Chapter 8

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

The faces of others seemed more perplexed than Michael’s. Perhaps everyone except Michael didn’t know.

‘Is there a way to get close to the Duke?’

Sarina’s innermost thoughts were clearly read. Her face stated that if there is such a thing, she wants to put it into practice right away.

Michael was the most famous among the Duke’s knights. I looked up at Michael with faith, though it was not just because he’s famous.

“You are talking about His Grace.”

Michael had a face as solid as my faith. Other knights, especially Terra, stared at Michael with a nervous face.

What does a child look like? It was similar to the expression that adults used to make when I asked that kind of question.

“Yes, there is. I know how.” said Michael.

I opened my eyes wide. As expected. Michael knew.

Sarina and the other knights looked at Michaels with surprised eyes. It seemed as if they were asking how he was going to take responsibility, but Michael replied calmly.

“You just have to study hard.”

“Eh?”

“….? Studying?”

Chopin, who listened to him carefully, tripped. Sarina looked somewhat furiously sullen.

However, I was facing Michael’s unwavering face.

“There is a rose garden in the Duke’s castle.  If you study hard there, you will definitely get close to him. His Grace likes his family who studies hard.”

“Study hard … family….”

“Yes, I heard that Ehin gave quite a lot of homework.”

I nodded, saying yes. My cheeks must have turned pretty red. I had a lot of homework because I learned letters for the first time in my life.

Michael said firmly, “I hope you will work hard on your homework and go to bed early as well. Then, you will definitely be close to His Grace.”

“Uwaa….”

I was excited by the clear answer. Awesome. I can get close to daddy, the Duke!

The mere thought of it made me happy and I ended up laughing.

“I. I will work hard!”

“Yes. Princess.”

Michael was nonchalant.

“Uh— there.”

Chopin wasn’t able to finish his sentence because Terra grabbed him and scratched his back head. Sarina took a step back with the “that’s right” face.

I was grateful to Michael.

“Shall I take you to the Rose Garden?”

“….yes.”

I nodded slowly. Michael was still kneeling and making eye-contact with me.

“I’ll have a cup of tea before that.”

I went back and lifted up the teacup that Sarina had poured. Everyone paid attention to me, but I kept my eye on the tea. The tea was moderately warm.

It wasn’t hot, so when I took a sip in my mouth, it spread with the right warmth. The first taste was a bit bitter. However, as it went to the end, it was a sweet and fresh taste.

“….!”

The more I drank, the more amazing it was. It must be because Sarina boiled it for me. I watched Sarina with my hands wrapped around the cup.

Sarina said, “It’s a Gold Roadmin tea. It was a special product of the Bossein Kingdom, which is famous for its tea.”

“Roadmin? It’s a very rare tea.”

Chopin admired from the side with a surprised voice.

I looked down at the tea water, then I looked up at Sarina again to say something.

I’m not sure, but they said it’s very rare.

“Thank you.”

“….I just did what was natural.” Sarina said a little bit softly.

Excited, I lifted the tea cup and approached Michael carefully. I didn’t want to spill a drop.

Michael rose. The other knights rushed out of the way, afraid that they would bump into me and nudged the cup.

‘Crash scene!’

Sarina seemed to have something more to say, but she picked up the homework I had left on the desk.

“I’ll follow you, Princess.”

“….I’ll take you. This way.”

Sarina said first, and Michael looked at me and said next.

I followed Michael behind with a teacup. Other knight followed me even though they didn’t know what to do.

It was fun because it was like a game of walking in a line.

***

The Rose garden, like its name, had many roses. I sat in a place where I could see the blue roses and started studying. Michael was not soon seen, as he said he was escorting in turns three times a day.

I didn’t care and just studied.

‘I will work hard.‘

Ehin’s homework was to memorize 52 Imperial letters with pronunciation.

Adele. ADEL.

I only knew my name, so I had to memorize 48 more.

Curly letters were poorly written on white paper. Until my hands were covered with black ink.

“….”

The sun was setting at some point.

I wrote hard, muttering my pronunciation in my mouth. And while combining the pronunciations, I wrote daddy’s name as well.

Aizen Alkibiades.

AIZEN ALKIBIADES.

“Is this how you write it?” I looked up at Sarina and asked.

Sarina checked the letters I wrote and looked at me with a little startled eyes.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…I’m glad.”

“That’s amazing, you’ve already put it together like this. Is the Princess a genius?”

I opened my eyes wide at the genius compliment that I’ve never heard before. Unintentionally, I looked away as I thought Sarina was going too far

“In any case, it’s really amazing … but just one more thing, you have to capitalize the first letter of the name.”

I moved my pen again at the words.

Aizen Alkibiades.

Sarina nodded from the side as I slowly wrote the letters in clumsy writing, “Yes, that’s it. Yes, you did well.”

Even if I forgot everything else, I wanted to write my daddy’s name properly. I practiced it again and again, just like when I first knew how to write my name.

I didn’t even realise how time went by. I had to take a rest because my hands hurt after filling up a few sheets of paper. I was thirsty, so I looked at the teacup and found it all empty.

‘Aizen, Adele.’

It may be a coincidence, but I liked it because our names were similar.

….It’s like a real family.

‘But when will Daddy come?’

I looked around the garden. The Duke was nowhere to be seen.

‘Michael got close to Daddy because he studied hard.’

Isn’t it enough to say that I’ve worked hard yet?

‘….I want to see you.’

I looked up at the red-colored sky. Come to think of it, it wouldn’t be so easy to get close to the Duke, but I believed Michael.

‘Michael doesn’t lie.’

Michael also told me that it’s good to go to bed early. I was contemplating whether to sleep or study more, but Rogue broke down in cold sweat.

“Princess … what Michael said was that….”

It was then.

“Hyuk! Your Grace!”

Chopin jumped up from his seat with his eyes wide open. I followed Chopin’s gaze. A Duke stood right in front of my face.

“I humbly see you, Your Grace.”

All the employees were surprised and bent their knees. I blinked my eyes blankly in the chair.

I didn’t understand it, but the Duke was alone without any attendants.

‘Uwaa, this is a real daddy.’

As soon as I think I want to see him, I really get to see him.

Michael also moved.

An unrealistically handsome Duke was turning his back against the sun. The Duke drew sharp eyes in the sunlight.

He glanced at the paper on the table. Papers filled with name. Unlike in the morning, there was no smell of blood.

To some surprise, his scent was fresh. The black uniform went well with his hair. The pressure was overwhelming.

As he appeared without notice, the Duke came closer.

“Well.”

The Duke tilted his head at me. I stiffened my shoulders with nervousness.

It was very quiet. I can’t even hear the sound of an ant crawling.

“Is it my name?”

The Duke asked, lifting a piece of paper. An insensitive voice was directed at me.

“The newly created letters are very artistic. It would be perfect if you make them angry.”

I bit my lower lip and glanced at the Duke. As much as I wanted to see him, I liked everything he said.

The paper gently landed on the desk. The Duke’s gaze reached my hands. Blackened with ink.

“Adele.”

“Yes?”

“On your face, ink.”

I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand, surprised by the indifferent explanation.

Black ink smeared on the back of my hand.

As I looked up, I saw Michael walking from afar. Michael looked towards the knights behind me, looked up at their shoulders, and met my eyes.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Because I got black ink on my face.”

“That’s what kids do.”

“But I worked very hard, studying.”

Let’s see, he slowly drew his back from the sight.

Michael soon got close, and I smiled with gratitude.

The Duke turned his head and glared at Michael with a complicated face, but Michael looked very calm.

I smiled brightly.

“I learned the name of the Crown Prince, I learned how to write, I heard about the child of prophecy, and I memorized all the names of my escorts.”

“…Hm. Very, very commendable.”

The Duke’s response made me feel better. I said proudly, “I studied hard without taking a break. I was going to eat well and go to bed early.”

Facing my sparkling eyes, the Duke responded awkwardly.

“Excellent, child. You did a great job of fulfilling children’s rights and responsibilities.”

“Hehe.”

Even though it was a difficult word, the atmosphere told me it was a compliment.

“….”

The Duke had a blank face for a moment, but soon he smiled and looked at me. He looked a little tired until just now, but he was now in a much more relaxed position.

“Looking at that, I also studied letters hard.”

“The Duke too?”

“When I was two years old.”

“Uwaa.”

Michael’s expression was not good.

The Duke swept his lips, looking at me who was staring at him in admiration. The red eyes are like blood, and they filled me. He looked indifferent but interested as if he were looking at a living toy.

“I also wished my father would have watched me study when I was young.”

“Duke’s father didn’t?”

“My father was always cold to me. He died early. I was very young when I succeeded the late Duke.”

“I see….”

In my eyes, the Duke is a very tall adult, it sounded strange when he said he was young.

The surroundings were very quiet.

The atmosphere of the Duke turned cold. As if he didn’t like something, a clear gleam passed by his eyes.

But the Duke was not as far away as he was in the morning. It was quiet, as if he was just recalling his memory, then he said quietly.

“Adele. There’s one thing you need to know.”

“What is it?”

“Noblesse oblige.”

It was the first time I heard the word, so I blinked.

“It is the morality of the nobility.”