Chapter 32
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Chapter 32
Claude, Amelia, Lucian, and the Duke of Bellomen seated themselves around a long dining table. Soon, the head chef's carefully prepared dishes adorned the table.
"Well then, let's all dig in."
The Duke smiled as the meal began.
The clink of silverware mingled with light conversation. While the Duke and Claude spoke, I turned my attention to the children.
"Amelia, would you like me to cut that into smaller pieces for you?"
"No, thank you. I can manage on my own."
"What about you, Lucian?"
"I can do it myself too."
Normally, he would have whined for me to feed him.
I was watching Lucian with quiet satisfaction as he conducted himself with such dignity in front of Amelia.
"By the way, Lucella."
I nearly dropped my fork.
The Duke's sudden address caught me so off-guard that I almost let it slip from my hand.
"Yes?"
I answered while concealing my surprise.
Not only had he invited me to breakfast, but now he was calling on me in front of everyone. What on earth was he about to say?
"I heard from Marquis Agris that you not only rescued him from being buried in the earth, but also went out of your way to find his niece, Amelia."
"Ah, yes."
"You volunteer at the Orphanage every day, and you even turned over the Orphanage Director and staff members who embezzled the relief funds to the Security Force?"
"That's correct."
"Well done."
"That's... pardon?"
I lifted my head abruptly at the praise that fell from the Duke's lips, having been answering mechanically until then.
Wait—what did he just say?
"Well done. You've accomplished something truly remarkable."
Yes, the Duke was praising me.
And in front of the servants and guests, no less.
"Th-thank you very much."
I bowed stiffly and even stumbled over my words. This was the first time the Duke had ever praised me in front of everyone.
No—this was the first time I'd received praise from the Duke at all.
"I'd like to give you a reward. Is there anything you'd like?"
"Pardon?"
Faced with this bewildering turn of events, I blinked repeatedly.
'Why is he suddenly doing something he's never done before?'
It was strange enough that he was bringing up the past to praise me, but now he wanted to give me a reward? Where was the pointed look he used to give me about how long I planned to stay?
I was about to decline the Duke's kindness out of discomfort.
'Wait a moment.'
A brilliant idea suddenly occurred to me.
'I can't waste this hard-won opportunity by being modest.'
It was none other than something for our Lucian.
"It would be impolite to refuse such sincerity, wouldn't it?"
I quickly changed my mind.
"Fine. What is it you want?"
"It's not an object, but rather something that requires the Duke's permission."
"Permission?"
"Yes."
I carefully opened my mouth toward the Duke, whose expression had grown puzzled.
"Would it be alright to invite the Orphanage children to the Bellomen Mansion?"
It was precisely about summoning Edwin to the Duke's Mansion.
I had been worried that the Duke might refuse to have the Orphanage children visit the mansion, but now such an opportunity had presented itself.
"The Orphanage children, you say...?"
"They're friends of Lucian and Amelia."
At my words, surprise flickered across the Duke's face. Claude and Amelia, seated across from me, wore equally wide eyes. They seemed astonished that I had requested such an unexpected compensation.
Regardless, I hastened to continue my words, fearing I might be refused.
"Lucian has recently made new friends. I thought it would be nice to invite them to the mansion and let them play together while they're close."
No parent would dislike their troublesome son making friends.
"And Amelia will find it difficult to see her friends once she returns to the Marquis's territory. I thought it would be good for her to see them a bit more."
I also made sure to subtly include Amelia as insurance against potential refusal. Even if Lucian were uncertain, as the niece of Marquis Agris, Amelia's friends would not be refused even if they were children of low status.
Of course, the Duke would likely be displeased about common orphans frequenting his home.
"Are you...requesting that as compensation?"
As expected, the Duke's expression was not pleasant. It was a bitter look, as though he had just tasted unsalted soup.
"Yes."
However, I did not retract my words.
It wasn't as though I had asked for gold or jewels. Besides, he had been the one to tell me to speak what I desired, so he ought to grant this much.
"There's nothing I can't do. Do as you wish."
At his unexpectedly swift permission, I found myself leaning forward without thinking.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then when should we set the date...?"
"Whenever you like. Call them when it's convenient."
What on earth has gotten into this man.
'Is my time coming?'
I bowed my head toward the Duke while suppressing my true thoughts, leaving behind the Duke's murmur of "He certainly asks for strange things," and nothing more.
* * *
"Shall I prepare tea?"
"No need."
The Duke of Bellomen dismissed his butler and entered the Study alone. Though considerable time had passed since he had vacated the room, the Duke's Study remained as immaculate as before.
Striding forward, the Duke seated himself at his desk and began examining the documents piled high upon it.
Though his retainers and Gillian had been filling the Duke's absence, this was merely a substitute. All matters required the Duke himself to bring them to conclusion.
A polite knock sounded just as I finished signing a few documents.
"Your Grace, may I enter?"
It was Gillian's voice.
"Come in."
With the Duke's permission granted, Gillian immediately opened the door and stepped into the Study, carrying a thick stack of documents in his arms.
"This is a report on the operational status of the orphanages within your Territory, sir."
Gillian offered a brief explanation as he set the documents on the desk. It was a task the Duke had entrusted to him before returning to the Territory.
Following the embezzlement incident at Büsnie Orphanage, the Duke had dispatched an audit team to investigate the operational conditions of orphanages throughout his Territory.
It wasn't that he cared about the children's living conditions. His direct involvement stemmed solely from a desire to verify that the Duke's household funds were being used properly.
"There are over ten orphanages that falsified their budgets alone. And there are quite a few that were caught engaging in misconduct."
"How dare they commit such improprieties within my Territory. They certainly have nerve."
"Indeed, sir. It seems Miss Rilprey has accomplished quite a remarkable feat."
At Gillian's subtle praise of Lucella, the Duke's lips pressed shut.
Gillian was right. Had it not been for Lucella, he would never have known that the budget was being squandered.
'And yet all she asks for is something so modest.'
The Duke of Bellomen recalled Lucella from the breakfast table earlier, speaking of what she desired.
Her wish had been so trivial—merely inviting the orphanage children to visit.
Not only had she uncovered the embezzlement case, but she had also incurred a debt to Marquis Agris. He could have reasonably demanded something far more substantial.
Yet her request was far too small and insignificant. He felt almost embarrassed at having prepared to open the Duke's household treasury.
'I knew she had integrity, but she's far less greedy than I expected.'
Since the Duchess—her sister—had passed away, Lucella had spent her entire time at the Duke's Mansion watching his moods carefully. She understood that remaining in the Duke's home, where she was essentially a stranger, was a shameless thing to do.
Yet she hadn't attempted to leave on her own. With her family's estate stolen by her uncle, there was nowhere for her to return to.
So Lucella had deliberately closed her ears instead. Rather than acknowledge the criticism directed at her, she focused her attention on Lucian.
It was the only thing she could do while living in the Duke's Mansion.
Perhaps because of this, the Duke of Bellomen had come to view Lucella as a woman of integrity but with somewhat thick skin.
However, after this morning's breakfast, the Duke's assessment of Lucella had shifted slightly.
From somewhat shameless to surprisingly humble.
"Ahem, Your Grace?"
Gillian's call pulled the Duke of Bellomen back from his reverie.
He glanced at the list of embezzlers filling the white page before summoning his butler.
"Double Lucella's allocated budget. Make it twice what it currently is."
* * *
"Good morning, Miss Lucella."
"Oh... yes."
I awkwardly nodded in response to the Duke's household servants bowing respectfully before me. I simply couldn't adapt to their suddenly changed demeanor.
Within the Duke's Mansion, only Riley and Grace, Lucian's Nanny, had shown me courtesy before.
The other servants had merely regarded me as someone of higher station, never treating me with particular deference. I was, after all, a freeloader living off the Duke's charity.
My pride was wounded, but I couldn't protest. Their master was the Duke of Bellomen, not me.
'But their attitude changed in just one day?'
I tilted my head, sensing the subtly transformed atmosphere.
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