Chapter 42

I forgot all about propriety and stared blankly at Grace.

"…Is there something on my face?"

At my intense gaze, Grace wiped her cheek.

"No, just that you're very handsome."

"…What?"

"It was so much that I couldn't think of anything else for a moment."

I could understand why the other young ladies blushed whenever Grace appeared.

'Sometimes, you can be more moved by someone of the same gender.'

I nodded in deep agreement.

"Um… thanks. You, you're pretty too."

The compliment seemed unfamiliar to Grace, as she blushed and said,

"…Really?"

It was the first time I had heard such words from someone of the same gender.

'What is this? Why do I feel so good?'

I couldn't help but smile.

Suddenly, Grace's expression stiffened.

"…Now that I think about it, there's nothing to thank me for."

"Huh?"

"My face feels like it's about to burst."

Grace looked awkward and turned her gaze away.

When I bowed my head, I saw Damian, who had been supporting me, staring intently at Grace.

'No, this isn't just an intense gaze; it's more like a glare…'

Damian was naturally wary of others.

I brushed it off and asked Grace again.

"Grace, do you know the names of those people earlier?"

"Names… I don't know their names. Just that they loiter around this square and pickpocket."

"I see. So there must be a lot of them."

As I nodded, Sir Rainer approached us.

"Did you catch them?"

"Yes."

It was a simple answer, but there was no doubt about it.

In the north, it was customary for children on their first outing to give gifts.

'The duke will like this.'

I chuckled and gave Sir Rainer a thumbs-up.

"…."

Sir Rainer's expression grew even more severe.

Grace, perhaps frightened by his fierce look, made a scared sound.

At that moment,

"Master! Lady Elly!"

A voice called out as someone ran toward us from a distance.

It was Ivan and Asel, who had just noticed us.

"Who! Who did this! Who dared to!"

"I'll sever their wrists!"

May, who had easily suppressed Ivan and Asel's anger with her hands, asked me,

"Is your back still hurting?"

"Yes, it hurts."

I lightly patted my back.

"Hey, we need to get some medicine!"

"Quickly! We can't afford to wait!"

Ivan and Asel disappeared at a speed faster than light.

Before long, they returned with their arms full of something.

The small envelopes contained various medicines.

Even though I had said it was my back that hurt, they had brought headache medicine, cold medicine, and more.

'Did they buy all this in such a short time?'

I briefly marveled and reached out to take the medicine.

"Thank you all."

Ivan and Asel blushed and smiled shyly at my gratitude.

"Um, who is this child…"

Ivan, who had just come to her senses, asked, looking at Grace.

"Um, my friend."

I didn't want to cause any trouble, so I gave a vague answer.

"A friend?"

"Yes. I met her today. Right, Damian?"

"…Yes."

Fortunately, Damian agreed with me.

"Friend…"

Grace's mouth opened slightly, and she blushed, bowing her head deeply.

'Even if I don't want to take her place as the heroine…'

Still, it wouldn't hurt to get to know Grace earlier.

"See you next time, Grace."

By then, my position might be a bit different.

I swallowed the rest of my thoughts and shook hands with Grace.

Then, I passed the medicine I had received from Ivan and Asel through our clasped hands.

"…."

Her eyes seemed to ask why I was giving this to her, but I answered with a smile.

'It's a kind of bribe.'

A bribe to ask her to treat our Damian nicely.

Then, I pretended nothing had happened and patted my back.

"Ouch, my back hurts. We should get back to the carriage. Come on, Damian."

I turned and walked away, acting nonchalant. That's when,

"Excuse me."

A deep, resonant voice descended over us.

Sir Rainer, who had stepped between me and Damian, lifted us up.

Our limbs dangled in the air.

"Sir, Rainer?"

We were carried to the carriage like laundry on a line.

* * *

In the afternoon, as sunlight poured through the windows, familiar faces gathered in the duke's office.

Baron Amantha and the blacksmith Eiborg were there.

Eiborg still had one eye covered by a bandage, but his expression was no longer as dark as before.

It seemed the new doctor's prescription was working well.

Eiborg stood up and placed a sword in front of the duke.

The hilt was adorned with the Blue Hope, which glowed, and the blade, reflecting the chandelier's light, looked even more chilling.

"This is the new sword made with Baron Amantha. I would like the duke to inspect it."

As Erhardt reached for the sword, the Blue Hope began to glow.

A rumbling sound echoed, reacting to Erhardt's strong mana.

The blue light disappeared instantly as he gripped the sword, a sign of complete submission to his mana.

There were few people in the empire whose mana could elicit such a reaction.

Baron Amantha watched Erhardt with amazement, but Erhardt himself looked indifferent as he examined the sword.

"How is it?"

Eiborg asked cautiously.

Erhardt, scanning the dark blade, said,

"Your skills haven't dulled."

Though his voice was harsh, it was the highest praise, and Eiborg's stern face brightened.

"All thanks to Lady Elly. Without her, I would have been locked in that room until I went blind."

"Exactly. How could she be so clever?"

Eiborg and Amantha praised Elly as if she were their granddaughter.

In the past, Erhardt might have silenced them for being too noisy, but he had grown accustomed to hearing praise for Elly.

"To recognize such a person at first glance. The duke's discernment is truly unparalleled."

"Yes, that's why Lady Elly must like the duke so much."

At this, Erhardt's lips, which had been unmoving, twitched ever so slightly.

"Such a child liking me is nothing special."

"If I had a granddaughter like that, I would feel like I had the world."

"You'd be full without eating, indeed."

Baron Amantha, who had been nodding along, continued,

"Ah, by the way, about Lady Elly's adoption—"

Erhardt's gaze, which had been scanning the blade, stopped.

"Before, I couldn't properly express my thoughts because it was sudden, but we would like to take Lady Elly under our care."

"…."

"Of course, we understand your concerns, but we will take good care of her so you have nothing to worry about."

Erhardt's eyes flashed dangerously, but his usual stern expression made it hard to tell.

So, Baron Amantha, oblivious, continued,

"So, from now on, we would like Lady Elly to—"

"The child wants to be my daughter."

"…Pardon?"

Erhardt's sudden statement left Baron Amantha speechless.

"She's changed her mind. She thinks being my daughter is better."

He said this with a relaxed expression, his head slightly tilted, like a top predator.

"But if that happens…"

"I know. If she becomes my daughter, she'll be a commoner."

Damian was the legitimate son of Duke Claidor, but to inherit the title, he needed the emperor's approval.

However, the emperor would never grant it.

So, Erhardt had planned to adopt Damian only until he came of age.

Legally, Elly, who was to marry Damian, could not become Erhardt's daughter.

"But what can be done? The child likes me more. So, I thought of a way."

Damian was currently the adopted son of the Schuetz family.

If Damian and Elly got married, Elly's surname would also become 'Schuetz'.

The child who wanted to be his daughter had made great and small efforts for the estate. This was a way to repay her.

Erhardt's lips relaxed.

"Still, we need to handle this properly. We'll adopt her, but the baron should treat her like a granddaughter."

"…."

"Like a granddaughter, not a daughter."

The duke emphasized 'granddaughter'.

The two men, who had been staring blankly at the duke, turned to Ante.

'Just let it be. It's been like this for quite a while.'

Ante shook his head, as if giving up.

At that moment,

A knock sounded, and the butler Franz entered.

"Lady Elly has arrived."

"Ah, that's right. She mentioned this was her first outing today."

Amantha naturally changed the subject.

"What will her first gift to the duke be? Aren't you looking forward to it?"

"Who knows. I hope it's not something useless."

Erhardt's lips curled up slightly.