Chapter 5
“I said I’d raise her with all my heart.”
“People change, don’t they? Back then, you took in your niece out of pity. But as the years went by, maybe you started wanting to pass your title to your own child instead.”
“……”
“And then I started to wonder, Sir Errios Killiet—maybe now your niece has become a burden to you.”
I spoke deliberately, watching every flicker of expression on Errios’s face.
Of course, I wasn’t saying it just to vent my anger.
Is he neglecting Artea, or does he actually resent her?
If his affection for his niece was just an act, then I wanted my sharp words to shake him, even a little.
If even for a moment his mask slipped, I was ready to catch it.
“Bellona.”
The calm knight who’d silently endured my accusations finally let his gaze harden.
“You can insult me all you want. This whole situation is my fault. But don’t you ever say I find my niece a burden. Not in front of me.”
Most people would’ve flinched under the tension in his voice, but I didn’t back down.
I met his eyes squarely.
And he didn’t look away.
“The heir of House Killiet is Artea. I’ll give that child everything I have.”
His eyes were unwavering, not a trace of a lie in them.
So… he really does care for her?
Then why did Artea say she wanted to live with me instead?
She’s just a child. How upset must she have been to run away like that?
No… maybe she didn’t run away because he didn’t love her. But what if this is still just an act?
Of course, the Errios Killiet I knew wasn’t the type to fake things.
As far as I knew, anyway.
But people make mistakes when they let their guard down.
Just like when he suddenly told me we should break up—I hadn’t seen that coming either.
I can’t afford to let my suspicions down until the end.
“Really? Then why did your beloved niece say she wanted to live with me?”
“Bellona, since when do you care about her so much that you think you can say whatever you want? You never even visited once.”
I wanted to say, Because we used to be lovers, but the words caught in my throat.
I didn’t want to bare my heart to the ex-boyfriend who made this whole situation happen.
So instead, I threw the words back at him sharply.
“Yeah. But even so, I think I’d raise her better than you.”
I’d meant to keep things formal, like we were strangers, but the informal tone slipped out before I realized it.
No—he started using it first anyway!
“If she ran away all the way here, happy just to get to me—a distant aunt she barely knows—and begged me to raise her…”
“Ran away?”
“You didn’t know? You didn’t even realize she was upset?”
At that, Errios’s face twisted with pain.
Almost theatrically so—though I wasn’t exaggerating much either.
Maybe I’d gone too far.
But she’s only six years old, and she ran off to find an aunt she’d never even met.
“I’m glad. I thought even Auntie hated me…”
I remembered the way Artea had whispered that she was thankful I liked her.
She’s my niece.
My ex-boyfriend, on the other hand, isn’t someone I owe my concern anymore.
“Anyway, from now on, I’ll be the one raising Artea. It’s a decision I’ve thought long and hard about.”
“……”
Errios clenched his jaw.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“Let me see Artea.”
If Errios truly hadn’t done anything wrong, then I could almost understand.
From his point of view, his niece disappeared while he was out subjugating monsters—then when he comes to find her, he’s scolded and about to lose custody.
Of course he’d be confused.
But Artea asked me to raise her.
After hearing that, how could I just hand her back?
Even if Errios didn’t mean any harm, there’s clearly something wrong in that ducal house.
Even if it hurts him, this is where things need to be made clear.
“Raise me!”
“You’re my aunt, after all!”
Once he saw Artea’s clear determination himself, he’d give up soon enough.
“You can meet her, but if you show up looking like that, you’ll just scare her.”
At my words, Errios quietly asked for a wet towel and wiped the blood and grime from his face.
Even disheveled, he’d looked handsome—but cleaned up, his face almost glowed.
Seriously… disgustingly good-looking bastard.
That face hadn’t changed—actually, it had only gotten better.
No wonder Artea’s uncle turned out so good-looking too.
That silent, thoughtful expression of his even resembled the way Artea looked when she was deep in thought.
Before long, Artea appeared in the drawing room.
“One little squirrel, two little squ—kyaaa!”
Chattering happily as she walked in, Artea screamed when she saw Errios.
Even though he’d wiped away the blood, it made sense—he was tall and imposing.
I held out my arms.
“Artea, come here.”
“W-why’s Uncle here?!”
With a flurry of movement, Artea darted away from Errios and threw herself into my arms.
“Go away! I don’t want to see Uncle!”
She buried her little face into my chest, refusing to look at him.
Just as I’d expected.
“Artea, I came here to take you home—”
“I’m living with Auntie! Uncle can go away!”
Even though Errios rarely showed emotion, I could feel how deeply that hit him.
Poor fool.
If he’d just left when I told him to, he wouldn’t have had to see his niece reject him like this.
“You… don’t like Uncle?”
“I hate you! You’re mean!”
Errios’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
He simply fell silent.
The air turned heavy with quiet.
“Why do you hate your uncle?”
“……”
“Artea, can you tell us the reason?”
This time, I didn’t push him. I waited.
Even though I’d said I would raise her, I wanted to hear her say—out loud—that she didn’t want to live with him.
If he truly loves her, it’s natural he’d struggle to accept it right away.
But Artea only clung tighter to me, refusing to answer.
“Mm… I just don’t like him…”
Right now, I was more worried about Artea than Errios.
It couldn’t be easy for such a young child to explain why she disliked her uncle.
I was hoping once they saw each other, we could settle the custody matter quickly—but this tension is painful.
Thankfully, Errios seemed to sense it too. He spoke softly.
“Artea, if I made you sad, I’m sorry. I’ve been a poor uncle.”
“……”
“Even if we live apart, I’ll always be your uncle. You’re more precious to me than anything in this world. If I ever failed to show you that, I’m truly sorry.”
Just as he finished, Artea suddenly lifted her head.
It happened in an instant.
“Huh?”
I hadn’t realized a child could move that fast.
She suddenly pushed away from me and ran straight into Errios’s arms.
“Ah—Artea?”
I stared at my now-empty arms, dumbfounded.
What was happening?
“Uncle, don’t go! Waaah!”
“Then will you come back home with me?”
“Mhm…”
A moment ago she was clinging to me, and now she was crying in his arms.
Wait—what?
She nodded when he asked if she’d come back?
“Artea! You said you wanted to live with Auntie, didn’t you?”
“Huh? When?”
What?
Did I just get blindsided twice?
My vision spun. I forced myself to think straight.
Maybe she didn’t really hate him. Maybe it was just a childish tantrum.
If that’s the case, then fine.
It’s frustrating that her uncle happens to be my ex, but…
Artea’s happiness matters more than my pride.
It means she’s loved enough to feel attached—that’s what counts.
If her “runaway” was just a momentary outburst that got out of hand, then that’s a relief.
Right—kids say “I hate you” all the time. I’ve heard that somewhere.
If she wants to live with her uncle after all, then so be it.
I watched the two of them reunited and slowly stood up.
“It’s good you cleared up the misunderstanding with your uncle—”
But before I could finish,
“Auntttiiieee!”
“Huh?”
Artea tore herself away from Errios and came running straight back to me.
What on earth was happening now?
“So you wanted to live with Auntie, but seeing your uncle made you confused?”
“Yeah!”
“So earlier was just a moment of whim?”
“Yeah, yeah!”
An adult, completely at the mercy of a child’s every mood. That’s me.
I steadied myself and looked her in the eye.
“Artea, do you really want to live with Auntie? For real?”
“For real, for real!”
“Then say goodbye to Uncle. No changing your mind after this.”
“B-Bye…”
Tears welled in her big eyes as she reluctantly nodded.
Well… even so, Errios was her guardian.
It wasn’t surprising she didn’t want to part ways so easily.
“Uncleee!”
And the moment she reached me, she darted right back to Errios again.
I shut my eyes tight and opened them slowly.
“Then you’ll live with Uncle—”
“I like Auntie!”
“Then with Uncle—”
“Uwaaaah!”
And so, Artea went back and forth, unable to decide.
“You have to choose one person. Are you living with Auntie, or Uncle?”
“O-one person only?”
Her eyes trembled, wide and glistening, as if to say How could you make me choose something so cruel?
Ugh. Even in this chaos, my heart hurts a little.
But she must’ve realized there was no avoiding it.
Artea screwed her eyes shut and finally made her decision.
