Chapter 9
“…I don’t want to touch you. You have to remain just like this, exactly as you are… whole and untouched….”
The Duke muttered something in a voice so small that I could barely hear it.
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“…Riri, please don’t leave your father.”
Instead of answering my question, he pleaded with me in a desperate tone.
On his face was an expression I had never seen before—filled with sorrow and earnest longing.
“……”
Watching him like that, I ironically thought of a child clinging to a parent who was about to abandon them.
That was how desperate he looked.
And the contrast between this and the strange expression he’d worn earlier made me feel oddly unsettled.
“If you need money, take as much as you want. …Don’t spare expenses for that child either. But your mother’s inheritance—I’d like to keep that.”
He seemed calmer now, returning to his usual gentle expression as he tried to persuade me.
“It’s not anything special, though. Whether it’s your property or my mother’s inheritance…”
All she had left behind was money. A large amount, yes, since she had once been a foreign princess—but still just money.
But it seemed different to him.
He cut me off and shouted impulsively.
“Riri! No matter who you are, you can’t speak lightly about what Serena left behind. That much I won’t tolerate!”
His sudden change in attitude was too abrupt to follow.
When I fell silent in shock, he calmed himself again and forced a smile.
“I’m sorry for raising my voice. But Riri… it was your mother’s. Serena’s, you know? Don’t treat what she left behind so lightly.”
I opened my mouth to reply, then closed it again.
Anyone could tell he wasn’t acting normally.
I wanted to ask him why he still refused to look at Amon, and whether he hadn’t accepted his wife’s death yet.
But that would have to wait.
‘What kind of answer would I get from someone this unstable anyway?’
He sat there with the same expression he’d had when he first welcomed me.
But after witnessing his emotional swings, that familiar face now looked eerie.
I lowered my gaze absentmindedly—then froze in shock.
‘……!’
Blood was dripping from his fingertips onto the floor.
He had scratched himself so brutally that it looked as if someone had slashed his hands.
Yet he didn’t even seem aware of it—or perhaps he simply didn’t care.
He didn’t spare his hands a glance.
Unable to stand it, I stood up and grabbed his hand.
“Alright! I get it, so please stop!”
Before he could speak, I rose first.
“…I’ll be going now. Please get your hands treated.”
With that, I turned around and left without looking back.
Before coming to his office, I had thought things through carefully.
First, I’d ask if he was willing to support Amon.
If he refused, I’d take my mother’s inheritance and move out.
If I was careful with money, the two of us could live without trouble.
Honestly, I wanted to escape his uncomfortable presence and live separately as soon as possible.
But no matter what, he was still Rieli’s and Amon’s father.
Cutting him off completely on my own judgment was complicated.
In a way, things had worked out.
Amon’s problem was solved without moving out.
But other problems remained.
First, the Duke was still obsessively attached to his late wife. His almost hysterical reactions were alarming.
And most puzzling of all…
‘He sees Rieli as his heir.’
That was the biggest mystery.
It made sense that he’d want to pass his title to a beloved child.
But letting that heir marry into another country and emigrate? That was strange.
From what I could see, he had no intention of marrying Rieli off abroad.
“My head hurts… seriously.”
Nothing felt satisfying.
I also wanted to press him more about Amon.
“Take as much money as you want,” my foot.
If he had that much, he could’ve at least given some to Amon from the start.
His unexpected reaction left me unable to argue further, and only my frustration grew.
I returned to my room and collapsed onto my bed.
Rieli, your family is something else.
Neither your father nor your brother is normal.
After talking with the Duke, I was so emotionally exhausted that I completely lost my appetite.
I lay down for a while, then forced myself to go to the dining hall—thinking I should at least see Amon.
I only had some tea and fruit, forcing a smile at him.
But he, too, looked unusually tired.
“Amon, if you’re exhausted, go to bed early.”
“…I’m not that tired.”
He replied with a small smile at the worry in my voice.
But he still looked drained.
In the end, I couldn’t stop worrying, so before leaving I told the staff to bring him warm milk with honey.
I hoped he’d drink it and get some good rest.
As soon as I returned to my room, I fell asleep.
It had been a truly exhausting day.
***
The next morning, I was awakened by unfamiliar but cheerful voices.
“Good morning, Miss!”
“Miss, shall we open the window?”
“…….”
Right. You two started working as my personal maids today.
Half-asleep, their unusually bright voices felt strange.
“…Yeah, open it.”
It was chilly, but a bit of cold helped wake me up.
As I sat rubbing my eyes, a basin of water was brought over.
The cold water made me shiver, but it cleared my head. I buried my face in a soft towel.
“…….”
Looking at the two of them, I could only think, What do I do now?
‘Their hairstyles were different yesterday. Why are they the same today?’
Even their clothes were similar.
You two look so alike that there has to be something different to tell you apart…!
I didn’t urgently need to distinguish them right now.
But we’d be living together—surely I should know who’s who.
“Eva…?”
I cautiously called out.
The girl on the left answered energetically.
“Yes, Miss! Shall I help you change? Or do you need anything else?”
Her bright reddish eyes, shining with enthusiasm, were overwhelming.
If I said I’d just called her randomly, she’d clearly be disappointed.
I didn’t really need help changing…
But seeing them look at me so expectantly, I felt like I had to give them something to do.
“I’ll change by myself. Um… can you help me pick what to wear?”
“Yes! I’ll choose carefully, Miss!”
“…I’ll do my best too!”
Smiling awkwardly, I let them drag me to the dressing room.
You two are way too energetic this early…
As I was about to just wear whatever looked comfortable, my eyes landed on the jewelry box.
An idea struck me.
“Come here for a moment.”
Hairstyles and clothes could change anytime.
But I didn’t want to order them to dress differently every day just so I could tell them apart.
‘That’d be such annoying boss behavior.’
I didn’t want to be that kind of employer.
So I decided to give them something they could always carry.
If it was something to attach to their clothes, they’d probably wear it.
I remembered where things were kept from a dream about Rieli organizing her accessories.
I placed a large jewelry box in front of the twins.
“I have something for you.”
I opened it.
Inside were countless brilliant brooches.
“?”
“Should we pick one?”
Ignoring their confused looks, I examined the box.
I wasn’t interested in accessories anyway.
Better to give them away than let them gather dust.
After looking around, I found two suitable ones.
They looked perfect for them.
“Sebani.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Here. This is for you. It’s to celebrate working together. Eva, you too.”
I placed a ruby brooch in Sebani’s hand—slightly darker than her eye color—and a topaz one in Eva’s.
Red and yellow both suited them well.
I smiled in satisfaction.
“M-Miss…!”
“Really… for us?”
“Of course. They’re not that expensive, so don’t worry.”
They were actually quite valuable, but I said that to ease their minds.
The twins stared back and forth between me and the brooches.
Even their fidgeting was identical. Cute, but chaotic.
“I’d appreciate it if you wear them often. Now, help me pick my clothes.”
I closed the box and moved away.
Still clutching their brooches, they followed me.
“Miss… thank you so much. We never thought you’d care about us this much…”
“Me too. Such a meaningful gift… thank you…”
“Yeah… sure…”
I turned away and pretended to focus on clothes.
These twins were more emotional than I’d expected.
Getting teary over a single brooch…
I had a bad feeling this would be tiring.
After picking something at random, I went to breakfast with the twins in tow.
Imagining Amon greeting me with his cute face, I entered the dining hall.
And sure enough—
Amon was already there, waiting.
Though he wasn’t looking very cute today.
