Chapter 7
“Have you seen Lord Mehen lately?”
Strangers’ kindness always feels strange.
“Must’ve done something stupid again.”
“What? What did she do?”
“Don’t know. Those people don’t even talk to the likes of us. We’re just guessing.”
In a way, that made this kind of atmosphere oddly comfortable.
“She probably passed out or locked herself in again. She only does that for attention.”
That’s not true.
She did faint and hole up, sure—but it wasn’t to get attention. Accusing someone like that…
How unfair.
“She’s just uneducated. The other noble young ladies are so refined and pretty. Why is the idiot like that?”
“It’s ‘cause she has no proper background. No one knows her mother’s lineage. She’s only barely functioning as a human being because of the Halbern blood in her.”
Just because you have a mouth doesn’t mean you should say anything that comes to mind.
Useless chatter scattered like dust.
“I feel bad for Lord Mehen.”
“Right? He should be in love and getting married at that age, not raising a kid.”
“What did Lord Mehen ever do to deserve this?”
“Is it a crime to serve the Grand Duke?”
Laughter faded into the distance.
“I can hear everything.”
Don’t they see the window’s open?
They were obviously trying to make sure I heard it all.
Even though I’m the master of the house, I’m still a child.
Weak and insignificant. Even my personality is timid. What power do I really have?
“People bad-mouth the king when he’s not around, after all.”
It felt like the side-eyes and subtle digs were getting worse. Or maybe I was imagining it.
‘Well, as long as they don’t target me directly, it doesn’t matter.’
Maybe it’s because of my past life, but I’m more used to hostility than kindness.
“She’s showing off again.”
“Just ‘cause she got some praise, now she’s acting high and mighty?”
“That’s not even her real skill. She just fakes it to look impressive.”
“Her mom probably paid her way up. Like she’s some once-in-a-generation genius. Yeah right.”
Compared to the time I practiced in the corner of the rehearsal room while hearing stuff like that, this was nothing.
Normally, people make friends while practicing or waiting backstage, but I had no such chance since I was always glued to my mom.
‘She really hated when I looked elsewhere.’
“Do you think they’re your friends? They’re just your competition.”
“So I’m alone here too.”
Being alone—I’m used to it.
So, it’s fine.
“Give me peace like a river.”
* * *
“……”
“……”
“……Hey, Lord Mehen?”
Yuni, the maid in charge of Arellin’s health, smiled like a painting as she looked at Mehen, who had been standing like a statue for hours.
‘If you’re going in, go in. If not, at least step aside.’
Mehen had been standing, staring at the firmly shut door for hours.
His aura was so intense that passing servants, butlers, and maids all scurried away in fear.
‘But I need to go in, Lord Mehen!’
It was time for Arellin to take her medicine.
No one knew who sent it or where it came from. Despite mobilizing the temple, the magic tower, and the medical guild, no one could name Arellin’s illness or relieve her symptoms. But the medicine she’d been receiving since infancy was different.
“Give it up. Not happening today.”
“Let’s just take it tomorrow. Don’t provoke him and back off.”
“Look at Lord Mehen’s scary face…”
“Who’s he planning to rough up today?”
Yuni trembled in frustration.
Meanwhile, Mehen had no idea what was happening around him. He was lost in a flood of thoughts as he stared at the door.
To be honest, he didn’t even know why he had come here.
He simply came to his senses and found himself standing in front of Arellin’s room.
Normally, he would’ve just gone in, said hello, and left.
“I’ll be good.”
If it weren’t for that memory.
“……”
His hand froze on the doorknob as if something was holding him back.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry.”
The antique door felt like the entrance to a dungeon, blocking him.
Yet turning back didn’t feel right either.
And that’s how Mehen ended up stuck like a totem pole in front of Arellin’s door.
“Damn it.”
Twitch!
At the unexpected curse slipping from his mouth, the maids and butlers slowly disappeared, sensing danger.
Mehen, still focused solely on the child beyond the door, didn’t notice any of it.
Arellin.
Arellin Sigria Halbern.
Daughter of his lord, and the baby he’d raised since she was very small.
Raising a child unprepared and without resolve was like boarding a train to hell.
Chaotic. Confusing.
Nothing made sense.
A mess.
Even after creating a childcare team to fully take over her care, he couldn’t fully detach himself.
Not that it was all bad.
“Mehe!”
When other kids learned to say “Mama” or “Dada,” Arellin called out Mehen’s name.
Her first word ever—was Mehen.
He couldn’t even describe what he felt then. It was a kind of emotion he had never experienced before.
“Damn you, Valère.”
Mehen muttered a curse against his lord, the Grand Duke of Halbern, and raised his head.
‘This is why I tried not to grow attached.’
He kept reminding himself that he was just a temporary guardian and tried to keep his distance.
Eventually, the Grand Duke would return and take over. Mehen would have to step away.
If they got attached, it would only hurt them both.
He drew lines, kept his boundaries.
“Mehen…”
He even avoided looking at her with those kinds of eyes.
He’d failed.
Spectacularly.
He had always known that attachment wasn’t something you could simply choose to avoid.
When he saw those eyes—empty, hollow, as if she’d given up on love and everything else—he was overwhelmed with feelings he couldn’t name.
“Answer me, you damn lord.”
Every communicator in the mansion was currently being used to contact the northern fortress.
“Your daughter needs you now!”
And still, Mehen couldn’t bring himself to turn the doorknob.
* * *
Crown Prince Pession was in an unusually good mood today.
He woke up early, nailed his morning training, and the food tasted better than ever.
Why?
Because today was the day!
The collection club meeting!
“Your Highness, your friends have arrived.”
“Yup! I’m coming!”
Pession always looked forward to hanging out with his friends, but today, he had been especially eager.
‘She’ll come today, right?’
He had even nagged Grium until he found out that Arellin was finally healthy enough to go for walks again.
“Hello, everyone!”
All the kids in the room turned toward Pession.
Then, in an instant—
“Huh?!”
He gasped, eyes wide.
‘She’s not here.’
Arellin was missing.
* * *
At that moment, Arellin was taking her medicine.
“Ugh, bitter.”
The medicine helped suppress her unpredictable seizures and violent outbursts, and slightly restored her health.
She’d been drinking it since infancy. It didn’t cure her, but it kept her from getting worse. So she took it religiously, even when she didn’t want to.
‘Without this, I’d be in serious pain.’
It was lucky the medicine existed at all.
Though today… it tasted even worse than usual. Probably just her imagination.
“But where’s Yuni?”
She glanced over at the unfamiliar maid in front of her.
“Huh?”
Normally, Yuni, her health maid, handled her medicine.
The maid today wasn’t a total stranger, but she was unfamiliar. That was expected—Arellin rarely saw anyone outside the childcare team.
Whether it was the house’s atmosphere or the power dynamics, Mehen had arranged it that way.
“Uh, well…”
The maid flinched, surprised by the question.
“Miss Yuni had to attend a meeting, so I came in her place.”
“A meeting?”
“Y-Yes…”
The way she trailed off was suspicious, but oh well.
It’s not like this had never happened before.
“I’m done.”
Having taken the medicine, Arellin waved her off. The maid looked oddly relieved but Arellin let it go.
Before she left, the maid cautiously asked:
“Um… do you know what’s going on with Lord Mehen lately?”
“Mehen?”
Why ask me that?
“What about him?”
“No one really knows why, but the mood around him is so scary right now that everyone’s nervous.”
This was news to her.
She hadn’t seen Mehen in a while—what had happened?
“No idea.”
“Ah… I see.”
The maid left, looking disappointed.
Come to think of it… wasn’t this the maid who always badmouthed me behind my back?
Called me a dumb idiot and such?
Now she’s all timid in front of me? How pathetic. Arellin simply waved her hand to dismiss her.
The maid made a sour face but left without protest.
The room returned to silence.
“Nice.”
She was alone again.
* * *
“I want to quit.”
Mehen had always wanted to resign, but today, the urge was especially strong.
The reason was simple.
“Grium, you didn’t lie to me, did you?”
“Grium, I trusted you. I’m so disappointed.”
“Grium, is this really the best you could do?”
Prince Pession had come back early from the playdate and immediately started chewing Grium out.
Where he learned to nag like that, no one knew—but it was an art form.
“I-I swear I got a clear confirmation. This isn’t my fault! I mean it!”
Under a storm of distrustful glares, Grium felt wronged.
What did I even do wrong?
He had painstakingly sent another letter to House Halbern and waited on pins and needles for the reply.
With a sigh, Grium suddenly realized the room had gone quiet.
And the culprit, as always, was Crown Prince Pession.
‘The silence is even scarier…’
The news that Lady Arellin hadn’t recovered yet hit hard.
Pession looked dead serious.
‘Was it my fault?’
Maybe telling her to run around last time had affected her more than he thought.
It was hard to believe someone could be that fragile, but this was Arellin.
‘If it’s her, I guess it makes sense.’
She was more delicate than a kitten.
‘Guess I won’t see her again.’
But he wanted to.
He didn’t know exactly why, but he really wanted to see Arellin again.
He recalled the image of her from the Halbern estate—staring quietly out the window.
“Am I really just stuck waiting…”
He tapped his foot, dreading the boring days ahead.
“Wait.”
Grium sensed danger.
“Your Highness?”
“I don’t have to wait, do I?”
“…Excuse me?”
“If Arellin can’t come to me, I’ll just go to her!”
“W-What?!”
Paying a sick visit—what a noble-sounding idea.
Besides, wasn’t he friends with Arellin now? Eureka! His eyes sparkled with joy.
“Let’s go!”
“Wha—?!”
“Get ready! If she can’t come, I’ll go! Yes, that’s it!”
“Wha—Huh? Your Highness?!”
“Come on, Grium!”
Crown Prince’s sudden burst of enthusiasm.
Grium suffered.
“Wait, Your Highness?!”
