Chapter 16

* * *

How far had we traveled? Somewhere, the cawing of crows could be heard.

I must have dozed off. When I opened my eyes, I saw black hair in my field of vision.

Damian was sound asleep, leaning against my shoulder.

I moved my gaze slowly to look around without disturbing Damian's sleep.

Outside the window, crows were cawing endlessly.

I widened my eyes.

'It looks like a war has broken out.'

The north was extremely barren. There were black swamps that seemed to swallow you whole if you touched them, gaunt trees, and crows cawing incessantly.

'This place is too eerie!'

The rumor that monsters roamed here wasn't a lie.

I shivered and shook my head.

"No. I can't lose my nerve already."

I muttered to myself, as if making a resolution.

At that moment, a crow flew toward the carriage and cawed as if in response.

I slowly turned my gaze away from the window.

'Somehow, it feels like it understood me. I definitely made eye contact with it.'

Just then, the carriage, which had been jolting, gradually slowed down. Damian seemed to have sensed this and woke up from his sleep.

"We have arrived."

At that moment, Ante opened the carriage door and said. I got out of the carriage with Damian's help.

'Wow...'

It was a grand castle.

The crows I had seen on the way were flying around the mansion.

I involuntarily shrank back, but then felt a warm hand touch mine. It was Damian.

I didn't want to look weak in front of Damian, so I forced a smile.

As the duke approached the entrance, the door opened as if it had been waiting for him.

"Welcome, Your Grace."

A man with white hair, who looked like a butler, greeted the duke warmly.

"I received word that you were coming with the young master."

"That's right."

The duke, who had been about to pass by indifferently, suddenly turned to the butler as if remembering something.

"However, there's one thing that was left out in the message."

"What is it, Your Grace?"

"I also brought a child to be considered as a potential daughter-in-law."

"Is that so? A potential daughter-in-law... Pardon?"

The butler, who had been nodding, blinked in confusion.

'The term "potential daughter-in-law" is a bit too significant to use so casually.'

I understood the butler's confusion, so I remained silent.

The butler, who seemed quite surprised, looked at me with his mouth agape and then at Ante.

Ante shrugged as if to say, "What do you want me to say?"

"That's how it turned out."

"Even you, Sir Knight..."

The butler muttered, looking despondent.

'Of course, you wouldn't be happy to see me.'

Suddenly, I remembered the time when I was disowned.

"Call me Mom from now on."

She had smiled kindly, but her attitude changed the moment she found out I was the daughter of a thief.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You... You're so shameless."

Her eyes at that moment were still vivid in my mind.

Now, I understand her feelings, but back then, I was younger and had hoped to meet a new family. How foolish.

'But not anymore.'

All I wanted now was to prepare for the future. I didn't expect a warm family.

So, I was confident that I could handle any words without being affected.

While I was thinking this, the butler spoke in a troubled voice.

"There isn't a suitable maid to assist the young lady. Why didn't you inform us earlier?"

Young lady? A maid to assist her?

"I... I can manage on my own."

I didn't want to be seen as a troublesome child who needed help from others.

"I'll be well-behaved. I don't need help from anyone else. I can do it on my own."

I had silently done the dirty work in the orphanage. What could I not do on my own?

However, the butler's face darkened even more, contrary to my confident words.

"...Franz."

The duke called out in a low voice, and the butler nodded seriously.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure everything is taken care of without troubling Your Grace."

Just as the duke nodded silently, Ante approached and whispered.

"Your Grace, the vassals and the collateral relatives are waiting for you."

"Has the news already leaked?"

"Seems so."

"Of course, with so many ears, there are bound to be many mouths."

The duke clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"See you later. Rest for now. Franz, you arrange a room for her."

"Understood."

The duke walked away with Ante.

I stared blankly at his back, recalling what I had heard.

Vassals. Collateral relatives.

'They all threaten Damian's future.'

Although Duke Schuetz had adopted Damian, it would take a long time for the two to build a strong bond.

In other words, the trials Damian would face were far from over.

'I can't let that happen again.'

I clenched my hand, as if making a resolution.

* * *

Before the duke and the children arrived at the ducal castle.

People gathered in a room were arguing loudly with each other.

"That's absurd! How could a child be found! He couldn't have survived, right?"

"But the duke saw it with his own eyes."

"It's definitely a lie. Honestly, isn't it just a matter of switching out a mana stone? How do we know they didn't use some dirty tricks?"

One of the vassals shouted in anger.

It was Viscount Corvino, who had served Duke Schuetz for a long time.

"Think about it. Ten years. No, to be precise, eleven years. Not just any merchant guild, but the Cleyder Merchant Guild. We've been running that huge guild on our side. How can it all go to some unknown person?"

"Hmm..."

The other nobles cleared their throats. While they pretended to calm him down, they secretly shared the same thoughts.

When Duke Cleyder, who had greatly contributed to the empire's development, died, his vassals and collateral relatives were very pleased.

They had the chance to possess that honor and wealth.

However, Duke Cleyder entrusted all his assets to Duke Schuetz.

This news was like a bolt from the blue to the collateral relatives and other nobles who had been eyeing the Cleyder family.

Now, even the Schuetz family was involved in the mudslinging.

Therefore, the nobles who coveted the Cleyder Merchant Guild were determined to find fault with its management.

But the duke led the Cleyder Merchant Guild excellently.

The collateral relatives of the Schuetz family were pleased.

After all, they had so easily obtained the empire's top merchant guild.

If they could just swallow it all up, it would have been great...

But the duke finally found Cleyder's child.

They were about to lose everything.

So, they had to deny it at all costs. Absolutely.

"We've endured a lot. We can't take it anymore. We need to find a way!"

Viscount Corvino shouted, driving the point home.

"We... We have similar thoughts as the viscount..."

"Is there anyone who can defeat the duke? If we could defy his will, we would have done it long ago."

The nobles said this and averted their gazes.

Seeing their attitude, Viscount Corvino gritted his teeth.

'What a bunch of old fools who won't listen.'

With everything about to be lost, how could they say such things?

Just as Viscount Corvino was about to unleash his pent-up frustration,

"What's all the commotion about?"

Erhardt entered the room as the door opened.

"Even I, who was outside, could barely stand the noise."

Erhardt muttered with a blank expression. The heated atmosphere cooled down as if doused with ice water.

"...Your Grace, you're here."

"Yes. I came personally because I sensed you all were about to say something."

His words were sharp like a well-honed blade.

The nobles, who had been trying to ease the tension with awkward smiles, one by one closed their mouths.

The room became deathly silent.

Only then did Erhardt speak.

"There's no need to waste time with other words. It's as you heard."

"..."

"I found the child. He is indeed Cleyder's son."

The nobles swallowed hard and forced smiles.

"Truly... Congratulations. What is the young master's name?"

"His name is Damian."

The duke replied casually.

"Is that so? What a brave and splendid name. From now on, he will lead the Cleyder family, then."

One of the nobles chimed in, as if waiting for the opportunity.

It was a statement that drew a line, suggesting Damian didn't fit with the Schuetz family.

'You can't stand to see it.'

If Damian were to immediately take the Cleyder name, these people would tear the boy apart at the first chance.

Erhardt stared intently at their desperate efforts and then spoke.

"I've made a very clever friend. I think she will be of great help to the family, so I brought her along."

"What do you mean, Your Grace?"

Erhardt leaned back deeply in his chair and raised one corner of his mouth.

"I will provide formal successor education to both children."

"Excuse me? Your Grace, what you mean is..."

"I mean I will spare no effort to ensure the children can carry on the Cleyder name with distinction."