As expected, Luke stood up, saying he’d rather go out himself.

“Be careful, or your neck might fly off if you pull any unnecessary tricks.”

It was quite a gruesome threat.

However, contrary to his words, the hand that rose from the bed to cover Bonita’s stomach with the blanket was extremely affectionate. He was truly a Duke who was warm only to his own people.

“Yes, yes. Don’t worry.”

Luke frowned at Aria, who didn’t look serious at all.

As if she had no interest in him whatsoever, she was slowly crawling into the blanket. Her blue eyes dripped with honey as she gazed at the sleeping Bonita.

Luke felt uneasy.

Just moments ago, he had been imagining a future with Elodie, himself, and Bonita together.

To him, it felt as if Aria had stolen Elodie’s place.

He also disliked how much Bonita seemed to prefer that woman.

But what could he do?

Although he would never regain the ideal family image he desired, he couldn’t suddenly tell Bonita to stop loving that woman.

The child is not his doll.

As she is clearly an individual who has lived her own life, he had no right to manipulate the child’s emotions.

Even if he were Bonita’s biological father, it would be the same.

Moreover, though he really hated to admit it.

If Aria had truly raised Bonita with love…

Separating them just because she didn’t meet his approval would be too cruel.

“Are you going to keep standing there?”

Oblivious to his thoughts, that damned woman spoke to him with innocent eyes.

Let’s see how long you can last.

Her tone was full of playfulness.

Seeing that expression, Luke inadvertently recalled a memory from the past.

“Luke, when are you going to get into bed? Are you that shy about sleeping together?”

“W-wait, Elodie…”

“Oh my. I can’t believe my husband is such a prude.”

Elodie, cutely grumbling, half-raised her body and tugged at Luke’s shirt hem.

It was a weak pull.

But unable to resist the temptation, Luke fell on top of her, his whole body flushed red.

Elodie smiled brightly.

“I love you, Luke.”

“Your Grace?”

The distant memory of the past overlapped with the present.

Unlike then, the one calling him now was not his wife whispering sweet love, but a woman who irritated him at every turn.

Luke rubbed his eyelids.

“Oh, are you really leaving?”

He no longer wanted to hear Aria’s voice. He silently left the room.

Standing alone in the corridor, he murmured desolately.

“…I miss you, Elodie.”

“Your Grace, a reply has come to the letter you sent to Viscount Delphinium.”

After lunch, while working in his office, the servant Edward came to him.

Luke hurriedly took the letter. It read as follows:

To my dear elder brother,

How have you been, brother?

It seems like it’s been a very long time since I last wrote to you after I went up north.

As you asked, I’m still doing well.

These days, Bentley seems to have matured a bit. I’m having him study estate management, and it seems he’s taken quite an interest in his studies, as his tutor praises him a lot.

And Morgan, for some reason, has suddenly been making a fuss about wanting to go to the Imperial Academy.

When I told him that only children of count families and above from the Kingdom of Aleph can enter the political science department, he cried and threw a tantrum. It broke my heart. My wife seemed quite disappointed too.

Oh, and about Bonita.

I can’t believe my niece is alive! It’s such unbelievable news!

I was so surprised when I first received the notification from the temple.

I’m a bit hurt that you didn’t tell me first, but I know you must have been busy with various things, so this understanding brother will forgive you. Ahem!

Anyway, when they heard the news, my wife and our sons were overjoyed to hear about having a new relative.

Among them, Bentley especially said he wanted to meet his cousin sister.

And as you’ve invited me to the Duke’s residence, I plan to bring Bentley along then.

I believe Bentley can be a good older brother to Bonita.

So tomorrow evening (which I suppose will be today by the time you receive this letter), I’ll visit the Lisianthus Duke’s residence by carriage.

P.S. Oh, and Mother has returned to the Duke’s residence now, hasn’t she? Even though I called her so many times and she didn’t come, I guess she really does feel more comfortable at her original home.

P.S. I’ve heard some strange rumors circulating in the capital recently about the Duke’s family… Are you aware of them?

Your one and only brother, Oliver

“Rumors?”

Luke, who had been reading Oliver’s letter with a relaxed expression, muttered quizzically.

He called for Edward.

“Edward. What kind of rumors have been circulating in the capital recently?”

“Rumors… you say?”

Edward made a subtle expression.

“If you ask like that, I can’t give you an accurate answer. As you know, the social circles of the capital are always full of all sorts of baseless rumors and gossip that change daily.”

“Among the rumors related to the Duke’s family.”

“Ah.”

Edward sighed.

“If it’s that, there are mainly two types.”

Luke nodded slightly.

It meant for him to continue speaking.

“One is the rumor that young lady Bonita is actually a genius.”

“Really?”

Luke’s eyes widened in surprise.

Of course, Bonita was cute, adorable, smart, and even kind, but he hadn’t expected such rumors to have already spread in social circles.

Meanwhile, Edward considered this to be just an exaggerated rumor about the newly appeared young lady of the Duke’s family.

He continued speaking calmly.

“It seems the rumor started from the ladies who attended the social gathering held at the Marquis Hyacinth’s residence. I haven’t heard the exact story, but it seems such rumors are spreading because the young lady is more mature and intelligent than her peers.”

While “genius” might be an exaggeration, it was true that Bonita was much more mature than her age.

‘I wonder if I should hire a higher-level teacher than I originally thought.’

What if she learns all the letters in just one day after being taught?

Then the fact that Bonita is cute, adorable, smart, lovable, and even kind would spread throughout the country.

It was an extremely doting father’s train of thought.

Edward would have been shocked if he knew, but fortunately, he didn’t have the ability to read his superior’s mind.

“The second is a rumor related to Miss Hilton.”

“…Miss Hilton?”

Luke’s fantasies, which had been inwardly grinning until just now, came to a halt.

He asked, somewhat stiffly.

“What kind of rumor could there be about Miss Hilton?”

“Well…”

Edward looked at Luke’s expression before opening his mouth.

‘Should I say it or not?’

As soon as Aria’s story came up, Luke’s expression had already become terrifying.

If he were to tell the real rumor here, it might cause an immediate uproar.

Luke was calm and sensible in most situations, but he lost his reason when it came to his deceased wife.

As if he became a completely different person.

It was truly perplexing to face such ardent love. It felt strange that his cool-headed superior could love and miss someone so much.

“Speak up.”

“…There’s a rumor that Your Grace is in a secret relationship with Miss Hilton.”

The Duke’s hand, which had been organizing the letter, stopped.

Creeak.

He slowly raised his head.

Ominous eyes flashed blood-red.

“Who… spread such a rumor?”

“As with all rumors… there’s no way to know the original source. If I had to guess, it probably started with the servants and maids in the mansion, but…”

Cold sweat poured down Edward’s back as he answered.

He had never seen Luke show such a disgusted look before. He even had the illusion that ominous black magical power was stretching out behind his back.

“Y-Your Grace?”

Edward’s voice trembled.

Luke now looked like the calm before a storm.

If anyone provoked him even slightly, it seemed he might explode with a bang.

‘At this rate, something terrible will really happen!’

Edward explained with a pale face.

“B-but it’s just gossip in social circles. As you know, even before Miss Hilton appeared, there were constant false rumors about this, weren’t there? This time too, it’s just that level of…”

“Get out.”

“Pardon?”

“I said get out, Edward Seren.”

The Duke called Edward’s full name in a tone dripping with chill.

He only called full names when he was truly excited, so Edward jumped up like a spring in shock.

“Y-yes! Understood!”

He quickly answered and disappeared, closing the door. His heart was pounding.

“Phew, phew. I’m alive—”

Just as he was about to sigh in relief.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

From inside the closed office came the sound of something being struck as if about to break down the wall.

The back of his neck felt chilly.

Edward grabbed the back of his neck with both hands and trembled.

“Do you understand, Bentley?”

Oliver earnestly implored his son sitting across from him.

“Smile nicely in front of that child. Don’t cause any trouble. I mean, make a good impression on your great-uncle.”

“Oh, I got it, Father. How many times have you been saying the same thing for the past few days?”

Bentley, Oliver’s eldest son, waved his hand as if annoyed.

“Got it? Are you sure you really understood properly?”

“Why are you worrying so much?”

Bentley asked, looking puzzled at his agitated father.

“Anyway, Father, you said that when the time comes, Great-uncle will naturally adopt me, didn’t you?”

“You foolish boy!”

Oliver shouted angrily.

“That was when there was no young lady of the Duke’s family, thinking that adopting you, a nephew, as the heir would be more likely than a complete stranger! Now that the young lady has suddenly returned, you’ll spend your whole life cooped up in that tiny countryside estate as a viscount. Do you even understand?”