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Chapter 3
Conditions for Duke Succession (3)
On a harsh night when a storm was raging, a newborn baby had been placed into Theresa’s arms with her umbilical cord not even severed yet.
“She is a child who will resolve all the disasters that will befall the world.”
Leaving behind those sorrowful words of pleading, the woman had scattered like stars and vanished.
Having witnessed that scene herself, Theresa could not deny Bel’s extraordinary nature.
Theresa pondered once more whether it was really alright to send Bel off for adoption.
Her destination was none other than the Ducal House of Eybek.
‘I’ve heard plenty about his reputation, but…’
Mulling over the plea left behind by Bel’s biological mother, Theresa let out a groan.
In the Oriana Empire—and especially here in the capital where the Imperial Palace was located—there was no one who did not know Duke Ethan Eybek.
After all, he was the strongest knight who had defeated a dragon that had lost its sanity while contaminated by a curse, as well as the hero who had cleared away the disaster looming over this nation.
Theresa knew for a fact that Bel was a very special child.
Because of that, Bel’s presence could potentially bring a crisis upon the orphanage.
‘If Bel is adopted into the Ducal House of Eybek…’
His outstanding martial prowess and formidable soldiers, his immensely high prestige, and his vast wealth—all of those would protect Bel.
‘However, he is also a person at the very center of power.’
The problem was that the position of a ducal house could become a double-edged sword for Bel.
If Bel’s special nature were to become known…
On top of that, if she became a member of a hero’s family…
It was obvious that everyone would naturally demand sacrifice and duty from Bel as if it were as natural as breathing.
“Uuuugh.”
After groaning and agonizing over it for a long while, she barely managed to come to a decision.
‘Alright. Let’s send her.’
At any rate, Bel had chosen Ethan, and Ethan seemed willing enough to take good care of Bel.
‘Bel is a child blessed by the stars, after all.’
Even so, just in case, she intended to check in personally later to see if Bel was doing well.
“Signing here will do, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Finally, Ethan’s handwritten signature was darkly engraved on the very bottom of the adoption papers.
Staring at that signature, Theresa bowed deeply to Ethan.
“Please cherish her.”
Ethan silently gazed at Theresa’s gentle smile before shooting back sullenly:
“I have no intention of picking on a little kid.”
It was a response truly characteristic of him.
Maintaining a crooked attitude throughout, Ethan gathered the adoption papers and walked outside.
Lily, who had packed Bel’s luggage bag, handed it over to Ethan.
“This is Bel’s favorite doll. She can’t sleep without it, so please keep that in mind, and make sure to wash it cleanly once a month.”
“You’re telling me to do laundry?”
“And this is…”
Ethan asked back, but Lily stubbornly continued saying what she had to say.
“Please take good care of her.”
Lily, having finally let go of him, gave Bel a tight hug this time.
“Safe travels, Bel. Be happy.”
“Anyone watching would think I’m taking her somewhere terrible.”
“You just have to say things like that, don’t you.”
At his sarcastic remark, Aspe’s eyes narrowed sharply.
Be that as it may, Ethan nonchalantly glanced down at the top of Bel’s fist-sized head.
Bel’s gaze couldn’t seem to tear away from Lily.
For a moment, it looked like she might cry.
“Let’s head out. We have more places to drop by.”
Lest she change her mind now, Ethan decided to leave quickly.
Tucking the tiny child under his arm, he boarded the carriage with long strides.
He sat the child upright on the seat, but Bel immediately stood up and clung to the window.
“Don’t step on the seat with your shoes on.”
Ethan warned her in word only.
“Safe travels!”
“Goodbye!”
“See you again, Bel!”
Bel stood on tiptoes and clung to the window, receiving their passionate farewells.
“…He’wo.”
At her voice that sounded as small as a whisper, Ethan’s gaze flicked toward the child’s short crown.
‘She’s not crying.’
Fortunately, Bel didn’t cry.
She just stayed stuck to the window until the orphanage was no longer in sight, vigorously waving her small, adorable hands that were shaped like maple leaves.
The orphanage, which had been growing smaller and smaller, vanished below the winding road.
“You’re going to fall.”
“Eeng.”
Ethan pulled Bel away from the window where she had been clinging and sat her on his lap.
‘Not comfortable.’
Bel’s lips stuck out.
Finding the posture terribly uncomfortable, she squirmed around to find a cozy position herself, when a large piece of bread suddenly popped up in front of her eyes.
“Here.”
Its appetizingly baked brown surface glistened smoothly, and because it hadn’t lost its warmth yet, it even wafted a sweet and savory scent.
“Whoaa!”
Bel quickly reached out with both hands to grab the bread.
Then, without hesitation, she bit into it.
“……!”
“You feel like you made the right choice following me, don’t you? Am I right?”
Seeing Bel’s widened eyes, Ethan asked triumphantly.
Nod-nod.
Bel readily nodded her head.
Whatever this mister’s personality problems might be, the bread was truly magnificent.
It seemed Ethan was an adult who kept his promises well. What a relief.
Yum-yum. Every time Bel’s mouth moved busily, her plump cheeks jiggled softly.
Along with that, the spirit clinging to Bel’s side also squirmed and swelled up smoothly.
[Ooh…!]
Its surface, which had been vague like a cloud, became smooth, and its faint presence gradually grew distinct.
It began to take on a solid shape, eventually forming the figure of a human.
[Baby star.]
The spirit, gazing blankly at its elongated arms and hands, looked toward Bel.
[Finally, I can hug you.]
Its slender arms made a motion as if tightly embracing Bel.
Even though she couldn’t feel anything, it still felt nice—because the world full of storm clouds seemed to have turned a little more colorful and pretty.
“Bwead.”
Tugging lightly on Ethan’s clothes, Bel confidently held out an empty hand.
“…Already?”
“Nn.”
“How can a tiny thing eat so much?”
While uttering a small complaint, Ethan handed over a new piece of bread anyway.
Unlike before, this bread was drizzled with sweet syrup.
Bel opened her mouth as wide as she could and took a bite, but the amount that vanished was barely the size of a fingernail.
Seeing that, a sneer formed at the corners of Ethan’s mouth.
“Is that all?”
Bel quickly put on a bad face and glared at him.
Whether that sight looked laughable to him or not, Ethan kept poking Bel’s soft cheek with his index finger.
“Oho? Glaring at me?”
“Uuu.”
“Tiny thing’s got quite a temper.”
Bel wrinkled the bridge of her nose as much as she could and glared at him with a bad face.
‘Don’t tease me!’
Be that as it may, Ethan was busy chuckling and picking on Bel.
“His Majesty is waiting in the reception room.”
In the meantime, the carriage had arrived somewhere.
Ethan, who had been teasing Bel the entire time, casually scooped up the child and tucked her under his arm.
Bel quickly tightened her grip so as not to drop her bread.
[Hold our baby star properly, you personality-flawed human!]
The spirit scolded him, but there was no way it could reach Ethan’s ears.
Bel herself didn’t mind at all.
Rather than that, the scenery visible before her eyes was more important.
‘Where is this?’
It was a place she was seeing for the first time.
An enormously huge building and an extraordinarily spacious yard captured Bel’s attention.
‘Black.’
The scenery was covered in a deep, dark black that was even thicker than gray.
The way dense ether flared up from the ground and covered the building was ominous beyond belief.
“Bwak.”
Bel spoke, but Ethan was busy conversing with the person beside him.
Could Ethan not see those storm clouds?
With an unbothered expression, he headed toward the contamination-riddled building.
[Baby star. There seems to be something here.]
“Nn.”
The scenery inside the building was an even greater spectacle.
There was nowhere the black fog hadn’t attached itself to, and even the people walking about were pitch-black like shadows.
Even if Bel’s world had always been monochrome, it had never been to this extent.
There was definitely something here.
Sensing a threat, Bel began eating the bread in her arms even more aggressively.
“Mo’!“
“You’ll get sick if you overeat.”
Ethan lightly chided her, yet handed over the very last piece of bread anyway.
Munch-munch.
While Bel was busily filling her belly, Ethan strode forward toward the Emperor’s reception room.
“Goodness me. To think I would live to see the day a baby is tucked in your arms.”
“Since you’ve seen it, shall I help you pass away right now?”
“Haha!”
The door to the reception room opened, and a black figure sitting on the sofa greeted them.
[That human seems to be the Emperor. The one who is the master of this country. However…]
The spirit, whose facial features had faintly formed, wore a serious expression.
[As expected, his ether is contaminated. The entire Imperial Palace is like this. If so, there must have been difficulty in manipulating ether as well.]
Of course, it seemed that no one had noticed this contamination.
