VDHI 09

The retainers couldn’t even dare raise their heads under the overwhelming pressure weighing down on their shoulders.

The dignity of the Empire’s one and only Grand Sword Master was, in every sense, absolute.

“She’s not just some child. She is Lephonia. Lephonia Kreitan. I clearly remember sending her name in writing, yet it seems none of you bothered to read it properly.”

Duke Kreitan muttered through gritted teeth. Veins bulged across the back of his clenched hand before he let out a long breath.

“I graciously allowed this sudden visit because I failed to inform you beforehand of your new mistress’s arrival. Had I known you came here intending to treat her like some seven-year-old boy, I would have sent you all back.”

“Your Grace, we risked your displeasure because all of us care deeply for the Kreitan family—”

“Anyone who dares wag their tongue carelessly about the young lady—”

Duke Kreitan placed the sword hanging at his waist onto the desk.

“Will pay the price.”

Death.

It meant they were to repent with nothing but death. Faced with the duke’s unyielding warning that no further arguments would be tolerated, the retainers tightly sealed their lips.

Then—

Knock knock.

A knock echoed through the conference hall.

“I said not to let anyone in.”

Duke Kreitan frowned irritably, his mood already foul.

Despite the fury in his voice, the door to the conference hall creaked open.

“Are you deaf? I clearly said no one was to enter— ngh!”

The duke, who had been shouting in irritation, abruptly covered his mouth upon seeing who had entered the room.

The retainers tilted their heads in confusion.

“Duke.”

A warm and adorable voice soft enough to melt the frozen atmosphere wrapped around everyone’s ears.

Every person in the room turned their head.

Standing there was a child who resembled the late duchess so much it almost seemed as though she had returned from the dead.

The retainers exchanged glances. Their eyes revealed they had realized this child was the “Lephonia” the duke had adopted.

Now they finally understood why Duke Kreitan had suddenly decided on an adoption and why he was responding so fiercely.

The retainers looked at Lephonia with displeasure and contempt.

But Lephonia paid them no mind whatsoever.

‘Mm. As expected, they’re all glaring at me.’

Receiving the full brunt of the retainers’ hostile stares, Lephonia walked toward the duke’s side.

“Phonia.”

The duke pressed a hand to his forehead, his face more ferocious than ever.

Of course, Lephonia didn’t care.

“Why are you here? I specifically ordered them to make sure you couldn’t come this way.”

It seemed he was angry because he had no intention of showing the child he planned to eventually disown to the retainers while playing house with her.

But Lephonia had no choice. This was too good an opportunity to waste.

“Hah. No, forget that. We’re in the middle of a meeting right now, so—”

“Duke.”

Lephonia cut off his low, rough voice and stretched out her short hand. Then she tightly grabbed one of Duke Kreitan’s fingers.

The duke, whose single finger had barely been caught by her tiny hand, flinched as though he had just been subjected to terrible torture.

“There are too many people I don’t know.”

Tongue, please. I’m saying something important right now. Get it together.

“For now, I wanna stay with you, Duke.”

Though the words were sweet, Lephonia’s voice remained utterly flat.

Duke Kreitan looked down at the tiny hand clutching his finger.

Meanwhile, the retainers continued glaring at Lephonia with malicious eyes, displeased by the way she was acting cute toward the duke.

After a long silence, the duke finally spoke.

“You’re right. I was mistaken.”

“Hm?”

“They can’t even hide their hostility while I’m present. When I’m absent, it must be even worse.”

Duke Kreitan stretched out his hand.

He lifted Lephonia effortlessly with one arm and placed her on his lap.

“Yes. Phonia, staying by my side is probably the safest and most reassuring place for you.”

Lephonia blinked while facing the retainers, who looked utterly horrified at the sight of her suddenly sitting on the duke’s lap.

“Everyone, greet her.”

Resting his chin against his hand, Duke Kreitan gently stroked Lephonia’s hair as she sat on his lap.

He had accepted her request.

‘Good.’

Lephonia secretly clenched her fist.

Even after searching the entire estate, she still hadn’t found the heirloom. At this point, the only person who knew its location was Duke Kreitan.

It would be ideal to monitor his every move, but she hadn’t had a suitable excuse. Fortunately, the retainers had conveniently barged in and openly displayed their hostility, giving her the perfect justification.

If she acted frightened and vulnerable, like she needed someone to depend on, she figured Duke Kreitan would indulge her demands out of responsibility.

“Nice to meet you.”

Lephonia slowly swept her gaze across the retainers, memorizing each and every face.

They might prove useful someday.

“I’m Lephonia Kreitan.”

The retainers reluctantly returned her greeting with proper courtesy.

Once the greetings were over, one of them rose from his seat.

“It does not seem appropriate to discuss this matter in the young lady’s presence. We shall continue at another time, Your Grace.”

It also meant they could not conduct an internal meeting with an outsider present.

However, perhaps because the discussion concerned Lephonia herself, the duke agreed.

“Everyone, dismissed.”

Once everyone left, only the duke and Lephonia remained in the conference hall.

‘Can I get down now?’

For the first time in her life, Lephonia found herself sitting on someone else’s lap and hesitated awkwardly.

Ever since arriving at the estate, she had been eating three full meals a day along with two generous snacks.

Because of that, she could feel herself gaining weight since entering the mansion.

‘He must be uncomfortable.’

Lephonia squirmed slightly.

“Phonia.”

A puzzled voice came from above her head. When she turned around, she met Duke Kreitan’s eyes as he rested his chin on his hand.

“I heard you’ve been eating well lately, but…”

It sounded suspiciously like he was asking how long she intended to stay sitting there. Lephonia hurriedly tried to climb down, only to be caught by Duke Kreitan’s hand, leaving her stuck in an awkward position.

“Could there be an issue with the reports I’ve been receiving?”

Huh?

‘Does he mean I’m too heavy?’

Duke Kreitan tilted his head seriously.

“I heard you’ve been eating well. Are you truly eating properly?”

Lephonia swallowed dryly.

“How much do you eat?”

He even asked again.

The question was so absurd that Lephonia had no idea how to answer.

What exactly was the purpose behind it?

A man like the duke would never ask something without reason.

Asking whether she was eating properly and how much she ate could mean…

‘As expected, I must’ve gotten too heavy.’

She really had been eating too much lately.

‘Maybe he means I’m consuming too many ingredients.’

Even nobles had limited food supplies, and perhaps it felt wasteful to spend them on an adopted child.

Or maybe…

‘Maybe I’ve gotten chubby and unpleasant to look at?’

She had heard that some nobles managed children’s weight and proportions from an early age.

There were only three possible conclusions she could draw…

“You’re far too light. Tch.”

Too light? Was he mocking her on purpose? Lephonia tilted her head while trying to decipher his intentions.

“The fact that you aren’t answering tells me someone among those reporting to me has been lying.”

Duke Kreitan’s face gradually turned ice cold. Alarmed by the sharp killing intent radiating from him at such close range, Lephonia quickly shook her head.

“I eat really well.”

Her pronunciation slipping wasn’t important right now. She needed to answer first.

Unable to understand why the duke was suddenly angry, Lephonia hurriedly added,

“Really? How many times a day do you eat?”

Lephonia fidgeted with her fingers. Worried she might get scolded for eating too much, she hesitated before answering, causing Duke Kreitan’s brows to twist.

“I-I eat three meals a day, and two snacks.”

Her face burned hot as she confessed guiltily. She regretted not refusing dessert at least once.

‘Am I going to get scolded?’

Maybe he’d even hit her. Duke Kreitan’s hands were huge and sturdy—if someone with the body of a five-year-old got struck by them, it would hurt terribly.

Lephonia tensed her entire body, preparing herself so she wouldn’t go flying if she got hit unexpectedly.

But instead of violence, what came back was a grave voice.

“That’s not enough.”

“Huh?”

“Your older brothers ate four meals and two snacks a day at your age. On top of that, they’d eat late-night meals and even wake up at dawn to raid the kitchen.”

Are those humans? They’re beasts.

Lephonia swallowed the words rising to the tip of her tongue and reassessed the situation.

Maybe he was serious because he thought she wasn’t eating enough compared to those two sturdy boys.

No, perhaps he simply disliked how frail she looked.

Lephonia hurriedly said,

“I’m already emptying your food storage, Duke.”

“That’s admirable.”

She had just confessed to practically devouring his entire pantry, yet he praised her for it. And somehow, the killing intent lingering around him quietly subsided.

She couldn’t understand it, but at least the murderous aura had disappeared. Lephonia sighed inwardly in relief.

“By the way, when you panic, your normal pronunciation comes out.”

“Huh?”

“Phonia, children your age often struggle with pronunciation. But you always seem overly conscious of it.”

That’s because speaking with a lisp is embarrassing.

“Phonia. Your second brother, Pellens, babbled until he was five years old.”

Isn’t that way too late?

Still holding Lephonia securely in his arms, Duke Kreitan rose to his feet.

“At the time, the scholars worried greatly because he was so late, but now he speaks perfectly well and has grown up healthy. Some children are slow, while others are fast. So there’s no need for you to worry about such things, Phonia.”

Her second brother…

“The one who still hasn’t graduated from the Academy after three years?”

“…Now that I think about it, perhaps he hasn’t grown up that well after all.”

Duke Kreitan frowned.

“Anyway, pronounce things however you’re comfortable with. I’ll understand you.”

There was no need to worry about being slower than others.

It was the first time she had ever heard words like that.

The Pope had always said one must never fall behind, that only death awaited the slow.

He taught her that everyone except herself was competition, that she must always surpass others, never carelessly expose weaknesses or let others seize upon them.

And yet…

‘This feels strange.’

Lephonia glanced sideways at Duke Kreitan.

Sensing her gaze, the duke lowered his eyes.

Their eyes met.

“Phonia.”

“Mm?”

“I heard you’ve been wandering around the estate lately.”

It seemed he truly received reports about everything concerning the real Lephonia.

“Stop wandering around from now on.”