Chapter 9

‘Is it because of our family?’

Dylan said he was the blood of the Duke of Leschine. The downfall of the Duke of Leschine was caused by the Duke of Cabezo. It is known that no one survived. However, there were people who could not find their bodies because the Imperial Army attacked the residence of Duke Leschine and drowned during the battle.

If they had survived, they would have fled and scattered. It didn’t make sense to say that the father and son broke up in the process.

“Dylan was awkward with me and couldn’t even talk to me at first. If that was the case then I asked him to call me by my name if he was going to do that, and he’s been so excited since then calling me ‘Victoire, Victoire’.”

“Stop it, Victoire.”

“Look at that.”

Elisabeth looked at Dylan with her eyes wide open, deliberately surprised.

It’s like, ‘How can a…. beast like that….’. There was a look of criticism.

“Elisabeth, what’s that look in your eyes?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Elisabeth bowed her head. Victoire laughed out loud at how cute it looked.

‘He laughed again.’

Elisabeth looked up carefully at the smiling Victoire. It was purely good that someone was happy because of her.

‘Even my biological father didn’t laugh because of me.’

It was true that even if the man was someone who wanted to take advantage of her, she felt good.

‘Yeah, because good is good.’

Elisabeth ate dinner that evening without leaving any food behind.

Marian, who combed Elisabeth’s hair, was surprised to see that Elisabeth laughed alone and then became sullen.

‘Is she hurt somewhere?’

But whenever she smiled, she looked perfectly healthy.

‘Does it make your mind unstable when you’re in an unfamiliar place?’

Marian anxiously asked.

“What’s the matter, Miss?”

“Ah, no. No, nothing happened.”

Elisabeth answered with surprise.

‘How did you know something happened?’

Elisabeth was very embarrassed. She didn’t seem to know that Marian could read her expressions on her face.

‘Miss does not seem to want to talk.’

Marian seemed to feel sad for no reason.

Even so, Marian felt bitter that she still can’t open her heart even though she has been feeding and washing Elisabeth, taking care of her bed, washing her face in the morning, and doing her best.

‘She hasn’t gotten close to me yet, so it can’t be helped. She’s a shy little girl.’

“Your Grace laughed because of me today.”

Marian was stunned and stopped combing. Elisabeth looked up at Marian with her eyes full of joy.

‘His Grace laughed? Please hurry and ask me why.’

It seemed that was what the young eyes were urging so much that Marian held back her laughter as it was about to come out.

‘As expected, babies are babies. I can’t help it.’

“Why did His Grace laugh? He doesn’t look like he laughs.”

“I told His Grace that it’s nice to be on friendly terms with Dylan. So he laughed.”

“Really?”

Marian, who Elisabeth asked her with a thud, had asked Elisabeth back, was genuinely surprised at Elisabeth’s answer.

‘His Grace only laughed about it?’

I couldn’t believe it.

Victoire never laughed even when the business was very successful, or when the sarcastic nobles ended up talking to him one more time.

‘He didn’t even laugh when he reunited with his own son, who had been separated from him for about a decade.’

And you just laughed when she told you to get along with your own son?

“But I’m also worried about some things.”

All of a sudden, Elisabeth became glum.

“Pardon?”

Marian struggled to follow with the child’s mood swings.

“His Grace and Dylan are as cold as winter towards each other. I don’t think they’re usually close, but I’m worried that I might have made them feel more awkward.”

“Those two are always like that.”

Said Marian as if it was not a big deal.

“What? They always eat like that? Like enemies?”

“Hohoho. Enemies. It’s just a little awkward father-son relationship.”

If the father-son relationship was that awkward, the father-son relationship would soon be cut off.

“Besides, did you hear that today was exceptionally bright weather?”

“It was exceptionally bright? That can’t be right. It wasn’t that bad.”

“It’s because Miss doesn’t know those two well yet.”

Marian neatly explained.

‘That’s right. I don’t know much about those two men.’

And Damon, too.

But the three men knew very well about Elisabeth, or Emilie. They knew about her from their first unfortunate encounter which was strange.

‘How could he have shown up there?’

Just a step before being sold to a robber, Victoire and Damon appeared and saved her. Now that you think about it, it seems that they’ve been watching Elisabeth for a long time.

Something like a ‘premeditated approach.’

“Right, Miss. It’s all done. Now you can go to bed after eating evening snacks.”

Said Marian. Elisabeth, who was lost in thought, had eyes of a rabbit.

“I can have evening snacks again?”

“You’ve always had it. Refreshingly.”

“But I ate a lot of dinner today.”

“It’s just chocolate pudding. You can eat it all.”

Marian smiled brightly and brought the prepared snack.

‘Ha. You really think I’m a pig?’

“How is it, is it delicious?”

“Hmm?”

Elisabeth was surprised to see herself eating the pudding. A small hand held the spoon intently with its palm. It was absurd.

‘You’re getting used to this luxurious lifestyle.’

If it had been luxurious, the Duke would have been formidable, but she couldn’t feel it. Because the luxury didn’t exist for her. Rather, it felt like shackles to her.

Elisabeth asked naturally while she ate pudding.

“I heard His Grace and Dylan didn’t live together in the first place?”

“Did you hear from His Grace today?”

Marian’s expression grew strange.

‘Did you even talk about that?’

Elisabeth continued, pretending not to see the change in Marian’s expression.

“Yes. That’s why Dylan feels awkward with His Grace.”

“Young Master Dylan was not feeling well, so he was a little far away for recuperation.”

Elisabeth instinctively felt that Marian was telling a made-up story.

Elisabeth hid her innermost thoughts and asked again.

“Until when did he recuperate?”

“Until he’s about Miss’ age.”

“About the same age as me?”

“Yes, until 12. Master Dylan was small back then, but he’s already 16. He made his social debut this year. It was very successful.”

Marian twirled the story around.

‘Marian has a heavy mouth. It won’t be easy to figure out something.’

Marian couldn’t hide her all-knowing expression, but she defended herself with her mouth.

‘How did Victoire survive and give birth to Damon and Dylan?’

At the time of the disappearance of the Duke of Leschine, Victoire was young, too. Luckily, he was put on the list of dead people whose bodies were not found and fled, hiding his identity.

‘That’s how he lived the life of a fugitive, and then you gave birth to Damon and Dylan. It wasn’t possible for a fugitive to take Dylan with him, so he would have lived apart for a while.’

How could Victoire, who had to live apart from his children after losing everything, now reappear as Count Daughtry?

‘Did he sign a contract with the devil?’

The more I know about these men, the more I wonder. Their story was as deep and dark as a well with an unknown end. On the other hand, I felt sorry for him.

‘It must have been a tough life.’

My chest felt pricked.

‘If these people are really framed…’

Just imagining it made my head dizzy.

Is this what we call guilt?

Elisabeth did nothing. However, I felt guilty just because I was the blood of Cabezo.

‘How was it in my previous life?’

Elisabeth tried to recollect her memory. In her memory, Count Daughtry were a family of upstarts who appeared like a comet in the social world. People looked down on Count Daughtry, who went into central society by spending money. Even though they picked up the money and ate it.

And while cursing like that, once they meet Count Daughtry and the Young Daughtry, everyone would be overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the Daughtrys and fascinated by their looks.

‘Especially Polia.’

Polia adored the youngest Daughtry. To the point of almost losing one’s reason.

‘Daughtry, no, did the Leschines get their revenge after I died?’

Perhaps it would have been possible if Dylan had used Polia.

‘I don’t like that.’

Elisabeth felt bad when she imagined Dylan stuck with Polia.

‘Let’s stop thinking about that.’

Elisabeth buried herself in the bed. She did not want to think of neither Polia nor her father anymore.

Now she is Elisabeth Daughtry.

The Daughtry’s youngest daughter, Elisabeth Daughtry.

Elisabeth raised her head up and looked at Marian.

“It’s not too late, is it?”

“Don’t worry, Miss.”

Marian said with a big smile on her face. The smile was intended to reassure Elisabeth. However, the face of Elisabeth whom she just met was so cute that Marian herself unwittingly felt sincere without knowing.

‘I try not to laugh with all my heart, but I still smile when I see that round cheek.’

Elisabeth had a strange charm. So, even though that child was the blood of a cruel Cabezo, I wanted to take care of one more.

It would be fair to say that children usually don’t eat snacks. But Elisabeth would force herself to eat another bite.

‘Is it because she’s smaller and thinner than her peers?’

Early in the morning, Marian’s chest tickled as the cute girl looked nervously and desperately at her with her swollen baby face.

In addition, Elisabeth, with a large ribbon on her head, looked like a small doll.

Elisabeth looked into the mirror filled with anxiety.

‘It looks like a clown with a ribbon on it, but it can’t be helped. I can get along well here if I can look good to the Daughtrys.’

Elisabeth took Marian’s hand and walked out of the room. Her gentle steps were heading towards Victoire’s office.

For God’s sake, hoping that this is a good idea, Elisabeth’s hand carefully pushed the office door.

“Your Grace?”

A soft voice was heard. Victoire, who was organizing the documents, raised his head. Through the crack in the door, a cute little girl appeared.

“Elisa…”

Victoire couldn’t make out a word. The first thing that came into his eyes was a large moving ribbon.

Soon, he saw Elisabeth with a red ribbon. A small and lovely child walked towards him with her short legs like a doll.

“You’re still here! I was nervous because I thought you would leave early just like yesterday.”

These days, Elisabeth hasn’t missed a morning greeting to Victoire. However, Elisabeth overslept and missed this morning’s greeting. It’s been on her mind the whole time.

“Who did that to your head?”

“It looks weird?”

Elisabeth asked sullenly.

“Something like that.”

Victoire said seriously.