Chapter 36
Before meeting the Duke of Cromford, the boy who would come to be known as Luca Bailey held Jade’s hand and met a woman lying in bed.
“So, you’re Luca.”
The Countess of Bailey had given birth to a son late in life, but he had been frail from birth. The boy, who had suffered from asthma since infancy, had been sent deep into the countryside for treatment. He had passed away not long ago.
When the proposal from the Duke of Cromford was first made, the Countess had been so enraged that her condition worsened significantly.
The duke, however, promised a reward so great that even her fury began to wane. Persuaded by her family, she agreed—on the condition that she could meet the boy who would replace her deceased son.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing, dear?”
The boy, his head bowed like a frightened puppy, had hands covered in scrapes and bruises.
Though she had been told the boy would serve as a guard beside the duchess, he couldn’t have been older than twelve—still clearly in need of protection himself.
Guilt shimmered in his eyes, as if he already knew the whole story. Looking into those young eyes, the Countess couldn’t bring herself to be harsh.
“I want to protect the Duchess.”
“If you’re doing this for personal ambition, that won’t do.”
She had seen too many children used and discarded by the desires of adults. If this child was the same, she couldn’t accept it.
“It’s not that. You remind me of my mother… who passed away.”
He spoke of how his mother had raised him alone after his father’s death, and he shared his story openly—at least with the Countess who was to become his new mother.
“I should have died already. But if there’s a place I’m needed… I want to help.”
At his pure, untarnished sincerity, she smiled bitterly. Her resentment now turned toward Jade, who stood behind.
The Duke knew she could not be intimidated by force, so he had sent this innocent child to stir her heart.
So cunning… But his strategy had worked.
With difficulty, the Countess rose from her seat and looked at the boy standing before her.
Though he was the same age as her son when he died, her own child had never been this robust.
His hair color was somewhat similar, but that was where the resemblance ended.
“The Duke of Cromford is truly a crafty man.”
As long as he was useful, the boy would be protected under the Cromford name. But there were no guarantees of safety.
If the boy was to venture into society, there would inevitably come a time when he needed the Countess’s help.
“Luca was a truly kind child. Even when he suffered from coughing up blood as a young boy, he would wipe my tears away.”
“……”
“He was seriously injured after falling from a carriage at age three. The scar is on the back of the arm—you’d best prepare one in advance.”
The Duchess herself wouldn’t know the boy was a replacement.
“You’ve taken my son’s name. Do your best to honor it.”
“Yes, Countess.”
“Call me Mother. You are now the heir of the Bailey family—Luca Bailey.”
She had never heard that word even once from her own distant child.
Thinking of the boy she had lost, the Countess finally acknowledged the existence of this new Luca Bailey.
* * *
“You said you still can’t read, right?”
Unlike the serious atmosphere in the Bailey household, the Duchess showed no displeasure as she asked the boy several questions.
What he liked, what he couldn’t eat, if he had any allergies—no one had ever asked him about himself in such detail before.
“Is your bed uncomfortable? I had no idea… I should check it myself.”
“It’s not uncomfortable, ma’am.”
“Calling me ‘ma’am’ all the time is a bit stiff, don’t you think? Just call me Frisia.”
Startled by her warm familiarity, Luca shook his head vigorously.
“I couldn’t possibly…”
“I may be the Duchess now, but I was once the second daughter of the Deblanc family. And the Countess of Bailey is known to be an admirable woman who has always supported orphans. Did you know that?”
She spoke of many things Luca had never heard, making him even more unsure of himself.
As he stood frozen, Frisia sat down on the floor before him.
“Have I said too much? You must be frightened, coming here so suddenly because of the adults.”
“N-No… Not at all, ma’am!”
His desperate denial only made his distress more pitiful—though Luca didn’t realize it.
Seeing him drenched in cold sweat, Frisia gently hugged him like a real sister.
“You’re still a child. It’s okay to be a little spoiled.”
Surrounded by the scent of flowers and her gentle warmth, Luca’s heart crumbled as if his mother had returned.
“M-Ma’am…”
“Not ma’am—Frisia. If you keep calling me that, I’ll start to feel old.”
“S-Sorry.”
“Should we start by fixing how you speak? I may seem soft, but I can be quite strict. So keep up, alright?”
Luca had been afraid she might scold him for his lack of manners, but instead, she happily called the head maid and instructed her to bring something.
“Since you’re a boy, maybe it’d be better to hire a tutor than to teach you myself?”
“Someone’s already been assigned for the rest. I believe it would be enough if you focused on basic etiquette and speech.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Sending the family away, Frisia rolled up her sleeves, not giving herself a moment to feel down.
Behind her, Jade stood smiling—completely unbothered.
Luca thought: If I ever dare betray them, they wouldn’t hesitate to stab a sword into my back.
“For now, let’s eat. Our dear Duke is probably busy, so it looks like it’ll just be the two of us.”
Who would want to kill someone so full of light?
Just as Jade had said, Frisia seemed unaware of the dangers surrounding her. But perhaps… she didn’t need to know.
“Yes, Frisia.”
Looking at her, radiant like a spring garden, Luca decided—he would gladly play his part in this performance.
* * *
“Hand over everything up to this point.”
“Thank you for your hard work, as always.”
Jade left with a bundle of precious papers. After staying up for several nights, he had finally completed the side task that had been burdening him.
Though he would return to his duties at the duchy tomorrow, he stretched his sore shoulders and headed to spar with Lashita.
“You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”
“Personal matters.”
“You should keep up your training. Your blade’s gotten dull.”
He blocked the incoming axe with a wooden sword, but the damaged blade snapped with a crack. Drawing his real sword, Wilfred pointed the gleaming blade at Lashita’s neck.
“Where did you even learn that sword technique?”
“My body just remembers.”
If you rely on your eyes, the moment’s already gone. As he blocked the slash from above, another attack came in low at his waist.
As always, their sparring ended with the axe handle snapping.
“It’s been a while since you charged in so recklessly. You must’ve had a lot on your mind.”
“Not particularly.”
“Usually you’d already be flat on the ground. Oh, and I heard you gave Frisia a cute little toy?”
“It’s not a toy. It’s protection.”
He had dispatched subordinates across the country to find suitable talent. Based on Armea’s thorough research, that child was chosen.
His father was dead. His mother, a fugitive. Clean, with no attachments—that was what made the boy appealing.
“It’s better not to speak nonsense.”
“Ooh, scary. Is the great Duke of Cromford jealous of a child he handpicked himself?”
Despite the teasing, which had not an ounce of sincerity, the Duke didn’t flinch and simply tossed a spare axe to Lashita.
Just as their sparring resumed, distant voices could be heard.
“Ah, looks like we’ve got an audience.”
The Duke lowered his sword without hesitation.
He was unmatched in combat, yet he always hid his claws and feigned weakness in front of his wife.
“What’s with the act?”
“Frisia told me—she thought the letter I wrote to propose was a duel challenge.”
“With that handwriting, it’s a miracle she could read the word challenge!”
Lashita burst into laughter, holding her stomach, and gleefully teased her rather gloomy nephew-in-law.
