The Duke sat at an angle on the big bed, holding the whining child in his arms and patting her.
“...How.”
It was a short question, but Leviathan seed to understand.
“If she looks unusually weak in the evening, it always turns out like this.”
A heavy sigh escaped. For a mont, the Duke looked like a man aged by years of exhaustion.
“Khalid.”
His cracked voice called. He pulled up the blanket covering Rubian.
“Did Ruby often do this back in Eosia?”
“......”
On the battlefield, yes. Whenever it happened, Khalid held Ruby’s hand and gave her magic power, afraid the nightmares might be caused by weakness.
It never helped much. But that was all he could do, so he kept giving, over and over.
“If you know sothing, tell . Only then can I help.”
“She seems troubled whenever she feels anxious. But I don’t know the details.”
A darker shadow crossed the Duke’s face.
“What is she so anxious about...?”
His large hand stroked her face carefully. Slowly, Ruby’s color improved. The groaning child finally fell into quiet sleep.
“How... how did Ruby live in Eosia?”
At the low question, Khalid closed his mouth. He and Ruby had already prepared an answer for tis like this.
“She lived an ordinary life. Not rich, but ordinary parents, ordinary neighbors.”
“...Ordinary.”
Those violet eyes stared straight at him. The gaze was so sharp that Khalid almost looked away.
“I see.”
Leviathan nodded.
“...Duke. May I ask sothing?”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you treasure Ruby?”
The question felt pointless. After watching him all day, the answer was already obvious.
“Why ask?”
The Duke laid Ruby down gently and sat on the sofa nearby, clearly planning to spend the night there.
“I just wondered if you could protect her, no matter what happens.”
“That sounds as if sothing is going to happen.”
The drowsy voice lingered. Khalid didn’t avoid his piercing eyes.
He had t many adults in rcenary life. He knew hundreds of ways to dodge questions.
“Because she’s my friend. I worry too much, that’s all.”
“If only you were better at lying.”
Leviathan turned his gaze back to the sleeping Ruby.
“Yes. No matter what happens, I will protect Ruby.”
With those words, he tossed sothing.
“Which ans you.”
It was a small box filled with colorful candies.
“If you ever have sothing to say, co to . About Ruby, or about yourself.”
Khalid blinked slowly.
“...Feels like you’re giving a commission.”
“Commission? What are you—”
Leviathan paused, frowning as he rembered Khalid’s rcenary life.
“Not a commission. A favor, brat.”
“......”
Khalid gripped the candy box. What’s the difference between a commission and a favor? And you already gave paynt, didn’t you?
“...Fine, I guess.”
Leviathan leaned back, staring at nothing, then squinted.
“But tell , kid. Do friends normally chase each other all the way to places like this?”
“Because she’s my most precious friend. There’s no one else like her in the world.”
“Most precious...?”
The Duke repeated the words, looking oddly uncomfortable. Khalid laughed.
“Oh, right. You said you don’t have friends.”
“......”
“Then you ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) wouldn’t understand this feeling.”
“You brat. So arrogant.”
Leviathan crumpled his leftover candy wrapper and threw it, but it didn’t even reach Khalid’s feet.
Khalid walked to Ruby’s window ledge and set the candy box there, digging through it.
“Apple, chocolate, cherry... There’s no strawberry.”
“......”
“She likes strawberry the most. Next is milk flavor. Rember that.”
The Duke snorted.
“Of course I gave all the strawberry ones to her.”
Ah.
The cocky boy just lifted his chin.
“Then what about milk flavor?”
“......”
Damn it. I’ll have to go to the shop tomorrow.
Afternoon sunlight sparkled.
It was dessert ti.
The Duke pushed a cold juice in front of . Beside it, strangely, were piles of strawberry and milk candies.
“The color of the juice...?”
“It’s because I blended it with green vegetables.”
He answered before Hazel could ask.
“Borvel said it’s good for the body.”
The Duke added firmly, as if feeding healthy snacks was now his greatest mission in life.
Looks like porridge spat out by a troll...
I stared at the thick, murky green liquid. When I tried to look away, he slid it toward again.
“Ugh.”
“It just looks bad.”
Since so many eyes were watching, I had no choice but to drink.
Gulp, then candy after. That’s the plan.
I tried just a sip on my tongue.
“Huh?”
“Not bad, right?”
A sweet apple flavor filled my mouth, hiding the taste of vegetables! It looked awful but tasted the complete opposite.
I started sipping eagerly with the straw.
“Ruby, I heard you’ll be studying with Borvel?”
“Ah, yes!”
Yesterday evening, the castle’s chief physician had offered to teach herbal dicine and healing. Of course I had agreed.
“I’ll beco smart!”
I already knew basic things about herbs and healing. The lessons would be a good cover story later.
‘If I make sothing later, I can say I learned it in class!’
It was a necessary shield—there was only so much I could claim as knowledge from Eosia.
“Don’t overwork yourself. And don’t forget your afternoon snacks.”
“Well, sotis I might be too busy to—”
“Don’t forget them.”
What was with that desperate tone?
Puzzled, I nodded anyway.
Outside the window ca Void’s voice, clashing wooden swords with Grandpa in training. I listened like it was music while sipping milk.
“And... there’s sothing I’ve been aning to ask.”
The Duke leaned forward, a little serious.
“Mm?”
“Next week, Rosetta and Liam will return.”
“Oh...”
Finally.
“Then you’ll et my whole family.”
Strangely, Leviathan kept choosing his words carefully.
“...How is it, living in my house? Are you satisfied?”
Is this a service satisfaction survey or sothing?
I spread my hands wide.
“Of course I’m satisfied! Five stars!”
“...Only five?”
“It’s five out of five.”
“Oh.”
He swallowed nervously, clasping his hands.
“Then Ruby... would you like to keep living with ?”
“I already am.”
“I an—would you really beco the youngest child in my family?”
The air around us suddenly grew heavy.
Turning my head, I saw Hazel and the other servants quickly cough and look away.
“Of course, you can decide after eting Rosetta and Liam.”
“I...”
My eyelids lowered slowly.
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