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chapter 16
“What brings you here at this hour?”
Earlier, I had been focused on Arban and hadn’t noticed, but the Duke’s usual calm attitude now gave me chills.
Normally, if his daughter had rebelled like that, he would have at least tried to bring up the topic again.
Yet the Duke acted as if there had been no trouble between us.
I recalled the last time he had been unaware even while blood dripped from him.
‘Did he just flip a switch or something?’
Still, aside from that creepy attitude, he looked perfectly ordinary, which made it difficult to judge.
I had a strange suspicion, but now was not the time to indulge in idle thoughts.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
“I plan to accompany His Grace the Grand Duke to inspect the Essence Stone mines in the Esheet Mountains.”
I went straight to the point without adding unnecessary words.
At that, the perfectly composed mask on his face cracked.
The Duke’s eyes widened instantly, as if they had grown to the size of lamps, and he froze stiff.
His face turned pale, and he stammered as he spoke:
“Riri… w-what do you mean… I simply cannot…”
“I mean exactly that. I intend to go to the Esheet Mountains with Grand Duke Carnelowell. I’ve already spoken with him.”
The Duke, with a look of disbelief, wiped his face impatiently with his hand.
After a brief silence to catch his breath, he slowly lowered his hand and looked at me again.
He didn’t seem fully calm, but his tone was steadier than before.
“…Riri. You are now an adult and expected to succeed me, but you have not formally taken the position of heir.”
“This has nothing to do with succession. I judged that this is something I can handle and have already spoken with the Grand Duke. So…”
“No, if the Grand Duke requires inspection, Riri, it should be me going, not you.”
“The inspection was my own proposal, and the Grand Duke accepted it. Naturally, I believe it is my duty to carry it out.”
The Duke and I were both busy trying to say what we wanted, rather than listening to each other.
Noticing this, the Duke sighed, pointing at me.
“Sigh… Riri, why are you doing this? What are you dissatisfied with, hmm?”
“I’m an adult now. I judged this is something I can handle, and the Grand Duke accepted it.”
“……”
“What are you dissatisfied with? Everything! You won’t even let me leave the mansion! So now, I intend to act as I wish.”
“That’s…!”
“Yes, to protect me. Right? How long do you intend to keep protecting me?”
“……”
Hit at the core by my words, the Duke fell silent for a moment.
He talked about heirs and succession, but his attitude suggested nothing would change even now that I am an adult.
Perhaps the previous Rielly would have complied.
But I was not her.
“I’m afraid I’m not your pet, so I won’t stay obedient forever.”
On the first day I possessed this body, I had tried to leave the mansion but was stopped by the knights guarding the doors.
When I asked for a companion, they repeated like parrots that it was impossible without His Highness’s permission.
At the time, I had no choice but to retreat.
Later, I asked the head maid for permission to go out, but each time, the answer was a polite refusal.
Eventually, I quietly gave up and lived my life in the mansion, but I had always intended to address this issue.
Needing someone’s permission for every single action was ridiculous.
I had been too shocked the first time, preoccupied with Amon the second time, but now I was determined to resolve it.
“If you intend to confine me under the pretense of protection, I have no choice either. As I said before, I will simply leave the mansion.”
It was essentially a threat. If my demand was ignored, I would leave.
The original Rielly had probably never acted this way toward the Duke.
But I had no intention of staying cooped up at home, and I would not obediently follow his words.
Seeing my firm stance, the Duke, who seemed thoughtful, surprisingly spoke reasonably:
“Riri… you are a proper young lady now. But even for work, you shouldn’t casually speak of going somewhere with a man who is not your fiancé.”
He was trying in every way to turn my mind.
‘That is true.’
Though I was confronting him out of necessity, I agreed with this opinion.
Ordinary parents would not easily allow it.
I knew my actions would seem immature.
‘But there is no other option. I have to act as a reckless daughter.’
It was the only way to preserve my freedom and influence the path of that man.
Though it may have felt shocking to the Duke, I could not consider his position.
‘I don’t want to act like this either. But…’
My actions could change someone’s entire life.
Seeing that I did not respond, the Duke shifted to coaxing me more gently:
“I’m glad you want to help with family matters, but it’s premature. Come to think of it, Riri, it’s been a long time since your last outing. If it’s because you’re restless, I’ll assign guards to accompany you. You could go somewhere….”
He was obviously trying to rationalize it. He seemed to think I merely wanted a brief escape.
It was true, I felt restrained—but I didn’t want just a temporary outing.
I wanted the right to freely act as an adult. That was what I wanted.
I cut him off firmly:
“I don’t simply want to get some fresh air. I want freedom as an adult.”
I saw him start to open his lips to respond, but I continued:
“And I’m not going alone with the Grand Duke. It is work, and guards will accompany us, of course.”
“…But Riri, for whatever reason, I cannot allow you to go with an unmarried man.”
The Duke was nervously picking at his hand again.
I watched him and steadied my discomfort, asking sharply:
“If the Grand Duke were married, or female, would you allow it?”
“That is….”
The Duke could not continue and fell silent.
“No, I know. I didn’t come to ask for permission. I just wanted to inform you.”
I took a breath and continued.
“The Grand Duke said he would come for me in three days. I’ll be away for a few days…”
“No, Riri…! Still… still, we should do as I say. That’s right. You’ve followed me well until now. Hmm? Put aside dangerous thoughts… our Riri should stay safely by my side…”
“How long? Honestly, tell me. If I hadn’t said anything, would you have kept me here forever?”
“…Riri, you know why I’m like this.”
His voice lowered.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt or put yourself in danger like before.”
I raised an eyebrow, listening.
“Useless behavior?”
‘The previous Rielly had rebelled and gone out before.’
In retrospect, it wasn’t strange. Objectively, the obedient former Rielly was the abnormal one.
While I thought, the Duke, seeing my silence, spoke in a calmer, soothing voice:
“Anything else you want, tell me. New clothes? A tailored dress for the opera? It might cheer you up. You’ve never been.”
“……”
“Nothing else? Hmm? Or… are you short on money? Tell me anything.”
He seemed to think at least one of these might sway me.
On the surface, he looked calm, but looking closely, his smiling face seemed off.
His expression showed anxiety, tension, and an indescribable feeling.
Like a frozen lake with a crack, fragile and ready to break.
So pale it almost looked like the blood had drained from his face.
Seeing him try to persuade me with that expression… stirred an odd feeling in me.
I couldn’t name it, but it was not pleasant.
Watching him, I realized it wasn’t just care or protection for me.
It seemed likely there was another reason.
“About money, you said before I could spend it freely. I don’t care about that. Let me be clear—I will go to the mountains no matter what you say.”
“Ri…!”
“And do not try to control my outings or private life anymore. I am not something you can do as you please. If you still try to stop me after this, I will have no choice but to live independently.”
I delivered my intention firmly. I did not want to drag this argument out.
The Duke and I were in opposite directions; one of us had to give in.
“……”
The Duke pressed his lips tightly and lowered his head.
He knew that if he ignored my demands, I would actually leave the mansion.
His eyes, which could no longer waver, dimmed with an unreadable light.
He dug his nails into his palm, as if suppressing something.
Yet, as if it were someone else’s problem, his expression remained unchanged.
