The vassals, overwhelmed by the intimidating pressure weighing down on their shoulders, could not even lift their heads.
The dignity of the empire’s sole Sword Grand Master lived up to its name without question.
“She’s not just a child, she’s Lephonia. Lephonia Craytan. From what I know, surely her name has already been mentioned, but no one has really checked on her properly.”
Duke Craytan muttered as if he were grinding his teeth. Clenching his trembling fists, the blue veins standing out, he exhaled deeply.
“I agreed to this meeting because I hadn’t yet informed you about the birth of the new master. But if I had known in advance that you would speak to me as if I were a seven-year-old, I would have had you sent away immediately.”
“Your Grace, we spoke only out of reverence and loyalty. We all care deeply about the Craytan—”
“Anyone who dares speak lightly of the lady—”
Duke Craytan slammed the cold sword from his waist onto the table.
“Will pay the price.”
Death.
It meant only death awaited them. The vassals, sensing there was no room for mercy in the duke’s resolute tone, shut their mouths tightly.
At that moment.
Knock, knock.
A sharp knock echoed at the conference room door.
“I told you not to let anyone in.”
Duke Craytan, his irritation at its peak, furrowed his brow and spoke sharply.
Yet despite his angry command, the door creaked open.
“Are you all deaf? Didn’t I say not to let anyone in, ugh!”
The duke’s angry shout died in his throat as he caught sight of the person entering. He fell silent, swallowing the words he was about to say.
The vassals exchanged puzzled glances, tilting their heads in confusion.
“Dyuke.”
The tense atmosphere instantly softened, replaced by a gentle, warm voice that respectfully greeted him.
Everyone in the conference room turned their heads.
A child stood there, so striking, it was as if the late Duchess had come back to life.
The vassals exchanged glances, their eyes revealing the realization, this girl was the very same “Lephonia” the Duke had adopted.
Perhaps Duke Craytan had just made a sudden decision, or perhaps he had resolved from the start to respond with unwavering resolve.
Unable to hide their astonishment, the vassals looked at Lephonia with newfound reverence.
But Lephonia showed no sign of intimidation.
“Hmph. As expected, they’re all trying to test me.”
Receiving the vassals’ awed gazes with calm composure, Lephonia walked confidently to the Duke’s side.
“Phonia.”
Duke Craytan’s hardened expression grew even sterner.
Of course, Lephonia showed no sign of intimidation.
“Why are you here? I clearly told you not to come this way and to stay put.”
He hadn’t expected her to appear while he was scolding the vassals, and her sudden presence stirred his anger.
But Lephonia wasn’t about to miss this chance.
“Haa. No, never mind. We’re in the middle of a meeting—”
“Duke.”
Lephonia cut him off with a clear, unwavering voice and reached out her small hand, firmly grasping Duke Craytan’s large fingers.
The mere touch made the usually stoic Duke flinch, caught off guard like a man unprepared.
“So mush peeple I don’ know.”
Hey tongue. This is an important moment. Stay focused.
“I just want to be with you, Duke.”
Her words were sweet, yet her voice was dry and emotionless.
Duke Craytan stared down at the small hand tightly wrapped around his own.
Meanwhile, the vassals, unable to tolerate Lephonia’s boldness toward the Duke, glared at her with hostile eyes.
After a tense silence, the Duke finally spoke.
“You’re right. I was wrong.”
“Huh?”
“They don’t even bother to hide their malice when I’m here. I can only imagine how much worse it is when I’m not around.”
Duke Craytan withdrew his hand.
Then, gently lifting Lephonia with one hand, he sat her on his knee.
“Yes, Phonia, it’s safest and most reassuring for you to be by my side.”
Suddenly sitting on the Duke’s lap, Lephonia met the startled eyes of the vassals and blinked in surprise.
“Everyone, greet her.”
While patting Lephonia’s head as she sat on his lap, the Duke spoke.
It was his way of demanding they accept Lephonia.
‘Good.’
Lephonia clenched her fist tightly.
After searching everywhere and still unable to find the heirloom, the only person who knew its whereabouts was the Duke.
She had no strong reason to watch the Duke’s every move before, but with the vassals openly showing hostility and speaking with malicious intent, she now had a valid reason to do so.
By pretending to be scared and in need of someone trustworthy, she hoped the Duke would respond out of duty, or at least sympathy.
“Nice to meet you.”
Lephonia slowly turned to the vassals and greeted them, revealing her entire face.
There might come a day when they would remember her.
“I’m Lephonia Craytan.”
The vassals received her greeting solemnly, as if they had no choice but to acknowledge it.
As soon as the greetings were over, one of the attendants rose from his seat.
“I don’t think this is the right place to have a conversation in the Lady’s presence. Let’s continue later, Your Grace.”
It was a subtle way of saying that internal matters couldn’t be discussed with an outsider present.
The Duke, however, agreed that discussing such affairs in front of Lephonia wasn’t appropriate.
“Let everyone leave.”
Once they had gone, only the Duke and Lephonia remained in the conference room.
‘Can I get down now?’
It was the first time in her life that Lephonia had sat on someone’s lap, and she hesitated.
Since arriving at the mansion, she had eaten three full meals a day and two snacks. Because of that, she could even feel the weight she had gained.
‘I must be heavy.’
Lephonia squirmed slightly.
“Phonia.”
A gentle voice descended from above her head. As she turned her gaze, she met the Duke’s eyes.
“I heard you’ve been eating well lately—”
It sounded like he was about to ask how long she planned to sit there, so Lephonia quickly tried to get down. But the Duke gently held her in place, keeping her seated.
“Could there be a problem with the reports?”
Huh?
‘Does he mean I’m heavy?’
Duke Craytan tilted his head slightly, his expression one of genuine curiosity.
“I heard you’ve been eating well. Are you really eating properly?”
Lephonia swallowed her dry saliva.
“How much do you eat?”
He even followed up with another question, pushing further.
It was such a ridiculous question that Lephonia didn’t know how to respond.
What on earth was the purpose of this question?
Someone like a duke wouldn’t ask something without a reason.
Asking whether she was eating well, how much she was eating…
‘He must really think I’ve gotten heavy.’
She had indeed been eating well lately.
‘Is he saying that I’m eating too much and wasting food?’
Since nobles live in luxury, ingredients like food are limited resources. It might seem wasteful to use them on a child like her.
If not that…
‘Is he saying I’ve gained weight and I don’t look good anymore?’
Some nobles, even children, are taught from an early age to manage their weight and maintain proper proportions.
It must be one of those three possibilities…
“You’re too light, tsk.”
Too light? Was that sarcasm? Trying to dodge the question, Lephonia tilted her head slightly.
“Seeing that you’re not answering, it seems someone has indeed been lying in their reports.”
The expression on Duke Craytan’s face turned cold. The chilly aura he gave off made Lephonia flinch and avert her gaze.
“I eat weally well.”
Whether or not her pronunciation slipped didn’t matter right now. She just needed to give a proper answer.
Lephonia, not knowing why the Duke was suddenly so angry, quickly added.
“Really? How many times a day?”
Lephonia fidgeted with her fingers. She didn’t want to be scolded for eating too much, so she hesitated to answer. But when she did, the Duke’s eyes grew even colder.
“Three meals a day and two snacks in between.”
Her face flushed with guilt. She felt like she would regret it if she lied even once.
‘He’s going to scold me.’
Maybe he’d even hit her. Duke Craytan had large, firm hands. If he struck her five-year-old body, it would surely hurt terribly.
To avoid being hit, Lephonia tensed up, her body rigid and braced for impact.
But what followed wasn’t a slap. Instead, a stern voice cut through the tension.
“That’s not enough.”
“Huh?”
“When your brothers were your age, they ate four meals and two snacks a day. They even woke up at dawn because they were so hungry they raided the kitchen.”
Is that even a person? That’s practically a beast.
Lephonia swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue and reassessed the situation.
Was it because she seemed lacking compared to the two sturdy children? Or maybe he just hated seeing her look so weak.
Lephonia quickly spoke up.
“I emptie’ the duke’s food stowage an’ ate it all.”
“That’s excellent.”
Even though she had eaten her way through the storage, she was praised for it. The chilling energy that had lingered in the air faded considerably.
She couldn’t understand it, but for now, the hostility seemed to have disappeared. Lephonia let out a small sigh of relief.
“By the way, because you answered quickly, your original pronunciation slipped out.”
“Huh?”
“Phonia, at your age, it’s common to have trouble with speech. But you always seem so concerned about it.”
That’s because a short tongue’s pronunciation was embarrassing.
“Phonia. Even your second brother, Pellenz, didn’t start speaking clearly until he was five.”
That seemed too late to her.
Duke Craytan lifted Lephonia steadily into his arms and said,
“Back then, the scholars were very worried because it was so late, but now he speaks well and is healthy. When there’s a child who’s late, there’s always one who’s early too, so you don’t need to worry about that, Phonia.”
If it was the second brother…
“Is that the older brother who still hasn’t graduated from the academy after three years?”
“…Come to think of it, he might not be growing up well even now.”
Duke Craytan frowned.
“Anyway, just speak however you’re comfortable. I’ll handle what needs to be understood.”
There was no need to worry about being slower than others.
It was the first time she’d ever heard such words.
The Pope had always told her that falling behind meant certain death — that those who were slow would be left behind forever.
Everyone but herself was a competitor, an obstacle to be overcome. She had been taught never to let her guard down, never to show weakness.
But now…
‘This feels strange.’
Lephonia quietly looked at Duke Craytan.
He seemed to sense her gaze and looked down at her.
Their eyes met.
“Phonia.”
“Yes?”
“I heard you’ve been wandering around the mansion, haven’t you?”
It seemed he had received reports on everything related to the original Lephonia.
“It’s time you stopped wandering around.”
Comments (0)