Chapter 8

‘What should I do?’

Isn’t it a little strange to say that a baby deduced this?

“T-that’s what my uncle said.”

I quickly screamed.

“……Do you mean Marquis Tarenka?”

“Yes! I saw my uncle talking to a really well-groomed man who said that he invested a lot!”

I wasn’t lying.

At that time, I didn’t know the word “investment” in this world, so I couldn’t understand it exactly.

However, that situation has repeatedly occurred.

“My uncle showed him something as evidence…… ”

I chatted a lot in case they didn’t believe what a baby was saying.

Even a child’s words can increase credibility.

“Evidence?”

“It was a very pretty card! It’s so black and shiny… Oh, that’s what it looks like!”

Just in time, I happened to see a card like it on the Assistant’s desk.

“This is…..”

The Assistant picked up the card.

“Did Marquis Tarenka really show this and say that?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

I nodded my head when I saw the card picked by the Assistant.

It was my first time seeing it up close, but I was sure.

The black card showed a mysterious pattern when the shining light flashed,

A red, short sentence was drawn.

‘Let’s see. Publisher… Duke of Paeraton. huh?’

I opened my eyes wide as I read the words on the card.

‘This looks like a check?!’

The amount was not yet written down because it was not issued, but it was definitely a check in the name of the Duke.

‘So you’re saying that the Duke gave money to Marquis of Tarenka? Or maybe a fake check?’

While I was amazed, the vassals also began to murmur.

“You say this is proof of investment!”

“How dare you say that unless you’re crazy?”

“It doesn’t matter if you get real mana stones from the vein, but if not, it’s a big problem.”

“Yes, it’s going to be said that the Duke of Paeraton was involved in the scam!”

While the noise in the office rose loudly in an instant, the Duke of Paeraton was strangely quiet.

‘…….’

It was a little strange, so I looked up quietly.

Immediately, the Duke’s eyes met mine.

He was looking down at me while his chin was in a straight position.

‘You’ve been watching me for a while?’

The Duke’s red eyes flickered darkly.

I couldn’t even turn my head and I crouched my neck.

His lips opened.

“How did you hear that?”

A low and cold question.

It was more like an interrogation.

Uhh, interrogation?

‘Huk!’

In a flash of enlightenment, I took a breath.

‘Is this the situation where the common tyrant father is suspicious of his daughter?!’

I believe, in Rofan, this moment is hateful.

Usually, Rofan’s heroine managed to survive this situation.

But what about those who aren’t the heroine?

‘You must clear your doubts in your own mind, then maybe…’

A mere extra character from before the heroine is possessed, or a reincarnation before regression.

They wouldn’t have a chance to stand against the tyrant’s suspicions. As a result—

‘—you will be beheaded…….!’

I have goosebumps.

‘I can’t be misunderstood. I have to prove my innocence. I’ll die the moment I’m suspected of being a weird kid.’

That was how cruel and ruthless this novel could be.

I trembled and I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“W-when my uncle was meeting him, I was polishing his shoes. So, that’s what I heard.”

All the guests who came in and out of the Marquis thought I was a maid.

The majority of the servants thought the same.

Very few of even the closest acquaintances know that I’m the Princess Paeraton.

“You heard that while you were cleaning his shoes….?”

I clenched my fist at the question of the vassal.

‘Yeah, you can’t believe it. I also don’t know why he committed such fraud in front of others.’

The Marquis enjoyed seeing me, the Duke’s daughter, prostrate like a slave in front of others.

So, whenever I met someone in the mansion, they quickly picked on me.

‘I didn’t have any education, and I was young, so they thought I wouldn’t know anything.’

“Huh! I can’t believe Marquis Tarenka really did it….!”

“As far as I know, the checks issued by Paeraton to the Marquis of Tarenka in recent years are all……….”

“Yes, child support.”

The word opened my eyes.

“Child support?”

“Yes, the child support for the Young Miss.”

I opened my mouth in a daze and shouted hastily.

“No, no, no! I’ve never heard of any child support fees!”

Then the vassals frowned.

“What do you mean? The duke sent a large amount every day!”

“Did the Marquis of Tarenka really do that? It’s not really the money you invested in the Marquis’ mine?”

“I-it’s real!”

My lips were chapped when I was embarrassed.

“I ate a little because I didn’t have money, washed and cleaned the dishes. I did what my uncle told me to do so my uncle will feed me.”

When the vassals heard what I said, they frowned.

“No, no matter how much you talk about, such a thing… I can’t believe it.”

“Isn’t Marquis Tarenka famous for being a fool?”

Come on, you don’t believe me!

“My uncle told me every day. My dad left me without even giving me food. I am……. abandoned……”

As I talked, I became sad. My eyes were blurred, so I blinked my eyes rapidly.

You are even abandoned by your parents.

I think it’s something I heard after I got to a certain age.

No, he might’ve said that even before I understood what it meant.

After being born again, my whole life was like that.

Even so, I have to tell you that I wasn’t treated like a Lady….

To tell me that I was abandoned—

“However, I am sure that we would have been briefed by the Marquis. We’ve been sending you all the child care expenses.”

“No! I can only work a little bit. I lost two meals a night. There are a lot of times I can only eat a little because I couldn’t finish my work. There are days when I would starve…”

It was frustrating for the vassals who kept saying that Marquis Tarenka couldn’t have done that.

I didn’t dare face the Duke.

If you’re really being questioned by the tyrant dad, you’re done, aren’t you?

‘I spoke like an adult before! Besides, you all doubted only the Duke…..!’

I don’t know if I would have such suspicion against a child, but it was possible if it was in the world of rofan, not anywhere else.

‘I have to speak as harmlessly as possible, appropriate for my age.’

I clasped my hands.

“My uncle said I had to thank him. Even if I got up every day before the sun rose and let the moon go to the highest roof, it was a debt that I couldn’t pay back.”

I glanced at the Duke.

The red eyes looked at me, sharply than ever.

Oh, my god.

I feel like crying.

‘I don’t want to die…’

How should I survive?!

I’ve said something wrong!

“I-it’s real!”

I went down on my knees and began to polish the Duke’s shoes with my sleeve. His feet wrapped around his shoes look comfortable.

“Like this, when I was polishing his shoes like this, Uncle said, *sob*, it’s proof that it was an investment. I did this to other grandfathers, *sob* and red-haired man! It’s real, *sob*”

Crying broke out in the middle of the overwhelming sorrow.

I was so surprised, that I covered my mouth with my left hand, and bowed my head down.

No one likes a crying child.

There was a deathly silence around.

Tuk.

Tuk Tuk.

Water droplets spread over the shoes of the cold, heartless Duke.

The tension made me tremble as I tried to wait patiently.

I bit my lips and gave my hands a lot of strength to keep the sobs from escaping.

I could not bear to raise my head and only rubbed the Duke’s shoes.

It’s like a lifeline.

No matter how much I wiped off the water droplets, they didn’t disappear because of new water droplets.

At that time, my head cooled and my voice fell silently.

“Stop.”

It was a voice that made me shiver. I looked up blankly.

The Duke of Paeraton looked at me with indescribable eyes.

“Who were you questioning?”

The words were not directed at me.

It was for the vassals.

I couldn’t understand the situation momentarily.

Isn’t it the Duke the first to question me?

‘You asked me how I knew…’

“What? We’re not interrogating. We’re just asking…..”

The words of the vassals could not be continued.

A very dark energy that didn’t have a speck of light was ruffling through the office in a violent, but endlessly calm way…

‘Well, what are you, uh…’

It was like the energy that surrounded the office, but it was not restrained.

I didn’t feel so overwhelmed at that time.

Crack, crack.

The drawing room was torn, without us realizing.

At that moment, the black energy disappeared like a mirage.

The vassals’ who had been pale couldn’t even breathe and almost vomited.

“No need to say more.”

The Duke told me.

I looked up and he reached out to me. But soon after, he took it back again.

I took his hand without realizing it.

Oh.

The Duke stiffened and soon lifted me with a firm hand to his eye level.

“You’ve got a useless memory.”

The Duke clicked his tongue.

It sounded like he’s saying, “Don’t recall those hateful memories.”

Perhaps, the Duke didn’t question me from the beginning-

‘Is he…….worried?’

Duke’s eyes reflected my face and went down to my wrists.

The Duke frowned at my crumpled sleeves.

“Call the tailor.”

While everyone was embarrassed by the unexpected command, the competent butler bowed professionally.

“Yes, Sir.”

Then the Duke put me down on his lap.

As I looked up, the Duke’s hand pressed my head.

‘Ah ah. If you press it like that, it’s heavy!’

It was a very rough and clumsy stroke. As a child, it seems like I can’t hold my head up properly.

But it was warm.

***

“Umm……”

My eyes were numb when I opened them.

Oh, did I fall asleep?

I remember being in the duke’s office, and now I was lying on my bed in my room.

And covered with a blanket.

‘Did Anna move me?’

I tilted my head and raised myself up to look around.

Usually, when I wake up, I feel haunted and afraid.

I couldn’t see the maid sisters coming in. There must be something going on.

If so……

Here’s my chance!

I walked from the canopy and jumped out of bed.

‘My book!’

When I looked around, I found a seal on the side of the bed.

I picked up the old book and looked at it carefully.

A book with the history of the Duke of Paeraton.

I want to say that it’s antique. But even from a glance you could tell it  wasn’t ordinary.

‘Even if it’s antique, it’s too old!’

Honestly, it was just like garbage. A sheet might fall off at any time.

‘I’m a little worried, but I have to look at this quickly.’

Fast progress, fast deployment

Although it was useful because I’ve seen the Quest window, I am a Rofan reader.

Of course, I love fast development.

I opened the book without any hesitation.

And

TADAAAK—!

The old book spontaneously poured out starlight.

“Wow……”

I was struck with admiration without even realizing it.

The starlight flowing from the book spread out and wrapped around me.

The wind began to blow, and my hair fluttered in the air. The starlight rose more and more and became brighter and brighter.

In that moment I reached out and touched the starlight as possessed—

Argh!

A burst of light bursts out of the star and colors the surroundings white.

I couldn’t express my sense of wonder, and my eyes stung as if they were falling apart.

The book I’m grasping constantly shakes and the bookshelf is continuously vibrating.

*pararak pararak*

(TL/N: I suck at sfx so bear with this T.T)

The pages kept flipping until the last page was shown.

The light and wind disappeared as soon as the book was covered.

I opened my eyes, which I had closed gently. And in front of me……

“T, this….”

I had a book in my hand that was shining so brilliantly that I could not even imagine the old book.

Soft leather and gold decorations wrapped the edges to protect the book.

Jewels polished with sparkling star pieces and delicate heart cuts embedded in the cover.

The old book that had seemed worn out looked as if it had been shelled, completely changed.

The summoning medium, the seal, and the first history book of Duke of Paeraton’s, it was a really unusual book.

‘…….It wasn’t broken, it was just cleaned, would it be okay?’

I recalled the Duke’s cold face and I felt terrible.

‘Hey! It’s already happened. Let’s think about consequences later.’

What the hell is written in this?

How to borrow forbidden magic or divine power?

Since it was sealed, it could be about sealing the devil.

‘………It’s probably not how to summon a devil.’

I swallowed my saliva while sweeping a hand over the cover and opening the book.

And nothing was written.

Looking at the pure white paper, I frowned, biting back my rising disappointment.

“What is this?!”

At that moment, a reminder flashed in front of me.

[The seal of (Summoning Medium) has been lifted.]

[The restriction on the use of the characteristics of (Rush & Cash) is released.]

At the same time as the notification, a window popped up.

The mark and caution items that I saw before, disappeared.

‘Wow! I can finally use my ability now!’

[A new quest has arrived.]

(The Way of the Good Reader (1))

Congratulations, reader!

Reader! You finally got the <Summon Medium: Book>!

I hope that you will fulfill your duty and read hard in the future.

Readers are only readers to read. A reader who does not read a book is a bad reader.

Be a good reader.

-Conditions: Summon novels using the cash and extract abilities and use them.

-Reward: 1000 cash

‘Oh, why would you suddenly give me the quest I want?’

Of course, the words are still unlucky.

‘I’ll accept anyway.’

[You have accepted the quest.]

‘Well, but this is a good deal, isn’t it? Come on out, be summoned!’

I roll my eyes back.

I coughed.

‘It’s a little embarrassing, but no one is here anyway.’

I checked the firmly closed door and then settled down.

And I started chanting as if I were a wizard, or even a sorcerer.

“You who has the blood of cold cider, I give you the power to appear in front of me and defeat sweet potatoes–”

[Please tell me the <novel> you want to be summoned.]

A notification popped up as if it was intercepting my words.

W-why do I feel the emotion in the letters? You seem to see me as pathetic.

‘I’m embarrassed.’

I tightly covered my ripe, red cheeks and noticed the notification popping up.

[Currently, romance fantasy novels you have read can be summoned to the level of (Rush & Cash).]

“Well, then……..! [I’ll run away]“

I’ll get this sister’s conditional skills and take over the Duchy!

With this skill, I don’t have to worry about dying or getting kicked out of here.

I looked forward to the future with confidence.

But then,

[Insufficient cash]

Sigh.

For some reason, a familiar notification that I saw a lot came up.

‘You’re running out of cash here, too. ······!’

A new notification appeared before me in despair.

[You currently have 1000 and 5000 cash tickets.]

[Do you want to use the 5,000 cash draw?]