Being Loved for the First Time Chapter 8

At that moment, I also realized that armed men were converging nearby.

 

I was still young, so the range in which I could sense people’s presences was limited.

 

“That’s him!”

 

“The youngest princess is over there!”

 

Hearing the knights chasing him, the man had no choice but to run before he’d even caught his breath.

 

“W-why are they chasing me so fast?! It hasn’t even been that long since I left the mansion—!”

 

“How dare you speak in that filthy voice here?”

 

With those words, the boy swung the scabbard in his other hand fiercely at the man.

 

He looked very young, yet his movements were remarkably skilled for his age.

 

‘He seems to be about the same age as my brother.’

 

No, this wasn’t the time to be admiring him.

 

No matter how strong he was, a child was still a child. Given their difference in size, I knew there was a chance things could become dangerous.

 

‘If it comes down to it, I’ll protect him.’

 

Just hearing the knights approaching from behind was enough to tell me that this boy wasn’t my enemy.

 

“If you don’t want to lose a body part, put the young lady down quietly.”

 

“I-I can’t do that. I-I have my reasons…!”

 

“If you try to make excuses for such a trivial reason, I’ll really cut you down.”

 

What a frightening way for a little kid to talk.

 

But judging from his movements a moment ago, it wasn’t empty boasting.

 

Even the way he held his sword was extremely steady.

 

And besides….

 

‘This kid has magical power.’

 

Quite an enormous amount, too.

 

Naturally, it was little compared to the power I’d accumulated over two thousand years, but with effort, he might even reach the level of a great mage.

 

And that wasn’t the only thing bothering me, either—

 

“P-please overlook this just once. I’m desperate too!”

 

Before I could examine him any further, the man carrying me turned and began running.

 

‘Idiot.’

 

Turning your back on an armed opponent—even a child—with knights chasing behind you was practically asking to be killed.

 

Whack—!

 

Fortunately, the boy generously struck the man’s shin with his sheathed sword rather than cutting him.

 

“Guh—”

 

The impact made the man lose his balance and pitch forward.

 

Naturally, I assumed I would crash face-first into the ground as well.

 

But the boy moved faster.

 

With a horrified expression, he caught me and held me tightly.

 

“I’m sorry, baby.”

 

He even apologized, as though he’d been careless.

 

The boy was so busy checking whether I’d been hurt that he was a little slow to notice the fallen man lunging at us.

 

“Your Ladyship!”

 

“Young Grand Duke!”

 

The pursuing knights cried out in horror.

 

However, the disaster they feared never occurred.

 

“Hup!”

 

Because just before the man could fall onto us, he toppled backward as though he’d fainted.

 

“Cough, cough.”

 

Instead, I had to endure pain that felt as though my lungs were being crushed.

 

‘As I thought, it’s not easy to use my power properly in this body yet.’

 

When the boy gripped his sword to confront the man, I had quickly drawn up my internal energy.

 

For knocking someone unconscious, this was more effective than magic.

 

‘Although I’m probably going to be sick for a while.’

 

This was why using power in this body was so troublesome.

 

“B-baby? Are you frightened? Cold?”

 

When I kept coughing, the boy panicked, not knowing what to do.

 

Even though he’d remained so calm in front of the man.

 

He struggled to pull his outer garment tightly around me.

 

“It’s all right, it’s all right. Don’t be scared.”

 

His attempts at comforting me were clumsy, but I could feel his sincerity.

 

When one of the pursuing knights offered to take me, the boy refused and kept me hugged to his chest like a precious treasure.

 

“Anastasia! Mikhail!”

 

That was when reinforcements arrived for both of us.

 

“Why are you so late, Damian?”

 

“I’m sorry. And thank you….”

 

The one who arrived a step late was none other than my brother.

 

The knights subdued and bound the man, then formed a circle around us.

 

The boy scolded my brother for being late, but I could tell how hard he’d tried.

 

My brother’s usually tidy hair was soaked in sweat and falling out of place from how frantically he’d run around in worry.

 

That wasn’t all. His eyes were moist, too.

 

‘…I didn’t know he’d worry this much in such a short time.’

 

My brother took me from the boy’s arms and patted me.

 

“Our Anastasia, you must have been scared. I’m sorry your big brother was late.”

 

‘I wasn’t scared…. I was just planning to raid their hideout….’

 

The hands of the brother who was asking whether I’d been frightened were trembling themselves.

 

“It’s all right. Big brother is here now.”

 

He looked ready to burst into tears.

 

My brother, who as a child had always seemed the very embodiment of calm and composure.

 

I couldn’t help reflecting on my own actions.

 

‘Just a few days… No. I suppose it wasn’t that simple.’

 

I’d thought a few days would pass in no time.

 

From what the man had said, I clearly hadn’t been away from the mansion for long.

 

But merely looking at my young brother’s face—or even the ducal knights behind him—told me how worried they had all been.

 

For my brother’s sake, I deliberately whimpered a little.

 

Somehow, I felt that seeing me show no signs of surprise would only worry him more.

 

“There, there, Anastasia. Everything’s all right now.”

 

He sounded more relieved than when I had remained silent.

 

‘…I really don’t understand, do I?’

 

What family was like, and… that coming back safely wasn’t everything.

 

I really didn’t want people who treated me well to worry or grieve.

 

It was enough for me to bear such feelings alone and overcome them.

 

After soothing me, my brother finally let out a shallow sigh and turned toward the captured man.

 

“Y-young master, p-please show mercy.”

 

Perhaps because I was safe in my brother’s arms, I began to grow drowsy as a fever crept over me. Even so, I thought my brother might hand down a lenient punishment, as kind as he usually was.

 

But then.

 

“Take him away. Investigate him thoroughly until Father returns.”

 

“Yes, Master Damian!”

 

“Y-young master! I-I was wrong, I’m sorry!”

 

Even as my consciousness grew hazy, his words surprised me.

 

I’d never realized, since he was always so gentle with his family.

 

No, he was so kind even to the servants that everyone praised him.

 

‘My brother really is… Father’s son, after all.’

 

That was the last thought I had before losing consciousness.

 

***

 

When I opened my eyes, I saw my parents’ worried faces.

 

How long had I been asleep?

 

To think using just that much power had caused me to pass out….

 

I wanted to sigh.

 

The backlash had been worse because I’d used it without preparation, but still….

 

“Anastasia, our baby. You must have been so frightened.”

 

“Daddy should have stayed home, too. Why did I bother obeying His Majesty’s orders? They weren’t important at all.”

 

No, they *were* important, Father. You’re a duke.

 

Getting on the royal family’s bad side would only cause trouble.

 

In any case, my parents hugged me tightly and kept patting me, seeming more shaken than I was.

 

“Our Anastasia, your body must feel so hot, doesn’t it? You’ll get better soon.”

 

“I’m sorry, Anastasia. Daddy’s so sorry.”

 

Hearing their voices grow wet with tears, I reflected on my actions for the second time.

 

Even the hands patting me carried tension and worry unlike their usual touch.

 

‘I really… want to grow up quickly.’

 

Then I’d give them fewer reasons to worry like this.

 

I didn’t want to hurt these rare people who showed me kindness.

 

‘So I really need to grow up….’

 

Once my body became strong enough, I could even leave a duplicate behind while I went out, so they wouldn’t have to worry.

 

That much couldn’t be helped.

 

As long as I was myself.

 

‘…If I see a way to prevent danger, I won’t be able to just sit still.’

 

So, held in my parents’ arms, I hoped I’d soon be able to use my power as freely as I wanted.

 

I let out a small whimper as though to comfort them—or perhaps because it truly came from my heart.

 

***

 

The story behind my attempted kidnapping was terribly commonplace.

 

Their son had caused trouble and accumulated an enormous gambling debt.

 

‘No mastermind, just a simple kidnapping…?’

 

It was a sum that the two mansion servants involved couldn’t afford, even after using all the money they’d saved through years of fairly diligent work.

 

Then, seeing my parents hold an enormous party for me and give bonuses to their servants, they’d conceived a foolish idea.

 

They would kidnap me just once, collect the money, and quietly return me afterward.

 

Being servants, they knew their colleagues’ schedules and routines. They had even managed to smuggle me out of the mansion disguised as a bundle of luggage, pretending to leave on holiday.

 

After suffering a few broken bones, the two were expelled from the ducal residence.

 

Without severance pay or letters of recommendation.

 

My parents had apparently been rather lenient because the attempt had failed.

 

“If they had truly succeeded in kidnapping our youngest, I would have taken their lives with my own hands.”

 

My father spoke in a savage, low growl.

 

“And the knights seem to have grown complacent, too, considering they couldn’t prevent something like this.”

 

Father ground his teeth and declared that he would have to train them properly.

 

Apparently, I’d only been kidnapped for about two hours.

 

Those poor knights. They were going to be worked to the bone right from the start of the new year.

 

Still, it was true that they hadn’t done their jobs properly.

 

My parents praised my brother for acting quickly once the maid informed him of what had happened.

 

But my brother shook his head.

 

“I don’t deserve praise. If I’d been alone, I wouldn’t have arrived in time.”

 

He looked terribly upset.

 

He was relieved that the boy, Mikhail, had found me first, yet distressed that he himself had been late.

 

For days afterward, he looked dejected whenever he saw me.

 

In any case, after this incident, my parents made one decision.

 

“I thought they were a little too young, but now that this has happened, we’ll have to assign guard knights to the children as well.”

 

Up to that point, I thought it was a good decision.

 

Frankly, no matter whether someone kidnapped me or tried to kill me, I could escape any time. But the same wasn’t true of my brother and sister.

 

I’d only been chosen as their target because of the kidnappers’ paltry conscience.

 

They’d never considered my brother, and my sister was sick with a cold, so they’d carefully chosen me, in their own way.

 

‘I’m really glad I was the target. But there is no guarantee that any other enemies will only be after me.’

 

But, Father….

 

‘Isn’t assigning twenty knights to guard a single baby a bit excessive?’

 

I stared wearily at the knights lined up before me.