So, it’s a fair point, but… I couldn’t help but scoff when it was Evangeline who pointed it out. I did not hide my absurdity and replied.

“I’ll handle that myself. I don’t think it’s something you should be meddling with, sister.”

“What? You…!”

Evangeline was about to fire back at me.

“What is all this commotion?”

A deep, authoritative voice, hard to ignore, interjected.

Evangeline, who had paused, hastily composed her face and politely brought her hands together. I also straightened my posture and bowed my head in the direction from which the voice came.

“Your Majesty the King.”

Unexpectedly, Raniaro Ainstern, the king of Ainstern, appeared here.

…Perhaps he was just passing by. It would be highly unlikely for the king to personally visit to see his daughter, Gloria, whom he put out.

“Gloria, what brings you to the Ainstern palace?”

Look at this. He blatantly shows no interest whatsoever even when his daughter, who is married, came to visit after a long time.

The Ainstern royal family is outrageous, and Raniaro Ainstern, the patriarch, is the most outrageous. He was a man as beautiful as a statue carved out of gold, but he had a very cruel and ruthless nature.

He took in many concubines and concubines to give birth to numerous princes and princesses, wishing for them to fight for the throne.

Even if his children became dead or disabled in the fights, he didn’t care. Survival of the fittest, survival of the strongest, that was his greatest value in life, and it was the truth of the world.

A child who was pushed out of the fight and became useless had no value to him.

So, just like Gloria.

“Sister Evangeline invited me to her garden party. But I was just about to leave. It’s an infinite honor to see Your Majesty after a long time.”

The king stared at me, glanced at Evangeline beside me, and casually threw a word.

“You sometimes stir up unnecessary things, Evangeline.”

“…! I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Evangeline bowed deeply, apologizing with a tense expression.

No matter how much the princes and princesses fly around, they are nothing but children in front of the king.

That was also true for the two people who were standing far behind the king and staring at us.

Lewis and Belje. They were brothers born from the same womb, ranking first and third in line for the throne respectively.

Lewis ignored Gloria, and Belje disliked Gloria. But Gloria had tried to deal softly with them and accommodate their needs.

I’m not going to do such a foolish thing.

“Then go ahead, Gloria.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

In response to the king’s indifferent words, I bowed and got into the carriage with Rodri quickly.

The king seemed to have no interest in Rodri. He seemed to think he was just a demihuman slave.

‘Good. There’s nothing good about Rodri getting the king’s attention.’

It’s a relief that the king didn’t find out that he’s a race of demihumans. It doesn’t look like Evangeline is going to say anything either…

‘Evangeline… She doesn’t seem to be willing to give up on Rodri easily… It might get noisy again later.’

The carriage started moving in no time. The knights were escorting the carriage from both sides, and I stole a look at the back of the king through the window.

And then, when he suddenly turned his head, our eyes met.

Inside the carriage running through Wales, the capital of the Ainstern Kingdom.

I sat facing Rodri in an awkward atmosphere.

‘Why is he staring at me like that…’

It’s so burdensome that I feel like I’m going crazy. It seems like I have to bring up something.

The passage can be translated as follows:

Lost in thought, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Um, Rodri?”

“Yes, Master.”

Master, I was shocked and opened my mouth wide. Rodri had an expression of not understanding what the problem was.

This is driving me crazy. How long had he been a slave? Would I have to reteach him everything from basic manners?

“Rodri, you don’t have to call me ‘Master.’ Just call me ‘Duchess.'”

“I can’t do that. Since you own me, you are my master.”

I’m about to jump out of my skin. Please describe the feeling of being called ‘master’ by a boy who might be my future soninlaw (10 points).

Pressing my throbbing temples, I slightly furrowed my brows and said,

“Rodri, you’re not a slave anymore.”

“……?”

Rodri cocked his head as if he couldn’t understand. His appearance was, what should I say……. Like a curious kitten. Come to think of it, a tiger is an animal of the cat family. In a broad sense, this guy is also a cat.

“I did buy you, but it was to rescue you from those people.”

“To rescue…… me?”

I chuckled awkwardly and nodded. Even if he thinks my kindness is just selfsatisfaction or hypocrisy, I can’t help it. Until not long ago, I was Gloria, the evil woman who abused beastmen.

“From now on, I’m thinking of appointing you as my daughter’s escort. Ah! Not right away. First, you have to take a test to see if you can join the Knights. Once you join the Knights, you’ll have to train.”