chapter 07
Before I could even gauge his mood, he turned and strode out of the room.
Did I hear him wrong? Or was he dissatisfied with something?
What did I even do?
I’d only arrived at this house yesterday and met him for the first time today.
Unlike those unwelcome visitors, there wasn’t even an obvious connection between us, which made his attitude all the more irritating and puzzling.
Sure, just because I’d once served Young Master Ambrose didn’t mean everyone had to be kind to me. The younger maids with yellow badges had found me troublesome, but none of them had been openly hostile.
“So, Miss Bebe, what do you think?”
“Y-Yes…? Huh?”
The maids were staring at me with sparkling eyes while I nodded absentmindedly out of habit.
W-What?
I hadn’t heard a word they’d been chattering about because I’d been lost in thought.
Whether I was confused or not, the maids cheerfully shouted,
“Then let’s go welcome the Master home together!”
“Why would I?”
Oops. That came out harsher than intended.
But welcoming that old geezer home? Why would I do something so embarrassing?
My negative reaction immediately made the maids look crestfallen.
“Forgive us if we spoke out of turn, Miss.”
“But the Master hasn’t received a family’s welcome in ten whole years…”
“Ever since the Madam passed away and the Young Master disappeared, we’ve wondered if his journeys home felt too lonely.”
“And if such an adorable granddaughter greeted him with a simple ‘Welcome back,’ imagine how happy he’d be!”
“Besides, we heard you lost your mother yesterday, Miss. We just hoped the two of you might become a comfort to each other…”
“Let’s go welcome him.”
I lost.
Was this karma for all the emotional manipulation I’d used in my life?
Squeezing my eyes shut, I allowed the bright-eyed maids to drag me along.
They even tried to bring Huey and Dido, insisting we were all one family now, but the two had hidden themselves away, saying they didn’t want to see the scary grandfather.
I don’t want to either. Save me…
Whining internally, I followed them down to the lobby, where the servants had already lined up in formation.
The maids placed me on the landing above the stairs before joining the others.
This position was way too much like the main character’s spot.
And I looked like a complete mess.
The attention made me uncomfortable, but I could feel the expectations of not only the maids but all the servants now. I had no choice but to stand there quietly.
As I stared blankly into space with the eyes of a dead fish, a carriage stopped outside the open doors.
Then Duke Ambrose appeared.
“Welcome home, Master!”
The servants all bowed at once as he walked through them and steadily approached.
How dignified.
How annoying.
Pressured by the sparkling eyes around me, I reluctantly opened my mouth.
“Welcome back.”
“…Mm.”
An awkward greeting.
An awkward response.
The disastrous ending of last night’s encounter flashed through my mind.
Judging by his expression, the Duke seemed to be thinking of it too.
Tch. I don’t like him, but we should at least try to get along—
“Looks like you’ve been digging in the dirt. This shabby house must have suited you.”
“I can’t exactly hide my lowly street-born origins.”
Crackle!
We both raised only one corner of our mouths as our gazes clashed like sparks.
Yep.
Still the same damned old geezer.
Meanwhile, the servants were watching us with emotional expressions as though we were having a heartwarming conversation.
Whatever misunderstanding they were having, that wasn’t it.
Definitely not.
At that moment, the butler trailing behind the Duke stepped in.
“Perhaps the two of you would enjoy a cozy dinner together—”
“No.”
“I quit eating.”
We rejected the idea simultaneously, but the butler merely smiled.
“Now, now. We’ve already prepared everything. Please consider our sincerity.”
Then why ask?
Whether he was experienced or simply shameless, the butler practically herded Duke Ambrose toward the first-floor dining room.
At the same time, the maids hurried down the stairs and dragged me along.
So you were all in on it too.
I shot them a glare, but they pretended not to notice and practically hauled me away.
Thud!
And so I found myself seated across the table from that old geezer.
Soon the beaming head chef appeared and personally began serving the dishes.
The servants attending from the sides never stopped smiling.
In fact, everyone here looked happy except Duke Ambrose and me.
The butler and head maid even looked ready to cry tears of joy.
How was anyone supposed to eat under that kind of pressure?
While I sat there frowning at the feast before me, the Duke sighed.
“Eat first.”
“…Yes.”
I answered as though I had no choice and picked up my utensils.
Before taking the first bite, I quietly asked one of the maids behind me,
“What about my siblings?”
“Don’t worry. Their meals have already been sent upstairs.”
Only then did I nod and taste the soup.
Ah.
It was delicious.
Good enough to melt away all the discomfort I was feeling.
My worries about losing my appetite proved unnecessary. I steadily worked my way through everything in front of me.
This morning, Huey and Dido’s eyes had practically bulged out when they tasted the food here.
Just imagining them eating happily like baby birds made me smile.
“You seem fond of your siblings.”
The Duke suddenly spoke.
I swallowed my mouthful of bread and answered.
“Well… why wouldn’t I be? They’re precious family.”
Sometimes I loved them so much it felt overwhelming.
Unlike my smile, Duke Ambrose remained expressionless.
“You may find reasons not to someday.”
“…What do you mean?”
“For example, if one turns into a disgraceful drunkard.”
I blinked in confusion.
The face of the person I’d met that morning suddenly surfaced in my mind.
“Or if they become arrogant without knowing their place. Or become consumed by greed…”
The face changed, becoming someone else.
Then someone else again.
Male, female, young, old.
“They may even dare to harbor improper ambitions.”
The faces all blended together chaotically.
Then my eyes met his.
Those same eyes from yesterday.
He really was a merchant.
How could someone look so calculating?
Especially at his own granddaughter.
Feeling strangely deflated, I grumbled like a child.
“Maybe.”
“…”
“Maybe those reasons will appear someday. Maybe they won’t. How would I know?”
As a trace of disappointment flickered across his face, I stabbed a chunk of meat with my fork.
Then muttered,
“Seems even the greatest merchant in the world didn’t know his own family would turn into a complete disaster.”
“…Ha!”
The Duke let out a sound that could have been anger—or something else entirely.
“Hmph.”
I snorted and finished my meal without another glance his way.
If he wanted to throw me out, let him.
Though honestly, I wasn’t worried anymore.
I understood him a little now.
He wants to test me.
Am I smart or foolish?
Bold or timid?
As his blood relative, how much value do I possess?
I glared at Duke Ambrose, who had covered his face with one hand.
Really, was this the only way he knew how to test people?
Like a wild beast tossing someone off a cliff just to see whether they survived.
Whether I was the only child of his long-lost son or not, he’d skipped any tearful family reunion and gone straight to business.
Cold.
Harsh.
Infuriating.
And yet…
I don’t entirely hate it.
In fact, it was starting to intrigue me.
Because his evaluation of me would become my price tag.
My money.
My inheritance.
My glorious future!
Then I’ll squeeze every last coin out of him…!
A crooked smile rose to my lips.
The Duke lowered his hand and revealed a similarly irritating smile.
As if telling me to try.
Somewhere in the distance, imaginary war trumpets blared.
Red banners waved from opposing camps.
The peaceful dinner was over.
From now on, this was war.
As though declaring exactly that, Duke Ambrose drank his wine while I downed my grape juice like blood.
Clack!
Setting down our glasses, we rose from the table side by side and left the dining room, as though departing a peace treaty negotiation.
By the time we reached the staircase landing in the lobby amid dizzying silence, both of us spoke.
“In a week, I’ll be sending dinner invitations to those people.”
“So?”
“You should come too, Duke. Consider this advance notice to keep your schedule open.”
“For someone inviting a busy man, your manners leave much to be desired.”
“Yes, yes. No need to thank me.”
Then we turned away from each other.
As the old man and I climbed opposite sides of the grand red staircase, the servants whispered happily among themselves.
“That’s pure species-level self-hatred…”
I pretended not to hear.
