Chapter 06
As soon as they entered the dining room, a perfectly rich, sweet, and intoxicating aroma reached the tip of her nose.
Sniff, sniff. Leponia’s eyes naturally turned toward the table. Dishes so extravagant they looked ready to break the table kept being placed down without pause.
In truth, ever since becoming a child again a few days ago, she had not eaten a proper meal.
Leponia swallowed hard.
‘So this is how a Duke’s family eats every meal. Even more luxurious than other nobles.’
The Duke carefully seated Leponia right beside the seat of honor. Thanks to the soft cushion, even her bottom did not hurt.
“Now then, this will be your seat from now on, Leponia.”
A dish overflowing with juicy meat caught her eye.
“Eat comfortably.”
Looking at the countless dishes and the seat right beside the head of the table, she felt like she understood.
‘He’s planning to find fault with me and properly discipline me from the start.’
Nobles cared tremendously about the eyes of others. If someone found flaws in them, they believed their reputation and honor would be tarnished.
‘I learned this since I was six.’
After being taught by the Pope for years, something like this was nothing.
Ignoring the Duke’s burdensome gaze pouring onto her from beside her, Leponia slowly picked up the proper utensils for the food.
Without making any noise with the cutlery, she elegantly cut the food into bite-sized pieces, placed it into her mouth, and ate with perfect etiquette.
When she glanced over, the Duke’s face had stiffened.
He must be shocked by how perfect she was.
“Who placed a knife at Leponia’s seat?”
Huh?
“A five-year-old child is cutting meat with a knife.”
Killing intent flowed through the room.
In an instant, the atmosphere froze solid.
Leponia cautiously read the room and slowly put down the knife she had been holding.
‘Was that wrong?’
Why was everything so difficult since earlier?
The moment Leponia put it down, Duke Krytane swept the dangerous adult utensils aside.
“Bring a child’s fork immediately.”
At his low voice, a servant hurriedly brought new utensils.
Peep peep.
A tiny fork with chicks drawn on it.
“……”
Only then did the Duke let out a sigh of relief and cut all of Leponia’s food into small bite-sized pieces for her.
“You have to eat lots of meat to grow tall.”
No, you had to eat a balanced diet to grow tall.
“If you take bites that are too big, it could get stuck in your throat, so chew carefully.”
She had teeth, not gums, so why would it get stuck?
“Now, use the fork to stab the food so it can’t run away like this.”
Duke Krytane stabbed a very tiny piece of meat with the fork. Then he stared at Leponia.
‘He wants me to copy him right now?’
It looked like he would keep staring until she followed, so Leponia reluctantly grabbed the peep-peep fork.
It was much lighter than adult utensils and fit comfortably in her hand.
Leponia poked the meat.
“And then put it right into your mouth—”
Following Duke Krytane, she placed the meat into her mouth.
“And chew carefully like this. Nom nom nom.”
He was chewing loudly.
Showing even his teeth, he was teaching her how to chew while going nom nom nom.
“……”
It seemed like he would continue until she copied him again, so in the end Leponia followed him and chewed her meat while going nom nom nom.
‘The noble etiquette I learned wasn’t like this…’
Did I really learn it properly?
Everything she had learned until now was becoming useless.
Leponia’s eyes trembled.
“Good girl. I fed your older brothers like this too.”
The noble etiquette Leponia had learned at this dining table had long since disappeared.
“Now then, drink some water— wait. This water is too cold. Who poured cold water for Leponia? Don’t they know that water this cold could upset her stomach?”
Without realizing it, Leponia stared blankly into space.
‘They said the second son never returns from the Academy.’
Surely it wasn’t because of things like this… right?
Leponia filled her stomach diligently with the peep-peep fork.
Only after the meal and even dessert had been finished did the Duke finally get to the main point.
“Tomorrow, I plan to submit these adoption papers to the Imperial Palace.”
Duke Krytane waved the adoption papers filled with all the necessary personal information.
All that remained was the approval signature of the child to be adopted—Leponia.
The process for a noble adopting a child was simple. If there was a child they wanted to adopt, they only had to prepare papers with the child’s personal information, have the child sign them, and submit them to the Imperial Palace.
The adoption papers contained magic, making them impossible to tear or destroy carelessly.
Once submitted, the child officially became part of the family.
Because adoption was easy, annulment was simple as well.
If they filled out annulment papers with the child’s information and submitted them to the Imperial Palace, that was the end of it too.
That was why, even back when Leponia was at the orphanage, there were many children who were adopted and then returned repeatedly.
After all, the people holding all the power were always the other side.
“Do you have any questions?”
“No.”
The Duke’s brow furrowed. Leponia lowered her gaze from him and scraped the cake cream left on the bottom of the empty plate with her fork.
“You have no questions?”
“Why?”
Leponia put down her fork on the empty plate and asked in a flat voice.
“Do you think you’ll regret it?”
The Duke frowned as though he had heard an absurd question.
At the same time, every servant in the dining room stared at Leponia.
“If you think you’ll regret it, you don’t have to adopt me.”
After hesitating briefly, Leponia continued.
“But I have nowhere to go right now. Even if you don’t adopt me, please let me stay in the mansion and eat and sleep here. I’ll work in exchange.”
After all, what mattered wasn’t the adoption but remaining in this mansion.
“Leponia.”
Duke Krytane gestured with his hand. The butler then brought over a new slice of cake and placed it before Leponia.
‘Ah.’
They used to say that scraping food off the bottom of plates was something only uncultured people did.
Realizing her own behavior, Leponia’s face turned red.
“I was the one who brought you here, and I was the first one to say I would adopt you as my daughter.”
“……”
“And you ask whether I’ll regret it? No. Rather, I should be asking you that, Leponia.”
“Huh?”
“Earlier, the situation was chaotic, so perhaps you made a rash decision in shock. But now that you’ve calmed down, I’m asking again. Because even after you’re fully grown, you’ll still remember today.”
As he examined Leponia, Duke Krytane picked up a fork. Then, exactly as Leponia had done earlier, he scraped the remaining cake cream off the plate and put it into his mouth.
Even though there was still cake left on the plate.
“Ugh, sweet.”
The Duke’s face crumpled as if he disliked sweet things. The sight of such an enormous man acting like he was dying over a bit of cake cream was strangely funny, and Leponia almost laughed.
Even after she grew up.
Even after she was cast out from the family, today would probably still remain in her memory. Was he asking whether she was fine with that?
“I’m fine too.”
Leponia stretched out her small hand. Duke Krytane handed her the papers.
“I already know all of that. I’ve already prepared myself.”
Leponia noticed the knife that had been set aside in the corner.
She jumped down from the tall chair with difficulty. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed the knife from the corner.
Slash!
Without giving anyone time to stop her, Leponia drew the knife across her finger. Her skin split open, and red blood flowed out.
“Leponia!”
Startled, Duke Krytane shot up from his seat and rushed over.
“I’m fine.”
Ignoring everyone’s panic, Leponia pressed her bleeding finger against the bottom of the papers.
Using blood signified staking one’s life on a promise. It was also a way of showing trust to the other party.
She wanted to clearly show Duke Krytane that she would not regret this choice.
“There. Now if you submit this to the Imperial Palace tomorrow—”
“Call a doctor! Immediately!”
Without even taking the papers Leponia held out, Duke Krytane wrapped her bleeding finger in a handkerchief.
“Huh?”
Leponia blinked in confusion.
It was only a tiny cut with a bit of blood. Why call a doctor?
Even when she had been injured much worse than this, nobody had ever called for one.
People always said it would get better after sleeping, and in truth, after sleeping, the pain usually dulled.
“It’ll heal if I sleep.”
“Who told you such nonsense?”
With an angry face, Duke Krytane spoke firmly.
“How could a wound heal just by sleeping? If it isn’t treated properly, it could leave a scar.”
A scar? Had she ever worried about scars before?
“Even the smallest wounds must be shown to a doctor. There’s no such thing as a wound that heals just by sleeping. Understood?”
“Uh…?”
“This is a rule of the Krytane family.”
The butler looked at the Duke as if wondering what he was talking about, but upon noticing Leponia’s gaze, he quickly smiled and nodded.
“It’s true.”
“You’re my daughter now, Leponia, so you must follow the rules of the Krytane family as well.”
Caught up in the moment, Leponia nodded. Before she knew it, the family’s resident doctor had arrived.
“I shall examine the wou— huh!”
The doctor stopped short after seeing Leponia’s face.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
Leponia tilted her head. Was he shocked over such a tiny injury too?
“Duke…”
Just as the doctor was about to say something, the butler quickly grabbed his arm.
“Pull yourself together. The young lady has been injured, so treat her.”
The butler ordered him in a stiff voice. The doctor, who had been staring blankly at Leponia, nodded and approached.
“Y-young Lady, it is my first time meeting you. May I examine your wound?”
The Duke nodded and slowly released Leponia’s hand. The knife had only slightly cut her delicate skin. It was not a major injury.
Feeling oddly embarrassed, Leponia stared directly at her bleeding wound.
“You only need to disinfect it and apply ointment.”
“Young Lady, you’re very brave. The young masters used to cry a lot over wounds when they were little.”
“It’s not that big of a wound…”
“Young Lady. Regardless of whether it’s a big wound or not, you must cherish your body.”
At the doctor’s words, the butler, the maids, and even the Duke all nodded.
‘What is wrong with this household?’
Making such a huge fuss over nothing more than a cut finger.
“Ponia.”
A rough voice spoke an adorable nickname.
‘Did he just call me?’
Leponia turned her head.
“If it hurts, tell me. I shall blow the wind of healing upon it.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
Since Duke Krytane was an aura user, could he control wind too?
“Hooh.”
The Duke rounded his lips and blew softly on her finger.
“……”
Were the people in this mansion perhaps a little strange?
Academy dormitory.
“My father did what?”
The man reading the letter sent by the butler sneered in disbelief.
“Has he already gone senile?”
The letter crumpled violently in his hand.
The contents were simple.
It said that his father, Duke Krytane, had adopted a daughter.
“What kind of swindler managed to fool Father?”
The man brushed back his silver hair and laughed incredulously.
A troublemaker known as a fossil for wandering around the Academy without graduating despite spending three years only taking graduation exams.
The reckless second son of Duke Krytane.
“Looks like I’ll have to go home.”
Pellens Krytane rose from his seat.
