ISDM 11

Chapter 11

“If not that, then what other reason could there be? With your personality, there’s no way you would have doted on the kid and raised them with care.”
“……”
“The scene in the scrying orb could’ve been nothing more than an act to win the child’s affection. Everyone—even the dogs passing by—knows you’re the kind of man who’d sell his very soul for the sake of the family, don’t they?”

Elisa’s cold gaze pierced Callec as if to skewer him.

“So keep the child by your side for now and observe. If you watch long enough, you’ll know—whether they’re useful or not.”

Rationally, it made sense. There might be some secret tied to the child, or to the house they’d supposedly lived in together. Perhaps he had been waiting for the right moment to use them as a tool for the family.
“Use. Tool…”
So why did those words prick at him like thorns against his fingertips?

“Gah—Theo! You’re getting sucked into the couch cushions! What do we do—uh, excuse me, do you have a baby chair here?”
“We don’t have anything like that.”
“Eek…….”

Maybe it was because those little brats felt far too weak and pitiful to be treated as disposable tools.
Callec shook his head briskly.

“I’ll pass on indulging excessive emotions.”
The weak, twenty-seven-year-old Callec was already dead—laid to rest with a funeral. The twenty-two-year-old Callec would be different. He had to be.

“Either way, I need to recover my memories. Keeping the brat by my side for a while won’t be so bad. Come to think of it, it’s better than having them wander around outside spouting nonsense—hm, jabbering everywhere.”

At last, he opened his mouth.
“Fine. Kid.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll allow you to stay here for the time being. But—”
“…?”
“One month.”
“One month of what?”
Lirin tilted her head.
“If I don’t recover my memories within a month, then you’ll have to return the ring and leave this mansion.”
“I’m not leaving even after a month, though…….”

The child stared at the floor for a moment. It was only an instant; soon she looked up again with her usual cheerful face.
“As long as I can stay by Dad’s side, I’ll take anything!”
“Hah…… cut it out with the ‘Dad’ already…….”

When he snapped irritably without thinking, the child laughed awkwardly.
“Ah, well, since you don’t have your memories…… it feels kind of weird, right?”
Why are you getting all deflated about it now?

Callec hesitated at the sight, then found himself speaking anyway.
“…Three times a day.”
“Waaah!”

Dangling.
The legs hanging from the oversized sofa swung excitedly.
Callec stared at the small knees.

On the knee that had fallen yesterday was a large bandage—looking precarious, as if it might fall off at any moment.
“Of all things, even the bandage is filthy? It’s tattered as hell.”

He reached out reflexively, then stopped.
“Muscle memory, huh……”
Does it really exist?

It seemed caring for the brat came from habit, more than anything.
“…If I’m nice for no reason, it’ll just make it harder to kick them out later. I need to keep my head straight.”

So he hardened his expression as much as possible.
The main matter was settled; he was about to tell them to get out of his sight.

“You—if you’re done talking, get out and head to the infirmary right now.”
“…?”

No. Why did the infirmary suddenly come up here?
Callec desperately hoped the brat—with that absurdly brilliant interpreting ability—wouldn’t understand him. But—

“What? You want us to go get examined right now by the ducal physician, renowned for both knowledge and skill? Why?”
That’s… not exactly how I phrased it.

“What excuse do I make?”
His blue eyes wavered slightly.
“…Hah. Didn’t you say you’d be a maid?”
“Oh, right! Yes!”
“In fact, Winterwald’s maid hiring process requires a physical examination.”
“I see! A physical exam! Oh—can Theo get one too? He’s had a bit of a runny nose since earlier…….”

Callec averted his gaze slightly and muttered,
“A servant’s family member—one person—also receives the welfare benefits.”
“Woooow! Amazing! We’ll be right back!”

Thud-thud-thud.
Only a sharp gust of wind remained where the child had vanished.
Callec stared blankly at the empty spot, then bowed his head deeply.

“What am I doing?”
This is bad. My body keeps betraying my brain.

Guided by Secretary Ruska, I went to the ducal residence’s private physician’s office.
There, I had a light physical exam and my knee injury was treated carefully. The medicines there were so precious and high-quality they couldn’t even be compared to those at outside clinics.
Theo, whose runny nose had been about to drip, happily gulped down a sweet potion.

“I’ll show you to the bedroom.”
Under the blatant, sidelong stares of the servants observing me, I arrived at an enormously spacious room.
“Wow……”
Is this really a bedroom? It’s bigger than our cabin!

“So this is what it feels like to have a rich dad.”
I’d never known before, since I’d never had one.

Clearing my throat, I explored the vast bedroom with Theo.
“Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Ruska Higgins, the chief secretary to Duke Winterwald.”

Ruska had already changed into a refined jacket, returning to the 모습 of a capable aide.
“Lady Lirin will be treated as a guest of the ducal residence. Of course, if there’s anything you wish to do, you’re free to do so within these grounds.”
“Yes! I’m Lirin Valt, eight years old.”
“Euh.”
“And this is Theo Valt—he just turned three, and he says he looks forward to your kind consideration.”

At my transcendent interpretation, a flicker of doubt crossed the secretary’s eyes as he looked at Theo.
“However, I’ve been wondering for a while… hasn’t Sir Theo yet learned to speak—”
“Aaaah!”

I quickly clapped my hands over Theo’s ears.
“L-Lady Lirin?”
“Shhh! Theo is choosing not to speak—on purpose!”

I whispered fiercely, eyes wide, and Ruska snapped his mouth shut.
“Please don’t say things like that—it discourages my little brother. And the word ‘abandoned’ is forbidden!”
I mouthed the word “abandoned” almost without sound, worried Theo might hear.

“…I see. My apologies.”
Secretary Ruska apologized neatly and withdrew. The way he looked back and forth between me and Theo was oddly curious.

I took the bewildered Theo over to the window.
Rummaging through my bag, I handed him the last remaining steamed potato. He brightened and began nibbling at it happily.
Beyond the window, the vast view of the ducal estate spread out at a glance.

“From far away it looked like a dark, gloomy demon king’s castle.”
Up close… it still looked like a dark, gloomy demon king’s castle.

“Theo, look over there. Beyond the estate’s fence, there are tons of pretty buildings, right? They’re totally different from this place. Oh! The sun’s setting! It’s the same color as your hair, Theo. Wow—are the leaves blushing because they’re dyed by the sunset? What do you think?”
“U!”

As I chattered on as usual, I felt a heavy gaze from beside me.
When I turned my head, I met the secretary’s eyes—he was staring intently at me.

“I see. A good strategy.”
“Huh?”
He flipped through one of the many books tucked under his arm.
“I’m not well-versed in childcare, but… according to this book, the surrounding environment is the most important factor in a baby’s language development. Is that why you’re so talkative, Lady Lirin?”

Huh? Was that a roundabout way of calling me noisy?
“Tch.”

But judging by his serious expression, he didn’t seem to mean any harm.
“Come to think of it, for an eight-year-old, you speak very well, Lady Lirin. This book also notes the average language development level for eight-year-olds.”

I laughed awkwardly and looked away.
“I can’t exactly say I got smarter than my age because I can see the future…”

“I talk a lot because I learned it from Dad……”
“Dad… you mean His Grace, correct?”
The secretary asked, sounding distinctly uncomfortable.
“Yes. And Dad said it’s important to talk to Theo like this…….”

I stopped there, closing my mouth.
“Come to think of it, why did Dad become so chatty and animated? Compared to how he is now, it’s almost like he’s a different person.”
Even if living in a remote mountain village for five years changed his personality, wasn’t the gap too big?

“Ah.”
At that moment, I remembered something Aunt Marsha had once told me.

“Lirin, when you were little, your speech was slow too—just like Theo. You barely showed any emotion, honestly even more worrying than Theo.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And then there was a time you went missing once… You were trapped inside a wardrobe, but you didn’t cry or make a sound, so we couldn’t find you for hours.”
“No way!”
“It seems Mr. Alec was deeply shaken by that. Your dad becoming more talkative and expressive probably started then. I think he was afraid you’d grow up just like him—quiet and withdrawn.”

“That’s right……”
My lips parted on their own.
“So Dad changed because of me.”

In my dreams, Callec had been the ultimate embodiment of aristocratic pride—someone for whom dignity, pride, and appearances meant everything.
But Alec Valt, who lived with us in the green-roofed house, was different.

“Dad tried his best, too.”
He threw everything away, willingly changing himself just to raise me well. Realizing that made my chest ache.

“Secretary… what about Dad?”