Chapter 20

Late, I’m late.

Count Huyato moved quickly to attend the regularly held meeting of the Ruventain Grand Ducal House’s retainers.

He had been guarding the seal stones at the northernmost front of the Ruventain territory. Because he held such a grave duty, he often missed these meetings.

But this time, there was a reason he had resolved to attend no matter what.

Even as he hurried along, his eyes were busy examining every corner of the castle.

‘They say she is so adorable.’

In case he might catch a glimpse of ‘that child’ rumored to have been personally brought back by the Ruventain Grand Duke.

Had they said she was lovely like a golden-haired angel blowing the trumpet of victory? Had they said her soft white cheeks were plump like they held a giant candy?

But in the end, the encounter did not happen, and he arrived at the office.

With a regretful sigh, he opened the great door, and what met him was:

“Lili isn’t here!”

A golden-haired angel sitting on the lord’s lap, clinging to his collar and hanging on for dear life.

What was even more baffling was that everyone in the office was looking only at the documents summarizing the agenda, as if this were entirely normal.

“You’ve come, Huyato.”

“Ah, Your Grace, shining like a vow beneath the moonlight—”

“Lili!”

Before Count Huyato could even finish his greeting, Ailien, who had flopped over, kicked the Ruventain Grand Duke’s chest with her small feet.

“Oh dear. The fuss is endless.”

“There’s nothing she hasn’t tried.”

Even as he said that, the Ruventain Grand Duke held her waist tightly in case Ailien might tumble backward.

Count Huyato, who had been staring blankly at the scene, was able to find a seat thanks to Baron Kirein gesturing to him.

“We were told it was time to begin work, I believe.”

“Hey, is work important right now?”

“Far more important than listening to your stubbornness, I’d wager.”

“Huh?”

Ailien’s soft lips parted slightly.

“But listen!”

However, Ailien was no easy opponent.

“Fine, if you have something to say, say it quickly and leave.”

“Give Lili one too!”

“Didn’t Kaius teach you rhetoric? To persuade someone logically, you should learn not to omit the object.”

“Lili wants a self too.”

“What?”

Before Ailien’s words had even finished, Calisto’s face hardened coldly. The flying squirrel that always accompanied her chirped as if wanting to add something. It was a pity he could not understand, though in truth, the fact that he could not understand her words was no different from Lili.

“Why do you need a self?”

“Because I don’t have one anyway?”

“The little one means she wants a title.”

Just then, Ailien’s maid, who had approached without a sound, spoke indifferently. He had wondered where she had gone. Among this trio, she was the one who could at least communicate.

Calisto looked into those seemingly emotionless yellow eyes and felt relieved for some reason, then furrowed his brow.

“You want a title?”

“Now you understand.”

“You should say, ‘Now you understand.'”

“Now you understand.”

“And a title is not something that can be given easily.”

“Ugh, you don’t understand.”

Ailien pouted her pale pink lips. Her white cheeks puffed out, and if pressed, they seemed like sweet cream would ooze out.

“But Lili wants one, though?”

“It is not something just anyone can have.”

“But I’m Lili, you know? And dogs and cows all have them.”

Ahem.

When Ailien pointed with her thumb toward where the retainers were gathered, awkward coughs burst out here and there. Honestly, it was not wrong. After the Human-Demon War, titles had been handed out recklessly to boost morale.

“At the very least, those here are not at the level to hear such words.”

“Lili is here too, though?”

There was no winning with words. The Ruventain Grand Duke raised a large hand and wiped from his forehead down to his eyes. He had to send this one out and start the meeting somehow, but as always, she showed no intention of leaving until she got what she wanted.

Sometimes he wanted to look inside that little head. It was not as if he had never raised a child, yet nothing was ever easy. Even his only son, Kaius, had been quite peculiar enough, but somehow this cream bun was a step above in everything.

“It doesn’t make sense that only you don’t have one. Kaius doesn’t have one either.”

“Kai is going to get the sword thing later, isn’t he? And they said the Kingdom of Deladium is desperate to give Kai something too?”

“How do you know that?”

“Anyway, give Lili one too. Lili can’t live like this.”

Sometimes he was confused whether Ailien’s vocabulary was lacking or abundant. She knew adverbs like “in addition” and words like “anyway,” yet he could not fathom why she used “can’t live like this” the way she did.

Meanwhile, she clasped her small hands together in a pleading gesture, which was both cute and headache-inducing.

“Please, just give it a rest, Ailien…….”

Calisto, who had unconsciously let out something like a sigh, regretted it slightly. In case the child’s feelings were hurt, he quickly examined her face.

But contrary to his worry, Ailien’s eyes were sparkling.

“Rest?”

“Lili, what I meant was—”

“Is Ailien a rest?”

Ailien raised her short arms high. Then, with a look of overwhelming joy, she covered her mouth as if to keep the cream inside her cheeks from spilling out.

“Lili has two titles!”

“What?”

“Super duper high!”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Though the responsibility is heavy, if it’s the sword’s request, Lili will try…….”

Ailien’s expression as she said this even looked solemn.

With a heave, Ailien climbed down from Calisto’s lap and dashed out.

He caught a glimpse of her shouting, “Lili has two titles!” She seemed to be bragging to Kaius outside.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

Calisto rose from his seat and followed after her.

“Tch.”

An unpleasant, cold splintering sound broke the silence.

As expected, it was Baron Molton.

“She is as headstrong as ever. With no roots, you could scrub your eyes and still find no manners.”

“His Grace is simply tolerating her out of generosity, that’s all.”

Led by Baron Molton, the traditionalist retainers added a word each as if they had been waiting. Since the plan to expel Ailien had fallen through, the rift between the two factions had deepened beyond control. Baron Molton, in particular, feeling the gaze of the new faction, sneered openly.

“That little brat does say the right thing sometimes. That dogs and cows all have titles.”

It was a blatant insult aimed squarely at the new faction. In an instant, the air in the reception room froze. The eyes of the new faction knights, who had been rifling through documents or drinking tea with calm expressions, sank.

The one who felt the insult most keenly was Count Huyato. He was a commoner who had been knighted, then rose to the rank of count in recognition of his merits carved across the hellish battlefields of the Human-Demon War. Even after the war, he had been the shield of the empire, guarding the seal stones everyone else avoided.

He was fundamentally different from those who wagged their tongues in comfort simply because they had inherited a family name. The moment the honor he had seized across the line of death was toyed with by their light tongues, thick tendons rose on the back of Huyato’s rough hand.

But he had to endure.

No matter how despicable they were, they were useful to his lord.

Just then, Baron Kirein subtly leaned toward him and whispered in a low voice.

“In my opinion.”

“Yes?”

“I believe Lady Ailien may be the successor of Lady Zeronias.”

“What?”

That little brat, the successor of the great archmage Zeronias who led the war?

Count Huyato was so startled that he raised his voice, and everyone’s eyes turned to him.

“I apologize.”

“How can you raise your voice like that, Baron?”

“But for such a small child to be Lady Zeronias’s successor……. Does that make any sense?”

“You must have heard the rumors. That Lady Ailien can handle magical beasts.”

Wasn’t that just a child’s childishness?

Count Huyato tilted his head and expressed doubt, but Baron Kirein was adamant.

“Count Huyato, it seems you do not know what kind of person the little one is.”

“…….”

“Last time, the little one said she wished to treat us personally, so she picked wildflowers and brewed tea for us.”

Wasn’t she just wanting to play house?

And you actually drank it?

Count Huyato’s expression twisted subtly.

“But the moment we drank that tea, strength surged through our bodies and energy filled us!”

“What?”

“It turned out those wildflowers were medicinal herbs that eliminate demonic energy.”

“No…….”

Come to think of it, Baron Kirein did look well.

He had been suffering from headaches as an aftereffect.

“In fact, the little one may possess tremendous power.”

Count Huyato found Baron Kirein quite unfamiliar. Why had such a rational and cool-headed man suddenly changed like this?

Before he could speak, Calisto returned.

“Let us begin the meeting. The agenda we have gathered for today concerns the imperial decree.”