Chapter 20

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 20

Chapter Title: Look Forward to It, Gramps

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"Wh-what... what did you say...?"

Duke Teramore stared at me in utter disbelief, and I whispered to him once more.

"Such a fool."

"......"

"Look forward to it, Gramps. The Duke will find out soon enough about how you abused Henri."

I flashed a bright smile and walked right past Duke Teramore. Then I took Henri's hand and led him out of the room.

The child followed me without resistance. Once we were well away from the study, Henri spoke up.

"Are you insane? Aren't you scared?"

I stared blankly at his stiff expression.

He must have been thoroughly rattled after seeing me stomp on Duke Teramore's hand, because the formal speech he'd been using to put up a wall was gone.

"There will be consequences. Teramore is a despicable man."

"Not scared."

"......"

"Bad people who hit Henri? Not scared at all."

Henri's pupils shook as I pouted.

I truly wasn't afraid of Duke Teramore.

After dealing with far more horrific monsters, a pervert who got his thrills from abusing children was nothing short of laughable.

'Besides, I've got something to rely on.'

What worried me more was Henri.

His cheek, where Teramore had struck him, was bright red and swollen. His collar was wrinkled and unsightly, as if it'd been grabbed.

"Let's go to the Duke. Henri hurts. Okay?"

"......No need."

"Henri."

"I said no!"

Henri yelled and stubbornly looked away.

"Don't tell anyone what happened today."

"Stubborn!"

"Mind your own business!"

Henri shouted and stormed off away from me.

I could understand the child's feelings.

Abused children usually spend their lives wary of others or grow up aggressive.

Trauma was a shackle that was incredibly hard to break free from.

'Even I, who's regressed countless times, can't fully trust people because of my past memories.'

I swallowed a sigh as I watched Henri walk away.

Duke Teramore walked swiftly down the corridor, the sound of his teeth grinding leaking through clenched jaws.

'That crazy little bitch...!'

[What do you think? I just caressed him with love, you bastard.]

Every time he recalled Leblain's expression as she said that, rage boiled up from his gut.

'Not a Child of Destiny, but a demon.'

The temple must have sent down a demon disguised as the Child of Destiny to monitor House Duvered.

They were all too unbelievable for mere children.

The look in her eyes as she stared at him.

The biting words.

And that suffocating pressure that scorched his throat.

'But you think I'll just take that from the likes of you?'

Duke Teramore's eyes grew icy cold.

He knocked on the door of the duke's office.

"Duke Teramore here, Your Grace."

Permission to enter came soon after, and Duke Teramore burst into the room, his face flushed with excitement.

In his haste, he opened his mouth without even a proper greeting.

"Your Grace, the Child of Destiny—"

"Gramps!"

"......!"

Leblain, sitting on the duke's lap, beamed at him.

Duke Teramore flinched and stared at the child.

'That girl already...!'

And she wasn't alone. Viscount Misesk was there, along with a few elders from the council of elders and Adjutant Nos.

The looks on their faces as they regarded him were far from normal.

'Has she already reported that I laid hands on Henri?!'

Viscount Misesk scowled and shouted.

"How dare you do such a thing to your lord's son...!"

Duke Teramore hurriedly defended himself.

"Your Grace, hear me out first! Why would I do such a thing? It's all that child's scheme."

He held out the back of his hand as proof.

"The child isn't just some innocent kid. She stabbed the back of my hand without hesitation and mocked me. Doesn't that seem suspicious? She's been too clever from the start. Spilling stories about the temple and the imperial family—"

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"I'm innocent!"

Viscount Misesk stared at Duke Teramore with an incredulous look.

"We were discussing how you scolded and intimidated the child—now our lord's little lady—over a minor mistake."

"What?"

"How harshly did you berate her for a child's little error that she burst into tears the moment she saw me!"

"Th-that was... "

"And what do you mean by 'such a thing'? What else have you done?"

Duke Teramore faltered in panic. He glanced around tremblingly at the people, his eyes meeting Leblain's.

Leblain's lips curled up slyly.

As if to say, 'Did you think I told them about Henri?'

'I fell for it...!'

[Look forward to it, Gramps. Your Grace will find out soon enough about how you abused Henri.]

Those words had been a setup.

To make him panic.

And to bring in Viscount Misesk, his sworn enemy, clouding his judgment so he'd blurt out his abuse of Henri himself.

As Duke Teramore's face drained of color, Viscount Misesk pressed again.

"Answer me. What did you do?"

"J-just a slip of the tongue."

But no one bought it.

Viscount Misesk turned to the duke.

"It's suspicious, Your Grace. Why else would he defend himself so desperately if it wasn't a big deal? How can two young masters learn anything from a so-called teacher who's so shady?"

Even the vassals under Viscount Misesk joined in.

"We need to investigate."

"We cannot entrust the young lords' education until your innocence is proven."

The duke's sharp gaze fell on Duke Teramore.

Duke Teramore cried out desperately, "Y-Your Grace!" but the duke soon ordered an investigation into him.

Viscount Misesk and his noble vassals finished speaking and left the room.

Duke Teramore was still clinging to the duke, insisting on his innocence.

I hopped down from the duke's lap and followed Viscount Misesk. Out in the corridor, the viscount's face was flushed with exhilaration.

"Misesk Duke."

He turned to look at me.

"Yes, little one?"

I tugged innocently at Viscount Misesk's collar.

"Gramps bad man?"

"Teramore?"

He grinned and continued.

"Yes, exactly. A bastard who deserves a good thrashing."

"If bad man's teacher, will Henri and Ishak become bad too?"

"No need to worry. I'll give that scum a piece of my mind myself, Karn Misesk swears it."

Then he boasted loudly.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll drag the nobles to the castle and petition for the young masters' lessons to be suspended until his innocence is proven."

I hid my satisfaction and jumped up and down with a "Wow!"

'That's right, don't forget.'

He seemed absolutely smitten with me for helping him this time. His face was all goofy grins.

'I've unexpectedly gained another ally.'

It was good for me, so I smiled back broadly.

After Viscount Misesk left laughing heartily, Duke Teramore emerged from the duke's office.

'From that furious look, the talk didn't go well, huh?'

Spotting me, Duke Teramore ground his teeth.

"You...!"

He glanced around quickly, then yanked my arm and dragged me to a corner.

"You damn brat. You think I'll just take this lying down?"

"Whatcha gonna do?"

"I'll expose you as a demon sent by the temple...!"

"Gramps dummy?"

"What?"

"You admitted yourself you're shady. Who'd believe that?"

Of course, they'd see it as desperate nonsense to cover up this incident.

A grinding sound came from Duke Teramore's teeth.

"You little mongrel... "

"How'd ya know? My nickname was Doggy!"

I stared straight into Duke Teramore's eyes and said lowly.

"Mess with me, and I'll bite."

"......!"

I continued with a beaming smile.

"So let go. Or I'll stomp your other hand too."

Having wandered back alleys as a beggar in my past life, threats from a nobly raised aristocrat like Duke Teramore didn't faze me one bit.

The strength drained from Duke Teramore's grip. I shook off his hand casually and skipped away.

'Ah, gonna sleep like a baby tonight.'

The next day, Viscount Misesk showed up at the castle first thing in the morning with nobles in tow, demanding Duke Teramore's suspension from duties.

Duke Teramore had become Henri and Ishak's tutor through the council of elders' power.

Now half that council had turned to Viscount Misesk.

Seeing which way the wind was blowing, they were already lining up in anticipation of the council seat going to him.

Naturally, Duke Teramore's position was in jeopardy.

"Ch-Chairman... Duke!"

I hummed along to Duke Teramore's pleading voice to the chairman as I strolled down the corridor.

I planned to check on Henri's condition.

A noble young master's life was quite precarious.

No worries about food or clothes, but plenty about studies.

Even with lessons from Duke Teramore suspended, the two were supposedly sitting side by side in the study doing vacation homework from the academy for prodigies.

I peeked around the study door.

'Huh? They're not...'

"What are you doing?"

"Eek!"

I jumped in fright at the voice behind me and clutched my pounding heart with both hands as I slowly turned.

Ishak and Henri were staring at me.

"Wh-why you here? Not in study."

Ishak held up the book tucked under his arm.

"Needed a book not in the study, so library. More importantly, why are you here?"

Ishak narrowed his eyes and thrust his face close to mine.

"Spying?"

"N-no!"

"Then?"

"......Just looking."

I fidgeted with my hands as I made excuses, and Ishak twitched his brow.

"So, why?"

I glanced furtively at Henri.

'If I say I came to see if he's okay, he'll snap again, right?'

As I hesitated, Ishak muttered, "No way, you..." and then shouted.

"You heard today's snack is cake somewhere!"

......Huh?