Everyone was obviously stunned.
Father took outside the room.
I glanced at him.
‘How did he just brush that off like that?’
Is it creativity? Or an ego as tall as a mountain?
Whatever it was, Grandpa would be furious.
“I told you to pack your things in your room. Go check if there’s anything you need to take.”
I nodded obediently.
‘Well, this worked out well!’
What a lucky break.
Sotis when Grandpa was away from the main estate, my uncle or aunt would co as substitute caretakers.
At those tis, there was no one to help if sothing happened.
So Father’s jurisdiction would be much safer.
While walking down the corridor with Father, a group of people ca from the opposite direction.
“Isn’t that Daimond?”
A man walking ahead of his retainers spoke to Father.
Light brown hair.
Green eyes like sumr foliage.
A kind expression.
I imdiately recognized him.
‘Grimier Astra.’
Grandpa’s eldest son.
“Are you leaving now?”
Uncle Grimier approached with a friendly face and asked.
Unlike the ferocious eldest son of the Astra clan, he was kind and gentle.
“Yes. Brother, what brings you here?”
Father replied, and Uncle Grimier rubbed his forehead with a troubled look.
“I always co to get scolded for the sa thing.”
“Still nagging you to get married?”
“Well...”
Uncle Grimier laughed awkwardly.
“Most of my siblings have started families, but since I’m the eldest son and still single, everyone’s worried.”
“You have plenty of grandchildren and now you have to watch your eldest son’s grandchildren too?”
“More so than Father, it’s people around who talk. Ah, that’s my niece, huh?”
Uncle Grimier bent his knees to et my gaze.
“Nice to et you. Uh, your na was... Erilot, right?”
I nodded slightly.
His eyes softened.
“Even though you’re my niece, I haven’t properly looked after you.”
“...”
“Let’s et more often from now on.”
Uncle Grimier usually lived in the Zodiac.
When he ca to the estate, rare as it was, he was always overwheld with marriage nagging.
He was probably busy with other affairs too.
So it was nearly impossible for him to look after .
Uncle gently took my hand and shook it.
At that mont, other retainers hurried him.
“The Duke is waiting.”
“Oh... alright. Let’s go.”
Uncle Grimier greeted Father and , then headed toward Grandpa’s room with the retainers.
I heard the retainers’ worried voices.
“If he doesn’t start a family soon, he’ll fall behind in the succession battle.”
“Lord Daimond also has children.”
They seed worried the eldest son had no offspring.
But...
‘There’s a child growing sowhere that even Uncle doesn’t know about.’
Dahlia, the daughter left behind by Uncle Grimier’s deceased first love.
The protagonist of .
I awkwardly laughed and glanced at Uncle Grimier entering Grandpa’s study.
“Erilot.”
Father’s voice ca beside .
I flinched and looked at him.
“You should go to your room.”
“Yes.”
I nodded and headed to the room.
Inside, the maids were packing while quietly sobbing.
“Oh dear, Miss.”
“Now that you’re leaving, your post will change again! Oh dear, oh dear!”
“It was nice serving the lady, she was so cute! And now she’s going back to that scary Tower of Wisdom!”
“Oh dear!”
...So that’s why the maids had been kind to from the start.
The Tower of Wisdom, where three-year-olds receive education, was the hardest post in the Duke’s estate.
They had to be rough-tempered.
Besides, Hilda and Greta were a bit dull... no, innocent, so even harder to work with.
‘They were kind people, so I liked them.’
I quietly avoided the crying maids and packed my bag.
‘I have to take the jewels.’
I slung the bag with jewels Grandpa gave over my shoulder; the maids sniffled holding luggage.
“Ready to go?”
“Uh-huh.”
I was excited but couldn’t show it because the maids looked so heartbroken.
After packing, I left the main estate with the maids.
The carriage waiting to take was already there.
Just as I was about to get in, soone ran up.
“Miss!”
“Conrad.”
“Please stay safe and sound. Until we et again, don’t get sick anywhere... I hope to see you well, truly, truly... How could I be separated from you for so long...”
Conrad pressed his forehead to the back of my hand and groaned.
He looked so heartfelt.
The maids also dabbed tears on handkerchiefs.
‘It’s only been two months, though?’
Anyone seeing this might think I was emigrating.
I’d be back at the castle after the rest period.
‘Did I charm them too well?’
I said with a sowhat reluctant expression, “Uh-huh.”
“Goodbye, Conrad.”
“Yes, please don’t worry and stay safe...”
As Conrad spoke to with wistful eyes, Enzo called out approaching the carriage.
“Is that all your luggage? Anything else to move?”
“Yes!”
I answered and hurried to the carriage.
Enzo loaded the luggage and lifted into the carriage.
I waited quietly, and a few minutes later Father ca.
“Abammi.”
“Did you forget anything?”
“No.”
Father shouted,
“We’re leaving for the jurisdiction.”
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of soldiers stamping filled the air.
Soon the carriage started moving.
When I arrived at Daimond’s jurisdiction, I shouted “Wow!”
Father’s jurisdiction was splendid.
Not very developed because it was farthest from the Duke’s estate, but that gave it a tranquil charm.
The jurisdiction castle seed like a transplanted relic.
I grabbed Father’s pants and entered inside.
In front, managers holding mountains of docunts were bustling, and on both sides stood hired staff in line.
“Welco back.”
“Welco back.”
As the greetings ended, a woman in a red dress hurried over.
“My goodness, Lord Daimond. It’s been so long. I was worried if you were hurt in battle, but I... I...”
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at Father with sparkling eyes.
‘Who is she?’
She seed in her early to mid-thirties.
Not wearing a servant’s uniform, but a plain dress.
Enzo introduced her.
“This is Lady Rachel, the housekeeper.”
“Ah.”
I nodded.
‘So Lady Rachel was managing the jurisdiction while Father was away.’
Usually, when the master is absent, their spouse governs the estate.
But Father had no wife, so Lady Rachel, the housekeeper, took that role.
Lady Rachel smiled warmly at .
“Nice to et you, Miss.”
“Hello.”
“Oh, how lovely you are.”
She chuckled softly, then imdiately turned her gaze to Father.
“I’ll take your coat.”
“No need.”
Father refused without looking and turned his gaze to .
“Erilot, I’ll show you to your room...”
—The mont he spoke, dozens of glances poured in like a tide.
Managers holding mountains of docunts looked at Father with pleading eyes.
The desperation was palpable; I could sense it all.
‘No wonder work piles up like crazy in five years.’
Even if others managed, certain matters required the master’s approval.
“Erilot, go alone!”
At that mont, the managers’ faces brightened instantly.
Father said,
“But I—”
“Go alone!”
“But—”
“I can go alone!”
“...”
Father was silent, and at that mont, the managers sward him.
“The castle wall is damaged, and there’s no money for repairs...!”
“The armor is all worn out, but there’s no budget...!”
“There was a forest fire in this village, but there’s no support funds...!”
Father was dragged away by the tearful, complaining managers.
Lady Rachel chuckled watching the scene.
“I’ll have to bring tea and snacks to the eting room.”
When a servant spoke, Lady Rachel turned to , then looked at Enzo standing awkwardly and smiled brightly.
“Of course, I’ll personally take you to your room. Let’s go, Miss.”
I followed Lady Rachel upstairs.
“The stairs to the lady’s room are here. Uh, the room is over there...”
While explaining, Lady Rachel glanced at .
“Miss...”
“Yes?”
“Do you know if General has any rumors about won?”
“...?”
“I know about your mother. She spent a night at the ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) battlefield and got pregnant by mistake... But are there other won’s rumors?”
Who was this person?
How could she say such things to a child?
If I were an ordinary kid, I’d be shocked.
Lady Rachel crossed her arms and leaned toward slightly.
Her attitude was not that of soone dealing with the master’s child.
“Do you know about won clinging to the General, or the old won in the Duke’s estate nagging him to marry?”
“No.”
Lady Rachel shrugged.
“No help at all.”
Muttering that, she pointed at a room with her finger.
“The room is that way. Well then.”
With that, Lady Rachel went down the stairs.
Having only t very polite people in the Duke’s estate, I was shocked.
There was no one like her even in the Twelfth Tower.
‘She’s probably never seen a child and thinks a three-year-old knows nothing.’
But children are surprisingly sharp and smart.
They rember who ignored them and what was said to them.
‘Let’s just go to the room first.’
I entered the room Lady Rachel pointed to.
“Wow...”
The Duke’s estate had hastily converted guest rooms, so the rooms were small.
But Daimond’s jurisdiction rooms were very, very large.
Bathroom, toilet, bedroom, dressing room, sitting room, and even a small study.
Soft-colored wallpaper.
Unlike the colorful furniture at the Duke’s estate, this furniture was warm-toned.
A fluffy carpet with a cute pattern.
The windows were huge, showing many trees outside.
‘It’s like a room from a fairy tale!’
I had long admired this kind of interior design since my Yoo Hyemin days, so I loved the room.
‘Who told them to decorate the room so nicely?’
I doubted Lady Rachel did it herself.
I didn’t think the managers who complained about no money would have prepared this either.
‘Then... Father?’
What I felt was that, contrary to rumors, Father had a sowhat gentle personality.
I jumped onto the bed.
‘So soft... ah, nice.’
I had a headache from riding in the carriage, but lying down was heaven.
I stayed in the room until dinner, then went down to the dining hall.
Father and Lady Rachel were there, serving the al.
Father looked at and said,
“Do you like the room?”
“Yes!”
“Good.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing special.”
Lady Rachel chuckled softly and poured water into Father’s glass.
“Since the General cared, of course you’d like it.”
Lady Rachel’s gaze toward Father was very sticky.
She was wearing a luxurious dress, probably changed since before, fit for a party.
The housekeeper’s clothes aren’t usually distinct from other servants’.
Still, she wore an overly fancy dress.
‘Father must be a good man.’
That explained why she asked about Father earlier.
Well, Father was still only twenty-nine, quite young.
He was very handso, arguably the most handso in Astra’s flashy noble circle.
Besides, he was the Duke’s son and the strongest warrior on the continent.
‘It’s no wonder she’s attracted to him.’
Regardless, I focused on my al.
My favorite, atball pasta, was on the nu.
As I slurped the noodles, Lady Rachel lightly tapped my mouth with a handkerchief.
“Oh my, Miss, you need to relearn your table manners.”
Father, who had been looking at docunts while eating, turned his gaze to .
Lady Rachel sighed, covering one cheek with her hand.
“This is usually sothing mothers teach...”
She glanced at Father repeatedly.
‘What is this woman talking about?’
I wasn’t yet fully developed to eat like an adult, but I was eating in my own ‘noble’ way.
Manners were the area I was most praised for even in the Twelfth Tower.
“It’s fine, Miss. Since I’m here, I can help you with many things.”
“...”
“Um, General, since the lady needs table manners training, maybe I should eat with her for a while...?”
Lady Rachel blinked big eyes.
‘Huh?’
Wouldn’t that annoy Father?
I didn’t care what Rachel did, but Father shouldn’t get bothered by it.
I quickly said,
“It’s okay!”
When I said that, Father and Rachel looked at .
“I learn from Saemsaemmi.” (I learn from my teacher.)
I ant I would learn manners when I went to the Duke’s estate for schooling anyway.
Rachel’s lips trembled.
“It’s better to get used to it a little first. There will be talk among the main branch family...”
“If Father teaches , that’s enough.”
“The General is busy. If you think of Father, leave it to .”
Her tone was like teaching a stubborn child nonsense.
Then she took my hand gently, but
‘Ugh!’
She squeezed so hard my hand hurt.
It seed like a warning not to say unnecessary things.
I sighed inwardly.
‘Really.’
I tolerated Rachel all day today.
Her ignoring when Father was away.
Using to her advantage by belittling .
‘But I can’t tolerate violence.’
“Is this strange?”
I deliberately tilted my head. Father and the servants looked at .
“Father is busy, so why does Rachel want to eat with him?”
“Well...”
Rachel was embarrassed, probably not expecting the child to speak logically.
I clapped my hands loudly.
“Oh, Rachel likes Father!”
Usually, people don’t say these things even if they know.
Rachel’s face flushed bright red.
And Father...
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