Chapter 16

Chapter 16

‘…!’

The Grand Duke, greatly surprised, gripped the window. The scene of Shuelina falling through the window was vividly visible.

He spread his hands in peace only after Wyndert struck Deleign’s sword.

The window handles were shattered for how much force I put in.

“Your Grace? What’s the matter?”

His aide Cahill asked cautiously, as he rose from his seat and looked towards the window.

“Nothing.”

The Grand Duke shook his hand. It was nothing special, so he was told to continue his report.

Cahill said carefully. He was reporting on the tragedy of the orphanage he had investigated.

“…Yes. The children I saw were very hungry. It seems like they were eating very poorly, just like her.”

“… ”

Tendons grew on the back of the Grand Duke’s hand, remembering Shuelina, who was weak from hunger.

When we first met, Shuelina was skewed and abused by people.

Even then, it was like a young street cat, rubbing his forehead against the back of his hand with affection.

“There weren’t any children who wore seasonal clothes.”

“And?”

“The whole orphanage was cold. Except for the director’s office.”

The Grand Duke’s face frowned.

“I think the amount the director has embezzled will be quite large. Even if the support fund had been properly managed, it wouldn’t have been that way.”

The subsidies provided by the Grand Duke are substantial.

Even if I didn’t receive individual sponsorships, it wouldn’t have been short.

“He dared.”

While serving as an assistant to the Grand Duke, Cahill trembled at the anger of the Lord he’d only seen a few times.

‘I’m getting angry somehow.’

Shuelina was the only one who made the Grand Duke always rational. It was very rare for him to have a strong liking and dislike for others.

A child who comes to me with an expression saying that curses are okay and expresses her feelings toward me with her whole body.

Shuelina resembles his wife, who died long ago.

The first time he saw the child, he was surprised to see his wife’s blue eyes overlapping with hers.

Of course, Shuelina couldn’t be the child of his wife. The wife died before Shuelina was born.

The colour of the eyes was definitely different when it was carefully considered. His wife only had blue eyes, while Shuelina had a mixture of purple and blue.

Still, the eyes of goodness and hope resembled her, so somehow he kept looking at her.

Shuelina treated the Grand Duke and his sons without a problem. In terms of likes and dislikes, it seemed close to extreme liking.

The Grand Duke was also a human, so he couldn’t control anyone who loved him blindly.

“There is someone who dared to exploit my own people? Do you think I should leave it alone?”

Grand Duke’s voice looking at the skinny Shuelina was colder than usual.

Shuelina was still too young.

She is only a toddler. She’s the girl who made him feel sad when she fell down while running.

Compared to the blood of Vailot, who is born with a strong body, the child was a dandelion sprout that would fly in the wind.

Unbearable anger arose like a fire, thinking that the child would have suffered from abuse.

“Everything will be done according to Your Grace’s will.”

Cahill leaned deeply under the momentum of the Grand Duke, who felt more afraid than usual.

The goosebumps on his forearm didn’t go away.

‘Maybe that Little Lady might really be the Lady.’

Orphans are of poor lineage to enter a family with noble blood.

However, the important thing anyway is the mind of the Grand Duke. Even if he said he would adopt Shuelina right now, there was no one to stop him.

This is because the members of the family must absolutely obey the orders of the state.

Wyndert, the next owner of the house, and Deleign, the second, were also in the mood to welcome Shuelina.

“Please write whatever you need.”

Cahill lowered himself almost as if he was on the ground. I hope the Grand Duke will ease the momentum of anger.

It was a wonder how the fragile Shuelina was enduring the three men of this momentum.

Cahill admired Shuelina, who incredibly quickly melted the trinity of the Grand Duke, and waited for the next command of the Grand Duke.

“Bring Shushu here.”

The Grand Duke ordered, looking at Cahill kneeling on his knees without an expression.

He wanted to get rid of the man who harassed his people, precisely the lovely Shuelina, from this estate.

Prior to that, he wanted to know Shuelina’s intentions.

“Respect.”

Cahill relaxed and got out of the office of the Grand Duke’s office.

I looked at the door carefully.

The door that looked like a lion would pop out anytime was burdensome.

Inside the slightly open door was the Grand Duke on his seat. However, it was empty without people.

‘What?’

It was a situation called by the Grand Duke himself, so I couldn’t go anywhere else without him.

I was wondering why the window was open, but I wasn’t sure that the Grand Duke would see me and call me at that moment.

‘Why is he calling me suddenly? He usually sees me during mealtime and tea time.’

I don’t know why he called me. I chewed on my lips and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

From the inside, I heard the heavy bass voice of the Grand Duke.

Gulp, somehow my saliva went down.

It was because I had a strange intuition that something was going to happen.

“Did you cawll fow me?”

I opened the door a little more and looked inside.

Today the Grand Duke was sitting in front of the tea table, not among the books in the office. Like the first day.

‘I was really scared on the first day.’

I remembered the day and smiled quietly.

“Shushu, come and sit down.”

“Yes.” I rushed to the sofa and sat down.

As soon as I sat down, the Grand Duke asked. “What do you think of the orphanage?”

‘Why is he suddenly asking about the orphanage?’

Perhaps… I somehow felt an ominous feeling and tried to figure out the expression of the Grand Duke.

He had a firmer face even though he was open. It looked almost cold.

‘I don’t think he ever had that look in front of me.’

I understood now why people were scared of seeing the Grand Duke.

I couldn’t help but be scared when I looked at him with that face.

Why ask about the orphanage now when it’s already been two weeks since I’ve been with the Grand Duke’s?

In my head, I don’t think I’m going to be thrown away all of a sudden like this….

‘I’ve never seen anyone as useless as you, Shuelina!’

‘Love? Stupid! Is there anyone who will love someone like you?’

The life of Shuelina, who has always been told that she is not worth loving.

The voices sounded vivid as if someone was whispering to my ear.

Why is it so painful as if it was the sound I actually heard?

My heart pounded because of the anxiety that always occupied the heart.

“By any chance… awr you sendin me back to the owphanaje because you don’t need me?”

(By any chance… are you sending me back to the orphanage because you don’t need me?)

“What?”

“Do I need to go back thewe?”

I asked, looking straight at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke’s frozen, his cold expression kept scratching my head.

‘Roll your head, Shuelina. Let’s overcome this difficulty!’

I squeezed my fists and looked at the Grand Duke.

Obviously, the Grand Duke liked me.

I want to stay in this house because I’m very fond of it.

‘Yes, it’s not as shocking as I thought.’

It was a little sad, but I thought I was fortunate that I wasn’t too embarrassed.

Luckily, I’m not a cry baby who cries when faced with difficulties. I had to hold onto my reason as tightly as possible and persuade the Grand Duke.

‘Once I’m leaked to the newspaper, everyone will like me, so I’ll take a picture with more enthusiasm?’

For some reason, however, the Grand Duke was not so enthusiastic about the newspaper publicity.

‘I don’t mind being beaten by a Deleign instead. It’s okay because I’m used to getting hit.’

Should I look forward to the feelings he has and appeals emotionally?

Or should I emphasize being smart? Or should I say I would do whatever he told me to do?

I was confused when it came to what to do with many choices.

I was attracted to the calculations in my head, but the Grand Duke suddenly got up from his seat and approached me.

“Wait, wait! Shuelina, what are you talking about?”

The Grand Duke sat in front of me while making eye contact with me, and he seemed to have forgotten the nickname he used to call me.

“Shushu….” I said, immediately protesting what he had called me. I hope you always call me that nickname.

The Grand Duke’s affection may have an expiration date, but that name is the only one made for me.

“Yes, Shushu. Who told you I didn’t need you?”

“But you’we suddenly askin about the owphanaje….”

“Sigh… I was too impatient.”

The Grand Duke held his forehead hearing my words and sighed deeply.

I couldn’t understand his reason, so I blinked and looked at the Grand Duke. The soft sofa felt like a thorny cushion.

“I’ll give you this first. Baden says you’re completely healed. It’s a gift I promised.”

The Grand Duke handed me a cream puff.

Is this something special that even kids shouldn’t eat? It looks the same as the cream puff I ate earlier…

I was dubious and accepted the puff cream.

Honestly, since my life is more important to me, I have no appetite.

‘While trying to give me something to eat in my spare time…’

It’s a big disappointment if you’re really trying to let me go. You said you liked me a little now!

“If it melts, it loses its taste, so try it out.”

The Grand Duke urged me to hold the cream puff in my hand. Melting, what is melting?

I bite the puff cream a little bit.

“Oh, it’s cold!”

A cold and sweet thing came out of the cream puff that burst inside my mouth.

Awesome! Awesome, awesome, awesome! Really cool, sweet, and delicious!

It was the first word I thought of after eating.

“It’s an ice cream puff.”

The Grand Duke’s eyes were somewhat stupid.

‘Is this food with memories of someone?’

I tilted my head.

It was very delicious, he had a very lonely look at the food he gave me.

“Gwand Duke, what awr you thinking?” (Grand Duke, what are you thinking?)

The eyes of the Grand Duke, who seemed to recall something to my question, became firm again.

“There was a person who liked children, like you.”

The Grand Duke muttered lonely.

‘Oh, is it about the Grand Duchess?’

There seemed to be a sparkling fire in my head.

I felt something. It seemed to be about the Grand Duchess or at least someone I liked.