Chapter 20
Episode 20
The child pursed their lips, looking at me with slightly reddened eyes.
Tears began to well up in eyes that were already glistening like a puppy's.
“Little one, did you get lost?”
“Betty, you shouldn't call someone your age ‘little one’.”
The Young Duke corrected me, holding me close, and said firmly.
Though his expression was as stoic as ever, he seemed strangely excited.
The child nodded vigorously, as if agreeing with the Young Duke.
“That’s right! I look older, so you should call me oppa….”
“That’s not it.”
The Young Duke cut off the child’s words sharply.
It was amusing to see him show no hint of warmth, not even to a child.
“Betty, just call him ‘hey’.”
Isn’t ‘hey’ even worse than ‘little one’……
I looked at his face, thinking it was a joke, but he was quite serious.
The child, who I thought would burst into tears any moment, was surprisingly composed.
“I have no business with you, mister.”
“…….”
“Betty, that’s your name, right? Won’t you talk to me?”
The end of their words trembled slightly, as if they had mustered up courage.
But our Young Duke doesn’t go easy on anyone, not even a child.
“Our Betty’s ideal type is someone handsome and rich of the same age, so you’re out of luck, kiddo.”
No, he remembered that until now….
Those were words I’d carelessly blurted out to my adoptive parents to avoid marriage with Count Devon.
Besides, does he think that child is going to propose to me just because he spoke to me once?
Who proposes on their first meeting…….
…Or rather, the person holding me right now was that kind of person?
Still, even so. Is he wary of a child because there’s nothing else to be wary of?
I whispered softly in his ear.
“Young Duke, you’ll hurt the child’s feelings.”
“Betty, I know that look.”
The Young Duke’s tone and expression were quite serious.
“What kind of look is that?”
“It’s a look that’s already thinking about married life. He’ll start plotting various schemes to marry Betty.”
……It must be that the Young Duke has gone mad from overwork.
“Hey, how can a child think about marriage?”
“That kid’s eyes are sincere.”
This is the first time I’ve seen someone so serious with a child who looks about ten years old.
Did he notice my look of pity?
The Young Duke added a few more words.
“My concerns are valid, Beth.”
Where on earth are they valid?
But then again, if it’s the Young Duke, I suppose it’s possible.
If you think of him as a normal person, you’d never understand him in your entire life.
“Kiddo, I’ll acknowledge that you have such discerning taste at such a young age.”
No, what kind of taste is that?
“But you shouldn’t stare at a tree you can’t climb.”
Is he saying I’m that tree?
“I know that Betty is too good for me.”
“You know well.”
They’re having fun. Ugh, I guess I have to step in and sort this out.
“Little one, so where are your parents?”
“I’m not little….”
The child mumbled, fidgeting with their hands, clearly displeased with my address.
“My parents are busy today, so I came out for a walk by myself. Then I got lost….”
Parents? Plural? Did their parents remarry?
“Did you come here because you wanted to see the lake too?”
I felt a pang of pity for the child who shyly nodded.
He showed no emotion towards the child, speaking in a stiff tone.
“You shouldn’t be here without a guardian.”
“It’s okay. I’ve lived here for a long time….”
As much as possible, I wanted to side with the child.
But with people disappearing so often, bringing a child here was dangerous.
“Little one, it can be dangerous to be here alone, so please come back later!”
“You’re the one. You’re a child yourself….”
“Did you hear that? Betty’s word is law here, so I’m afraid you have to go back.”
The Young Duke waved his hand dismissively, showing no pity for the child.
The child’s eyes drooped sadly.
“Then, if you have time later, will you play with me?”
Do they not have any friends their age to play with?
If so, I feel even more sorry….
When I nodded, the child pointed to a spot not far from the lake.
“I live in the temple over there. You have to come see me later, okay?”
They said they were lost, but it seems they just wanted to play with a friend their age and were complaining.
Poor thing…. I’ll play with them for a bit later, I guess.
“Alright.”
The Young Duke looked displeased, but he didn’t stop me.
As I watched the child’s retreating back, I said to the Young Duke,
“They must need a friend to play with since they’re still a child. Who did you play with when you were young?”
I heard that Duke Russell had two sons.
That means the Young Duke has a brother, either older or younger.
“I was just alone.”
“Uh… no one your age?”
“Yes. I was uncomfortable being with others.”
Is the Young Duke hiding something from me?
Or is it a secret about his birth?
Perhaps I was too persistent, as the Young Duke scowled.
“Betty, are you perhaps….”
“Yes, yes?”
Ah, did he realize I was probing?
“Are you considering having children?”
“……What?”
I foolishly had to ask him the same question multiple times.
“If we get married, I want to live alone with just you and Beth, but I can’t help it.”
No, why is the conversation going in that direction?
“I’m so touched that you’re seriously considering marriage with me….”
I covered his mouth with my small hands.
“Who said I was marrying you?”
“Then why would you ask….”
“I just… I just asked! I was curious about your childhood. Haha!”
The Young Duke looked slightly suspicious, but just then, someone who appeared to be an attendant approached us.
“Are you two together?”
I waved my arms like a child and replied excitedly.
“Yes!”
“May I ask your names?”
“I’m Betty!”
Even as a nickname, saying my own name felt a bit nauseating.
“Then, the person holding our young lady….”
“My oppa!”
I wrapped my arms around the Young Duke’s neck and pressed my cheek against his.
Putting on the most innocent and bright smile I could muster, the attendant looked between us and then smiled warmly.
“You’re a very close brother and sister. Please come in.”
The attendant waved goodbye with a pleased smile.
As the attendant slowly moved away and disappeared from view, I whispered to the Young Duke.
“Hehe, how was my acting?”
“…….”
“Young Duke?”
While I was giving my all in my performance, he looked dazed, as if he had traveled to another world.
I waved my palm in front of his eyes.
“What are you thinking about?”
The Young Duke finally came to his senses, took a shallow breath, and said in a voice barely above a whisper,
“I think… I think I just got arrhythmia.”
“Arrhythmia? Are you okay?”
I pulled his face closer with both hands and asked.
Why isn’t this person saying anything when they’re sick!
Concerned, I examined him closely, but he just sighed.
He’s going to brush it off again, isn’t he?
Once this investigation is over, I’m going to thoroughly examine him to find out what’s wrong.
“Betty, speaking of which. I can see the lake.”
At the Young Duke’s words, I turned my head. A vast lake and lush, vibrant plants came into view.
It was clearly too beautiful a place for its trash of a former owner.
After gazing at the scenery for a while, I looked around.
“But there are fewer people than I expected?”
There were quite a lot of people before we entered, weren’t there?
“The attendant didn’t seem to let them in earlier.”
“But they looked like real families?”
We infiltrated for the investigation, but others must have been real families.
If they met the conditions, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be allowed in.
Besides, the attendant let us in so readily earlier.
“Young Duke, why did they let us in so easily?”
“Because Betty is cute?”
“…….”
“I think that’s the most plausible explanation.”
I shouldn’t have said anything.
As I struggled, the Young Duke, looking disappointed, put me down.
Scanning the people enjoying their stroll nearby, I confirmed their commonality.
“Young Duke.”
“Yes, Betty.”
The one commonality they shared.
“They all came in pairs?”
There can be various family structures, but it’s suspicious that only families of two remained.
“Young Duke, was there a section for writing family relationships on the application form?”
“Yes. There was.”
“What did you write?”
“I wrote that we were brother and sister, and I didn’t write anything separately about our parents.”
Then, everything points to one thing!
They must have only allowed people who wouldn’t cause trouble if they disappeared, people who only had each other as blood relatives.
“Bad guys!”
They chose only two-person households so there would be no repercussions if someone disappeared, right?
“Young Duke, we must catch the people who did this!”
I said bravely, raising one arm high.
“Pfft……”
Again, again! This time I knew for sure I wasn’t mishearing.
“Young Duke, you didn’t just laugh, did you?”
“I apologize. It’s just that Betty is so cute.”
“Riiiight?”
To be continued in the next episode ▶
