Chapter 17
‘Worrying. This is really worrying.’
She needs to eat well, but she keeps falling asleep and hasn’t been able to eat properly.
It’s only the second day since we arrived at the Grand Duchy of Leandro, but still…
I looked down at Belloa, who had nestled her face in my arms and was sound asleep.
‘I just hope she can shed at least some of the painful memories like this.’
Sleep won’t erase everything, of course, but even just a little…
If she can lighten her burden even a bit, it’ll be easier for Belloa to stand on her own when the time comes.
“Until our Belloa is strong enough to stand tall, I’ll stay by your side and protect you.”
I whispered softly, gently tightening my arms around the sleeping girl.
As if she had heard me, Belloa smiled faintly in her sleep.
How adorable.
‘Alright. Let’s go.’
Still holding Belloa close, I flung the door open.
“Oh my, I was just about to knock. What perfect timing.”
A woman I didn’t recognize stood in front of me.
A middle-aged woman I had never seen before smiled brightly.
“You must be Miss Ermia Tekins?”
“Yes, I am. And you are…?”
I asked, and the unfamiliar middle-aged woman smiled with her eyes.
“I am Diani Preston. I’m the wife of Norar Preston, Count of Preston and uncle to the Grand Duke Leandro.”
“Ah—”
Snap!
Before I could finish, Diani snapped open her fan and ran her eyes up and down over me.
“So, you’re the young lady engaged to our nephew?”
Our eyes met, and she smiled with curled lips.
“As someone older, I came to teach the proper etiquette of the Leandro Grand Duchy to the young lady who has just entered the household.”
The countess fluttered her fan.
“Please don’t take it personally if I sound harsh. It’s all for your own good, dear.”
I tilted my head slightly as I looked at Diani.
Now, how should I blow this one away?
Meanwhile
“L-Lord Count! We have a problem!”
“What is it now?”
Count Preston, half sunk into his armchair and leisurely sipping wine, lifted his head lazily to look at his subordinate.
Late at night, the man had run in, gasping. Preston’s expression was full of irritation.
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me at this hour?”
“You did, sir.”
The subordinate nodded repeatedly, wiping away his sweat.
“But I thought this needed your immediate attention.”
“What is it? If it’s something trivial, I’ll throw you out.”
Preston sank deeper into his chair and raised his glass again.
“It’s a letter. From the Grand Duke Leandro.”
Pfft!
The wine he had just sipped sprayed into the air. His subordinate grimaced in disgust.
Preston wiped his mouth quickly with his robe sleeve and barked,
“W-What? From whom did you say?”
“The Grand Duke Leandro sent a letter, sir.”
“Give it here!”
Preston snatched the letter from the man’s hands, not even bothering to find a paper knife—he tore the envelope open with frantic fingers.
The message inside was so short it could have been mistaken for a telegram.
**[Please come to the Grand Duchy tomorrow afternoon. I’ve found your sister’s child.
P.S. I’m considering an engagement.]**
“……!”
Just two lines.
But it was enough to make Count Preston clutch the back of his neck.
“What is this nonsense?”
His hand holding the letter trembled.
“What? Hilda’s brat?”
His eyes nearly popped out. Each sentence felt like a blow to the back of the head.
“What about my dear Faye?!”
His beloved grandson, the one he had planned to make Leandro’s adopted son someday.
Faye was about the same age as Hilda’s child, and with close blood ties—it should have been a perfect match!
“And now he wants to get engaged? Argh!”
Still clutching the back of his neck, Preston glared at his subordinate.
“You! Hey, you!”
He shook the letter in his hand.
“Do you know who it is? Do you even know who she is?!”
“Well…”
The subordinate hesitated before finally replying,
“Her name is… Ermia Tekins.”
“Huh?”
An unexpected response. Preston blinked.
“Ermia Tekins? You mean that useless girl from the Tekins family?”
People might know her as some infamous villainess, but Preston—who had ties with the Viscount Tekins—knew her real nature.
She was an idiot.
Born from the actual Count and Countess Tekins, but outdone by half-commoners who took everything from her.
A fool who couldn’t even secure her own inheritance.
Of course, that had worked in his favor—he’d taken advantage of her too.
But who hadn’t? Everyone did. He just played along.
Nothing wrong with that.
“Ha…”
In any case, Count Preston sank back into his chair with a sigh.
“So how did he meet her?”
“Well, according to the servant’s report, he encountered her while looking for Lady Hilda’s child. His Grace supposedly fell for her at first sight and brought her back to the mansion…”
“Tch!”
Preston clicked his tongue and poured himself more wine.
“He has no eye for women. None! A man must know how to judge women—like me!”
He grumbled for quite a while. The only thing that stopped him was when his subordinate finally asked,
“So, what should we do? Shall I send a reply declining the visit?”
“We’re going, of course!”
Bang! He slammed the glass down, face scrunching in fury.
“I have to go! I need to see if that brat really is Hilda’s child! And if not—we must kick them out of the Grand Duchy!”
“Understood, I’ll bring pen and paper.”
“Bah.”
Idiot.
Preston clicked his tongue again, watching his subordinate turn to leave. Honestly, he pitied himself for having such a dull-witted servant.
“Oh, right.”
The servant halted mid-step.
“Yes, sir?”
Preston took another sip and nodded.
“Everything’s fine, right?”
A vague question, but the subordinate understood.
He was asking whether the embezzlement and money laundering were still undetected—especially in areas linked to the Grand Duchy of Leandro.
“Yes,” the man replied, nodding.
“The reports were received, and there’s been no word. If you’re concerned, shall I send someone to double-check?”
“Hmm…”
Preston stroked his chin thoughtfully but waved a hand.
“No. If Tejer catches wind of something, I’ll be the one who gets in trouble. Let’s wait until I return from this visit.”
It had only been a few months since Tejer returned from the battlefield, but Preston was sure the man had already half figured out the embezzlement.
No need to give him more reason to dig.
‘This whole situation might even be a trap!’
But Preston wasn’t stupid enough to fall for such an obvious trap.
“Heh.”
Just as he was mentally praising his own brilliance, the door creaked open and someone entered.
“Darling, what are you doing?”
It was Countess Preston, his wife.
“Is something going on?”
She glanced at the subordinate leaving the room and asked.
“Diani! My love. Perfect timing. Come here.”
Preston gestured. As she approached, he smiled slyly.
“Let’s go together to the Grand Duchy of Leandro tomorrow.”
“The Grand Duchy?”
The Countess’s eyes lit up.
“So the foolish nephew is finally inviting us?”
