KDPCD 19

Chapter 19

“Ah, I should’ve laid out the handkerchief for the lady first.”

Shion awkwardly looked at me. I pulled out a handkerchief from the pocket of my training clothes and placed it on top of Shion’s.

“You can’t sit on hard surfaces, right? Please, take a comfy seat, my good sir.”

“Hehehe. Thank you, milady.”

With a bright smile, Shion rummaged through the unconscious Mostin’s training clothes and pulled out another handkerchief, making a stack of three before plopping down on them.

Seeing that, Mostin clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“Look at that pampered young master.”

To that, Shion snorted.

“As if you didn’t grow up pampered too, Mostin.”

“…Well, I guess the only one of us who grew up tough is Belladi.”

“It’s not that I grew up tough. I just had to figure it out on my own.”

I said as I retied my half-loosened hair.

Then, Shion quietly pushed up his glasses.

“But hey, Belladi.”

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t want to be rude, so I never asked before, but…”

Shion hesitated a moment before cautiously continuing.

“What made you change your mind? You always avoided the sword.”

At that, the lying Mostin sat up abruptly.

“Yeah, I was so happy you decided to learn swordsmanship that I forgot—weren’t you always saying you didn’t want to stand in your brother’s way?”

I slowly opened my mouth to answer their questions.

“I realized something.”

“Realized what?”

I tilted my head slightly and raised an eyebrow. Then I confessed to them a truth I had always known painfully but had avoided accepting until I regained my memories of my previous life.

“It’s not that I was standing in Meldor’s way. Meldor was the one standing in mine.”

My immature younger brother, who didn’t know what the things he enjoyed meant to me. It had taken me far too long to resolve to move him aside.

I raised the corners of my lips in a different kind of smile this time. Seeing that, Shion and Mostin nodded.

“That’s really cool, Belladi.”

“Yeah. I knew I picked the right friend.”

Hearing their murmurs, I reaffirmed my resolve.

‘No one will be able to hold me back anymore.’

I shared more of my ambitions with them. I told them I wanted to raise my influence in the mansion quickly without worrying about my family’s opinions.

They listened intently and readily offered their help.

“Just say the word if you need anything!”

“I’ll help however I can.”

I grinned at Shion’s last words.

“Actually, I do need your help. You know the subjects you learn in successor training, right?”

“High-level education? Of course!”

“Great. I’ve been learning the basics, but I haven’t gotten any in-depth lessons. I’d like you to tutor me.”

Over the past six months, I’d learned just about everything Zeppelin could teach me. And when he ran out of things to teach, I pulled out my next card—Shion.

He was smart, a brilliant magician with deep knowledge. He’d be able to give me high-quality lessons.

Shion nodded confidently.

“Leave it to me!”

His golden eyes, a symbol of wisdom from the Aglaa Ducal House, sparkled brightly.

Out of habit, I reached out and patted Shion’s purple hair. His face gradually turned red.

Then Mostin asked excitedly,

“By the way, who’s teaching you swordsmanship? Is it Sir Brooks, your family’s knight commander?”

“But isn’t Sir Brooks training Meldor? Are you both learning together?”

“Would Duke Elton even allow that?”

I chuckled and shook my head at their questions.

“My father doesn’t even know I’m learning. He doesn’t care about me, anyway. I just recruited a suitable knight to teach me.”

Even among close friends, I couldn’t mention the secret watchers of our family. Thankfully, there were enough unknown experts in our house that neither of them seemed too suspicious.

“That’s so unfair of the Duke. He pays so much attention to Meldor.”

“Are you happy with that knight? If not, I can introduce you to my teacher.”

I declined Mostin’s offer.

“He’s good enough. Besides, now I want to develop my own style.”

“Whoa, you’re already at that level?”

“If things keep going like this, you’ll become the empire’s strongest knight. Then Duke Elton will regret not recognizing you.”

“Ooh! I want to see that! That scary man, Duke Elton, regretting his life choices!”

“If that ever happens, I’ll take a photo and pass it down in our family forever.”

We grinned mischievously, just like when we plotted pranks as kids.

At that moment, a loud crash echoed from the entrance to the training hall.

We all turned our heads to see the door open and someone lying face-down on the floor. Mostin jumped up and ran over.

“Riuspel!”

He quickly helped the child to his feet. A boy with the same blond hair and green eyes as Mostin stared at me blankly.

It was Mostin’s younger brother, Riuspel Fredo.

“Riuspel, I told you not to come to the training hall. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Mostin gently brushed the dust off the boy’s clothes. Riuspel nodded but still couldn’t take his eyes off me.

Holding the child in his arms, Mostin brought him over.

“Since you’re here, say hi to Shion and Belladi.”

“Hi, Riuspel.”

“It’s been a while, huh?”

When I smiled at him, his cheeks turned red.

The shy Riuspel finally looked away from me and buried his face in Mostin’s chest. Mostin beamed with joy at his little brother’s reaction.

“When will our little Riuspel ever say a proper hello to his sister and brother?”

“Hyuuung…”

Riuspel tugged on Mostin’s sleeve and mumbled something. Mostin immediately lowered his head to offer his ear.

Riuspel whispered something into his ear—but we could all hear it quite clearly.

“I want Belladi noona’s autograph.”

“An autograph? Why all of a sudden?”

“…Because she’s cool.”

“Aha, so you saw our duel earlier, didn’t you?”

Riuspel gave a small nod.

Mostin scratched his head sheepishly.

“I wanted to only show you the cool parts… Guess that didn’t work out. Let’s keep today’s sparring a secret, okay?”

He glanced at me, and I nodded willingly.

“No problem at all.”

Riuspel beamed brightly at my words. Then Shion pointed to himself and asked,

“You don’t want my autograph? I can use magic, you know.”

“Don’t need it.”

Shion looked heartbroken at the child’s blunt response. Riuspel giggled, clearly amused. Mostin showered his brother’s cheeks with kisses, delighted.

Watching the siblings’ loving interaction, I smiled.

‘I’m so glad Mostin is alive.’

If he hadn’t been, Riuspel would have had a dark and lonely childhood by now.

I naturally recalled the original novel.

Riuspel Fredo, a main character from the story.

He would later fall in love with Nesia and become one of the male leads in the novel.

Riuspel’s gloomy childhood had stemmed from the absence of family.

The Duchess of Fredo was a frail woman, and she collapsed shortly after giving birth to Riuspel due to the strain.

Back then, ten-year-old Mostin cheered up his bedridden mother with his bright personality and laughter.

Mostin was the mood-maker of the house. But that same year, he lost his life in the Kenub School Bombing Incident.

The shock of it worsened the Duchess’s condition, and she passed away before the year ended. The Duke, crushed by the loss of his wife and son, fell into a deep depression.

He nearly neglected his youngest son, Riuspel. The servants also shunned the boy, calling him a harbinger of misfortune. And so, Riuspel grew up in loneliness.

‘Then at fourteen, he met Nesia and was saved.’

The novel was more about healing and family, so the male lead didn’t have a huge role. But Riuspel did contribute meaningfully in the later chapters.

‘Though I never read that far.’

The story turned toward an ominous incident in the later half. But I never finished reading, so I had no idea what it was.

‘Still, that doesn’t happen until Nesia grows up, so I don’t need to worry yet.’

Nesia and Riuspel were around the same age—maybe six or seven right now? There was plenty of time left.

As for Riuspel’s current life:

“My little brother is just the cutest. Not saying that just because he’s mine—I’ve never met a kid cuter than him.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Yesterday, he said I’m his favorite! Dad was a bit upset, but hey, what can you do?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And—”

“Say one more word and I’m leaving Meldor behind.”

Our “household member” was, of course, Meldor.

With that sharp warning, Mostin finally stopped his gushing.

Shion chuckled and continued showing little magic tricks.

“Tada! This flame isn’t hot at all!”

“…”

“How about this one? Sparkly glitter~.”

Riuspel seemed unimpressed by any of it.

This ordinary moment suddenly felt precious.

‘Unlike the original, Mostin survived the Kenub incident.’

Because of that, the Duchess’s condition never worsened.

She lived another four years in treatment and passed peacefully. That gave the Duke time to prepare emotionally, and he handled her funeral with calm acceptance.

Since then, he’d been dedicating himself to raising and protecting his sons.

Riuspel now grew up loved, not neglected.

“Mostin, you should be really thankful to me.”

“Ugh, is this about the Kenub incident again?”

“You got a problem with reminding you I saved your life?”

“I’m sorry, Lady Belladi. You’ve milked it so much over the years that I flinch instinctively now.”

“Don’t worry, Mostin. I’ll be holding this over you till I die.”

At my words, Mostin pulled a dramatically sorrowful face.

“Sob, sob. Riuspel, your sister is bullying me.”

Riuspel burst out laughing.

His bell-like giggles echoed throughout the training hall.