Chapter 9
Today was the day Theo was scheduled to meet the Duchess in person. It had been two days since Theo had woken up again. Believing that the child had recovered enough to handle the meeting, the attending physician gave his permission for Theo to meet the Duchess.
The reason why the meeting was arranged so quickly was because of Theo’s curiosity about the Duchess ever since he had regained consciousness.
After stepping out of Theo’s room, the nanny stopped the physician in the hallway.
“Are you absolutely sure about this? I heard the Duke has approved a psychological evaluation for the Duchess. Does that mean the Duchess is truly…?”
“She’s fine. The Duchess has simply changed, but mentally, she’s stable. In fact, she’s better than before. Whatever you’re worried about, it won’t happen.”
Despite the physician’s reassurances, the nanny couldn’t hide her unease. She looked around nervously and pulled the physician aside into a corner.
“What if… after meeting the Duchess, the young master becomes unstable?”
“That won’t happen. Right now, the young master is healthier than he’s ever been. In fact, over the last two years, this is the best I’ve seen him.”
At those words, the nanny nodded with a forced expression. After the physician left, she bit her lip anxiously. Glancing around with a troubled expression, she returned to Theo’s room. Theo was sitting quietly, reading a book.
Because of his weak health, Theo rarely went outside and had very few people to interact with. For Theo, books had become his closest friends. The nanny cleared her throat to get Theo’s attention and walked over to sit beside him.
“Young master.”
“Yes, nanny?”
Theo answered politely, gazing at her with trusting eyes. The nanny forced herself to smile as warmly as possible.
“I can’t even express how happy I am to see you awake like this. You know how I feel, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
Theo nodded obediently.
“From now on, if anything happens, you must promise to tell me right away.”
“Anything? Like what?”
“For example, if the Duchess makes you feel uncomfortable or bothers you in any way.”
The nanny lowered her voice. Theo’s eyes widened. Ever since he had woken up, he had been asking everyone about the Duchess. During his time asleep, the Duchess had visited him, gently stroking his head with warm hands.
She had whispered to him to have good dreams.
He had become curious about that voice and those hands. And he was also curious about the woman his brother Cassius had married while he was asleep.
Perhaps this woman could even become family to Theo as well.
However, Nanny’s words made his expectations deflate instantly.
“Why would my sister-in-law trouble me? Is my sister-in-law a bad person?”
“…That’s something I can’t say for certain, young master.”
The nanny trailed off, her expression clouded with sadness.
“The truth is, the Duchess and the Duke didn’t marry for love. It was a political marriage.”
“…I know that.”
Though Theo had spent more time asleep than awake and hadn’t received formal education, he had learned the basics on his own. Partly because of his love for books and his natural intelligence.
And maybe because of his frailty, he was particularly quick to pick up on subtle cues.
It was clear that the marriage would never have happened without the Emperor’s involvement.
“To the new Duchess, you would have been seen as an obstacle, young master.”
“…Why?”
“…Why?” Theo asked, his voice trembling.
“It’s just… how things are. If the Duchess has a child of her own, then you…”
The nanny shook her head sorrowfully, her expression pained, and Theo’s face grew stiff.
“But no matter what happens, this nanny will always be on your side, young master. No matter what, I will always protect you. I promise. So you must trust me and rely on me, alright?”
“…Alright.”
Theo nodded, his face darkened. He closed the book he had been holding all day. The title of the book was My Brother Got Married!.
Having spent most of his life lying in bed, Theo’s development had been slower than others his age.
Staring at the book with a glum expression, Theo felt a wave of sadness wash over him.
‘She hates me.’
He began to resent Charlotte, whom he had yet to even meet. Theo’s expression turned sulky.
‘It doesn’t hurt at all. If she hates me, I’ll just hate her back.’
Theo shoved the book aside.
“You’re not going to read anymore?”
“I don’t want to.”
Theo mumbled with a dejected face. The nanny opened her arms toward him.
“Come here, young master. I’ll give you a hug.”
The child obediently leaned into the nanny’s embrace. As she held him, her eyes momentarily gleamed with sharp determination. She hugged him tighter, as if to keep him from slipping away.
‘I won’t let anyone take him from me.’
For some reason, Charlotte had declared she wanted to take care of Theo herself.
What was even more absurd was that the Duke had allowed it.
‘The Duke must have lost his mind!’
How could he allow such a deranged woman to meet Theo, who had only just barely woken up?
The nanny had been taking care of Theo since the day he was born. To her, he was like her own son.
She had no intention of losing the child to some stranger who had simply married into the family.
Nor would she give up the rights and authority she had enjoyed until now.
Gritting her teeth, the nanny made up her mind.
‘The young master has only me.’
She whispered sweetly into Theo’s ear, sowing misunderstandings and mistrust about Charlotte. Those words began to take root in Theo’s young heart.
What matters most is an unyielding heart.
Memories of wandering lost, drained of divine power and strength, dragging herself back to her room on the verge of collapse, flashed through her mind. Those grueling days had led to today.
“His Grace has asked me to remind you that the young master is very sensitive, so it would be best to exercise caution.”
“I understand. I’ll be careful. I’ll even watch what I say.”
She mimicked zipping her lips shut. The maid watching her looked anxious. It was understandable.
The Charlotte of the original story had been someone who couldn’t hold back from saying whatever was on her mind. She had often spoken harshly and carelessly.
No matter how much she had changed recently, her past didn’t just disappear. She understood that perfectly.
And Charlotte had once envied and resented Theo.
Now that Theo was awake, she has to be even more cautious. Theo could now understand words, read her expressions, and pick up on her intentions.
After a moment’s hesitation, the maid opened the door. It was a room she had visited many times before while attending to Theo as he slept.
But just because Theo was awake now, the room somehow felt unfamiliar.
Carefully, she scanned the inside of the room.
“Hmph.”
She spotted Theo curled up on the sofa.
Wow.
He looks like a mini Cassius.
I couldn’t help but stare at Theo. He looked back at me with a slightly pouty expression before speaking sulkily.
“What are you looking at like that? Are you dumb? Is Sister-in-law stupid?”
Caught off guard, I awkwardly smiled and closed my mouth. Was he upset? His expression didn’t seem favorable. If anything, he looked a little angry.
“Young Master, you mustn’t say such things!” the nanny scolded, glancing nervously at me before stepping in to shield Theo.
“Your Grace, please forgive him. The young master has only recently woken up and is still feeling unsettled…”
“It’s fine. That’s understandable,” I said, waving it off.
I truly meant it. His wariness was entirely reasonable. From what I’d heard, countless people tried to take advantage of Theo, using him as a means to fill their own pockets.
And this was his first time meeting me, wasn’t it?
Before Cassius married, and even after, Theo had never fully regained consciousness. This was the first time he’d seen me in person, so it was natural for him to be cautious.
Even the nanny watched me with wary eyes. It was clear she deeply cared for Theo. Otherwise, there was no way she’d show such open hostility toward me, the Duchess.
Sigh. Another consequence of the old Charlotte’s actions, I suppose.
