Ch.5Engagement

Several people were still hostile toward me, so I expected something to happen, but the meeting with the ducal family ended rather anticlimactically.

It seems they understood well that with other relatives now viewing me favorably, rising up as a minority would be pointless.

Of course, even the relatives who viewed me favorably weren’t saying, “We’ll allow you to be officially recognized in the ducal family!” Rather, they looked at me like an impressively trained dog performing tricks. That’s slightly offensive.

Anyway, after all the relatives left without incident, I returned to my daily routine—living with Chloe and receiving education.

“Umm… is this right?”

“Yes, the form is stable. Very good.”

The magic instructor smiles with satisfaction at the small flame blooming from my hand.

“At this level, you don’t need to learn fire magic anymore.”

‘How anticlimactic…’

This world does have magic, but it’s completely different from what I saw in comics and movies in my previous life.

In movies from my past life, a few magicians would use magic to turn surroundings into a sea of flames or strike lightning to create devastation, but it’s nothing like that here.

Though it takes time to practice, anyone can use magic, but its scale and intensity are extremely limited.

Creating just this small candle flame at my fingertip is apparently enough to avoid being dismissed in high society. I had such high expectations for magic.

“Wooow…”

“…”

But that’s just my perspective as someone with memories of movies. For Chloe, it’s completely different.

Chloe is looking at the candle flame burning at my fingertip with an expression of genuine amazement.

“Chloe, would you like to learn too?”

“Yes, yes…? If you’d teach me, I’d love to…”

*glances hesitantly*

Chloe seems concerned that I, who never directly learned anything during education time, am learning magic directly from the instructor. Is she worried about taking up my time?

Chloe carefully glances back and forth between the teacher and me… she’s so cute, now that I think about it.

“Don’t worry, I can teach you during free time. Let’s start right after education hours end.”

Education hours aren’t that long, and afterward there’s literally nothing to do, so using that time for teaching would be beneficial for both of us—I’d feel fulfilled, and Chloe would learn magic. A win-win situation.

“Ah, ahaha…”

“…Huh?”

Chloe was happy just a moment ago, but her response seems somewhat off.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well… actually…”

Chloe brought her lips close to my ear like a shy girl and began to speak.

“…I need to go to the orphanage.”

What is she talking about?

But I was mistaken.

Chloe wasn’t being shy—she was slightly afraid.

……….

“So, you’ve been donating all your maid salary to the orphanage?”

“Yes…”

Chloe is my personal maid, but that doesn’t mean she has to be by my side every hour of the day.

If I were to match the clock to my previous life, Chloe’s break times are from 3 to 5 PM and after 10 PM.

And it seems Chloe has been using her 3 PM break time to frequently visit the orphanage. Without telling me.

“…”

Though Chloe wandered around town alone without telling me, which could be dangerous, strangely, I’m not angry.

Rather than anger, I feel… yes, sadness.

I can somewhat understand what feelings Chloe, who was adopted into our family, might have had when visiting the orphanage.

“Chloe.”

“Yes…”

Chloe shrinks back excessively.

She seems to think she’s done something terribly wrong.

“Go ahead. You can learn magic later this evening.”

“…!”

“What’s wrong? Did you think I’d be angry over something like that?”

“Young… Master…”

Chloe’s eyes glisten with tears.

Ah, crying over something like this.

“But! It’s dangerous to go alone, so make sure to go with someone else. Actually, should I go with you?”

“No, I’ll ask the nice gentleman I’ve become friends with!”

“…”

That’s a clear rejection, hmph.

It’s a bit disappointing… but she seems embarrassed, so I’ll stop pressing the issue.

And so, Chloe and I spent our childhood together, learning new knowledge, occasionally attending parties as observers, and other such activities.

Nine years later, I had grown into a proper adult at 22, and Chloe had blossomed into such a beauty that anyone walking down the street would turn to look at her.

Her once short black hair now reached her shoulders, and her yellow eyes had become so beautiful that comparing them to gold would be an understatement.

Her somewhat innocent childhood appearance had matured into that of a sharp beauty, completed by the beauty mark below her left eye.

Is this what they call the finishing touch? The meaning is different, but the pronunciation is the same.

……….

“…Greetings, Brother—”

“Wait a moment. Hmm…”

After repeating the greeting ritual for nine years whenever we met, even siblings who disliked me couldn’t completely ignore me anymore and had started to acknowledge my greetings.

…I wish they had just kept ignoring me.

Even with my head bowed, I can tell.

This bastard is looking Chloe up and down with lecherous eyes.

“Alright, be on your way.”

“…Farewell, then.”

Whether or not he knows I’m cursing him inside, the third brother, that skinny runt, left with a satisfied smile.

“Chloe, are you okay?”

“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

Chloe’s awkward smile is very beautiful, but I can’t appreciate that beauty.

I’ve instinctively come to see her as a daughter, and more than anything, I feel guilty about leaving her in this castle crawling with men like him.

How easily could my mother, who was a maid, have been taken advantage of?

I don’t know about ladies-in-waiting, but maids are literally exposed to all kinds of dangers.

“If any of those guys try anything bad, tell me immediately.”

“Yes, of course.”

Chloe nods with a smile as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

To think she’s grown up to be so dependable… my heart swells with emotion.

But no matter how dependable she’s become, it would be wrong to leave her to handle things on her own.

“No, let’s just leave this place.”

“What… do you mean?”

“Ah, I heard people in my position usually receive money and become independent when they come of age. Since I’ve gotten too deeply involved, I probably can’t be completely independent and will have to keep working at the castle, but I could at least buy a separate house and commute to the castle.”

Normally, illegitimate children receive support funds and become independent when they come of age, but Duke Burgon seems to strongly dislike that idea and has been blocking my independence.

He wants me to get along well with my eldest brother, who will inherit the duchy, and assist him closely… but given our personality differences, it seems difficult to become close on a personal level, even if we maintain a professional relationship.

“…Yes!”

As soon as I finish speaking, Chloe immediately turns her face away and breaks into a bright smile.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Chloe’s full smile—she must be really happy about this.

Well, being a maid must be difficult.

“Great, then let’s go see the Duke right away.”

“Yes… hehe…”

She can’t even contain her laughter.

Chloe’s giggling tickles my ear as she stands beside me.

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve found you a fiancée.”

I couldn’t even bring up moving out.

As soon as I knocked and entered the office, the Duke happily began explaining about my engagement as if the timing couldn’t be better.

“I hate to say this, but… she’s a match far beyond what someone of Claude’s birth could hope for. She’s the granddaughter of Duke Laurel. You know of them, right?”

“Yes, yes…”

Unlike the independent Duchy of Burgon, the Duchy of Laurel is a vassal duchy belonging to the Holy Empire, and it shares a border with the Duchy of Burgon.

The Duchy of Burgon, which gained independence from the Kingdom of Caroling in the previous generation, must stand alone without the protection of a great power, making it essential to improve relations with neighboring lords to make the borders even slightly safer.

It’s no wonder the Duke is so pleased with this strategic marriage.

Of course, he also seems somewhat happy to have found a good match for me.

I knew I would have to marry someday, but I’m a bit taken aback by how suddenly my marriage partner has been decided… but putting that aside, how did he manage this?

Literally speaking, I’m an illegitimate child, and she’s the granddaughter of Duke Laurel. It might sound self-deprecating, but we’re not of the same rank.

“That young lady seems to have taken quite a liking to you.”

“…Is that so?”

“Of course, that’s not the only reason. They were also looking for an alliance.”

The Duke immediately addresses what I was curious about. I guess my expression gave it away.

“But her age is…”

“Eighteen? Isn’t that the perfect age?”

That’s not the perfect age at all.

She’s younger than Chloe.

“Ah, I was referring to the four-year age difference. The marriage can happen later. Unless you’re truly in love, a wife four years younger is generally most appropriate.”

“Ah, hahaha…”

I was needlessly startled.

I thought the Duke had some strange preferences.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Ah… well…”

With the engagement decided, there’s no way I can talk about moving out of the castle.

It’s unimaginable for a duke’s daughter-in-law to live in a commoner’s house.

From what I know of her personality, she might actually like it… but for nobles, appearances matter more than personal preferences.

I had no choice but to mumble some vague excuse about my purpose for coming and abandon the plan I had made with Chloe.

And throughout my conversation with the Duke, Chloe never once raised her head.

The next morning, the third brother’s body was found in the garden.