LDLDE 09

Chapter 09

Little Daughter-in-Law Handles Everything!

“I, um….”

“Then, next.”

“How did you get here? No, I mean… why are you here?”

My answer, completely out of place for the situation, made Killian raise one eyebrow in dissatisfaction.

But I was genuinely curious.

‘Ricardo uncle told me not to get involved in the Windriche affairs, and the duchess also didn’t seem like she was planning to call Killian.’

If those two hadn’t sent a letter, Killian wouldn’t have come to the territory on his own like in the past.

Then why was he standing in front of me now?

“How did I come? Obviously through a mana gate. And is it that surprising that I’m in my own home? To anyone else, you look way more suspicious.”

“I’m Iris Swan. And….”

“I don’t need your introduction. Answer the question. That’s already your fourth question.”

Killian’s pressure was intimidating.

If I didn’t answer properly now, something serious might really happen.

“I was taking care of the duchess….”

At that moment, the door quietly opened and Ricardo uncle walked in.

“Both of you, come out. Let Diana rest.”

Killian, who had been looking down at the sleeping duchess, let out a sigh and pulled me up.

“Let’s go out and talk, as Father said. Don’t think I’ll just let this go. I will hear your answers properly.”

I blankly watched Killian’s back as he walked away gracefully, still holding my hand, then followed on my tiptoes as Ricardo uncle urged me on.

As soon as we entered the office, Ricardo uncle spoke to Killian in a casual tone.

“Why did you come? Without even a notice that you were coming.”

It sounded casual, but honestly, there was a slightly cold edge to it.

I glanced sideways at Killian. He looked exactly like Ricardo uncle, but unlike appearances, he was actually quite soft-hearted.

But as if mocking my worry, Killian answered coldly.

“Mother was ill. It was Father who sent the letter.”

Ricardo uncle sent a letter?

‘He told me not to get involved in Windriche matters.’

I looked at him wide-eyed. Ricardo uncle coughed lightly and avoided my gaze.

“I also added that there was no need for you to come to the territory. Did you not read the letter to the end?”

“I read it to the end.”

“Then why are you here? You must be extremely busy with the new semester starting soon.”

“Is the academy really important right now? My mother is seriously ill. Of course I should come as her son.”

“I never said Diana was in critical condition.”

“If you went so far as to send me a letter, doesn’t that mean her condition is bad? You wouldn’t contact me over something trivial.”

“……”

Ricardo uncle couldn’t immediately refute that. It seemed he had hit the mark.

“Besides, why did you only contact me now? I heard she’s been unwell for weeks. Her complexion is also pale.”

That part was unfair. The duchess’s condition had actually improved a lot now.

But I wasn’t in a position to interrupt, so I just fidgeted my fingers and listened to their conversation.

“I wanted you to focus on your studies. You had just adjusted to the academy; coming and going would disrupt your rhythm. And with your personality, you might have stayed in the territory instead of returning.”

“Is studying really more important than family? And who gave you the right to decide that alone? Mother would have wanted to see me….”

“That was Diana’s request.”

“Ha….”

Killian blinked in disbelief and ran a hand through his messy hair.

“Of course. It’s always Mother you care about. You act like you’d do anything she says….”

His fists clenched tightly.

‘Yeah. Killian is actually a fragile kid who wants his father’s love and recognition.’

So he must be hurt right now….

“Then why send a letter now?”

Definitely hurt….

“If you were so worried about my studies, you shouldn’t have sent me in the first place. Or are you trying to impress Mother?”

Pain….

“Should I just have contacted you after Mother died instead?”

I gasped silently at Killian’s mocking tone.

‘What is happening right now?!’

I pinched my cheek hard. It hurt enough to bring tears to my eyes.

This meant it was reality.

But then why was the eleven-year-old Killian in front of me so different from the one in my memories?

—When my mother was alive, I tried to earn the duke’s approval. But he always disliked me. When he looked at me with that expressionless face, I was so scared I couldn’t say anything.

Killian Windriche! You literally said you couldn’t speak in front of him!

‘But now he’s talking just fine!’

Was Killian’s memory distorted? Or was he lying?

Either way, I felt a bit betrayed.

I had pitied young Killian so much. I even comforted him whenever he looked hollow while talking about his father.

But there was no time to dwell on betrayal.

I decided to observe the current relationship between the father and son with my own eyes.

‘…Their emotional distance seems deeper than I thought.’

I didn’t know how Killian and Ricardo uncle had lived when the duchess was alive.

All I knew was that she died, and their relationship became irreversibly broken afterward.

So I had assumed they were at least on decent terms before that.

But looking at them now, it didn’t seem like they had ever been that close.

The duchess’s death had only been the final blow.

‘Oh dear….’

I sighed and held my forehead.

I thought everything would be solved once the duchess was treated safely, but the road ahead looked long.

“Don’t exaggerate, Killian Windriche. Diana is improving. I only sent the letter so you’d know the situation. If I had known you’d act like a runaway colt, I wouldn’t have sent it. Honestly, why did I even bother….”

Ricardo uncle pressed his temples.

“Anyway, since you came all this way, stay in the territory today and return early tomorrow.”

“I don’t need to.”

“…What?”

“I already submitted a leave of absence.”

“……What?”

“I came intending to stay in the territory until my mother fully recovers. As you said, the new semester is starting, so taking a leave was the correct decision.”

“What the—!”

I cut in before Ricardo uncle could raise his voice.

“One month! You can return to the academy within one month of the new semester starting!”

Both of them turned to look at me at once.

I flinched for a moment but continued anyway.

“I think I heard you can re-enroll in the middle.”

“Where are you hearing these things, kid.”

“Anyway, since the young master came all this way, wouldn’t it be better for him to stay a little longer?”

Ricardo uncle sighed while looking at me smiling brightly. I pointed at the corners of my mouth, telling him to smile too.

He let out a short laugh and calmed down a bit.

“Fine. You must have been surprised as well, so go and rest. I’ll tell you when Diana wakes up.”

“Understood.”

Killian’s pressure also softened a little.

His blue eyes turned toward me.

“By the way, who exactly is this child?”

His gaze sharpened.

“She was touching Mother inappropriately.”

“What do you mean inappropriate?! I was just…!”

Ricardo uncle raised a hand to stop my outburst and explained instead.

“She is the physician taking care of Diana.”

“…What did you say?”

“…Huh?”

Both Killian and I froze in shock.

Killian looked back and forth between me and his father with disbelief, then muttered coldly:

“I didn’t know Father was the type to make jokes like that.”