Chapter 5

“Ack! Aaah!”

The Marquis Tolsio’s blessing was <Vision>.

This meant that he was a frail old man who could maintain 20/23 vision even in old age.

He had never lifted anything heavier than a pen.

Naturally, he had never had his hair pulled.

On the other hand, Erylott was a very spirited child.

She never lost to kids much bigger than herself.

The child’s specialty was to grab the hair of her tormentor with her tiny hands and pull.

Crack.

With the sound of the few remaining roots giving way, a sword blade was drawn before the Marquis Tolsio.

Only then did Erylott let go of the marquis’s ponytail.

The duke spoke to the pale-faced Marquis Tolsio.

“We have a lot to talk about.”

At the Duke Astra’s words, the Marquis Tolsio’s face turned even paler.

“You shouldn’t think it’s going to be easy.”

“A, Duke Astra… This, this is—”

Duke Astra picked up Erylott.

Behind the walking duke, the Marquis Tolsio’s anguished scream followed.

* * *

Dawn.

The Marquis Tolsio and his retainers were dragged to the ducal castle and subjected to severe torture.

The torture was carried out by Viscount Debussy.

He came into the duke’s office with a summary of the confessions extracted from the Marquis Tolsio and his retainers.

“He was trying to recruit Conrad.”

Conrad was very surprised and asked in return.

“Me?”

“He knew you needed the blue root for your brother and tried to recruit you.”

“Such…”

Conrad’s eyes trembled greatly.

The flustered Conrad was asked by Viscount Debussy.

“Fortunately, you managed to get the blue root first.”

“It wasn’t me who got it.”

“Then who?”

“The young lady gave it to me.”

“What?”

Grandfather and Viscount Debussy looked at me.

I smiled and said, “Hehe.”

The duke didn’t specifically say to take it myself when he gave me the root.

So, it wasn’t a fault to give it to someone else.

On the contrary, using the root to prevent the loss of talent was a great achievement.

“You have a good sense. The young lady was the first to sense the duke’s danger.”

“Yes. She said, ‘Bad people will torment Grandfather.’”

Viscount Debussy looked at me and exclaimed.

“But how did she know?”

“She said she overheard the retainers’ suspicious talk by chance.”

Of course, it was a complete lie.

It was a conclusion drawn from the novel’s content and the situation, but who would believe a three-year-old?

So, I said,

“They’re gonna hurt Grandpa! (The guards are going to hurt Grandpa!)”

“What?”

“They’re gonna send Grandpa to the other world when he gets weak. I heard them talking secretly. I heard it! (They said they would send Grandpa to the other world when he gets weak. They were talking secretly. I heard it!)”

“What?”

Viscount Debussy, who heard the story from Conrad, nodded.

“They must have talked freely, thinking the child knew nothing.”

“Yes. Since she has been around the duke recently, she must have heard the guards talking.”

Viscount Debussy and Conrad were convinced, and I was relieved.

Grandfather didn’t seem to suspect anything either, given his lack of reaction.

‘Still, my wrist hurts.’

Maybe because I was relaxed, the pain got worse.

It seemed I had injured it when I grabbed that bad guy’s hair.

I rubbed my wrist.

Then I met Grandfather’s eyes.

“…”

“…”

Grandfather clicked his tongue and pulled my wrist.

‘Why, why…?’

What is he going to do with my wrist!

I tensed up and stiffened.

But what he did was to examine my wrist.

“It’s sprained. Why did you have to get involved with such a small hand?”

“I have to protect Grandpa. (I have to protect Grandpa.)”

So that other direct descendants won’t target me.

Grandfather glanced at me and cleared his throat.

“What can a little thing like you do to protect me?”

“…”

“You’re so small. When I was your age, I could kill a bear.”

That’s because Grandfather has a lethal blessing.

After applying ointment to my wrist, Grandfather cleared his throat again.

“Go to your room and get treated.”

It was a welcome suggestion.

I was incredibly tired, so it was perfect.

“Okay!”

I answered and skipped out of the room.

* * *

The conclusion of the attack was a territorial war.

Armed soldiers of Astra stormed the Marquis Tolsio’s territory.

Astra was a house known for its military prowess.

Tolsio’s soldiers were no match, and the castle fell within a week.

Grandfather is said to have taken the Marquis Tolsio to the burning territory.

And there, he did something to his wrists and ankles…

‘Who would have thought he wasn’t the mastermind? It’s terrifying.’

How can an old man, who has lost his family and become crippled, survive?

It was a fate worse than death.

* * *

Scooping a spoonful of pudding, I wore a blissful expression.

‘Perfect.’

The texture, the aroma, the caramel concentration.

Nothing is lacking.

And the best part is that I can enjoy this delicious pudding without any worries.

I popped the pudding into my mouth and smiled.

‘I should savor it while I can, as I’ll be busy again soon.’

The current peace is due to the ducal castle being busy with the aftermath of the territorial war.

The Marquis Tolsio’s territory has been integrated into the Duke Astra’s domain.

So, there’s a lot of noise about who will govern this land.

My uncles, aunts, and even my great-uncles are busy trying to become the new landowner.

‘Thanks to this, I’m in a good position.’

The direct descendants’ lessons have been postponed because the ducal castle is noisy!

Pushing away the empty pudding bowl, I hopped off the chair.

Then, humming a tune, I went to where the picture books were stored.

Just as I was about to open a book, I felt a gaze from behind.

Turning my head, I saw the maids staring at me intently.

“Didn’t you read that book yesterday?”

“You read it the day before yesterday too.”

“And four days ago.”

The maids groaned.

“There’s nothing for the young lady to play with in the ducal castle.”

“Have you requested toys from the general affairs office?”

“It will take at least two weeks to get them after they are reviewed.”

After Grandfather was attacked, the security in the ducal castle was strengthened to a terrifying degree.

They had to go through a long review to ensure there were no curses on the items.

Because of this, I read the same books over and over again.

‘But they’re still fun, right?’

Maybe it’s the mental penalty of being in a child’s body, but I enjoy things that kids do.

As I focused on the picture book again, the maids approached.

“Should we call a friend from the Twelfth Tower?”

“Yes. Since she’s a collateral descendant, she can get permission to enter even in the current situation.”

I said, still focused on the book.

“I don’t have friends.”

“Didn’t you grow up together?”

“But they don’t play with me.”

“Why not?”

“Because their families don’t like me.”

Sometimes, innocent children would come close.

But every time, their nannies would panic and carry them away.

“You’ll be treated the same if you play with the main house’s outcast.”

—They would say.

If they were caught playing with me, their parents would often call and scold them.

So, the children didn’t play with me, and I didn’t want them to get in trouble because of me, so I didn’t approach them.

I answered casually and turned the page.

‘Ah, my favorite picture.’

I loved the illustration of the mother fish looking for her baby fish.

As I looked at the picture with sparkling eyes, the atmosphere around me became strangely quiet.

Noticing the odd atmosphere, I turned my head to see the maids with strange expressions.

“Oh…”

Seeing the maids about to cry, I flinched.

‘Oops.’

I must have sounded pitiful.

‘I spoke without thinking because I’m used to it.’

This side character penalty.

Because I’m not the main character, I often lose focus and end up thinking like a child.

So, I miss the adults’ feelings.

‘Oh, these sisters have soft hearts.’

They were kind sisters, unlike the typical employees of the Astra ducal castle.

That’s why they didn’t advance in their careers.

‘Well, they must have been assigned to me because they couldn’t advance.’

Nurses (nannies for noble children, a high-ranking position among employees) are assigned to other precious direct descendants.

I raised my arms and said flusteredly.

“I’m not sad at all. Playing alone is fun! (I’m not sad at all. Playing alone is fun!)”

The more I tried to reassure them, the more they teared up.

“Young lady…”

“No one will play with you anymore.”

“Exactly! Now that you’ve manifested your blessing and are staying in the castle.”

Hilda hugged me tightly.

Greta stroked the back of my hand.

“Adults are mean. Why wouldn’t a child play with you? They’re the ones not letting you.”

“Exactly.”

Hilda and Greta’s eyes sparkled.

* * *

“—That’s what they said.”

Conrad relayed the information he heard from the employees to the duke.

The children from the Twelfth Tower didn’t play with Erylott.

It seemed the adults had pressured them.

The maids had reported this to Conrad.

And Conrad immediately told the duke.

Duke Astra, focused on his documents, spoke.

“So.”

Conrad’s face darkened.

‘I thought the way he looked at the young lady had changed recently.’

She had manifested her blessing and helped the family.

She was even the greatest contributor to stopping the attack.

I wondered if he realized how adorable his granddaughter was, given that he even examined her injury.

‘But he’s lived his whole life without understanding human emotions.’

He wouldn’t step in for his granddaughter.

Conrad became gloomy, and Viscount Debussy, who was with him, smiled.

“He’s just relaying what he heard. More importantly, the results of the retainers’ torture. Conrad, tell him.”

“Yes.”

The duke, who received the documents, skimmed through them and glanced at Conrad.

“Is that all?”

“Yes. They said they were swayed by the Marquis Tolsio’s promise of a title and money.”

“Tolsio?”

“He harbored resentment over losing the granary.”

The duke chuckled.

“What a poor excuse.”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think Tolsio was the mastermind behind this incident?”

“…Yes?”

Astra is very cautious with information.

Even if Tolsio belonged to the council of noble elders, he could never find out the duke’s guard list.

Nor could he identify a guard who might be swayed to his side.

Conrad, who had been squinting, flinched.

“You don’t mean there’s an enemy within? Who…!”

“One of my children, I suppose.”

Only they had the power to move Tolsio.

Moreover, the duke’s enemies were always of the same blood.

“My goodness…”

Conrad was just a pawn.

A pawn to hide the fact that information was given from within.

The duke chuckled.

“I must have been too lenient all these years.”

“…”

“Seeing how the piglets are not satisfied with the scraps and have become greedy.”

The duke’s eyes flashed with a murderous intent.

Conrad swallowed hard.

“What should we do?”

“We need to tighten the screws. Let’s start by proving the loyalty of the collateral descendants.”

“Proving loyalty…?”

“Introduce them. To Erylott.”

“Yes?”

“Prostrate yourself properly.”

“Yes?!”

The duke stood up.

“Disband the private armies of the second generation (the duke’s children).”

Saying this, the duke strode out of the room.

Conrad stared at the duke’s back in confusion.

Why make the collateral descendants prove their loyalty by bowing to Miss Erylott?

Especially in a way that looks like an apology.

Conrad tilted his head.

And Viscount Debussy…

“Haha!”

Was suddenly holding his stomach and giggling.

The duke, who had just stepped into the corridor, picked up a vase from a display stand and threw it.

Viscount Debussy, who dodged the vase, followed the duke.

“You must have had a hard time thinking of an excuse.”

“Shut up.”

The sound of Viscount Debussy laughing to death echoed through the dark corridor.

* * *

I looked at the prostrate couple with a puzzled expression.

Their faces were pale.

‘Why are they suddenly like this?’

This morning, people started lining up outside my room.

They were all familiar faces.

The adults who came to pick up the children from the Twelfth Tower during their breaks.

In other words, the parents of the collateral descendants.

“Londontas. I greet you, young lady.”

“T-that… What I said before, it wasn’t because I was ignoring you…”

Why are they so scared?

When they saw me at the Twelfth Tower, they used to mock me.

I peeked outside the room.

It wasn’t just the parents of children from the Twelfth Tower.

But everyone else was trembling too.

I soon nodded.

‘Ah, they’re scared because I manifested my blessing!’

Especially since I even saved Grandfather.

The maids behind me glared at the adults like demons.

“Now, it’s the next couple’s turn. Please come in.”

“Wait! Just one more minute. I haven’t cleared up the misunderstanding yet!”

The current couple was dragged out by the servants.

And the next couple.

Then the next.

It took a full two hours to receive greetings from the collateral descendants.

I was tired, but the maids were beaming the whole time.

“Young lady, there’s more good news.”

“Huh?”

The maids looked at each other and giggled, then presented me with something.

A beautiful fraxinus flower.

“Wow, it’s pretty! (Wow, it’s beautiful!)”

“Isn’t it? Sir Conrad brought it for you. He saw a pretty fraxinus flower that looked like you and picked it.”

“I love flowers. (I love flowers.)”

“It smells nice. Would you like to smell it?”

“Yes.”

I took the fraxinus flower.

Sniff, sniff, the maids exclaimed, “Kyaa! So cute!”

“You’ve had a good day. You received flowers and greetings.”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that right? The greetings were very nice, and the flower is very pretty.”

I don’t know about the greetings, but the flower is nice.

‘This is proof that Conrad has a good opinion of me.’

Because of the greetings from the collateral descendants today, the direct descendants will pay attention to me.

While my status has risen due to various events, I still lag behind the other direct descendants.

‘Conrad can help me.’

I giggled and told the maids.

“Sure. Thank him and tell him I want to see him.”

I’ll ask Conrad about the ducal castle’s schedule when I greet him.

The maids giggled.

“Yes. He’s in the castle.”

“I want to go!”

I grabbed the maids’ hands and left the room.

As we went downstairs, Conrad was just coming out of Grandfather’s office.

Viscount Debussy and Grandfather were with him.

The maids hurriedly greeted the duke. Then Viscount Debussy asked.

“What brings you here, young lady?”

“She wants to greet him.”

“Oh. Today’s event.”

Viscount Debussy chuckled and looked at Grandfather.

“She wants to greet you.”

Grandfather cleared his throat.

“It’s nothing. Forget it, it’s a bother.”

“Don’t say that. It’s the young lady’s sincerity.”

Grandfather cleared his throat again, and the viscount looked at me.

“Yes, young lady. Greet him.”

The maids, Viscount Debussy, Conrad, and Grandfather all focused on me.

I smiled and took a step forward.