Chapter 20: CH 20

A man in a dark green tunic came into a dilapidated room. The man kicked what was lying on the floor and approached Jackson who was sitting on the floor with disbelief. Feeling his presence, Jackson raised his head and looked at the man standing in front of him.

“Who…?”

“Your brothers were taken to the police.”

Jackson’s bloodshot eyes were filled with tears at the stranger’s words. Then, with a lashing cry, he banged his fist on the floor. The man frowned loudly and covered his ears with his index finger.

“You’ve been living like a rat in a gutter, you must have been excited to have your first bite, don’t you?”

“What do you know…….”

Jackson stood up and stared at the man in front of him. His clenched fist shook. He looked so weak that the man almond laughed at him.

How can you be so weak?

Thinking that he would still be useful, the man lowered his hand and whispered.

“Mary Conler.”

“What?”

“The culprit who made you like this. Do you remember?”

The bloody black eyes came to his mind. She took Carol, his worker and handed over his younger siblings to the police. Now he’s the only one left here. Jackson’s eyes flashed with vengeance.

“You, who are you…….”

“The existence of the underworld that you wanted to enter.”

“……!”

“And someone who will help you with your revenge.”

“My revenge?”

“Mary Conler…… Let’s bring him into the underworld.”

***

“I have a lot of money.”

What, are you bragging to me that you have a lot of money? Hmm, you must be very happy.

“If you want, I can even buy you this doll shop.”

“…….”

“So don’t worry about the money you spend.”

The conversation he had with Lucas outside the store just now must have been about the concern I had with Lucas in the carriage.

Telling me that, isn’t this the best kindness the Grand Duke Estin has shown me?

When I thought about it, the temperature of his black eyes seemed to rise a little which made her feel good. If you think about it, our eyes are similar in color.

Well, it’s just a doll so I can’t refuse anymore, and it’s not polite to keep looking for a reason to refuse when he shows off his wealth to me.

I finally agreed with him. I opened my mouth after tormenting my lower lip with my teeth.

“……I want the cat doll.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t sleep without dolls…….”

In my hasty excuse, Grand Duke Estin looked at Lucas in the back as if he was wondering what the hell this was about. Lucas, who was listening silently from the back, responded in a bewildering way.

“You’ve slept well without dolls”

……If you just let it slide, it’s going to get worse.

Lucas, who laughed low when I glared, added.

“Well, now that I think about it, I think you were tossing and turning a little…….”

As if he knew it roughly, Grand Duke Estin stood up with a cat doll in his hand that I had been fiddling with. He went to the cashier, paid for the doll, and came to me and handed me the doll.  I received the doll handed by the Grand Duke Estin and held it preciously in my arms.

“T, thank you…….”

“It’s only one doll.”

As if it were nothing, I hurried along with the Grand Duke Estin, who left the store. I felt good because the doll’s touch in my arms felt so soft, so I hugged it more tightly. I guess that’s why they call it an attachment doll.

The doll in my arms feels like it’s melting, it made me feel better so my  footsteps became lighter as I walked.

“Do you like the doll?”

“Yes!”

“What’s its name?”

Hestia, who was looking at me with a friendly eye, asked for the doll’s name.

I held the doll’s torso in my hands and looked at the doll’s yellow eyes and thought for a moment.

Name, name, name.

It’s awkward to give it a name…… What should I name it?

As I looked at the doll and was deeply troubled, Grand Duke Estin and Lucas, who were walking ahead, came back to Hestia and me.

“The lady is thinking of a name for the doll.”

“Oh, the name is important.”

Oh, my dear. I can’t believe I’m naming it in front of the person who bought it for me.

Since it’s a cat doll, can’t I just name it “Meow”? As expected, it would seem so insincere. Kitty? But it’s a nickname that Lucas sometimes calls me, so it’s kind of weird……. There was a name that crossed my mind while I was contemplating enough to make a sound.

“Nero!”

As expected, the black cat is Nero!

“Is Nero her name?”

“That’s a nice name. I think it’s the name of one of the Gods in a Myth.”

“Lucas knows mythology. That’s quite surprising.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Nero is the god of earth.”

“Oh, right.”

“I didn’t know it was God’s name.”

Come to think of it, I don’t know much about the culture of this world.… I thought I should go and study. Anyway, I have to live in this world.

Thinking about that, I heard Hestia and Lucas arguing with each other, and I laughed a little because they were cute.

I blinked my eyes quietly and laughed, and then turned my eyes, Grand Duke Estin was looking at me, so I gasped.

“……You look alike.”

……what?

“That’s true.”

What?

“You look exactly like the doll.”

When Hestia stopped arguing with Lucas, Grand Duke Estin and Lucas said I looked like Nero.

Is it because I have cat eyes……?

I was actually more attached to the name, so I was happier to hear that she looked like me, so I gave more strength to the hand holding the doll.

“Oh.”

I was walking to the place where the carriage was parked when Lucas suddenly made a popping sound. Lucas came out with a troubled look and said to Grand Duke Estin.

“I forgot I had a little business with Hestia. Would you like to go back to the mansion first?”

“With me?”

“Well, you know what? Hestia.”

“Oh? Oh, oh, oh! That’s what happened. That’s right. Lucas and I met after a long time, so we have a lot of work to do. There are two carriages, so you can go home first.”

Why are you talking awkwardly like a new actor spitting out lines in a play?

They looked at each other and laughed, marionettes with strings seemed more natural than their gestures.

Well, I smell something stinky.

Wait, so it’s just me and Grand Duke Estin?

Even though he is my father, I’ve never been alone with him. My heart began to beat like crazy.

Is it possible to beat this fast?

Dad, please…… Say no. Please scold those two who are trying to devise a ridiculous scheme…….

“Let’s do that.”

But life doesn’t go my way. Grand Duke Estin accepted the suggestion as if he was deceived by their awkward performance.

Confused by his action, I just stared at him.

Oh, maybe going back to the mansion with the Grand Duke will be more awkward than their performance. I feel like my heart is going to pop out. What should I do?

“See you at the mansion!”

As I got into the carriage, Lucas and Hestia waved excitedly out of the window and saw us off.

I understand why Lucas did that, but why Hestia…… Did she have to do this during our first meeting?

Her first impression score was pretty good, but I deducted minus five points. As expected, the carriage was filled with breathtaking silence. Until the carriage left the city and the scenery of the countryside was seen, Grand Duke Estin was just looking out the window with his legs crossed and arms folded.

Was the road this long when I came here with Lucas?

As the air in the carriage was so quiet, I felt the noise of the carriage rattling louder than before.

What am I supposed to say? Is this social life?

I hugged Nero tightly and secretly sneaked a peek at Grand Duke Estin. He’s my father, but…… He looked so handsome from the side as if he were filled with sadness that I drooled without realizing it. It really seems like a creation made by the Creator with all his might.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Perhaps he felt my gaze, Grand Duke Estin spoke to me.

No, I don’t really have anything to say. I looked at him secretly, I didn’t know I’d get caught, that surprised me.  His eyes touched me, but I didn’t know what to say, so I looked away and hugged Nero tightly.

Hmm……. What should I say?

But he bought me a doll and told me that I could spend his money.

“Excuse me….”

Oh, my goodness.

My personality saying anything when faced with an awkward atmosphere was activated.

“Do you like dogs?”

“……not really.”

I thought I had to throw a topic, so I brought it up…… It was a dog story.

I asked because I thought I could get some information because the big dog I saw while playing with a ball in the garden kept bothering me. Suddenly, Grand Duke Estin, who was thinking for a while as if he didn’t know the intention of my question, came up with the answer.

Then the dog I saw back then…… As expected, it wasn’t the dog of the Conler family.

“Do you want to raise one?”

“Oh, no!”

“If you want something, you can be honest with me.”

“No, it’s not. It’s hard for me to take responsibility for something alive…… besides I already have Nero!”

In order to express that I really had no intention of raising a dog, I held out Nero that Grand Duke Estin bought for me earlier.

I can’t even take care of myself. What more a dog….

Not having a dog when you are not capable of taking care of it is one of the ways to love a dog.

Grand Duke Estin looked out the window again after my strong refusal.