Chapter 56

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 56

Chapter Title: Heir Seals

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Inside were the seals of the heirs.

In the center of each was a small gemstone: Henri's was a ruby, Ishak's an emerald, and mine a diamond.

'The eldest son Yohan's is a sapphire, right?'

The seals were magical artifacts. They appeared to be adult-sized at first glance, but they shrank to fit perfectly once slipped on.

Henri slid the ruby seal onto his finger and remarked,

"I didn't expect you'd hand these over so soon."

Ishak grinned and grabbed his ring.

"Big brother got his around this age too. The little one's actually on the early side."

Nos glanced our way at that.

"Now that you've received your seals, you'll start getting your annual stipend each year, and you can assemble your dedicated retinue."

"Anyone in mind?"

Daddy asked, and Henri replied,

"Viscount Orlando, Deputy Accounting Chief Shugon, Ruffner from the Iri division, and Mage Mikael."

Ishak spoke next.

"I'll take Baron Marso and the Third Company."

Finally, it was my turn.

"Um... Neya and Dania, Linda, Uni, and... Viscount Nuanoch!"

At my words, the duke, Henri, Ishak, and even Nos all flinched.

"Did she mess up the name? Viscount Nuanoch is the Senate Chairman. Oh, she meant Viscount Luik, right!"

Ishak denied reality.

"How about Viscount Leschel? She's wise and could help you a lot."

Henri tried to coax me.

"Ah, ah, Little One...!"

Nos stammered in panic.

'Guess it's because we've been clashing with the Senate nonstop. They're really against it.'

But Daddy stayed silent.

Ever since people learned I'd been rescued by the chairman, they'd seen me with him often.

So maybe he saw this coming...

"Not me?"

What?

"Why Viscount Nuanoch and not me?"

"...Daddy's a duke, not a retainer."

"Even dukes can be retainers. Strictly speaking, they're retainers of the emperor."

'No, I'm not the emperor...'

Beside me, Ishak pointed at himself. "What about me? Don't I make a good retainer?" Henri was smiling faintly, clearly wanting to say the same.

Scratch that thought from earlier about us being a normal family.

Our family is a bit peculiar.

As I stayed quiet, the duke muttered,

"Nuanoch, that guy..."

His voice was chilling.

The Senate Chairman, Jeanmarc Nuanoch, was an exceptional man.

Not only did he hail from a prestigious house with a brilliant mind, but he'd lived well over half a century without ever being ousted from power.

Even in his youth, followers trailed him everywhere. Countless people sought his friendship, and nobles lined up begging to serve under him.

It was the same now. His mailbox was always stuffed with letters.

From love letters by noblewomen in their later years to letters of admiration from young officials—the variety was endless.

So he could say with certainty:

This was the first time in his life that gazes filled with such intense resentment had converged on him.

As the chairman walked the corridors of Duvered Manor, he glanced back.

The people who had been glaring daggers at his back while gnawing on their handkerchiefs whipped their heads away.

'What in the world is going on?'

Coming from the opposite direction was Viscount Dubos and his faction.

As leaders of the pro-duke faction and the duke-checking Senate forces, respectively, their relationship had always been cordial but distant.

But he'd never seen Viscount Dubos staring him down with a face like he wanted to tear him apart right there.

"Unbelievable."

The chairman frowned at Viscount Dubos's words.

"Spit it out plainly."

"What have you done?"

"Haven't done anything special lately."

The weird one was the duke. He'd suddenly piled on work like mad and dumped all of Teramore and Roman's territories on him.

As if trying to work him to death out of annoyance.

In fact, the chairman had a nosebleed at dawn today.

Viscount Dubos slammed the windowsill and vented his rage.

"Why! How! Why did Little One pick the duke as her retainer! Instead of me!"

"...What?"

"Little One always liked me best. You know that, right?"

"..."

"She held out her tiny hand and said, 'Gramps eat candy,' and gave me some. I even had it preserved because it was so precious!"

"..."

"So don't you dare get cocky ever again!"

Sob!

As Viscount Dubos trembled with fury, his pro-duke retainers chimed in.

"We won't give up."

"Don't delude yourself into thinking you have Little One's affection."

"We were the first to recognize her cuteness."

The chairman eyed the half-mad retainers with unease.

"...Out of my way."

He waved them off dismissively and pushed past the pro-duke faction.

From behind came Viscount Dubos's furious shout: "Just you wait! I'll win back Little One's attention!"

The jealous stares from every retainer in the corridors on his way to the greenhouse where Leblain was made him feel utterly drained.

At the greenhouse entrance, Viscount Misesk from the Senate approached with envious eyes, crying, "Chairman!"

"As expected of you."

"What now?"

"Little One chose you!"

"..."

"Every retainer was gunning for that spot. Agh, put in a good word for me too."

"...Move."

He shoved Viscount Misesk aside and entered the greenhouse.

Seeing Leblain seated, the chairman demanded,

"What is all this about?"

Leblain glanced over with a weary expression.

Where her gaze landed, maids from the west wing and Lea's group—her original attendants—were at each other's throats.

"This is ridiculous! Why did you get picked as Little One's choices?!"

"Because Little One likes us best, obviously."

"This is wrong. All wrong. You're lacking in skills and service record compared to us—how?!"

Watching the maids on the verge of a brawl, Leblain said glumly,

"Didn't think it'd turn out like this."

"...I imagine not."

The two sighed in unison.

And a week later—contrary to the swirling rumors—the chairman smoothly joined Leblain's retinue.

It was because the duke had fallen completely for Leblain's shameless "Daddy's the best in the world!" attack.

The long-delayed room move finally wrapped up amid all the hubbub.

I'd thought the guest room was nice, but the room Daddy prepared for me in the west wing was on another level.

Big like a princess's from a fairy tale, pretty, and safe.

Best of all were the bed—impossible to roll off even after ten flips to either side—and the blankets soft as a kitten's fur.

'So fluffy, so squishy...'

With this bed and blankets, I could nap all day, wake up, and be back asleep in five minutes.

I was giggling to myself when Lea came to fetch me.

"Tea time."

"Okay."

I got out of bed, threw on an outer coat, and left the room.

Lately, my snack times had turned into simple tea parties with the family.

Spreading out drinks and tea treats in the garden or greenhouse for casual chats was pure joy for me.

If there was one tiny issue, it was—

"Today, I'm feeding her the blueberry cake I prepared."

"Peanut butter cookies. She loves these most."

"Chocolate scones."

Daddy and my brothers bickering over it.

Better than the old days of zero private talks, but their petty rivalries were frequent enough to be a bit bothersome.

Especially since true family bonding seemed far off.

'Hmm, what to do.'

As I sat down, Henri asked,

"What'll it be, Leblain?"

"Hmm..."

After pondering, I beamed and declared, "All of them!"

Suddenly, the table was piled with cake, cookies, and scones.

As I reached for Ishak's peanut butter cookies, the butler entered with the mail.

Henri eyed the thick dark-blue envelope stamped with the imperial seal that was for Daddy and asked,

"Empress Dowager?"

"Yes. A reply saying she won't interfere in Leblain's education."

The Empress Dowager?

I blinked in shock, eyes wide.

The devout woman had always wanted me temple-raised to fulfill the oracle as the Child of Destiny sealing the evil god.

From my first life to the second, she'd meddled excessively in my daily affairs.

Even when Duke Amities bluntly called it excessive, she ignored him.

'Why's she backing off so easily this time?'

Ishak stirred his drink and said,

"Remember when we visited with the little one's puppy? The tail was one of the Empress Dowager's people."

Henri nodded.

"Yeah. Her spies got caught and spilled everything, so she's panicking about the emperor finding out."

"Because it looks like the Empress Dowager was spying on the duke's house?"

"She's already blowing imperial funds on the temple left and right. If word got out she was snooping on nobles too, the imperial family's reputation would hit rock bottom."

I nodded. The Empress Dowager was truly shameless.

Her fanaticism was always the emperor's headache.

He wanted to curb the temple's imperial-level power, but she kept aiding them and causing scandals.

Far from shrinking the temple's influence, it only damaged the imperial face every time.

And she'd arbitrarily decided to adopt me into the duke's house.

Then spied on us after? Normally, Duvered would've exploded.

'If this gets out, even the emperor won't stay quiet.'

So she must've sent the letter begging the duke not to tell, promising no interference in my education.

Either way, escaping her scrutiny was good for me.

Then the butler turned to Ishak.

"There's also a strange letter."

"For me?"

"Well... not entirely sure it's for you, young master. Your name is on it, though."

"What're you talking about?"

"It says, 'To Squire Ishak of the Knights.'"

Ishak furrowed his brow.

"Squire? Someone with my name?"

"Searched, but no. And even stranger..."

The butler tilted his head and set down a box with an elza tree flower bouquet and pink girls' shoes.

"The flowers have a preservation spell."

'Gasp!'

I clapped a hand over my mouth.

I knew instantly who sent it.

'Adrian!'

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