Chapter 9: Chapter 9

As I grow older and continue to lack any resemblance to my father, I almost start to suspect that my mother was having an affair.

“Yes, I am.”

Thankfully, my mouth didn’t let out the words whirring in my head. Of course, I don’t want to look overly polite, but I do want to quickly get this conversation over with.

The department store incident taught me to be wary of the powerful.

They don’t have space in their heads for people like me. So, as long as I don’t do anything to provoke them, they’ll forget about me. So, all I have to do is butter ‘em up and make my escape.

Since I have some self-esteem, I’ve decided not to fight with you. It’d be like trying to scrape rocks with eggs. I’ll be the one losing in the end.

In the seven years since I have reincarnated, this is the biggest crisis I have faced.

“Are you really Commander Hertman’s daughter? You look so different.”

The little boy lifted his hands and, placing one on top of my head and the other under my chin, proceeded to turn my head this way and that. My tiny body, not fully developed yet, was twisted along with it.

How are you so strong when you’re not even that tall?

“I am his daughter!” I shouted and tried to escape, but couldn’t stop Kirsec.

What people like these hate most is being forced to stop. Arrogant people react violently when people perceived to be below them talk back or try to defend themselves.

So I stopped struggling and let him do as he pleased. Maybe he was having fun swinging me around, because he continued to do so for a long time.

“But why are you at my house?”

What a rude question. You don’t even know what’s going on. No matter how young you are, how could you be so immature? Hiding a sigh, I explained the situation to him.

“My father told me to stay in the Grand Duchy from today onward for my safety while he is away.”

“Ah, Ceyron’s provocation?”

Although he was talking about a threat from another country, there was no gravity in his tone. There might be a war, but he was too young to care about it.

“Yes.”

My father, the knights, the Grand Duke; all left for the border. Shouldn’t you be getting all worried about your father being in danger? Well, it’s not like I’m worried either, so I guess I can’t blame him.

“Provocation and all is fine, but why are you in my house? Why did you have to leave your home?”

His childish persistence in asking why I was at his house made me huff. I didn’t come here because I wanted to! Can’t he just accept it – that a kid might have to live in someone else’s house? So inconsiderate!

I wonder what kind of answer he expects from a seven-year-old. I explained in detail since it looked like he would continue pestering me until I did.

“I don’t have a mother. There was a nanny, but she had to quit due to some circumstances. Since there was no guardian to leave me with, my father asked me to stay in this house while he is away.”

My mother passed away as soon as I was born, so I was raised by my nanny. But the nanny had to quit due to a personal situation. Thus, the person who used to take care of me disappeared. My father knew this, but work came up so suddenly that he couldn’t find someone to look after me before leaving.

Eventually, it was decided that I would stay at the Grand Duke’s mansion while he left for the expedition.

Of course, the Grand Duke gave his permission. He seemed like the type to make sure to take care of the family of his subordinates.

That is why, when I first saw the kid, I thought he was the son of some other knight in the same situation as me. If I’d known that he was the Grand Duke’s son, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I would’ve run in the opposite direction the moment I saw him.