Chapter 20

Chapter 20

As Rayna was pulling out a memory she had forgotten for some time, Klaus spoke to her.

Because of that, the lingering image that had surfaced in her mind was disrupted.

“I will fulfill my obligations as a member of the Decarean family for the time being, but you have absolutely no need to do the same. I will speak to Father separately and explain everything to him. We had no choice but to stay here tonight, but tomorrow, let us return to the residence where you originally lived.”

“No, I can’t do that. I already made a promise to the Duke. I can’t break my word. I won’t return to the residence, either.”

Her voice was gentle but firm. Realizing that he could not persuade her, Klaus did not argue any further about the matter.

Instead, he told her about what she was probably most worried about right now.

“I will respect your wishes. But you must be worried about Vivi. I will make sure she is properly protected by the Decarean family so that she isn’t exposed to the outside world. No one will be able to hurt Vivi. Not her body, nor her heart.”

“Thank you for taking care of her. I can feel reassured if Decarean will look after her.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m Vivi’s father now, aren’t I? As her father, of course I should protect my daughter.

“Father……”

For a fleeting moment, Klaus noticed and did not miss the bitter smile that appeared and disappeared from Rayna’s face.

“If this title makes you uncomfortable……”

“No. Just as you are my husband now, you are also Vivi’s father. It’s simply unfamiliar because it’s something I had never imagined before.”

“…….”

“‘Stepfather’ and ‘father’ aren’t really different words, but it feels strangely unfamiliar.”

“Then should I emphasize to Vivi that I’m her stepfather?”

“No. I don’t think there’s any need to emphasize that you’re her stepfather. Vivi already follows you as though you were her father.”

Rayna, who seemed to be thinking of her daughter, suddenly let out a small laugh.

“……?”

“It’s quite strange, isn’t it? In front of you, Vivi acts like a child her age.”

“……Does she?”

At Klaus’s expression, which showed that he couldn’t relate to it at all, Rayna laughed even more.

“You may find it hard to believe, but she really is like that.”

“I see.”

“Vivi is a very mature child. I and my family worked very hard so that she wouldn’t feel the absence of a father. Both my father and Dietrich tried to do anything Vivi asked. But perhaps even their efforts couldn’t completely fill the absence of a father.”

“…….”

“When she was younger, she would sometimes ask about her father, but at some point, she stopped asking altogether. Perhaps she was even thinking about how difficult it would be for the adults…… There was never any need for her to do that.”

Rayna smiled bitterly.

“I noticed that Vivi had become noticeably more mature after Dietrich and then even my father met such an unfortunate end. But I never imagined that she would realize I was struggling and that such a little child would go looking for you by herself and even make such a request.”

“…….”

“I can’t tell you how much I regretted things that night when I first met you at that inn. I thought, ‘If only I were wiser and stronger, Vivi wouldn’t have been anxious.’”

“You are more than wise and strong enough even now.”

“Thank you.”

Rayna forced herself to put on a bright expression.

“Anyway, that Vivi acts like a child in front of you. Even today, she innocently marveled while eating steak and acted spoiled with me. Of course, you may have found her bothersome, but I was so happy.”

To be honest, Klaus couldn’t completely relate to what Rayna was saying.

Of course, when Vivi’s face turned bright red after hearing her stomach growl, or when her eyes became moist after eating the steak, she had been incredibly cute.

But when he saw how she had come to him alone and proposed a deal, or how she subtly used her cuteness to get what she wanted, he simply couldn’t believe that she was an eight-year-old child.

It was especially strange that she knew about Erwin.

How on earth had the child found that out?

She was definitely not an ordinary eight-year-old.

However, regardless of that, Klaus liked the adorable Vivi very much.

“She isn’t bothersome at all. I already care for Vivi very much, too.”

“Then I’m glad.”

“In any case, for that reason, I also plan to strengthen Vivi’s protection for the time being.”

At the unexpected words, Rayna’s eyes widened.

“Vivi’s protection? She already has a guard assigned to her.”

“I know. Was it Dean? I haven’t personally seen him handle a sword, but he seems quite skilled. He also appears to have been properly trained in swordsmanship. But that isn’t enough. Pascal Chepelt probably hasn’t given up yet.”

As Klaus continued speaking seriously, Rayna’s expression also became serious.

“Pascal Chepelt won’t be able to directly oppose Decarean. We have already received His Majesty’s approval for the marriage, and all that remains is to wait for the inheritance documents to be properly processed.”

“…….”

“In this situation, how could he possibly bring down Decarean? Those who have been helping him will also back down in front of Decarean. Therefore, realistically, there is only one way he can prevent your inheritance.”

“One?”

“Yes. Rayna, you change your mind.”

Rayna’s face instantly went pale.

“Are you saying that Pascal might threaten me using Vivi?”

“It’s not a matter of ‘might.’ Pascal is probably planning exactly that. Didn’t he already show such a strange attitude at the inn once?”

“That is true, but……”

Remembering Pascal’s actions after Viscount Arno’s funeral, she reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. He is no longer the Pascal I knew. I suppose I have to change my belief that he isn’t the kind of person who would do such a thing.”

“…….”

“I don’t know whether he had been hiding such intentions all along or whether the situation changed Pascal into this kind of person, but I think it would be better to prepare for it properly.”

Klaus did not bother adding, ‘He must have always been that kind of person,’ to the distressed Rayna.

“Originally, I was planning to assign Anastasia Kerner, the vice-guild leader of my guild, to her. Despite her appearance, she is a skilled swordswoman and would be more than capable of protecting Vivi.”

“Do you mean that woman, Ms. Kerner, who came to the residence several times?”

“Yes. But now that you will be coming to Decarean, I will assign a more capable knight to her. As it happens, I have someone suitable.”

“Thank you.”

“As I have said several times, there is absolutely no need to thank me for something I ought to do.”

“Still, thank you.”

Klaus swallowed dryly as he looked at Rayna, who whispered those words softly, and then spoke again.

“If you don’t mind me asking……”

“……?”

“What happened to Vivi’s biological father?”

“……Pardon?”

“I don’t mean anything improper by asking.”

Klaus quickly explained himself when he realized that Rayna, who had been like a gentle lamb until now, had become wary.

“It’s possible that Vivi’s biological father, or people from his family, might suddenly appear and claim parental rights over Vivi.”

“…….”

“Until now, it was fine to leave Vivi with Arno, but things will be different once you get married.”

“So you’re saying that they could claim they want to take Vivi even now, and we need to prepare in advance?”

“Well, yes, so to speak. We can’t let them take Vivi, can we? Though I wonder what family would dare take away a child of Decarean.”

Rayna gave a bitter smile.

“You don’t have to worry about that. There is absolutely no chance that family will ever come looking for Vivi. The same goes for him.”

Klaus silently listened to Rayna’s words.

“Vivi’s biological father suddenly died of an illness before Vivi was even born. His parents never once came looking for Vivi, saying that they couldn’t bring a child from a family of unsuitable status into their family. They didn’t acknowledge Vivi as his daughter. They probably don’t even know whether the child who was born was a girl or a boy.”

“If it’s a family whose status doesn’t match, which…….”

Rayna, who had at least been responding to his questions until then, now pressed her lips tightly shut.

“I’m sorry. I asked a sensitive question. I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“I’m not offended. It’s just a little sudden.”

“…….”

“Anyway, Vivi was born to Arno and raised by Arno. That’s how it will be from now on, too. They won’t come looking for Vivi just because I’m getting married. So you don’t have to worry about that.”

Rayna answered firmly, as though hurriedly trying to put an end to the subject.

“Well……”

Klaus merely moved his lips as he looked at Rayna, who had turned her back to him.