MHKBO 07

Chapter 07

The Grand Duke’s Highness?

I looked at the unfamiliar people in a dazed state.

As expected, they wore clothes that suited this mansion—exquisitely refined and expensive-looking. Even the servants did.

Of course, none of them compared to the man and woman standing at the very front, who looked to be in their thirties.

They were likely the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess the maid had mentioned.

“So you are that child. What is your name?”

While I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do, someone asked me my name.

I slowly lifted my head and met the voice. It was a woman with a gentle smile.

“She is Her Highness the Grand Duchess,” the maid whispered softly beside me.

I quickly gathered myself, lowered my head, and answered.

“I-I am Tearina. I don’t have a family name, Your Highness.”

“That’s alright. From now on, a surname will be attached to your name—Toman.”

“What?”

I could only stare in shock, unable to respond properly.

The House of Toman… wasn’t that the ruling house of the Principality of Moran, the largest nation apart from the Empire?

And that prestigious surname… would be attached to my name?

At that moment, the man—presumably the Grand Duke of Toman, who had been silently observing me—stepped forward and crouched down to meet my eye level.

I grew afraid, not understanding why they were treating me with such excessive kindness.

“Tearina, do you know your father’s name?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

The Grand Duke and Duchess looked at me with pity as they began to explain.

I was the daughter of Muso Toman, the son of the previous Grand Duke of Toman. However, my father had abandoned me and my mother. After his death, his younger brother—the current Grand Duke—had found me again and brought me here.

“We truly intend to treat you like our own daughter, Tearina. May we call you Tea?”

“…Yes.”

“Tea. We hope you will think of us as your real parents as well. Call us Father and Mother. It breaks our hearts to hear that you grew up in such a harsh place.”

At that moment, I remembered everything I had forgotten.

Being taken after eating with my mother, collapsing into unconsciousness, and her final words.

They must have hired Dark-affinity ability users to do it. It was probably an effect of mental manipulation that caused my memory to blur.

After hearing the explanation, I still felt this place wasn’t right for me.

More than anything, my real family was the members of “Solipa.”

The Director, Adele, and above all, Setsu—I wanted to see them.

So I carefully expressed my wish to return.

“Um… could you send me back?”

“What do you mean? Is there something you don’t like here?”

“N-no, it’s not that… I just feel unworthy of staying somewhere like this…”

I trailed off awkwardly.

The Grand Duke and Duchess seemed to interpret it as confusion from sudden change and gently patted my head.

“You just need time to adjust. In a week, you’ll feel differently. Oh, right—what foods do you like?”

“Umm… meat?”

I thought of the juicy steak I had last eaten.

Though I couldn’t even properly remember the taste anymore.

“Oh my, of course. You’re still growing, so you must want meat. Let’s go to the dining room right away—oh?”

The Grand Duchess nodded as if she understood me completely.

Honestly, I wasn’t picky about food. People like me didn’t have the luxury to choose.

“Have you not changed Tea’s clothes yet?”

Her surprised voice made me flinch.

“Forgive us, Your Grace. The tailor has not yet arrived…”

“Even so, we cannot let her continue wearing that.”

The Grand Duke seemed displeased with my clothing.

But this dress… was the first one Setsu had ever bought me.

A white dress with yellow floral embroidery—something that meant more to me than anything else.

The maids became flustered, and I grew anxious as well.

Then the Grand Duchess suddenly said a name.

“Mir.”

“Yes?”

“She is small enough. Bring out Mir’s clothes for her.”

Mir?

So there was another girl about my size here.

I vaguely remembered hearing that the Grand Duke’s family had a daughter.

The maids hurried away.

About five minutes later, a servant returned—empty-handed.

“The young lady Mir has refused…”

“Oh dear, Mir…”

So she refused.

Of course she would. A noble daughter wouldn’t want to give her clothes to a stranger from the streets.

Before long, I was gently led out of the room.

The corridor stretched endlessly with red carpets and torchlight.

We descended a grand staircase, walking through what seemed like an enormous mansion.

And then we arrived.

Inside, a child’s scream rang out the moment the door opened.

“I don’t want to!”

The room was a luxurious dressing chamber filled with dresses everywhere.

At its center sat a small girl.

“Mir,” the Grand Duchess called softly.

The girl turned around.

For a moment, I almost gasped.

She was the most beautiful child I had ever seen.

Long black hair like a night sky, porcelain-white skin, ruby-red eyes filled with tears.

She looked like a living doll.

But the illusion shattered when she glared at me and shouted.

“Don’t take what’s mine! Mother, who is she?! Why should I give her my dress?!”

“Mir, don’t speak like that. This is Tearina. She will be your older sister from now on. Be polite.”

“Older sister? I don’t want that! My family is only Father, Mother, and Mirk!”

The girl cried and refused to accept it.

The Grand Duchess sighed and then addressed me.

“I’m sorry, Tea. Mir is still not used to you. Please understand and try to approach her first. You are her older sister after all.”

I nodded quietly.

Then I stepped forward.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Until I stood right in front of her.

“Hello, Mir. My name is Tearina. I’m nine years old… um, let’s get along. Let’s be friends.”

Tension filled the room.

From behind me, the Grand Duchess watched expectantly.

In front of me, Mir stared at me with hostility.

“I’m Mir.”

Her voice was small, but she refused to look at me.

Then the Grand Duchess urged her again.

“Mir, choose a dress for your sister.”

“….”

Still no answer.

The Grand Duchess sighed again.

“Tea, you choose instead. Anything is fine.”

Anything I wanted.

But I couldn’t.

Everything here felt too beautiful, too precious—too far above me.

I wasn’t worthy of any of it.

“Mother, I don’t want that!”

Mir finally spoke again, but her voice was ignored.

“Go on.”

With no choice, I stepped forward again.

My gaze stopped at one particular dress.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Silver mist-like embroidery, pearl-threaded sleeves, and white silk ribbons that shimmered softly.

I unconsciously reached out my hand.

“That one is not allowed, sister.”