RVF 12

Chapter 12

She Likes It

“…No wonder he’s a villain.”

In the end, my guard had been replaced by a knight whose face I had never seen before.

Unlike on the first day when Yan had greeted me, this new guard only cast a quick glance my way and silently followed behind me.

I was perceptive enough to notice immediately that he was doing something he didn’t want to.

I guessed it was probably because he was assigned to guard a young girl like me.

“Yan wasn’t like that.”

A random, unnecessary thought crossed my mind, and I shook my head sharply.

“No, it doesn’t matter to me. I shouldn’t care what others think.”

I had been playing with my toys alone in the garden, but seeing the sun beginning to set, I slowly got up.

“I don’t want to run into the Duke.”

Two days had passed since my guard was changed. During that time, I had done my best to avoid the Duke.

There were two reasons for this.

The first was because, without realizing it, I had yelled at the Duke while defending Yan.

“Yelling at the Duke?!”

At first, fear of the aftermath made me avoid him.

But the next day, when I saw my guard had been changed, anger came before fear.

“Everything’s so random!”

Attaching guards was done randomly, and changing them was done randomly as well.

“Villain Duke, I don’t even want to see you.”

That was the second reason I avoided the Duke.

“I really didn’t mind.”

It wasn’t Yan’s fault that the Count had touched my head without permission.

Besides, the Duke usually didn’t pay any attention to me.

I didn’t understand why he had been so irritable that day. I guessed he just needed someone to take out his anger on.

“Or maybe he’s having issues with the Count.”

It was Count Rife, right?

I decided to remember that name. I’d have to keep an eye on it during the full recruitment day.

I deliberately took a longer route around the garden to return to the main hall.

Feeling relieved that I had avoided the Duke safely today, I climbed the stairs lightly.

It was fortunate that the Duke’s study and my room were apart.

If I avoided him properly, there would be almost no chance of running into him inside the house.

However, when I returned to my room, I froze.

“So, you’re finally here.”

The Duke lifted his head, as if he had been waiting.

A heavy silence filled the room.

I lifted my eyes slightly and shivered when I met his icy gaze.

If a look could kill, I felt my throat would have been crushed instantly.

“Why did he come looking for me?”

I hadn’t expected the Duke to come to my room first and wait for me.

“Delma will be bringing the cookies soon.”

It was the exact time Delma would deliver snacks.

But since the Duke was in my room, there was no way I could get the cookies immediately.

I was annoyed that I wouldn’t get to eat the cookies, but at the same time, I was scared.

“Could it be because I yelled that day?”

I gauged the distance from where I was sitting to the window.

If necessary, I thought I could jump out.

It was a bit high, but better than facing the Duke’s wrath.

I glanced toward the window when the Duke suddenly asked,

“What are you looking at like that?”

“Nothing really…”

“You’re not planning to run again, are you?”

“…”

He had seen right through me. Startled, I lowered my gaze silently.

The heavy silence continued until Philen entered the room with some documents.

I had never been happier to see him.

“It’s Philen!”

“Young lady, are you that pleased to see me?”

When I greeted him, Philen’s face lit up. He approached me smiling, but the Duke spoke.

“The documents.”

He held out a hand to Philen, who now wore an even more serious expression than before.

“Yes, I brought them.”

Perhaps sensing something, Philen’s smile disappeared.

“What’s got him so serious?”

I glanced around nervously, my toes curling from tension.

“You’ve been here a month now.”

The Duke silently handed me the documents.

‘Diane Mezi Crustel?’

I read a name written in cursive.

I looked between the document and the Duke. If he was showing me this, it clearly involved me.

That meant…

“You’ve probably heard from Sophia. In three days, you’ll be introduced to the retainers. After that day, you’ll be officially recognized as a member of the Duke’s family.”

The day I would be introduced to the retainers was in three days, where I would formally announce that I was the Duke’s daughter.

The Duke pointed to the word Diane on the document.

“This is your name.”

At that moment, Philen approached and whispered something to the Duke.

“My lord, children this age usually can’t read.”

“I know, stay back.”

“Yes, sir.”

‘I can read it.’

I hadn’t learned it from Rebecca.

After remembering my past life, I had taught myself to read in order to survive.

I didn’t feel the need to tell the Duke. He spoke to me clearly anyway.

“Diane, from now on, this will be your name.”

I still disliked the Duke. I resented him for changing my guard without my consent and taking out his anger on Yan.

‘…But the name is really pretty.’

It sounded like the name of a child who had been loved by their family.

‘My original name was a stupid bird name.’

Lil—that had been my original name. It sounded like the stupidest bird in the East.

Given that name, it was no wonder the children in the alleyways teased me every day.

“Why does she have a bird name?”

“Isn’t it because her head’s empty?”

Making fun of someone’s name was childish and petty. Just because my name was a silly bird name didn’t mean I was actually stupid.

I knew this, but any protest from my small body would only bring violence, scorn, and ridicule.

I don’t think I hated my name back then.

I only began to hate it when Rebecca, drunk one day, told me the origin of my name.

“When I brought you, there was a bird outside making an awful racket. Really, it hurt my ears.”

It probably wasn’t Lil.

Lil, the bird known to be large but unintelligent, lived in the East, far from here in the North.

Rebecca likely knew only Lil, the most famous bird, and had named me after it.

Realizing my name meant nothing more than a stupid bird was surprisingly sad.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

This villainous Duke, taking out his anger on Yan, had also arbitrarily named me.

…But well, the name isn’t bad.

“It’s nothing.”

I replied shortly, reluctantly, but couldn’t look away from my name on the document.

My lips twitched into a small smile, and I forced them closed.

“Where have you been wandering lately?”

Just as I was beginning to feel cheerful, the Duke asked a strange question.

It made me feel like I was a child who couldn’t sit still for a second. I was frustrated.

I had already been wary because my guard had been replaced with someone unfamiliar, making wandering around risky.

This new guard, unlike Yan, showed obvious annoyance if I tried to stay outside even a little longer.

“I haven’t really been wandering around.”

“Impossible.”

“I’m serious!”

“Or haven’t you left your room at all?”

Not at all. I shook my head. The Duke furrowed his brows.

“Then why are you so noticeable?”

Now it was my turn to frown. I didn’t understand the point of his question.

Another awkward silence followed. The Duke spoke again.

“Don’t tell me you’ve been deliberately avoiding me?”

…That, I couldn’t deny.

“Seems that’s correct.”

The Duke stared at me. I slowly avoided his gaze, and he sighed quietly.

“About your guard…”

“…”

“Yan was wrong, yes. He admitted it himself. It was something that should have been prevented before the Count could touch you.”

I didn’t understand why he was bringing that up now, after changing the guard anyway.

“The Count was unarmed, otherwise it could’ve been dangerous.”

It felt like he was beating around the bush, avoiding the main point.

“So, Duke, what are you trying to say?”

I couldn’t hold back and asked.

The Duke didn’t answer immediately. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and his gaze wandered awkwardly around the room.

His voice, usually sharp, sounded uncertain.

“…I’ll grant it.”

I didn’t understand what he meant.

“Pardon?”

“…I’ll change your guard again.”

I froze at the unexpected words, then couldn’t help but smile brightly.

“Really?!”

“But there’s a condition.”

Of course. He wouldn’t just grant my request without a catch.

I waited impatiently, and the Duke spoke seriously.

After finishing his words, Kylus returned to his study, satisfied.

He recalled the conversation with the child.

He had been puzzled why it had been so difficult to see her face the past few days, never expecting she had been deliberately avoiding him.

Annoyed by that, he changed her guard unexpectedly, but attached one condition.

‘Not a bad deal.’

The child looked displeased but accepted the deal anyway. She had always disliked changing her guard.

It was an impulsive act but a fairly satisfying outcome.

After a while, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Yan entered, bowing his head.

“I heard you wanted to speak with me.”

He had to speak, as a promise and deal had been made, but seeing her face, the words vanished from his mind.

‘Should I have sent someone else?’

Yan had volunteered first when asked to bring her on the first day.

He had three younger siblings and was trusted to soothe and bring her along properly.

But he hadn’t expected she would like him this much.

Kylus’ expression stiffened even more.

The promise had to be honored. Trust was everything in a deal.

…Still, his mouth wouldn’t open easily.

The longer the silence, the colder the air around the room.

Yan waited tensely for the Duke’s words.

“I didn’t realize Diane liked you that much.”

“No, milady—”

“She likes you.”

The sharp voice cut him off. Yan wisely kept silent.