The ring the woman brought the day before was fake. Philen had personally verified it.

When creating a ring with a family’s seal, it is made only with pure gold. However, as soon as the ring the woman brought was dipped in the reagent, its color immediately changed.

But today, the task Cailius ordered after bringing the child was to spread a story that was the complete opposite of the truth.

“I don’t see what the problem is.”

Cailius pressed his wrinkled brow and continued.

“The child was much thinner than others her age, whether the woman was her birth mother or not, she didn’t take proper care of the child. There were signs of abuse on the child’s arms and neck. Isn’t this a good opportunity for such a child?”

“Hearing those words alone, it sounds like you brought the child out of concern for her, my lord.”

Philen shrugged and continued.

“If it was simply such a case, you could have just arranged for the child to be entrusted to an orphanage. I know best that you wouldn’t adopt an unknown orphan into the family for that reason alone.”

Cailius put down the documents he was holding. After a brief silence, Cailius was the first to speak.

“The child was needed for the family, and her hair happened to be black too.”

At that answer, Philen’s brow gradually narrowed as if he was thinking of something. A moment later, Philen realized what he had been missing.

“Is this because of what the vassals recently demanded?”

Philen had already gone on a business trip and attended a regular meeting on behalf of Cailius some time ago.

At that time, Philen recalled one agenda item that had come up ad nauseam at the meeting.

‘The vassals seem to have a lot of complaints. About appointing Clemens as the successor.’

It had been the most troublesome problem as of late.

More than half of the vassals serving the ducal family did not currently accept Clemens as the next duke.

The reason was simple. They could not acknowledge an adopted child without the family’s blood as the successor to the ducal family.

And what they were demanding was ridiculously absurd.

[As such, we, the Marque, Ripe, Pekus, and Bremen families, request that you further solidify the ducal family’s position through a union with the Schusted family.]

In the end, it meant marrying into one of the vassal families. They even said they wouldn’t interfere much with the issue of the ducal family’s successor if their demands were met.

What was Cailius’ reaction when that letter was delivered?

‘The Schusted family, huh.’

A chilling voice came out first. Upon hearing the news, Cailius couldn’t help but smirk.

To Philen, he looked like the Grim Reaper who would immediately summon the vassals and send them to the afterlife all at once.

If Cailius had immediately summoned the vassals to the ducal family, Philen would have earnestly advised him.

Even a high nobleman cannot kill all his vassals at once without the imperial family taking action.

Fortunately, Cailius did not summon the vassals.

Nevertheless, Philen had no doubt that Cailius would send “mad dogs” to them at any time.

But what was strange was that not only Philen felt it, but even after several days had passed, Cailius was – to borrow Philen’s expression – docile.

Even after that, there were a few letters from vassal families under the pretext of inquiring about his well-being, urging for an answer regarding the successor issue.

Philen personally delivered those letters to Cailius, but he showed no particular reaction.

‘Surely you’re not really thinking of accepting their demand, are you?’

That was also a problem that needed to be prevented as a loyal retainer. It may be different for other families, but the Schusted side had too many issues, didn’t they?

In the midst of things flowing that way, that child appeared. The shabby child, the daughter of an unknown petty aristocrat.

At first, even Philen was really surprised to see the child’s black hair. Black hair was a rare hair color to see in the empire.

“Indeed, if you accept that child, they won’t be able to further argue about the issue of your successor, my lord.”

Philen clapped his hands, realizing Cailius’ intention. He had only now figured out the clear answer in front of his eyes. It was pathetic enough to make himself feel miserable.

“The baby looked to be at most around 4 years old, so the timing will be just right then.”

To Philen, the child had already become “the young lady”.

A child so helpful to the family, from his perspective, was naturally a precious baby, a young lady.

And as Philen said, Cailius had also considered that “timing” when bringing the child.

If the child had been a little older or a little younger, no, if her hair had not been black like his own, he would not have brought her.

It was obvious that it would only arouse unnecessary suspicion.

“Then there will be a lot to prepare right away. First, I will place orders for the young lady’s clothes and furniture.”

Perhaps because he thought the troubling issue was being resolved, Philen looked excited.

Cailius lowered his gaze back to the documents. The child he had seen yesterday naturally came to his mind.

The child who burst into tears as soon as she saw him yesterday.

When they first met, he only thought she had a naive personality because she got scared but didn’t avert her gaze, but when they met a second time, she suddenly burst into tears.

He remembered Yan, who was next to her, soothing the child while watching his reaction.

However, Cailius didn’t find the child’s crying voice so irritating at the time.

That point was unexpected even to himself, but that was it.

Unlike the young masters, she was not a child to keep by his side for long.

He indifferently pushed away thoughts of the child.

* * *

“Young lady, you’re eating well now.”

“Yes, give me one more bowl!”

“Shall I?”

Sophia laughed and scooped another full bowl of soup. Meanwhile, another maid who was organizing toys next to her approached. Her name was Delma.

“If you eat this well, you’ll grow even taller!”

Delma’s lively cheering gave me more strength.

Since my first day at the ducal family, I had quite busy days. Without even time to worry that I had come to a villain’s family.

The temple’s tailor visited the mansion to fit clothes for me, and even a furniture maker came to make furniture that fit my height.

Each time, all I did was just stand still and let them take my measurements. And I was shocked by their words.

‘Oh my, you’re even smaller than I thought. How cute.’

‘How can there be such tiny and cute feet? Come and look at these!’

‘Oh dear, these toys will still be too difficult for you to play with. I’ll make new ones tailored for you, young lady.’

‘Am I really that small…?’

I thought I would at least be average! Feeling wronged, since that day, I had been diligently eating soup without avoiding vegetables.

Also, like today, I was even making an effort to lick two bowls clean.

“Wow, well done. You finished it spotlessly.”

Sophia was delighted to see the soup bowl cleaned out. I went to the mirror to look at myself. And I slightly tiptoed.

…I should have eaten one more bowl.

“You’ll grow quickly. You’re eating so well and balanced like this.”

Sophia comforted me from the side. However, looking at the reflection in the mirror, it wasn’t a very hopeful comfort.

‘Whew, let’s just do what needs to be done.’

Actually, from the moment I arrived here, I had set one goal in my mind.

After finishing the meal, I started packing my bag.

“Young lady, are you going on a mansion exploration today too?”

“Yeah!”

Mansion exploration, that was the name of the game Sophia gave me when she saw me wandering around to thoroughly investigate the structure of the mansion.

Sophia didn’t know, but in fact, this game had only one purpose.

‘Independence in 4 years.’

I was thinking of leaving the ducal family in 4 years.

For some reason, the duke brought me in, pretending I was his lost daughter. But I knew. The duke had no daughter.

No, to be more precise, the duke had no daughter after the original story began.

‘There’s no way I can really be the duke’s biological daughter.’

The duke probably didn’t bring me thinking I was really his daughter either. In the original work, the duke was also a person who didn’t care about means and methods as long as it was for his own purpose.

So this time too, he must have brought me to use me according to his needs.

The fortunate thing was that there was still some time left before the villain duke committed his evil deeds in earnest.

The incident where the duke suddenly goes crazy and massacres all his vassals one day happens after Clemens returns to the mansion.

‘It said Clemens returns home at the age of 15.’

There were 4 years left until then. Let’s just endure here until then.

In 4 years, I will also be 8 years old, and at 8, I can do quite a lot of things.

Small inns and restaurants located in remote areas used to take in homeless young children, provide them with food and a place to sleep, and have them work.

‘When I turn 8, I can live on my own too.’

For a successful independence in 4 years, I had set up exactly two plans. It was to find out the escape routes in advance and to secure emergency funds.

“Oh my, what did you pack so much in your bag?”

Sophia showed curiosity about my bag. I quickly hugged the bag with both arms.

“It’s nothing!”

“Hmm, it looks suspicious.”

Sophia narrowed her eyes. It was an expression of doubt.

I rolled my eyes back and forth and spoke softly.

“Actually, this is a secret… It’s preparation for the exploration.”

“Oh my, is that so?”

When I whispered softly in Sophia’s ear, a smile crossed Sophia’s lips.

“You must be going on a far exploration.”

“Yeah, so I have to go quickly!”

I quickly put the bag on my back and hurriedly left the room. I seemed to hear Sophia’s laughter behind me.

In fact, the bag contained items I had picked up while exploring.

For example, buttons or hair ties that fell off someone’s clothes, pieces that fell off from ornaments, etc.

‘I’ll have to collect them somewhere else when I return to my room.’

If they suspected why I collected these things, I would have nothing to say. They might think I was wandering around the mansion to steal things.

‘Then they might lock me up in the room.’

I diligently looked around the floor of the corridor as I walked. Especially near the stairs, people often dropped things.

As expected, at the end of the stairs, I found another shiny silver button.

‘Jackpot!’

This one item alone was enough of a harvest for today. I neatly put it inside the bag.

‘Then shall I go to the 2nd floor today?’

As I was walking down the stairs with short steps, I first noticed a large figure standing in the middle of the corridor.

I unknowingly stopped walking and quickly hid my body behind the wall.

My startled heart pounded and raced.

‘What a surprise!’

I never imagined I would encounter him here. I carefully poked my head out again.