WSRN 10

chapter 10

I didn’t even need to write it down; Viscount and I would be cut off from each other on paper as family anyway.

If I were still Elena Clinton from my previous life, who had lingering attachment to family, it might have been different.
But as I was now, I didn’t think I’d feel sad even if the Viscount dropped dead on the road this very moment.

‘Mm, stop thinking about it.’

Any more and my thoughts toward my biological father would grow even more unfilial. After all, I was originally from a Confucian country, wasn’t I?

So I signed with an easy heart. Two copies — the Duke’s and mine.

“You’re now Elena Hill.”
“Yes, I’ve confirmed it.”
“I’ll send someone later about other matters. For now, remain in that room.”

At his look that clearly meant “return to your room,” I rose, bowed politely, and left the room, leaving the Viscount behind.

‘Was there anything left to discuss?’

Anyway, I had successfully entered Hilberg…

I just shut off all interest in those two. As per the contract.

Still, as I trotted back to my room, I hoped the Duke wouldn’t give my father too much. No matter how rich he was, it already felt like such a waste.

When I reached my room, I closed the door and slid down right there. Then I took out the papers I’d held tightly to my chest and read them over and over again.

‘…This actually worked.’

After realizing I’d been reincarnated and then regressed, I’d impulsively come up with a plan because I didn’t want to face the same ending again.

I’d cobbled together memories of my previous life, convinced Hilberg was my only path.

And then this strange ability had manifested, as if it wasn’t coincidence. If not for the Duke of Hilberg’s household, I’d never even have discovered it.

It wasn’t about physical strength; it seemed to be some resistance that only worked against their hereditary powers.

It was still unbelievable that all this had happened within a week. Now that I’d actually become a ward, my tension drained away, leaving me weak.

‘No, this is just the beginning.’

I still didn’t know exactly what caused this odd resistance or how long it would last.

‘The Duke who guaranteed my status could even die next year.’

Especially since his cause of death wasn’t from battle — it was far too unstable to invest my future in him alone.

So I had to make it so that even if this resistance disappeared, Hilberg couldn’t cast me out.

Simple curiosity or research value wouldn’t be enough.

The Duke, Blair, Sian… I had no confidence I could surpass those three, but I had something they didn’t: memories of my previous life.

I had to use my current position to accumulate both capital and trust. For that, the best option was to run a merchant company — a trading firm that gathered both information and money.

Of course, the Duke’s house was so wealthy it didn’t need money I earned, but enough to make them hesitate to throw me out would suffice.

But…

‘I’m not exactly confident about starting a business from scratch.’

Even if I had knowledge others didn’t, turning that into an actual business was a different matter.

As I paced the room in circles, fretting, I spotted yesterday’s newspaper on the desk. Reading it with a troubled mind, my eyes suddenly lit up.

‘This is it.’

And just then, someone knocked on my door. A servant sent by the Duke. I quickly headed to the Duke’s office.

The Duke was seated peacefully at his desk, pouring tea. Today there wasn’t that bitter smell from yesterday.

‘Is that some kind of poison too?’

As I stared, he lifted the cup to his lips and looked at me questioningly — as if asking, “Want some too?”

Afraid he might actually offer, I shook my head so hard it buzzed.

He drank his tea coldly. I didn’t know why he’d called me, but he clearly wasn’t going to speak first.

“Um, Your Grace. How far does the scope of guardianship go?”
“Why?”
“If you’ll allow it, I’d like to try running a business.”

The Duke, savoring his tea leisurely, raised an eyebrow.

“…A business?”
“Yes. That small trading firm you got from the imprisoned Count Russell… You’ve had no use for it, right?”
“And how did you know that?”

The paper had reported on the shameful actions of nobles caught running illegal gambling dens that used people as prizes. When I saw the initials listed below, I suddenly remembered.

That gambling den had been quite large, and they’d kidnapped people from the Duke’s territory…

Unluckily for them, the Duke had ended up leading the investigation.

‘Everyone had been gloating, saying divine punishment had struck.’

Outraged at being disregarded as the land’s lord, the Duke had coolly imprisoned everyone involved. Some lost their titles, and those deeply implicated were executed on the spot.

Count Russell had lost both his title and fortune — and awkwardly enough, a middling trading firm had rolled into the Duke’s hands along with it.

“Anyway, would you pass it to me as an investment? Better than just letting it rot.”
“It’s a proposal that won’t hurt me, but…”

He must’ve imagined a completely ruined company; the Duke’s brow creased slightly. I grinned sheepishly and added:

“Well, if possible, I’d also like you to assign some staff to me.”
“So that’s the main point. Just say that from the start.”

Right. If I received a trading firm under the Duke’s jurisdiction, he’d at least make a minimal investment.

And knowing his nature, he must already be annoyed at having to deal with it.

He stared at me as though tired of me, then finally nodded mildly.

“You’ll have to take responsibility.”
“You mean you’ll give it to me? Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

He nodded as if it were a mere formality, but I was serious.

“I’d actually called you to ask why you wanted to make money, so this settles that.”

‘Ah, so that was the “remaining matter.”’

“I’ll transfer authority over the firm and assign someone to handle its business. The rest is up to you.”

As the Duke waved me off, I bowed. But then he added as if remembering something:

“I’ll later send Wilhelm, the butler, so you can choose your room.”

From where the Duke had nodded, an old man with streaked brown hair appeared, bowing quietly to me.

Though tall, thanks to his smile he looked more warm than intimidating.

‘Wait, where did he come from?’
“When did you get here?”
“From the start.”

…I hadn’t sensed him at all. I silently retracted my “warm-looking” comment.

Then, a strange voice spoke near the Duke.

[So this is Daniel’s first ward! Different from the last one.]

‘…Huh?’

Daniel… Daniel. I’d seen that name somewhere recently.

‘Ah, that was the Duke’s name, wasn’t it?’

At first I thought it was the butler speaking, but apparently not. What butler would call his master’s name so casually?

As I was seized by this eerie feeling, the voice came again.

[Oh my. You. You can hear my voice, can’t you? My word.]

I thought I’d gone insane. It wasn’t just hearing — the voice echoed directly inside my head.

And its source was…

The bracelet on the Duke’s arm.

‘Oh, damn.’

Was this the thing people said drove them mad? Flustered, I spoke up.

“Uh… Your Grace. I’m sorry but…”
“Again with the false modesty. Just speak.”
“No, um… I think something’s wrong with my head.”
“What?”
“I hear a strange voice from that bracelet. This isn’t normal, right?”

Damn it, I’d thought this was some reincarnator buff — turns out it was a debuff pretending to be one.

The Duke didn’t call me crazy. After looking at me with interest for a moment, he removed the bracelet, walked over, and fastened it around my wrist himself.

He said it would be good to see what changes occurred.

‘He’s just handing this over like that?’

The cold touch gave me goosebumps, but I couldn’t exactly refuse, so I accepted it.

Now a pitch-black bracelet sat heavy on my arm. Since earlier, it had been quiet.

‘I can’t tell if this is good or bad.’

With a weary sigh, I decided to head back and organize the papers I’d received.

Just as I set foot on the stairs, I ran into Sian coming down. He glanced at me with a thoughtful look, then quickly brushed past.

My hand, raised to greet him, hung awkwardly in midair.

“Ah!”

My wrist was bent backward.

I almost toppled over, but before I could, something gripped my waist firmly.

It was Sian’s arm.

Thanks to him, I barely kept my balance. But since it was his grab that had nearly made me fall in the first place, I didn’t feel grateful.

“You… Somehow…”

Looking at Sian muttering through clenched teeth, I tapped at the arm around my waist. God, for someone so small he was ridiculously strong.

“What?! And let go already!”

Sian didn’t release my arm. He glared at me with eyes full of betrayal from right next to my shoulder. The distance was far too close.

As I struggled to wriggle free, a shocking statement came:

“I didn’t know Father had an illegitimate child.”
“What? You mean me?”
“Yes.”

‘Huh? Of course you wouldn’t know! I’m not the Duke’s illegitimate child!’

“So…”

Sian nodded, as if all the puzzle pieces now fit.

“What are you even talking about!”

Whatever it was, that wasn’t it.

But Sian wasn’t looking at me; he was staring past me, lost in thought, still holding me captive.

Panicking, I did the only thing I could — I slammed my forehead into his.