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Chapter 8
Startled, I instinctively took half a step back.
Shebert’s crimson eyes flickered menacingly as they locked onto me.
Then, without warning, he curled his lips into a mocking smile.
“So, you’re an orphan with no parents or siblings, right?”
“…?”
“Ah, so that’s why you were staring at those pictures of my father and grandfather with envy. You’ve never had anything like that, have you?”
“…!”
At first, I didn’t understand what Shebert was talking about.
But then it clicked.
He was obviously trying to poke at my deepest wound.
After all, Maryanne had been sent here as an orphan.
The problem was…
It didn’t affect me in the slightest.
I wasn’t the real Maryanne, and I certainly hadn’t been looking at those portraits because they made me sad.
Besides—
This guy may have grown physically, but mentally he’s still just a kid.
The first time I met Shebert, I had been terrified.
But after seeing him a few times, I realized there was no reason to be intimidated.
Shebert Kereis was seventeen years old.
If I wanted to establish dominance over this not-yet-fully-grown brat, now was the perfect time.
Confidence surged through me.
Got you now!
Seeing the anger on my face, Shebert snorted with amusement and turned away.
I quickly looked around.
No one was nearby.
This was a gift from heaven.
There had always been too many witnesses before.
Perfect.
“Hey! Lord Shebert!”
I shouted from the depths of my diaphragm.
But Shebert ignored me completely and continued walking.
My temper flared.
I sprinted after him with all my strength.
“You mouth of doom! Stop right there!”
I threw both hands forward and shoved him squarely in the back.
Hard.
Very, very hard.
“Uwaaaah! W-What the—?!”
Caught completely off guard, Shebert pitched forward.
He rolled across the floor before crashing into the wall with a loud thud.
Only then did he manage to lift his head.
His well-trained body wasn’t actually injured.
But mentally…
He was completely dumbfounded.
“…M-My nose… blood?”
Bright red blood streamed down over his upper lip.
I walked over and stood directly in front of him.
“If you’re fortunate enough to have a brain in your head, then you ought to learn how to control that mouth of yours. I’d appreciate it if you’d choose your words more carefully from now on.”
“W-What? Brain? Mouth?!”
I smiled sweetly at the stunned Shebert.
There was no one around.
I could have said much worse.
Then I raised both hands again, curling my fingers like claws as I threatened him.
“So if you wag that mouth carelessly one more time… next time it won’t just be a nosebleed. You’ll experience blood pouring out of every hole in your body.”
I used to be a mage, after all.
Leaving those words behind, I huffed and turned away.
Behind me, I thought I heard Shebert laughing like someone who had lost his mind.
Well…
I suppose it was humiliating.
Served him right.
Behind one of the pillars connecting to the reception hall…
Two people had secretly watched everything.
“Tsk. What a pathetic fool.”
“Lady Maryanne… wins.”
“…”
Under the Duke’s icy gaze, Debuie hurriedly pressed his lips together.
But then the Duke quietly remarked,
“It seems I’ve brought home exactly the right daughter-in-law.”
“Pfft.”
The Duke continued glaring at his butler without realizing…
the corner of his own mouth had lifted into a smile.
* * *
Shebert clutched his head with both hands.
His blue hair swayed as he agonized over what had happened.
Mouth… Brain… Nosebleed…!
Those humiliating words kept echoing in his mind.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t forget them.
It was the first nosebleed he’d ever had.
Not once had he bled during days of brutal mountain training.
Not even when sparring against grown adults.
And yet…
A little girl had made his nose bleed.
Staring at the blood staining both hands, Shebert couldn’t believe this was reality.
“Since ancient times, those blessed with magical power ruled the world. Thus, House Delve became the very pillar of the Empire…”
“AAAH! Stop reading already!”
At Shebert’s outburst, Butler Debuie lowered the book and adjusted his monocle.
“So it really says that? About House Delve?”
“Yes. According to this book, that’s how it was. Though it happened several centuries ago.”
Shebert immediately regretted asking Debuie to read the book aloud.
Maryanne’s warning echoed in his head.
“Next time it won’t just be a nosebleed. Blood will pour out of every hole in your body.”
Every hole…
Blood from every hole?
Resting his chin on one hand, Shebert sighed deeply.
“…Debuie.”
“Yes, Young Master?”
“I want to beat her.”
“You think I can, right?”
“…”
“Hey! Why aren’t you answering?!”
“…”
Silently, Debuie simply held up the history book detailing the great mage families.
Seeing that, Shebert ruffled his hair in frustration.
“Why in the world did Father bring that girl here?! What exactly am I supposed to do?!”
Because she’s your fiancée.
Unable to say those words aloud, Debuie quietly resumed reading the book.
* * *
After our little confrontation that day, Shebert never came looking for me.
I’d expected him to seek revenge, so that was a relief.
However, Britta informed me,
“Young Master Shebert has left for expedition training.”
Apparently, possessed by some burning determination, he had begun training even harder than before.
For some reason…
I had a feeling that determination was aimed squarely at getting revenge on me.
Agh… I’d better strengthen my magic as soon as possible so I can become even stronger.
Lying spread-eagle across my bed, I reflected on everything that had happened.
I’d already left the issue of the mage with the Duke.
Whatever the outcome, all I could do was wait.
As for the whereabouts of the second son…
I still couldn’t remember.
“Hmm…”
My thoughts eventually drifted toward Krimu, the matter weighing on me most.
Earlier, I’d almost brought him up with the Duke…
but decided against it.
I didn’t have a single piece of solid evidence yet.
“But why is the Duke so completely uninterested?”
After eating breakfast with him several times and even speaking privately…
I’d come to believe he truly knew nothing because he simply paid no attention to his third son at all.
“…Poor Krimu.”
Anyone would feel sympathy after seeing a four-year-old crying.
And I’d witnessed it not once, but several times.
Even if he was a mischievous little troublemaker…
I couldn’t help worrying about him.
“Really… what could a child that young possibly have done wrong? This is all the adults’ fault.”
The Duchess had died young.
The Duke appeared emotionally detached from all his children.
And for a four-year-old who should have been happily playing with children his own age…
this household was an unbearably harsh place to grow up.
* * *
Once I started thinking about poor Krimu, he occupied my thoughts completely.
To solve this, I first needed to find out why he cried every night.
Through Britta, I managed to learn the nanny’s daily schedule.
“But, Miss… may I ask why you’re curious about this?”
Britta was unexpectedly sharp.
I improvised an excuse.
“Shh!”
“Huh?”
“This is a secret order from the Duke.”
“Oh.”
“So we have to be discreet, understand?”
“Yes, Miss!”
The tension on Britta’s face quickly transformed into excitement.
…Why was she getting excited?
Apparently, the words secret mission had thoroughly captured the young maid’s imagination.
In any case…
I needed evidence.
And to get it, I had to infiltrate enemy territory.
A few days later, thanks largely to Britta’s help, I successfully snuck into Krimu’s room.
“Miss, just leave everything to me!”
Dependable as ever, Britta managed to lure the guards outside and informed me exactly when the nanny and Krimu would both be out.
I hadn’t realized the young maid had talents like these.
“Thanks, Britta.”
After hiding me behind the thick curtains, she even thoughtfully brought me water.
Just before leaving, she scrunched up her nose shyly.
“To be honest… I’ve always wanted to do something like this. Hehe.”
I was glad I’d given Britta a chance to show off her hidden talents.
Maybe I should officially hire her as my assistant someday.
I was happily imagining it…
when the previously silent room filled with faint noises.
Voices followed.
Krimu and his nanny had returned after dinner.
I held my breath, clasping my hands tightly.
Krimu’s room was enormous.
It was divided into two separate areas, and according to Britta, no one would ever come into the storage space where I was hiding.
Even so…
my heart pounded violently.
“Young Master, sit here.”
“Okay.”
I listened carefully to their voices.
At first, the conversation seemed perfectly ordinary.
But then the nanny said something that wasn’t.
“No, Young Master… you need to kneel on the floor.”
