Chapter 22

Baron Amandta.

He was a man who had acquired great wealth using the mines he currently owned.

Although it was still a small mine, the swords made from the minerals extracted from it would later help Damian win the war.

In the northern region, where monsters roamed, weapons were as good as money.

'Then...!'

"Your Grace."

At my call, the Duke lowered his gaze. I smiled faintly and said,

"I've made my decision. I want to go to Baron Amandta."

The Duke raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Are you sure you won't regret this choice?"

"Yes."

I looked up at him with a determined expression.

"Hmm... If that's your wish, I won't stop you."

The Duke tilted his head slowly and whispered in a voice only I could hear,

"Let me tell you one thing. The same trick won't work on the Baron."

"…What?"

Caught off guard by his sudden words, I echoed them like a fool.

The Duke spoke in a low tone.

"Your skills may fool the dim-witted Corvino, but they won't work on Amandta."

"…!"

I swallowed hard.

It was a voice that saw through everything.

'He knew.'

That I had returned the Blue Hope to the Viscount.

How did he figure it out? I was sure he couldn't have seen it, hidden as I was behind the Viscount.

I bit my lip hard.

I had manipulated people with my hands, just as befitting the daughter of a thief.

'But why...'

did the Duke let my act slide?

Even if the Viscount Corvino had concocted a futile scheme, he was still a vassal of Schuetz. It would have been more reasonable to believe him over the daughter of a thief.

As I fell silent, a suffocating silence filled the space between the Duke and me.

The Duke neither interrogated me nor asked what had happened.

He just watched.

The reason...

'...is because my actions were beneficial to the Duke.'

I finally understood why the Duke had brought me here.

I had helped ensure that Damian was safe and had uncovered the Viscount Corvino's scheme.

'He recognized my usefulness.'

I felt I had a better grasp of why the Duke had brought me here.

As I remained silent, lost in thought, the Duke spoke.

"Can't you do it?"

His toneless voice was asking for my opinion.

The only person who had ever recognized my value as a useful child.

Thinking of this, I wasn't as afraid as before. I wanted to prove my worth somehow.

"No. I can do it."

I said with a clear voice.

"I'll show you that I'm needed."

The Duke stared at me intently for a moment, then nodded.

That was answer enough.

* * *

Several days had passed since the storm, but nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

'The Duke must have been quite intimidating.'

Moreover, he must have paid a bit of attention to me.

That was a relief, at least.

"Prince, Miss Ely. Don't you find it stuffy staying indoors all the time?"

At that moment, Ivana asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. No, I'm fine."

I quickly changed my words.

I still hadn't gotten used to the respectful honorifics and formalities directed at me.

Ivana smiled faintly and spoke.

"By the way, we have some new cookies and tea today. Would you like to go for a walk outside?"

"Can we wander around freely?"

"Of course. There's nowhere in this castle that Miss Ely can't go."

Ivana said with certainty.

I could sense a strange affection in her gaze and voice.

Feeling uncomfortable, I turned my head abruptly.

"Th-then, Demian and I will go out first!"

"Wait a moment, Miss Ely."

Ivana quickly stopped me as I tried to slip away.

"It's very cold outside, so be careful."

Ivana helped us put on thick outer coats.

"If you go outside the main castle, you'll find an external corridor. Follow it, and you'll reach a small greenhouse. There are many beautiful flowers there. Why don't you take a look?"

Ivana wrapped a scarf around my neck, covering my nose, and smiled warmly.

'Something... embarrassing.'

I nodded, burying my face in the scarf, and quickly left the room.

* * *

Following the external corridor as Ivana had said, I found a small greenhouse.

The greenhouse seemed well-maintained. Despite the cold weather, many flowers that one would usually see in spring or summer were in full bloom.

'It doesn't quite fit the Duke...'

"Demian, what do you think?"

"You're so beautiful...!"

Demian showered me with the highest praise he could muster.

"There are probably many other flowers too. Should we go check out the back?"

Demian ran forward like a puppy chasing dandelion seeds.

As he looked around the flowers, he suddenly stopped, as if he had found something.

His sparkling eyes looked as if they had been sprinkled with stardust. He turned to look at me.

"Ely...! O-Over here!"

"What's over there?"

I approached where Demian was standing.

What Demian pointed to was a cluster of Lisianthus in full bloom.

"This color matches Ely's hair."

Demian said excitedly, as if he had discovered a great treasure.

"Wow, really! It's exactly the same as my hair color!"

I said in an exaggerated, admiring tone, and Demian blushed shyly.

"Then, should I find one for you too?"

I pointed to the blue mist flowers I had seen on the way.

"I found it, Demian's color."

Following my finger, Demian's eyes widened.

"Is that my color?"

"Yes. Isn't it beautiful? It's just like you."

I smiled and nodded, and Demian blushed and smiled brightly. It was a clear and pure smile.

The frustration and sadness that had deeply rooted in my heart were no longer visible.

The flowers in full bloom and Demian's smile were irresistibly endearing.

While we were enjoying the flowers, I suddenly remembered something and said,

"Right. Hey, Demian. I've decided on the family I'll be adopted into."

At that moment, there was a thud.

The flower Demian had been holding fell to the ground.

His face, staring at me blankly, looked like that of a tragic heroine.

"Adoption?"

The excitement vanished, and his face darkened.

"Where... where to?"

"I'll probably be adopted as the Baron Amandta's foster daughter."

Of course, the Baron might oppose it. I swallowed the rest of my words.

"Then...?"

However, instead of congratulating me as I had expected, Demian's face darkened a bit.

"…Can't see Ely anymore?"

Demian's face, twisted in sorrow, looked like he was about to burst into tears.

I shook my head hastily.

"No. It's just a nominal adoption."

"R-Really? Can we stay together?"

"Yes."

Demian's expression brightened as if nothing had happened. His slightly upturned eyes softened.

How could he already be smiling like that?

"Demian, have you made any decisions? You went out this morning."

"I received sword training. I'll start formal training from tomorrow."

That's why he had been carrying a wooden sword.

It was good that Demian was receiving various forms of education, but I was worried he might overexert himself.

"Don't overdo it."

"Okay."

"Don't go easy on me either. Do you understand?"

"Okay."

He answered well. I smiled contentedly and patted Demian's head.

"Since you've been a good boy and trained well, let's play all day today! How about hide and seek?"

"Hide and seek?"

"One person is the seeker, and the other tries to avoid being caught."

"I, I want to! I want to play!"

I left the greenhouse with Demian, whose eyes were shining.

The bare branches, covered in snow, emitted a damp, eerie atmosphere, but with Demian by my side, it felt like a scenic view.

"I'm the seeker! One, two, three!"

"Ah! W-Wait a moment!"

Demian and I ran around for quite a while.

When I came to my senses, the sun was already setting.

Moreover, having run around freely, we had strayed quite far from the greenhouse.

"I'm tired. Right, Demian?"

"Uh-huh. I'm tired..."

"Let's go back now. Ivana will worry."

"Okay."

"Right, so let go of me. The game is over."

As I tried to remove the hand that was gripping my waist, a strong wind blew from somewhere.

Rustle!

The sound of branches brushing against each other was followed by the sound of someone running.

The direction of the sound was precisely where Demian and I were.

'Of all times, when it's just the two of us...!'

I pulled Demian into my arms and went on high alert.

Then,

Thud!

The running footsteps suddenly stopped, and the sound of someone falling heavily was heard.

'Huh?'

Blinking, I approached the source of the sound with Demian.

There, a well-dressed old woman was crouched.

Despite her neat attire, her hair was disheveled.

'Did she fall?'

As I approached her, her muttering grew louder.

"Scary, scary..."

The old woman was pale and trembling, looking around in a daze, as if half her soul had left her body.