Chapter 47

‘This might be a trick to break my guard.’

Suleiman raised his vigilance by hardening his heart that was about to be broken down in an instant.

He smiled graciously as if he didn’t know Navia.

“Hello, little Lady. You must be looking for something, right?”

Then Navia looked down at her hands and told him.

“I am looking for a towel to wash my hands with.”

“Then, if you call a maid…”

There was no maid in Eseled.

Suleiman’s forehead wrinkled.

This child is a child of an ordinary noble family, so it would have been natural for someone to take care of her.

‘But it seems like this child is accustomed to finding and doing things on her own…’

Actually, that was a strange thing, too.

‘It’s probably normal for her to start something like this.’

(T/N: I couldn’t really understand what he was saying, but I think he thinks that Navia would do things herself without asking and then a maid/servant would take over.)

This may have been the result of her being an unloved foster daughter.

‘…well, helping her wash her hands is something I should do as an adult.’

“Then follow me. I am going to a place on the 1st floor where you can draw water.”

He took the child to the kitchen on the first floor.

Navia’s steps were very slow.

It was because, along with being in a small child’s body, she was walking carefully and enduring the pain she felt every time she moved.

Suleiman patiently matched the child’s speed.

Even if it is said that she is clever, the child is still a child.

The sight of the whole body of a small, skinny girl in pain because of her step-brother was definitely an uncomfortable sight.

“Tch.”

He clicked his tongue unconsiously.

Navia bit her lower lip tightly to speed up her walking.

She constantly tried not to show it, but her eyes were distorted with pain.

“Wait.”

Suleiman stopped Navia with a flustered face.

‘It must have looked like I was mad that you’re walking slowly.’

He wasn’t used to children.

This was because he was still single and had no children around him since he served Lark.

“You don’t have to walk that fast.”

Then Navia spoke very politely.

“Thank you for your words.”

Navis answered like that but continued to speed up her steps.

It was an attitude that interpreted Suleiman’s words as ceremonial.

Suleiman tried to do something more, but stopped and slowed down as much as possible.

‘The small one is strong.’

He thought so and clicked his tongue quietly.

Navia’s line was clear.

She was excessively polite and courteous, blocking the approach of others.

A huge wall so that no one could enter her territory recklessly.

Navia hid behind the wall and protected herself.

Her actions were so inert that she didn’t seem to realize it herself.

Suleiman was a fairly independent person.

Even if the opponent was a child, he was not a warm-hearted person who showed favors beyond a certain level.

Nevertheless… strangely, Navia’s alert attitude was uncomfortable.

‘Is there nothing I can do? She’s still a child.’

He dismissed Navia as a child and had a strange feeling similar to that of guilt.

He pulled himself together again and quickly went to wash her hands.

Except for the fact that she was covered in chocolate, Navia was so firm that she looked like an adult.

When water touched the wounds on her hands, she could have cried or get annoyed because of the pain, but her hand gestures only slowed down and her outside didn’t show that she was sick at all.

‘A lady who’s used to holding it in.’

Suleiman frowned unconsciously.

Is it because the child is clever and because she is in an environment where one could not survive in otherwise?

“I’ve finished washing.”

Navia showed her clean hands and tried to go back.

“Wait.”

Suleiman, realizing Navia did not know that she had chocolate all over her mouth, wiped her mouth with his wet hands.

Only then did Navia realize that chocolate was on her mouth. With slightly red cheeks, she insisted on wiping it herself.

“It is okay, I will do it.”

At her mature reaction, Suleiman spoke words unlike himself.

“I can help with this much.”

While saying that, it felt awkward.

Once Navia became conscious of the fact that she was trying to do everything herself too much, he reached his hand out towards her temple.

He wanted to give the child some shade to rest in while standing.

Navia smiled and refused.

“But, you don’t like me, right?”

Pause.

Suleiman, suddenly caught off guard, made a silly voice.

“…huh?”

Navia didn’t particularly care if Suleiman liked her or not.

That was obvious.

“Just because one is a child, I don’t think they should receive help from adults. I won’t blame you even if you don’t help me.”

Navia finished cleaning her mouth and continued.

“That kind of behavior is shameless.”

“……”

Is it shameless for a child to get help?

Navia spoke while Suleiman still looked blank.

“I fully understand that you are wary of me. My situation is not just one involved with Duke Agnes, but also the Imperial family.”

“……”

‘Did you know from the beginning that I came to monitor you?’

Suleiman could affirm that there was no one except Lark who flustered him so much.

Even more so from an eight-year-old child.

It was clear that Navia was not aware that he was in the room with her yesterday.

But it’s as if she’s saying that she already knew that he came to find her, right?

Is it possible to grasp the situation so far by simply waking up early in the morning to wash?

Suleiman laughed out a sigh without realizing it.

“Hoho…”

He came to understand Navia’s true intentions, but was caught in his innermost thoughts.

By comparison, he did not get more advanced information from the child yesterday.

He was convinced.

He was convinced that this girl wasn’t just exceptional and clever.

Navia suddenly smiled.

“But I still appreciate your kindness.”

Navia could sense that he didn’t do her a favor to harm her.

‘He’s a good person.’

Unlike his terrifying nickname, the iron-blooded Suleiman, he was only a little blunt and was actually just a good person.

He’s a good person and a nice adult who tried to resolve his misunderstanding and cared for her.

And he seemed very attached to Eseled.

In the end, the reason for rejecting her was to protect the family.

Therefore, Navia put her situation with her own words more accurately.

“I wanted to be the Duke’s foster daughter. Of course, I was rejected, but it wasn’t to become the successor.”

“……”

“It isn’t that I need a father, I need a shield. Likewise, Eseled can use me as a window.”

“……”

“Honestly, it isn’t right. How could a prisoner like me be the daughter of a precious person?”

In addition, Creed, who will be Lark’s real adopted son, will come here, so it’s absurd for a strange object like her to be in the family.

“And I will be out of here in a year.”

That’s what was promised.

Navia was so calm that she seemed indifferent.

She was not flustered at all. But the absurd situation she was experiencing.

As if it had always happened.

Suleiman had a strange sense of sight from Navia.

‘This is like…’

Like looking at the Lord.