“Finally.”
The man spoke.
“I’ve finally found you.”
Unconsciously, Jeanette moved Lowell behind her back. She stepped back cautiously, but when the man took a large stride forward, he easily caught up with her.
“Is this child my son?”
“……”
“Judging by how he just called my name, it doesn’t seem like he’s incapable of speaking.”
“……”
As Jeanette stood frozen in place, the man reached out and pulled back Lowell’s robe.
A face strikingly similar to the man’s own was revealed. The knights standing behind him let out an involuntary gasp of surprise.
It was as if the man had looked exactly like this as a child. From the slightly stubborn gaze, thin lips, and sharp jawline—everything matched.
If not for the childlike chubbiness softening his cheeks, one might suspect he had been cloned.
The only difference was the pair of blue eyes that resembled Janet’s.
“His name is Lowell, huh. He looks young, but you’ve pulled off quite a charming scheme. Thanks to that, I’ve had quite the ordeal.”
For a reunion between a father and son, the atmosphere was excessively cold. Lowell, too, was glaring fiercely at Ludwig.
“He’s undoubtedly my son. Sir Hans.”
“Yes, sir!”
“I’ll be taking him.”
“What?”
“I said I’ll be taking him.”
As Sir Hans hesitated, unsure of what to do, Jeanette hurriedly stepped in front of Lowell to block the man.
“Who gave you the right to take him?”
“Who gave me the right? As his father, I can’t just stand by and let my son live as a commoner in a foreign country.”
“His father? This child’s father is… not you.”
Ludwig’s lips curled into a cold smirk, as if her words had struck a nerve.
“Interesting. Sure, he may look like my son to anyone who sees him, but you claim he’s not. Then who, pray tell, is this child’s father?”
“…I don’t even know his name.”
“So you fooled around with some nameless riffraff…?”
The insult made Jeanette’s face flush with anger for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
“That’s none of your concern, Your Grace.”
“Strange. In the letters I received, he addressed me as ‘Father.’”
“That’s because…! He’s young and must have been mistaken.”
“A mistake, you say.”
Ludwig’s gaze fell on Lowell. No matter how he looked at him, the boy didn’t seem to be under any kind of “mistaken” impression.
“It doesn’t matter. A paternity test will settle this. The child will come with me.”
“That’s not possible—!”
“Now, now, everyone, let’s calm down for a moment.”
Clap, clap.
Natasha clapped twice, effortlessly diffusing the tension in the air. Everyone turned to her, bewildered by her sudden appearance.
“And who might you be…?”
“Who might I be, you ask? Well, it’s only proper to answer such a question, isn’t it? As you can clearly see, I’m a certified attorney of the Illyhad Empire.”
“…An attorney?”
“Yes, an attorney.”
Her attire made her look more like a guest staying at the inn than a legal professional.
Natasha produced her attorney’s license, which she always carried, and displayed it to Ludwig before continuing.
“Oh, but dear client, it’s rather unfortunate for you. You see, this land falls under the jurisdiction of the Illyhad Empire. As you’re aware, in imperial territory, the law of the empire prevails.”
Furthermore, Natasha knew that the Kingdom of Hamond adhered to the principle of territoriality rather than nationality.
In other words, as long as they were on imperial soil, even a duke from Hamond was subject to imperial law.
“And in the Illyhad Empire, parental rights over a child born out of wedlock are generally granted to the mother. Moreover, in this case, the mother has outright denied your claim to paternity, making it quite challenging for you to assert any rights as the father.”
“What?”
“In simpler terms, if you wish to claim Lowell as your son, you must first prove paternity through a test. Then, you’ll need to file a petition with the court to modify guardianship and custodial rights.”
Natasha’s smiling face didn’t falter in the slightest.
Meanwhile, Ludwig’s cold expression grew even icier.
‘The Kingdom of Hamond is more of a monarchy than a nation of laws,’ he thought.
Thus, such legal restrictions might feel unfamiliar to him. But there was no helping it—here in the Illyhad Empire, the law held authority equal to faith.
Not even a foreign duke could disregard it.
“…Anyone on the streets could tell you. The boy looks exactly like I did as a child. If he’s not my son, then whose could he be?”
“You can say that to the court as well. Something along the lines of, ‘Just look at him; he’s obviously my son.’”
Natasha’s cheeky retort only sharpened Ludwig’s gaze. There was even a hint of killing intent, but she remained utterly unfazed.
“Oh, and one more thing: If the father forcibly takes the child while the mother is raising him, that’s considered child abduction under criminal law. You wouldn’t want to face such charges, would you? After all, you’re well aware of how strictly the Illyhad Empire enforces its laws.”
It was a veiled threat, reminding him that even his status as a foreign duke wouldn’t grant him immunity.
Eventually, the knights behind Ludwig began to step in and try to dissuade him.
“Your Grace, as you know, this land is notorious for applying its laws equally, even to foreign nobles…”
“You won’t be able to take the child away as you please while in the empire. This could escalate into a diplomatic issue.”
“It might be wise to retreat for now…”
Ludwig, seemingly agreeing with their remarks, gazed at Lowell momentarily before kneeling on one knee to meet Lowell’s eyes.
“Your name is Lowell, correct?”
“…Yes.”
“You not only had the courage to send the letter but also the foresight to prepare measures to avoid endangering the person you love.”
“…”
“Well done. A talent like yours shouldn’t be wasted in a place like this. You’ll need opportunities to showcase your abilities in higher, freer places.”
“…”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
Ludwig handed Lowell his personal contact information—a rarity more precious than gold.
“For now, let’s take our leave.”
“I hope we never meet again,” Jeanette responded coldly.
“That may not be possible. As long as there’s a child, I also bear responsibility.”
“The child has nothing to do with you, so please, don’t concern yourself.”
“That’s something a paternity test will determine.”
Ludwig’s gaze briefly landed on Lowell before shifting away.
“Oh, and don’t even think about running away.”
At those words, Jeanette involuntarily flinched.
“Tracking people down has become second nature to me by now.”
It was a rather ominous warning. Running away would only result in being quickly apprehended by the knights.
“In the meantime, I’d like the child to be well-fed and clothed.”
Clink.
He pulled out a heavy pouch of gold coins and placed it on the table.
“Is this pity? Like giving alms to beggars?”
“I’d prefer if you didn’t overinterpret. My son deserves nothing but the best—be it food or clothing. Regardless of how things were before, now that I know, I can’t leave him in that state.”
Ludwig’s tone carried a hint of reproach, making Jeanette seem on the verge of breaking down, though she held her tongue.
Objectively, Lowell was dressed far better than most commoner children, but it was evident his clothes were worth less than the buttons on Ludwig’s attire.
“With this, I expect proper meals, baths, and clothes… Sir Robert.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I leave this matter in your hands.”
“As you command.”
One of the knights standing behind Ludwig stepped forward, positioning himself beside Janet.
“I’ll return to check in later.”
“Wait…! Is this knight not leaving?” Jeanette hastily asked as Ludwig walked away.
“Of course not.”
“What?”
“The child will soon be officially recognized as my son. I’ve assigned a bodyguard to prevent any trivial schemes.”
“Ah…”
Jeanette was dumbfounded, realizing she had suddenly gained the services of a ducal knight as a bodyguard.
“Ensure the safety of the child and the lady.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Sir Robert bowed deeply in acknowledgment.
Only then did the knights, who had been crowding the narrow inn corridor, begin to leave one by one.
From downstairs, the innkeeper could be seen bowing so deeply his head nearly touched the ground.
Sir Robert, seemingly unbothered, addressed Jeanette, who stood frozen in shock.
“Shall we begin with shopping?”
“…Shopping?”
“It’s as His Grace instructed.”
With a gentle smile, Robert began listing the schedule.
“First, we’ll reserve a luxurious salon. Then, maids will assist with a bath using premium oils, followed by grooming. We’ll send someone to the tailor to bring over outfits. Let’s call in about five designers. Once that’s done, someone will come to style his hair, and afterward, we’ll select shoes and accessories. Since the young master is still a child, a light self-defense dagger would be a suitable addition. Afterward, you’ll move to a temporary residence, and then…”
“…What? Wait, we haven’t even confirmed the paternity yet!”
“Ah, even if the paternity test comes back negative, there will be no demand to return anything. You don’t need to worry. His Grace mentioned you could keep the pouch of gold as emergency funds. When we move to the temporary residence, I’ll show you how to use the safe.”
After a brief silence, Jeanette asked, “What if I refuse?”
“Well… His Grace didn’t seem to consider that possibility.”
A flicker of hope crossed Janet’s face.
“In that case, I’d likely be executed for failing to properly serve the young master and the lady.”
“Hurry up, then!”
“Thank you for your understanding, my lady.”
Natasha would have bet 100 gold that Robert’s words were a lie.
Poor naive Jeanette! She was completely at the mercy of this cunning knight.
‘But really, what’s there to lose?’
For someone of the Duke’s wealth, spending this much money wouldn’t even make a dent.
“Jeanette, take care then.”
“Huh? Aren’t you coming, Attorney?”
“Oh, dear, this place doesn’t have a bathtub. I’ve arranged for maids to assist you elsewhere. We need to hurry if we don’t want to be late.”
“W-wait a moment!”
Natasha casually waved at the two of them.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
