Chapter 7
Of course, there were objections.
“Even so, she’s still a daughter of House Hezest. They say blood is thicker than water. If we’re careless, we could end up paying dearly for it. I believe we should trust someone we know we can trust.”
Bogus’s words were not without reason.
For years, House Hezest had done everything in its power to undermine House Beredan. They had always aimed their arrows at Beredan.
After all, Hezest had long coveted the vast and fertile lands of the South.
“Besides, the southern social circles will never acknowledge someone from House Hezest. The Duchess might end up becoming a liability instead.”
That was how hostile the relationship between Beredan and Hezest truly was.
After a long silence, Cheres finally spoke.
“Then we’ll do this. Hurry and select a lady’s maid to attend Roana. Choose the most intelligent and perceptive young lady from one of our vassal families and place her by Roana’s side. She’ll remain close to her and observe everything.”
He paused before continuing.
“As for southern society…”
A cold light flashed in Cheres’s eyes.
No one understood better than he did that, while they pretended to respect him outwardly, they secretly looked down on him.
“Could things really get any worse than they already are? If Roana fails, then we’ll simply hit rock bottom. I’ll summon everyone involved and make them answer for it.”
He smiled coldly.
“I’ll handle it the way I always do.”
Cheres’s methods were no different from those used in the military.
He intended to crush any resistance from southern noble society with sheer force.
At present, it was the most practical solution.
Bogus reluctantly nodded.
Cheres gave a bitter smile.
“I don’t think you need to worry too much. It doesn’t appear she’s maintaining any contact with House Hezest.”
Mrs. Urein spoke as she recalled Roana’s oddly delighted expression after sending the Hezest servants away.
She still had no idea why those attendants from House Hezest had abandoned Roana so readily before leaving.
At last, Cheres reached a decision.
“Very well.”
“We’ll proceed through Roana.”
Of course, everything depended on whether Roana accepted his request.
If she refused, Hayden would remain without proper care for quite some time…
And Cheres might find himself making enemies of every noblewoman in southern society.
He remembered the very first thing he had told Roana when she arrived in the South.
Do nothing.
You don’t need to fulfill any of the rights or duties of a Duchess.
Now he was about to overturn those words completely.
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
How shameless of me.
* * *
“Your Grace, the Duke requests your presence.”
Why is Cheres calling for me?
Is it because I argued with the nanny yesterday?
He told me to stay quiet and not interfere, but I stepped in anyway.
My sense of justice must have gotten me into trouble.
I was supposed to stay invisible, like a ghost, until it was time to leave.
Now that the nanny’s been thrown out…
Is he going to throw me out too?
That would honestly be devastating.
I don’t even have anywhere else to go.
With a heart full of anxiety, I headed toward Cheres’s office.
Inside, Cheres was waiting alone, his expression unusually serious.
After swallowing nervously, I exchanged greetings with him and took a seat.
I clasped my hands tightly together.
Whenever I was sitting in front of the owner of the house, I shrank into the very picture of an ordinary commoner.
The confidence I’d shown yesterday had completely disappeared.
Please… just don’t kick me out!
“Roana.”
“Yes, Cheres.”
I hurriedly gave him my brightest smile.
A smiling face had to be better than a gloomy one.
…Or maybe not.
Should I be pretending to look remorseful instead?
“I called you here today because I have a favor to ask.”
A favor…!
He’s definitely asking me to leave…!
“I’d like you to look after Hayden for a while.”
Cheres let out an awkward sigh.
Even that troubled expression suited him perfectly.
No wonder Hayden grew up to become such an unbelievably handsome male lead.
Good genes really were inherited.
Wait…
He’s not asking me to leave?
He wants me to take care of Hayden?
My racing heart, pounding with fear only moments ago, now beat with excitement instead.
“Y-You want me to look after Hayden?”
“I know you’ve never raised a child before.”
“But after everything that’s happened, we’ve concluded it’s better to entrust Hayden to you than to anyone else.”
“Especially considering everything you’ve shown us so far.”
“I have looked after children before!”
This was the perfect opportunity to become someone indispensable to the ducal household.
If I became irreplaceable…
Even Cheres wouldn’t be able to throw me out so easily.
“You have?”
“When?”
“Ah… I-I mean, I’ve watched someone raise children.”
“I suppose that makes sense.”
“If I remember correctly, the eldest daughter of House Hezest has already given birth.”
Just as I was desperately trying to invent an excuse…
Cheres conveniently filled in the missing logic himself.
I see.
So Roana has nieces or nephews.
Come to think of it, the original novel’s Hezest children—who later became the male lead’s political rivals—would have been born around this time.
I quickly nodded, trying not to look awkward.
“My… um… my older sister was very devoted to raising her children.”
“She wanted to give my nieces and nephews the very best.”
“So I learned quite a lot simply by watching her.”
Since transmigrating into this world, I’d never even seen my supposed sister.
To be honest, I had no idea what kind of person she really was.
Besides, it was obvious Roana hadn’t been treated particularly well within House Hezest.
Could she even have been close to her sister?
Still…
There was no way Cheres knew what had actually happened inside House Hezest.
And besides…
He seemed to accept my explanation without suspicion.
“I suppose that’s only natural.”
“House Hezest has always wanted the very best of everything.”
His expression grew noticeably colder as he mentioned his enemies.
Even so…
At least he believed me.
“Then, would you be willing to care for Hayden for the time being?”
“Of course, the maids will assist you.”
“You can’t spend every waking hour looking after him.”
Honestly…
Even if he’d asked me to spend all day with Hayden, I would have agreed.
I’d already realized that quietly living like a ghost simply wasn’t compatible with my personality.
The fact that he trusted me enough to ask was already more than I could have hoped for.
“I can do it!”
“Please trust me!”
“…Thank you.”
“I’m grateful to hear you say that.”
“As compensation for helping with this matter, tell me if there’s anything you need.”
“You may purchase whatever you want.”
House Beredan really was incredibly generous…
I could just think of it as childcare pay, right?
“Thank you, Cheres.”
“I really mean it.”
* * *
In truth…
Cheres felt that he was the one who ought to be thanking Roana.
Caring for Hayden was hardly an easy responsibility, yet she had accepted without the slightest hesitation.
Looking at her bright, cheerful smile…
He knew she truly meant it.
“Perhaps it’s time to set aside your prejudice against the Duchess.”
Mrs. Urein’s advice resurfaced in his mind.
Prejudice…
Every member of House Hezest Cheres had ever met had been exactly the same.
He had seen their true nature most clearly when he traveled to the Imperial Palace to inherit the ducal title.
“Your Majesty, until recently he was nothing more than an inexperienced young man with no interest in administration. Please allow House Hezest to manage the Beredan territory instead. I can also secure the loyalty of its vassal families.”
“The new Duke has spent his entire life on the battlefield. He is unfamiliar with civil administration. If he cannot properly fulfill his duties, that too is a form of disloyalty, Your Majesty.”
Those people had insulted both his late elder brother—who had risked his life defending the Empire against monsters—and Cheres himself.
And all the while…
They coveted Beredan’s lands.
Even though House Hezest had absolutely no right to them.
House Beredan had been granted the vast southern territories because they had earned them.
It was House Beredan that had driven the monsters from the South and made an immeasurable contribution to the founding of the Ellenvest Empire.
It was Beredan that had slain the final monster on southern soil…
And Beredan that had built the great defensive walls afterward.
House Hezest hadn’t even existed in those days.
Moreover…
Hezest wouldn’t have possessed the strength to survive the annual Night Beyond that descended upon the South.
People with no qualifications whatsoever…
Driven only by greed.
And they dared claim he lacked ability?
From childhood, Cheres had received the exact same education as his elder brother.
He had already completed the education required of an heir.
After becoming Duke, he had thoroughly proven his own capabilities.
He was not some ignorant young fool.
And over the years…
He had also made House Hezest pay dearly for every scheme and underhanded trick they had ever attempted.
