Chapter 59

The knight, realizing his mistake, quickly corrected his words.

"I misspoke. Not like a daughter, but like a granddaughter, right? Since you are of a certain age, my lord..."

Though his attempt to mend the situation was late, the marquis's mood had already been soured for a long time.

Erhardt lowered his head and looked at the blood-stained blade of his sword.

The sword, made from the dark ore of a monster by Woborg, emitted a dark light, making Erhardt look even more terrifying.

Everyone around him swallowed hard.

"Ante."

Finally, after a long silence, the duke spoke.

"Yes, yes!"

"What does it mean to be like family?"

"…Pardon?"

Caught off guard by the somewhat random question, Ante asked back, then quickly regained his composure.

"Well, it’s a rather vague question."

"Is it?"

Ante nodded, then suddenly shared his thoughts.

"To put it simply… parents can do anything for their children, and children grow up without worry, trusting such parents."

At this, Erhardt frowned slightly.

'Isn’t that what I’m already doing?'

I’m feeding the small one without holding back, and helping it develop its abilities to the fullest.

"Why not, then."

"…."

"Because such terms don’t apply to me."

Erhardt muttered, genuinely curious.

For a moment, everyone except Erhardt exchanged glances.

Their eyes asked, "What are you talking about?"

But it seemed Erhardt had asked the question without realizing it, and he remained lost in thought.

'I should ask what he learned when he returns.'

With that resolve, he lifted his sword.

In the distance, undead creatures were running towards him, craving human flesh.

"I’ll finish this quickly and return."

"Yes!"

A fierce light appeared in Erhardt’s red eyes as he raised his sword.

* * *

I managed to get the promise of holy water, but first, I needed to treat my wounds.

The maids quickly called for a carriage. When it arrived, it bore the crest of the Amantha family, not Schuetz’s.

Standing in front of it, I turned to look at Oblie.

"Thank you for everything today. I’ll be going now."

"Rather, it’s I who should thank you."

Oblie bowed in return.

I smiled, then looked at the man with a hesitant expression. She then said,

"I’ll take your… father, no, your brother with me. Don’t worry."

"Ah… yes. Please take good care of him."

"Then…"

Oblie extended her hand towards me.

Priests often kiss the back of the hand or the forehead as a gesture of blessing when parting.

However, perhaps noticing Damian’s glare, she retracted her hand.

"Our child is a bit shy."

More like growling, but close enough.

Oblie nodded as if understanding.

"I’ll visit on the day we discussed. Until then."

With that, Oblie left with the man, saying she couldn’t just leave a street vagrant and would take him to the temple.

"Lady Eli. Let’s go now."

At Jerit’s call, I nodded.

"Then, Grace, see you later…"

As I turned to say goodbye, Grace was looking at Damian with a displeased expression.

'They’re going to fight again.'

"Damian. Let’s go now."

At my call, Damian trotted over to me.

Grace let out a hollow laugh, seemingly finding it absurd.

Damian’s attitude towards Oblie didn’t seem to sit well with Grace.

I understood. The temple is like a benefactor to all orphans.

But…

"Grace."

I smiled at Grace and said,

"Damian isn’t a bad kid."

"…What?"

"I’ve never seen a kid as kind and gentle as Damian."

"…."

"I’ll tell you more later."

Swallowing the rest of my words, I waved and got into the carriage.

Grace, looking a bit dazed, waved back at me.

"Goodness, Lady Eli!"

"How could this happen!"

The butler Franz and the head maid Roine were shocked to see me in Jerit’s arms.

"Um, I’m just a bit hurt."

I forced a smile, and Jerit took me to the doctor and explained everything to them.

Damian fidgeted like a puppy the entire time I was being treated.

"Damian, I’m not going to die."

"But…"

I gently stroked his head to reassure him.

"Alright, it’s done."

The duke’s personal doctor finished wrapping my arm with bandages.

"Thank you."

I politely thanked the doctor.

"Does it hurt?"

"No, I’m used to this, so it’s fine."

This was the first time I had such a deep wound, but I had been hit by the principal enough times to be somewhat tough.

Suddenly, the surroundings were quiet.

Lifting my gaze, I saw people looking at me with dark expressions.

'Why are they doing this?'

"Lady Eli, how could you say such a thing…"

"It’s all our fault. Please punish us."

Axel and Ivana were on the verge of tears.

'Ah.'

I realized belatedly.

It was because I had said I was used to it.

"I’m really fine."

I deliberately shook my injured arm.

But despite my efforts, the maids’ expressions only darkened further.

"…Lady Eli."

Then, Roine quietly hugged me. I stiffened, taken aback by the warmth of her embrace.

"Roine?"

"Even if you say you’re fine, a wound is still a wound."

"…."

"Please tell us even if it doesn’t hurt. Even the smallest things are fine."

Roine’s voice sounded unusually sad.

'You sound like you’re genuinely worried about me.'

It was an affection I wasn’t used to.

Perhaps the maids treated me so kindly because…

'They don’t know I’m the daughter of a thief.'

The thought made my chest feel heavy.

No, I shouldn’t think like that.

I shook my head vigorously.

"Um, can I ask one favor?"

"What kind of favor?"

"It’s… because of what happened today."

I told Roine about the events of the day.

Roine’s expression turned pale.

"Your father… how could this happen?"

"It’s not certain yet. That’s why I’m planning to visit in a few days to confirm it."

Roine’s expression darkened even more.

While the duke brought me here, he wasn’t my legal guardian.

All orphanages are under the protection of the temple. In a broad sense, the temple is also the guardian of the orphans.

If I had been adopted, it might be different, but now both Duke Schuetz and Baron Amantha were away.

There was no reason to refuse the priest’s suggestion.

"What to do… First, I’ll inform the duke, and then… Ah, there’s not much time left."

Roine, muttering with a serious expression, relaxed when she felt my gaze.

"First, I’ll urgently inform the duke. Lady Eli, please… don’t think about it and get some rest."

Roine left the room. Normally, the maids would follow her, but Ivana and Axel hesitated, as if unable to move.

"Too much spirit."

Then, Mei grabbed the back of their necks and pushed them out.

"Leave her alone. You’ll only confuse her more."

They nodded and left.

"Thank you."

I smiled bitterly at her. Mei, looking at me silently, lowered her gaze to meet mine.

"Forgive me for overstepping."

"…."

"Lady Eli, you don’t need to feel guilty."

She fell silent for a moment, then continued.

"…Rest."

With those words, she left the room.

Mei, usually expressionless, looked sad.

Was she trying to comfort me?

Every time I saw her worried face, my heart ached. It felt like I was forcibly taking something that wasn’t mine.

'No, I can’t. I need to pull myself together!'

I shook my head vigorously. I didn’t have time to be dazed.

I turned to Damian, who was still clinging to me, and spoke in a bright voice.

"I’m tired. Aren’t you?"

"…Not at all."

"…."

"More like, Eli is…"

Damian bit his lip, struggling to continue.

His blue eyes, visible through his black hair, were fixed on my bandaged wound.

Damian’s hand slowly caressed the wound, hesitating as if touching a candle flame, yet his touch was as careful as if he were holding a flame in his hand.

"It doesn’t hurt."

Damian bit his lip tightly.

"…I’m sorry."

The apology that came from his red lips was unexpected.

"If I hadn’t let go of your hand then, you wouldn’t have been hurt…"

"Wait, Damian."

"It’s all my fault…"

Damian’s eyes began to turn red.