CHAPTER 1
“Raise him.”
The man, whose golden eyes gleamed like those of a black panther rather than a cat, spoke.
“What?”
“Raise him.”
The boy, who looked no older than ten, gazed up at me with sparkling eyes. He was like a miniature version of the man who had just spoken—words that sounded like an order, but somehow not quite an order.
From his jet-black hair to his sharp, feline-like eyes—no, from head to toe, he resembled him completely.
Almost like father and son?
“No, even if you say that…”
The man tilted his chin up as if he couldn’t understand what the problem was. I let out a long sigh before speaking.
“Duke, adopting a child requires a procedure. Above all, asking an unmarried noble lady to raise a child is the same as telling her to give up her future, isn’t it?”
“Is that the only problem?”
Ascal Modesto Artenbach.
The man before me was the head of the Artenbach Ducal family, one of the three houses that had left a mark on the founding of the Empire, and also the main character of the scandal that had once shaken the Empire—the scandal with Hegelia Tiedga, who was now the Crown Princess. They had been entangled in a certain relationship, but after breaking apart for some reason, countless rumors had spread.
‘There were rumors that they split because the Duke was impotent, and others that he had an illegitimate child.’
Because of that, the Artenbach household had long been the subject of gossip and tavern talk among the citizens. And the only reason the Duke remained unshaken despite all of that was because of his enormous wealth.
A tourist site where hot water spouted all year round, trophies gained from hunting beasts, the Artenbach Bank, and profits from trade with foreign countries—all of these sustained his power and wealth.
That was the life of this man.
I had never attended a banquet at the imperial palace, so the only time I had seen him must have been in passing at some gathering I barely remembered.
Ah, and thanks to retaining the memories of my past life in the 21st century, I knew that this place was inside a book. I had once busied myself trying to figure out who the protagonist was, and who I was, but in the end, this world was simply another reality. Around the age of ten, I even thought maybe I was the protagonist—but that was just my imagination. Above all, my past life’s memories only made me more confused.
‘I was just given a new life.’
Things like possession and revenge only belonged in novels. The place I lived in was reality, and the dishonor of the Tiedga Empire, stained with war and scandal, was still ongoing.
‘And yet, I worked so hard for a peaceful life.’
At least, until I met the Duke and his miniature.
“In that case, I’ll give you a castle.”
Ignoring my turmoil, the Duke spoke as if making a firm decision.
The Artenbach Castle, massive and majestic like a cultural treasure.
But it meant nothing to me.
“If it’s a castle you mean, I can get one myself. I actually have more money than you think.”
Of course, that was a lie.
“Really? But the title of Artenbach cannot be bought with money.”
“What?”
“From today, you will be Schmidt Artenbach. Then you’re no longer an unmarried noble lady, so raising the child won’t be a problem.”
I pressed my throbbing forehead into my palm. So he hadn’t meant a building, but the family name?
“I’m not going to raise that child. And I’m not going to be the Duchess either.”
When I firmly rejected him with a serious face, the golden eyes of the ten-year-old boy grew wet.
“But… Mama…”
His lips, which had been tightly closed until now, slowly parted. I held my breath and watched him.
“You said you would find me a mama…”
“I said I’d find one for you. I never said I’d be her.”
Tears rolled down the plump cheeks of the boy.
“I want only you, Auntie.”
“Auntie…? Kid, I’m still in my twenties. If you must, call me ‘sister’ or ‘aunt,’ at least.”
“If I call you sister or aunt, will you be my mama then?”
“No.”
The boy’s hurt face twisted. I feared he would collapse onto the floor and burst into tears any second.
And that fear came true in another sense.
The Duke lowered his gaze to study the child, then turned to me with a grim expression.
“Take responsibility.”
“I don’t know how this conversation ended up like this, but I don’t intend to do anything—”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
A deafening cry echoed through the vast corridor, coming from the ten-year-old boy.
Whispers from the maids, who didn’t dare approach due to the strange tension, and the Duke’s crushing statement drove me mad.
“How dare you make the heir of the Ducal family cry. I can’t just let this go. The rest will be discussed later.”
The Duke snapped his fingers.
“Prepare a room for the lady so she can rest. Make sure she lacks nothing.”
“No, you should at least hear me out first—”
The maids quickly surrounded me, blocking my view. Swept away like a wave, I shouted as I watched the two figures receding.
“I’m never going to be a mama! This is kidnapping!”
The Duke covered the boy’s ears with his hands, as if to shield him from emotional harm. But the miniature Duke’s expression didn’t look hurt at all. Instead, he tilted one corner of his lips into a sly smile.
‘I’ve been tricked.’
Me, Schmidt Deli.
For the first time in 24 years since my reincarnation, I was swindled—by a ten-year-old brat.
Black Swan.
It refers to something that seems impossible but happens in reality.
And my office, Black Swan, was mainly visited by people who desperately wanted something or hoped something would happen. Of course, most of those wishes were things that money could solve.
“So, your daughter has to marry, but the other family is asking for too much dowry?”
“Yes. We live day to day, and…”
“There are two ways. Either Black Swan intervenes to lower the dowry demanded by the other family, or you entrust me with something of value and borrow money.”
“Something of value… I can’t think of anything suitable.”
I looked at the calloused hands of the blacksmith.
“May I suggest what that suitable thing could be?”
“What do you mean?”
I gave him a smile full of reassurance.
“There’s a person named Ranson at your forge, isn’t there?”
“Yes, but he’s my cherished apprentice. Why do you ask…?”
I knew it. That the one who handled the finishing touches of the forge’s products was Ranson—and I also knew the talent he was hiding.
“I will lend you the money for the dowry. In return, Ranson will stay at Black Swan until you repay the entire principal.”
“What? Why? He’s still just an apprentice.”
If this were modern times, you’d be getting warning letters from the labor department.
“You won’t be losing. At Black Swan, we’ll help Ranson improve his skills, and in the meantime, you can focus on being a father.”
This was what I had in mind from the moment the blacksmith made an appointment to visit Black Swan.
Ranson’s carving skills would shine if given just a little support. The important part was that no one knew he was buried here—and I was the one who could bring him into the light.
‘I can’t let that talent rot. And I definitely won’t let anyone else snatch him away.’
I grinned widely and flicked my fingers. At once, the secretary who had been standing like a statue by the door stepped forward and placed a sheet of paper before us.
“Normally, there would be interest, but Ranson will serve in place of the interest. You only need to repay the principal.”
An incredibly attractive deal. Come on, just accept it.
“I can’t decide right now. I must hear Ranson’s opinion too.”
Fair enough. I answered with a merciful smile.
“A contract for Ranson is included. Take it home, review it thoroughly, and make a careful decision.”
I slowly rose from my seat. I could feel the blacksmith’s eyes following me.
“That concludes our consultation. I hope to see you again.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
The blacksmith left with the contract clutched to his chest. I roughly pushed back the bangs falling into my eyes.
“That was the last client, right?”
“Yes, the last one, but…”
Anna, with her long brown hair tied back, answered cautiously.
When I was the head of Black Swan, she was the competent assistant who handled difficult tasks with ease. At the Deli Viscount family, she was the skilled exclusive maid.
“There’s a child outside, demanding to be let in.”
“A child?”
“Yes, about ten years old.”
“Give him a few pieces of bread and send him away.”
“I don’t think he came for bread.”
Children often visited Black Swan.
Some came in thin clothes, unable to survive the winter, shoes barely covering their toes, begging for food.
Others offered to work in exchange for shelter.
Naturally, I thought this child must be here for the same reason.
“So, the child came as a client?”
“Yes. He confidently asked to see you, the head.”
That piqued my curiosity a little.
“Really? Then let him in.”
Anna bowed and left, then soon returned with the child.
‘This kid doesn’t look like he belongs here at all.’
Glossy hair, fine clothes tailored to his size.
And above all, his expression carried a presence unlike the children you’d normally see on the streets.
As if he was someone you couldn’t refuse if he gave an order.
“Please, have a seat.”
I gestured toward the spot where the blacksmith had sat earlier. The boy slowly looked around before speaking.
“It looks dirty. I don’t want to sit here. Give me another chair.”
A chill ran from the top of my head down my spine. The way he calmly issued an order with bright, clear eyes gave me the feeling—
‘He’s a brat.’
I felt horrible realizing I was thinking this way about a child.
“If possible, I’d prefer a new chair. Not a low one, a tall one.”
This was a new type of brat I had never dealt with before.
“Haha, we don’t have a new chair, but I can offer you a fresh cushion. Will that do?”
“Regrettable, but I’ll accept.”
Endure it. He’s just a kid.
Anna, noticing my forced smile, quickly brought a cushion.
The boy reluctantly dusted it off several times before sitting down gracefully.
“Now then, could you tell me why you came here?”
The boy sat upright, his golden eyes fixed on me.
Meeting his gaze gave me a strange feeling—like I should remember something, but couldn’t quite place it.
“The reason I came here is…”
