TDS 13

Chapter 13

…

Maybe it was because she was still a child.

Inside the carriage, Duke Shurman stared at Erusha, who was fast asleep while lying across his lap.

As soon as the carriage started heading to the duke’s mansion, Erusha had fallen asleep. She slept so deeply that someone could probably carry her away and she wouldn’t notice.

Her tiny nose even made quiet snoring sounds.

“Such a troublesome brat…”

Duke Shurman muttered angrily.
Across from him, Nocturne looked confused.

“Troublesome?”

“Yes. The troublesome daughter of that troublesome son.”

“Ah… I see. You mean Miss Erusha.”

“I can’t exactly throw her away. This is ridiculous.”

Shurman clicked his tongue again.

He was truly shocked. Until now, he had never let any of his relatives use his lap as a pillow.

The strict head of the Shablin Ducal House letting someone—even a grandchild—lie on his lap? That was unthinkable.

“I can’t believe such a rude child is my blood. She chased me all the way here and dared to sleep on a duke’s lap!”

“I said I could move her somewhere else—”

“That’s enough.”

Hmph.

Duke Shurman snorted angrily and looked out the window.

His leg was numb.

For such a tiny head, it felt unbelievably heavy. His leg felt like the blood circulation had stopped. He wanted to scold her badly, but since she was asleep, he couldn’t do anything.

While he was grumbling, Nocturne spoke more seriously.

“By the way… how did Miss Erusha know that Sir Joseph Colson had gambling debts again?”

“Hmm.”

Shurman had wondered about that too, but he didn’t think it was important.

“Maybe she just overheard someone talking about it somewhere.”

“Do you think so?”

“What, do you think she deliberately investigated it to clear her father’s name?”

“……”

Nocturne only pushed up his glasses without answering.

What Erusha knew had been very specific—the exact name of the Rutemund Gambling House, and even details about the situation when Marquis Leo fought Joseph.

Anyone could see that she had learned those things on purpose to clear her father’s name.

Duke Shurman probably didn’t think much about it because Erusha had always been a quiet, unnoticed child.

But Nocturne thought differently.

“Still, it seems the Marquis may have been treated unfairly in this matter.”

“Unfair? You call this unfair?” Shurman’s voice turned cold.
“The Shablin family was used and humiliated. I’m too ashamed to even lift my head.”

“….”

The duke’s angry voice filled the carriage.
Nocturne awkwardly cleared his throat.

Considering how hard the young lady had tried, it seemed the result was not very effective.

But that was expected.

Duke Shurman’s anger toward Marquis Leo ran very deep. What Erusha did was far from enough to restore his trust.

At that moment, both Nocturne and Shurman remembered the same scene.

“I’m sorry for hitting Father. He hit people before too.
But this time Father was used by someone.
Please forgive him.”

“Father will try not to make Grandfather upset anymore.
So please believe Erusha. Please don’t abandon him.”

“Who said I abandoned him?”

When Shurman remembered her tearful eyes, his gaze became sharp again.

…

“My leg is numb to death. Don’t appear in front of me again!”

Duke Shurman shouted sternly while limping into the mansion.

I froze in shock.

What? Why is he so angry?

All I did was wake up from sleep, but he looked even angrier than he had been at the count’s house.

All I wanted was to reduce his anger toward Father even a little, but maybe I only made it worse.

Hmm… I don’t know. I’m so sleepy.

Since I had the body of a five-year-old, my stamina seemed just as low. I had been running around a lot these past few days, and now the exhaustion finally hit me.

As I turned around while yawning widely, I saw Evot approaching.

“Miss!”

“Evot!”

I smiled brightly when I saw her.

If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have been able to expose Joseph Colson.

“Did you return safely? I was so worried!”

“I’m okay.”

“How did things go?”

“It went really well! Joseph confessed!”

“Oh my! Then did the duke calm down?”

“No… not really. But it’s okay. Thank you, Evot. It’s all thanks to you.”

I gave Evot a quick kiss on the cheek.

She screamed happily.

Even though Grandfather was still angry, somehow I felt that things would work out in the end.

…

“Your Excellency the Marquis! I see you moved while I was gone!”

This was Croby Waist, the secretary of Marquis Leo.

He was the third son of the Waist Count family and Leo’s longtime friend.

He had slightly curly bright blue hair and fresh green eyes.

Having just returned from vacation, Croby looked a little tanned. There was even a flower necklace around his neck.

Leo was soaking in a bathtub full of flowers when Croby entered.

Leo glared at him with annoyance, making his golden eyes shine even brighter.

“This mansion looks wonderful,” Croby said.
“It has a humble charm. Though honestly, it doesn’t suit you at all, my lord.”

“It’s a rotten house,” Leo replied.
“There are too many places that need fixing. Make it livable as soon as possible.”

“The budget will definitely go over. It might be better to build a new mansion instead. And what about the construction noise? If it’s too loud, the duke might kick you out to the doghouse.”

“…You know the only reason I tolerate you isn’t because I like you, right?”

“Of course. If you fire me, you’ll have to hire someone new. And you’ll probably fire that person too. So it’s less troublesome to just keep me.”

“One day, I will definitely fire you.”

Leo said that as he stood up from the bathtub.

Water sparkled across his bare body as it ran down his lean muscles.

“As long as you don’t fire my head—ugh!”

Croby quickly turned his head and covered his eyes.

He could never get used to this sight.

“No matter how attractive you are, you don’t have to show it off in front of me.”

“Tsk.”

Leo clicked his tongue and grabbed a towel.

Croby thought he would finally cover himself, but Leo only messed his wet hair with it once or twice before casually tossing the towel aside.

Croby stared with his mouth open.

“Your strength is that you don’t care about others’ opinions. But your weakness is also that you don’t respect others’ opinions at all. Is it because you’re so confident? If I’m reborn in my next life, I want to be born as handsome as you.”

“…Do you think that’s possible?”

Leo looked Croby up and down.

Croby was popular with women too, but in Leo’s eyes he was just an ordinary-looking man.

“Well, that hurts a bit—”

“It’s not easy to be born as me.”

Leo answered casually and went out onto the terrace.

He lay down on a lounge chair and opened the wine bottle that seemed permanently attached to his hand.

Lying there naked with his broad chest exposed, he looked like a perfect sculpture.

While Croby admired him again, they heard a soft knock.

It was different from the servants’ usual knock.

It sounded small and cute.

Croby tilted his head in confusion, but Leo ignored it and continued drinking.

Then the door slowly opened.

A clear, sweet voice came through the gap.

“Father.”

“!”

“Pff!”

Leo spat out the wine in his mouth.

Croby’s eyes widened at the sudden affectionate word.

“Father?”

Croby couldn’t take his eyes off the child.

She had a cute, chubby child’s body, mysterious purple hair, a small round nose like a cherry, lips like berries, and sparkling eyes that looked like they held an aurora inside.

Croby rubbed his eyes with both hands.

Where did this child suddenly appear from?

But she wasn’t an ordinary child.

She was so adorable it could steal someone’s soul.

Almost crazy adorable!

And she called him Father?

“Marquis!”

Croby pointed at Erusha in shock and turned toward Leo.

Leo had turned his back and was hurriedly putting on a robe, quickly tying the belt around his waist.