Chapter 21
‘So she didn’t actually like apples the most, huh?’
The Duke of Clasta recalled Ariel’s face lighting up at the mention of cookies.
Come to think of it, she had never actually said she liked apples best.
Well, kids her age usually went crazy for things like chocolate chip cookies or candy rather than apples.
‘So what if she likes something else more?’
So what if that little kid preferred something over apples?
So what if even the maid, Mary, knew that and he was the only one who didn’t?
Sure, they said they were in a father-daughter relationship, but it’s not like they were actually father and daughter.
‘So what does it matter.’
Still, he couldn’t understand why he felt so rotten about it.
He wasn’t angry—he knew it wasn’t the child’s fault—but a strange, bitter feeling kept bubbling up inside.
Chocolate chip cookies, of all things.
He could have just coolly let her eat whatever the maid made.
Instead, he had gotten in the way.
And not only that.
“Here. Try it.”
Why was he now sitting in the most famous dessert shop in the territory, with a mountain of cookies stacked in front of her?
Cookies studded with large chunks of chocolate chip.
Cookies decorated with jam and fruit like little pies.
Cookies shaped like adorable bears.
All the kinds of things kids usually loved.
And yet, the little girl sitting across from him sat there stiff and unmoving, looking deeply displeased.
‘She said she wanted cookies. Maybe these aren’t what she wanted?’
Well, if that was the case, there was nothing to be done.
He’d just have to look for another shop.
Of course, before that, the owner of this shop—which supposedly had a 100-year tradition of being the best in the region—was going to prison.
The charge: fraud.
How dare they put up a sign claiming to be the best cookie shop when they couldn’t even satisfy his daughter’s taste buds?
The shop owner would have fainted from injustice if they heard what he was thinking, but the Duke of Clasta believed himself to be a merciful lord.
‘I’m not even charging them with insulting nobility.’
He still remembered how the shop owner had proudly bragged about being the most traditional and delicious shop the moment he arrived.
‘If this place doesn’t work… where else could we try?’
Either way, he wanted to feed Ariel some delicious cookies.
Ones even tastier than the ones that maid Mary had made.
Ariel blinked her large, crimson eyes and looked between the cookies and him before asking,
“Can I eat one?”
“Go ahead.”
As soon as he gave permission, Ariel’s eyes widened, her sharp eyes softening into a round shape.
With trembling hands, she picked up a cookie.
Then she held it with both hands and opened her mouth wide to take a bite.
Crunch.
Even so, she couldn’t eat even half of the cookie.
The duke rested his chin on one hand and carefully observed her face.
‘She’s not saying anything, but the way her lips are twitching… she must like it.’
Of course she would.
It was from the region’s most famous cookie shop with a hundred years of history.
“Is it good?”
At his question, Ariel smiled and nodded vigorously.
‘I should reward the shop owner.’
The shop owner, completely unaware he had just escaped death, was still busy baking in the back.
The Duke of Clasta looked at Ariel’s cheeks, now round and full from the cookies.
Compared to her usual skinny, bony face, it was a much better sight.
‘Ah, so that’s what it was.’
He finally understood why he’d been so irritable earlier.
‘It was because the kid’s way too scrawny.’
His gaze fell on her wrist, peeking out from her sleeve.
Just look at that stick-like arm.
‘And she wants to swing a sword with that? If you’re going to swing a sword, you need at least Rantun’s build.’
He thought of his subordinate who was over two meters tall and weighed more than 100 kg.
Someone like that had the strength to swing a sword properly and wouldn’t collapse like she had last time.
‘Yeah. This is all so she won’t die early and cause me trouble.’
That thought made him feel much better.
‘If I want to build her up strong, I need to feed her well.’
After finishing her cookie, Ariel put it down, full.
She brushed the crumbs off her hands, and the duke pulled out a handkerchief and wiped them for her.
If his aide Orwell had seen this, he probably would’ve exclaimed, “My goodness! The duke is capable of such delicate care? I thought he only used handkerchiefs for strangling people!”—but unfortunately, Orwell wasn’t present.
Unaware of that, Ariel simply thought, “The duke is so thoughtful,” as she quietly held out her hands.
As the Duke of Clasta carefully wiped her fingers, he asked,
“Want more?”
“Can I?”
Her red eyes sparkled, and her slightly upturned eyes rounded again.
If Orwell had seen that, he’d be making a fuss over how cute she is. But I’m not like that, the duke thought.
He did want to buy her more cookies, but definitely not because he thought she was cute.
“It’s just because she needs to eat well to grow properly,” he insisted to himself as he ordered more.
“Speaking of which, we got a letter from the Imperial Family. They want us to attend the upcoming Subjugation Festival.”
“The Subjugation Festival… that’s the event celebrating the defeat of the Evil Dragon, right?”
Ariel’s fingers trembled slightly.
The Subjugation Festival, which celebrated the day the Evil Dragon was slain, was always attended by the current Pope—Rigan.
Ariel had become the duke’s daughter for one purpose: to kill Rigan, now the Pope.
But she hadn’t expected a chance to come so soon.
The Duke noticed the excitement on her face and chuckled.
“Are you that happy? I didn’t think you’d be interested in such events.”
“Yes!”
“Hm.”
Seeing how cheerful she looked, he suddenly felt like teasing her.
“Why? Don’t tell me you’re not going to go?”
As expected, Ariel anxiously looked at his expression.
“I was actually going to turn it down since it’s such a hassle…”
Ariel swallowed hard.
If it were anyone else, the Duke of Clasta would’ve taken great pleasure in refusing them.
It was always more fun to deny what others wanted.
But with her, somehow… it felt like seeing her smile would be more entertaining than seeing her disappointed.
“Shall we go then? A good chance to show off my daughter.”
‘Wow, money really does make travel comfortable.’
Before she was possessed, travel meant:
Sleeping on the streets. Eating whatever she foraged. Walking everywhere.
Basically the holy trinity of poverty.
After possession?
Luxury inns, lovingly prepared meals, and soft carriages for transport.
As she admired the glittering chandelier hanging in the inn lobby, the Duke looked distinctly unimpressed.
His aide Orwell quickly picked up on the mood and bowed deeply.
“My apologies, Master. It started raining, and we had to pick a place quickly.”
Didn’t she just see them pay an amount equal to a commoner’s monthly wage just for one night?
Sure, it might pale in comparison to the duke’s estate, but still…
‘Yup. I’d better stay close to the duke’s castle for as long as possible.’
While the knights were unloading luggage, whispers floated from near the entrance.
“Is that the Duke of Clasta?”
“He really does look mean like the rumors say… but wow, he’s handsome. Hard to believe he’s even the same species as the men in our village.”
“Never thought I’d see a man that good-looking in real life.”
People had apparently gathered just to catch a glimpse of him.
‘Well, yeah, the duke is insanely good-looking.’
Hair as dark as the pre-dawn sky.
Eyes of piercing gold with a cool, distant air.
A face so sharp and beautiful, it was like a sword—deadly, but impossible to resist.
As Ariel admired his face again, a sense of unease washed over her.
She turned—and saw a woman peeking from behind a pillar.
The woman had her hat pulled low and a mask covering the lower half of her face, but Ariel could sense the lingering magic around her unmistakably.
‘The power of darkness!’
The very same magic the Evil Dragon had used to open the Gate of Darkness and nearly destroy the world.
After the dragon’s death, the Vatican had banned its use due to how dangerous it was.
Using it without permission could mean execution.
‘Then why… is that power around her? Is she one of the dragon’s followers?’
Ariel glanced toward the Duke.
‘Should I tell him?’
As if sensing her gaze, the Duke turned to her.
“Is there something you want to say, daughter?”
His eyes softened gently, and a chorus of sighs rose from the bystanders.
“No, it’s nothing.”
She decided against it.
She could see the power of darkness only because of the mark the Evil Dragon had branded on her chest.
‘If I say something and he finds out, he’ll kick me out. If I’m lucky.’
She was the daughter of the man who had killed his entire family.
He’d probably kill her on the spot.
‘I’ll handle this alone.’
Just then, the woman seemed to notice something and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
“I’m tired, so I’ll head to my room first.”
“Ah, yes. You’ve been in the carriage all day. Get some rest. I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner.”
“Okay.”
She took her room key and rushed up to the third floor.
Opening her window, she scanned the street—but the woman was gone.
“Trying to hide? You’re still in the palm of my hand. Tracking is my specialty.”
She leapt from the window to the rooftop of the building next door.
From the high vantage point, she spotted the woman running through an alley.
“Cover your face all you want. Your clothes, build, and stride give you away.”
Smirking, she jumped down in pursuit.
Rooney ran frantically through the alley.
She had heard the Duke of Clasta had arrived in town.
She had thought, maybe, a man who hated monsters so much would help her.
But the moment she saw those cold, metallic eyes, she knew.
He wouldn’t help her.
He would kill her.
Suddenly, her legs started tingling.
She barely avoided people’s stares and made it to her house, but someone unfamiliar stood at her door.
‘Who… Wait a minute. That girl…’
It was the same child from earlier.
The one the Duke had brought.
Even among the busy knights, she had remained calm and carried herself with grace.
Their crimson eyes met.
And she felt the chill of a blade at her throat.
“What are you…?” Ariel’s voice was cold. “Who are you?”
