Chapter 9
Seymour’s impression could be summed up in one sentence.
He looks scary.
If Rowena didn’t already know a lot about him, she probably wouldn’t have gone within a meter of him.
His face, worn down by exhaustion, looked so sharp it seemed it could cut.
Dark shadows filled the hollows under his eyes.
His tightly closed lips and sharply defined cheeks made him look not just stubborn, but fierce.
And his green eyes, empty of light, looked like dark velvet.
Put kindly, he had an inorganic sort of elegance.
Put less kindly—
He looked completely devoid of warmth.
It was only because someone as handsome as Seymour wore that expression that people could call it “elegant.”
On anyone else, it would simply be called the face of someone who hasn’t slept in a week.
But what did it matter?
Rowena was in a fantastic mood.
The proof was the bright smile that refused to leave her face.
This is the man who has my cure.
They say if you like something enough, just looking at it fills you up.
Well—
Just looking at him made her feel like she might live a long healthy life.
In the end, Seymour had surrendered under the Grand Lady’s relentless pressure.
Though before that, the two of them had apparently had a long, serious conversation after Rowena was sent out.
Rowena had heard it clearly.
Voices leaking through the closed door despite the soundproofing.
“If you grow old, you should just die! Oh, I should just die! What glorious fortune am I living for, to be disrespected by my own son-in-law like this!”
“I said I understand! I said I’ll do it! I said I’ll raise her!”
“And you dare raise your voice when you’re in the wrong!”
The Grand Lady was truly amazing.
Thanks to that, Rowena had learned something important.
Even adults—
Even very dignified adults like the Grand Lady—
Shouted when they fought.
And because this arrangement had come about through that process…
Seymour had looked displeased ever since.
Even now, when his gaze met Rowena’s smiling face.
“…What are you looking at?”
“You, Duke!”
No—
That wasn’t merely displeased.
It was openly annoyed.
And now he looked even more annoyed.
His brows furrowed.
“What exactly is making you smile like that?”
At his question, the smile faded from Rowena’s face.
Or rather—
She just looked puzzled.
Tilting her head, her twin pigtails tilted too.
What do you mean, what’s making me smile?
Well—
“Because I like you, Duke?”
“……”
I’m this happy just looking at you.
Hehe!
She smiled brightly again.
The crease between Seymour’s brows deepened.
But this time—
It looked less annoyed and more… speechless.
They say you can’t spit at a smiling face.
Though Seymour probably could.
And yet—
There was something about this child, Rowena, that made him hesitate to say certain cruel things out loud.
Is it because of that smile?
Her innocent face looked almost like cotton candy.
Her round cheeks looked soft enough to poke.
Even “adorable” seemed too small a word.
But Seymour’s dried-up heart was unmoved by such things.
Realizing there was no point thinking about it, he sighed.
“I’ll tell you now. I dislike children. I don’t know how you managed to win over my mother-in-law, but I have no intention of becoming close to you.”
He had brought Rowena only because the Grand Lady forced him to.
That was all.
“Just try raising her first. It’s not like I’m asking you to care for a baby.”
“But—!”
“I’ve raised children. I know. A child that age grows fine with a tutor.”
“Mother-in-law, do you honestly think that makes sense?”
“Yes. Have you raised a child? Do you know better than I do? If you have, let me hear it.”
How was he supposed to respond to that?
The argument had become—
“If you’ve never raised a child, be quiet.”
There was no winning.
And it was easier to give in than keep arguing.
That was the only reason he had agreed.
“So don’t have useless expectations. I have nothing to give you.”
Nothing to give.
And certainly no intention of becoming family.
His words were sharp as knives.
Naturally.
They were meant to wound.
Seymour glanced at the child.
She’s not going to cry, is she?
He didn’t know how to comfort a crying child.
And he didn’t particularly want to.
I hate being bothered.
His overworked body was exhausted.
His head throbbed.
A child only made him more tired.
If she cried—
He planned to hand her off to a maid immediately.
But—
“Yes! I don’t have expectations.”
“…What?”
That answer was not what he expected.
Far from looking hurt—
Rowena was smiling.
“I didn’t come here to be loved by you, Duke. So don’t worry!”
That made even less sense.
Seymour frowned.
But Rowena just swung her short legs and smiled.
Most children would be crushed hearing such a first greeting.
But Rowena was perfectly calm.
Because she had expected this.
The book did say his personality is terrible right now.
She had wondered whether the book exaggerated.
But judging by those cold eyes—
It seemed accurate.
And really—
They had pushed a child onto a man like him and told him to raise her.
Why would she expect a warm welcome?
Besides—
Children at Townsend Orphanage had one rule they had to memorize.
Even if you grabbed bread with muddy hands in front of the headmistress and got locked in solitary—
You still had to remember this.
Expect nothing.
Don’t expect your parents will someday come for you.
Don’t expect this visitor will become your adoptive parent.
Don’t expect an adoptive family to love you like their own child.
If you expect nothing—
You won’t be hurt.
And if you expect nothing—
You can always smile.
I didn’t come here to be loved, so his words don’t matter.
She had only one goal.
Get the cure.
Survive.
So Rowena smiled brightly and said,
“Duke, I’m really, really happy right now!”
“…Why?”
“Because I really wanted to meet you.”
“And I already did.”
Meeting Seymour meant a path to survival had opened.
How could she not be happy?
“So let’s stay together a long time, Duke.”
She smiled as though she truly meant it.
Duke, I may not have anything to give you—
But I can give you a smile.
Trust me.
I’ve got ten years of experience.
That should be reliable enough, right?
So please look after me a little.
And if you could find the cure quickly, even better.
As Rowena giggled—
Seymour looked oddly dazed for a moment.
Then frowned.
“…Tch. How troublesome.”
Huh?
Did that not work?
“Act like a child. Don’t do things that make me unnecessarily aware of you.”
“Hing…”
“Quiet.”
His voice was stiff.
…Did I make the Duke angry?
