~Chapter 56~
Rubian seemed to gain a little confidence.
“Tada! Look at all the snacks here. Guess who told them to prepare so much? Whose house do you think this is?”
“…T-the Duke of Jebert’s house.”
Sortie pouted her lips but answered quietly. Rubian giggled and handed her a handkerchief.
“Thank you for calming my Titi. As expected, a child of the Jebert family is truly different.”
Count Camelan, who had been sweating nervously, finally set his daughter down.
“Now, Titi. Stop clinging and greet politely.”
“Yes, Papa.”
Sortie hesitated but kept her eyes fixed on Rubian as she stood on the floor.
“I am Sortie Camelan of House Camelan. I’m seven years old.”
Rubian suddenly looked a little shy.
“I’m Rubian… eight years old…”
At that moment, Leviathan’s eyebrow shot upward. That’s it? Just ‘I’m Rubian’ and done?
What about the rest?
Blink, blink. Sortie’s clear eyes studied Rubian’s face.
“Why is your name only half?”
The innocent question froze the air.
Sortie tilted her head, looking between Leviathan and Rubian. Her twin curls swayed with her movement.
“Even your hair color is different. Titi’s is the same as Papa’s, but yours is strange!”
“Titi, that’s enough…”
As the Count tried to stop her, Leviathan set his teacup down.
Just as he hurriedly reached toward Rubian’s small back—
“I’m going to be adopted soon. So… I’m not Dad’s real child.”
The clear voice rang out.
Rubian spun around, her face calm and unbothered. Sortie cupped her cheeks and asked curiously:
“Is that possible?”
“Of course.”
“I see.”
Leviathan’s halted hand finally pulled Rubian close.
“There are many ways to become family, Lady.”
Placing her on his knee, Rubian tilted her head back, looking up with bright, round eyes. Blue sapphires filled his vision.
“Even if we look a little different, you’re still my precious jewel. Can you be a good friend to her?”
At the gentle invitation, Sortie’s face broke into a wide smile, as if she had never cried.
“Yes! Thank you for telling me, Duke!”
“Family…” Rubian repeated the word softly with her small lips. Leviathan poked her soft cheek.
The sharp glare she sent back was—as always—too adorable.
While the two adults spoke briefly about business, Rubian and Sortie shared snacks together.
“—Then let’s continue the matter of the Green Festival. Truthfully, Ipsun’s security has been poor lately, so I requested knights. Recently, a certain crime—oh, you rascal.”
“Hehe, Papa’s beard.”
Sortie had crawled over and was now braiding Count Camelan’s long beard, giggling.
“She’s the youngest, so I spoiled her too much. Forgive her manners.”
Leviathan said it was fine, then turned his gaze.
Rubian was chewing on a cream puff, her eyes sparkling.
That looks good… he muttered, though no one caught the meaning.
“Ruby. If you’re bored, want to go play outside? This talk may take a while.”
“Okay! Lady Camelan, want to come too?”
Oh my. Acting like the older one just because she’s a year older—holding her hand first…
“Ah.”
Leviathan suddenly frowned.
A boy and a girl… can they just hold hands like that?
He instinctively looked at Count Camelan. The Count only looked pleased.
So it’s okay?
But if it were his own daughter…
Clang.
“Um… Your Grace? Why are you suddenly drawing your sword…?”
“…Ahem. Nothing.”
Leviathan pried his hand off the hilt he had unconsciously gripped tightly.
Strange. His chest felt twisted inside.
“We’ll just go to the garden!”
“…Alright.”
Leviathan clasped his hands together and nodded.
Meanwhile, Rubian happily chattered with Sortie as if they had already become friends.
“The garden here is really pretty. Can you show me that braid trick again?”
“You mean the beard braid? Sure!”
“It’s just too scratchy to stand it…”
“Oh my. You were attacked by a beard, huh.”
The two girls walked away, holding hands cheerfully.
Well…
Leviathan sighed.
“As long as it’s cute, I guess it’s fine.”
After the children left, in the drawing room—
Leviathan spoke with an indifferent face.
“So, what’s going on in Ipsun these days?”
“Ah, the crimes. There have been a few reported kidnapping attempts lately… Since many outsiders will enter for the Green Festival, I wanted to strengthen security in advance.”
“We brought enough knights for defense. I’ll dispatch as many as needed.”
“Oh, thank you very much.”
Count Camelan sighed in relief and smiled. Then, hiding his face behind his teacup, he glanced at the man before him.
The first thought that came to mind was how terribly handsome he was.
The second was fear.
Though dressed loosely and sitting at an angle, it was more like the arrogant ease of someone born to rule.
Unconsciously, the Count swallowed dryly. He knew well how much blood those steady hands on the teacup had spilled before.
“The Demon of War.”
Even knowing he was humanity’s hero, the Count couldn’t erase that name.
He had once gone to the frontlines to check supply lines and there—he saw a demon.
Black hair drenched in blood, crossing the wasteland. A silver sword dripping red. Wherever he moved, blood and flesh marked his steps.
“The most terrifying thing was his face—no emotions at all.”
Like someone swinging a blade only by instinct.
Compared to that, he was shockingly softened now.
Back then, it was impossible to even imagine him sitting here, sipping tea.
Was it because the war ended… or…?
The Count calmly set his teacup down. Maybe it was because of the child earlier.
“But why kidnappings all of a sudden?”
Leviathan leaned back in his chair, asking. The Count quickly erased his thoughts and answered casually.
“Well… There’s a rumor that the fugitive mage from the Demon Kingdom is a young girl.”
At once, the air turned sharp like a blade.
“It seems some lunatics think they can catch her and hand her back to the kingdom for a reward. Otherwise, they’d try extorting money from her parents…”
Leviathan’s brow twisted harshly. Feeling sweat drip down his spine, the Count hurriedly added:
“But don’t worry too much. We’re chasing the criminals day and night. So far they’ve only attempted, not succeeded. We’ll catch them before the festival.”
“Tell Oberon to send every knight.”
Leviathan clicked his tongue roughly. Seeing the Count’s pale face, he forced down the surging aura.
“A young girl mage, huh?”
That meant she escaped just to survive.
Did they really have to drive even a child into a corner?
“Those damned kingdom bastards.”
Leviathan let out a long sigh. Now he had one more reason to meet the Emperor.
“You must feel uneasy too, having a young daughter.”
“Yes… Honestly, if she’s out of sight even for a moment, I get nervous. Surely, Your Grace must feel the same.”
“…?”
Leviathan lifted a dazed gaze.
“Rubian is a boy.”
“Whaaat?!”
Count Camelan looked as if he had seen a ghost.
“No, no way!”
“I know he’s beautiful. And yes, his cuteness pierces the heavens.”
“…”
“He’s clever and smart, too. He talks so well, he could probably debate academy professors. Now he can even run three and a half laps around the training ground—tremendous perseverance, isn’t it? He’s already surpassed his teacher in herbology, and in healing arts he’s soon to—”
“Thank you. That’s enough.”
The Count cut him off coldly.
“No, wait, I have more. Listen—”
“No, truly, I must be mistaken. I was imagining things.”
Count Camelan jumped up quickly. Leviathan watched with regret—what a shame to waste such a perfect chance.
“Well, of course… You wouldn’t easily take in a young lady…”
Ahem! Startled by his own muttering, the Count coughed loudly.
“….”
But Leviathan wasn’t listening, lost in thought.
Come to think of it, he’d been hearing things like this a lot lately.
Evelyn, who took Rubian’s clothing orders, had said the same.
“A… boy, you say?”
Really? Truly?
That awkward, doubtful voice echoed in his ears like a hallucination.
“What’s this… Is there something I’m supposed to realize?”
