The maids who had been watching me curiously as I stopped my eager toddling steps quietly spoke up.

“Is something the matter, Lady Sien?”

They must have clearly seen me stop walking and the maids becoming restless. But the voices I heard in my ears did not cease. Rather, those kids kept their mouths wide open as if telling me to keep listening.

“They say you’ll be kicked out soon anyway. Then your head will be chopped right off, right?”

“That’s right. Good riddance!”

“Our family doesn’t need such weak and evil ones!”

I gritted my teeth.

‘Why are they so hostile? Didn’t Dad and I just… get exiled? What does it mean to be of evil blood?’

Questions swirled in my head.

Whether their words were true or just rumors, I couldn’t know, but one thing was certain in this situation.

Those guys had insulted me and my dad.

‘Should I endure this insult for Dad’s sake?’

I pondered for a moment, but soon shook my head firmly inside.

‘No. If I stay quiet, our precious Dad will hear more of these words. I need to show them that I’m the crazy one in this area so they won’t dare make a peep!’

Those guys are clearly the type who are weak to the strong and strong to the weak.

If I let such petty insults slide, even bigger insults will come next. Even a 10-year-old kid would try to insult our Dad too.

‘Dad sheds tears just seeing me hurt my hand picking fruit, he’d definitely cry his eyes out hearing such bad words.’

That thought made my fists clench.

‘I need to shut their mouths to some extent without causing harm to Dad.’

Although I can’t stop the bad adults’ words right now, I could definitely shut the mouths of kids like that.

I turned my head towards them. Malicious, sneering gazes were looking at me.

“Were you talking about me?”

“Yeah.”

I thought they wouldn’t admit it, but they were surprisingly forthright. I guess our Dad’s reputation for being too kind must have spread. The fact that our residence is in the northern tower probably plays a part too.

‘They’ve already turned against me. If I endure, I’ll just look even more of a pushover.’

I couldn’t cause a big commotion within the family.

‘Alright, I’ve thought of a roundabout and decent method!’

Of course, I had no intention of clumsily bursting into tears or using profanity.

I blinked my eyes as I looked at them.

“Say that again. What you said earlier. Who’s the one with evil blood?”

I asked the short-haired child who seemed to be the leader of the group. That child answered immediately, as if bouncing like a ball, as if prepared with an answer.

“It means exactly what it says. That you’re of evil blood! Get those cursed eyes away! You witch of the tower!”

I crossed my arms and glared at them.

I’m not sure exactly what it means to be of evil blood.

But alright, let’s try some leading questions.

Witch of the tower?

Of evil blood?

There’s clearly a big problem with what they’re saying.

I tilted my head and said to them.

“Ah, I see now. You guys are really bad, huh?”

“What’s bad about us?”

“You’re bad, but hearing it from you makes me feel bad?”

They were emboldened by being called bad.

‘That shouldn’t be the case though…?’

I decided to use the technique of distorting the conversation while laughing, “Hoot.”

“Phew. The tower is where my grandma told me to go live, right?”

“That’s right, you were kicked out!”

“I wasn’t kicked out, though? So you’re saying my grandma is such a bad person? Bad enough to just kick out her granddaughter like me?”

At the mention of grandmother, the children rolled their eyes.

No matter how you look at it, even to them, the person called ‘Duchess Lucella’ must be frightening. Though she has no real power now, she was once the ruler of the top tower.

When I brought up grandmother, they shrank rapidly like deflated balloons. But I had no intention of stopping here.

“And you guys called me of evil blood, right?”

“Th-That’s right. You of evil blood!”

“If you’re saying bad things about my grandma to that extent, you’re also saying my grandma is evil when you talk about evil, right?”

“Wh-What are you saying!”

I glanced around.

The Duchess still retained some weak authority within this mansion, at least. The reason is that in a situation where there is no heir to the family yet, Duchess Lucella is in charge of a certain part of the mansion’s interior.

Especially on the maids’ side.

Perhaps that’s why. The maids who had no interest in me being insulted were now all looking at this place with an overbearing attitude.

To add a bit of exaggeration, it meant that all the servants and maids in the garden were watching this situation.

I deliberately shouted in a very loud voice.

“I like my grandma the best in the world! You guys are really mean!”

Flattery like seasoning is essential to survive.

I stared at the child who seemed to be the leader of the group. The panting expression was worth seeing.

“We’re not talking about the Duchess, that person!”

Their faces turned bright red.

You lose when you get flustered, originally.

“Then? Who are you talking about?”

It might sound like a question, but it wasn’t meant to assume an answer.

I shouted in the most annoying voice a child could muster.

“I heard it all. Poor grandma. She’s such a good person. Bad people shouldn’t insult her! Don’t call my grandma evil! Don’t call me of evil blood! You dummy!”

If there had been adults around these children to restrain them, they would have pointed out the errors in my words.

However, at the point where I had already mentioned the ‘Duchess’, no adult present could intervene in this conversation.

I decided to drive in the final nail.

“Unni. Didn’t you say grandma oversees all my schedules during education?”

I looked at the maid beside me with triangular eyes.

“Yes?”

“Hmm?”

“Ah, yes.”

The maid who couldn’t find the meaning in my words tilted her head.

“Then we should report this too, right?”

“Ah! Yes, that’s right.”

“No, you shouldn’t say anything.”

I deliberately shouted in a very loud voice.

So that all the people in the garden over there could hear.

“What? Why not?”

“I’m worried that our grandma might get hurt.”

The maids exchanged meaningful glances with each other.

I put my index finger on my lips and made a shushing sound.

“Our secret, okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

I’m not sure if the northern tower maids will report to the Duchess or not. They were already slaves to the palm fruit I had handed over.

But the maids distributed in the garden are different.

Those who become the eyes and ears of the Duchess will surely report this incident to her in depth.

When I said that, perhaps believing they wouldn’t be harmed, the children raised their chins and shouted shamelessly.

“Hmph! Looks like you know to be scared? You slave of the tower!”

“Yeah, if I’m a slave of the tower, you’re a fool who can’t see an inch ahead!”

I smiled brightly at the small child and poked the maid again.

The surprised maid carefully looked down at the top of my head.

“By the way, I wonder why they’re allowed to talk like that?”

“Yes?”

I smiled brightly and delivered a punchline.

“It’s all because their parents taught them wrong.”

But it’s the truth, and they threw the first punch!

‘May you be dragged to the Duchess for the crime of misusing your mouths!’

Those children will be safe. It’s just that the parents of those children will incur the wrath of Duchess Lucella. The dice had already been cast, so I decided to just watch the show and eat the rice cakes.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how they’ll grow up later. Bad guys. But this is all a secret, okay?”

I glanced around at the surrounding maids and servants.

If there’s one way to make certain news spread far and wide, it’s to declare ‘It’s a secret’.

The moment it becomes a secret, that news flies off like it has wings.

I was certain.

That all of this would be reported to the Duchess within 5 minutes.

Already, a noticeable blue-haired servant had quickly departed towards the west of the garden.

I entered the mansion while giggling inside.

People who say bad things should be punished just that much.

I never tolerate it.

There’s an old saying, right? If you endure three times, you’re a pushover!

‘But what does it really mean to be of evil blood?’

I felt the need to properly investigate this matter.

***

At that time, there was one gaze watching Sien from afar.

That gaze quietly watched her footsteps disappearing into the distance and then vanished in another direction.

The lingering gaze disappeared, but the person remained.

The protagonist of that subtle gaze was none other than Leonhart Mirmod, the boy who would be taking successor lessons with Sien in a few minutes.

A few minutes after seeing Sien in the garden, about several tens of minutes had passed.

The masked boy Leonhart finally entered the successor education room.

Within his sight were a large room, two desks placed prominently in the center, and one chestnut-sized little child.

Taking lessons alone with such a tiny child.

Some might consider it an insult to their pride.

Especially since he had already been recognized to some extent for his prodigious abilities, it could have been a problem where he might throw a fit, asking if they were looking down on him for being an adopted son.

But Leonhart was different. The boy had a personality that wasn’t bound by age, whether older or younger. And thanks to having observed Sien’s exploits earlier, he was even in a somewhat elevated state.

Even if someone might see him as expressionless and blunt.

‘I thought it would be boring, but it might be better than expected.’

– That’s about the level of impression he had.

Leonhart was originally not very talkative.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say he had no desire to engage in conversation with anyone.

It was thanks to the fact that no one was particularly interested in him, and he wasn’t interested in others either.

But Sien was a bit different.

Even Leonhart, who wasn’t well-informed about rumors, knew about Sien and her father, Grand Duke Matthias.

‘So that chestnut is the famous…’

As he approached the desk, he carefully observed things like the baby’s wheat-like hair and the overflowing cheek fat visible even from behind.

‘…the child who’s supposed to die by Grand Duke Matthias’ hand?’

It was quite interesting to encounter someone a few years younger than himself after a long time.

She was a bold child, as if living her second life.

And, probably the daughter of Grand Duke Matthias.

Of course, Grand Duke Matthias was an extremely dangerous person, so it was clear that he would immediately discard even his own daughter if he judged her to be worthless.

What was it like when Grand Duke Matthias was in the midst of his successor education? Those who stood against him, and those who betrayed him, were torn to death.

In fact, such things were commonplace within the family. However, Grand Duke Matthias showed even more cruelty. He mercilessly slaughtered even those on his side who seemed weak at first glance.

And the little child, Sien, who somehow might have survived until now.

She seemed to know how to use her wits quite well, but was weak no matter how you looked at her.

‘This child Sien, it’s a shame she’ll die early.’

But it was time to wrap up the impressions. Leonhart, still with a stiff expression, took the seat next to the baby.

‘Shall I test her a bit?’

He thought of prodding the little one as if poking a sweet persimmon. He rested his chin on his hand, looked towards Sien, and casually threw out a word.

Let’s start with what I already know.

“Chestnut. What’s your name?”

The child called ‘chestnut’ opened her mouth towards him with a prim expression.

“I’m not a chestnut, I’m Sien.”

As the little one opened her mouth quite boldly, her pigtails, probably tied crookedly by those weird maids, swayed and shook.

“Sien. Sien Mirmod?”

“Mmm.”

Sien turned her head again. She had quickly lost interest in him.

It seemed that no part of Leonhart could pique Sien’s curiosity.

That fact amused Leonhart, and he smiled slightly.

‘A young child who’s not curious about my mask. Well, she is the daughter of Matthias-nim.’

He expected that would naturally be the case for the daughter of ‘that’ Grand Duke Matthias.

Probably this child had never been allowed to be curious about anything in her life.

‘Surely Grand Duke Matthias must have abused this child.’

It’s entirely possible for that Grand Duke Matthias.

The boy had eavesdropped on a few family secrets while being adopted into the Mirmod family. Among those secrets was the reason why ‘Grand Duke Matthias’ was exiled.

The adjectives ‘barbaric and vicious’ always followed before his name. It was natural. There’s no way such a barbaric and vicious person would have raised his own daughter properly.

Leonhart quietly opened his mouth.

“So you’re the daughter of ‘that’ Matthias-nim.”

To think this tiny little one is the daughter of ‘that’ cruel and terrifying demon, Matthias Mirmod.

I thought she’d be some kind of monster, but she’s as lovable as a tiny bird…

…well, not really.

Leonhart looked at Sien while making a bit of effort to maintain his blunt expression.

“Mmm.”

Sien yawned again. She seemed to dislike talking more.

But Leonhart was different. He was curious about what kind of life Sien had lived. Whether she had lived hiding in someone’s shadow like himself. While being tormented by Matthias…

“…Indeed. There’s never been anyone like Grand Duke Matthias in the family’s history.”

Sien stared at him intently as it seemed the talk about Grand Duke Matthias would continue. Her eyes finally sparkled brightly, as if it was a topic of interest.

It was only natural for Sien to react like that. Even Leonhart himself would have his eyes flash when recalling those who had abused him.

‘Yes, you must know well about your father’s cruel and heartless nature too, Sien Mirmod.’

There were many people who committed evil acts as nonchalantly as Matthias. However, there was no one with such overwhelming power, such elegant beauty, and such cruelty.

No one who disappeared as if dead and then returned again.

No one with such an overwhelming presence that dominated others even when standing still.

Leonhart was curious about Matthias and curious about how Sien would answer.

“Mmm. Of course there wouldn’t have been.”

Seeing Sien nod her head, Leonhart calmly observed her expression. A subtle blush arose on her cheeks like soft rice cakes.

Leonhart, who was clumsy with emotions, only knew one reason why people’s faces turn red.

It was fear.

‘As I suspected. Sien fears Matthias. It seems Matthias shows no mercy even to his own child.’

He had naturally expected that Matthias would have oppressed Sien. However, seeing the young child’s face turn red and on the verge of tears, an unpredictable sense of displeasure arose in his heart.

No matter what, how could anyone torment such a small, rice-cake-like child?

While thinking that, despite being a child himself, Leonhart calmly spoke his next words.

“Then I suppose you also know that you don’t know when you’ll die.”

One never knows when Grand Duke Matthias might kill Sien. Considering his usual temperament, Sien’s death was merely a matter of time.

Does Sien also know this obvious fact?

Surprisingly, Sien nodded.

But her face didn’t show despair.

“That’s right. But I absolutely won’t die. I’ll live.”

Leonhart momentarily froze as he read the astonishing determination to survive on the little one’s face.

Such spirit and resolve, not intimidated even by ‘that’ Grand Duke Matthias.

Is that why this young child managed to avoid being killed by Grand Duke Matthias and even entered the Duke’s household?

Thinking this chestnut was interesting in many ways, Leonhart continued speaking.

“Right. Live on.”

Sien nodded her head repeatedly.

Leonhart looked down at the tiny chestnut and nodded once more.

This chestnut is quite impressive.

The chestnut, Sien, bathed in sunlight, tightly closed her eyes and sneezed lightly.

“Achoo.”

What’s this?

She’s even cute.

Sien glanced at him and whispered.

“Phew, stop looking at me.”

Leonhart tilted his head.

“Why?”

“Because it seems the teacher is coming.”

Indeed, rapid footsteps could be heard approaching from outside.

He smiled slightly as he looked down at the chestnut-sized little one.

Strangely, he kept wanting to see that soft face. Perhaps because those cheeks reminded him of the slime he used to play with years ago.