Chapter 13
13
I burrowed into the dresser where Leah kept my clothes, flailing around.
"Oh my!"
Startled, Leah quickly pulled me out of the drawer.
"What are you doing?"
"Grandpa gave me a bag, where is it?"
The vassal grandfather, who had gone on an inspection tour of the territory with the Duke, adored me and had brought me a children's bag.
He said he bought it because it looked interesting on the way. It was an apricot-colored elephant-shaped bag.
"If you mean that bag, it's here."
Leah found the bag, put it on my shoulder, and looked at me with a curious face.
But I hesitated, looking around, and then ran out.
Sorry, Leah.
This is something I have to do alone.
'Because I'm preparing to run away.'
Probably, no, almost certainly, the priests of the Order will take me away.
The Empress Dowager gave me a choice, but if the Order strongly insists, she will pretend she can't win and side with them.
The best thing for me right now is for Duke Dubled not to send me away. But the chances of that are slim.
First of all, Duke Dubled isn't even in this castle, and even if he were, there's no reason for him to let me stay here, even if it means opposing the Pope.
'If I'm adopted into Valua, it's impossible to escape.'
So I'll escape while going to the capital.
'It's dangerous in this body, but if I go to Valua, I'll be abused and die.'
It's better to choose the side with hope.
I went into the kitchen and stuck my face over the cooking table. The cook, who was preparing a meal, smiled and asked.
"What brings you here, little one?"
"Wawa, pwease."
"Yes."
"Mani."
She said that if I carried a lot of water, I would definitely spill it, so she filled a water bottle with a stopper.
"Put it in here, pwease."
When I held out the bag, the cook chuckled and put the water bottle in the bag and fastened it securely.
'Water secured.'
Now for food.
'I've been sneaking snacks to prepare food - ah!'
I need to prepare something sweet in case of an emergency. Because sugar is the most direct thing for the brain.
Until my brain finishes growing, I become childish when I'm tired, sleepy, or hungry.
So sweets are essential.
I headed to the candy room that the Duke had given me. I put the bag on the floor and put in one candy.
'Isn't one too little?'
One more.
'Two is a bit much.'
One more.
'Hey, this won't even be a snack.'
As I kept putting them in, the elephant became plump. The button wouldn't even close, so I struggled.
The bag is too small. I only put in thirty candies.
'I need to pack a map and clothes. And shoes.'
Soft baby shoes will wear out quickly, so they are not suitable for long trips.
Unfortunately, I'll have to put in only ten candies.
I took the candies out of the plump bag and returned to my room. I watched Leah carefully, and while she was tidying up the room, I sneaked behind the curtains.
And I took out a few silver coins hidden in the window gap.
'One, two, three, four... eleven.'
I had collected what the vassals had given me.
'This should be enough for transportation.'
When I finished preparing and came out, Leah narrowed her eyes and looked at me.
"What kind of prank are you trying to pull?"
"No!"
"Hmm."
"I only packed a bag!"
I waved my hands wildly, making excuses, and Leah giggled.
But the smile soon faded.
Leah gently hugged me.
"I guess we have to send you away."
"......"
"It's an opportunity to grow up in a better environment, receiving plenty of parental love. It'll be good for you."
She bit her lip and stroked my hair.
"You'll be happy. You're so lovely, everyone will surely love you."
Her muttering voice was watery, but Leah quickly shook it off and smiled.
No, Leah.
Those people don't like me at all. I'd rather fall into a toilet than go!
That's what I thought, but there was nothing she could do as just an employee.
Asking for help would only endanger Leah's life.
"Shall we go read a book?"
"Uhh..."
I nodded slightly and went with Leah to where the maids were waiting.
The maids sat me on the sofa and told me fairy tales with gestures.
'What is it?'
Other employees were standing against the wall, holding something shiny the size of their palms towards me.
Leah also had a jewel in her hand.
'There are a lot of things like that these days.'
There were people holding those things even while I was eating snacks. It was a really delicious snack, but I was so distracted that I left a piece.
Ah, I want to eat that snack again.
Should I tell Leah?
But today's snack was supposed to be cream puffs.
The cream puffs I ate last week were so delicious that I was looking forward to it.
The piggyback ride we did then was fun too.
A tall servant carried me on his back and realistically neighed, and I was excited.
Remembering the memories at Duke Dubled's castle, I became sad.
Compared to my past life, this place was heaven. Living in heaven and thinking about falling into hell made me cry.
When I cried, the employees were surprised and ran over.
"Little one, why are you crying?"
"Who made our little one cry? Who? Who?"
"I'm going to punish them."
Even Leah stroked my cheeks with a very worried face.
'If I go, I won't be able to see Leah again.'
I became even more sad and cried out loud! Maybe it's because I keep thinking like an adult. I couldn't suppress the overwhelming sadness.
If only Duke Dubled was here.
Then there would be a glimmer of hope that I wouldn't have to go.
Because he hates the Order, he might get angry and not send me.
"Why is our little one crying?"
"Sniffle..."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"I miss Gongzhanmi! Waaaaah!"
I never thought I would miss that cold-blooded man.
Even that made me sad, and I cried until my nose turned red.
The red jewel in Leah's hand sparkled.
The priests of the Order arrived at the Dubled estate castle.
Over the past few days, I had been crying all the time.
I cried while taking a bath in warm water, cried while eating snacks, and cried while sleeping.
If I am dragged away like this, I will surely face death again.
The regression was terrible, the dog's death was unfair, and I was sad because it was unfair.
I couldn't stop crying because there wasn't even a clear target to resent.
The employees seemed very worried. They came out to see me off and looked at me helplessly.
Next to me are things that the Dubled people have prepared.
A blanket and handkerchief made by hand so I wouldn't be cold on the way to the capital, and snacks so I wouldn't be hungry.
'They're really warm people.'
Looking at the priest grinning in front of me, revealing his gold teeth, the wonderful aspects of the Dubled people become even clearer.
The person who came to pick up a child had sharp rings and chain-like bracelets dangling on his hands.
"Little one, have you been well?"
"Yes."
"How much hardship have you suffered in a place with no connections?"
"I didn't suffer."
"Don't worry now. We have found someone who will raise you with love. Duke Valois is a prestigious scholar and one of the five dukes of the empire, and will be a loving father."
Raising me with love, my ass.
That bad guy raises me with a whip.
Moreover, the Order's choice of Valua was not entirely for my sake.
When I, the Child of Destiny, began to exert my power, they simply chose a friendly family that would be easy to exploit.
"Ah, I don't wanna go."
"Come on, let's go now."
"Aah!"
The way he handled me was very rough.
He pulled my arm hard, saying, "Come on, let's go!"
"It hurts!"
When I shouted loudly, the employees who came out to see me off were startled. When Leah tried to jump out, the butler grabbed her shoulder and shook his head.
"If you act like this, you will be cursed by God."
Is that something to say to a child?
And I'm already cursed. This damn regression.
I shook my head, trying to shake off his hand.
"I don't wanna!"
"Oh! Bad children get spanked!"
He pulled me with even greater force. This time, I really thought my arm was going to fall off.
I was already wary of adult men, and it hurt, so it was a pain in the ass.
"If you have received God's blessing, you should at least show some effort."
The face of the priest, who frowned at those words, overlapped with Duke Valois.
[If you've been lucky enough to be adopted into a prestigious family that has produced so many great scholars, you should at least show some effort.]
Smell of alcohol.
The leather belt dragging on the floor.
The sound of leather cutting through the air.
[Smack!]
I felt like I had returned to my second life.
The priest narrowed his brows as he looked at me panting. And he grabs my cheek and turns my face this way and that.
"What, what is it? What's wrong?"
At that time.
"Take your hands off my daughter."
A very low and cool voice was heard in front of the gate.
'The pressure...'
It was a terrifying force that brought me back to reality in an instant from being trapped in the memories of my regression.
Duke Dubled stood between me and the priest.
The priest, who was momentarily flustered, soon regained his composure and confronted the Duke.
"It has already been finalized that the little one will be taken care of by the Valua family."
"Then we'll have to discuss it again."
"That's ridiculous-!"
Swish-
When the priest protested, the swords of the Dubled knights instantly aimed at the priest's neck.
The priest's face turned blue as he was surrounded by a dozen swords in the blink of an eye.
But the Duke said in a nonchalant tone.
"I don't think I gave you permission to speak."
"Y-Your Excellency..."
Then, the Duke's gaze slowly lowered and reached me. To be exact, it was on the red arm where the priest had grabbed me tightly.
Just as always, a faint ominous sign seemed to settle in his expressionless eyes, and then a dull burst of sound was heard!
"Kuaaaack!"
The priest screamed as his arm was bent in a bizarre shape.
"Go back and tell them. As of today, Dubled will take care of this child. In the future, if you want to discuss the child, you'll have to bring at least the Holy Knights."
He pushed the priest away and gently picked me up.
I sniffed up the snot that was about to drip down my philtrum.
"Gongzhanmi..."
He lightly rubbed my cheeks, which were sobbing, and frowned.
"You're ugly."
He always has to say something like that. It's because I keep crying that my face is all distorted.
"You'll have to wash your face to look decent."
He held me close in his arms and patted my back. Then, without any regrets, he turned his steps towards the castle.
