Grand Duke's Beloved Granddaughter

“Were you waiting?”

 

She asked Jeffrey as she entered the restaurant. Geoffrey said she was wearing Elliot’s clothes, but her attire was different from her usual shabby attire. This outfit also suited him quite well.

 

“Uh, yes.”

 

It was surprising to see Jeffrey looking unfamiliar.

 

When she was with Adrian, she was confident and brash, but now she was completely shy, like an eleven-year-old boy.

 

“Is Belle here?”

 

“Huh.”

 

I sat down in my seat and laughed. Perhaps out of consideration for Jeffrey, he sat next to me. I sat down on a chair and introduced Jeffrey while looking at the family members who were focused on this side.

 

“This is Jeffrey Coleman. my friend Jeffrey, this is my grandfather and mom.”

 

“Oh, hello.”

 

Jeffrey greeted Grand Duke Crichton and his mother awkwardly, like a broken doll. Grand Duke Crichton laughed out loud when he saw Geoffrey like that, and his mother smiled warmly.

 

“That’s the kid I saw back then. Wanted.”

 

Grand Duke Crichton quickly remembered Geoffrey.

 

“That’s right. This is the friend I asked for back then. Thank you so much for doing me a favor.”

 

When I proved that Grand Duke Crichton’s memory was correct, Grand Duke Crichton looked at Jeffrey curiously.

 

“You’re alive and well. I regretted that I should have brought you back then, but I am relieved to see you doing so well. Yes, the statement that you will stay at the mansion still stands, so what do you think?”

 

“No, I do not want.”

 

Jeffrey answered firmly.

 

“Is there another reason?”

 

“Yes, there is something I want to do.”

 

Jeffrey nodded his head in the affirmative.

 

“Oh my, you’re eleven years old and there’s already something you want to do? Can you hear what it is?”

 

Mom asked Jeffrey as if she was interested. Jeffrey pursed his lips and mumbled in a low voice.

 

“I want to create my own mercenary group.”

 

“Mercenary group? At that young age?”

 

Grand Duke Crichton was surprised by Jeffrey’s words.

 

“Aren’t you still young? You can only join mercenaries after you’re a little older.”

 

Grand Duke Crichton was right. To receive a mercenary badge, you had to be at least fourteen years old. They said that at Jeffrey’s age, he would not have been given a low-level mercenary badge yet. Maybe it’ll be 3 years later. However, since Jeffrey refused help at the age of 11 to form a mercenary army on his own, it was difficult for Grand Duke Crichton and other adults to understand.

 

“It’s difficult to start a mercenary group if you don’t build a foundation in advance… Yes.”

 

Jeffrey, who spoke confidently, soon lost his voice due to the crowd of gazes around him. He seemed to be conscious of people’s gaze belatedly.

 

“But isn’t it too hard for you to still be eleven years old? I can help you if you need it.”

 

Grand Duke Crichton asked with concern. I smiled and looked at Grand Duke Crichton, grateful for his kindness. Jeffrey may have said he would help because he was my friend, but I thought perhaps Grand Duke Crichton was naturally good at helping others. Thinking back on what had happened in the past, Grand Duke Crichton could not bear to turn me away when he suddenly called out the name of his missing daughter and asked for help, so he even canceled all of his schedules and agreed to help. As a result, it turned out that her mother was really Cornelia Crichton, but then, as she said on the carriage ride back to Delphia village, the Grand Duke Crichton would help my mother even if she wasn’t Cornelia Crichton. It was probably the same way now as it was then. The only thing that was slightly different from then was that he helped me even after receiving uncertain information, and now he helps me, his granddaughter, and my friend Jeffrey.

 

“It’s fine. My goal is to do it on my own. After that, there is work to be done.”

 

“You’re stubborn. But if you have this level of stubbornness, I’m sure you can do anything.”

 

Grand Duke Crichton’s cheerful laughter echoed through the dining hall. Jeffrey smiled awkwardly, his face turning red at the praise of Grand Duke Crichton.

 

“Still, if you need help, please let me know at any time. And I’ll give you this.”

 

Grand Duke Crichton stopped laughing and took out a small cufflink from his pocket. When I looked from the side, I saw that the cufflinks had a pattern symbolizing the Crichton Grand Duchy.

 

“What’s this?”

 

Jeffrey took the cufflinks and looked around. There seemed to be no particular function other than buttons.

 

“If you need help urgently, show it to the security guard. Then I will help you in anyone and any way.”

 

Jeffrey forgot to say thank you and looked at Grand Duke Crichton with a blank face. Grand Duke Crichton smiled kindly and nodded.

 

“Thank you, thank you.”

 

Jeffrey greeted me awkwardly and put on his cufflinks. Meanwhile, a growling sound was heard from Jeffrey’s direction. Jeffrey’s face, which was already red from the praise, turned red like a carrot. I looked at that and smiled.

 

“Grandpa, let’s eat quickly. I’m hungry too.”

 

“Okay. I was so inconsiderate. Bring me a meal.”

 

After Grand Duke Crichton gave instructions, the meals began to be served one by one. Jeffrey, who did not know the etiquette of nobles, noticed the many forks, spoons, and knives on the table and looked around in a bit of confusion.

 

“Jeffrey. You use it from the outside. But you don’t have to keep it. Eat comfortably.”

 

“Yes.”

 

When I took the initiative and ate using any fork, Jeffrey also gained some courage and started eating. This time, no one pointed out to us.

 

“It’s good.”

 

Jeffrey exclaimed in a low voice. Everyone was worried that Jeffrey would be uncomfortable, so he didn’t talk to him anymore. If the maid noticed that there was a dish that Jeffrey particularly liked, she would immediately give him more. When we finished eating, all the dishes in front of us were cleared, and dessert and tea were served. Egg tarts and milk were served in front of me, Elliot, and Jeffrey.

 

“But Jeffrey, it’s very late. Wouldn’t it be difficult to leave today?”

 

Mom asked Jeffrey cautiously. When I checked the clock in the restaurant, it was already past 8 o’clock. It would already be dark outside, and the castle walls would be closed, so even going outside would have been difficult. Even if I went out, the monsters and wild animals in the forest were eagerly targeting people passing by.

 

“I’ll give you a room today, so you can sleep there.”

 

“No!”

 

When told that they would give him a room, Jeffrey waved his hands and refused. But my mother seemed unwilling to discourage her.

 

“Tell the maid and I will give you her guest room, so you can go to sleep. are you okay. And you’re welcome not just today, but anytime, so you can come and hang out whenever it’s convenient for you.”

 

“It’s really okay… thank you.”

 

Jeffrey eventually lowered his head and answered. After finishing dessert, I followed Jeffrey to look at the room he would be using. The guest room was smaller than my room, but it was as good as a luxury hotel.

 

“Wow.”

 

Jeffrey entered the room with his eyes wide open and an exclamation of admiration.

 

“Please stay in this room and if you need anything, please pull the cord here. Then I will come right away and help you.”

 

A maid, who identified herself as Kate, informed Geoffrey of the existence of her string.

 

“…thank you.”

 

As in the restaurant, Jeffrey greeted me awkwardly. Kate smiled as if she thought Jeffrey was cute and left the room.

 

“Are you very tired?”

 

“A little. But it’s okay.”

 

Looking at Jeffrey sitting on the bed, I approached him carefully.

 

“W-what is it?”

 

“You had a hard time sparring today. I’ll spare you that much. Just stay still.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Jeffrey sat down on the bed at my command and looked at me blankly. Daniel wouldn’t be there, and I brought the crystal with me at the same time, so if it was just a small amount of magical power, no one would notice. I used my divine power towards Jeffrey. A pale white light bloomed from my hand and surrounded Jeffrey. Then it disappeared as if absorbed. Jeffrey began to look around his body, amazed that he had experienced healing through divine power even on his prom day.

 

“Is that what it was then?”

 

Jeffrey asked, remembering how I treated his cheek at the prom.

 

“Huh. How is it? Are you fine?”

 

I looked at him proudly and said, and Jeffrey nodded his head.

 

“I’m not tired at all. It doesn’t hurt.”

 

“Of course. “It’s my ability.”

 

I said this with pride and Jeffrey chuckled.

 

“Thank you. “Everything today.”

 

I felt awkward seeing Jeffrey unable to raise his head as if he were embarrassed.

 

“This is the atmosphere of your family.”

 

Jeffrey muttered in a low voice.

 

“Huh?”

 

“No. because I like it so much. Because it looks warm, comfortable, and happy. Mirabelle, you live in a place like this.”

 

Jeffrey muttered quietly so that I couldn’t hear. Still, perhaps thanks to his divine power, I was able to understand everything he was muttering. I quietly looked at Jeffrey and then got up from the bed.

 

“Then rest comfortably today.”

 

“Huh. You must have been tired today, so rest comfortably.”

 

After seeing that Jeffrey was shaking his hand, he came straight out of his guest room. Then I slowly went up to my room.

 

* * *

 

“Jeffrey? Master?”

 

The next morning, at dawn, I went to the guest room where Jeffrey was staying, just in case. It wasn’t polite to visit him early in the morning, but he had no choice because it would be difficult to check now. But the room was strangely quiet. When I went inside, I couldn’t see Jeffrey. The room was so clean that I thought he had just gone to the bathroom for a moment. He probably left the mansion in the meantime. I slowly approached the bed. There was a note on the bed. It seemed like it was a note that Jeffrey left behind before he left. I picked up the note. The message was written in sloppy handwriting. It was a note with absolutely no spelling correct.

 

[I will come again.]

 

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