“They are very obedient.”
Soon, more followers entered the meeting room.
Meanwhile, I sat still on the Duke's lap.
When they had questions about the church and the imperial family, I answered them.
After a while, the meeting ended.
The followers left one by one, but my grandfather stayed and approached me.
“Thank you for the informative story.”
“No, it's okay.”
*In a way, it helps me too.*
I had a lot of resentment toward the church.
When the true Child of Destiny appeared, they sacrificed me.
Besides, they couldn't excavate the orihalkon from the plateau.
“Ha, what a gift!”
Grandpa gave me candy.
I pulled my hand out of Duke Dobled's arms and took the candy.
Grandpa left the room with a big smile, saying, “Oh my god, this child is so nice!”
There were only two people left in the room: the Duke and me.
He suddenly looked at me and took the candy.
I was shocked, looking back and forth between the Duke and the candy several times.
I quickly felt very sad.
*My candy. My sweet.*
*You son of a bitch! You took a child's candy!*
Duke Dobled horribly peeled off the wrapper at once.
And then… “Open your mouth.”
*For me?*
*Do you really think I'll do that?*
*Do you understand how much you've offended me?*
As soon as I thought that, the Duke pressed my cheeks with both hands.
Because of the pressure, my mouth popped open, and he put the candy inside.
*How shameless.*
However, the dessert was delicious.
He squeezed my cheek again, which was plump from the candy.
“Do you want to return to the Imperial Capital?”
“No.”
“Why?”
*Why must I go back to the capital?*
*The Imperial family, the church, and the other dukes are all bad.*
*All of those people bothered me.*
However, I couldn't tell him why, so I told him, “Lenny likes the Duke.”
Because I actually liked the Duke.
Until now, the Dobled family was the only family that had not left me with sad memories.
They left me with very good memories.
The candy he gave me was delicious.
The blanket he gave me was warm.
Leah's lullaby was pleasant to listen to.
Duke Dobled was not as evil as I had heard.
Thinking of this, I looked at the Duke.
Did he just smile?
Then Leah came to pick me up.
“The little miss, the Master is ready,” Leah said while lowering her head.
The Duke lifted me up so Leah could carry me.
“Don't let them walk around being noisy.”
“Yes.”
*Why is this man, Duke Dobled, so cold?*
*He never smiles.*
I returned to the room, stood in front of the table, and played with blocks.
*Okay, one more and it will be the tenth floor.*
*One more.*
*Just one!*
The maids, who had seen me playing alone, were whispering.
“Is it true?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
When Leah nodded, the maids covered their mouths with their hands.
“Oh, my god.”
“Impossible.”
“Is it true?”
*Who is this anxious child they are talking about?*
*Who cares about me?*
I was surprised, and my blocks fell.
“Oh!”
Leah ran over quickly.
“It's okay, little miss.”
“I can put them back,” Leah said as she collected the fallen cubes and slowly placed them down.
“Please tell us more, Leah.”
“Is it true? What did he say?”
“Yes, tell us.”
Leah opened her mouth while building blocks for me.
“He ordered that the nights are dangerous, so we must take great care of the child.”
*Why did he think that?*
I was amazed and impressed by his positive thinking.
“So, is Allen adopting the child?”
“I hope so. It would be happy for the brothers to have a sibling.”
Ah, the three children of Dobled.
They had been popular since they were little.
They all showed off their good looks, martial arts skills, intellect, and great personalities.
I had never seen them before, but I had heard enough about their reputation.
They were also known for something else: “Brother's Mina.”
They were cold and indifferent to others like the Duke, but they were as sweet as honey to Mina.
It was a famous story that when Mina was kidnapped by another empire, they rushed in and crushed that place.
The eldest son was also famous for being entangled in a love story with the Crown Prince and Mina.
“But is it true?”
“Would a bad person adopt a child?”
“What?”
“As we learned, the man stabbed his predecessor late, and the Duke adopted the child before another one did.”
*This means that the Duke killed his father to take the title!*
“Linda!”
Leah screamed and struggled with the maid, sending the other employees away with a nod.
Then she gently took my hand and said, “It is not like that.”
“…”
“He is not bad. He is actually very nice!”
“…”
“He is not cold-blooded, despite what people say.”
“He loved his late wife and cared for her deeply.”
“When the Duchess was in labor, he rushed here, but it was too late.”
Leah's eyes were filled with sadness.
Was the Duchess pregnant with her fourth child?
I had never heard that before in my past life.
I suddenly felt sorry for the Duke.
*So I understand why the Duke is like this.*
*How could he live after losing the two people he loved most in a single breath?*
“I hope you aren't afraid of him.”
“Yes.”
Leah, who was carefully holding me, patted my back gently.
“You are really nice,” she said to me as I slowly closed my eyes, leaning my head on Leah's shoulder.
I didn't put my head on the pillow until midnight, struggling to contain my hunger.
*I'm so hungry!*
I racked my brain to remember what had happened, and it turned out I hadn't eaten dinner.
It seemed that Leah and the maids had put me to sleep without waking me up.
I thought I would wait until morning, but I couldn't handle the hunger.
*What did I eat today? After noon, just a dessert and a cup of juice.*
The only thing on my mind now was hunger.
In my second life, I remembered being trapped in a room every few days and left to starve.
In my third life, I remembered dying of hunger.
*I must find food and eat it.*
Eventually, I lost control and got out of bed.
I struggled and pushed open the huge door, stepping out into the hallway.
I braved my fear of the dark and went to the kitchen, but the door was locked.
*Oh my god.*
I walked around the palace again.
I walked for a long time before I found bread in a room.
It was cut in half as if someone had eaten it before, but I was satisfied with that.
I grabbed the bread in my arms and ran into the hall excitedly.
*I need to return to the room and eat—*
“Gasp!”
I hastily hid the bread behind my back.
Duke Dobled looked at me with cold eyes.
I was so afraid that my hands and feet were shaking.
At that moment, I remembered something Mina said in my past life.
“So, Jean Valjean was guilty of stealing bread, ah, what was it—Jean Valjean.”
Yes, I think that was his name.
How was Jean Valjean punished for stealing bread?
Yes, they executed him!
When Mina's bright voice came to mind, I turned pale.
“What are you doing here?”
“Did the Empress Dowager send you to spy on my family?”
I swallowed hard.
Duke Dobled was not someone I could deal with.
Unable to answer due to fear, Duke Dobled grumbled.
“Child of Destiny.”
“Yes…!”
“I hate people who lie, and I hate gullible people—especially those who pretend to be on my side.”
“I'll execute them all.”
I shuddered at the thought.
The Duke bent his knees slightly.
“What should I do with this little mouse?”
I fell over because of my nervousness.
“H, h, h… urgently!”
“What?”
“I have… weighed it down…”
*I stole it…*
“What?”
“Is it money?”
“Is it something holy?”
“…”
“Military secrets?”
“…”
The Duke's eyes were truly frightening, so I let out the words with a groan.
“Favorite…”
*Bread.*