Chapter 28

"Actually... I wanted to give this to you."

What I offered was a headache medicine.

After hearing the duke's story from Lady Amanta, I asked Roina, who had worked at the ducal mansion for a long time, about the duke's illness.

"What exactly is the duke's illness?"

"Well, I didn't really ask properly, but it might be a headache."

"Headache?"

"Yes. The duke doesn't show much change in expression, but sometimes he frowns deeply, as if he's suffering from a headache."

"I see."

"Why are you asking about that?"

In response to Roina's question, I remained silent, rubbing my forehead. Then, I swayed my body.

"Ah, my head..."

"Ah! Lady Eli!"

Startled, Roina quickly brought the headache medicine, and I carefully folded it into a small piece of paper and put it in my pocket.

And now, that medicine is in my hand.

"I heard you sometimes suffer from headaches."

"......"

"I'll give this to the duke."

The duke silently looked down at the paper containing the medicine.

"What a kind heart you have."

Franz chuckled, but the duke's expression remained unchanged.

"Did you bring this for me?"

After a long silence, the duke spoke.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you go through the trouble of bringing this?"

The duke raised his eyes to meet mine. His deep red eyes were a bit intimidating, but I didn't back down.

"Well, I was worried."

"Worried?"

"Yes..."

However, my last answer came out timidly due to his sarcastic tone.

"Hmm."

The duke let out a slow sigh. His lowered eyes made him look like a predator with its prey in sight.

"Duke."

Franz urged the duke with a sympathetic voice, but the duke remained unchanged.

"Lady Eli, would you give it to me?"

"To you, butler?"

"Yes. I often suffer from severe headaches as well."

It seemed Franz felt sorry for me. I appreciated his effort to find a use for my medicine.

'Even if it took a roundabout way... he's still willing to accept it.'

A smile crept onto my face, thinking my plan had worked.

"So, what was your purpose in bringing this?"

"Excuse me?"

"You didn't just come to give me medicine, did you?"

The duke raised an eyebrow, as if urging me to tell the truth.

'Such a perceptive person...'

I had planned to tell him after some time.

'But since I have to tell him anyway, it might not be bad to do so now.'

I composed my expression. A half-hearted request wouldn't move the duke.

I cleared my throat and spoke clearly.

"Duke, you said I could choose the family I want to be adopted into, right?"

"Yes."

"Can I choose again?"

The duke's expression became strange at my question.

"You want to change the family?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

The duke exhaled deeply. He seemed to have trouble understanding my decision.

"You're undoing something that's almost complete."

The duke, who had been rubbing his temple with one hand, tapped the table.

"There must be a reason for changing your mind. Well, let's hear it. Which family do you want to join?"

I took a deep breath in response to the duke's question and answered clearly.

"Schwartz."

"......What?"

Suddenly, the duke's expression, which had seemed like a solid mask, cracked.

"I want to join the duke's family."

I reaffirmed my request.

At first, I wanted to be adopted into the Amanta family.

But after learning about their situation, I couldn't bring myself to ask them to take me in.

So, I decided to change my approach.

Schwartz is the only ducal family in the empire right now.

Moreover, they have the trading company left by Duke Klauder, possessing wealth, honor, and status. There is no higher family than this.

Besides, he has already adopted Damian as his heir.

He said he would take me in as his daughter-in-law, but this position was ultimately meant for the heroine.

'So, take me in as a daughter instead.'

This way, the complicated divorce procedure could be quickly shortened to a disownment.

"I want to join the duke's family."

I won't stay long.

When I get older, I'll prepare for my disownment myself. Just take me in for a while.

I smiled brightly, trying to hide my tension.

The duke's expression became strange. The hand that had been tapping the table had stopped.

His deep red eyes were piercing and ominous.

After a long moment, the duke slowly opened his lips.

"Out of the question."

It was a firm rejection.

"I dislike troublesome things. Especially children."

"Duke, Duke."

Franz tried to dissuade him with a flustered voice.

"......I understand."

I nodded calmly.

I had expected it, but the rejection was colder than I thought.

'Of course. Who would want to adopt the daughter of a thief?'

I embraced the familiar resignation and bowed to the duke.

"Excuse me. I'll take my leave now."

I politely bowed and left the room.

'......It's okay. I still have time.'

Four years until Damian leaves for war.

Five years after that, the heroine will return. In terms of time, I have nine years left.

That's more than enough.

'I need to secure a way to survive before the heroine appears.'

I can do it.

I clenched my fist and moved forward.

* * *

After Eli left the study, Franz sighed.

"You were too firm. You could have at least given her a chance."

Despite Franz's reprimand, Erhardt remained silent, looking down at the medicine in his hand.

When he gently scratched the surface with his hand, the hidden pill appeared.

Erhardt let out a small, hollow laugh.

The medicine was for children. It wouldn't work on adults.

'How could she bring this to me?'

His periodic headaches couldn't be cured by any medicine.

The cursed blood passed down through generations couldn't be erased by just one pill.

But.

"I heard you often suffer from headaches."

"I'll give this to the duke."

"I want to join the duke's family."

Why did these words bother him so much?

As Erhardt silently stared at the medicine, Franz became a bit anxious.

He was worried that the young girl's kindness was being ignored.

"Sir, Duke. I'll dispose of it."

Franz cautiously began.

"What?"

"The medicine Lady Eli gave you."

Erhardt glanced at Franz and then looked back at the medicine.

"Leave it."

He said indifferently.

"Excuse me...?"

Franz was the one who was flustered now.

"Leave it. Stop looking so bewildered and take this."

Erhardt said this and threw something at Franz.

Franz caught it skillfully.

It was the arrow brought by Lady Amanta.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"It's not yours."

"Then... whose?"

Franz closed his mouth, intending to ask whose it was.

He had been by the duke's side for a long time and had enough perceptiveness to understand what the duke was thinking.

"That young one showed me some kindness, so I should return it."

"......I'll make a bow to go with it and deliver it."

Erhardt silently nodded his fingers.

Franz, who had left the study, wiped the blood off the arrowhead and thought.

Ignoring a child's kindness and making a bow to return it was a more troublesome task.