to see my ex-fiancé daily but have him babysit

my step-son? And how ridiculous to warn me like this!

"Is there a problem?"

Maybe it was my delusion but Mrs. Blone's expression was saying 'what can you do if

there was a problem?' Lightly biting my lips, I said, looking into her eyes.

"I'm uncomfortable with my fiance."

It was the result of a brief debate. I would spend as much time with Carl's escort as I did

with Carl. My ex-fiancé was an escort knight, so if I was unlucky, I could be accused of an affair.

Now that I think about it, it was also on my mind that all three guards were outstanding beautiful

knights. The knights looked like they would serve as eye candy for the nobility, but now they

would be escorting the sole heir to the Duke of Demancier. The loyal and capable knights

deserved to be kept.

Mrs. Blone looked a little surprised. I didn't think I'd ever tell her about my ex-fiance.

However, she answered with a controlled facial expression.

"But wouldn't it be okay now that the Duchess has been married for a year. If you don't

have any feelings for him."

You think I'm trying to drive out Oscar because I have feelings for my ex-fiancé? I

hesitated, pretending to be silent. But it would be better to stop Oscar from being Carl's escort,

to stop the rumors from ever forming.

"I don't have any feelings."

"Then-"

When Mrs. Blone began to speak, I cut her off. What she was going to say was obvious

even if I didn't listen. If you don't have feelings, he can be an escort.

"But wouldn't Gellerhard be uncomfortable with Carl's escort spending more time with

me? Pick another escort."

I deliberately picked the Duke. For these people, it worked much better than staying a

hundred valid reasons. And the Duke wouldn't be mad at me for using his name. If that

becomes the case I'll do something good for him.

"This time, please look into the candidates' histories and let me know. You have to pay

attention when pitching the escort of the heir, you have to be conscious of me, the Duchess of

Demanche."

I meant that she should ask for permission before deciding on the escorts. As Carl's

stepmother and Duchess of Demanche, I could have demanded this much. I turned away,

refusing to allow further counterarguments. It was the first time that I shook off Mrs. Blone by

protesting like this, I always listened to her. Mrs. Blone showed signs of embarrassment, but she

didn't dare reach out to me. Even if she was a Countess no lady in the North was more powerful

than I am.

Count Vietrika is a strong maternal family for Carl and my father is loyal to him as well.

So I want to get along with him, but if he tries to mess with me, I have no choice but to prepare

myself. I couldn't let Mrs. Blone act as Count Vietrika's spokesman and shake my surroundings

in this way. I needed new staff, and eventually, I needed the ability to work as Duchess myself

and the acting lord.

No more just being a good foster mother to Carl and not being recognized as the

Duchess's wife. Now I'll grow my strength so that I don't have to be embellished with a vicious

plot.