The Troublemaker Daughter of the Grand Duke Wants To Live Alone

At the words of Grand Duke Estin, I raised my bow and arrow. I widened my shoulders and pulled the string up to my cheeks. I tried to concentrate as much as I could and took a deep breath.

But I couldn’t keep my concentration. I felt like my eyes were spinning. I ended up closing my eyes and shooting.

As a result, the arrow flew in a mess.

“You’re nervous.”

“…….”

“Is it because of me?”

Grand Duke Estin’s words made me shake my head. Actually, I’d like to say it was because of Grand Duke Estin, but it wasn’t. Hestia and the other knights praised me for hitting the target with my arrow, but I was expecting that.

I was overjoyed at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt wronged. I am confident that I can do better, but I believe that a child has limitations.

I don’t have time!

That’s why I came here in the middle of the night to practice. Did Grand Duke Estin expect me to be here?

“I’m not skilled at… shooting.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s more difficult than I thought.”

I said sulkily and tapped the floor with my left foot. Suddenly, Grand Duke Estin came behind me and corrected my posture. Then he whispered in my ear in a low voice.

“Don’t be nervous and shoot.”

“…….”

“Just focus on your goals.”

“……Yes.”

“I’ll clear everything that gets in your way as you work toward your goal.”

Grand Duke Estin’s words boosted my confidence. I get the impression that I have a reliable backup. It appeared as though the target was getting closer. I gently yanked on the bowstring. Grand Duke Estin whispered once more as he fixed my arrow.

“Just like you…… I’m serious about protecting something.”

The moment the wind stopped.

I shot the arrow.

The arrow hit the center of the target. I was so shocked that I let go of the bow in my arms, covered my mouth with both hands, and turned to face Grand Duke Estin, who was standing next to me.

“In the middle… I hit the center!”

I was so overjoyed that I felt I had crossed some lines by falling into the arms of Grand Duke Estin. But I quickly came to a halt. No, regardless of how happy I am, what have I done now? Is this how dopamine affects the brain?

Shivering, Grand Duke Estin gently patted my back.

“Good job.”

The wind, which seemed to stop, seemed to blow again. The voice of Grand Duke Estin settled in my ears as well.

“Thank, thank you…….”

Grand Duke Estin looked at me, who was still in his arms, and suddenly hugged me. I leaned my head against Grand Duke Estin’s shoulder.

“It was a moonlit night like this when you first hugged me.”

It was something I don’t recall, but the sensation was not unfamiliar. It was warm and inviting. I felt like I could win anything while leaning on his arms.

“Even in the moonlit night back then, you didn’t appear weak.”

***

Estin followed the child out of the house with a bow and arrow. He had no intention of preventing her from training. However, he felt that it was very childlike to go out without anything in the dark.

When the child arrived at the practice area, she picked up her bow and began to focus. Estin felt a sense of déjà vu and a twinge of sadness as the wind blew and the child’s hair fluttered.

“Helena.”

Helena’s appearance briefly overlapped with the child’s. Thus, he was unable to immediately approach. Even though he thought the child resembled Helena, it felt more impressive to see her release an arrow in that manner.

Lucas was against it, and despite his attempts to convince Mary to drop the bet, he asked Hestia, who had been taught by Helena how to shoot an arrow, to teach Mary….

Estin chuckled to himself.

The child then stopped shooting and began to examine the bow in her hand. Estin knows nothing about that bow. He wondered what that little head looking at the bow was thinking.

Helena is more dazzling than anyone when she hunts with a bow. Total eclipse, where the sun never sets, was disastrous in the Britina Empire. It was a problem. The sin of desiring and attempting to swallow the sun.

The kid started stamping her feet on the ground. The figure was adorable. Estin smiled as he finished the complicated end of his imagination. He approached the child.

You are Helena’s daughter, but you are also Estin’s.

You know, Mary, not everything in this world is beautiful. Conler may be a darker and damper place than you imagined. I might have to fight even harder to get all of this out of your way.

“I’ll take care of any obstacles that get in your way as you work toward your goal.”

So that you and your brothers can walk directly to your goals.

***

The Knights are now openly watching me from behind. Phew, there’s as much pressure as the gaze towards me increased, but Grand Duke Estin’s words from last night come to mind.

I’ll clear away anything that gets in your way as you work toward your goal.

Let’s just concentrate on the goals I want. I’m not alone. Estin Conler is behind me, and Helena Conler is inside me, because I am their daughter. 

I took a deep breath at the same time. I was filled with confidence as I breathed to the tip of my toes. The target seemed to be getting closer to me.

Now.

I let go of the arrow.

The arrow flew straight to the center! No, it’s stuck right next to the center. I turned around with a bright smile on my face. I expected applause, but Hestia and the Knights just stared at me with their mouths open, perhaps surprised.

“How did you improve so much?”

Hestia inquired of me while I pretended I didn’t know and looked elsewhere.

“Did you practice secretly at night?”

“…Yes.”

I was going to keep it a secret, but I ended up confessing. Hestia gently patted me on the back while sighing.

“It’s strange to say this, but…… That’s very commendable of you.”

“…….”

“Actually, I thought it would be fine if I just taught you how to shoot moderately, but I’m so proud of you for putting in so much effort.”

“You’re going to win!”

“Miss is going to flip the hunting grounds upside down!”

When Hestia said this, the Knights behind her began to send me messages of encouragement. Although I had just received praise for my performance, when I heard that I could win in this manner, my shoulders began to rise. I feel proud.

Cameron felt insignificant as members of Grand Duke Conler’s elite Knights cheered me on.

I lifted the bow again. The wind blew fresh.

***

Finally, the day I thought would never come arrived.

We decided to take our own carriage to Count Stein’s hunting grounds. I tied my hair up and put on the clothes that my third brother wore when he was younger.

In the morning, I ate well while staring at Cameron and drank a small bitter drink that Bonita had secretly prepared for me.

I was about to step outside and head to the carriage that was parked in front of the castle.

“Miss!”

Carol dashed over to me. She extended a circular barrel in her hand to me. In a daze, I grabbed the barrel.

“What is this?”

“Open it.”

Carol’s words prompted me to open the barrel, where I discovered silver arrows. I was so surprised that I looked at Carol with bunny eyes. Carol smiled as she explained.

“These arrows are made to be as powerful as possible. I requested that it be made by the Giefroy guild.”

“Carol…!”

“I was thinking about what I could do for you and this was the only thing that came to mind.”

“I appreciate it very much. This would have been prohibitively expensive.”

Actually, the Giefroy Guild gave it to you for free. Additionally, the arrowheads have poison on them, making them more effective.

“…….”

“It’s not that I doubt your ability, but I wanted to give it to you as a gift. Feel like I’m just showing off without spending any money.”

“I appreciate your heart, Carol. I’ll win for sure.”

“It’s not just my heart. Miss, please know that the Giefroy Guild is rooting for you as well.”

Carol tightly gripped my hand as she spoke. I was able to shake off the strange pressure I had felt since the morning and smile brightly at Carol’s words. Carol clung to me tightly.

“So you have to return unscathed.”

I nodded in response to that friendly touch.

I held Hestia’s bow and Carol’s arrow in my hands. Then I exited Conler Castle and noticed a carriage in front of me. Conler’s insignia, a well-embossed eagle, glistened in the sun on the carriage.

And there was Grand Duke Estin, waiting for me with his hand out.

I took a confident step forward and took Grand Duke Estin’s hand.