Chapter 16

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 16

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"Me too! I want a haircut too!"

"What? You just got your hair cut not long ago."

"No. My hair's gotten really long."

Lucian forcibly tugged at his hair, which barely reached his eyebrows.

"Last time, when your aunt was cutting it, you snuck away."

"Wh-when did I ever!"

Lucian shouted while glancing at Amelia.

'I can read you like a book, kid.'

It was obvious without even looking. He wanted to hear Amelia call him pretty too. He'd gotten jealous after Edwin got a haircut and received compliments from her.

"Fine. I'll just trim your bangs and the back a little."

"Yeah. Make it look pretty."

The last part was whispered so only I could hear.

I stifled a laugh and finished tidying Edwin's hair. There wasn't much to cut, so it was done quickly.

"Amelia, what do you think?"

Lucian's face was half expectant, half anxious as he asked Amelia. He was so tense that he clutched the hem of his shirt tightly.

"It's cute."

The response was different from what she'd said to Edwin, but it was more than enough to satisfy Lucian.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It suits you well."

"Hehe."

Lucian grinned widely. Even though I'd watched him from the moment he was born until now, this was the first time I'd seen that expression on his face.

'They say raising kids is pointless...'

He ignored everything his aunt said, yet he acted like a well-trained puppy around the girl he liked. It was frustrating and absurd at the same time.

But my stray thoughts didn't last long.

"I want one too!"

"Me too!"

"Please cut mine too!"

The other children, having watched Edwin and Lucian's changes, all clamored to get haircuts one after another.

Because of that, my little salon didn't close until sunset. It was a far cry from my original intention of just placating Edwin.

Sir Gilbert Jillian, the advisor to the Bellomon Duke, had returned to the ducal residence. He'd finished his meeting with the duke in the capital and come back to the territory.

"Is His Grace doing well?"

"Yes. He is in good health."

If he's so healthy, couldn't he pay a little attention to our Lucian?

I desperately wanted to call him out on it, but I was just a guest in this house. I wasn't in a position to question the duke so boldly.

"By the way, did you see the documents I sent?"

"You mean the embezzlement of the orphanage funding?"

"Yes, that's right."

The first thing I'd done after returning from the orphanage was report its mismanagement to Sir Jillian. There was no way the busy duke would listen to me, so I'd gone straight to the man handling the practical affairs.

The orphanage director had not only embezzled the ducal family's funding but also abused the children.

"That director must have some guts. To embezzle money directly provided by His Grace, and even receive a title as payment for funneling it to his superiors."

"Exactly. He probably never thought he'd get caught."

The duke would never personally visit a place like an orphanage. Nobles or inspectors always gave prior notice before inspections.

The more I thought about it, the more outrageous the man seemed.

"The punishment will be thorough, right?"

"Yes. We'll punish the director and staff, as well as everyone up the chain who took bribes. Not just for their crimes, but to set a precedent so this never happens again."

"Good."

I nodded in satisfaction.

"While we're at it, why not inspect all the orphanages in the territory? Check if they're operating properly according to reports, and if they're embezzling funds or abusing children."

"I don't think that's necessary. Now that there's a precedent, they'll all toe the line for a while."

"This isn't just about the funding. There might be children being abused."

"Are you suggesting we increase manpower and workload for commoner children whose problems we don't even know exist right now?"

Irritation flickered across Jillian's face.

"Feeding and housing orphans who have nowhere else to go is already more than they deserve from His Grace. Checking on their well-being too? Isn't that overly generous treatment for commoners?"

Jillian's words were quintessentially noble. To aristocrats, commoners weren't that important. It was natural thinking when steeped in class privilege.

"I'm not asking for anything grand. Just confirm there are no children overlooked in blind spots."

But with my memories of my past life, I couldn't accept it easily. Regardless of status, they were people—helpless children at that. Couldn't adults show even that much mercy?

"The weather turned cold suddenly, so we already have more work than before. With limited manpower and mounting tasks, do we really need to handle something so minor right now?"

I hadn't expected him to agree in the first place.

"Frankly, I'm a bit taken aback. Since when has the Lady Lilfrey cared about such matters?"

I hadn't expected him to be so openly annoyed either.

"What wind blew you to the orphanage in the first place?"

His tone and expression dripped with condescension. Not content with me being practically chased out of my family, he clearly resented an outsider with no blood ties to the duke lording it over the place.

"For Lucian."

"The young master?"

"Yes. There are lots of kids at the orphanage, so I thought it might help him understand others' feelings. And maybe make some friends for him while I was at it."

"Commoner friends? Isn't that a bit beneath him?"

Hey, watch your mouth.

I wanted desperately to sew his yapping mouth shut.

'How do you plan to face Edwin later?'

Edwin, the orphanage graduate you'll fawn over someday!

I held back the urge to shout and calmly opened my mouth.

"They're only lowborn, but every one of them has a kind heart."

"Well, if that's the case, they could serve as playmates at best."

Jillian loudly gathered his papers with a smack and rose from his chair.

"I hope you make a decision that benefits the young master, my lady."

With that, he left the room without waiting for my reply.

I raised my middle finger toward the closed door.

"Say that to your master, not me!"

He said nothing to his liege, the Bellomon Duke—Lucian's father—but barked at me, the aunt.

Given his obnoxious attitude, it was a miracle he'd even looked at my report.

'If it weren't for the embezzlement, he'd have ignored it outright. He doesn't listen to guests like me.'

Gilbert Jillian was a loyal retainer to the Bellomon Duke. He wouldn't stand by while the duke's money lined someone else's pockets.

The reason he disliked me stemmed from this too. He resented that I, the sister of the late duchess, had planted myself in this mansion.

Not only occupying a spot, but also receiving monthly allowances from the duke under the guise of maintaining dignity—it must have made me look like a thorn in his side.

'Fine, whatever. But what's wrong with being a little nicer to Lucian?'

He didn't care much for Lucian either, the duke's own son, because of his unbecoming behavior. He probably blamed me for poor upbringing. As if I were actually his guardian.

'That's why he'll adore Edwin when he comes to the ducal residence.'

Edwin, who resembled the duke and had a calm demeanor opposite to Lucian's. To someone who revered the duke, he was the perfect heir.

'I don't like him.'

But even if I disliked him, there was nothing I could do.

The silver lining was that thanks to Jillian, I'd thought of a natural way to bring Edwin to the ducal residence.

'But I wonder if Edwin will agree.'

It might be a bit premature.

Edwin seemed shy, so maybe I should find homes for the other kids first.

I sat on the sofa in my room, lost in thought. A chain of ideas was interrupted by Lucian.

"Aunt, you're going to the orphanage again today, right?"

Lucian asked as he opened the door and came in.

"I went two days ago, so I was planning to go next week."

"Aww, why? Let's go today too. Please?"

Contrary to my initial worries, Lucian seemed to be getting along well with the orphanage kids. He wasn't bullying or making them cry. He even shared toys and snacks, which was astonishing.

"I want to play with my friends."

"Be honest. You just want to see Amelia, don't you?"

His antics peaked whenever Amelia was around. He wanted to impress her so badly that he did things he never would otherwise.

"I-I don't know!"

Lucian flushed beet red at my teasing expression. Teasing him was endlessly fun.

But if I pushed further, he'd just get sulky.

"Alright. We'll go today. Go ask Grace to dress you quickly."

"Wait!"

Lucian dashed to his room and began stuffing his bag with toys.

"Lucian, what are you doing?"

"I told Amelia we have tons of cool toys at our house. I'm going to show her."

"Do that."

I smiled as I watched him cram snacks into the bag too. If Lucian grew up like this, I'd have no greater wish.