Chapter 4
One of the five major dukedoms of the empire—Duke Johann von Blumhardt was the head of that house, ruling a huge territory between the capital and the northern region.
Right now, he was sitting in the drawing room, waiting to meet a woman who claimed to have found his missing greatsword.
Sitting confidently on the main sofa, his noble aura fit perfectly with his status as one of the empire’s top aristocrats.
He could hear the footsteps of the woman coming with the sword.
As someone with heightened senses due to his powerful mana, he noticed not two but three sets of footsteps, which made him pause.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Your Grace, your guest has arrived.”
“…Let her in.”
As soon as Johann gave permission, the butler opened the door.
His cold, crimson eyes turned toward the woman entering.
She wore simple clothes.
Aside from her unusually clear skin, she looked pretty ordinary.
Her emerald eyes had a mysterious glow, and her soft brown hair framed her face gently.
There was something deep and unreadable in her gaze.
‘She’s looking at me like I ran off with her money or something.’
Feeling weirdly uncomfortable under her stare, Johann shifted his eyes to the small child standing behind her.
‘…That kid?’
He almost stood up in shock.
The child looked exactly like him—except for the eye color.
The child was blinking shyly at him.
The aide standing nearby gasped quietly, clearly just as shocked.
“…Sit down.”
Johann held back his questions and forced himself to speak calmly.
‘Let’s at least get the sword first, then ask questions.’
They sat down.
Silence filled the room.
Then the child suddenly whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear:
“Mom, is that my dad?”
Everyone in the room froze.
The child had tried to whisper, but the room was so quiet that it echoed.
Johann raised an eyebrow.
The butler and the aide were clearly shaken.
“Yes, he’s your dad,” the woman replied softly.
At that point, Johann knew—she didn’t just come to return a sword.
“…You brought my greatsword, I heard?” the aide said, noticing Johann’s growing irritation.
“Yes.”
The woman handed the sword over.
The aide unwrapped it and respectfully gave it to Johann.
The moment Johann held it, a strong vibration ran through it.
‘It’s been a while… no wonder it’s reacting strongly.’
He unsheathed it, studied the blade, and then sheathed it again.
Now, it wasn’t the sword that mattered.
It was the child.
“Who is that kid?”
His voice was ice cold.
“…I’d like to speak without her present,” the woman said.
The butler took the child out.
The aide stepped back but didn’t leave.
“As you’ve probably guessed, she’s your daughter.”
The woman hesitated but then spoke directly.
“…”
Her eyes held no trace of lies.
“Her name is Raphaella.
We came up with the name together.”
Johann looked stunned.
He had no memory of this woman or the child.
“I’m sorry, but I’m seeing you for the first time today.”
“…I lived with you for four and a half years.
We were married.”
That stopped him cold.
Two years ago, he remembered walking through the mountains after being stabbed during a monster hunt.
That was the last thing he remembered.
‘I vaguely remember setting a teleportation spell to the duchy…’
He had suddenly found himself awake and alive in the mountains.
His stab wound had healed, leaving only a scar.
He made his way back, learning he had been missing for four and a half years.
Now, this woman was saying she was with him that whole time.
“…How do I know you’re not lying?”
“There’s a scar below your left ribs.
And another on your palm—same knife wound.”
“…”
She was spot on.
“You were lying unconscious near a valley close to my village when I found you.”
Her clear, unwavering eyes met his.
‘I was sure I set the teleport to the duchy, though…’
“You were poisoned by a monster.
You almost died several times.
You were unconscious for nearly a month.”
Johann clenched his fists, anger rising at whoever had poisoned him.
“Everyone told me to give up, but I saved you.”
“And?”
“…When you woke up, you couldn’t remember anything.
Not even your name.”
Now it made sense.
He hadn’t returned to the duchy right away because he’d forgotten who he was.
“All you remembered was the word ‘Hart.’”
“…Hart?”
He sneered in disbelief.
He had only remembered half of his own last name?
“You recognized the family crest on the sword, but why didn’t you return to the duchy right away?”
“I didn’t know.
I live in a very remote area—I’d never heard of the duchy or its name.”
Her answer was firm.
“…Then how did you figure it out?”
“I saw a newspaper recently.
Your picture was in it.”
It made sense.
As a duke, swordmaster, and fiancé to a princess, his face would be in the news often.
So, during the time he went missing, he lost his memory—then regained it later.
‘My head hurts.’
He massaged his temples.
“You recovered, we got married…”
“Then what’s your reason for showing up now?”
He wasn’t interested in the details.
Ever since they walked in, his chest had felt tight.
He hated the version of himself that had forgotten everything.
“…Don’t you want to know more about your daughter?”
Her voice shook with emotion as she looked at him.
He ignored her attitude.
“No.
So are you here for money?”
“No.
But do you realize I’m your life savior?”
“…I do appreciate what you did.”
Saving someone from monster poison was no small feat.
He was lucky to have survived with just memory loss.
“So I’d like something in return.
And no, it’s not money.”
“…Then what is it?”
“It’s simple.
Please take Raphaella in.
Register her officially and raise her here.”
“…Raise the kid?”
“Yes.
I’ll leave soon, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
“You’re abandoning your daughter?”
“…Of course not.
I just have my reasons.”
“Reasons?”
“I’d rather not talk about them.”
Johann went quiet.
Registering a child born before marleahge could cause issues.
The nobles would definitely talk.
But… if the child was truly his, it might actually help him.
Especially if it gave him an excuse to break off his arranged engagement with the princess.
He might even name her as his heir.
“…And I want you to be a real father to her.
Kind, loving—everything.”
“Be a doting father?”
“Yes.
Even if you don’t remember, you were very loving to her before.”
“…Ha.”
He laughed bitterly.
He wasn’t even that kind to his little sister.
“You can’t just be ‘a dad.’
You need to pour your heart into it.”
She was serious.
“That’s….”
“That’s the most important part.
You have to do it.”
“…Fine.
I’ll think about it.”
She had saved his life, so he couldn’t outright refuse.
‘Annoying, but I can probably fake it.’
“Then let’s assume you’ll do it and draft a contract.”
A contract? She was more thorough than she looked.
“…Fine.
Anything else?”
“Let me stay here with Raphaella until her 8th birthday.”
He narrowed his eyes.
Was she really just worried about the kid?
“Don’t get the wrong idea.
I just want to see that you’re doing a good job as her dad before I go.”
“And how do I know you’re not lying?”
“You can add that to the contract too.”
“…Alright.
But first, a paternity test.
Then I’ll consider it and draft the contract.”
“Okay.
I’ll wait, trusting you’ll honor the life I saved.”
She looked him dead in the eye.
“You really never back down, huh.”
He sneered at her.
“This is about my daughter.
I can’t afford to.”
“…What a devoted parent.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She smiled.
