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Brought ‌‌to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly ‌‌‌on our official site: valirscans.org ‌‌
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Chapter 7
'Who is this person...?'
The moment I saw the woman's face, I recognized her.
She bore an unmistakable resemblance to Sally.
"Young Miss has other engagements today." ‌‌‌‌
It was Margaret—Rachel's nanny and Sally's mother.
At her ‌‌‌words, Rachel's eager chatter came to an abrupt halt.
I alternated my gaze between Rachel and Margaret with ‌‌‌‌a measured expression.
'No matter how much it's for Rachel's protection, is it really acceptable to ‌‌silence her without even hearing her thoughts?'
From what I could ‌‌‌tell, Rachel's eyes ‌‌clearly showed she wanted to go outside.
I had never raised a child in ‌‌‌either my past life or this one, and I knew little about it.
Yet I was certain that Margaret's attitude was far from that of a proper guardian.
"Hmm, but we still have our tea time together, don't we? Couldn't she go out before that?"
I adopted the innocent expression of a child and began to subtly provoke Margaret's irritation.
After all, a person's true nature reveals itself not when they're smiling, but when they're angry.
"I mean that an outing today would be ‌‌difficult. Perhaps my words are hard for you to understand?"
"Then would it be alright if I received permission from the Duke first?"
Margaret's expression, which had maintained a facade of ‌‌kindness until now, twisted sharply.
What I had just said could be interpreted as:
'Your opinion doesn't matter anyway—all that's needed is the Duke's ‌‌‌approval, isn't it?'
In other words, a statement that disregarded her authority over Rachel's upbringing.
Of course, since I was merely a nine-year-old child, it would appear I meant no harm.
'But wouldn't that make her even more furious?'
The fact that even a nine-year-old child would dismiss her authority...
And as ‌‌‌‌I ‌predicted, Margaret abandoned her gentle nanny act and spoke in a cold voice.
"It seems you don't yet ‌‌‌‌understand—I am responsible for the Young Miss's entire education. My will is the Duke's will. Do ‌you comprehend now?"
Oh, treating me like an ignorant child.
But this body ‌‌‌‌now contains not merely a simple nine-year-old, but someone with memories from a past life.
'Hmph, I won't fall for such gaslighting. The ‌‌real problem, however, is...'
I observed Rachel's expression as she watched this unfold.
Rachel did not refute the nanny's words by saying she wanted to go out. ‌‌
The fact that she acquiesced to Margaret's words, regardless of her true feelings, meant the nanny held absolute authority over her.
'If I confront the nanny here, I'll only breed resentment in Rachel.'
At the very least, discovering that the nanny was not a good person was a significant gain.
'I should ‌‌‌‌withdraw for now.'
Just as I was about to defuse the situation...
"Tell me, have I ever prevented that child from going out?"
A shadow fell from the staircase above.
'...The Duke?!'
The Duke had appeared.
The governess's face turned ashen upon facing the Duke.
"Y-Your Grace! I was merely concerned about the young lady...." ‌‌‌‌
"If you're truly concerned, then simply assign additional guards."
The Duke spoke thus while glancing briefly at Rachel.
Rachel, meeting his gaze, stared back with wavering eyes for a moment before looking away.
'Now that I think about it, the original story mentioned that Rachel and the Duke didn't ‌‌get along.'
In the original narrative, Rachel had fallen to darkness and severed ties with his grandfather upon leaving the family.
'I thought they grew distant after his corruption, but it ‌‌‌seems their relationship was poor from childhood.'
As I observed Rachel's expression, I suddenly felt a gaze and turned around.
The Duke, having withdrawn his attention from Rachel, now looked down at me with those characteristically cold eyes.
I swallowed hard.
'Is this what they call overwhelming pressure?'
The Duke's towering height made his piercing gaze feel as though it was ‌‌boring directly into me.
I met the Duke's eyes without flinching, forcing an ‌‌innocent smile. Somehow, it felt necessary.
Like how one must never break eye contact when facing a predator.
After studying me for a moment, the Duke spoke. ‌‌
"If you wish to go, then go."
At his unexpectedly generous permission, not only I but Sally and the ‌governess widened their eyes in surprise.
"Of course, you must return before sunset."
The governess, who had been caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, belatedly offered a rebuttal.
"B-but ‌‌‌‌Your Grace. The young lady must attend her etiquette lesson in an hour."
It seemed to be her last desperate attempt to sabotage my plans.
"That ‌‌‌can be postponed until tomorrow without issue."
The Duke dismissed the governess's objection as though it ‌‌were trivial.
"Owen. Have the carriage prepared."
Moreover, he swiftly arranged for the carriage without hesitation.
Then he turned and walked away.
'Oh, so this is what power tastes like?'
Standing dumbfounded at this unexpected ‌‌‌windfall, I belatedly noticed the gazes of Sally and the governess.
Both of them were glaring at me as though they could kill.
Seeing their expressions, a ‌‌‌new plan ‌‌suddenly occurred to me.
'It seems both Sally and the governess are intent on driving ‌‌me out.'
Meanwhile, for reasons unknown, the Duke appears to regard me favorably.
'Why not try walking the tightrope this time?'
I smiled ‌‌wickedly and scurried after ‌the Duke.
"Your Grace!"
Instead of answering, the Duke turned his head and cast his ‌‌gaze upon me.
I bowed my head respectfully and greeted him properly.
"I wanted to pay my ‌‌‌‌respects, but you seemed busy, so I couldn't visit you."
"I recall we already exchanged ‌‌‌‌greetings in the Kitchen."
"But this is the first time I'm making a proper introduction as the young lady's playmate, isn't it?"
The Duke seemed to find merit in those words and regarded me quietly.
"You see, my father taught me that whenever I visit a friend's house for the first time, I must always introduce myself ‌‌‌properly—where I'm from and who I am."
"You were raised under a father of excellent character."
"So, about that..."
I seized the moment and asked with the innocent demeanor of a child.
"Could I have dinner ‌‌‌‌with you this evening?"
In simple terms, I was asking him to ‌‌‌‌buy me a meal.
Regardless of social standing, this was uncommon even among friends. Had I not been a child, it ‌‌‌would have been laughable.
Rachel looked at me with a bewildered expression.
The governess, who had been watching me with displeasure, pounced like a hunting dog and tore into me.
"I knew it was a mistake to let in a common child with no ‌‌‌upbringing... Your Grace, I shall―"
But ‌‌‌the governess's ‌‌‌‌attempt to drag me ‌‌‌away was cut short by the Duke's hearty laughter.
Then.
"Very well."
The permission I'd hoped for had been granted!
"There's no reason I cannot offer a meal to my granddaughter's friend."
Everyone in the room was astonished.
The Duke gazed at me intently before turning ‌‌away and adding,
"Owen, prepare dinner."
* * *
I thought I'd succeeded in getting Rachel to go out with me...
"I'm not going."
I had the Duke's permission, I'd driven away the meddling governess and Sally, and I thought all I had to do was leave. ‌‌‌‌‌
But the person in ‌‌‌question refused outright!
'But those eyes just now clearly wanted to go out?'
I gazed at Rachel with narrowed eyes, then suddenly recalled information from the original story and asked,
"Why? Why don't you want to?"
"I just don't."
"There must be a reason you don't want to go to the Village. If you tell me, I can solve it for you!"
As I pressed persistently, Rachel reluctantly sighed and replied,
"It's noisy and chaotic."
Hearing Rachel's answer, I was certain my suspicion was correct.
She claimed it was noisy and chaotic, but the truth was...
'She's ‌‌afraid of people's gazes.'
Afraid that the villagers might recognize her.
Afraid they might whisper that she's the child of a traitor.
'Perhaps even that cold demeanor is a defense mechanism to protect herself.'
Realizing this, I felt a pang ‌‌‌of sympathy ‌‌‌‌for our prickly princess.
"How could you possibly solve this? That's why I'm not―"
"I can resolve this!"
Desperate to prevent Rachel from turning away and leaving, I cried out urgently.
"Didn't I tell you? I promised I would handle it for you."
Rachel still regarded me ‌with skepticism, but I flashed him a confident smile.
"Just trust me."

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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