Chapter 14

It was natural that everyone was stunned.

Father took me out of the room.

I glanced at Father.

'You're going to take that lying down?'

Is he creative, or is his pride as heavy as a mountain?

I don't know, but Grandfather must be furious.

"Pack your things in your room. Go and check if there's anything you need to take."

I nodded obediently.

'Well, it turned out well!'

What a surprise.

When Grandfather is away, Uncle or Aunt sometimes come to the manor to take his place.

When that happens, there's no one to help me if anything happens.

So, Father's territory must be much safer.

While walking down the corridor with Father, a group of people approached from the opposite direction.

"Isn't that Diamond?"

The man walking in front of the retainers spoke to Father.

Light brown hair.

Green eyes like the lush summer foliage.

A gentle appearance.

I immediately recognized who he was.

'Astra Grimme.'

Grandfather's eldest son.

"Are you leaving now?"

Uncle Grimme approached with a welcoming face and asked.

Unlike the eldest son of Astra, who is like a den of wild beasts, he was kind and gentle.

"Yes. What brings you here, Brother?"

When Father spoke, Uncle Grimme rubbed his forehead with a troubled expression.

"I always come to be scolded for the same thing."

"Still pressuring you to get married?"

"Um..."

Uncle Grimme laughed awkwardly.

"Most of my younger brothers and sisters have families, but as the eldest son, I haven't, so everyone is worried."

"Even with so many grandchildren, you still need to see the eldest son's grandchildren?"

"It's more the people around me who talk a lot. Ah, that child is my nephew."

Uncle Grimme bent his knee to meet my eyes.

"Nice to meet you. Um, your name... is it Elliot?"

I nodded slightly.

Uncle Grimme's eyes softened.

"I'm your great-uncle, but I haven't taken good care of you."

"..."

"Let's see each other more often."

Uncle Grimme usually lives in the capital.

When he comes to the manor, it's like a drought, and he's always busy with marriage pressure.

He must have been busy with other matters too.

It was almost impossible for him to take care of me.

Great-uncle gently shook my hand.

At that moment, other retainers urged him.

"The Duke is waiting."

"Ah... Yes. Let's go."

Uncle Grimme greeted Father and me and headed to Grandfather's room with the retainers.

I could hear the worried voices of the retainers.

"If you don't settle down soon, you'll be pushed out of the succession."

"Lord Diamond has a child too."

They seemed worried that he, as the eldest son, had no children. But...

'Uncle doesn't know, but he has a child growing up somewhere.'

The daughter left by Uncle Grimme's deceased first love.

The protagonist of 'Possessed, but the villain's granddaughter,' Dalia.

I laughed awkwardly as I glanced at Uncle entering Grandfather's study.

"Elliot."

Father's voice came from beside me.

I flinched and looked at him.

"We need to go to your room."

"Okay."

I nodded and headed to my room.

In the room, the maids were sobbing as they packed my things.

"Oh, Miss."

"Now that you're leaving, we'll have to change our workplace! Oh, oh!"

"It was nice serving you, Miss. You were so cute! Going back to that terrifying Tower of Wisdom!"

"Oh!"

...Now I understand why the maids were kind to me from the beginning.

The Tower of Wisdom, where 3-year-olds are educated, is the most difficult workplace in the duchy.

It's a place where only those with a violent temperament can work.

Besides, Hilda and Greta were a bit... no, innocent, making it even harder to work.

'But they were good people, so I liked it.'

I quietly avoided the crying maids and packed my bag.

'I need to take the jewels.'

Holding the bag with the jewels Grandfather gave me as a gift, the maids sobbed as they carried my luggage.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yep."

I was excited, but I couldn't show it because the maids looked so sad.

After packing my things, I went out of the manor with the maids.

The carriage that would take me was already there.

Just as I was about to approach the carriage, someone ran up.

"Miss!"

"It's Conrad."

"Please stay safe and healthy. Don't get sick until we meet again... I hope to see you in good health, please, please... How can I be apart from you for so long..."

Conrad pressed his forehead to the back of my hand and groaned, "Huh."

It was a very touching scene.

The maids dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs.

'Only two months, right?'

If someone didn't know, they might think I was immigrating.

After the break, I'll come back to the castle.

'Maybe I was too persuasive.'

I said, "Yep," with a slightly sour expression.

"Conrad, take care."

"Yes, don't worry about me and please stay safe..."

While Conrad was speaking to me with a wistful look, Enzo, who had approached the carriage, shouted.

"Is this all the luggage? Is there anything else to move?"

"Yes!"

I answered and ran to the carriage.

Enzo, who had helped me load the luggage, lifted me into the carriage.

After waiting quietly, Father came a few minutes later.

"Father."

"Did you forget anything?"

"No."

Father shouted.

"We're heading to the territory."

Thump, thump, thump!

The sound of soldiers marching echoed.

Soon, the carriage started moving.

* * *

When I arrived at the Diamond territory, I exclaimed, "Wow!"

Father's territory was beautiful.

Although it was the farthest from the duchy and not as developed, it had a charming, serene atmosphere.

The city looked like it had been moved from an ancient site.

I held onto Father's pants as we entered the city.

In front, officials were swarming with mountains of documents, and on both sides, employees were lined up.

"Thank you for your return."

"Thank you for your return."

As soon as the greetings ended, a woman in a red dress approached from the center.

"My goodness, Lord Diamond. It's been so long. I was worried that you might have been injured in the battlefield..."

The woman covered her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at Father with sparkling eyes.

'Who is she?'

She looked to be in her early to mid-30s.

She wasn't wearing the uniform of an employee but a regular dress.

Enzo introduced her.

"She is Mrs. Rachel, the butler."

"Ah."

I nodded.

'So this is Mrs. Rachel, who managed the territory while Father was away.'

Usually, when the master is away, their spouse manages the castle.

But since Father doesn't have a wife, Mrs. Rachel, the butler, took over the role.

Mrs. Rachel smiled at me.

"Nice to meet you, Miss."

"Hello."

"Oh, you're so adorable."

Rachel chuckled and immediately turned her gaze to Father.

"I'll take your coat."

"No need."

Father, who didn't even look at her, turned to me.

"Elliot, I'll show you to your room..."

At that moment, a wave of gazes poured in.

The officials, holding mountains of documents, looked at Father with pleading eyes.

The intensity of their gazes was almost palpable.

'Well, after five years, there must be a mountain of work piled up.'

Even if others had taken over, there must have been things that required the master's approval.

"Elliot, I'll go by myself!"

At that moment, the officials' expressions brightened.

Father said, "But I should..."

"By myself!"

"But..."

"I can go by myself! (I can do it myself!)"

"..."

Father fell silent, and the officials, seeing their chance, swarmed around him.

"The city walls have collapsed, and we don't have the funds to rebuild..."

"Our weapons are worn out and need to be replaced, but we don't have the funds..."

"There was a forest fire in this village, and we don't have the funds to provide support..."

Father was dragged away by the officials, who were sobbing and complaining.

Rachel watched and chuckled.

"I need to prepare tea and snacks in the meeting room."

"Miss, what about you...?"

At the servant's question, Rachel turned to me. Then she saw Enzo standing there and smiled brightly.

"Of course, I'll personally show you to your room. Come, Miss."

I followed Mrs. Rachel upstairs.

"The stairs leading to your room are here. The room is that way..."

As she explained, Rachel glanced at me.

"Miss."

"Yes."

"Is there any rumor about the General and a woman?"

"..."

"I know about your mother. She spent a night on the battlefield and accidentally got pregnant... But is there any other woman?"

What is this person?

Does she just say such things to a child?

If I were a normal child, I would have been shocked.

Rachel leaned in, hugging her arms.

It wasn't the way she would treat the master's child.

"Are there any women clinging to the General, or the old men from the duchy pressuring him to marry? Do you know?"

"...No."

Rachel shrugged.

"Can't help you then."

She muttered and pointed to a room with her fingertip.

"Your room is that way. Then."

With that, Rachel went down the stairs.

Having only seen very polite people at the duchy, I was taken aback.

I hadn't seen such a person even at the 12th Tower.

'She must think that a 3-year-old knows nothing.'

But children are surprisingly perceptive and smart.

They remember who ignores them and what is said about them.

'Let's go to the room first.'

I followed Mrs. Rachel to the room she pointed to.

"Wow..."

At the duchy, I had to use a hastily converted guest room, which was small.

But the room in the Diamond territory was very, very large.

It had a bathroom, toilet, bedroom, dressing room, living room, and even a small study.

The walls were painted in soft colors.

Unlike the elaborate furniture at the duchy, the furniture here was warm and cozy.

There was a soft, cute carpet.

The windows were very, very large, and I could see a lot of trees.

'It's like a room from a fairy tale!'

I had always admired such interiors since I was Yoo Hye-min, so I was very pleased with the room.

'Who made the room so beautiful?'

It didn't seem like the indifferent Rachel did it herself.

It also didn't seem like the officials, who were crying about the lack of funds, prepared it.

'Then... Father?'

From what I've seen, Father, despite his reputation, seems to have a somewhat gentle nature.

I jumped onto the bed.

'So soft... Oh, I like it.'

I had a slight headache from the carriage ride, but lying down felt like heaven.

* * *

I stayed in the room until dinner time and then went down to the dining room.

Father and Rachel, who was serving him, were in the dining room.

Seeing me, Father asked, "Do you like the room?"

"Yes!"

"Good."

"Thank you."

"It's nothing."

Rachel chuckled and poured water into Father's glass.

"Since the General took care of it, you must like it."

Rachel's gaze on Father was very sticky.

She had changed into a luxurious dress, the kind you'd see at a party.

There's no designated uniform for the head butler to differentiate them from other butlers.

Still, they usually dress neatly, but her dress was overly elaborate.

'Father must like it.'

And the way she asked me earlier...

After all, Father is only 29 and very handsome.

He is the most handsome in Astra, known for its beautiful people.

Moreover, he is the Duke's son and the best in martial arts on the continent.

'It's understandable that she would have feelings for him.'

Regardless, I focused on my dinner.

My favorite meatball pasta was on the menu.

As I slurped the noodles, Rachel tapped my mouth with a handkerchief.

"Oh, Miss. You need to relearn your table manners."

Father, who was reading documents while eating, turned to me.

Rachel sighed, covering one cheek with her hand.

"Usually, a mother would teach this... but..."

She glanced at Father.

'What is this lady saying?'

I can't eat like an adult yet, but I tried to eat in a 'noble' way.

Etiquette was the area I was most praised for at the 12th Tower.

"It's fine, Miss. I can help you in many ways."

"..."

"General, about teaching Miss table manners... Would it be better if I joined you for meals for a while...?"

Rachel blinked her eyes widely.

'Huh?'

Father would find it annoying.

I don't care what Rachel does, but I don't want Father to be bothered by me.

I quickly said, "No way!"

When I spoke, Father and Rachel looked at me.

"I'll learn from my teacher."

It meant that I would learn when I go to the duchy for education.

Rachel's lips trembled.

"It would be better to get used to it a bit before you go. It will be talked about among the relatives..."

"Father can teach me."

"The General is busy. If you care about him, let me handle this."

It was as if she was lecturing a child who was making unreasonable demands.

Then she gently grabbed my hand.

'Ugh!'

--She was holding my hand so tightly it hurt.

It seemed to mean that I shouldn't say anything more.

I sighed inwardly.

'Really.'

I had been tolerating Rachel all day.

For ignoring me when Father wasn't around.

For trying to use me for her own good.

'But I can't tolerate violence.'

"Strange?"

I tilted my head on purpose. Then Father and the servants serving him looked at me.

"Father is busy, why is Rachel trying to have meals with him?"

"That's..."

The child didn't know how to argue logically, so Rachel was taken aback.

I didn't miss the opportunity and clapped my hands.

"Oh, Rachel likes Father!"

Usually, you wouldn't bring up such things even if you knew.

Rachel's face turned red as if it was about to burst.

And Father...