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chapter 5
“……Yes?”
“To think you wouldn’t lower your guard even in a situation like this. I’ll give you credit for that.”
‘I just didn’t like the taste, that’s all.’
I blinked blankly. The Duke sipped his tea in a relaxed manner and continued with a meaningful tone.
“If you had the guts to drink poison without flinching, I would’ve kicked you out immediately.”
‘Poison?’
My throat felt dry as I swallowed. My reflection in the dark tea rippled unsteadily.
Where in the world would anyone serve poison as tea? And yet, here it was, right in front of me.
And somehow, I realized it completely by accident. To hand something like that over so casually… I secretly shot the Duke a resentful glance.
Seeing my gaze, the Duke slowly spoke.
“You’re a child, yes, but it seems you’re not very afraid of dying, which makes you more suspicious.”
“I came here because I want to live. I genuinely want to become a ward. If I stayed with my father, Marquis Clinton…”
I pursed my lips and continued.
“I probably wouldn’t live long. My father is the type to sell me out if he gets the chance.”
“Ah, the rogue of the Clinton family, I see.”
…Huh? He knows? My father was notorious, but not famous enough for the Duke to know his name.
And as far as I could recall, no one else had entered this room since I introduced myself.
‘Ah, the shadow of Hilberg.’
I had seen it in the original story. The realization that someone else besides the Duke and I was present in the room hit me belatedly, and suddenly, the man in front of me seemed terrifying.
Still, I remembered Blair’s words and tried to act as calm as possible… I had been told to keep my eyes open.
‘At least I don’t have to explain my situation in detail. That’s a relief.’
Though it gave me goosebumps.
“Indeed. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but no one would send someone just because they believed something about Marianum… or would they?”
The Duke stared at me without blinking, and a chill similar to when Blair glared at me ran through my entire body.
After a moment, he leaned over the table, coming close to me.
With his face near mine, he frowned and muttered quietly.
“…I see. So that’s it.”
I leaned back slightly and asked in a low voice,
“Is there… a problem?”
But instead of an answer, a question came back.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?”
What kind of question was that? …Had puberty hit late or something?
“…I am afraid. Who wouldn’t be afraid of Your Grace?”
“Ah. So you’re saying you’re not afraid.”
“Um, I think I just said I was afraid.”
Suddenly, the Duke started speaking on a different topic.
“Have you ever heard the rumor? That it’s never good to catch Hilberg’s eye.”
“I’m cautious in saying this, but yes, I’ve heard of such a reputation. Perhaps because you inspire such fear—”
The Duke cut me off with a shake of his head.
“No, it’s literally true. Ordinary people, when they meet our gaze, are paralyzed with fear and spill everything they were hiding. If it harms the Hilberg family, even more so.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“If I may ask… why?”
“Family heritage.”
He actually had that ability? I’d never heard of it in the story or my past life. I always thought people just avoided them out of fear.
“…Then why me?”
Was it not working? I couldn’t bring myself to say it aloud, and the Duke pressed his fingers to his brow before answering.
“Who knows.”
‘Ah, that’s why Blair brought me here so quickly!’
…Because I was worth studying. I swallowed hard. Now I understood all of her statements.
I hoped I wasn’t going to be dissected.
“So you’re either a completely honest person with nothing to hide, or you survived this as a mere child… surely it’s not the former.”
The Duke sat back down, tapping his armrest as he pondered, then asked bluntly,
“Why here?”
This was the point where I should’ve been completely honest to earn his trust, but I simply couldn’t. After thinking for a moment, I decided to tell him partially.
“Because it’s the strongest and richest. My father couldn’t even dream of defying you.”
‘And because he’s the strongest, it’s not easy to check anyone else.’
The Duke nodded and continued his questioning.
“What do I gain by taking someone as suspicious as you into my household?”
It really did feel like a job interview. Finally, it seemed he was seriously considering letting me into the family. I calmed my nervous heart and replied.
“You won’t gain much… but since you don’t intend to live long anyway, taking me in won’t cost anything. And you think I’m worth studying, don’t you?”
The Duke seemed slightly unsettled, then laughed fiercely.
“…Interesting. Very interesting.”
I had said it boldly, but my hands trembled slightly under his intimidating presence. His words carried an unspoken approval, though vague.
Yes, the Duke would die before Blair. And the cause…
Was suicide.
That’s why in my previous life, Blair inherited the dukedom. His death was sudden, and though people speculated about illness, I knew the truth from the story.
The current Duke of Hilberg had no will to live. After his wife passed away from illness, only his duties as Duke remained.
From his father’s death to his sister’s, the heir was burdened with rumors that Xian, the current heir, had killed his family.
Perhaps that’s why Xian Hilberg I saw in my previous life seemed so fierce and… a little lonely.
‘So what? And he’s obsessed with Aria.’
Without a special ability to show now, I had to focus on other areas.
It was better to be a suspicious, explosive little child. Curiosity or anxiety would make him keep me close.
I met the Duke’s glaring eyes head-on. I wasn’t unafraid… but dying here now or a few years later made no difference.
After a few minutes, the Duke clicked his tongue audibly, then ran his fingers through his hair and spoke in a low voice.
“Fine. Let’s see. I’ll keep you close and observe what’s in that head of yours.”
Despite a slight chill, I clenched my fists to hold back my joy.
I won!
“Thank you. I hope this ends well for both of us.”
“Since the moment I brought you here, I never intended to ignore you completely.”
Of course, of course. I smiled brightly.
However, perhaps because he had run his fingers through his hair earlier, a bracelet that had been glowing black slipped off his wrist with a soft clatter.
It fell right at my feet. Reflexively, I bent down to pick it up, hearing the Duke’s urgent voice.
“Wait, that—!”
“Yes?”
He snatched the bracelet from me.
‘What’s going on?’
Quickly putting the bracelet back on his wrist, he frowned and turned sharply to look at me.
“Is your head okay?”
“I… feel fine…”
I was about to answer when a strange sensation pulsed from below.
‘Wait a second.’
Suddenly, my heart felt like it was being scorched, and my vision spun.
I couldn’t breathe properly. Clutching my chest, I collapsed to the side.
The last thing I saw was the Duke approaching me, before everything went black.
“This is not how we dispose of a child’s body.”
“Exactly. Why did it fall?”
“Quiet. How’s her condition?”
Voices arguing echoed dully in my ears. I groaned, still foggy-headed.
‘Ugh, I feel sick. My stomach…’
Even so, the voices continued.
“Don’t rush. This usually takes time… hmm?”
“Why, bury her?”
“No, Your Grace. That’s not it… Did you give her anything?”
“Just a little digitalis.”
A deep sigh broke near my head. Slowly, my consciousness returned enough to recognize the voices.
One belonged to the Duke, the other… a voice I hadn’t heard before.
“Of course. It’s a small amount, but this is poisoning. She’s a child, so the symptoms are worse. Luckily, she only ingested a tiny amount.”
“She barely drank it. And it’s only digitalis.”
From the conversation, I gathered the second voice belonged to a doctor. Wait…
‘…I drank digitalis?’
I remembered it being cited as the cause of a notorious noblewoman murder in my previous life.
Although sometimes used medicinally, it was extremely dangerous and rarely used today.
‘No wonder it tasted so awful! Why would they brew this?’
Then I remembered a forgotten detail: the household members cultivated poison tolerance by rotating different poisons in small amounts. They had given it to me, too.
“A small amount? How many times must I tell you, this is poison that could kill an ordinary person. And she’s already somewhat fragile…”
I closed my eyes, listening to the doctor’s words, when a shadow suddenly fell across my face.
My eyelids were lifted, and my eyes snapped open in surprise.
