Chapter 18
Adoption.
A legal act by which adoptive parents and adopted children are recognized as having the same relationship as biological parents and their children.
The reason I brought this up here was to carry out my goal:
3. Recruit the male lead of Part 2 to my side.
Because seriously, what could a seven-year-old duke in a child’s body possibly do?
Even physically, I looked barely five years old.
Would anyone even take me seriously at meetings?
Of course not—I’d be completely ignored because of my age.
And did I have overwhelming charisma or strength to overcome that?
Not at all.
“Though, unexpectedly, I did get some buff retainers…”
But that alone wasn’t enough.
My uncle needed to retire completely from the frontlines for the sake of his health.
That’s when I thought of an adoptive father.
I needed someone to handle the duke’s duties in my place.
Someone who would officially become the duke.
Someone who could temporarily be my father.
And someone who could fight wars in my stead.
I lifted my head with sparkling eyes.
“Adoption… what are you talking about?”
My uncle’s voice had turned a bit serious.
“I need someone to be my dad.”
“Don’t tell me… you’re feeling lonely? If that’s the case…”
“Nooo… Eve can’t do things alone, and there’s too much to handle…”
Yes, too much to handle.
That was the real issue.
The Altard duchy was still a prime target. People were just waiting to suck the last drop of blood from its dry bones.
That’s why debt was piling up from all sides under the guise of “interest.”
Especially from the Count of Rüdeng.
Those bastards sold medicine to my uncle, pretending to care for the little duke, all while sucking him dry to the bone.
I couldn’t tell my uncle. Not even Albus.
Because I knew they were clinging to the edge of hope like drowning men grasping at straws.
My uncle had always been clever, and Albus was sharp.
Did they want to believe those lies?
No. But they had no choice.
If my uncle died, I was all that remained. Just the ignorant, immature Eve Altard.
“I’ll use this as evidence later—after the domain war.”
Once my uncle’s health recovered a bit more.
Oh right, in the Empire, if there’s significant cause, a territorial war can be initiated between nobles.
I had absolutely no intention of letting the Count of Rüdeng’s deeds slide. Once we paid off all the family’s debt, I planned to sue those bastards for extorting outrageous interest.
For that, I needed someone who could stand their ground in both words and presence.
And luckily, I had just the right person in mind.
The timing was perfect too!
“By now, that guy should be in Rogas.”
The male lead of Part 2 from the novel Arpedis.
The epitome of a “munchkin” (overpowered) character.
An invincible man who conquers the world with his fists!
And although it wasn’t revealed yet, he had the perfect lineage, too.
“So, um…”
I trailed off.
“I need someone to become the duke instead of me and beat up all the people who messed with us.”
My words made my uncle pause.
I gazed up at him with clear, innocent eyes.
Seeing his doubtful expression, I smiled sweetly with a naïve face.
“…That’s what the pretty lady in my dream told me! A pretty lady with pink hair and green eyes.”
“…Evelyn.”
When that name came up, my uncle looked at me strangely and then slowly pressed his palm to his eyelids.
It was his habit.
Whenever he felt like crying, or wanted to hide his emotions, he would cover his eyes with his hand.
“What do you mean, a dream?” asked Cherban, watching carefully.
“Oh, sometimes a pretty lady with pink hair and green eyes appears in my dreams and tells me stuff. She has a beauty mark under her right eye and super pale skin. She even told me where the diamond was!”
“…Could it be… Lady Evelyn?”
“I dunno. She just talks and then disappears!”
“…Sigh. That poor young lady must have been so full of regret that even in death she couldn’t rest peacefully…”
Rest? Pfft.
She’s still alive, pulsating with rage right in front of you.
“It’s all been for the good of the family so far, Grandpa!”
“…Yes. Let’s say it’s fate that she’s appearing to you.”
My uncle patted my head.
“When I look at you, I feel like… Evelyn has come back to life. She used to say ridiculous things with the same confident eyes.”
Gulp.
Well… maybe not that ridiculous?
“But she was always right.”
Mmm-hmm. That’s true.
I nodded proudly.
“No, not always. Think about the trouble she caused. Her temper was just…”
“…Yeah. Not always.”
Cherban’s comment made Uncle flip his palm in reluctant agreement.
Ugh, has he become this wishy-washy while I wasn’t looking?
My uncle gently caressed my cheek and spoke again.
“I believe in you.”
Huh?
That was easier than expected.
I had prepared tons of reasons to convince him and was even ready to throw a tantrum if needed…
“What just happened?”
Was Evelyn Altard still this powerful even now?
I rolled my eyes suspiciously.
“Feels fishy… but whatever.”
He gave his permission, so that’s enough, right?
“It’s not a complete lie anyway…”
Considering how immature Eve had been until now, things wrapped up surprisingly easily.
But really, how mature could a child who was neglected and abused have become?
Still, I had no right to complain.
“Yes!”
I responded with a bright smile.
* * *
The “New Dad Adoption Project” went into action a few days later.
The returning retainers were buried in paperwork.
Cherban, who had stayed a few days to assess the mansion’s situation, headed back to the Winter Mountains with the knight captain to bring back the remaining retainers.
“It’ll probably take at least a month before things return to normal.”
I was starting to get sick of Krutan soup.
I set off toward the capital of Rogas—Ross.
Determined, I slung a small bag over my shoulder and safely left!
“……”
There wasn’t a single guard on my way out of the estate.
Damn it…
That’s not all—there wasn’t even a carriage, so I had to walk!
Sure, we had horses. If I could ride one, that would’ve been fine.
But I was a child. I couldn’t ride a horse.
ARGHHH!!
“On the way back, I must buy a carriage.”
With that resolve, I made sure to tuck money into my inner pocket.
“Even a cheap pre-made one would do.”
Anyway, it took me three whole hours on foot from the manor to Ross.
“My legs… are gonna fall off…”
So exhausting.
As expected of a place nicknamed the “abandoned land,” the streets were filled with beggars and shabby mercenaries.
Even though I wore a robe, no one paid attention to a child wandering around.
Unlike the south, life here was rough.
The people living in Rogas were mostly:
— born here but too poor to leave,
— had some reason to live out of sight,
— or survived through various mercenary jobs.
Naturally, only people like that lived here.
I headed straight for the biggest tavern and inn in Ross.
This was where the male lead of Part 2 first appeared.
“Is this the place?”
As soon as I stepped into the shabby building, all eyes turned to me.
Even in a dump like Rogas, it seemed unusual for a child to walk into a bar.
Ignoring the stares, I looked around.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long to find the person I was looking for.
Dusty silver-gray hair.
Crimson eyes.
Slightly tan skin and thick muscles.
Deep dark circles under his eyes.
A man in ragged clothes was drinking with a group of mercenaries.
“Found him!”
