Chapter 44

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 44

Chapter Title: A Gruesome Gift

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I tilted my head, and Bune looked sullen and fell silent.

Why was he depressed again? What was I supposed to do with this timid devil? I pondered as I speared a strawberry with my fork.

I slathered on heaps of whipped cream and popped it into my mouth. The sweet-tart fruit juice mingled with the nutty, velvety cream, sending my taste buds into bliss.

'I could eat a hundred of these and never get tired.'

As I regretfully popped the last strawberry into my mouth, the door burst open.

It was Ishak.

"Let's go see your gift!"

A gift?

Henri followed right behind. "Don't startle her." He gently wiped the whipped cream from my mouth.

"What gift?"

Ishak giggled like a mischievous imp.

A strange unease washed over me.

I went to see the gift with Henri and Ishak, stealing glances at their faces.

Earrings? ...No way.

Children's Day had passed, so not toys.

My birthday was still far off.

So what kind of gift could it be?

When we arrived at our destination, my anxiety proved spot-on.

Countless vassals knelt before the duke, their heads bowed low.

"Please kill us, Little One!"

"Spare us, Little One!"

One side wailed for death, the other begged for mercy.

I froze in place, my eyes darting to the duke, Henri, and Ishak.

The duke eyed me as if to ask if I approved. Ishak beamed with pride.

"What ith thith...?"

"The ones who flipped out last time about adopting Cattleya Willston."

Ishak's proud reply made me glance back at the kneeling vassals.

They were the same ones I'd seen in the audience chamber the day I summoned Bune.

Some bore wounds and bruises. Most looked unharmed but deathly pale, as if a stiff breeze might knock them out.

"Tho thith ith... (So this is...)"

I mumbled, and Ishak went, "Ah," with a grin.

"A few missing, huh? Spot on—exactly three. Two are in the torture chamber, and one's hanging from the castle walls as an example."

Henri chimed in.

"The one hanging's still alive, barely. Won't be long now, though."

Before heading to the temple, I'd taken a swing at Cattleya and dragged the vassals into it. I'd figured they'd pay for it that day.

But I hadn't wished for this.

"Dwuke hate. And Henwi, Ithaku."

I murmured softly, and all three turned to me.

"Yeah."

"Should've just beheaded the lot?"

The vassals blanched white at Ishak's gleeful words.

"No!"

I scrunched up my face fiercely.

"Kiww then hate. (If you kill, I hate.)"

All three flinched.

"Don't want thith. No gift. Teww vassaws go home!"

Light had descended upon them.

The kneeling vassals were overcome with gratitude toward Leblain, who held the duke and his mini-mes in check.

Two days earlier, after Leblain departed for the temple, Duvered territory had turned into a wasteland.

All those implicated in the Cattleya Willston affair had been hauled to the castle.

[Y-Your Grace. How can you do this?]

Someone tremblingly managed to speak, and Henri sweetly surveyed them with a smile.

[You tried to make a collateral branch the family head and swallow the house whole. Isn't that a capital offense?]

[Th-that's absurd! We simply couldn't stand by while a Child of Destiny—a mere temple puppet—ruled the inner castle. Better a blood kin like Lady Willston...!]

The vassals chorused their agreement.

They'd never dreamed this would happen.

Surely he wouldn't touch everyone in the hall.

They were heirs of prestigious families with their own territories, long-time servants of Duvered. Untouchable...

[Gaaah—!]

...or so they'd thought.

Until one elder's wrist went flying right before their eyes.

Theodor Duvered had held the family headship for five years. Vassals grown complacent in peace finally remembered.

This man had butchered his brothers and toppled even the iron-fisted predecessor.

[Your heads are held high.]

The duke drawled lazily, and the vassals, faces ashen, slammed their foreheads to the floor in unison.

And that's how it had come to this.

The duke and his mini-mes had spent days pinning every petty crime imaginable on them.

[Embezzlement from relief funds.]

A measly three francs.

[Accepting bribes in the market district.]

Just a florist insisting on giving a single tulip for their wife.

[Refusal to report for duty.]

Exactly one day.

Absurd charges, but enough to chill them to the bone.

Trivial things they'd forgotten, things no one knew— the duke knew everything.

It meant every vassal was under his watchful eye.

Listing such minor infractions was a signal: resign voluntarily. Dig deeper, and your in-laws and cousins won't escape unscathed.

Death seemed inevitable.

But then...

"But kiddo, they came after you."

Ishak pleaded desperately, but Leblain was resolute.

"Can't kiww for that. (Can't kill people for that.)"

Henri tried persuading her from the side.

"A single slipped cog has to be pulled out and smashed. That's how the machine runs properly, Leblain."

"Peopwe not things."

The duke reached out, calling, "Lebl."

"Don't want."

"Why!"

Leblain scowled at the three fidgeting men.

"Won't pway with Dwuke hate Henwi Ithaku."

"...!"

"...!"

"...!"

The three froze like they'd been struck by lightning. The vassals gasped in awe.

'Ahh, Little One...'

The tales of a Child of Destiny bringing hope weren't lies after all.

How could our Little One be so merciful!

The vassals were released unharmed.

The castle gates buzzed with families who'd been stomping anxiously, fearing for their sons, husbands, wives, parents.

"You fool! Why fight His Grace when you could've just gone dragon-slaying instead?!"

"Darling, honey! I only did it 'cause I was scared for you... Sniff!"

"Father, you okay? Your wrist is dangling? Thank goodness—your head's still attached!"

Bune watched them with clear displeasure.

[They deserve death. Why spare them?]

'It wasn't that bad.'

Not child abuse like Duke Teramore, not forced brides like Urso.

And their reason for trying to oust me was somewhat understandable.

Some might've angled for scraps by registering Cattleya to the main house, but beneath it lay true loyalty to Duvered.

I was the temple's Child of Destiny. Me seizing full control of the inner castle was undeniably risky.

Especially for a fake commoner kid—obeying my orders would tank Duvered's prestige.

'Besides, slaughter them all, and the council chairman would've stepped in.'

Duvered Duke's arch-nemesis, Jeanmarc Nuanoque.

[Who's that?]

'Uh, simply put... a super scary guy?'

The tyrannical predecessor had bowed to the council not just for their service.

The bigger reason: council chair Jeanmarc Nuanoque.

Nuanoque, who'd risen with Duvered's gates, had thick ties to the capital nobles. Even the temple valued his word over the duke's.

[Why does a mere vassal wield such power?]

'The chair isn't just any vassal. He's Duvered's number two.'

And soon, he'd fully ally with the temple, wielding even greater influence.

'So why's he so quiet lately?'

He should've intervened by now.

As I pondered, the Duvered young lords, gauging my mood, asked timidly.

"Still mad, kiddo...?"

"Leblain, nice day for a walk?"

Sprawled on the sofa, I flicked my eyes toward them.

Both looked crestfallen.

"Next time no hang peopwe okay?"

Their faces lit up, and they rushed over.

"No hanging!"

"Yeah."

I sighed heavily and hopped down from the sofa.

"Then wet's wawk."

"Garden?"

"Greenhouse?"

With the young lords flanking me like invisible tails wagging wildly, I left the room.

They bickered a bit before settling on the garden.

Ishak had insisted he had flowers to show me.

Stepping into the garden left me stunned.

"Wow—!"

The tulip beds from just days ago brimmed with primroses and violets.

Wildflowers like primroses and violets were rare in noble gardens. Most preferred high-maintenance, pricey blooms like tulips.

But I loved these humble wildflowers. Violets were my absolute favorite.

"Fwowers Weblain wikes."

Ishak puffed up proudly.

"I towd them to pwant these!"

"Thanks."

I sniffed the fragrance happily, and Henri chuckled.

"When did the dummy do something smart?"

"Not dummy."

"Fine, today I admit it. Tomorrow's another story."

As the brothers started bickering again, I tugged their sleeves insistently.

I crouched down beside Henri and Ishak and made each a flower ring.

To distract them before the fight escalated.

Ishak took the bait, fascinated by the flower ring.

"Kiddo, how do you know how to do this with such tiny hands?"

"Owphanage wearned. (Orphanage taught me.)"

Ishak looked puzzled why an orphanage would teach flower-ring making.

I plucked a dry blade from the stem and explained.

"Nobwes put wings on babies at birth."

"Yeah, ruby rings."

Until the day they donned the family seal, to grow strong.

"Poo' make fwower wings and put on fingews. Owphanage babies no mommy, so owder kids make and put on."

"Why bother with worthless flower rings? Such a hassle."

"Cuz wuv."

Couldn't afford pricey ruby rings like nobles, but the love was the same.

"Tho owphanage teaches kids how to make... Huh?"

They weren't listening anymore, staring holes through the flower rings I'd made.

"If flower rings mean love..."

"Then Leblain gave these to us..."

"Means she..."

Their faces flushed pink as they clutched their precious ringed hands to their chests.