“Didn’t you make eye contact that day?”
I thought it was impossible, but he really did see me.
Ian sighed, blaming himself for being so foolish.
“I’m glad you got back safely.”
“Yes, I got back safely. The child was very happy to have met the angel that day; was it because of your face?”
Ian looked at Edelmar with disbelief and quickly changed the subject.
“Is it okay if I use magic for the sparring?”
“Precisely, both magic and swords. You can use both, can’t you?”
Ian sighed once again.
It’s not that he couldn’t do it.
It’s just that, compared to his skill with the sword, he wasn’t as proficient with magic, so he didn’t know what level was acceptable within the scope of ‘sparring.’
‘Well, I should just do it moderately.’
Grand Duke Edelmar knew that Ian could use magic, but he didn’t know his exact level. So, a basic demonstration of magic should suffice.
“Alright then, let’s do it today.”
Since there was a saying about striking while the iron is hot, Ian thought he’d quickly get it over with and send him back.
“Sure. Will we do it in the training hall?”
“No, there’s a good place. But first, let’s head to the training hall. I’ll check on Rose first.”
Rose usually spent her time in Fred’s office when Ian was working, but she would occasionally come to Ian’s office as well.
However, even when she visited, she wouldn’t talk or mention her reasons for coming.
She would just stare at Ian until she felt reassured and then leave.
It was as if she was checking if her mother was at home.
At first, Ian couldn’t understand Rose’s behavior.
But then, after Sebastian mentioned that Rose’s actions stemmed from anxiety, Ian finally realized that the wound from losing her mother was deeper than he had thought.
So, to prevent Rose from feeling anxious upon finding his office empty, Ian made sure to inform her even if he was leaving for a short while.
He told her where he was going and how long it would take.
And when he returned, he did the same. He would visit Rose first, tell her he was back, and hug her to reassure her that he would always return.
He hoped her painful wound would heal.
“If you’re going to see Rose, I’ll come with you.”
Edelmar shrugged at Ian’s gaze.
“She’s my friend.”
“Fri… end, you say?”
“Yes.”
‘But Rose has only seen the Grand Duke in the Imperial Palace.’
“Shall we go?”
With Edelmar urging him, Ian started walking.
***
“How about this one?”
“I don’t like it.”
Fenrex shook his head vigorously.
“Why not? It suits you well.”
“It doesn’t suit me.”
Rose, who had put down the red ribbon, hummed as she looked at the ribbon box.
With a tearful expression, Fenrex asked,
“Do we really have to?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“So we can sleep together.”
Fenrex’s eyes widened.
Placing her hand on her waist, Rose said,
“Uncle said that boys and girls shouldn’t sit together at the age of ‘five,’ so we can’t sleep together.”
“Yes, yes.”
“That’s because you’re a boy. If you become a girl, we can sleep together.”
“Oh!”
Fenrex’s tail wagged vigorously.
“How do I become a girl?”
“You just have to wear a ribbon and a skirt, like me.”
– Errr
Even in response to Ermenia’s disbelief, Rose remained unwavering.
“Louise is wearing a skirt too.”
Fenrex tilted his head and asked,
“But Rose, you wear pants.”
Fenrex pointed to the pumpkin pants Rose was wearing.
“No, no! I wear both skirts and pants, but you only wear pants. Boys don’t wear skirts.”
“Aha!”
Fenrex nodded as if he finally understood.
– Errr
Ignoring Ermenia’s muttering of ‘That dumb wolf,’ Rose said,
“Pick a ribbon. I’ll put on whichever one you choose.”
Fred, who had been watching the children while hiding some documents after hearing that Edelmar was coming to the study, chuckled softly.
“Then I’ll choose this one!”
Unaware that Fred was laughing at them, Fenrex pointed to the ribbon Rose had picked earlier.
“But you said it didn’t suit you?”
“Still, I want to wear the one you picked.”
“Okay!”
As Rose placed the ribbon on Fenrex’s short hair, Fred smiled again.
‘Wearing a ribbon and a skirt makes you a girl.’
He didn’t understand why boys and girls shouldn’t sleep together after the age of five, but he found Rose’s idea cute.
“How do I look? Do I look like a girl?”
Fenrex, now wearing a big red ribbon, asked Rose.
“Yes, now you just need to change your clothes.”
“But I don’t have a skirt.”
“I have one! I’ll lend you mine.”
Fred, who had been watching them, struggled to hold back his laughter and finally intervened.
“That might be a bit difficult.”
The person who separated them with the saying that boys and girls can’t sleep together wouldn’t let the child borrow someone else’s clothes.
“Why not?”
“The size doesn’t match.”
“Size? What’s that?”
Fenrex ignored Fred and acted as if he were invisible, even though he was there to be with Rose.
Even when they did talk, Fenrex would speak bluntly without any respect, showing his displeasure.
“It means your bodies are different. You’re taller and bigger than the lady.”
Fenrex grinned widely, satisfied with Fred’s explanation.
“Being big is awesome! I’m going to be this big from now on!”
On the other hand, Rose pouted her lips.
“Then what about the skirt? If you don’t wear it, we can’t sleep together.”
Fred hesitated, unsure how to explain that clothes don’t define gender.
Just then, the door opened.
“Rose.”
“Uncle!”
As Rose jumped up and ran over, Ian picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.
“Did you have fun, Rose?”
“Yes, yes!”
Rose, who was so used to receiving kisses that she wasn’t embarrassed anymore, waved to Edelmar, who followed Ian into the room.
“Hello, Uncle Edelmar!”
“Hello! Come here.”
‘Do you think my Rose will go to you?’
Ian chuckled to himself.
Rose reached out toward Edelmar.
“Rose?”
Ian’s voice trembled.
Edelmar chuckled and gently took Rose from Ian’s arms.
‘My Rose? The one who’s afraid of grown men?’
Just then, Fenrex lunged at Edelmar.
“Who are you!! Put Rose down!! I said put her down!!”
Edelmar easily dodged the young wolf’s attack and spoke kindly to Rose.
“Did you have fun today as well?”
‘Today as well?’
Did that mean this wasn’t the first time Rose and Edelmar had met at the mansion?
Ian frowned, but Edelmar and Rose continued their friendly conversation.
At that moment, Fenrex charged at Edelmar again.
“Put her down! Put Rose down!”
As Fenrex raised his fist to strike Edelmar’s leg, Rose shouted.
“Fenrex! You shouldn’t do that to Uncle.”
“…Rose.”
Fenrex looked at Rose with trembling eyes.
“Uncle, please put me down.”
Edelmar, with a playful expression, set Rose down.
Once on the ground, Rose took the hand of Fenrex, whose ears and tail were drooping.
“You shouldn’t act like that towards adults.”
“But you’re scared of adults, Rose.”
“Uncle Edelmar is okay.”
“Why?”
Ian was also curious and leaned in to listen to Fenrex’s question.
“Because Uncle is Rose’s friend.”
Ian glared at Edelmar.
‘What kind of trick is he playing?’
Edelmar wasn’t the kind of person who would genuinely befriend a child. Ian had no idea what his true intentions were.
Despite Ian’s suspicions, Edelmar just smiled and shrugged.
“Duke.”
Fred, who had been watching this whole scene, called out to Ian.
“Is something the matter?”
“No, I’m just stepping out for a moment.”
“I see. I have something to report…”
Ian glanced at Edelmar before moving closer to Fred.
It seemed they were using some silent magic because, although their lips were moving, no sound could be heard.
Edelmar, pretending not to care, turned his attention away from them and toward the desk.
The desk was so clean that it didn’t even look like a study, causing Edelmar to smirk.
“Grand Duke.”
Ian suddenly appeared beside Edelmar.
“Let’s cancel today’s sparring. We’ll reschedule it for a few days later.”
“Why?”
“I have something I need to take care of.”
Edelmar stared at Ian for a moment before nodding in agreement.
“I’ll make sure to set the earliest possible date, so don’t worry.”
“I’m comfortable here, so anytime is fine with me.”
As Edelmar turned to leave, the sound of gritting teeth echoed behind him.
Suppressing a laugh, Edelmar waved at Rose.
“Rose, come visit the palace again.”
“Okay!”
Ignoring the glare of the young wolf, Edelmar entered the room prepared for him by the butler.
***
“Grand Duke.”
“Did you find out?”
Yan, one of the Grand Duke’s subordinates, handed over the prepared documents. Edelmar glanced through them and smirked.
“So, he’s been pretending to be an idiot to hide his true intentions.”
The information detailing the movements within the ducal estate pointed to one thing clearly: independence.
Considering the risk of death involved, it made sense that they had kept a low profile until now.
“Shall I report this?”
Though it wasn’t mentioned explicitly, Edelmar knew exactly who the subject of that sentence was.
“Leave it be.”
“Yes.”
Without questioning further, Yan disappeared. Edelmar walked over to the fireplace, holding the documents. He tossed them into the flames, and they were quickly consumed by the fire.
“…I can use this to blackmail him again,”
Edelmar muttered with a voice filled with satisfaction.
***
“What could he be planning?”
Fred asked as Ian tapped his fingers on the table.
Even after paying off his debt and driving out the spies, the count had remained quiet.
Although it was known that the count’s followers from the branch families continued to visit, Count Kale himself hadn’t made any moves.
Ian had noticed his cautious nature and had expected that the count wouldn’t act recklessly.
But now, Count Kale had suddenly made a move—one that took him to a remote forest rather than his own territory.
“…And he didn’t meet anyone?”
“No.”
He hadn’t met anyone. Nor had he engaged in any suspicious activities.
He had just walked through the forest as if on a casual stroll.
“He didn’t just go there for a walk,”
Ian nodded.
A cautious man like Count Kale wouldn’t travel that far just for a simple stroll through the forest.
Ian rubbed his temples.
“Keep monitoring him. If he does anything strange, report it immediately.”
Fred nodded.
“By the way, how did you end up coming here with the Grand Duke?”
Ian replied with a weary voice,
“We were supposed to spar, using both magic and swords. I was going to tell Rose about it.”
Fred’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You can use magic too?”
“Oh. Didn’t you know?”
“No. Mr. Logan never mentioned it.”
“Oh.”
Ian looked slightly embarrassed, but Fred gazed at him with admiration.
His master was someone who always came up with unexpected plans and carried them out successfully.
Not only was Ian incredibly intelligent, but he was also a master swordsman. And now, it seemed, he could use magic as well.
‘Does that mean he’s a magic swordsman?’
Magic swordsmen were incredibly rare in this land. As the realization dawned on Fred, his mouth gradually dropped open. Ian chuckled and tilted Fred’s chin up with his finger.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t told Logan either. For now, keep this to yourself.”
“Yes, duke!”
Ian stood up.
“We’ll discuss the rest when Logan returns.”
“Understood.”
