Chapter 8
‘Isn’t there some way…?’
For now, I decided to think as simply as possible.
No matter how much I worried, there wasn’t much I could actually do.
In the original story, Arban personally defeats the monster that tears off his arm.
And the reason his arm gets severed is… right. A sword.
If only his sword didn’t break, everything would work out somehow.
The sword Arban used in the original story.
If it were that sword, it would never break.
‘The Holy Sword.’
After defeating the monster, Arban discovers the Goddess’s Holy Sword, said to have been used by the first emperor of the Sharus Empire.
After finishing the battle with his arm severed, Arban searches the Esit Mountains to uncover the cause of the monsters’ rampage. During that investigation, he finds a passage near a cliff.
It was more like a half-destroyed underground tunnel.
At the bottom of it, he discovers the Holy Sword.
There was a scene where Arban thinks that if he had found the Holy Sword first, his sword wouldn’t have broken.
‘And I know that tunnel was originally part of a temple, and that there’s another way in.’
It wasn’t covered in the original story, but I remembered reading about it in the author’s social media posts. The author loved creating detailed settings and had mentioned the hidden passage.
‘Following the author really paid off.’
Thankfully, it was such a unique detail that I still remembered it.
If I could give him the Holy Sword in advance, his blade wouldn’t break.
Then he wouldn’t lose his arm either.
After all, it was something that would eventually become his anyway.
‘So now the problem is… how do I find the Holy Sword and put it in Arban’s hands?’
The location where it was buried was extremely tricky.
Even if I explained it, no one would believe me.
I’d be lucky if they didn’t just laugh at me.
What could I say to make that man trust me and follow along?
It was frustrating beyond words.
“Hah… I can’t believe I’m worrying about things like this now…”
No matter how much I racked my brain, no brilliant idea came to mind.
Since there was still time, I decided to think about it later and trudged off.
Then I had a late lunch with Amon, who had been waiting for me without even eating.
I scolded him, telling him to eat properly even if I was busy, but it didn’t seem like something he’d actually listen to.
So I firmly instructed the head maid to make sure he never skipped meals again. Only then did I feel a little relieved.
Children must eat properly, on time.
After eating, I lay sprawled out in an empty room.
The quiet silence calmed my mind.
Knock, knock—
A knocking sound broke the stillness.
I narrowed my eyes and stared at the door.
I’d just lain down. What now?
“Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
The head maid approached my bed and briefly delivered her message.
“Miss, the Duke has returned.”
That timing…
“He came back earlier than I expected.”
I’d heard nothing from him, so I thought he’d be gone for several more days.
I’d been planning to visit him sooner or later anyway because of Amon.
“Then I should see him. I have things to say. Where is he?”
“He is working in his office.”
Of course. A workaholic.
He comes back and goes straight to work.
When I nodded, the head maid bowed and left.
I checked the clock.
It was almost dinner time.
If I went later, he’d definitely suggest eating together…
And I had no desire to do that.
So I had to go now.
‘But I really don’t want to go…’
After struggling on the bed for a while, I finally forced myself up.
It felt like someone invisible was pushing me from behind.
***
“I’m Rieli. I’m coming in.”
I stopped the servant who was about to open the door and opened it myself.
“Oh, my Riri is here. Come sit over here. Shall I have some tea brought?”
When he saw it was me, the Duke dropped everything and greeted me with a broad smile.
“No, it’s fine. More importantly—why did you miss your appointment with His Highness the Grand Duke today?”
Even though I asked bluntly, he answered with the same smile.
“Ah, you know the road that passes through the Esit Mountains between our territory and here? A sudden landslide blocked it, so it took time to clear.”
Then, with a pleased expression, he started talking about Arban.
“I heard you met the Grand Duke in my place and arranged another meeting. All that heir training really paid off. So? Did His Highness return safely?”
I widened my eyes in surprise, then quickly fixed my expression.
‘…Heir training? What does that mean?’
Was he planning to pass the title to Rieli?
Then why did she marry into another country in the original story?
Countless questions flooded my mind.
But I kept my composure and spoke casually.
“Yes. He said he’ll visit again in ten days, so please stay at the mansion then.”
Without hesitation, I moved straight to the main point.
“By the way, you know I changed Amon’s room, right?”
“Yes, I heard from the head maid. Riri, I didn’t know you cared about that child so much…”
At the mention of Amon, the Duke’s expression stiffened. He trailed off and rubbed his face.
He was clearly uncomfortable.
But I ignored it and continued.
“I won’t drag this out. No matter how much you disliked him, did you really want to lock him in a storage-like room? And you’re a Duke, no less?”
I had assumed he’d already been informed that I’d made another appointment with the Grand Duke.
That was why I came—to say this.
“Riri, I didn’t know he was living in a place like that.”
“…What?”
“I only told Raymond—my aide—to give him a room that wouldn’t draw attention.”
The Duke forced a smile and began making excuses.
But I couldn’t sense any regret in his attitude.
It was just justification because I had confronted him.
‘He didn’t know? He just passed it through his aide?’
Maybe he really didn’t know.
But in the end, Amon was neglected.
He had grown up well because he was smart, but knowing the Amon from the original story, I knew how irresponsible those words were.
If the Duke had shown even the smallest bit of concern, Amon wouldn’t have been abandoned like that.
‘And he wouldn’t have gone astray as an adult either.’
The Duke was nothing more than a selfish, irresponsible adult who had turned his back on his own child.
“Don’t make excuses. You gave the order, and Amon was locked away for years. Without a single person to take proper care of him!”
“……”
“It’s true that I didn’t care about him much either. But that’s going to change.”
Not just because he was a protagonist in a novel.
It was simply a moral issue.
Anyone who saw a suffering child and had the power to help would reach out.
“He’s my brother and a young master of House Robert. I’ll make sure he gets the treatment he deserves.”
I was just giving him back what he was rightfully owed.
The Duke, clearly irritated, tapped his fingernails against each other.
“Since you haven’t fulfilled your duty as his guardian, I’ll take your place.”
I looked straight into his eyes.
“You don’t seem willing to care for him… so I’ll take responsibility.”
At my declaration, his face twisted.
“…You’ll take care of him?”
“Yes. I know I’m not perfect either. But I’m sure I can do better than someone who left a child locked away for years.”
This was actually beneficial for him too.
In the original story, the Duke died of overwork.
But considering Amon’s meaningful inner monologue at the time…
‘Amon probably killed him.’
So without knowing it, me taking care of Amon would extend his life.
“I’ll need tutors and proper supplies. That will cost money. You can support that financially, right?”
The Duke stayed silent, his expression unreadable.
I sighed lightly and continued.
“If you can’t even do that, fine. Then I’ll take my mother’s inheritance now.”
At the mention of my mother’s inheritance, his body flinched.
I didn’t miss it.
“You won’t have to support me anymore either. And if you hate seeing him that much… Amon and I will move out.”
Later in the story, Amon finds his mother’s will while cleaning the Duke’s study.
It stated that the children would split the estate evenly when they became adults.
He read each line carefully, engraving it into his heart.
Remembering that at least his mother had loved him…
The novel never clearly described his emotions, since it was written from an observer’s perspective.
But that part always broke my heart.
If his mother hadn’t died—if his father hadn’t abandoned him—his heart wouldn’t have been shattered like that.
Now it was useful information… but it still hurt.
The Duke remained silent.
His face looked frozen in time, yet blood had gathered at his torn fingertips.
He’d damaged them by tapping his nails so hard.
“Why are your hands like that? You’re bleeding.”
“Ah… it’s nothing. Don’t worry. Money? You need money? I have plenty. Take as much as you need.”
Only then did he slowly lift his head and reply, completely off the mark.
“No. I meant my mother’s inheritance. You’re holding it, right? I’m an adult now, so I’m entitled to it. And about moving out—”
“Riri, never say that again. Outside the mansion is dangerous. Don’t even think about it.”
At the word “move out,” the Duke’s expression twisted instantly.
