CHAPTER~24
“Well, at least it ended on a good note, Frezen.”
As soon as I left the council room, I headed to Frezen’s office so we could talk quietly, just the two of us.
“Sit down and speak. You’re making me restless.”
Frezen tilted his eyebrows slightly and nodded at my words.
He was leisurely reading a book, completely unaware of the fire burning inside me.
“So, what do you plan to do now?”
As soon as I sat on the sofa as he wished, I banged the table and spoke.
No matter how I thought about it, I had no idea what to do next.
“What do you mean, what to do? Your aunt gave you some time, so we just have to endure it.”
Unlike me, Frezen seemed calm and unbothered. To me, it sounded infuriating.
After all, I knew exactly what the “time” from the elders meant.
“You’re not unaware, are you, Frezen? The meaning of the ‘time’ the elders spoke of. It’s basically a test!”
The council elders hadn’t been persuaded at all.
They had no welcome for Mela or me, and that wouldn’t change.
But the only thing following Artene’s words was their certainty that Mela wouldn’t stay here long.
“You know it too, Duke. The environment here is harsh. Ordinary people can’t endure long, and for children, it’s even harder.”
The North Scarl Northern Territory was so cold and harsh that few could survive for long.
This was why the north developed so slowly as a tourist area.
Without tourism, the lands earned little income, forcing the family to rely on iron mines and weaponry.
Unless born in the north, you could survive here but not stay healthy.
Mela, and probably me as well, would struggle.
In the original timeline, I died quickly, so it made sense I wouldn’t endure.
“Of course you know. That’s why our family became so closed and conservative.”
Frezen’s answer came during my deep thoughts. He surprisingly nodded and agreed with me.
But someone who knows this would leave it be rather than trying to persuade?
Mela is already in a weakened state!
I honestly have no idea what he’s thinking.
“You know? Duke, you feel like an ally, yet strangely like an enemy.”
“…That sounds almost like an insult.”
“It’s just my imagination.”
Still, my words about him being like an enemy were true.
But more absurd was Mela’s attitude afterward.
‘Yes! I will succeed! So when that time comes, don’t say anything to me or my mother!’
Her fearless declaration had clearly provoked the elders.
And it was Artene herself who had glared at me. I instinctively knew it was off to a bad start.
“Even if Mela adapts here, what schemes will the elders plot? Plenty, I bet…”
“Watch your words, Evlyen.”
Frezen, who had been quietly listening, spoke firmly at once.
“Sorry.”
I immediately realized my mistake and shut my mouth. Even if our relationship wasn’t perfect, it was natural to feel bad.
Frezen carefully closed the book he had been reading and placed it on the table. I instinctively shrank my shoulders at the imposing presence.
He would surely scold me, like before. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut at the thought.
But the words I heard were not angry or sarcastic at all.
“No need to apologize. The elders were rude to you too, so it balances out. You can’t complain about insults.”
“…”
“They are extremely conservative, upholding tradition. But if you show enough trust, they will support you more than anyone. I believe that. So don’t worry too much.”
He was lowering his family’s stature to understand me.
He neither reprimanded nor looked down on me. Five years had not passed in vain, I thought.
At that moment, I felt a strangely bittersweet emotion.
If he had said this earlier, I might have felt some comfort.
“…And I believe in Mela. She will do well.”
After a moment of sinking into past melancholy, those words snapped me back to reality.
I asked seriously,
“I’ve said this enough, but just in case, Duke. She’s not really our child.”
“…I know.”
Then why avoid my gaze? He clearly doesn’t believe me. I held my throbbing forehead and sighed.
“Ha. If she were truly of Decart blood, she would endure easily, but she isn’t.”
“Then whose bloodline is she?”
“Well!”
“…Well?”
His sudden question almost made me blurt out “the Lopenter family.”
His sharp gaze seemed to pierce right through me, leaving me speechless.
“I’ve said it before, she’s my niece. Either way, if caught, Mela or I will pay dearly. Better to be honest now…”
“Even if you reveal it, the consequences are the same. In any case, since you’ve returned here, Mela is my family. That won’t change.”
“That’s true, but…”
Frezen was right. Yet lying made me feel guilty.
“You didn’t choose me again out of affection or attachment, did you?”
“…”
I felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps it was my imagination, but Frezen’s face looked bitter.
“It’s to protect Mela from others. So, Evlyen, you need to be a little stronger.”
It felt like a blow to the back of my head. I had completely forgotten why I came here and panicked at past traumas.
‘Mela is now beside her sister, so don’t be too scared. I’ll protect you.’
Mela, though smaller, lifted her tiny fist to comfort me, braver than I was.
“You’re right.”
So I must become strong, as Frezen said. I am not alone now; there is someone I must protect. For Mela’s sake.
“Since I’ve come back here on my own, I will endure no matter what.”
And I wanted to show it. To those who mocked and tormented me before, that I am living well.
Earlier, the future seemed bleak, like a thick fog had settled.
Once I resolved it, the fog cleared like magic, and my mind felt fresh. I sprang up from my seat.
“So Duke, please support Mela.”
“Just support her?”
Frezen asked back in a voice tinged with a smile. His playful expression carried a boyish freshness.
“Ah, anyway! I mean, please protect her. It’s late, so I’ll leave for now.”
Seeing that, my heart fluttered for no reason, and I averted my gaze. I could hear a faint laugh.
“I will protect her.”
I could hear his voice behind me, but I couldn’t stop myself from leaving.
“This time…”
* * *
“I’ve gathered as much as I could. Is this sufficient, Milady?”
“Thank you, Fennel. I’m so grateful the butler treats me like before.”
The next morning, I got up early and began my real work.
Of course, I wasn’t formally recognized as the Duchess yet, so I couldn’t officially take on the duties.
Fortunately, Frezen allowed me to use his office for convenience.
Through Fennel, who was friendly to me, I gathered information about the Decart household staff and the council.
“Naturally. I’m glad Milady has returned.”
The area under Fennel’s eyes was slightly red. Seeing someone happy I returned made my heart ache.
But I couldn’t let tears ruin the morning, so I focused on work.
As the old saying goes, know your enemy and yourself. Not that the Decarts are enemies, but information is vital.
First, I needed someone to protect Mela when I’m not around.
“Fennel, I want a nanny for Mela. …By the way, I haven’t seen Nanny Quina. Is something wrong?”
“Ah, Nanny Quina…?”
Fennel’s expression darkened noticeably at my question, and she pursed her innocent lips.
“She has been dismissed.”
I froze in shock at her words.
