TMRM 5

Chapter: 5

When I opened my eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

I sat up in surprise, only to notice that my side felt warm.

Ah, that’s right.

Yesterday, I had been running around all day with Luth, soothing him until he fell asleep, and I had ended up falling asleep myself right there.

“Luth, why did you sleep like that? Without a pillow?”

“Mmm… I just… fell asleep like that…”

“Tsk.”

I poked at Luth’s cheek, which still had marks from the blanket. It felt warm and soft.

Luth didn’t seem to mind my touch at all.

“By the way… Bella? She should have come to wake us up this morning. Geez, how long have I slept? Overslept, huh?”

“She came, but I sent her away. You stayed up late yesterday, so I told her to let you sleep more.”

I stretched, and my body felt stiff. After moving for the first time in a while, every muscle seemed to protest.

When I got off the bed, Luth followed me.

We went to find Bella, who was cleaning my room.

After eating the meal Bella had prepared, I sat at my dressing table.

Today, I was determined to deal with Flurg once and for all.

Now that I had the Duke’s permission, there was nothing holding me back.

As Bella combed my hair in front of the mirror, she said in a lively tone,

“Lady, how is it that your hair is so soft? Did you know? Everyone is eager to serve you!”

“Serve me? Why?”

“Why? How adorable you are, of course! When you walk around holding hands with the Duke, everyone swallows their tears quietly because it’s so cute. I’m the only one this close to you, so I’m proud!”

“Really?”

“Yes! So… can’t you stop having another maid do it?”

“If Bella makes it look nice today, I’ll forgive her.”

“Our Lady is beautiful no matter what… what should I do…”

Bella really looked like she was agonizing over it.

While I was lost in thoughts of dealing with Flurg, she tied my hair into two pigtails.

It felt strange, considering it had been decades—including my previous life—since I last wore my hair like this.

“Doesn’t it look weird?”

I fiddled with the ends, but Bella shook her head firmly.

“Not at all! It’s absolutely lovely! If you go out like this, everyone might just fall over from how adorable you are!”

“Really…? Luth, what do you think?”

I asked Luth, who had been waiting beside me. He cupped his cheeks with both hands and said,

“Very pretty.”

The little guy already knew how to brighten someone’s heart.

Listening to both of them, I felt it really didn’t look bad.

That’s right. I’m still young, and I’m pretty.

When else will I wear this hairstyle?

Alright, today it’s pigtails.

I smiled contentedly and headed to the study with Luth.

Flurg, sitting in his chair, looked at us arrogantly as we entered.

“What brings the Duchess here?”

“What brings me here? I’m here because I’m taking over the management of the estate now.”

And also to make you spit out the embezzled money.

Flurg laughed, thinking I was just a child being childish.

“The estate is complicated. A child like you can’t handle it.”

“That’s something we’ll see once I try.”

“Lady… but you haven’t been married long, and you need the Duke’s permission.”

“Luth, is it okay if I take charge of the estate?”

I asked, looking at Luth, who was holding my hand tightly.

“Yes! If you want to, do it!”

“See? The Duke says I can if I want.”

“But Lady, you’re an outsider…”

Luth cut the man off.

“Flurg. She’s not an outsider. Are you defying the Duke?”

How sharp and clever he was. Truly my child.

“Duke… I’m only concerned for the family. You know how difficult it is to manage this estate. It’s only functioning smoothly because of me. Giving it to the Lady… would be difficult. But what if it collapses afterward? What then?”

Flurg was playing the part of a loyal retainer quite well.

I stepped forward and asked,

“So, you’re saying I can’t do it because I’m not capable?”

“Yes.”

“Then I just need to prove I’m capable, right? How should I prove it?”

I pretended to think for a moment before saying,

“How about earning one million marks in a week?”

One million marks was a fortune—a regular commoner would have to work a whole year to make that much.

“One million marks?”

Flurg sneered. It was obvious he thought a child like me was bluffing.

“Fine. Let’s do it.”

Flurg reluctantly agreed.

Alright, laugh all you want.

A week from now, you’ll be begging for mercy instead of laughing.

Who dares try to take my child’s money?

“Lady! Tomorrow is already the end of the week you promised!”

I stopped reading a book to Luth and looked at Bella.

Luth, who had been close to me, followed my gaze to Bella.

“Yes. I know.”

During the week I promised Flurg, I did absolutely nothing.

I simply read to Luth, observed the estate, and greeted the other servants as usual.

Bella, frustrated at my calm attitude, urged me.

“Lady! We only have fifty thousand marks left from selling the jewels! At this rate, you’ll lose!”

She cried out, almost on the verge of tears.

“Then Flurg will harshly scold you! Should I go out and earn something? Everyone knows one million marks is impossible, but at least we could try!”

“Thanks, Bella. But it’s really fine.”

“But Lady!”

“Oh, time’s flown! Luth, it’s time for our walk!”

I left with Luth before I accidentally told Bella my whole plan.

“Phew. Bella worries too much, right, Luth?”

“Yeah.”

I exchanged a mischievous smile with Luth, who knew my plan completely.

Then Luth held my hand.

“Huh? Luth, why?”

“Even if it goes wrong, don’t worry too much, sis. I’ll chase them off if I have to.”

I smiled and poked the bridge of his nose.

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“But…”

Even so, his sincere support was always comforting.

“Anyway, let’s go for a walk. Where should we go today? We went east last time, so how about west today?”

We wandered around the estate hand in hand.

Eventually, we arrived at the large hall.

What had once been filled with luxury goods now felt empty and hollow.

“Lady! Duke!”

A maid cleaning the hall brightened at seeing us.

“Hello.”

“What brings you here? I heard you’re making a bet with Flurg!”

“Where did you hear that?”

“From Flurg himself!”

He must have spread it to embarrass me, but it actually worked in my favor.

“I’m definitely on your side! You can do it!”

“Thanks.”

I looked at the massive family crest hanging in the center of the hall.

It was so large that I had to tilt my head back completely to see it. The power it conveyed was overwhelming.

The sword motif in the center exuded both elegance and delicate beauty.

“It symbolizes the founder of our family helping the first emperor defeat a demon king who threatened the world, becoming the Duke.”

Noticing my interest in the crest, Luth explained.

“Demon king?”

“Yes. He existed a thousand years ago. He was so strong and evil that he almost destroyed the world. The first emperor and Duke Valpruga saved it.”

“I see.”

I nodded and, almost mesmerized, touched the crest.

“Ouch!”

“Ah! Lady! Are you okay? You’re bleeding!”

The rough surface scraped my delicate skin, drawing blood.

“I’m fine. But… what if the blood leaves a mark here?”

‘Found it.’

“The blood is the problem now…!”

Luth grabbed my hand, shouting.

Huh? Something feels off.

Why does Luth sound like he’s far away?

My vision started to blur.

‘Come here.’

Someone was calling me.

‘Come here, quickly.’

Luth’s voice faded, but the mysterious voice grew clearer.

A low, majestic, powerful voice.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The sound of a heartbeat.

‘I’ve been waiting.’

Those were the last words I heard before I lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes, I was in a dark cave.

“Where on earth am I?”

The cave was high enough to fit a small mountain inside, but the front was blocked by a massive chunk of ice.

I reached for the ice wall but quickly pulled back my hand, feeling the cold even from a distance.

Touching it would surely cause frostbite.

Where was this?

Was it a place prepared for the Duke?

Then should I bring Luth here? How would I even do that?

I hadn’t read anything like this in the original story.

‘How do I get out of here?’

Wait.

‘This isn’t stone!’

It was so huge that I thought it was a rock, but on closer inspection, I could see reptilian scales.

It was a dragon, curled up.

As I cautiously stepped closer, I saw the dragon’s head, eyes closed.

It was so massive that I had mistaken it for a wall.

Its body was white and translucent like ice, with a dark glow like the deep sea.

‘What is happening? How do I get past it? If I do, I might wake it.’

It seemed asleep, but if I disturbed it, I could become its meal.

Then, the voice I had heard earlier spoke again.

“It’s dangerous if you touch it.”