Chapter 7
I watched Yuz’s movements as she changed Delerone’s diaper.
“Have you ever raised a baby before?”
She was so skillful with the baby that I had to ask.
“I have five younger siblings! I raised them all myself. My mother passed away giving birth to the youngest, and after she died, my father left home.”
Wow, that’s a lot of hardship.
“…You’ve been through a lot, Yuz. But you still grew up well.”
I hoped that Delerone, even in all these circumstances, would grow up as bright and lovely as Yuz.
Yuz finished changing Delerone’s diaper and laughed brightly.
“Yes! My siblings were so kind and cute, I was really lucky. And the late Duke of Jeremias, and the current Duke too, they’re both good people. They helped me a lot.”
“That’s good to hear. Up you go.”
I picked Delerone up in my arms. Delerone, who had waited patiently for her diaper change, reached out to me.
“Gyaa! Gya! Oom!”
I leaned my face close to Delerone as she clapped her hands. Yuz smiled widely at the sight of Delerone touching my cheek.
“The baby is really beautiful. I’ve never seen such lovely golden hair and blue eyes.”
“She takes after her mother.”
I felt a little bitter.
When I entered the novel, my heroine was already dying beyond my help, and I had to let her go.
My younger sister.
“Your sister…?”
Yuz looked confused.
All right. Now was the time to bring it up naturally.
It was time to keep my promise to Maynus. Actually, Delerone didn’t resemble either me or Maynus, and I had no idea how the rumors had gotten so twisted.
Words without legs are the scariest, after all.
“Yes. Delerone is my sister’s child.”
I put emphasis on each word. I hoped this would clear up the misunderstanding everyone had. Yuz looked surprised.
“What? Then Lady Veloce, you’re…?”
“My sister asked me to take care of Delerone. And I couldn’t abandon Delerone, who looks just like her.”
Yuz gave me a sorrowful look. I had no idea what that look meant.
I just met her gaze and smiled softly.
That evening, I heard a new rumor.
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Around three in the afternoon, the legal representative of Jeremias Mansion visited. He was the one who handled all legal matters related to Jeremias.
His name was Marten Phoebe.
He was a man with a well-groomed beard that left a strong impression. His beard offset what could have been a weak impression.
It was pure coincidence that Marten Phoebe overheard the maids chatting as he crossed the mansion’s lobby.
“Yuz. So, Delerone is the child of Lady Ellice and His Grace, right?”
“That’s what it seems. Lady Veloce herself said Delerone is Lady Ellice’s child.”
“Oh my…! I never thought our Duke would be so shameless…!”
“Right? Then what about Sir Alexand?”
One maid brought up the war hero logically.
“Well, I don’t know. Sir Alexand died in the war anyway. So maybe the baby really is His Grace’s?”
Since no one remembered the exact date of Alexand’s death or Ellice’s delivery, Delerone was becoming established as Ellice and Maynus’s child.
Marten Phoebe passed by, pretending not to hear, but tilted his head.
‘Maynus?’
He was a neat and ascetic man.
As far as Marten Phoebe knew, he was not the type to get caught up in such scandals.
Unlike other legal representatives who were busy covering up their families’ scandals, he led a peaceful life.
That was because the noblemen of Jeremias, noble and proud, never did anything to disgrace their family.
‘Is the reputation of Jeremias declining now?’
Marten Phoebe tilted his head and headed to the duke’s office.
Maynus greeted Marten Phoebe with a calm face. As usual, they organized financial records and discussed the shipbuilding project underway in Jeremias.
Jeremias itself was not particularly loyal to the imperial family. But since their parents’ generation, they had become one family, and whenever the imperial family needed the enormous capital, connections, and influence of Jeremias, they reached out.
Especially the current emperor often used his private friendship with Maynus as a weapon. This shipbuilding project was also part of that.
Using the excuse of being old friends and cousins, the emperor entrusted the entire shipbuilding project to Maynus.
He had acted quickly so that other nobles wouldn’t covet the shipbuilding project.
Jeremias had an exceptionally strong order of knights. There was nothing to gain from entering a territorial war.
Besides, Maynus himself didn’t like getting involved with others. He was a classic voluntary outsider who preferred to live alone. He didn’t like getting involved in profit-driven territorial wars.
He was the type who just wanted to do well on his own.
He was not the kind to play political games through territorial wars.
While continuing his conversation with Maynus, Marten Phoebe observed his mood.
‘But to have an affair with Lady Ellice? And with Lady Veloce right there?’
He would never drag the pride of Jeremias through the mud for something like that. Even if other nobles schemed to take the shipbuilding project from Jeremias by using this as an excuse, Maynus never showed any weakness.
Besides, wasn’t the imperial family behind Jeremias? The former empress, still alive, also stood behind Jeremias.
But this wasn’t something he could ask about directly. Marten Phoebe decided to wait for Maynus to bring up the matter first.
“Hm. So, Marten, you’re saying it would be good to draw in noble funds in the form of investments.”
Marten Phoebe snapped back to attention and answered.
“Yes. By taking investments, you could transfer some rights to the trading ships that will be completed at the shipyard. Many noble families with merchant groups will reach out.”
There were many who wanted to get their hands on this project, so everyone would be eager to join.
This trading ship would sail across the Timothy Sea from the northern continent to the southern continent. Its cargo capacity was on a different level from any previous ship.
“That’s a good idea. But can you handle all this work alone?”
“Um. Would you consider hiring one more person?”
Marten Phoebe glanced at the mountain of paperwork he had to process within a week and asked awkwardly.
Maynus gave a short laugh and nodded.
“Do you have anyone in mind? I think it’s best to choose someone directly if we’re going to work together.”
“I’ll try to shortlist a few candidates.”
Marten rubbed his dry lips, feeling like his workload had just increased.
They finished their discussion after five o’clock. Maynus glanced at the clock and suggested to Marten Phoebe,
“Why don’t you have dinner before you go?”
“Dinner, you mean?”
“What else? There’s also something I’d like to ask you personally.”
Marten Phoebe sensed immediately that it was about Lady Veloce, who had become the hottest topic in Jeremias Mansion.
Marten Phoebe smiled smoothly.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“No need to thank me. Oh, would it be all right if the guest staying at Jeremias Mansion joined us for dinner?”
“Of course.”
Maynus called for Eden Daunis and instructed him to invite Veloce to dinner.
‘It’s better to settle Delerone’s and Veloce’s family status at this opportunity.’
That was his thought.
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Strangely, Yuz, Elsa, and even Jewel all looked determined. It was strange, considering Maynus had only invited me to dinner.
“I’ll make you the most beautiful! Actually, there are a lot of jewels and dresses in this mansion that haven’t been used.”
“Are you sure I can use them?”
“I’ve already gotten permission from the butler. His Grace also approved it. You don’t have to worry.”
I didn’t really need to go this far…
The parade of colorful dresses before my eyes was dizzying. Just watching them, I felt a headache coming on.
“Ah! Oom!”
Delerone, who took after Ellice, laughed easily. I held Delerone close and watched Jewel choose dresses with a fighting spirit.
“Kya!”
“Delerone. Oh, you’re so pretty.”
She was so bright and sweet, like a little rice cake, that I never got tired of looking at her. As I held Delerone and watched her play, Yuz looked at me with a sad gaze.
“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
