DHDF 04

chapter 04

I took the hand extended by the Duke of Edendale and stepped out of the shop.

Outside, a very luxurious carriage was waiting. The coachman opened the carriage door and set up a small step to make it easier to climb in.

Carefully settling into the seat, I first checked whether the window was open.

“Now, speak,” said the Duke after a long pause, his legs crossed and chin resting on his hand, observing me intently.

“Don’t bother overthinking it with that little head of yours,” he added.

I couldn’t afford any mistakes. Taking a deep, steadying breath to calm my nerves, I opened my mouth with resolve.

“I want to ask Your Grace to be my father.”

A cold silence fell over the carriage.

The Duke’s handsome face didn’t change at all. I couldn’t tell whether he was bewildered or displeased.

But the words were already spoken. Instead of shrinking back, I held my head high.

“I don’t ask for much. I just hope Your Grace will protect me until I reach adulthood.”

After a brief pause, I added:

“Being a father might be too much, but a patron would be enough. Just please take me in.”

“Do you even know who you’re speaking to?”

“Yes, Your Grace. The Duke of Anon, master of the first branch of the Empire. That’s why I’m asking. No one would covet what belongs to Your Grace.”

It was a request. A proposal can only be made on equal footing.

My plan could only succeed with the Duke’s favor. But that didn’t mean I was leaving it to luck alone.

“Your Grace, I don’t know if you realize, but the money I earned from my work with poisons exceeds 300 gold. If you protect me, I will give it all to you. I can confidently say it will be your best choice.”

The Duke remained silent. Judging from his demeanor, he seemed to be thinking, so I waited quietly.

“What’s your name?” he asked, stroking the corner of his mouth.

“Vergene, Your Grace.”

“Unfortunately, I already have three sons, so I don’t need any more children.”

I bit my lip tightly. That was a rejection.

I tried desperately to hide my disappointment, but the Duke’s words weren’t finished.

“However, a family isn’t made up solely of parents and children.”

I doubted my ears.

“I might just take you in as my daughter-in-law.”

Daughter-in-law? That meant my fiancé would be one of his sons. I hadn’t anticipated that, so I froze in place.

“There’s no system of child marriage in the Empire,” I reminded myself.

So, the Duke must mean that I would be engaged to one of his sons.

Thinking it over, canceling the engagement seemed much cleaner than rejection or neglect. There would be no gossip, either.

“You will protect me, right?” I asked.

“Of course,” he replied.

“Then… very well,” I said.

I didn’t know how my counterpart would take it, but I hoped he would understand. It seemed likely I would be paired with the third son.

Although mentioned a few times in the story, he never appeared directly, so it was hard to get a sense of his character.

“Have you eaten?”

The topic suddenly shifted.

“No, not yet,” I replied.

“Good. I’m hungry myself,” he said.

So, I went with the Duke to the largest restaurant in the city of Valoshi, a place we had passed a few times before.

The guests who stepped out of the grand carriage wore brightly colored suits, and from inside came lively music and the aroma of delicious food.

‘I probably shouldn’t be going in there…’

Even a child who didn’t know much could quickly sense whether they were welcome.

And of course, I wasn’t.

‘Though, to be fair, I’ve never truly been welcome anywhere.’

I hesitated to get out of the carriage, and the Duke noticed.

“Don’t like it?”

His words startled me. I hadn’t expected him to notice my unease so quickly.

“Then we can go somewhere else.”

“No, I’m fine,” I replied hastily, opening my eyes wide to convey sincerity.

Despite the staff’s possible disapproval, I was curious about what food would be served.

At the Sanctu Orphanage, the children were never starved, but portions were small and menus limited.

‘So it’s natural to want a proper, expensive meal.’

Suddenly, my confidence surged. Why should I feel intimidated here? I had money, after all.

“Your Grace,” I said.

“Yes?”

“I’d like to treat you to this meal, since you came to meet me.”

For the first time, a smile broke through the Duke’s indifferent expression. He put his hand to his forehead and laughed heartily, drawing the attention of other guests and staff.

“What a bold little one,” he said.

“…Was that too presumptuous?” I asked.

“Only someone as daring as you could even say that,” he replied.

He didn’t explicitly accept, but I felt he was in a better mood. The pressure I had felt earlier softened slightly.

The restaurant we entered was warm, filled with a lovely golden light.

I was distracted by the chandelier above as I climbed the stairs, only realizing where I was a moment later.

“May we sit by the window, if possible?” I asked.

The Duke looked to the manager instead of answering.

“Of course. I will guide you,” the manager said.

I had only asked to avoid inconveniencing others, but it turned out to be a good choice: a terrace seat overlooking Valoshi.

I had wandered the city looking for the branch office, but seeing it like this was a first, and it felt strange.

“Do you have a kids’ set?” I asked.

“It’s not on the menu, but I can request the chef to prepare one.”

“Good.”

“And what wine would you like?”

“Excuse me, but berry juice, please,” I said, clinging to the railing as I searched for the Sanctu Orphanage and spinning around in surprise.

“You mean berry, right?”

“Yes. I thought it was a common nickname.”

Ah… Vergene… since I wasn’t called by my name often, it felt awkward.

“Y-yes. What’s the matter?”

“May I drink wine? Since it’s your treat, Berry.”

“Of course. Naturally.”

“As you can see, I’m being treated. Recommend something that won’t burden our young lady.”

The Duke closed the menu and the manager glanced at me, clearly amused.

“Understood,” she said.

Once the manager left, it was just the Duke and me. That’s when I realized my problem: I wasn’t very talkative.

The Duke must have been wondering whether he preferred a chatty, playful child or a quiet, composed one.

“How did you find the Valoshi branch? It’s not exactly hidden, but it’s not so careless that an orphan girl could easily find it.”

A sudden, sharp question. He was trying to give me no room to think, though it was pointless for me.

“…I ran around looking for it,” I said.

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“It’s true. As Your Grace said, I’m a commoner orphan, so the adults around me didn’t know much. I didn’t have money to hire the information guild either, and the orphanage didn’t give us pocket money.”

The Duke thought for a moment, then seemed convinced. But his questions continued.

“How did you know the branch existed?”

“Sometimes patrons visit the orphanage. I overheard them talking.”

“That makes sense.”

I felt a little proud of myself; not only could I fish for information, but I could lie convincingly too.

“How did you recognize it as the branch?”

No need to lie here.

“Nobles always try to hide something. The doorbell was an elaborate wisteria design—didn’t fit the shabby neighborhood. I suspected it, and I was right.”

“Clever,” he said.

Finally, the questioning ended. At the perfect moment, the manager returned, pouring wine for the Duke and purple juice for me.

I followed the Duke’s lead, clumsily raising my glass and sniffing it.

‘I think I can tell what it is… or maybe not…’

Carefully, I took a sip. It was tangy but sweet, and I liked it, though I didn’t know what it was.

“Your Grace, I’m curious—what kind of juice is this? It’s so delicious.”

“Let me see your glass.”

“You must leave mine,” I said.

“If it’s not enough, ask for more.”

The Duke chuckled but only took a tiny sip. I had worried about how he might identify it, but it was unnecessary.

“Grapes,” he said.

Ah, of course. Even knowing about my previous life vaguely, I was still hazy on the details.

The Duke’s sense in serving grape juice in place of wine made me smile.

I drank the remaining juice, perhaps feeling it sweeter because my first plan had succeeded.