Chapter 6

Lady of the Eshier Dukedom (Chapter 6, 6/141)

I was stunned by the emperor's outrageous actions.

'I didn't think he would...'

He actually sent a surveillance team.

In my previous life, I never heard about the major events that took place at the main estate.

After losing my succession rights, I was practically invisible.

A waste of food, a useless existence.

In Korea, and here in the Teparoa Empire.

Isia and Letitia had a lot in common.

Isia was called a waste of food by the orphanage director throughout her childhood, and Letitia had been told she was useless all her life.

To overcome this, Isia devoted herself to studying, while Letitia clung to the small house.

She wanted to live.

That's why this life was so precious to both Isia and Letitia.

'I won't repeat the same mistake twice.'

I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them.

To achieve this, I had to handle the current situation well.

But the atmosphere...

'Hmm.'

A foreboding aura was rising in the room.

After all, Grandfather was currently being very lenient with the emperor.

He didn't resist the emperor's unreasonable demands and faithfully followed his orders.

But looking at the current situation...

'Grandfather is about to snap, isn't he?'

My head started to hurt thinking about how to calm him down.

In my previous life, after this incident, Grandfather's house arrest, which was extended due to a trumped-up charge, led to his illness and death.

So I had to calm Grandfather down.

But—

"What?"

"What is this nonsense, Lord of the House!"

"Surveillance! We must drive them out immediately!"

The retainers, more agitated than Grandfather, were raising their voices.

"This matter cannot be overlooked, Lord of the House."

"I agree with Lord Rive."

'These people...'

Instead of calming Grandfather, they were egging him on!

Sadness only grows sadder, and anger only grows angrier when fueled.

I looked up at Benedict, hoping someone would calm the anger, but—

"Quiet."

It was Grandfather who calmed the situation.

His low voice, which suppressed the raised voices of the retainers, made everyone in the office close their mouths and shrink their shoulders. The timid Jason started hiccupping.

I, too, hugged a book as big as my body from behind Grandfather.

Of course, it wasn't out of fear of Grandfather, but to protect the book.

What if he tells me to put it down and leave?

So I hugged it tightly. Grandfather, who had been rubbing the beast's foot-shaped part of the armrest, raised his head.

"Let them in."

"Lord of the House!"

"As a subject, we must follow the emperor's orders."

"But this is the Eshier Dukedom."

"Even the first emperor declared that he would not infringe on the land of the Eshier family!"

"He is just a subject of the emperor."

"Enough."

Mago, who lightly dismissed the retainers' complaints, leaned back in his chair and rubbed the armrest.

The spot where his right hand touched was smooth and faded.

'It's similar to the hilt of Dad's sword.'

Thinking of Grandfather's habit, which reminded me of Dad, I raised my head—

"Father!"

Hearing the news, Second Uncle Andrea and his wife, Bellia, entered without knocking.

Andrea, with his unremarkable brown hair and neatly trimmed curled mustache, and Bellia, with her long red hair and simple navy dress, made Chandler cry and hide behind Bellia's skirt.

"Mommy."

It seemed he was relieved by the appearance of someone who would take his side.

But Bellia, patting Chandler's back, raised her head.

"To surveil the Eshier residence! This is unacceptable!"

"..."

"Isn't this a complete disregard for Father, me, and our entire family!"

"..."

"I will go to the palace and settle this immediately..."

"Enough."

"Father!"

Andrea took a step forward.

But Mago, raising his hand to stop him, shook his head.

"What right do you have to settle this?"

"Father!"

What can you do, you who are still nothing, Grandfather's words made Andrea's face turn red.

Honestly, Andrea was the one who remained silent and did nothing, tacitly agreeing with Grandfather's house arrest.

'He must have thought that if Grandfather was under house arrest in the territory, the authority would transfer to me.'

But the retainers submitted documents to the territory, paying expensive port fees, rather than to Andrea in the capital.

In short, he was a figurehead with no real power.

So, it must have been frustrating for Uncle Andrea.

'Incompetence is not a sin, but...'

I had to prevent Uncle Andrea from gaining any real power in any situation.

But if this situation continued, I couldn't guarantee what would happen.

In my previous life, Uncle Andrea caused trouble while Grandfather was under house arrest for a long time.

I couldn't let that happen again.

So, I had to release Grandfather from house arrest as soon as possible.

"First, we need to lift the house arrest on the Lord of the House, Andrea."

"So, I will settle this with His Majesty..."

Knock knock

"Grandfather."

"Ah, Miss."

Thinking I had made a mistake after not seeing me for so long, Retainer Benedict hurriedly stepped forward. But Mago, stopping Benedict, looked at me.

"What is it?"

"Can I borrow your ear for a moment?"

"Ear?"

The faces of the retainers, who seemed shocked by what I was doing, were filled with disbelief.

Suppressing a laugh that felt like a sneeze, I raised my head.

To my surprise, Grandfather easily lent me his ear.

The retainers, unable to believe it, covered their mouths, and Andrea and Bellia looked clearly displeased.

Meanwhile, Benedict's expression was unreadable.

But regardless of their expressions, didn't I have an urgent matter to attend to?

I had nothing to lose.

"Grandpa, you look so serious."

Then, I quickly placed my small hand on Grandfather's ear and whispered.

"House arrest. It will be fine when you retire, soon there will be a war in Peluonia."

Then, I hugged his neck.

I could feel Grandfather's body stiffen through my soft fingertips.

An awkward silence filled the room.

Grandfather was awkwardly bending forward, and I was awkwardly hanging on.

Someone might think I was being insincere.

But wanting to see him was not an act, it was a fact.

Only after Grandfather passed away in my previous life did I realize he was the one protecting me in the family, in place of Dad.

That's why.

Whenever I saw a tender moment between Grandfather and his grandchildren while working, I would think of him and miss him.

I should have said something to him then.

I should have held his hand one more time before he passed away.

I should have pretended to be crazy and hugged him.

And the reason Grandfather didn't like me in the first place was because I didn't approach him.

I drew a line, thinking he was scary, and didn't try to get closer.

So, he couldn't have been interested in me.

'I never had a proper conversation with him.'

So, in this life, I wanted to do everything I regretted in my previous life.

Like now.

Hugging Grandfather's back with my small hands, Lord Rive, who was standing behind, smiled warmly.

"What a good girl."

"Indeed."

"When did she grow so much?"

"She matured earlier than the other direct descendants."

Not only her, but the expressions of the other retainers in the room also became more favorable.

But—

"Risha, isn't Grandfather uncomfortable with you hanging on like that? Come here."

Bellia, who couldn't stand the sight, smiled warmly and reached out her hand to me.

"Yes, come here right now!"

Unlike Bellia, who was smiling, Andrea's angry voice, with a frown, instantly cooled the warm atmosphere.

But Bellia, who quickly sensed the change in the atmosphere, smiled more affectionately at me, while Andrea still seemed to be struggling to read the room.

"Where do you think you're interrupting the adults' conversation?"

I loosened my small hand from Grandfather's neck at Andrea's stern voice.

"..."

Then, I slightly embarrassed, shrugged my shoulders and smiled sheepishly in front of Grandfather.

"Grandpa, bye."

I waved my small hand.

It seemed like Grandfather's head nodded slightly at the round movement, but I wasn't sure.

So, smiling, I turned around and hugged the history of Eshier, which I had put down on the floor.

As I straightened my body, which had been bent with a groan, Grandfather stopped Andrea, who was trying to take the book.

"Put it down..."

"Take it and read it if you want."

"!"