Chapter 43
The duke sat sideways on the large bed, holding the whimpering child in his arms and gently patting her.
“…How?”
Though it was a short question, Leviathan seemed to understand it perfectly.
“When she seems strangely low on energy in the evening, it always ends up like this.”
A heavy, deep sigh escaped him.
In that brief moment, the duke looked as if he had aged several years—utterly exhausted.
“Khalid.”
His voice was hoarse and cracked. He pulled the blanket up over Rubian.
“Did Ruby act like this often in Iosia too?”
“……”
On the battlefield, it had happened quite often.
Each time, Khalid would hold Rubian’s hand and pour magic into her—
Just in case her body was suffering and causing her nightmares.
It didn’t really help.
But it was the only thing he could do, so he kept doing it again and again.
“If you know anything, tell me. That way I can help her.”
“She seems to suffer when she’s anxious. I don’t know the details either.”
A darker shadow fell over the duke’s face.
“What on earth is making her so anxious…?”
His large hand carefully stroked her face.
Gradually, Rubian’s complexion improved. The child who had been groaning softly soon fell into a peaceful sleep.
“Ruby… how did she live in Iosia?”
At the low question, Khalid closed his mouth for a moment.
He and Rubian had already prepared an answer for situations like this.
“She lived normally. It wasn’t a wealthy life, but with ordinary parents and ordinary neighbors.”
“…Normally, you say.”
Those violet eyes stared straight at him.
The intensity of that gaze almost made Khalid look away.
“I see.”
Leviathan nodded after a pause.
“…Your Grace. May I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you cherish Ruby?”
Even as he asked, Khalid realized it was a meaningless question.
Everything he had seen today was already the answer.
“Why do you ask?”
The duke carefully laid the sleeping Rubian down and sat on a nearby sofa.
It seemed he intended to spend the night there.
“I want to know if you can protect her no matter what happens.”
“That sounds like something is going to happen.”
His languid voice drifted through the room.
Khalid didn’t avoid the piercing gaze directed at him.
Having lived as a mercenary, he had dealt with more adults than people his age. He knew a hundred ways to evade a situation.
“She’s my friend. I tend to worry a lot.”
“You shouldn’t talk if you can’t do it properly.”
Leviathan turned his head and looked at the sleeping Rubian.
“Yes. No matter what happens, I will protect Ruby.”
As he said that, he casually tossed something over.
“So you—”
It was a small box filled with colorful candies.
“If you ever have something to say to this uncle, come anytime. Whether it’s about Ruby or about yourself.”
Khalid blinked slowly.
“I don’t know if this is some kind of commission or what.”
“A commission? What are you—”
Leviathan stopped mid-sentence, frowning as he remembered Khalid’s mercenary background.
“It’s not a commission. It’s a request, you brat.”
“……”
Khalid grabbed the candy box.
What’s the difference between a request and a commission? And besides, you already paid me.
“…Yes, well.”
He answered vaguely.
Leaning back into the sofa, Leviathan stared into the air for a moment, then slightly narrowed one eye.
“By the way, I don’t really have friends, so I wouldn’t know—but do people usually come all the way to a place like this just to find a friend?”
“She’s a one-of-a-kind, precious friend.”
One-of-a-kind… precious…?
A strange expression spread across the duke’s face as he mulled over the words.
Khalid let out a small laugh.
“Oh. You said you don’t have many friends.”
“……”
“Then I guess you wouldn’t understand this feeling.”
“…Wow, that brat’s really getting cocky.”
Annoyed, Leviathan crumpled up a candy wrapper he had been eating and tossed it.
Of course, it didn’t even reach Khalid’s feet and fell to the ground.
Khalid walked over and placed the candy box on the windowsill made of magic stone near Rubian’s bed. Then he meticulously rummaged through its contents.
“Apple, chocolate, cherry… There’s no strawberry.”
“……”
“She likes strawberry the most. Make sure to include it next time.”
Leviathan snorted.
“You’ve got some nerve. Of course I gave all the strawberry ones to Rubian.”
Ah.
The cocky boy simply tilted his chin indifferently.
“Then what about milk flavor?”
“……”
Damn it. Guess I’m going to the shop first thing tomorrow.
A bright afternoon bathed in sparkling sunlight.
It was time for the usual dessert break.
The “uncle” slid a cold glass of juice toward me.
For some reason, there were also plenty of strawberry and milk-flavored candies beside it.
“…The color of the juice…?”
“It’s blended with green vegetables.”
Hazel answered before I could even ask.
“Borvel said it’s good for your body this way.”
The uncle added firmly, acting as though giving me healthy snacks had become his life’s greatest mission lately.
‘It looks like something a troll chewed up and spat out…’
I stared at the thick, murky light-green liquid.
When I subtly tried to avoid it, the uncle pushed it closer again.
“Ugh.”
“The visuals are terrible.”
But with so many eyes watching, I couldn’t refuse.
I decided to gulp it down quickly and eat candy afterward. So I cautiously touched it with the tip of my tongue—
“Huh?”
“Not bad, right?”
A sweet apple flavor spread instantly, almost completely masking the bitter vegetable taste!
It was totally different from how it looked.
I quickly stuck in a straw and started sipping.
“Ruby, you said you’d study with Borvel, right?”
“Oh, yeah!”
Last evening, the duke’s physician had offered to teach me herbalism and healing magic. Of course, I agreed.
“I’m going to get smarter!”
I already had basic knowledge of herbalism and healing.
So this lesson was more like a cover.
‘If I suddenly make something later, I can just say I learned it in class!’
Pretending to be from Iosia had its limits, so this was a necessary step.
“Don’t overdo it. And don’t forget afternoon snack time.”
“Well… if I get busy, I might forget sometimes—”
“Don’t forget.”
What’s with this desperation?
Confused, I nodded anyway.
From outside the window, Void’s voice could be heard.
He seemed to be training hard with Grandpa—wooden swords clacking against each other.
I listened to the sound like music while drinking my milk.
“And… there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.”
The uncle set down his teacup and leaned forward.
For some reason, his expression looked a bit serious.
“Hm?”
“Rosetta and Liam are coming back next week.”
“Oh…”
Finally.
“That means you’ll meet my whole family.”
Leviathan awkwardly chose his words.
“…So? How is it? Living in my house. Are you satisfied?”
What is this, some kind of customer satisfaction survey?
I spread my hand wide.
“Of course I’m satisfied! Five stars!”
“…Only five?”
“Out of five.”
“Ah.”
The uncle swallowed dryly and clasped his hands together.
“Then, Ruby… do you want to keep living with me?”
“I already am?”
“I mean… do you want to officially become the youngest member of our family?”
At that moment, the air around us strangely froze.
Sensing something off, I turned my head and saw Hazel and the other servants quickly averting their gazes, coughing awkwardly.
“Of course, you can decide after you meet Rosetta and Liam.”
“I…”
I slowly lowered my eyelids.
