Chapter 11
They kicked me out?
However, Lovenhalf’s swift departure was due to Deon’s request.
“I have something to discuss with Lordwick Duke, even if I wanted to go.”
He smiled awkwardly.
If he left, it would raise suspicion among Lordwick Duke’s servants about his intentions regarding Riche.
Deon sat heavily on the sofa opposite Lovenhalf, serving as a guard.
“Is Duke Hebetzman here for the hunting season?”
“Yeah, there are two months left.”
“Why did you follow him? Duke could have come alone.”
“Well, you know, just to see your face.”
Deon’s eyes narrowed with distrust.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m not interested in your sister.”
His words intensified the atmosphere of distrust. Crimson eyes filled with suspicion.
Lovenhalf lowered his eyebrows as if unjustly accused and muttered under his breath.
“Really?”
Two days ago, it was announced that a commoner had been brought into the Lordwick Duke’s household as a noblewoman.
A commoner becoming a noblewoman in the Lordwick Duke’s lineage?
Even if the story spread through the mouths of all the people in the empire at least once, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the outside world was in chaos.
However.
Lovenhalf could swear. He had little interest in the new noblewoman.
The fact that ‘that’ Lordwick Duke had done such a thing was surprising, but that’s all.
“It’s strange for a noble to take an interest in someone like a commoner.”
The Hebetzman family particularly valued their noble lineage.
Nine-year-old Lovenhalf, who turned nine this year, was generally amiable towards people, but he was still a Hebetzman through and through.
He believed that the boundary between nobility and commoners was predetermined from birth.
Once a noble, always a noble, and once a commoner, always a commoner.
“What should I believe in you?”
“Just trust me. Please. Derkedion, do you know how you look right now? You’re like a wary little wolf.”
“What?”
“Oops. Sorry. A wary little wolf is actually the second son of the Serydia Duke.”
“…Are you saying your life is not worth as much as that beast?”
“Oops. I’m really sorry. It was a mistake.”
So Lovenhalf couldn’t understand why Derkedion, who reacted sensitively to the word “sister,” behaved like this.
He was always consistent in his attitude of disinterest in everything.
“It’s not just towards Derkedion.”
Lordwick Duke was also a bit strange.
Just a moment ago, in response to his casual greeting,
“Can I greet the Lady of Lordwick?”
“… ”
The atmosphere around them froze for a moment.
Their ability to handle cold was not only Hebetzman’s, but it felt like it belonged to Lordwick as well.
It really was bleak. This house.
“Both of those two come out like that, so I’m curious. Do commoners really have that much value?”
In two months, the Hunting Festival would be held along with the Founding Festival.
The festival would be attended by skilled individuals from four noble families and the aristocracy.
Today, Hebetzman Duke had come to visit Lordwick Duke for that reason.
“Maybe the Hunting Festival and Lordwick Duke’s adoption of a commoner are related.”
The emperor, weaker than the nobles in strength, had recently introduced various policies regarding the welfare of commoners in an attempt to gain popular support.
However, these policies that came out of desk deliberations only seemed to generate resentment without practical results.
“My father said Lordwick Duke’s adoption of a commoner might be to restrain the aristocracy.”
I don’t know if that’s true or not.
Well, worrying about that is my father’s job as an adult, not mine as a nine-year-old.
Rather, I was more interested in why Deon was acting like this. It was pure curiosity.
“You know, Derkedion.”
Deon frowned at Lovenhalf’s innocent face.
That expression was clearly meant for Riche. That guy’s personality was twisted in more ways than one.
“Wake up.”
“Huh?”
“I can’t see him.”
Then just pull out the seed of hope altogether.
Deon said with a twisted mouth.
“He was kicked out of the mansion.”
“What? Kicked out?”
“Right.”
“Why? I’ve heard rumors that you’ve been kicking out noble children who come to play, but he’s your brother, isn’t he? Did the Duke allow it?”
Lovenhalf’s eyes widened.
Deon leaned back on the sofa arm without responding.
In truth, he had gone out to buy clothes, but there was no need to clarify that.
“That brat suddenly went out. It seems Hebetzman’s people came, and my father sheltered him.”
Even if he didn’t reveal it in words, Hebetzman Duke wouldn’t look at Riche, a commoner, with a kind eye. Sometimes, the atmosphere hurts more than words.
Then Lovenhalf narrowed his eyes. The memory of Zed pretending to elevate himself suddenly came to mind.
“Young master, how hard I lived in my past life, well… Did you ask me to accompany Lady Riche on her first shopping trip? My goodness. It’s your beloved sister’s first outing, and I don’t know if I should go.”
“Beloved… Don’t talk nonsense.”
Even though he had a face like a crushed bug, he didn’t deny the word “sister.”
Seeing Deon’s appearance, Zed pretended to feel sorry and spoke in a playful tone.
“Even though you say that, it must be upsetting, right? Even though my sobriety hasn’t increased for a day, if it wasn’t for me, you would have gone with young master. Don’t worry. Instead of young master, think of me as Lady Riche’s brother! I’ll choose carefully and bring back something nice. Like a brother!”
Damn it. I just have to ignore it.
The bubbling anger inside him was clearly because of Zed’s nonsense and being ridiculed unilaterally.
It wasn’t because he lost the role of a brother to that brat.
“Derkedion. Are you really not going to say anything? Why was he kicked out?”
Lovenhalf approached Deon, who was leaning against the sofa, and bombarded him with questions.
Deon pushed away Lovenhalf’s eager face with his palm as if it were nothing and continued his thoughts.
“A brotherly role?”
Right now, he was that brother.
Hasn’t that brat ever heard the word brother from him? He’s heard it dozens of times.
Thinking like that made him feel a bit calmer.
Deon’s lips twitched imperceptibly.
“Hey, what are you doing? If you don’t hurry, I’ll leave you behind.”
Anna stood on the street and spoke towards the open carriage door.
In her arms was Riche, who had just gotten off the carriage.
Zed, who had been flicking his ears, scratched his hand and jumped out of the carriage.
“I’m sorry, Miss. My ear suddenly itched.”
“It’s okay… ”
Riche, embarrassed, shook her head, and a yawning python, which had transformed into a squirrel, yawned on the palm of her hand.
It seemed that she had just woken up and hadn’t fully shaken off her drowsiness yet.
“It’s okay. Miss, please don’t mind Zed. He’ll just keep creeping up.”
The place where Riche and the Tran sibling had arrived was the bustling city within the Lordwick family’s territory.
The carriage they rode was luxurious but didn’t have the family’s emblem, just a regular carriage, possibly to avoid the eyes of potential enemies.
“Do you know? You shouldn’t mention titles. Although your name hasn’t been revealed, the rumor that the Duke adopted a stepdaughter has spread.”
At Zed’s quiet reminder, Riche nodded her head.
The group stopped in front of the entrance to a clothing store and went inside.
As it specialized in noble clothing, the interior was luxurious, catching Riche’s eyes.
As Zed familiarly spoke a name, a designer in lavish attire entered.
When she saw Riche sitting on the sofa, she exclaimed in admiration.
“Oh my! You two. Who have you brought? A perfect being as if born without any impurities! Oh, this is a day I’ve been living for.”
“[He’s so obnoxious. That human.]”
Pythos spoke, watching the designer who called herself a trumpet clutch her forehead and waver.
Thanks to the contract, Pythos and Riche could communicate without making a sound.
What he just said could only be heard by Riche; no one else in the vicinity could hear it.
“Isn’t she cute? She’s our young lady.”
Anna, sitting next to Riche, proudly spoke to the trumpet.
“Why are you proud? She’s the young lady, why are you so pleased?”
Anna’s face, smiling, pierced Zed’s side.
Ouch, Zed bent his upper body. Trumpet’s pumpkin-colored eyes, which had heard their conversation, stared through Riche.
‘Huh?’
Surprised by her inexplicable behavior, Riche looked at Zed sitting next to her.
It seemed like he already knew who she was, although he had never revealed it. Perhaps that was why he always looked at her with a strange gaze.
“Don’t worry. Trumpet is from the Lordwick family.”
“Lordwick family?”
“I told you on the first day that many people get a new name in Lordwick, didn’t I? Our Duke’s hobby is collecting people. Trumpet was picked up when she was young and spent about three years in the Lordwick Duke’s residence.”
Collecting people as a hobby?
…So, did he pick her up too? Riche thought of Blake. She still couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.
When Trumpet heard Zed’s words, she grabbed both of her hands.
“That’s right. I received a name from the Duke. And while doing needlework at the Duke’s residence, I realized my dazzling talent!”
But for her, who was just a maid from a noble family, the way to blossom her talent was limited to altering clothes.
Feeling frustrated in the face of her status, Trumpet received a helping hand from Blake.
“The Duke gave me a recommendation for the academy. Thanks to that, I was able to study design.”
Trumpet poured her passion into design day and night. Her efforts and talent shone brightly, sweeping various competitions, and reservations from nobles flooded in.
Living as a successful designer, she suddenly closed all her businesses, came to the southern border, and set up a clothing shop.
It was a small city belonging to the Lordwick Duke.
“This talent should be enough to make clothes for Lordwick Duke’s family. I had many designs I wanted to show to Madam…”
Trumpet’s eyes flickered, and she couldn’t continue. She sniffled.
Suddenly, a noise caught Riche’s attention. Anna, who had heard Trumpet’s story, had teary eyes. It seemed to be because of the word ‘Madam.’
[Madam?]
‘Blake’s mother, the Lordwick Duchess. She passed away seven years ago.’
Riche answered Pythos’ question in her mind.
Everyone cried so much; she must have been a good person.
Riche tried to imagine the kind Duchess, but it was impossible.
“Bugs like you! You shouldn’t have been born!”
The word ‘mother’ existed only as one image in Riche’s mind.
“Let’s stop here with the past!”
Trumpet lightly clapped her hands to freshen up the atmosphere.
She laughed confidently at Riche.
“My top priority customer is the Lordwick Duke and his family. When I heard that you received a name, I couldn’t hold back. Wait a moment. I’ll bring the clothes.”
Not long after, the clothes Trumpet made lined up in the VIP room.
The problem was that each outfit suited Riche perfectly.
“Meet my muse here.”
“Zed Treant. Put your soul into it a bit more.”
“Shall we calm down a bit now? Miss, you look quite tired.”
After the repeated situation, Zed, who was exhausted, spoke up. Like Zed said, Riche, who was thought to be calm, seemed to be doing well.
“Ah, right.”
Riche, facing Zed, raised her head.
Her round eyes contained an intention to speak.
Zed thought it was cute. He continued to fan casually.
“Did you become friends with the young master?”
“I don’t know.”
Phew, Riche took another sip of the cool orange juice and lowered the cup.
She turned her gaze to Zed.
Zed continued fanning casually.
“Oh, right.”
Riche raised her head toward Zed.
Her round eyes contained an intention to speak.
He thought it was cute. He continued to fan casually.
“Oh, right.”
Riche raised her head toward Zed.
He thought it was cute. He continued to fan casually.
“Oh, right.”
Riche raised her head toward Zed.
“Oh, right.”
Riche raised her head toward Zed.
“Darn it!”
It was then. A scream echoed from Trumpet’s workshop.
