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Chapter – 08
There are two conditions for a “liking value” to appear.
The keyword controlling my father’s current emotions is disappointment.
“Father thought the ball was too early as well.”
“But everyone thinks I’m just a burden.”
“Who is saying such nonsense…!”
“Asta already knows everything.”
People used to whisper openly. That I was always just a burden to my father.
“I also want to grow up quickly so I don’t become a chain on Father.”
My father, shocked, came closer, looking into my eyes while shaking his head again and again.
“How did my little star start thinking such sad thoughts?”
“I….”
When I spent my first carefree year without knowing anything, everything felt like my world.
That happy childhood ended exactly one year later—on the day of the hunting tournament, with my father’s death.
Even if it reduces my father’s affection, I cannot compromise on this matter.
With my firm will, Father had no choice but to hold me tightly.
“The Queen said… you are no longer a child.”
“Father.”
It seems that while I was away, the effect of [Queen’s Protection] had successfully activated.
If I hadn’t obtained it earlier, I would have been dragged straight back home. That thought made me shiver.
“He must have prepared this situation knowing it. Let’s talk more tomorrow.”
After hearing that, my heart felt strangely heavy.
As I was carried in Father’s arms to my room, a large moon could be seen in the distance.
Under that moonlight, Father finally spoke his true feelings.
“The reason I hid you was so you wouldn’t hear those kinds of stories.”
During Father’s lifetime, Astarote had almost never gone outside the mansion.
“I have no strength, and you are still too young. Those nobles are desperate to use us.”
“Father.”
The reason my guardian Father died first was because of this.
He was the King’s most trusted younger brother and the protector of the youngest royal descendant.
After eliminating him first, and then the remaining heirs, the nobles planned to assassinate the King and use Astarote as a puppet to control the kingdom.
“Forgive your useless father for trying to protect you in that way.”
To marry my mother, and after her death to protect me, Father even gave up his right to the throne.
Fortunately, the Emperor acknowledged my succession rights, but Father truly sacrificed many things to protect our family.
“I love you, Astarote.”
So I also want to protect it. My future with Father. My new family.
I can do anything for that.
With those thoughts, I leaned against Father’s back and fell asleep.
“Ah!”
When I woke up in a panic, the sun was already high in the sky.
And fortunately, it was not my familiar room ceiling.
“Young lady, you’re awake?”
I was startled, thinking Father had taken me home, but luckily I was still in the palace.
Mina, my close aide, came rushing in with the palace maids.
“You overslept. That’s unusual.”
They quickly washed my face and fixed my messy hair.
After taking a sip of fresh orange juice brought by a maid, I asked Mina.
“Why are we in such a hurry today?”
“The young Duke of Granada has been waiting.”
“Pff—”
I almost spat out my drink.
“At this hour?”
“He has been waiting for a long time. While His Grace went hunting with His Majesty at dawn.”
“…Ah.”
The Emperor is really amazing.
If he went hunting, he wouldn’t return until afternoon at least. That meant I had time to talk to that boy.
With my time limit slowly decreasing even now, I quickly changed clothes.
Wearing a light sky-blue dress chosen by my sister, I walked gracefully to the reception room in the annex palace.
“Asta.”
There, I met the young Duke again—Ryan.
“You waited since early morning?”
“I needed to finish what we talked about yesterday.”
“Well, that’s true but…”
If I had said I was the one who proposed in front of others, it would have been disastrous.
I was curious what he knew, but being alone together last night already felt dangerous.
“I just wanted to properly thank you for picking up my handkerchief yesterday.”
“Oh, right.”
Unlike Cedric, who had no sense at all, Ryan immediately gave a clean excuse.
He really was an active NPC.
‘Even though there’s a real adult inside him…’
He is only ten years old, but he speaks and understands things too well for a child.
“Prepare tea. We need to talk something important.”
“Lady, please call me if anything happens.”
Even though he was a child, Mina kept worrying about me being alone with a man.
“I said it’s really fine!”
I waved her off and sighed awkwardly.
“I hope you’re not upset.”
“You are loved, Astarote.”
“W-well, I guess I am?”
I shrugged awkwardly at the unexpected words.
Then Ryan took something from inside his coat and handed it to me.
“I prepared it in advance.”
“This is….”
[(Obtained) Proposal Letter x1]
Present the proposal letter to the King and reveal your future plans.
I didn’t even need to open it—the explanation already appeared.
Ryan, looking at my shocked face, spoke as if he already knew everything.
“I heard that to increase support for the royal family, the Grand Duke of Halstein is being forced into remarriage.”
“Well, yes…”
It wasn’t exactly the reason, but it wasn’t wrong either, so I nodded.
“I also heard that the Duke of Granada is seriously ill.”
Ryan nodded calmly.
“The Marquis of Montpellier is trying to take over Granada while my father is sick.”
“Granada?”
Granada was a strategic territory, as important as Montpellier’s domain.
“If I stay powerless, nobles will appoint a regent over me. That is unacceptable.”
“A regent?”
“It means another noble will act as duke until I turn twenty.”
If that happened, the one controlling Granada would likely be a high-ranking noble already in power.
“Is this also the Marquis of Montpellier’s doing?”
“Yes. He even tried to marry his daughter to me.”
Now things were becoming clearer.
If Montpellier swallowed Granada, it would become a huge threat to the royal family.
“If the central power interferes, it will affect our true mission.”
Ryan explained further.
“Our family has guarded the northern ice wall for generations. If it collapses, an endless winter will cover the kingdom.”
Beyond that ice wall lives the Ice Queen, who threatens the kingdom.
Protecting the kingdom from eternal winter is the royal family’s duty.
“I have a mission I must fulfill.”
And the Granada family, loyal for generations, stood on the front line protecting the kingdom with their lives.
‘They really were carrying a heavy burden.’
I had been wrong to think he was just a simple “unimportant character.”
Looking at him properly, he seemed different now.
Even his sharp eyes looked… somewhat cool.
“Of course, I didn’t do this only for my benefit.”
While I was thinking, Ryan opened the door himself and ordered something brought in.
“Th-that is…!”
“I used what the Grand Duke of Halstein usually says. I hope you like it.”
Seeing the unexpected “bribe,” I completely lost my composure.
