TRFDTV ~ 13

Chapter – 13

“There won’t be any need to see them in the future either.”

“What?”

“As far as I’ve confirmed, there’s only one person left in the Bolcheik family — and that person is currently on the brink of death.”

Asili looked quietly at Ludwig, recalling their conversation before the party.

‘What? Bolcheik?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s… a noble family, right?’
‘A ducal house.’

When Ludwig had answered so, Asili had pressed a finger against her chest, half in disbelief.

‘Wait, you’re going to introduce me as the daughter of a ducal family?’
‘Yes. In fact, we’ll go through the formal adoption process.’
‘A-adoption? That means I’ll actually belong to that family. For real?’
‘You can’t call yourself the Bolcheik young lady unless you’re legally registered as one.’
‘Huh. Strict world.’

Well, of course a world with a rigid class system would have strict laws against impersonating nobility…

But the way Ludwig had said it — as if writing her name into the family ledger of a duke’s house was as simple as handing over a cookie — left her baffled.

Now, shaking her head to return to the present, Asili asked,

“At the time, I didn’t really understand what was happening. I was too overwhelmed to think straight. But in the end, you really did go through with the adoption?”

“Yes.”

Asili made a dubious face and deliberately lowered her voice.

“Isn’t that basically fraud?”

“Taking in an adopted heir is quite common among noble houses.”

“So it is fraud.”

Ludwig’s brow creased again as he chuckled silently, and Asili, who had been squinting at him, couldn’t help but start laughing too — only to stop midway.

“No, but seriously — how did you pull it off? I may not know much about this world, but even I remember the ranks: duke, marquis, count, viscount, baron. Dukes are right under the emperor, aren’t they?”

“You’re not wrong. Among the nobility, it’s the highest rank.”

“Then how can someone just… casually bring in an outsider like it’s no big deal?”

“Because I was granted full authority over the Bolcheik estate.”

Asili’s eyes widened.

“Before the last surviving Bolcheik heir fell into a coma, he transferred all family rights to me.”

A clean — and suspiciously convenient — answer.

Sensing her unease, Ludwig lifted a lock of her hair and added softly,

“Besides, with hair and eyes like these, you really could be a lost Bolcheik descendant. It’s too early to call it fraud.”

The Bolcheiks’ symbol: hair like burning fire and eyes of crystalline blue.

“You’re right that people in this world have all sorts of hair colors, but such a vivid red exists only in the Bolcheik line. All others are duller, muddier shades.”

“Just from hair color?”

“The eyes as well. Every Bolcheik is born with blue or violet-blue eyes. And—”

He drew her scarlet hair beside her eyes.

“—no one but the Bolcheiks ever had both at once.”

“What kind of monster gene is that?”

“Gene?”

“Think of it as something that runs through bloodlines. Everything — facial features, skin tone, hair and eye color, even illnesses — all passed down through generations.”

Strictly speaking, that wasn’t quite accurate, but there was no reason to lecture Ludwig on genetics here.

He could tell she was simplifying, yet he let it pass without comment.

Her world and his were too different; what was commonplace in hers often turned into something strange here.

If the current Bolcheik head — now unconscious — were awake and still the curious man Ludwig remembered, he’d probably have begged to hear every detail.

As if reading that thought, Asili laughed dryly.

“A lost heir returning after vanishing? Come on. Did you forget? I’m from another world.”

“Then maybe you’re a descendant who vanished into another world. And to be clear — even if my friend, the Bolcheik duke, were still well, you would still have become the Bolcheik lady.”

If anything, that friend would have been desperate to keep Asili near him, prying into every word from her strange world.

If she’d asked for it, he probably would’ve gone so far as to name her heir outright.

Thinking of that last living Bolcheik — now asleep for three long years — Ludwig’s lips twisted into a faint, bitter smile.

“Ludwig, wait… you had friends?”

“Hard to say. Not sure if he still thinks so.”

“What? That doesn’t sound like you. You were saying something and then just— hey!”

She caught herself, shaking her head to steer the conversation back on track.

“Anyway, all that nonsense about lost heirs and whatever—”

She was about to tell him to drop the ridiculous talk when his next words froze her in place.

“The Bolcheik family history mentions someone who came from another world.”

“…What? What did you just say? Another world? Do you mean — someone from the same place as me?”

Her eyes widened, urgency in her voice — but before she could press further, another knock came.

Knock. Knock knock knock.

Her lips parted, then shut tight again. Ludwig, watching her quietly, spoke first.

“Come in.”

Sebastian stepped in — and froze.

The sight before him was… not exactly proper.

Asili was sitting on Ludwig’s lap, the two pressed close, and yet neither seemed embarrassed nor self-conscious.

They were so used to each other that they’d forgotten how it might look to someone else.

“Sebastian.”

Only after Ludwig’s dry tone did the butler compose himself and enter fully.

“The reception room for His Highness the Crown Prince is prepared. And…”

“And?”

When Asili tilted her head, Sebastian continued with utmost composure — but his words were sharp.

“His Highness has once again broken protocol and arrived unannounced.”

“Tell him to wait.”

“He’s demanding to see the young lady, Your Grace. The servants say their ears are bleeding from his singing requests — please, show mercy.”

At his plea, Asili clicked her tongue and stood up.

As expected of the protagonist of this world — even when barging into the villain’s domain, his arrogance knew no bounds.

When Ludwig rose and extended a hand toward her, Asili placed her hand atop his with the kind of graceful poise she’d somehow picked up in just a few days. Together, they walked out.

Bang!

Before Sebastian could even knock on the reception room door, it burst open.

Asili instinctively squinted.

The figure standing in the doorway had golden hair that gleamed too brightly in the sunlight.

What is this, protagonist’s halo or something? she thought wryly.

A bright, cheerful voice rang in her ears.

“Brother!”

The Crown Prince beamed as he threw his arms around Ludwig’s shoulders — but Ludwig neither greeted him nor hugged him back.

“Y-Your Highness! Ah, greetings to the Grand Duke!”

The prince’s aide, who followed behind, frantically tried to pull his master back while bowing hastily to Ludwig.

But the prince simply laughed heartily and clapped Ludwig on the shoulder.

“Of course you’re my brother! Now then, the lady who’s to be my sister-in— mmpf!”

Ludwig promptly clamped a hand over the prince’s mouth and strode straight into the room, dragging him along.

The Crown Prince stumbled backward, wide-eyed, as Ludwig pushed him inside.

That’s when he noticed the figure behind Ludwig.

All he could see in the backlight was flowing crimson hair and a small, slender frame — yet she radiated a strangely captivating air.

Ignoring the prince’s open stare, Asili entered the reception room gracefully.

“Pwah!”

By the time Ludwig had shoved the prince onto the sofa and was calmly wiping his hands with a handkerchief Sebastian offered, the Crown Prince had already sprung back up, eyes shining with curiosity, and approached Asili.

Then—

“Wait—Brother, where is Lady Bolcheik? I don’t see her anywhere.”

“Stand back.”

At Ludwig’s quiet warning, spoken as he stepped in front of Asili, the prince raised his palms and obediently took a step back.

At the same moment, his aide, who had been fuming behind him, opened his mouth to protest — then thought better of it and stayed silent.

The Grand Duke Caliente’s behavior toward the Crown Prince was undoubtedly disrespectful… but the prince had also broken appointment and arrived far too early.

If it had been anyone other than Caliente, the aide would have scolded him — but hypotheticals were meaningless.

The man before him was the Grand Duke Caliente.

“Ludwig.”

The aide’s eyes went wide as his thoughts scattered.

Lu… Ludwig? She just called him Ludwig?

He had heard rumors that the so-called Lady Bolcheik had addressed the Grand Duke by name at the party — but to witness it himself…

Asili, meanwhile, smiled brightly and slipped her hand through Ludwig’s arm.

“Well, we can’t just stand here forever, can we? Won’t you introduce me properly?”