Chapter 73

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 73

Chapter Title: Caught Red-Handed

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I emerged from the dressing room clutching the gloves Lea had knitted me for my fifth birthday. It was all in preparation for our trip to the capital.

Dad had said he'd head to the capital after finishing up estate business. Naturally, I was going with him.

'It'll take Dad a while to wrap things up, but I should start sending things ahead bit by bit.'

Even with Duvered's magic-powered carriage, it took two days from the estate to the capital—a round trip meant three days.

And the weight limit on luggage was so low that if we didn't ship things ahead in small batches, we'd suffer once we got there.

"This too!"

I shouted as I toddled over holding the gloves. Lea chuckled softly.

"If we add those, the bag won't close, will it?"

She glanced at the luggage bag and said. I swallowed a groan.

The bag we were shipping this time was already stuffed to bursting—not even a scarf would fit.

There were limits to what you could take on the magic carriage, so we couldn't pack freely as we pleased.

"We'll ship the gloves next time."

"Then you have to promise to remind me so I don't forget them, okay?"

"Yes."

These gloves were precious to me.

Lea, for all her knightly skills, wasn't much for handiwork, but she'd unraveled and reknitted them countless times. She'd sacrificed even more of her scant sleep, rubbing her eyes through the early dawn.

The finished gloves were terribly clumsy for something meant for a noble child, but they were incredibly dear to me.

I really wished we had a long-distance teleportation circle.

"Is there anything else you need?"

I nodded with an "Ah!"

'I need to pack that too.'

I headed out the door.

My destination was the room with the portrait I'd seen when first touring the west wing.

I stared up at the imposing portrait, as always.

It depicted an elderly man with graying hair and the blue eyes symbolic of the Duvered line.

'Now I know who Grandfather is.'

I hadn't recognized him at first, but the servants had told me later. This man was the founding head of House Duvered.

I gazed at the portrait, then clasped my hands together as if in prayer.

'King Grandpa, forgive the intrusion.'

I dragged over a chair, climbed on top, and reached for the amethyst embedded in the upper center of the frame.

When I was four, I'd seen this portrait and heard a "voice" right away, then fainted.

'At first, I thought it was Bune's voice.'

But after thinking it over, it wasn't.

I clearly remembered Bune's first words when it emerged from the dormant mineral.

[I've finally met the baby.]

That was it.

'Meaning it hadn't met me before then.'

So that "voice" was likely from some other demon, not Bune.

Until now, I'd been safely within the Duvered household, and there'd been no crisis severe enough to summon a demon.

Besides, demons couldn't be dismissed without granting their wish, so in the worst case, I risked depleting all my holy power just to keep one around without fulfilling it.

That's why I hadn't touched it before, but with dangers unknown awaiting us in the capital, I figured I should take it along.

'And I got Dad's permission.'

"Almost... there... ugh."

I stood on tiptoe, straining with all my might.

'Got it!'

I finally pried the amethyst free from the portrait frame.

That's when it happened.

"What do you think you're doing."

A unfamiliar voice rang out.

Startled out of my wits, I jumped and lost my balance.

"Kyaa-!"

I teetered and toppled over.

Thud! The chair crashed down, and I flopped like a frog.

'Wh-who!?'

I looked up to see a boy saying,

"Quite the peculiar mischief."

The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew instantly.

Silver hair like winter's chill, piercing cyan-blue eyes—the Duvered signature. Even without those, I'd have known him. Because...

'It's Dad...'

The boy version of Dad!

Among the three Duvered brothers, the one who took after Dad the most...

'Yohan Duvered.'

I froze solid.

Yohan stared at me wordlessly.

"Young Master!"

Viscount Dubos came rushing in, opening his mouth to speak to Yohan—then spotted me.

"My word, is that Little One? Haha, have you two already met? This is your first time, isn't it? This is Little One's eldest brother, Lord Yohan. And Lord Yohan, this is..."

"I know."

"Pardon?"

"The thief."

He glanced at the amethyst in my hand and said.

Five years after Dad and my other two brothers crossed the mountains... I'd finally met the last peak I had to climb.

'Of all things, he sees me as a thief!'

The entire Duvered family gathered in the dining hall.

Dad sat at the head of the round table, with Henri and Ishak to his left, and Yohan to his right.

I sat across from Dad, stealing glances at Yohan.

Ishak noticed and scowled.

"You still suspicious of the kid? Dad said to handle it however. I heard him."

Yohan sliced into his meat with his knife, expression unchanged.

"No one's fool enough to need it twice."

Henri dabbed his mouth with his napkin, set down his fork, and smiled at his brother.

"So what brings you to the estate? I heard you were attacked on the way to the capital. Must've been frightening."

That was code for 'Scared enough to run home?' Yohan replied nonchalantly.

"Henri."

"Yes?"

"Don't strain your eyes. It shows you're scared."

Henri's face darkened instantly.

Ishak clicked his tongue and slouched defiantly.

"Then what's your game coming here?"

"Better to look scared than expose all your pathetic schemes."

"That aimed at me? Wanna go?"

Blue sparks danced along Ishak's forearm. Then—Clink! Utensils hit a plate sharply. Dad.

"When you fight in front of me, do it with intent to kill one of you—not this petty squabbling."

The sparks on Ishak's arm fizzled out at Dad's words.

And my throat seized up.

'This is awkward...'

Dad and the brothers had their tensions before, but never this razor-sharp. I was utterly flustered.

Rumors in my past life said the Duvereds were colder than midwinter gales. Guess it was true.

'Well, Henri and Ishak weren't close at first either.'

Even now, brotherly love was in short supply.

With his sons silent, Dad picked up his utensils again.

"So, Yohan. Why are you here?"

"This is the third ambush near the border."

Ishak frowned.

"So? A few years back, Henri and I got hit going to and from the academy too."

"That's the problem."

Yohan stabbed a chunk of meat.

"Duvereds getting ambushed has become normal."

"Noble heirs are always kidnap bait. From scum threatening parents via kids to bandits after fancy carriages—not exactly rare."

"Five years ago, who'd dare hit a Duvered carriage?"

His voice dropped low, and Henri and Ishak's faces shifted.

"Do I need to explain to a fool why Duvereds were the exception?"

Henri answered for Ishak, narrowing his brows.

"Because you exterminated their entire clans. No one took jobs out of fear."

Yohan looked at Dad.

"Frankly, it's a hassle. Dealing with small fry."

"And?"

"A toothless tiger gets skinned."

"Talking to me?"

Dad and Yohan's gazes clashed icily in the air.

I ducked my head and focused on eating.

'Eat fast and bolt.'

When whales fight, shrimp shells crack for no reason. But slipping away outright would look suspicious, so I chewed my meat thoroughly and quickly.

"You've lost your fear, coming here unannounced."

"If you'd been the fearful sort, I wouldn't need the hassle."

Quick, quick.

I was practically gnawing it to mush when my gums stung, and something cracked inside.

I bit my tongue in shock.

"Kyaa!"

"Kid!"

"Leblain."

Henri and Ishak rushed over, asking, "You okay?"

"Bit your tongue? Let me see."

I made a teary face and opened my mouth. Then something plinked onto my plate and rolled away.

"......"

"......"

"Toof wone?"

Gasp! Why's my speech like this?

I checked the plate in panic—two baby teeth were gone.

'Right, this is when they fall out.'

My body's growth was slow, so teeth that fell out around eight for other kids were coming loose now.

I looked at my brothers with a pout. Ishak alternated between me and the teeth, then burst out "Pfft." Henri turned away, shoulders trembling faintly.

"Don waff! (Don't laugh!)"

With two front teeth gone, my speech lisped badly.

"Talk of tiger teeth, and yours really..."

Ishak pounded the table laughing. Henri's shoulders shook harder.

I glared wide-eyed at Dad.

'Look at them!'

My pleading expression met Dad's crumbling smirk.

After dinner, the maids swarmed me.

"Little One, don't be so down."

"Yeah, everyone loses teeth. You were fine with the front ones too."

"But dish funny, wight? (But isn't this funny?)"

I had to go to the capital now, and with two teeth missing, wouldn't it be hilarious?

'My goal was dignified Duvered lady.'

As I moped, the maids hurried to reassure me.

"Not at all!"

That almost comforted me...

"Weally? (Really?)"

The moment I opened my mouth, "Pfft!", "Kek!", "Khup...!" laughter erupted everywhere.

Liarsss. It is funny!