Chapter 10
A conversation from a few days ago between Bonpiju and Marquis Jonathan Blanche resurfaced in Erika’s mind.
“Bonpiju. Once you arrive at the Grand Duchy, send regular reports.”
“Yes, Master. Don’t worry.”
“Keep a close eye on that girl too. Make sure she doesn’t say or do anything stupid. Teach her properly. Understood?”
“Of course, Master. Don’t worry. That Lily girl won’t dare do anything foolish. She’s timid by nature—just a ten-year-old girl after all.”
“True. And we’re holding her mother hostage, so unless she wants her harmed, she’ll behave herself.”
It had happened the night Erika went to beg to see her mother’s face one last time before leaving. After she was harshly dismissed with a “If you’ve got time for this, go practice walking properly,” the two had exchanged those words.
Crunch.
She’d bitten down so hard she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth.
A surge of emotion threatened to burst from deep inside, but Erika barely managed to suppress it.
Once she steadied her breath so no one would notice, the girl began to think calmly.
Bonpiju underestimates me.
He looked down on her—clearly.
But that only meant that over time, his guard toward her would continue to drop.
If that happened, Erika would have much more freedom to act.
I still don’t know what the Grand Duchy of Aklif is like.
Her marriage to Sebastian wasn’t out of love but for political reasons. The people there likely wouldn’t welcome her with open arms.
In that case, wouldn’t they all be watching, eager to catch her making a mistake?
Eyes would surely follow her everywhere.
In that unfamiliar place, the only one who can act as my shield is Bonpiju.
A suitable troublemaker to draw attention away from her.
Erika believed Bonpiju was perfect for that role.
I need to stay quiet. I need to find someone who’ll stand on my side.
Her eyes briefly flicked toward Sebastian before dropping again.
She’d only just met him. Just because he clashed with Bonpiju didn’t mean he would favor her.
Still, to her relief, the excuse she’d prepared spilled more naturally from her lips than she’d expected, despite her earlier fear of being caught in a lie.
“I wasn’t complaining because I thought something bad might happen at the ducal estate.”
She swallowed hard and carefully gauged the atmosphere around her before continuing.
“I was just… scared and worried that something might go wrong on the way. It’s such a long journey, after all.”
“The knights of Aklif would ensure your safety far better than a mere maid.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s true. But… I didn’t think that far ahead. I just… thought it would be comforting to have someone familiar and trustworthy beside me.”
Will they believe me?
They have to.
Her heart pounding, Erika lowered her gaze again.
With no one to cling to, she clenched the dirt beneath her hands.
It was then—
“That kind of worry does seem fitting for someone as young as the young lady.”
Sebastian’s aide, Millord, cut in like a mediator.
As a loyal vassal of Aklif, he held considerable resentment toward Bonpiju for his insulting words. But when it came to Erika, he couldn’t help being lenient—he had always been naturally kind to children.
Sebastian, however, remained silent.
And no one dared interrupt that silence.
Everyone knew the final decision rested with him.
His chilling red eyes turned toward Bonpiju.
Unbelievable.
He questioned whether this was truly the person Marquis Blanche had entrusted with such an important task—his behavior was so inept it bordered on foolish.
Or maybe he’s just a dull lion trying to act fierce in his master’s stead.
He clicked his tongue softly. Bonpiju flinched.
Annoyed even by that, Sebastian turned his gaze away.
Now, what to do.
His eyes narrowed faintly, those red irises glowing like embers.
The hilt of the sword was firmly in his grasp now.
Well, I never planned on handing it over anyway.
But it had all turned out far easier than he’d expected, which made it dull and uninteresting.
He hadn’t even wanted this marriage to begin with. If he could break it off now, he’d have no complaints.
Sure, he’d wasted time traveling here, but if it meant avoiding future hassle, it was a small price to pay.
Then his gaze landed on Erika, crouched on the ground.
Didn’t she say she was scared to go to a strange place?
But she looked far more desperate than that.
It’s almost as if… she thinks this marriage is something she absolutely has to go through with.
Sebastian recalled something Millord had told him.
“Not you, my lord, but for most children, leaving their parents’ arms feels like being dropped alone into a strange world with nothing to cling to. It’s terrifying—truly.”
Millord had repeated those words, as if to stress their importance. And he always prefaced them with “Not you, my lord,” just in case Sebastian might take offense.
He had asked Sebastian to be understanding if the Blanche girl cried a lot or acted emotionally.
Frankly, Sebastian couldn’t relate to such fear.
But everyone said it was common—so he had simply memorized the words.
Was Millord wrong?
Sebastian’s red eyes took in Erika’s small frame again.
Just ten years old.
He had expected her to do whatever she could to avoid going through with this.
But this small girl didn’t cry or raise her voice.
She just endured.
Did that snake Jonathan Blanche actually raise his daughter well?
To be honest, Sebastian’s first impression of Erika wasn’t too bad.
She’d shrunk back upon seeing him, which was a bit annoying, but then again, most people did.
As he recalled how she’d recoiled from him earlier, he nearly clicked his tongue again—but caught himself just in time.
She reacted like a real rabbit, flinching at every little noise others ignored. It wasn’t a pleasant sight.
His eyes scanned Erika once more.
The only daughter of Jonathan Blanche, right?
He’d heard she’d been raised with great care.
A faint scoff escaped him.
Sebastian’s lips curved into a crooked smile.
Fine. There’s no reason not to grab the reins that have been handed to me.
The fact that he’d have to deal with the annoying maid was irritating, but Erika herself wasn’t bad.
At last, Sebastian reached a decision.
Because the hall had gone completely quiet, the sound of the boy drawing a short breath was unusually clear.
“Two times.”
Still kneeling, Erika had been staring at her clenched fists pressed to the dirt. Her head lifted sharply.
“…Excuse me?”
Her confused expression said she had no idea what he meant by that sudden, contextless remark.
Fortunately, Sebastian continued.
“I don’t normally tolerate even a single mistake.”
“Ah…”
“But today, I gave the Blanche household two chances.”
Erika nodded slowly, as if she finally understood.
It meant Sebastian was willing to overlook Bonpiju’s earlier rudeness—just this once.
The shadows hanging over her face brightened slightly.
“Thank you for your generous judgment, my lord. Truly, I’m deeply grateful.”
Sebastian looked down at the girl for a moment before muttering flatly,
“But there will be no more exceptions. I won’t forgive a third mistake.”
“Yes…!”
Erika answered strongly, then added,
“I’ll make sure Bonpiju understands so that she doesn’t make another mistake.”
At those words, Bonpiju shot her a brief glare—“How dare you.”
But the fact remained: she had been spared twice thanks to the girl. So she held her tongue.
Besides, the disapproving glares of everyone present were already starting to wear her down.
Biting her lip and lowering her gaze, Bonpiju began to straighten her disheveled clothing.
Still on her knees, Erika bowed her head over and over again.
“Thank you, my lord.”
Ahem.
Sebastian cleared his throat, discomfort evident in the sound.
After clicking his tongue softly, he spoke again.
“Enough of that. Now, more importantly…”
