Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The kids fixed the plumbing and patched the roof well, huh. I was worried, but I guess sending money regularly was worth it.

“…….”

But at that moment, a wave of melancholy washed over me. It hit harder when I realized that after I, the only adult, had left to make money, these young children had been pooling their strength to survive like this.

My siblings were still at an age that needed adult care. But our parents had left in an accident, abandoning these young kids. So suddenly, overnight.

The only mercy I could count was that their souls had risen whole to the sky, invisible to my eyes. At least they could await their next life in peace, unlike the grudge-laden spirits you see in Cuvershaiden.

‘Don’t you want to see us? Why did you have to go so fast?’

Of course, I knew it wasn’t something to resent them for. Still, my heart received it crookedly. Which only made it feel more bitter.

* * *

The Duke emerged after a simple wash. He was wearing the clothes I’d left for him. It was a shabbier set than what he usually wore, but even so, he still looked rather impressive in them.

Roti, who had been playing on my lap, spotted the duke and scurried over. She studied him for a moment, then wrapped both arms tight around one of his legs.

No. What’s gotten into her.

Flustered by Roti’s behavior, I grabbed her shoulder. Then I remembered—since she was tiny, she’d always clung to our father’s leg and played there. It seemed the sight of a grown man entering the house had triggered the same habit.

“Roti. Come here.”

I hurriedly pried Roti away from the duke. Her gesture was pitiful, but this kind of thing needed correcting.

“Laura. Is your sister all right?”

Once Roti had shuffled back, the duke looked at me and asked.

“Yes. According to Ren, she stuffed herself with bread and milk. She has a huge appetite. I think she just overate. I gave her medicine, and Lucia’s putting her to sleep in the room.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded and looked down at Roti again. But the child, still not fully detached from the duke’s leg, suddenly snapped her head up.

“Have dinner before you go!”

“Huh?”

“Dinner!”

Roti shouted. That made me automatically glance at the duke. I waited for his voice to refuse Roti’s offer.

“If it’s not inconvenient, please do. Duke. You brought my sister back; we can’t just send you off.”

Just then, Ren appeared from somewhere and cut in. Oddly, my second brother had been acting like he wanted to keep the duke here all along.

“It’s no inconvenience. In fact, I’m the one who dropped by unannounced.”

“Not at all. We’ll just prepare a little extra food, so don’t feel burdened.”

In response to Ren’s words, the duke turned to me without much comment. I worried about his busy schedule—him wrestling with piles of overdue documents back home. If so, I should send him off as soon as possible. But against that thought, something else slipped out of my mouth.

“Have dinner… before you go…”

“Then I suppose I will.”

The duke answered readily. And I found myself beaming, smiling without meaning to.

“Yes!”

Immediately, my mind started sketching a plausible dinner menu. It didn’t have to be as lavish as the ducal house, but decent enough to eat. Despite all that had happened, I wanted him to remember our home well.

Deciding I needed to buy groceries first, I hurriedly prepared to go outside and stepped out the door. But the duke followed me out.

“Are you going out too, Duke?”

“That’s the idea.”

“Without resting?”

“It’s been a while since I last went on an inspection outside. So I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

“I see. Then let’s go together.”

After that, we headed to the marketplace together.

“Our kids were a bit rude, weren’t they? I’m sorry.”

I walked beside him, matching his pace, and slowly opened my mouth about what had been bothering me for a while. Even I had to admit that the children of our House—barely clinging to the title of nobility—came off as rather impolite. Especially Roti, who kept raising her voice right in front of him, demanding he ‘Drink your tea!’ and ‘Eat your meal!’ Because of that, I half-thought I was about to pass out, clutching the back of my neck.

“After our House fell, we stopped teaching noble manners. We didn’t have the time or means. Honestly, I thought there was no need anymore…”

“A house with kids naturally gets that noisy.”

That was the kind of thing only the Duke of House Cuvershaiden could say. If he had been a typical high-ranking noble, my family might have gotten into serious trouble. In this society of social hierarchy, that was just how things worked.

“Is that so…?”

A mix of gratitude and embarrassment stirred inside me, making me feel like I might laugh for no reason. But I didn’t want to show that, so I bit my lip and stubbornly swallowed down the emotions that threatened to leak out.

After that, we kept walking along the road, and when we reached the marketplace, we stepped into the first bakery we spotted.

“Oh my! Laura! When did you get here? It’s been a while!”

The shop-owner lady spotted me and greeted me with exaggerated fussiness.

“Yes. Have you been well?”

“Oh, dear. I see. So you’ve come back from House Cuvershaiden. Didn’t I tell you? I said that master over there has a terrifying temper. They say he’s excessively harsh on his inferiors! It’s good you’re back. There are plenty of shops here looking to hire help now. Find a job and live with your siblings.”

She started pouring out words as if she’d been waiting for this. But there was no truth to it. And on top of that, the duke was standing right there beside me. The baker lady was unwittingly badmouthing him right to his face.

“Ah. No, that’s not it. I managed to take leave to come here. And the duke isn’t as terrifying as the rumors say. He’s a good person. Very, very good. Extremely so!”

Startled, I waved both my hands frantically.

Lady, no. Quiet! Ah, damn it! Why do situations that make me feel sorry toward the duke keep happening?!

Of course, the duke’s impression was a bit harsh. And if he couldn’t sleep, his temper even sharpened. That’s why anyone who met him for the first time wouldn’t exactly rate him as a good person. I used to be the same way at first.

But he’s actually quite kind and a fairly decent person. A little experience with him is enough to see that easily. So I felt that her low opinion of him was somewhat unfair.

“Oh my. Really?”

The lady reacted with a hint of puzzlement. But she quickly shook off that doubt and turned her gaze to the neat-looking man standing beside me.

“And who’s the young man who came with you?”

She clearly hadn’t put it together — that the man standing before her might be the Duke himself.

I scrambled through my thoughts, searching for the right answer.

The Duke you were just gossiping about, ma’am? Hmm… Would saying it like that work?

“I work with Laura at Cuvershaiden.”

But before I could settle on an answer, the Duke cut in and answered first.

“Ah, so you’re a colleague from there!”

“Oh. Yes. Yes!”

Superior fit better than colleague, but I just nodded. I wanted to wrap this conversation up fast — before anything else slipped out of her mouth.

“My, he’s handsome. What brings you all the way out here with Miss Laura?”

“I was worried about her walking back alone in the early morning. And Laura said she’d introduce me to her siblings, so I came along.”

“Ah, how nice. Seems Miss Laura met a good one out there.”

The ajumma rattled on in her teasing tone.

“Yes. A good person.”

And with that, I jumped in to defend him — for her sake, who thought the Duke was a bad man.

“Oh, is that so? Here. Let me throw in a few more fresh rolls.”

Thankfully she seemed satisfied with my answer, and for whatever reason, she pressed a few more bread rolls into my hand with a cheerful voice. After that, we bought everything we’d picked out and stepped out of the shop.

“…Your Grace. That — that rumor. I’ll set it right for you…”

I hesitated on the doorstep. The Duke didn’t look upset, but his default expression was just blank. Even he couldn’t just brush off something like that.

“I don’t understand why those rumors even started in the first place…”

“Don’t trouble yourself.”

He let out a short laugh and shook his head.

“But since there are rumors about me, how did you end up coming to Cuvershaiden?”

Then he turned to look at me.

“Well… It’s not like I didn’t care, but I needed a job more.”

“And now that you’ve seen me in person? Do the rumors hold up?”

“No. No. Of course not! His Grace is a decent man. If he weren’t, I wouldn’t still be at Cuvershaiden. And I did say I like it here, didn’t I? That I’ve met a lot of good people at Cuvershaiden. You’re one of them, Your Grace! When it comes to a job, meeting the right people to work with is everything!”

“I’m grateful for the kind evaluation.”

He strode out onto the street. His long silhouette blurred in the slanting light. It was bright — I squinted after him.

“I feel the same way. I’m satisfied with the present. Hearing your story, it suddenly dawns on me. Maybe it’s thanks to you. In a position like this, meeting the right people to work with is what really matters.”

His usual calm voice rang in my ears. A sudden emotion tickled its way up my throat. Lately, whenever I’m with him, I get these strange, out-of-the-blue feelings. What could be the cause?

“Let’s go, Laura.”

He took a few more steps out onto the street, then turned to look back at me.

“Ah. Yes… Yes!”

I hurriedly followed after him.