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Chapter – 33
“Who says is here?”
At Conteave’s question, the maid answered.
“Count Speldia and his sons have arrived.”
The Speldia family was one of the collateral families of the Pantheibe Duchy, managing one of the numerous businesses operated by the ducal house.
Though, it was a minor venture, considered perhaps a speck of dust within the ducal assets.
“How odd.”
The impassive Duke recited flatly.
“I don’t recall inviting them. Nor do I remember receiving a request for a visit.”
“Well… They said they have a topic worthy of discussion at the vassal council meeting. They wish to request your review, Your Grace.”
“Goodness. They’re being a bother.”
There were occasionally people like this.
Those who, ahead of the vassal council, would sneakily pop their heads in under the pretext of getting their agenda items reviewed beforehand.
In the end, the stories they brought were all worthless talk, solely focused on lining their own pockets.
Tsk.
“Just send them ba-, wait.”
The Duke, who had been idly scratching his eyebrow, stopped mid-sentence and tilted his head.
“But why did they bring their sons? If they intended to discuss business, it would have been better not to bring them.”
“Ah. It seems Lord Louis is acquainted with the young masters of Speldia. They became friends during a previous meeting…”
“Using their children as a front to get a foot in the ducal residence, is it.”
At the blunt words, the maid rolled her eyes.
“What shall we do? Shall we turn them away?”
“Never mind, just let them in. I’ll play along with their annoying game, I suppose.”
Who knows.
“They might actually be Louis’s friends.”
The Count who barged in without an appointment was insolent, but if his sons were Louis’s friends, he was willing to grant an audience this once.
If his beloved nephew’s friends had come to visit, he couldn’t very well drive them away harshly.
Of course, this indulgence would be the first and last time.
A momentary spark of color flashed and vanished in his indifferent blue eyes.
After the maid left to deliver the message, Conteave turned his body and looked out the window.
“It’s not good weather for the kids to play.”
However, contrary to the wind, the overcast sky showed no sign of clearing easily.
“The Duke has permitted your visit.”
At the words of the knight guarding the gate, Count Speldia raised his chin.
“See there. Do you understand now who you dared to block? My children and the young lord are close friends, and you dared to block our way?”
His arrogant voice was full of irritation.
Having ridden his carriage and visited the ducal estate unannounced, he had been embarrassingly blocked right from the main gate.
The inflexible knights, showing no leniency, had stiffly stated they couldn’t open the gate until the Duke’s permission came down.
“Remember our faces. You’d better be careful!”
Clicking his tongue once more, the Count climbed into the stationary carriage.
Shortly after, the massive iron gate blocking the ducal residence opened.
Unlike the Count, who wore a satisfied smile, his sons’ faces were twisted with displeasure.
“Haa. Father, I don’t want to be friends with that kid.”
“Me too. He’s three years younger than me. What am I supposed to play with a brat like that?”
“Right. And he’s annoyi—”
“Shhh!”
The Count clicked his tongue, cutting off his sons’ complaints.
“Both of you, don’t act childish! Louis is one of the nephews the Pantheibe Duke dotes on. He might even become the next Duke. It’s not bad to build a friendship from a young age.”
It was already a well-known story that the Duke treated his nephews like his own children.
There were even rumors that the reason he didn’t marry was to pass the title to his nephews.
After Conteave became Duke, having the children addressed as ‘Young Lord/Lady’ added fuel to those rumors.
Therefore.
‘If my sons become close with the Duke’s nephews…’
Not only would they connect with the future Duke, but even the current Duke wouldn’t be able to ignore their family.
“We can’t keep running this mouse-tail-sized business forever.”
The Count’s eyes gleamed with greed.
“Our family must play in bigger waters. And for that, your roles are important. Understand?”
“Nyeah. I get it. We just have to be friendly with that annoying kid, right?”
“Ugh. Annoying.”
The children nodded while wriggling their bodies discontentedly.
Soon, the carriage stopped before the magnificent mansion.
Drip.
Roll, roll.
Squatting on the dirt ground, I rested my chin on my knees and just rolled my eyes back and forth.
‘I have to tread carefully…’
Today’s Louis was in a state where his aloofness was about ten times stronger than usual.
If his usual aloofness was orange level, today was almost lemon level.
“Orabeoni, hello!”
“……”
“Orabeoni?”
“Be quiet. Don’t make me talk.”
He didn’t even glance my way despite my energetic greeting.
‘Is it the weather…?’
Or is it related to how he acted strangely yesterday?
Usually, Louis would grumble but subtly check my mood and not ignore me.
Even while acting like he disliked it, he seemed to secretly enjoy me following him right to his door.
But yesterday…
“…Don’t follow me anymore today. I’m not in the mood to deal with you.”
He looked like he might cry.
Enough that I couldn’t shamelessly follow him.
‘Hoo, this is frustrating.’
He clearly doesn’t seem to dislike me, and even seems to have a bit of a favorable impression.
So why is he trying so hard to keep his distance from me?
Even making that teary face.
‘There must be some reason…’
But I just don’t know.
No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with an answer.
Sigh.
‘I didn’t expect this side to be more of a challenge than the former Duke.’
Ever since the day I gifted the painting to the former Duke, he started visiting me daily.
“Take it. A doll. I found it on the way.”
“Take it. A picture book. I found it on the way.”
“Take it. Pajamas. I found it on the way.”
Bringing something he ‘found on the way.’
Goodness, where does he keep finding such perfectly good things? In my days as a beggar, I could search a field for half a day and barely find a handful of edible grass.
Anyway.
‘I feel like I’ve gotten a bit closer with the former Duke…’
On the contrary, Louis seems to get close, then immediately drifts far away again.
Not knowing the reason he drifts away makes it even more frustrating.
Ultimately, all I could do was squat in a corner and watch Louis.
‘If I knew it’d be like this, I should’ve brought a mat.’
I left my bag and mat behind because it looked like rain.
Mmm…
‘…Should I just plop down?’
Eina said it’s fine if my clothes get dirty…
While pondering, I stealthily sat my bottom down on the ground.
How long had I been sitting there, lips tightly sealed?
Plop, plink.
“…Rain?”
I felt a raindrop or two fall from the sky.
After that, no more raindrops fell, but—
‘This is it!’
I didn’t miss the opportunity and sprang up from my spot.
“Ora…!”
Ah, he told me not to call him ‘orabeoni.’
Then what should I call him?
“Hmm, uh… Lord Luitte?”
At the thoughtfully crafted title, Louis’s face swiftly turned towards me.
His perpetually expressionless face was now contorted in disbelief.
“You, what did you just… No. Never mind. I don’t care about this.”
After muttering to himself briefly, Louis’s face turned cold again.
“Why did you call me? I told you not to make me talk. Are you ignoring me?”
“No! Not ignoring! It’s, it’s… gonna rain, so, I was gonna get an umbrellawa…!”
I unintentionally slipped into honorifics due to his voice, colder than usual.
“I don’t need that.”
“Nooo. You’ll get a cold-namuh!”
At my words, Louis let out a deep sigh and turned his head away.
“You’re so foolish. Don’t bother me, do as you please. I’m not interested in you, anyway.”
