Chapter 19
When Elruana said she would think about it, Duke Spes leaned back more comfortably in his chair.
“It must’ve been sudden, so it’s best to give yourself enough time to consider it. There’s no need to feel pressured. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to do anything. Living a comfortable life that I provide, enjoying small happiness—that’s not such a bad thing either.”
“I’ll think it over from various angles.”
The Duke slightly raised the tone of his voice, signaling a shift in topic.
“First of all, I plan to assign a tutor for you and Louis.”
“A tutor?”
“Yes. It would be good to start with etiquette and gradually add more subjects. That’s how children from other noble families begin their education. The tutor will tailor the schedule for both of you.”
“There’s no need for me and Louis to study separately. We’ve never had private tutors or anything like that. We have to learn together from the start.”
Elruana spoke frankly, unbothered by admitting they hadn’t received formal education.
“Is that so? Very well.”
He agreed, though a subtle change crossed his expression.
The Duke had assumed Elruana had received a fairly advanced education. Some of the things she had answered to his questions were so profound that even scholars of Imperial studies might not know them.
Perhaps Stella had passed on knowledge to Elruana in a way that didn’t feel like studying. Though she had wanted a normal life, she may have been preparing her for the unexpected.
Elruana, however, was simply happy that she could study with Louis.
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me. Everything I give you is only what you’re rightfully due.”
It was that very thoughtfulness that made her grateful. Still, it was hard for Elruana to feel that Duke Spes was truly her father. She understood it rationally, but emotionally, he still felt distant.
Perhaps because she already had a father—Ron Vita. And so, her gratitude gradually turned into guilt.
“…But why are you doing so much for us?”
The Duke answered without hesitation.
“To you two, Stella must’ve been everything. And to me, Stella was everything. That’s why.”
Elruana had no words in response.
After the Duke left, Elruana lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling for a long time. Though it was late, she couldn’t sleep.
Her mind was a jumbled mess.
‘What’s going to happen to my life now?’
She truly couldn’t see what lay ahead. Just days ago, she had been lying face-down on the cold floor of a prison cell. Now she was in a luxurious room, tucked into a soft bed.
And apparently, she had the blood of the founding imperial family.
“Dad… I think I’m scared.”
She murmured as she pulled the blanket up, but sleep still didn’t come.
She had been told it was up to her whether to tell Louis about the situation. But would Louis even be able to understand all this?
Lying there, Elruana began to inspect every corner of the bedroom. What caught her eye most was the ivory-colored wooden door that connected to the Golden Wolf’s room.
‘If I open that door… would it really lead to the Duke’s room?’
Unable to contain her curiosity, she eventually got up and turned the knob. She opened the door slightly and peeked in—only to lock eyes with Duke Spes, who was lying in bed.
“Is something wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”
Oh no. He really is in there.
“N-No, I was just curious about this door.”
“That door connects to my room. You’ll be assigned a guard soon, but if anything comes up, you can always call for me.”
“R-Right. Good night!”
Elruana quickly bowed and shut the door.
‘Ugh. So awkward.’
She wondered if a day would come when that presence beyond the door would feel reassuring instead of awkward.
The sleepless night dragged on.
She finally drifted off around dawn. In her dreams, she was back in Aden’s home, wrapped in the familiar scent. A younger Elruana was crying.
She must’ve just woken up—she was wearing pajamas, and the sky outside was beginning to brighten. It was shortly after her mother’s funeral.
Nine-year-old Elruana cried bitterly. As if hearing the sobs, the door gently opened and Ron Vita stepped inside. His eyes were red and swollen.
“Dad…”
When Elruana held out her arms, Ron scooped her up without a word. Nestled in his arms, she sniffled.
“El… Were you crying because you missed Mom?”
“She was singing me a lullaby in my dream, but I woke up.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll sing it for you. I’ll do anything for you.”
Ron gently laid her in bed, pulled up the covers, kissed her tousled golden hair, and softly patted her. His touch was warm and tender, and then his lullaby began.
His soft voice and comforting gaze soothed Elruana. Just as the lullaby was nearing its end, the cry of a baby came from the next room.
Louis.
Elruana, whose eyes had half-closed, spoke.
“Dad, Louis is crying.”
“Right… I hear him.”
Ron only said that and finished the lullaby. Elruana found it strange, but didn’t know why. She simply stared at him with wide eyes.
That was the end of the dream. Elruana awoke feeling unsettled. It had been nice to see Ron’s face again, but…
“Of all things, why that memory?”
Ron back then had been such a mess that her mother would’ve come back from the dead just to smack him.
Ron believed her death was his fault. That he was being punished for falling in love with someone he shouldn’t have. That misplaced guilt even affected Louis.
He did all the childcare mechanically—feeding, putting to sleep, changing diapers—but gave no love. Eventually, Elruana couldn’t take it anymore. She smacked him hard and shouted, “Dad! Louis is Mom’s son too!”
And so, giving love to Louis became Elruana’s responsibility. She hugged him, carried him, played with him. After about six months of this, Ron finally came to his senses.
He had knelt, holding onto crawling Louis, crying and apologizing, saying, “I’m sorry. I lost my mind. I was so foolish,” a hundred times over.
Ron cried. Elruana cried. And clueless little Louis cried along with them.
“Why that dream, of all things…”
Elruana turned over and sighed. It was a restless dawn.
“Hello?”
Louis spotted a cluster of glowing motes in the hallway corner and greeted them. The tiny orbs floated both individually and in groups. One thing they had in common—they all gathered around Louis when he appeared.
Perhaps they were friends that only Louis could see.
“What are you guys?”
He asked, but the lights only buzzed softly. Louis didn’t tell Elruana about them, knowing she’d worry.
Louis walked with the lights in tow, greeting the mansion staff as he explored. Every time he said “Hello,” someone would run over and hand him candy or snacks.
“Hello!”
In response to his cheerful greeting, the kitchen staff came rushing out.
“Little master, try this!”
The kitchen snacks were always the best. This time, it was a large cookie studded with chocolate chips. In fact, there were two! Louis’s eyes sparkled as he took a bite.
“Whoa… This is the best cookie I’ve ever had!”
The kitchen staff melted at the sight of his rosy-cheeked praise.
He finished one cookie and saved the other for Elruana. Waving his tiny hand, he left the kitchen and moved on.
“Hello there!”
This time, a gardener turned to him.
“Exploring the mansion again today?”
“Yes!”
“Is that cookie for the young miss?”
The gardener pointed to the cookie in Louis’s hand.
“Yes!”
Louis intentionally slurred his words a bit, which made the gardener’s face soften. Soon, more gardeners gathered around him.
A bearded gardener offered a bouquet of freshly picked flowers.
“Here—today’s pick. Give them to the young miss.”
“Thaaank you! She’ll love them!”
When Louis smiled bashfully, several gardeners clutched their chests and staggered.
Having “defeated” the gardeners, Louis cheerfully bounced along. After melting the hearts of the laundry staff with a wave and a smile, he decided to take a short break.
He’d spent the entire day exploring the mansion. Most of the people were kind to him. It helped that he was a young noble guest—and utterly adorable.
Louis knew he was adorable. He also knew that his cuteness was his greatest weapon.
When Ron died in the carriage accident, Louis’s charm played a major role. Elruana had asked the villagers to keep Ron’s death a secret so she could continue selling his swords under his name. At first, they were hesitant.
But then Louis stepped up.
“I don’t wanna go live with mean relatives. What if they’re mean to me? I hate being hungry! I wanna live with my sister!”
He mentioned imaginary relatives and welled up with tears. He hadn’t meant to cry, but just imagining it made him burst out sobbing.
The neighbors, who had always adored Louis, ultimately agreed to keep the secret. The goodwill Ron and Stella had built also helped, but in the end, it was Louis’s charm that sealed the deal.
And this time was no different.
Eight out of ten mansion staff clutched their hearts when Louis greeted them. The remaining two dramatically claimed this was their final moment before collapsing. So, it was safe to say that Louis’s mission to conquer the mansion with cuteness had already succeeded.
‘I’ll protect my sister with my cuteness.’
Fortunately, there was no one in the mansion who mistreated Elruana.
If there was one concern, it was that Elruana seemed deeply worried. She’d been lost in thought a lot lately.
That troubled Louis. Elruana wasn’t usually someone who overthought things—she acted first and spoke later. So clearly, something serious was going on.
Louis knew he had to adjust well here so that his sister would worry less.
“It’s okay!”
When the time came, his charm would protect them both once again.
“Alright! Let’s do this!”
With renewed energy, Louis marched forward.
