It was a daily life where I occasionally felt Askal’s absence. Sitting in his office and circling the date on the calendar was the sign that started my day.

While continuing such a peaceful daily routine, something happened recently. It was the change in Rublion’s mood.

“Mom, what would you think if I said I want to marry someone older?”

It was a question the child asked during afternoon tea time. I answered without hesitation.

“If it’s someone you want and like, I don’t mind whether they’re older or younger.”

The child’s eyes sparkled. His cheeks turned rosy.

“Is it okay even if there’s a big age difference?”

“I’ll respect your choice, but shouldn’t the other person feel the same way about you?”

Rublion is still only ten years old. My first thought was that he’s too young to discuss love and decide on marriage.

Rublion’s expression turned gloomy as he mumbled about mutual feelings.

“I like that person, but I don’t know how they think of me.”

Listening to the innocent story of a young boy whose voice hadn’t even changed yet made me smile.

“I wonder who it is. The person who stole our Rublion’s heart?”

“…I can’t tell you that.”

His fidgeting fingers were so cute. I made a mental note to tell Askal about this when he returns from the subjugation.

“Can’t you secretly tell just mom?”

“But…”

Rublion hesitated for a long time. I disguised my laughter that kept escaping as a smile.

“Alright. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Instead, if you want my help, send me a secret signal.”

“A secret signal?”

“Yes. The signal is pink sugar.”

“Pink sugar…”

The child muttered the signal with the most serious face in the world. It was so cute that I hugged him tightly without realizing it.

“My lady, I’ve found the book you asked for.”

Just then, Rieta returned from the library where I had sent her on an errand. I checked the time on the wall clock and loosened my arms.

“It’s almost time for your lesson, isn’t it? Shall we end our tea time here?”

“Y-yes, should we?”

Rublion, even stumbling over his words, was noticeably stiff. Now that I looked closely, his pupils were shaking wildly.

Gulp.

The sound of him swallowing dryly was clearly audible. I waved my hand for him to go ahead, keenly observing the child’s changes.

Rieta gave an eye greeting to Rublion as he left the office. At the same time, I saw his ears turn red.

“The book titles are the same, but the authors are different, so I brought both.”

I stared at Rieta, who was speaking brightly.

‘Could it be.’

She was the most likely candidate among the older women around Rublion. Just as I finished that thought.

Knock knock.

Someone opened the office door and came in. It was Rublion, whom I thought had gone to his lesson.

“Oh? You haven’t left yet?”

“Did you forget something?”

To our questions, the child mumbled his lips for a moment before speaking.

“I-if you dissolve pink sugar in water, what color will it be?”

Rieta tilted her head at the strange question. I didn’t miss that and said with a bright smile.

“Do you want to have an in-depth conversation about water with dissolved pink sugar?”

Rublion nodded with a bright red face. His body was turned towards me, but his gaze was fixed on Rieta.

Rublion’s fresh and excited feelings didn’t last more than three days.

“The young master proposed to me, but I declined.”

Rieta, who came to the office to help with work, said. We looked at each other and smiled, consoling the brief puppy love of the ten-year-old boy.

‘Come to think of it, already.’

I discovered it while sitting at the desk and circling the calendar. The troops’ vacation was tomorrow.

‘I need to check on father.’

There was Askal’s advice. Of course, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to be careful, so I planned to follow his words.

Just then, Gaben came in. I asked him to select knights to be in charge of Baron Deli’s escort duty.

“Madam, I’ve conveyed your message to the knighthood as you said.”

Gaben said he had formed a small elite escort team, and they would provide close protection while father stays at the baron’s residence.

I told him to deploy mercenaries around the baron’s residence just in case. There are only low-ranking mercenaries who couldn’t go on subjugation due to the timing, but it’s better than having no one.

‘I feel strangely anxious.’

I told Gaben about every little thing that concerned me. He carried out my orders without showing any displeasure. Then he served me tea that’s good for mental stability and left.

The day of the entire shooting unit’s vacation.

It was the day everyone returned home, except for some who had taken their vacation in advance. Baron Deli discovered the Artenbach ducal family’s carriage waiting for him at the entrance and approached it with dignity.

“We’ve been waiting. Please get in.”

The duke’s knights looked strong at a glance. Five such knights had come to escort him.

The baron felt good but also tense at the same time.

‘It must mean it’s that dangerous.’

He had received a brief explanation of the situation from Schmidt. So, just in case, he brought a revolver and a sword.

As he got into the carriage, the knights surrounded it on horseback. Baron Deli, growing increasingly anxious, stuffed the revolver’s bullets into his uniform pocket.

The carriage moved at a fast pace. Nevertheless, the knights stuck close to it without leaving any gaps.

Just as the baron was admiring their escort skills.

“Oh no! A child!”

With the coachman’s exclamation, the carriage abruptly changed direction. Due to the shift in center of gravity, one wheel lifted into the air before the carriage toppled over to its side.

Neigh!

As the poles connected to the reins and saddles broke, one horse fell over with the carriage. The other, unable to overcome its momentum, ran forward.

“Protect the baron!”

The knights quickly surrounded the carriage. This stationary state was when they were most vulnerable to attack.

The fallen coachman got up unsteadily and surveyed the road. The young child who had jumped in front of the carriage was trembling with eyes tightly shut.

“What are you doing there!”

The angry coachman shouted. The child opened his eyes slightly, then spotting the overturned carriage, said.

“It stopped.”

Simultaneously, people wielding swords and spears sprang out from the forests on both sides of the road. Baron Deli, realizing a battle had broken out outside the carriage, held revolvers in both hands.

Gaben brought news that father was on his way to the Artenbach mansion. My heart sank.

“It’s an attack.”

My legs went weak. This is why I kept feeling uneasy. But what I had hoped wouldn’t happen, finally did.

“Is… is father safe?”

To my question, Gaben hesitated before answering.

“We’ve put the doctor on standby, and also called for medical staff from the national hospital.”

“Ah…”

My hands trembled uncontrollably. Sadness and anger erupted beyond control.

“Who is it? Who did this?”

I vowed to never let them off.

“They say they’ve captured surviving attackers and are bringing them in. I’ll inform you as soon as we find out from interrogation.”

I collapsed into a chair. My legs had no strength, and I simply couldn’t stand.

“My lady! They’ve arrived!”

A servant rushed in and said. Without a thought for noble dignity, I ran straight to the infirmary.

The area around the infirmary was bustling with servants curious about what had happened. I squeezed through their gaps and opened the door with a pale face.

The pungent smell of blood brought back memories I had forgotten. My body shook with fear.

“My lady.”

The knights tried to kneel. I hurriedly stretched out my arms to stop them from being courteous. Some had injured legs, and some had injured shoulders.

“Father?”

“He’s inside.”

Outside the treatment room, towels stained with wiped-off blood and long unrolled bandages were scattered haphazardly on the floor. I wanted to go inside, but knowing I shouldn’t made me agonize.

“Is… is father badly hurt?”

To my question, a knight answered in a small voice.

“We’re deeply sorry.”

He knelt down with a pained expression. Then the others followed suit and knelt as well.

Sobs escaped through my tightly clenched lips. But my pride wouldn’t allow me to collapse on the floor and wail. I won’t cry until I find who did this to father and pay them back several times over.

“Can… can someone explain to me what happened?”

I closed my eyes tightly and clasped my hands as if in prayer. One of the knights stood up and began to calmly explain the attack situation.

“A child ran onto the road. It was the attackers’ plan to stop the carriage.”

My god, they used a child?

“Baron Deli also fought bravely, but couldn’t overcome the difference in numbers…”

The knight bowed his head deeply. Even though I understood the situation logically, the devastating feeling wouldn’t easily disappear.

The twins and Rublion, who came in after playing happily in the treehouse, noticed that the atmosphere in the mansion was unsettled.

“I’ll go ask sister and come back.”

Rambermon went to the office to find Rieta. Riena stopped a passing maid with Rublion.

“Did something happen? The atmosphere feels really strange.”

“Ah, young master… I-I’m not sure?”

Saying that, the maid bowed her waist deeply in greeting before disappearing. Sensing something was amiss, Rublion sent Riena back to her room first and headed towards Schmidt’s office.

“Mom, are you there?”

There was no response from inside even after knocking. Rublion hesitated whether to enter or not, then eventually grasped the doorknob.

“Young master?”

He turned his head at the familiar voice. Anna was standing there.

“Anna, I came to see mom, but she’s not here. Do you know where she went?”

“Ah, the madam is…”

Anna hesitated, fumbling for words. Convinced that something had indeed happened, Rublion erased his kind child expression and spoke in a low voice.

“You shouldn’t hide anything from me. Don’t forget the oath we made when I said I would make the Baron Deli’s daughter the duchess.”

Anna swallowed dryly as she looked at Rublion’s fiercely sparkling golden eyes.