Chapter 18

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 18

Chapter Title: Protecting Henri

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Next up was Henri.

His talent wasn't quite as ferocious as Ishak's, but it was undeniably impressive.

Henri unleashed his aura, after all.

In fact, he handled it with even more finesse than Ishak.

But once his training partner changed, he couldn't bring out his full strength.

Henri's new opponent was a gray-haired old soldier.

Even though he was far weaker than the young man from before, Henri hit the ground several times.

'Is he going easy on me because I'm a veteran?'

The opponent seemed to think the same, scowling as he shouted at Henri.

"Don't underestimate me!"

Henri jumped back up and dodged the old soldier's attack, but then his eyes widened at something, his face draining of color. He promptly dropped his head, and with it, his sword clattered to the ground.

The old soldier planted his feet firmly and raised his wooden sword high.

'He's gonna get hurt!'

"Henwy nooo!"

I shrieked and dashed between the old soldier and Henri, spreading my arms wide in front of him.

"Don't hit Henwy!"

"Little One, this is a fair duel..."

The old soldier gave an awkward smile, but I scowled.

"Henwy dwopped sword. Lookin' at gwound."

"......"

"Gwamps mad and hittin' Henwy ain't a duel."

The old soldier flinched and glanced at the sword Henri had dropped.

"My apologies... I must have gotten too worked up."

The old soldier reached out to help Henri up.

But Henri ignored his hand and staggered to his feet on his own.

Henri left the training grounds, and I scurried after him, grabbing his arm in a hug.

"What are you doing."

"Henwy huwt. Need ointment."

"I'm fine."

"Scared of doctow? No, doctow gwamps nice guy."

He always treated me so gently when I was hurt. He's kind and warm—nothing scary about him.

"As if I'd be scared of some doctor! I just hate old men—!"

Henri shouted, then froze, clamping his mouth shut.

I stopped dead in the middle of the path and stared at him intently.

'Hates old men... Don't tell me.'

Having regressed multiple times and lived as a duke's daughter, I knew the hidden truths about the Duvered family that the world kept under wraps.

The Duvereds appeared to be a family blessed with wealth, power, and fame, but inside, it was a brutal warzone.

One gain meant one loss. Everything was a cold transaction in the Duvered world.

For generations, Duvered children enjoyed the vast riches built by their forebears but forfeited their parents' warm care in exchange.

Direct descendants were raised from birth by the family head and his closest aides. They might see their parents only on a handful of ceremonial holidays.

It was a system designed to instill absolute loyalty to the family head from childhood and select the most outstanding heir.

And the current duke's three young masters had all been raised by their grandfather until his death.

'That terrifying old man.'

In my first life, my father, Duke Amities, would tremble whenever he spoke of the late Duvered duke.

[Cain Duvered was a monster. He murdered his own second son, Chris, right in front of his grandson. Do you know why? Because the boy was lame. He killed his own flesh and blood just for having a flaw.]

If Henri had been there when the late duke killed his second son?

'No wonder he has trauma around old men.'

I bit the soft flesh inside my cheek.

Yeah, no matter how smart he was, he was still just a kid.

A kid with trauma from old men, who saw it as a flaw—and flaws meant death, fueling his obsession.

And that obsession must have kept him hiding the abuse all this time.

'That's why the duke never knew about the abuse—Henri hid it too well.'

Duke Teramore must have known about Henri's phobia. That's why he abused the duke's own blood without hesitation.

What a rotten old geezer.

'So what now?'

The smart move was to keep my mouth shut.

Would anyone believe a kid like me if I spoke up?

Unlike the past incidents within Duvered lands, this involved a vassal.

These people had known Teramore far longer than me.

Of course their trust lay with him.

'Everything I've built could come crashing down.'

One wrong step, and even divorce might be on the table.

I'd have to repeat my past miserable lives all over again.

But—

Henri's hands were trembling. I couldn't ignore the boy who looked pale as death.

'This young body is such a pain. My conscience hasn't burned out yet.'

I stretched on tiptoes to pat Henri's head. He flinched in surprise and swatted my hand away.

"What are you doing."

I sighed at his prickly attitude.

"What the heck..."

"I pwotect you, Henwy."

Henri furrowed his brow, looking like I'd fed him something weird.

No choice, then—I'll protect you anyway. Repay the favor by not bullying me while I'm here.

The next day, I nagged Lea until she took me to the duke's study.

As I peeked through the door crack, Nos, who was with the duke, called out, "Little One," and approached.

He knelt to meet my eyes, asking happily,

"What brings you here?"

To dig up dirt on Teramore.

Know your enemy to find a way to defeat him. But I couldn't get deep info from my room, frequented only by servants.

'Time to find someone who holds a ton of intel.'

Like the Duvered duke, owner of one of the empire's top intelligence networks.

"Wanna see Duke-Dada's papews."

Nos clutched his heart at my fidgeting hands and groaned, "Daughters really are the best..."

Then he scooped me up and carried me to the duke.

"Little One's here."

"She really can't stay away from me."

"Shall I watch her for you?"

As Nos grinned at me, the duke snatched me up and plopped me swiftly on his knee.

I rested my hands on the desk and peeked up at the duke's papers.

"What are you looking at so intently?"

I'd planned to snoop on vassal info but felt guilty and made a quick excuse.

"Dada's wwriting pwetty. Amazing~!"

"Amazed over something so trivial."

Nos chuckled.

"She can't read or write yet, so of course it looks impressive."

The duke grabbed a blank sheet from his desk corner.

He placed a pen in my hand and covered it with his large, warm one.

I wondered what he was doing, but he guided my hand to write on the paper.

My hand didn't move well, so it was a bit crooked, but the word was clear.

Leblain

And again.

Leblain Duvered

"Can you read it?"

"Weblain name."

"The maids wrote it for you often, I see. You remembered."

The duke chuckled at Nos's words and patted my head.

'I worried he'd hate me barging into his study, but he seems fine with it. Good.'

The duke continued his work with me casually by his side.

I stayed quiet so as not to disturb, eavesdropping on their talk.

"How's the advisory council proposal coming?"

"Planning to inform the vassals today."

"Good."

Mostly headache-inducing politics and power struggles.

But some useful tidbits too.

A council seat was vacant, so they were selecting a new elder.

The candidates: Teramore. And Viscount Misesk, his sworn enemy.

'If this goes right, I can pick my nose and still win.'

I grinned slyly.

That afternoon.

I pretended to play outside, killing time in the front garden by the busy entrance.

Sitting on Lea's lap, picking flowers, I sneaked a peek at her wristwatch.

'Four o'clock already...'

Viscount Misesk had an appointment with the duke at four-thirty, so he'd pass the gates soon.

I craned my neck, waiting eagerly, when someone entered through the gates.

Auburn curls, droopy eyes, mid-thirties, plump build. Scar under the chin.

Matched Viscount Misesk's description perfectly.

I hugged Lea's shoulders and said,

"Cold."

"Shall we go inside?"

"No, wanna finish flowew crown and give to you."

I showed her the flower crown I was making. Lea clutched her cheeks, moved. "For me?!"

She glanced around, saw guards far off, and stood.

"I'll fetch a coat and blanket."

"Okay."

As Lea hurried toward the castle, Viscount Misesk crossed the gates.

He started toward the main keep but spotted me and turned my way.

"To meet the famous Child of Destiny here. I'm Karn Misesk."

"Weblain. Nice meet."

I greeted as cutely as possible. He scanned me up and down.

Curious what caught the duke's interest enough for adoption, no doubt.

"What are you doing out here? It's getting chilly."

Perfect, the question I waited for.

I giggled.

"Waitin' fow Tewwa Gwamps."

"Teramore?"

As expected, his face soured at the name.

"Weblain gonna take classes with Henwy and Ishak too."

His lips twisted at my claim of waiting to beg for joint lessons.

"Everyone's mistaken. Teramore's no teacher for Duvered direct blood. Lowly house, shallow knowledge—"

I blinked innocently, and he simplified.

"Nothing to learn from Teramore."

"No, Gwamps smawt."

"What lies did he feed you..."

"Said he gonna weaw cool wobe now."

Referring to the deep crimson robes worn by the council's lead elders.

'Misesk, that's the robe you're gunning for too.'

I raised my arms dramatically, and his expression shifted instantly.

"He said that?"

"Yeah. Ovahheard him talkin' to anotha vassaw uncle."

"Ridiculous. That position..."

"Said it's a done deal. Gonna give wobe to Gwamps."

"Don't tell me the chairman..."

His face hardened. I drove the wedge home.

"Said let's watch the fool who thinks wobe's his cwy and shed bwood teaws togetha."

For a split second, my baby talk slipped to clear speech, but Misesk didn't notice.

Veins bulged on his fists gripping his pant legs.