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Chapter 3
What a grand place.
I sat alone in the middle of a reception room so large it looked as though three rooms had been combined into one, quietly darting my eyes around.
Beloa, apparently intimidated by such an enormous room for the first time in her life, clung tightly to my side.
It’s incredibly luxurious, too.
Were they trying to prove they didn’t have a single wrinkle in their brains?
Or had my older half-brother simply assumed it didn’t matter because I’d end up taking the blame anyway?
He used to openly invite his fellow con artists to the mansion and entertain them in the reception room.
Thanks to that, the reception room of the Tekins estate had become famous for being extravagance at its finest.
So I’d always assumed this was just what noble houses looked like.
Apparently not.
Compared to the Leandro Grand Duke’s estate…
The Tekins reception room was…
Ordinary?
Simple?
No.
Even those words were too generous.
If I had to describe it…
It screamed “new money.”
Yeah.
That fit perfectly.
They hadn’t cared about color coordination, layout, or harmony.
They’d simply crammed the room full of the most expensive furniture they could buy.
The reception room here, on the other hand…
Even the smallest ornament.
Even a single flower.
Everything looked as though someone had carefully considered exactly where it belonged.
It was obvious that every corner of the room had been meticulously cared for.
I bet the rest of the mansion is like this too.
Beloa would grow up here.
In a beautiful mansion.
Surrounded by kind people.
Beside a guardian who truly loved her.
She’d grow up without a single worry.
Happy.
It feels strangely emotional.
Absentmindedly rubbing my hands together, I blinked.
I already knew Beloa would be happy here.
I’d read the novel.
But…
Actually standing inside the Leandro Grand Duke’s estate and seeing it with my own eyes…
It felt completely different.
For some reason…
It made my heart swell even more.
“Our Beloa.”
When I gently stroked her hair and called her name, Beloa peeked up at me with only her eyes visible.
“You finally found your family.”
The only hardships waiting for her now were the events that happened in the original story.
But she’d overcome them.
She wouldn’t be facing them alone.
She’d have people who stood firmly on her side.
And in the novel…
She really did overcome them all.
Besides…
I’d leave behind a few helpful hints before I disappeared.
It’s a shame I never got to read Part Two.
If I knew everything that was coming, I could tell them all of it before I left.
Though I felt a little regret, I hugged Beloa tightly.
“From now on…”
“The only thing left is for you to be happy.”
“Mmm?”
Whether she understood my feelings or not…
Beloa simply blinked innocently before breaking into a bright smile.
…While a stream of snot slowly dripped from her nose.
Don’t eat it!
No, no—wait!
My handkerchief!
Where did it go?
“Excuse me.”
Just as I was about to wipe Beloa’s nose with my sleeve if I had to…
The reception room door opened.
An elderly woman entered.
Her brown hair was neatly tied into a bun, and she carried herself with quiet dignity.
“I brought some warm tea. I thought you might be cold.”
“Thank you.”
As I accepted the teacup, I discreetly studied her face.
Maybe she was someone I’d recognize from the novel.
I don’t know.
Unless I heard her name…
Brown hair.
Light green eyes.
An older woman.
That wasn’t enough for me to identify her.
Perhaps she’d barely appeared in the novel.
Or hadn’t appeared at all.
“Ah…”
“Beloa?”
Suddenly, Beloa moved.
My eyes widened.
Up until the woman entered, she’d hidden behind me, wary of both the unfamiliar place and the unfamiliar people.
“Hehe.”
But now…
She smiled brightly at the woman.
And then…
She cried.
A single tear formed at the corner of Beloa’s eye.
…What?
I blinked.
They couldn’t possibly know each other…
Beloa had been brought to the Tekins estate before she was even old enough to speak properly.
“Oh my.”
The woman’s voice brought me back to reality.
Beloa had somehow attached herself tightly to the woman, clearly asking to be held.
“Beloa, come here.”
“I’m sorry. You must have been startled.”
No, look at her!
She’s practically glued to her!
“Hehe, it’s quite all right.”
Though she looked slightly surprised, the woman smiled warmly.
“It seems the little lady likes me.”
“How adorable.”
“Mmm…”
The woman lifted Beloa with practiced ease and gently patted her back.
“Perhaps she’s just cranky because she’s sleepy.”
“Is that it?”
“Yes.”
“Children her age often get fussy when they’re tired.”
She smiled faintly.
“My own daughter was exactly the same.”
“I used to carry her like this whenever she got sleepy.”
“She’d fuss endlessly.”
“It brings back memories.”
Her soft laughter sounded genuinely happy.
“I see.”
I don’t think that’s the reason…
I tilted my head.
Knock.
My thoughts were interrupted.
Knock.
The heavy sound echoed again.
The moment I turned toward the door…
It opened.
A man stepped into the reception room.
He was enormous.
Twice the size of an ordinary man, it seemed.
His black hair partially covered his face.
But it couldn’t hide the sharp lines of his features.
And then—
Our eyes met.
Brilliant golden eyes.
The exact same color as Beloa’s.
The novel had mentioned countless times that Leandro Grand Duke and Beloa shared the same eyes.
But…
Even so…
…He’s terrifying.
Beloa’s eyes were warm.
Like precious jewels.
The Leandro Grand Duke’s eyes…
Looked as though they could devour me whole.
Those are the eyes of a predator.
They were the eyes of a beast that hunted people.
Had I underestimated just how dangerous negotiating with him would be?
The overwhelming pressure radiating from him naturally made that thought arise.
Without realizing it, I reached up and touched my own neck.
“Your Grace, Leandro Grand Duke.”
Seeing that I’d completely frozen, the elderly woman bowed first.
“Mrs. Salisbury.”
The Grand Duke’s gaze shifted from me to the woman.
“Is this the one who claims to have brought my niece?”
“Yes.”
“This is Miss Ermia Tekins.”
“As for the young lady, I believe she’s fallen asleep for the moment, so I thought—”
“No.”
Even his voice was heavy.
If we’d met under different circumstances…
I probably would’ve admired how deep and attractive it sounded.
Instead, trying to calm my nerves, I merely clutched the hem of my dress while my mind wandered.
Then I felt his gaze return to me.
Ugh… I can’t breathe.
“Follow me.”
“This is not an appropriate place to discuss matters of importance.”
The Grand Duke turned as if expecting me to follow.
Wait.
That’s it?
“Excuse me!”
Just as he was about to leave the reception room, he stopped and looked back.
Eek.
His eyes are terrifying!
But I had to say it.
“Beloa.”
Gripping my dress tightly, I forced the words out.
“Aren’t you going to look at Beloa?”
So far…
The only thing he’d seen was the back of Beloa’s head as she buried herself in the maid’s arms.
Granted…
Even the back of her head was incredibly adorable.
“She’s your niece.”
“Shouldn’t you at least make sure?”
Besides…
Their first meeting in Flower Path had been one of the most emotional scenes in the entire novel.
Sure, the circumstances had changed.
But this still wasn’t right!
“Hm.”
The Grand Duke slowly shifted his gaze toward Beloa once more.
His tightly closed lips finally parted.
“Why?”
…Why?
Did he seriously just say “why”?
“I don’t even know whether she’s real or fake.”
The sharpness of Leandro Grand Duke’s golden eyes intensified.
“Let’s hear your story first, Miss Tekins.”
He casually gestured toward the hallway outside.
His black hair swayed slightly with the motion.
“If you wish…”
“You may also return to Count Tekins’ estate together with that child.”
His words sounded polite.
But beneath them lay unmistakable arrogance…
And contempt.
I let out a dry laugh.
He’s already decided I’m a fraud.
Fine.
Let’s do this.
Smiling sweetly, I stood up.
Then I strode straight toward him without hesitation until I stopped directly in front of him.
“…”
The corner of his eye twitched in visible displeasure.
Didn’t matter.
Keeping my bright I-have-no-idea-what’s-going-on smile firmly in place, I spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m far too curious to wait and find out what we’re going to discuss.”
“…Very well.”
After silently staring down at me for a long moment…
The Grand Duke turned around.
I immediately followed after Leandro Grand Duke, matching his stride.
All right.
Let’s do this.
