LDLDE 01

Chapter 01

Prologue

“Where did you bring this scrawny little kid from? What are we supposed to use her for?”

The Duke of Windritche, who was said to be bold even in front of the Emperor, looked me up and down with a sharp gaze.

Because I was young, his pressure was probably a bit restrained, but even so, it was overwhelming for me.

My skin tingled, and my legs felt like they were losing strength.

But still, I was happy.

Just the fact that I had met Duke Windritche again—no, Uncle Ricardo—made my eyes well up with tears.

While I sniffled my stinging nose, Ralph Solvate, who had brought me to the Windritche duchy, explained.

“This child is the rumored physician.”

“A rumor, you say?”

“Yes. The one who cured Baroness Cornell’s illness.”

Uncle Ricardo let out a scoff.

But only for a moment. His pressure turned even more dangerous.

“And you expect me to believe that? Are you out of your mind, Sir?”

Uncle Ralph flinched but continued speaking.

“At first, I didn’t believe it either. But Baron Cornell and his wife both testified that this child personally cured her. Even the servants of the Cornell estate all gave consistent statements. It’s unbelievable, but we had no choice but to believe it.”

“Testimonies can be fabricated however you like.”

Uncle Ricardo still looked unconvinced.

‘Of course. To him, I’m just a ten-year-old child who knows nothing about the world.’

But it was true—I really was the one who cured Baroness Cornell, a disease no physician could treat.

And I had come here to treat the Duchess of Windritche, who suffered from the same illness.

Through this, I planned to change everything that would happen in the future.

I intended to prevent the misfortune that would strike the Windritche duchy… and also find my dad, who had disappeared and was never found again.

For that, I needed to earn Uncle Ricardo’s trust and gain his help.

“I know it’s hard to believe. But I really did cure Baroness Cornell.”

As I spoke, the duke—who had been lazily observing me—suddenly sharpened his gaze like a predator. His voice grew even more threatening.

“Kid. I really hate liars. I’ll let it slide this once because you’re young, but if you lie again, I won’t be kind.”

I already knew Duke Ricardo was weak against children.

If I were an adult, he would’ve thrown me straight into a dungeon.

“But I can’t hide the truth just because the Duke is scary, right? No matter how much you threaten me, I have to say what I need to say.”

“…What?”

“I came here to cure the Duchess. And I can do it.”

Uncle Ricardo let out a small sigh.

“Hey, kid.”

“I’ve been thinking this for a while, but my name isn’t ‘kid.’ It’s Iris Swan!”

I said it clearly, and a flicker of interest appeared in his eyes. I looked at him and continued.

“My nickname is Rishi. Only my dad used to call me that, but I’ll let you call me that too, Duke.”

The uncle clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“I’ll at least acknowledge your guts for talking back so clearly in front of me. But kid, this little game ends here.”

Well, I’m not a “kid.”

I muttered internally and continued confidently.

“You think I came all this way just to joke around? My hometown is very far from here. Do you really think I traveled this far just for fun?”

“……”

“If you still don’t trust me, fine. Then let me change my words.”

I smiled brightly at him.

“I came here to make a deal with you.”

“A deal?”

“Yes!”

I straightened my chest proudly.

“If I cure the Duchess, please make me your daughter-in-law!”

At my bold declaration, everyone in the office froze.

“…Daughter-in-law?”

“Yes! I heard the Duke has a son around my age. Please let me marry the young lord of Windritche!”

I pressed further as I saw Ricardo’s shocked expression.

“I’ll do my best from now on, Father-in-law.”

My name is Iris Swan.

A commoner girl who wasn’t even a noble.

To explain why I committed such a ridiculous act, I would have to start with what happened in my past life.

Yes. I was a regressor who had returned to being ten years old just one month ago.

1. Windritche Ducal Estate

About ten years ago from now, my beloved dad disappeared. I was ten years old at the time.

“Rishi, Dad has to go somewhere urgently. I’ll be back soon. You can stay home alone, right? Aunt Emma will take care of you.”

“Dad, where are you going? I want to go too.”

“This is somewhere Rishi can’t go. I’ll come back quickly. Be good, okay?”

“Mm-hm.”

At that time, my dad looked unusually anxious and tense.

As if he sensed something was wrong.

I couldn’t bring myself to cling to him and beg him not to go.

But I regretted it for the rest of my life—how I didn’t hold onto him that day.

“I’ll bring back your favorite cake when I return. Promise.”

“Okay, promise!”

He left the house, even linking pinkies with me, saying he would definitely return.

But he never came back.

I wanted to find my dad, but there was nothing a child like me could do.

No one knew where he had gone, so there was no trace to follow.

Did something happen to him? Was he unable to return even if he wanted to?

What if he was badly hurt?

I cried every day until my eyes were always swollen. Without Aunt Emma, who raised me like her niece, I might have just cried myself to death.

People in the village gossiped that my dad had abandoned me.

“Is it even easy for a single man to raise a kid?”

“He was handsome too—he probably ran off to start a new life.”

“Tsk tsk, poor child.”

Aunt Emma would swing her broom and chase those people away.

“How dare you say that in front of the child! Do you think Max is that kind of man? No father was more devoted than him!”

“Well, you never know what people do…”

“Know what? Say one more word in front of her and I’ll knock your teeth out!”

Then she would comfort me with hot chocolate.

“Iris, your father will definitely come back. He loves you too much to leave you behind.”

I agreed with her.

My father was not someone who would abandon me.

But a month passed… then a year… then over two years… and he still did not return.

Around that time, Aunt Emma, who had been like family to me, passed away from a chronic illness she had suffered from for a long time.

Now alone, I had to find a way to survive. I didn’t even have the luxury of crying anymore.

Whether luck or fate, I managed to get a job doing odd tasks at the Cornell baron’s estate.

Then one day, a magician visiting the estate discovered me.

“Little lady, what’s your name?”

“Y-yes? My name?”

“Yes. I just wanted to know the name of this pretty young lady.”

“My… my name is Iris Swan.”

After that, everything happened so quickly I can’t even remember clearly.

When I came to my senses, I was standing in front of a man dressed in black from head to toe.

That man was Duke Ricardo of Windritche.

“So this scrawny little kid—why did you bring her here? Look at her arms; she can’t even properly hold a broom. What is she supposed to be used for?”

Even then… just like now, he always looked down on me.