Chapter 10

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 10

Chapter Title: I'll Marry Herwin!

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“Herwin... ughhh, I totally hate hiiiim...”

Her tearful grumbles, laced with resentment, showed no sign of stopping.

Birds, squirrels, rabbits, and the like—the mountain's inhabitants—all stared wide-eyed at the weeping Lucia. Then, in unison, their ears flicked backward.

Spotting something, the animals scattered in a panic.

Grrrrr...

A guttural growl rumbled from nearby. Lucia's sobs cut off as she whipped around.

“Wh-what...?”

Through her blurry vision, a massive brown shape loomed. Wiping her tears, she made it out.

“A-a wild dog?”

Closing in on her was a feral dog prowling the woods.

An adult might call it medium-large, but to eight-year-old Lucia, it was as terrifying as a wolf.

Woof! Woof! Grrrr!

“M-Mom... D-Dad...”

Her legs buckled, and Lucia collapsed to the ground. All she managed was scooting backward on her butt.

The dog bared its fangs, poised to tear into the child at any moment.

Even the drool splattering onto the grass sent chills down her spine.

Grrrr... Woof!

Lucia instinctively shielded her head with both arms and squeezed her eyes shut.

Yelp-yelp!

Suddenly, a pained yelp from the dog.

Peeking through slitted eyes, she saw the beast that had been inches from her face now sprawled on the ground.

“Get away from Lucia!”

“H-Herwin...!”

Panting hard from the direction she'd come, Herwin clutched a rock the size of his fist.

A large stone lay right where the dog had fallen.

Thwack!

Herwin hurled another rock at the wild dog. It dodged with agile reflexes.

“I said, get away from Lucia!”

This time, Herwin yanked the wooden sword from his belt.

As he charged with the blade raised high, the startled dog hesitated and backed off.

The instant it put distance between itself and Lucia, Herwin rushed to her side.

He regripped the sword and planted himself in front of her.

Lucia's tear-streaked blue eyes fixed on the back before her.

It was the slight frame of a child far from grown, yet it loomed as vast as her father Yohan's.

She couldn't tear her gaze from that small nape, black hair fluttering wildly.

The frightened dog, now convinced it could take them easily, bared its teeth again and pressed the two children.

Herwin swallowed hard in secret, never letting his guard slip.

It's okay. I can do this.

He hadn't learned swordplay just for show. Hadn't his father praised his talent?

Trusting in his skills, Herwin widened his red eyes and glared at the distant dog.

Woof!

The dog leaped high, fangs gleaming viciously.

Herwin showed no hesitation, raising his wooden sword.

Thwack! Yelp!

By sheer luck, the swing connected solidly.

The dog tumbled across the ground, blood trickling from its head.

Staggering from the blow, its eyes flashed with fury in an instant.

It charged again, more menacing than before.

“Ngh!”

“Herwin!”

The dog's jaws gaped wide as it lunged atop Herwin. Without the sword, it would've been dire.

Woof! Grrrr! Woof-woof!

Its sharp teeth gnawed the wooden blade like a chew toy. Aiming for his throat, the dog bore down with increasing force.

No eight-year-old could withstand a rampaging beast's power.

Knowing retreat would doom not just him but Lucia too, Herwin gritted his teeth and stared down the dog point-blank.

Slumped on the ground, Lucia trembled like a leaf. Dread flooded her—what if Herwin got hurt?

She scanned her surroundings in a frenzy. That's when she spotted the rock Herwin had thrown.

Crawling awkwardly toward it, she snatched it up and staggered to her feet.

“Yaaah!”

Her voice rang out piercingly.

The dog's attention snapped to her.

Her legs quaked, tears threatening to burst, but Lucia clung to the rock in her hand.

“Don't bully Herwin!”

Eyes clenched shut, she hurled it with all her might.

Not as powerful as Herwin's throw, but from close range, it smacked the dog's head.

Yelp!

Seizing the loosened pressure, Herwin whipped his sword around.

The dog recoiled from the solid hit to its side, and he scrambled to his feet.

Its aggression had waned. Taking one final glance at the battered pair, it limped off into retreat.

“Hah... huff... hah...”

Herwin kept his eyes glued to where it fled, wary of a return. But as time passed with no sign, relief washed over him.

He wiped the streaming sweat from his brow and turned back.

“Lucia, you okay?”

“U-uwah... Herwin...”

Sniffling, Lucia threw herself into his arms.

“I-I was so scared...!”

“Told you not to go too deep. There are beasts here worse than wild dogs.”

“Sniff... h-hic... S-sorry... I was wrong...”

Lucia stammered between gasps.

Her soft brown hair tickled his cheek.

When he'd first spotted her cornered by the dog, his heart had plummeted. Now, it finally settled.

With tension gone, tears welled in his own eyes like hers. But he fought them back—he couldn't look weak in front of her.

“Never come into the forest alone again. Got it?”

“Y-Yeah!”

“And... here.”

Herwin gently wiped her tears, then pulled something from his pocket.

“Huh? A four-leaf clover...”

“Found it after you left. For you—so stop crying.”

“You're giving it to me?”

“...Well, you came into the forest because of me.”

Meeting her watery eyes, Herwin flushed and jerked his head away. He placed the four-leaf clover in her palm.

It was wilted, leaves drooping on the verge of falling, but to Lucia, nothing was more precious.

“Heh... hehehe...”

As her smile returned, Herwin stole a glance.

“Alright, let's go.”

“Sniff... Okay!”

The two clasped hands tightly and hurried out of the forest.

Their sweaty grip was slick, enough to make one want to let go, but neither did. They held on even tighter, afraid to lose each other.

The children returned safely from the back mountain, and the ducal residence erupted in chaos.

“Good heavens! Herwin! What happened?!”

“Why are your clothes in such a state?”

Herwin and Lucia's outfits were caked in dirt and grass stains.

Lucia had only fallen on her butt, so she was relatively unscathed, but Herwin had rolled around with the dog—his clothes, face, and hair were all filthy.

It screamed that something had gone down.

“Did you fall or something? Though for a tumble, you look a bit too roughed up...”

“We fought a dog.”

Herwin declared it proudly to Scarlett's question.

“What?”

“A wild dog was threatening Lucia, so I took it down.”

It was too outlandish to believe outright. Yet dismissing it as a lie didn't fit—their faces were deadly serious.

“You're not hurt badly anywhere? It didn't bite you?”

Scarlett dabbed carefully at Herwin's face as she asked.

“I'm fine... but my wooden sword's wrecked.”

The blade was riddled with tooth marks and scratches, a testament to the fierce fight.

The adults, who'd doubted the children until now, began murmuring in awe.

Scarlett faltered, words failing her. Pride swelled for her son, but so did terror at how close he'd come to serious injury.

“For now, let's have the doctor check you over—just in case.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Scarlett hurriedly directed the servants to summon the physician.

As everyone moved with crisp efficiency, Julian checked on Lucia. But she seemed deaf to it all, eyes locked on Herwin.

“Herwin!”

Suddenly, Lucia bellowed at full volume.

“Herwin's my favorite! So I'm gonna marry Herwin for sure!”

Her bombshell declaration silenced the bustling hall in an instant.

Hail and Yohan rushing in at news of the injured kids, Lucas and Henry freshly changed, and all the servants besides.

Not a soul could speak, all eyes on Lucia.

Her clear blue eyes shone with an emotion no one had ever seen before—pure, innocent love—as her cheeks flushed pink.

“Hah...”

Julian, who'd been tending to her, let out a hollow sigh.

Amid the collective shock, the one most rattled was Herwin himself.

He instantly sensed the unfamiliar emotion directed straight at him.

Thump, thump, thump.

Whether from accepting her confession, his quiet heart suddenly asserted itself.

Just as Herwin's face began to burn red, his gaze caught children whispering in the distance.

Murmur, murmur.

The retainers' children were gossiping about him and Lucia.

Thump, thump, thump...!

Now his heart pounded for a different reason. The ticklish flutter soured into nausea and dread.

Once aware of them, he noticed every adult's gaze boring into him too.

His stomach churned.

Herwin's reddening cheeks drained to pale in a flash.

“I-I don't like it!”

He rejected Lucia's confession outright and bolted from the hall.

The stunned atmosphere turned icy cold.

The servants held their breath, afraid even to exhale, and turned to Lucia.

Her sudden public confession was one thing—but his public rejection had frozen everyone solid.

“...Lucia, are you alright?”

Julian ventured cautiously, gauging her face.

All watched the little lady in tense unison.

Surely she'd burst into tears any second...

The adults, braced for sobs, grew puzzled as she stayed eerily quiet.

“...Lucia?”

Incredibly, Lucia upended every expectation.

Rejected as she was, she neither wailed in grief nor shrank in shame. She simply stared blankly where Herwin had vanished.

Even in the awkward moment, rather than crumple, she pursed her lips with steely resolve.

“Mom, let's go wash up.”

“Huh? Are you sure...?”

“Yes! You said I need a bath. Come on, hurry!”

As if nothing had happened, Lucia grabbed Julian's hand and tugged her toward the stairs.