Not only the Grand Duke but also other knights were there with him. The Grand Duke looked down at me with a cold gaze, his brow slightly furrowed, just like when we first met.
Amusingly, I found myself newly impressed by his beauty, which seemed out of place in this situation.
When describing the Grand Duke’s appearance in the novel, it was often accompanied by phrases like “as handsome as a black leopard” or “a man with the charm of a beautiful and cruel devil.” Back then, I thought those descriptions were really cringeworthy, but now I realize they were quite accurate.
Black hair and delicate facial features. A physique that seemed strongly trained, evident even through the cloak that wrapped his entire body.
Now that he’s thirty years old, he exudes a mature and refined atmosphere.
He was truly a man with both strong and beautiful features. To the point where it seemed a waste that he was only used as a tool to awaken the male lead and then die.
As I blankly stared into his eyes that looked so much like mine, Ledo’s voice rang out from behind.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duke!”
Ledo, who had arrived late, quickly sheathed the sword he was holding and bowed his head toward the Grand Duke.
“Y-Your Highness, it is truly an honor to meet you like this. I am Ledo Benrama, son of the Lord of Salle…”
“Ah, the son of the Lord of Salle, Ledo Benrama.”
At the Grand Duke’s low voice, Ledo smiled brightly.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“What are you doing right now?”
“I was practicing swordsmanship. My dream is to become an excellent swordsman like Your Highness!”
“Practicing swordsmanship…”
The Grand Duke murmured quietly in a strange tone. His gaze was directed at my shoulder, where blood was flowing.
“With that child?”
“Yes!”
“Are you saying you swung a real sword at someone who was unarmed?”
“Wooden swords are too boring. I was taught that to become an excellent swordsman, one must not fear cutting people. I was practicing that today.”
Ledo glanced at me, sitting on the ground.
“And that child is from the village, of the lowest possible status, so Your Highness need not worry about it at all.”
Ledo glared at me fiercely. His eyes were telling me not to make a fuss and to get up and leave immediately.
“A child of low status…”
For some reason, the Grand Duke suddenly took off the cloak he was wearing.
“Then I suppose I can be your sparring partner.”
What?
I glared at him with a face full of betrayal.
This heartless father!
He just heard everything! That guy swung a real sword at me when I was unarmed, like some thug. Your daughter was just running away from his sword, and instead of scolding him, you’re offering to be his sparring partner yourself?
What kind of father is this?
“Oh my, what an honor! To think that Your Highness would personally spar with me!”
Ledo smiled so widely that his mouth could have split. It was the first time I’d seen him smile so brightly. Meanwhile, I was trembling with extreme feelings of betrayal.
“Quickly, go and bring wooden swords!”
As Ledo was giving orders to a servant, the Grand Duke spoke.
“Wooden swords won’t be necessary.”
Ledo’s eyes widened in surprise at him.
“No need for wooden swords?”
“Don’t you already have a sword? So do I.”
As he said this, the Grand Duke slowly drew his sword. Ledo gulped at the sight of the sharp blade gleaming with a deadly aura.
“Are you suggesting a duel with real swords? But that’s too dangerous…”
“Didn’t you just say that wooden swords were boring?”
“B-but…”
“I’ll face you properly, so raise your sword, Ledo Benrama.”
The Grand Duke’s low, deep voice resonated ominously.
“If not, I’ll repay you in exactly the same way you treated my child.”
I had momentarily forgotten. In the original story, the Grand Duke of Iskas was the embodiment of vengeance.
It was the Grand Duke’s principle that anything done to him must be repaid. In fact, he had always thoroughly crushed those who dared to challenge his authority.
Everyone’s eyes turned to me. Caught off guard by the sudden attention, I awkwardly stood up.
Ledo raised his sword again, but his previously confident demeanor had shrank dramatically. Perhaps due to what he had just heard, he looked confused, glancing back and forth between me and the Grand Duke.
“W-wait, you’re saying that child is…gasp!”
The Grand Duke had merely taken a step, but Ledo stumbled back as if he might faint from shock.
“Aaaaargh!”
And the moment the Grand Duke thrust his sword down with lightning speed, Ledo fell flat on his back.
Thwack!
The sword plunged deep into the ground, right next to Ledo’s face.
“Be grateful for your young age.”
The Grand Duke uttered coldly.
“The only reason I’m sparing someone like you, who doesn’t even follow the basics of a duel, is because of that.”
“……”
Ledo, who had been talking big just a moment ago, was now trembling with fear, his mouth shut tight.
Suddenly, the Grand Duke frowned. The center of Ledo’s pants had started to become wet.
As the Grand Duke withdrew his sword and stepped back, the servants who had been watching cautiously finally rushed to Ledo.
“Waaaahhhhh…”
Ledo was carried on a servant’s back, wailing loudly. Watching this scene, I clicked my tongue.
Wow, talk about an embarrassing moment. If it were me, I’d want to bite my tongue and die right there.
As soon as the Grand Duke sheathed his sword, he walked straight towards me. I flinched a little at his intensity, but he passed right by me and said,
“Follow me.”
When I just stood there, staring blankly at his back, he turned around again.
“Didn’t you hear me? Follow me!”
“Ah, yes!”
Only then did I realize he was talking to me, and I hurriedly started to follow him.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The Grand Duke led me to a room within the castle. He closed the door and ordered:
“Take off your clothes.”
“……”
I stared at him with my mouth wide open. What on earth is this man saying?
“What did you say?”
“I said take off your clothes. How else am I supposed to see your injuries?”
“Th-That’s not necessary!”
I flailed my arms wildly, almost having a fit.
Even if he was my biological father, and even though I currently had the body of a child with no curves to speak of, I couldn’t possibly show him my bare body.
Besides, I’d rather hear lines like that from a husband, not a father!
“I’m not badly hurt. I can take care of the treatment myself!”
But the Grand Duke of Iskas, famous for his stubbornness even in the novel, wasn’t about to listen to me obediently. In just a few strides, he came right up to me and lifted me up.
“Eek?”
“Are you embarrassed because you’re a man?”
He held me with one arm, went to the sofa, and sat down. Then he laid me face down across his lap and pulled up my top.
“Aaaah! Let go! I said let go!”
I struggled frantically with all my might. Good heavens, this was no time to mock Ledo. At this rate, I might die of shame!
But despite my continued struggling, the overwhelming difference in strength meant I couldn’t escape from under his hand at all. In the end, I just squeezed my eyes shut.
“…What’s this?”
Suddenly, his voice became extremely low. I realized he was talking about the scar marks on my back.
“It’s nothing…”
“Who did this to you?”
I gulped as I looked at his eyes, which had turned fierce.
I really don’t understand. Why is he acting like this towards me now? Is it simply because his pride is hurt by the fact that I’ve been injured by someone else?
Just like how he was the one who hurt my mother the most, but he couldn’t stand it when someone else hurt her.
“…It was my choice.”
“What?”
“I took the whipping meant for the young lord’s son to earn money for Mom’s medical treatment!”
For a moment, his grip on me loosened. I didn’t miss the opportunity and struggled hard to get off his lap. Then, quickly pulling my clothes, I said,
“Don’t ever tell Mom about this. It would upset her if she finds out.”
His thick eyebrows twitched. The green eyes looking at me seemed lost in deep thought.
“And earlier, I was just grazed by the sword. It’ll heal if I apply some medicine. If you want to help, skip the sympathy and just call a doctor.”
Have you heard the saying, ‘Doctors for diagnosis, pharmacists for medicine’?
I don’t understand why he’s doing this instead of calling a doctor. If he’s suddenly trying to play the role of father now, it’s far too late for that.
Humph, he treated me like an object before, and now he’s…
“…I see. So all of this is because of me.”
At his low, resonating voice, I nodded.
That’s right. All of this is because of you…
Huh?
I stopped nodding midway and looked up in surprise. Unexpectedly, a bitter, self-deprecating smile had appeared on his face.
