🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 5
Kischel.
We had been together since we were children.
But after I turned eighteen…
I had never seen him again.
“Ah…”
Before I realized it, my mouth had fallen open in shock.
With practiced ease, he reached out, gently held my chin, and closed my mouth for me.
I stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes.
My vision blurred.
My chest tightened painfully.
The familiar feeling welling up inside me was…
Longing.
The Duke, who could never truly be called family.
My birth mother, who had never shown me even the slightest affection—not even meeting my eyes, let alone speaking to me.
Among all the people who had done no more than fulfill the bare minimum of their obligations…
He had been the only one who had ever stood by my side.
The tension slowly drained from my body.
I took one step toward him.
He didn’t move away.
“I’m back, my lady.”
So…
This was when you returned.
Even during the years I spent fleeing as a wanted criminal…
I thought of him from time to time.
Right now, this was exactly when my previous life had fallen apart—when I had been branded a criminal and forced to live as a fugitive.
“…Thank goodness.”
The emotions overflowing inside me were impossible to suppress.
How could I ever express this overwhelming relief…
This joy?
“Judging by your reaction…”
“It seems something happened.”
Kischel wasn’t simply my subordinate.
He was…
The only family I had ever truly known.
Unable to hold back the tears threatening to spill over, I rested my forehead against his chest.
“Yeah…”
“Something happened.”
“A lot…”
“More than you can imagine.”
His familiar scent surrounded me.
The moment I caught it…
My heart finally calmed.
When I was little and couldn’t bear sleeping alone…
I’d stubbornly cling to his sleeve until he stayed beside me.
He had shared every chapter of my life.
And because of that…
I was grateful he had never witnessed how pitiful my final days had become.
Now…
He was here.
“I missed you.”
I whispered quietly.
Only now…
Did it finally feel like I’d returned to where I belonged.
✦ ✦ ✦
As naturally as ever, Kischel settled into the seat he always used before speaking.
“I heard on my way into the castle.”
“That His Grace has gone missing.”
I froze.
The cookie I’d just taken a bite of lodged itself in my throat.
True to form…
He noticed immediately.
A sharp gaze settled on me.
“Cough…”
“Ahem…”
“My lady.”
“We haven’t seen each other in so long.”
“Surely you’re not feeling awkward around me now?”
N-No!
Of course not!
I coughed violently, trying to swallow the dry cookie.
Without a word, he poured me a cup of tea.
Taking a sip, I finally forced the stubborn bite down before cautiously glancing at him.
When I remained silent…
Kischel casually folded the shawl I’d left strewn across the sofa.
Then he murmured to himself,
“The Duke and Duchess both disappearing…”
“What an unusual situation.”
“Y-Yeah…”
“If that’s the case…”
“I hope they keep going all the way to the depths of hell.”
“And never come back.”
“…Hm?”
“…What?”
He neatly placed the folded shawl aside before carefully studying my reaction.
He had realized I was hiding something.
But instead of questioning me…
He was waiting for me to tell him myself.
“…Ahem…”
The calm expectation in his eyes made cold sweat trickle down my back.
“Would you like more tea?”
“No.”
After agonizing over it for a long while…
I realized there was no point hiding the truth.
So I decided to tell him everything.
Everything…
Except the fact that I had regressed.
The words didn’t come easily.
“You keep twitching the corners of your mouth.”
“At this rate, they’re going to cramp.”
After hesitating over where to begin…
I honestly explained everything.
When I finished…
I nervously lifted my head.
Wondering how he would react.
Kischel simply rested his chin on one hand.
His other hand covered his mouth.
His crimson eyes lowered thoughtfully.
“…Kischel?”
I called his name in a fading voice.
After a long silence…
He let out a slow breath.
“Very well.”
…Wait.
Why were you acting so serious?
Well…
I suppose it was a serious story.
“Sounds good.”
Clap!
He suddenly clapped his hands together.
I blinked in surprise.
Kischel stood up with an expression as grave as if he were discussing the fate of the Empire.
Then he calmly declared,
“Since we’re already at it…”
“Why don’t we wipe out every last collateral noble too?”
I quietly set my teacup down.
Staring into those burning eyes with an utterly deadpan expression…
I grabbed him and forced him back onto the sofa.
Sit.
Just…
Sit down.
The sofa was easily large enough for two people.
Yet Kischel somehow managed to occupy over half of it.
After shoving him over, I dropped into the seat beside him.
“I feel ridiculous for ever being nervous.”
“Don’t worry.”
“The fact that you handled things that well proves you’re no fool anymore.”
“…What?”
“So you thought I was a fool before?”
“Never.”
“How could I possibly call my esteemed master a fool?”
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
“I simply regret not being there to deal with them myself.”
Sometimes…
There was something chilling about him.
“Shall we simply report them as missing to the Imperial Palace?”
“That’s the plan.”
“And after that?”
“…”
He noticed a few loose strands of my hair.
Turning me gently toward him, he picked up a brush.
As he carefully combed my hair, he asked,
“What are you going to do from now on?”
“I don’t want to live as someone weak anymore.”
“I don’t think anyone could honestly call you weak.”
His fingers moved gently through my hair.
The warmth of his touch made my body relax.
He was the only person whose warmth I could accept.
Every gesture…
Every word…
Made it clear how much he cared for me.
Once he finished brushing my hair, he quietly withdrew his hand.
I absentmindedly smoothed down a stray lock before speaking.
“Weakness only devours the soul.”
“…”
“And helplessness erases your very existence.”
When I was little…
I couldn’t defy my parents.
As I grew older…
I believed obedience was only natural.
Even after becoming an adult…
I never dared oppose Father.
I had lived my entire life weak.
Powerless.
He was the Duke of Mertiel.
One of the Empire’s greatest nobles, commanding hundreds of soldiers.
Compared to him…
I was nothing more than a noble lady who lived under his roof and depended on him for everything.
“I hate that.”
“I refuse to live like that anymore.”
Turning to face Kischel, I continued,
“It took me far too long…”
“To realize something so simple.”
“And even longer…”
“To escape the prison Father built around me.”
“I want power.”
“Power so that no one will ever look down on me again.”
“Then obtain it.”
“And while I’m at it…”
“I want authority too.”
“That doesn’t sound bad.”
“I don’t want to be some insignificant noble lady who could disappear overnight.”
“I want to become someone no one could ever forget.”
“I’d like that too.”
“And I refuse to be married off somewhere like property.”
“We really do think alike.”
“I won’t preserve my position by bearing a son just because Father wanted it.”
“That was the Duke’s most insane demand.”
I blinked.
Then slowly looked up at him.
“…Did you just insult him?”
“No.”
“I clearly heard you.”
“How could a faithful servant such as myself ever utter something so vulgar in front of his master?”
“You must have misheard.”
“…Wow.”
“You’re shameless.”
He burst into laughter.
Before I knew it…
I was laughing too.
Ah…
How long had it been since I’d laughed like this?
I couldn’t even remember the last time.
“My lady.”
“I used to worry because you never seemed to grow taller.”
“But you’ve gotten much taller.”
“What are you talking about?”
“And I told you not to bring up my height.”
“I fed you everything people said would help you grow, yet somehow—”
“Ow!”
Pretending it was accidental, I pinched his side.
Then immediately turned my head away.
He rubbed the spot dramatically, pretending it hurt.
As if I’d fall for that.
“You’ve still got something to say, don’t you?”
“Go on.”
“Before I decide to pinch you again.”
Marriage?
Absolutely not.
Maybe every noble lady in the Empire ultimately shared the same fate…
But I refused.
Whether it meant marrying an old noble…
Or some mediocre young heir…
I had no intention of letting myself be sold off to benefit someone else.
No matter where I went…
The first thing people would demand was the same.
“Give birth to a son.”
“I think…”
“I’ll become the Duke instead.”
I would succeed the father whose corpse now lay somewhere deep within those mountains.
Kischel turned toward me.
I met those crimson eyes without flinching.
Then, with unwavering determination, I spoke each word clearly.
“Duke Inerea Mertiel.”
“…Doesn’t that have a rather nice ring to it?”
