TIDSF 24

Chapter 24

“First, we need to do the most important thing.”

“The most important thing?”

“Yup.”

I glanced around the neatly organized room and perched on the bed.

“Introductions!”

I already knew a lot about Calix and Aiden, but honestly, they must be totally confused since they were dragged here by me.

“Introductions…? You and I… right now…?”

“It’s time, isn’t it?”

Flap, flap.

I waved a piece of paper.

“That’s right. Our daughter is absolutely correct.”

“Yup. If you’re curious about my identity? It’s only fair I explain! My name is Eve! I’m seven years old and the… no, the Duke!”

“Uh… is that so?”

Dad replied half-heartedly.

He looked like he was about to dig into his nose with that same bored expression as I shook the paper at him again.

“Clause 3 of the special terms. Provide adequate emotional support for the child’s emotional development.”

“…Daughter, that’s a lie, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Busted.

“Anyway, tell me the real reason. What do you want from a mercenary like me?”

I glanced at him and scratched my head.

Getting off the bed, I dragged a chair over to the table by the window.

After setting up three chairs, I gestured to one.

“You want us to sit?”

“Yes.”

Calix grabbed Aiden’s hand, glanced around warily, and then sat down cautiously.

I went into the pantry, stood on a small stool, and took down teacups.

Seeing the bottom of the tea tin, I put one cup back. Then I split the remaining leaves between two cups and poured water over them.

In this pitiful excuse for a house, there weren’t even fire magic stones, so unless I used the kitchen, hot water was impossible. That meant all I could offer was cold-steeped tea.

With my tiny hands, I could hardly do anything properly.

After fumbling around for a while, I finally completed two cups of tea.

I was just about to hop down from the stool when—

“What are you doing?”

Waaaah!

“You scared me! Can’t you make some noise before sneaking up on someone?!”

“Well, you told us to sit, but then you disappeared.”

“I had to serve tea!”

“Oh please, cold tea is fine. No need to be fancy.”

With that, he casually took the tray away.

“Why are there only two cups?”

“I ran out of tea leaves.”

“Didn’t you say you’re from a duke’s family?”

“You saw the estate on the way here.”

“Yeah, looks like a haunted house. Isn’t it scary at night?”

“It’s terrifying.”

“Right? Thought so.”

Dad plopped down lazily and pushed the cups toward Aiden and me with a chuckle.

“I’m not drinking it.”

“What? Why? You don’t need to give it up…”

“I was going to ask for cocoa later…”

The cocoa had been bought by Albus at the market the moment we had some extra cash.

Grumbling that I got the good stuff all for myself, Dad took the cup and downed it in one gulp.

‘He definitely needs manners training.’

Uncle—no, Grandpa would have to help with that.

“If you’ve got a hidden motive, just say it. I owe you one, so I’ll help if it’s not outrageous.”

“Hmm.”

I explained to Dad the current state of House Altard.

How much debt we had, how the retainers were managing to stay, and pretty much everything I had learned since waking up here.

“…So, you’re asking me to take on a duchy drowning in debt and creditors?”

“I told you I’d pay off the debt!”

Smack!

I slapped the table with my little hand.

“But there’s still billions left, right?”

“I told you, I have a way to repay it.”

“Yeah, you did say that.”

At my rebuttal, Dad opened and closed his mouth a few times before quickly backing off.

“But the real problem is the guys who scammed Grandpa.”

“The ones who tricked your grandpa into dealing drugs?”

“Yup. But I’m just a seven-year-old. There’s hardly anything I can do. No one takes me seriously, and Grandpa is really unwell.”

“…Then why me? Don’t you have strong retainers or something?”

Well, that’s because…

“Because you’re the strongest in the North!”

I gave him a big thumbs-up.

Dad let out a laugh.

“Daughter, you can’t just hand over a dukedom to a total stranger for that kind of reason…”

“It’s fine. Our family council is all dead, so there’s no one to oppose it.”

“……Huh?”

His gaze turned skeptical.

I took out a handkerchief and dabbed at my eyes. He let out a deep sigh.

“What about your grandfather?”

“He approved.”

“That’s ridiculous. What could he possibly trust me with? I could just steal all the money and run!”

I quietly looked at him.

He cleared his throat several times but didn’t retract what he said.

“Actually, our family has this guardian deity who appears in my dreams…”

I rubbed my eyes with the handkerchief. Of course, there weren’t any real tears.

“She always saves me in times of crisis. She’s the one who showed me where to find the jewels that helped us pay off some debt. This time too, she told me to make you the duke…”

“What are you even saying.”

Didn’t work.

Well, Evelyn Altard is only a powerful name to people of that era…

‘Dad is what, 29 now?’

He wouldn’t even have been born when I died.

I suddenly had a wave of existential crisis. I’m calling someone my dad who was technically just a cell when I died.

“Daughter, don’t mess around. Be honest.”

He scratched his messy hair and stared at me.

Of course, he couldn’t understand.

‘Guess I have no choice…’

I sighed.

“I know it’s hard to believe. I know this all sounds unreliable.”

But I had no other options. I couldn’t find any solution other than this man.

‘Especially with the upcoming chaos in the empire, Calix is the only right choice.’

That world-shattering event that made him the overpowered protagonist in the second part of the novel was about to occur.

And I couldn’t exactly say that I died 30 years ago and now inhabit the body of a dead descendant. Or that I’d seen this world’s future in a novel.

The best I could do was make a promise that I wouldn’t burden him if things went wrong.

“If by any chance something happens to the family—like we go completely bankrupt or face danger—I’ll make sure you and your son have a safe place to run to in another country, with money ready.”

“What…?”

“I swear on my life that I won’t let anything in your life go wrong. In ten years, I’ll give you so much wealth you could live in luxury forever, along with a mansion and a business in a place of your choice. We’ll also destroy the contract. We can add this in a separate contract if you want.”

I fidgeted with my hands.

Knowing he had no real interest in power or fame made me even more nervous.

“Your son can study at a good academy or education institution… If your mercenary companions want, I’ll hire them as soldiers. If they pass the knight exam by then, they’ll have a path to success. I’ll write recommendations too.”

“……”

Calix silently crossed his arms and looked at me.

I clasped my hands together.

“Do you really not want to…?”

Flinch.

“Is there really no way…?”

I lowered my head gloomily.

Twitch.

“Then I’ll go to war with my sick grandfather and fight monsters and attend meetings where everyone just mocks me for being a kid… and cry alone every night…”

“You… at least try shedding a tear while saying that.”

“I can’t help it if nothing comes out.”

The handkerchief I’d been dabbing with smelled faintly nice but remained dry.

“I seriously don’t know anything. I’ve long forgotten etiquette or academics.”

I knew that. He was the last descendant of a royal family that perished decades ago.

“Grandpa and I will help you.”

Dad groaned and let out a big sigh.

“Does it really have to be me?”

“Yes. Your salary would be around this much… and retirement bonus after 10 years about this much?”

I scribbled the numbers on paper and showed him.

“……”

Dad stared at the paper expressionlessly. Then suddenly, he stood up, knelt beside me on one knee, and grabbed my hands.