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Chapter – 27
“Huh?”
“I said, where am I supposed to take it?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, I just blinked stupidly. The boy asked again in a curt tone.
“My room…”
“Then, lead the way.”
Wh-what?
He’s not taking it away, but delivering it?
“Didn’t I say lead the way?”
“Ah, yes!”
At the sharply spoken command, I briskly stood up from my spot.
Well, I tried to.
“Whoa-!”
Maybe because I had been squatting for so long, my legs had no strength.
After wobbling a few times, I landed hard on my backside. The boy, who had been a few steps ahead, quickly turned and came back.
“What? What’s wrong all of a sudden? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“No. My legs fell asleep because I sat for a long time…”
“…Haa. Well, just get up already.”
As he said that, he held out his hand.
‘This… must mean I should hold it and get up, right?’
I sneakily checked his mood, then grabbed the boy’s hand and pulled myself up.
“Hehe, thank you for helping me.”
“I didn’t help you! It’s just that, you sitting there was… inconvenient for people passing by! That’s the only reason.”
I got a tingly feeling.
This kid.
Despite his curt tone, he definitely seems to have a kind side somewhere.
“Okay. I understand. Thank you for helping me.”
“I told you, I didn’t help…! Whatever. Let go of this hand and just guide the way.”
“But my legs are still asleep, so I think I still need Onabeoni to support me…”
When I deliberately exaggerated my whining, the boy, who had been grumbling, nodded as if he had no choice.
“Fine, I’ll support you. Only because I have no choice. Got it?”
See, I knew he was kinder than he seemed!
Moreover, he even slowed his pace to match my slow steps.
Thanks to that, we could walk side by side and have a conversation.
“Is it okay if I call you Onabeoni?”
“Why would I be your Onabeoni? I’m not going to be your Onabeoni.”
“But you’re older than me. Doesn’t that make you Onabeoni?”
“Th-that’s how it works?”
“Yep!”
“…Let’s just walk quietly!”
“Okay. But Onabeoni, what’s your name?”
“I don’t want to tell you.”
Even if you don’t want to tell me, I already know.
After hearing from the Duke that his nephews were coming, I studied up.
‘I’m the most prudent 4-year-old in the Empire!’
Besides, thinking back, I remember often reading articles about the two of them even before the regression.
They weren’t as prominent as the Panteyeve Duke, but the two were also celebrities the press paid attention to, so their names appeared quite often in the papers.
“Aster?”
“Aster is our hyung!”
“Then it’s Louis. Louis Onabeoni.”
“Dammit. I ended up telling you my name…”
“Hehe.”
Louis grumbled, but he never ignored what I said.
‘Luckily, it doesn’t seem like he actually dislikes me…?’
Of course, it might just be because he’s inherently kind.
But if he really disliked me, he would have treated me like I was invisible and wouldn’t have helped me.
“I think Onabeoni is a good person.”
“Kheuheum!”
Once we arrived at the room, Louis, just like before, lifted his chin sharply and spoke curtly.
“Listen carefully. I have no intention of acknowledging you as my little sister. Got it?”
“But, I’m younger than Onabeoni, so I am your little sister.”
“Well, that’s true but… Anyway, we’ll see about that!”
Tap tap tap.
Contrary to his words about ‘we’ll see,’ Louis even arranged the books he was carrying on the desk before leaving.
Well now.
“Somehow, I don’t know…”
It doesn’t seem like Louis dislikes me, even if he acts aloof…
He seems like a somewhat complicated kid.
‘But I’ll still become friends with him.’
I’ll become friends and get acknowledged by Louis as a member of Panteyeve too!
I clenched my fist tightly, then scurried over to the books Louis had delivered.
Just you wait, Angela!
The Duke visited me again that evening, during snack time.
“Fortunately, it seems your hiccups have stopped.”
“They stopped a while ago. It was really only for a short time.”
“…Anyway, you’re like an old man with an unnecessarily loud voice.”
Yep, I didn’t hear that.
I didn’t hear anything at all.
The Duke, who had muttered in apparent displeasure, scooped up a piece of cake and held it out to me.
“I can eat by myse…”
“Ah-, open up.”
“Ahh.”
I opened my mouth wide and accepted the cake.
Of course, I can eat by myself.
But if the boss wants to feed you, the subordinate has no choice but to accept.
“Is it tasty?”
“Yes. It melts softly…”
Since coming to the Duke’s residence, I’ve gotten to eat tons of desserts I’d never seen before in my life.
The ‘brownie’ served today was also a snack I was trying for the first time.
I was a little worried because it was so dark in color…
‘It’s super delicious.’
As I chewed, making my cheeks quiver, the Duke spoke in a flat voice.
“As I said last time, you can just ignore that old man. He’s just a geezer who spouts nonsense. Even if you run into him, pretend you didn’t see him and walk past.”
“…But I want to be friends with Harabeoji.”
“…What?”
At my timidly spoken words, the Duke’s eyebrows twitched.
‘Gasp. Is he mad?’
Because I said I want to be friends with someone he’s not close to?
Or because I’m ignoring his advice?
Since both were plausible assumptions, I hurriedly lowered my gaze.
But the next moment.
“You call him ‘Grandpa’ after just meeting him once? While you still call me ‘Your Grace’?”
“Huh?”
At the completely unexpected mutter, I jerked my head up.
The Duke’s expression facing me was serious.
No, wait.
He looked a little… pouty?
‘Pouty? Does that even make sense?’
The great Duke of Panteyeve, pouting?
And over something like a title?
No way. Maybe he’s angry, but pouting?
Thinking that, it became a bit more understandable.
‘Right. He’s offended?!’
In human relationships, after all, nothing is as important as titles.
I, who need to be acknowledged by people as the Duke’s daughter, am calling him ‘Your Grace’ instead of ‘Father.’
Of course, it’s not like I haven’t thought about this issue at all.
Why is it that the title that comes so easily in front of others doesn’t come out in front of the Duke?
Nevertheless, the reason I couldn’t easily bring that title to my lips in front of the Duke was…
‘Dad, Father.’
Calling out a title I’ve never had in my life wasn’t as easy as I thought.
I was also worried that he might think I was being presumptuous.
And above all.
‘I’m scared.’
What if I start to hope?
Even though I’m called the Duke’s daughter, it’s just a contractual relationship.
A relationship that will return to square one when the contract, which could end at any time, is over.
I’ll try my best to stay attached to the Duke’s household, but…
‘The very fact that I have to try shows how clear our relationship is.’
Not real, but fake.
Presumptuous desires aren’t allowed. If I casually call him ‘Father’—
‘What if I start craving a real family?’
If I give a name to something that isn’t mine, it might become too precious.
I’m afraid it would make me too sad when it’s taken away later.
So I had been deliberately avoiding it—.
“…F-Father.”
“…….”
“I’ll… call you Father from now on.”
Gulp.
Swallowing hard, I finally managed to get the words out.
But no reply came for a while. I anxiously checked the Duke’s expression.
‘Why isn’t he saying anything…?’
Could it be that he actually doesn’t like hearing me call him ‘Father’?
Fidgeting nervously with my fingertips, I eventually let out a hehe-, a foolish laugh.
When a situation is awkward, smiling is always the best policy, right?
After a moment.
“I told you last time.”
Tap.
A light touch tapped the tip of my nose.
“I said there’s no one here you need to be wary of.”
Ah, right.
He definitely said that.
Back then, we were having snacks just like now…
“And that includes me, Marshmallow. You don’t need to be wary of me either. You can act however you want.”
My heart fluttered just like it did then.
I opened and closed my mouth a few times, unable to speak, then finally nodded my head vigorously.
A large hand playfully ruffled my hair.
“And by the way, if you want to be friends with that old man, that’s your choice too.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. I was just worried you might get hurt because of that insensitive old man.”
But it seems you’re a tougher Marshmallow than I thought.
“Or perhaps you’re more soft and squishy?”
Muttering to himself, the Duke used the hand that was ruffling my hair to lightly pinch my cheek and then let go.
“Hmm, definitely soft and squishy.”
