After leaving the balcony with Elena, I found myself receiving everyone’s stares all at once.
For a brief moment, I indulged in the delusion that, well, my looks were a little outstanding… but unfortunately, that wasn’t the reason.
To begin with, the moment anyone stood beside Elena, they were guaranteed to turn into a squid by comparison.
‘They’re probably just curious about who I am.’
The star of the birthday celebration, who had worn an expressionless face throughout the banquet, had suddenly appeared with reddened eyes.
And if someone was standing beside her? Even a blind man might have regained his sight in that instant. That was how much curiosity it would stir.
‘And you lot should reflect on yourselves.’
Among those gazes were the three candidates for Elena’s future husband—no, the trio of idiots. Perhaps they had been eating just moments before, because there was food smeared around their mouths.
They were probably acting appropriately for nine-year-olds, but as someone who knew the original story, I couldn’t help feeling frustrated.
This was a chance to score massive points with Elena in her childhood, and they blew it? You guys deserve some suffering.
Of course, even as I thought that, my eyes were fixed on the floor. I simply couldn’t bring myself to meet the eyes of those three, who had inherited blue blood so deeply.
What if they picked a fight with me? That was something I didn’t even want to imagine.
After walking with Elena for a short while in my thoroughly shrunken mode, we somehow arrived before Duke Frozenheart. Seeing that Father was there as well, it seemed he had been conversing with the duke while I was with Elena.
The duke’s gaze turned toward Elena.
“Elena, where have you been?”
“I was getting some air on the balcony for a moment.”
“I was worried, was I not? From now on, at least tell someone before you go.”
“I’m sorry, Father.”
Elena politely folded her hands and bowed her head.
And with that, the situation came to an end. It would have been strange to remain by the duke’s side any longer, so Father and I exchanged brief farewells and moved on.
‘Can I finally eat now…?’
Since I had been born into a baron’s family, I had never gone hungry, but our meals were far removed from the lavish dishes served at a ducal banquet.
In the first place, what was a banquet! Wasn’t it about filling one’s stomach with delicious food and wine while chatting and having fun?
As a participant in the banquet, I too had the right to enjoy such luxury—
“Count Rodman, it is an honor to meet you. I am Luke Nineheart, the youngest son of Baron Nineheart.”
“Marquis Garan, it is an honor to…”
“Viscount Persia…”
A baron stood at the very bottom of the noble ranks. In other words, if there were people of higher status present, one had to go around greeting them.
I wondered what kind of absurdity this was, but in the noble world, where agitation and fabrication were everyday occurrences, this was something a baron absolutely had to do in order to survive.
The weakest of the noble world! And among them, the youngest son!
That was the position I currently occupied.
In the end, it was only after quite some time had passed that I finally put food into my mouth.
It was meat that seemed to have been braised in stew, and despite having cooled, it melted gently on my tongue.
‘High-ranking nobles got to eat this while it was still warm…?’
My stomach hurt terribly. So I ate until the pain went away.
Surprisingly, it was an effective method. Once my stomach felt full, my happiness index surpassed my displeasure.
‘A glass of cold water would be perfect right about now…’
That was when I was looking around. A large shadow fell over me, and a cup filled with water appeared before my eyes.
I didn’t know who it was, but at the very least, I should say thank—
Standing before me when I turned around was none other than Duke Frozenheart. Wearing a benevolent smile, he held out the cup of water in his hand.
“You seemed to want some water, so I brought it. Or did I perhaps misunderstand?”
“N-no, sir! I did want water! Thank you!”
I hurriedly accepted the cup. Then, covering it with one hand so he couldn’t see, I downed it in one go. As if I were accepting a drink from my superior at a company dinner.
Was this why habits were so frightening…?
“I’m glad it was of help.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Then, as thanks, may I ask you one thing?”
I didn’t need to hear it to know what question would come from him.
After all, there was only one reason why someone of ducal rank would seek out not a baron, but a baron’s child.
“What did you talk about with Elena?”
As expected. He was curious about what had happened on the balcony.
His daughter had returned with her eyes thoroughly red, so it was only natural for a father to react that way.
‘Should I tell him…?’
He was none other than the duke whom Father served. On top of that, I had even accepted the bribe known as cold water, so in truth, there was no choice.
Yes, under normal circumstances, that would have been the case.
“…I’m sorry. I cannot answer.”
It was a secret-friend contract I had worked hard to secure. I couldn’t hand it over so easily. I wasn’t someone who would be bought with something as trivial as cold water.
“Is there a reason you cannot tell me?”
“That is…”
“No, never mind. I asked an unnecessary question.”
After saying that, the duke immediately left my side.
I watched his back and let out a sigh of relief. I had already been wondering what excuse I should give if pressed further.
‘From here on, it’s something Elena and the duke will have to handle themselves.’
Still, if possible, I hoped it would be resolved well. That would be good for both Elena and me.
Time passed and passed, and before long, it was time to return home.
Before leaving, Father sought out the duke. I stood beside Father, and Elena stood beside the duke.
“Your Grace, it was an honor to be invited today.”
“I should be the one thanking you for coming such a long way. If an opportunity arises next time, let us share a cup of tea.”
“If you call for me, I will come running at any time.”
Father then greeted Elena and bowed politely.
And so my turn came. Like Father, I greeted the duke with proper courtesy.
When I turned my head slightly to the side, I saw Elena standing beside the duke. Her eyes, which had been red, seemed to have returned to normal now.
“My lady, once again, congratulations on your birthday.”
“Thank you.”
It was clearly the same answer as before, yet it felt completely different. Elena was no longer refusing conversation.
Unfortunately, there was no time left to talk.
“I will look forward to the day we meet again.”
I bowed my head politely in farewell. Then I began to walk away with Father.
Just like that, I took one step, two steps, and then the third.
“Goodbye…!”
Suddenly, a voice mixed with a faint tremor came from behind me.
I immediately turned toward her. Then I bowed my head once more in farewell.
At this rate, perhaps I had softened, even if only a little, the personality of the girl who would become vicious in the future.
Thinking that, I resumed the steps I had stopped.
It would only be much further in the future that I would learn Elena had secretly waved her hand while watching my back.
* * * * *
Elena Frozenheart. As soon as she returned to her room, she summoned a servant.
“Bring me the gift from Baron Nineheart’s family…!”
“Yes, I will prepare it at once.”
Baron Nineheart’s family—the family of Luke, her secret friend.
Someday, she would have to check the gifts sent by the other families as well, but it didn’t matter how long she put that off. If necessary, she could even tell the servants to open them.
But the one sent by her secret friend’s family was something she wanted to check herself.
She didn’t know the exact reason. She simply wanted to.
How much time had passed after the servant left the room?
“There are two gifts?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Two boxes were placed before Elena. One was of a moderate size, but the other was large enough to rival her upper body.
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Elena immediately dismissed the servant and opened the boxes.
‘Is this a brooch…?’
What came out of the moderately sized box was a brooch. It gave off a luxurious impression, as though it had been prepared with quite some care.
There was also a letter inside, written by Baron Nineheart.
Elena carefully placed them on the table and shifted her gaze to the remaining gift box.
‘The letter written by the baron only mentioned the brooch…?’
Elena’s curiosity soon turned into action.
She opened the box, and inside, she found a large teddy bear and a letter.
The person who had written the letter was…
‘Luke Nineheart.’
None other than her secret friend.
* * * * *
Several days had passed since the banquet.
‘By now, has she checked the gift? Or will it take a little longer because she received so many?’
I had personally given Elena a teddy bear. It was both a birthday congratulation and a kind of bribe. A bribe that meant, Please take good care of me from now on.
Though it might be a little lacking as a toy for a duke’s daughter, Elena would surely accept it happily. After all, there was no such thing in the world as a nine-year-old girl who hated teddy bears.
“Luke! Your mind is wandering elsewhere!”
Thwack!
While I was lost in thought, Father’s training wooden sword struck my side sharply.
It was an ordinary training wooden sword without even a trace of aura in it, but it was more than enough to snap a nine-year-old brat back to his senses.
Enduring the throbbing pain in my side, I raised my dirt-covered body.
Elena, this is better than Elena.
Long live the army, long live, long long—
‘Wait, I don’t think that’s right?’
It seemed the pain in my side was so severe that something had gone wrong with my head.
So, giving up on thinking, I was about to charge at Father when…
All of a sudden, the sight of a carriage in the distance made me stop of my own accord. The crest of Duke Frozenheart’s house was drawn large upon the carriage.
“F-Father, a carriage from Duke Frozenheart’s house has arrived!”
“You think you can deceive me with that tongue of yours! Not a chance!”
In the end, I had to take another blow from Father’s sword.
I’m dying of injustice here.