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Chapter 36
Ludia’s Words
Even as he looked at me with a warm smile, the commander didn’t clutch his chest or act like he was overwhelmed with emotion.
I was genuinely relieved there was at least one sane knight left in this entire duchy.
As the duke lifted me, the crowd parted before him like the sea. These days, I’d been seeing this kind of miracle often, but it still amazed me every time.
We had only taken a few steps when Andy’s clear voice rang out again.
“My lady is mine forever!”
The little rascal was waving goodbye at Rikael. Ah! Andy, please—just stop. I bit my lip.
Your Grace, please don’t turn around. It’s nothing important.
But my wish didn’t come true.
The duke turned around, clearly puzzled by what he’d just heard.
“What do you mean?”
“Big brother is my lady for life.”
Andy replied proudly, marching out of the dining room first. He looked oddly proud of himself, but I had no idea what he was proud of.
I didn’t even bother to look at Rikael.
No doubt his face was twisted with frustration.
I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.
He’s always the one who says reckless things, but I’m always the one who feels guilty. I don’t know why that is.
[TL: I think Andy meant something else, but it came out all wrong 🤣. I triple checked the raws and he really said that…]
***
The night brought a comforting peace and rest.
After tucking me into bed with his own hands, the duke quietly left my bedroom. Even the way he gently lowered me into bed was filled with affection.
I felt deeply relieved to be back at the ducal estate. It was unbelievably heartwarming to know that so many people here laughed and cried because of me.
I hadn’t been much of a fan of parenting novels, but this one was following that pattern rather nicely—and I was satisfied. Now, if I could just capture Rikael’s heart, it would be a perfectly executed parenting story.
There had been danger, but what mattered most was that I had survived.
***
The kidnappers, injured by the eagle’s attack, tried to flee south but were captured by knights led by the eagle.
That night, it was Rael’s exceptional night vision and hearing that guided the knights.
At dawn, the kidnappers were brought to the ducal estate and tied up in the training ground courtyard.
After enjoying a relaxed breakfast, the duke took me and the two boys and headed to the training yard.
The sight was majestic: the knights, radiating fighting spirit, formed an oval formation around the kidnappers.
They looked as though they were just waiting for the duke’s signal to strike, ready to behead or smash the captives at any moment.
In front of the tied-up kidnappers stood four chairs.
The duke sat me and Rikael on either side of him and placed Jake next to Rikael.
“Are these the ones who kidnapped you?”
“They are!”
“That’s right.”
While I answered loudly, Jake replied in a low, firm voice.
“P-Please spare us. We didn’t know what we were doing…”
It was the boss, whose right eye had been gouged out and remained shut, who spoke. His face was drenched in blood, and his subordinate, Rekto, had lost both eyes. His legs were caked with dried blood.
The two of them trembled uncontrollably, their knees visibly shaking, it was a pitiful sight.
“I told you idiots—you were in big trouble and should’ve let us go! You morons!”
“Little lady, but we didn’t hit you or mistreat you, did we? Please, just spare us this once.”
“You twied to huwt us. You waised your swowd wike this.” (You tried to hurt us. You raised your sword like this.)
“What!?”
The duke’s enraged voice rang out, cold and dangerous.
Ah! So the duke didn’t know. Now that I think about it, in all the chaos yesterday, I skipped over the details and explained everything vaguely.
But now that I said outright that they raised a sword to actually kill us, it was only natural that the duke would be shocked.
“Your Grace, those guys twied to huwt us. They said they’d huwt us because they told us where they were going.” (Your Grace, those guys tried to hurt us. They said they’d hurt us because they told us where they were going)
“That’s right. When they tried to stab Lud— I mean, big sister-in-law in the throat with a dagger, Rael attacked them, that’s how they ended up like this.”
Big sister-in-law? Oh! Did he finally call me that? Maybe Andy’s whole ‘cornstarch family’ thing from yesterday actually worked.
Even in this grim situation, that title echoed in my ears.
Just then, as I was feeling touched, the duke could no longer contain his fury and stood up from his seat.
“How dare you… You tried to kill children of the Arcades family? You’ve lost all sense of fear!”
“N-No, it wasn’t like that. We were only pretending!”
The boss tried to lie his way out.
“But they’re still alive, aren’t they? Little lady, young master, please have mercy on us, just this once.”
It looked like they thought they could sway us emotionally and survive. As if children must have soft hearts?
Then you clearly picked the wrong kids, you scumbags.
“Your Grace, the ones who kidnapped us don’t deseve to be fowgiven.” (Your Grace, the ones who kidnapped us don’t deserve to be forgiven)
“You’re right, Ludia.”
The duke’s gaze turned ice-cold as he glared at the criminals. The atmosphere in the training ground instantly grew heavier.
Moments later, the duke pronounced his sentence with solemn finality.
“Hang them upside down in the central plaza and whip them until they confess every crime they’ve committed in their lives. If they still live afterward, cut off their limbs one by one, and finally, behead them and display their heads on pikes!”
Wow. That’s not just execution—that’s brutal. Hardcore.
I agreed the kidnappers didn’t deserve a peaceful death, but I hadn’t expected that level of punishment.
I thought our duke was gentle. Guess not.
“And let it be known how enraged Arcades is over this incident and that Arcades has returned!”
His final words were stern and resounding.
Arcades has returned!
It felt like that phrase marked the end of his days of living numbly through drink.
Not just me, even the knights surrounding the criminals seemed shaken or moved, exchanging meaningful glances.
It was clear that the duke’s heart had undergone a significant change after his son’s kidnapping.
The knights quickly grabbed the criminals and dragged them to their feet. The boss’s one good eye twitched as he resisted being pulled away, he looked on the verge of madness.
“Please don’t kill me! Let go!”
“Spare us, Your Grace! We’ll never do anything like this again!”
“I told you, that brat isn’t just any brat!”
“Just kill me quick.”
“No! I don’t want to die!”
Each of the kidnappers shouted as they were dragged away, struggling to escape.
Well, maybe you shouldn’t have kidnapped kids in the first place.
For the sake of justice, they absolutely deserved their punishment.
Still… I thought only the emperor could declare executions and public displays like that, but I guess not.
The ducal house truly is a power even the emperor can’t easily touch.
After the knights took the kidnappers away, Dalton, Hansen, and the other knights who had been guarding us that day all knelt down before the duke.
The duke hadn’t said a word, but they looked like they were bracing for judgment. My heart sank.
Wait… are they going to be executed too for failing to protect us?
“The knight order is a mess. To let the ones they were meant to protect fall into danger like this…”
The duke scolded them harshly, as if he’d been waiting to say it.
I immediately stood from my chair and stepped in front of Dalton and Hansen.
This wasn’t their fault.
We got kidnapped because Jake and I had deliberately snuck out, the blame mostly fell on us.
“Don’t scold Dalton, please. Or Hansen, or the other knights either.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Jake came to stand beside me.
“She’s right. I left without saying a word—it was my fault.”
“A knight who fails to protect their master in times of danger is not worthy of being called a knight of Arcades. Jake, no matter what the situation, Arcades must live up to its name.”
The duke’s words were so firm, it left no room for negotiation.
Wait… is he going to investigate step by step and torture everyone to find the security gap? After that earlier terrifying sentence, I was getting nervous again.
“But we were the ones who wun away. The knights couldn’t help it.”
“You’re still children. It’s impossible to predict your actions. That’s exactly why we assign guards—to ensure you’re protected. If no one takes responsibility for this, discipline will crumble, and something like this could happen again.”
