CHAPTER 76……………………………….
When Krimu beamed, the puppy Roro’s whole body bounced.
Startled, Ron and Krimu instinctively reached out at the same time and hugged Roro.
Woof, woof!
Because of the excited puppy, the brothers toppled over onto the carpet, but neither of them showed any sign of pain—both burst into laughter.
That was how much fun they were having.
Even Roro seemed delighted, waddling back and forth between the look-alike brothers and showing affection.
Time passed like that.
Only when it was time for Krimu to take his nap did the brothers’ playtime come to an end.
The head maid scooped up Krimu, who wanted to keep playing but was growing sleepy enough to cry, and the duke spoke to Ron.
“Ron, people will be coming soon.”
“People?”
“Yes. Hasn’t your long hair been inconvenient all this time?”
Ron brushed the hair that had always fallen into his vision and answered honestly.
“I couldn’t see very well.”
“So I’ve called in a barber and a tailor for you. They’ll do their very best.”
In truth, after Master Gurter reassured him the previous night, Ron had washed thoroughly.
But his hair still hung down to his shoulders, and because he had no prepared clothes, he was wearing Shevart’s borrowed clothing, with sleeves too large for him.
Just as they had renovated the room, many things were needed for Ron.
Snip, snip.
Clumps of cut hair fell at Ron’s feet.
Anne, the best barber of the western region, moved her hands with care.
It wasn’t even hot, yet sweat rolled down her forehead.
Someone who hardly ever got nervous had no choice today.
After all, the Duke of Kereis himself was standing behind her, watching her with sharp eyes.
If it isn’t perfect, I’m dead.
Anne forced herself to stay focused on the family’s second young master, who sat quietly allowing her to work.
“Sigh… it’s done.”
With her deep exhale came her words, and the duke stepped forward.
Maryanne and the butler, Dubuye, also leaned in with curious faces.
And in an instant—
“Wow…”—an exclamation burst out.
“All this time, his long hair was hiding such a handsome face.”
At Dubuye’s comment, Maryanne frowned.
“Hiding? Excuse me? Ron was already beautiful. Even with long hair, he practically glowed.”
“…”
While Dubuye blinked in confusion, the duke chimed in even more boldly.
“She’s right. Long-haired Ron, short-haired Ron—both were perfect enough that I’d want portraits of each. Of course, that’s only natural since he resembles me.”
“….”
Maryanne tugged at the duke’s sleeve and added,
“Father, what if he grows it out and cuts it again depending on the time period? He’d look great in all sorts of styles. Of course, we’d need to ask Ron first.”
“Hm, excellent idea. If Ron agrees, then Anne, you’ll oversee it.”
“Kyaa! Thank you, Father!”
“Then I’ll summon a painter when the time comes.”
“Wow, as expected, you’re the best!”
While they chatted, Ron—who still hadn’t seen a mirror—awkwardly scratched his now-exposed forehead.
Without the long hair that had once covered even his eyes, he felt strangely empty and unfamiliar.
“Ron, look here.”
The duke held out a hand mirror.
Ron’s bright red eyes widened.
The boy in the mirror was unmistakably himself, yet he felt incredibly embarrassed.
Ron had rarely seen his own face.
There had been a mirror in his room within the Debl organization, but he had always been so hidden behind his hair that he had never seen his full face—eyes, nose, mouth—exposed like this.
When he pressed his lips together, the familiar-yet-unfamiliar boy in the mirror mirrored the gesture.
Ron experimented with a few expressions, and only then did he shyly smile.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
“I like it.”
Ron also liked that he could finally see the person in front of him properly.
His hair had always blocked his vision.
“It suits you, Ron.”
“Thanks… Anne. Is it okay if I call you that?”
“Of course!”
Maryanne’s smile blossomed.
“But brother…”
“Shh.”
Dubuye had been about to say he should call her sister-in-law, but fell silent under the duke’s warning look.
The duke whispered quietly to him—only for him to hear.
“For Ron, everything is an exception.”
Dubuye understood immediately and bowed.
After the barber left, the tailor entered.
While the tailor measured Ron’s body, the maids were organizing belongings on one side of the room.
“Oh—no, not that!”
Ron suddenly shouted, startling the maids into freezing in place.
“That’s mine… something precious to me!”
“We’re very sorry, young master.”
The head maid apologized on the maids’ behalf and dismissed them.
Because Ron had teleported directly to the duke’s residence, his belongings from the Debl lodging had arrived only belatedly by carriage.
The luggage wasn’t much, but the distance was long, so they’d only made it that morning.
Ron crouched down and carefully gathered his scattered belongings.
Dubuye lowered his voice to the duke.
“Some of the items are quite worn. What should we do?”
“Leave everything as it is.”
“Yes, sir. Still… young master Ron seems very attached to the things he used.”
“That’s because the one who gave them to him is special.”
“Pardon?”
Dubuye followed the duke’s gaze—
where Maryanne was already helping Ron sort his things.
“Ron, this is the handkerchief I gave you back then, right?”
“Mm. This too. The foun—no, Anne gave me this fountain pen.”
“Oh, right. Actually, that one was originally from your mother. I only passed it on.”
“I see… Thank you anyway.”
“Hehe, it’s nothing.”
The two of them looked so warm and gentle together that the duke couldn’t help but smile.
Dubuye gave a small laugh, remembering a rumor that had briefly circulated days ago.
“That Lady Anne liked young master Ron rather than her fiancé, young master Shevart…”
But once it became known that Anne had played the key role in finding Ron, the rumor vanished like it had never existed.
Instead, a new rumor spread:
She had saved the third child, Krimu, from a wicked nanny—
saved the eldest, Shevart’s, life—
and now saved the second, Ron.
Lady Maryanne was the savior who appeared for the Kereis family.
Some even began worshipping her with near-holy reverence.
After finishing Ron’s grooming, the duke took him to a silent, darkened room.
When he opened the door, every piece of furniture was covered with a white cloth.
“Do you know where this is?”
“I don’t.”
“This was Aria’s room.”
“…My late mother’s?”
“Yes.”
The duke stepped inside first.
He pulled open the top drawer of a shelf placed at the center of the room.
“Come here and look.”
Ron walked over, and neatly folded clothes came into view.
“Mother’s clothes?”
“Take a look yourself.”
Ron glanced at the duke, then reached into the drawer and lifted the garments.
When he unfolded one, he immediately understood whose it was.
“…”
The top was only slightly larger than his small hand—clearly a child’s clothing.
But there was no reason to keep Krimu’s clothes like this.
“…Is this what I wore when I was little?”
“Yes. Aria never threw away anything that held memories. And the belongings of her missing child were more precious to her than anything.”
Ron stroked the soft fabric, trying to imagine the mother he could not remember.
“What… what kind of person was she?”
“She had a gentle nature. The kindest of all the women I’d ever met. That’s why she accepted the marriage everyone else refused.”
Ron tilted his head.
“Why did they refuse?”
“Well…”
The duke grimaced slightly.
“Because the Duke of Kereis was known as a war-mad man. The kind of dog who wouldn’t stop once angered until blood was spilled.”
“Oh, you mean you, Father?”
Seeing Ron’s clear, innocent eyes, the duke instantly regretted being so honest.
“Well, that’s all in the past.”
“What about now?”
“Now I’m nothing but a toothless old lion. Ahem… Enough about me.”
Ron let out a tiny laugh without meaning to.
“Hey now, are you laughing at your father?”
Though his words were stern, the duke’s face brightened.
Ron pressed his lips together and shook his head.
His cute reaction made the duke chuckle helplessly.
When the brief laughter faded, silence settled.
The duke walked to a portrait on the wall.
In it, the duke sat in a chair, and beside him stood a woman.
Ron stared—again and again—at the woman.
She had delicate lines but an air of strength.
She smiled softly.
“Her hair is so dark.”
“Yes. Aria’s hair was black. That’s why yours is so dark. Krimu took less after her.”
“I didn’t know before, but now that I do… I like my hair color. Because it’s like hers.”
The duke gently touched Ron’s hair.
When he lifted his eyes to meet Ron’s gaze, his heart twisted—
as if Aria herself had returned.
