“Ah! Aah!”

Marquis Tolliso’s Gaho was .

That meant he was a frail old man who maintained 2.3 vision even in old age.

I had never heard of anyone lifting anything heavier than a pen.

Naturally, no one had ever pulled his hair out.

On the other hand, Erilot was a very spirited child.

She never lost even to kids much bigger than her.

Her specialty was pulling the opponent’s hair with her tiny hands in a pesky way.

Snap, snap.

The sound of the last remaining hair roots breaking forever, and a blade hovered right before Marquis Tolliso’s neck.

Only then did Erilot release his hair.

The Duke spoke to the pale-faced Marquis Tolliso.

“We have much to discuss.”

At Duke Astra’s words, Tolliso’s face turned pale.

“Don’t think you’ll leave easily.”

“Ah, Duke Astra... th-this is—”

Duke Astra lifted Erilot into his arms.

Behind the night-walking Duke followed Tolliso’s desperate screams.

At dawn.

Marquis Tolliso and the traitors were dragged to the stronghold and subjected to cruel torture.

The torture was overseen by Marquis Debussy.

He summarized what Tolliso and the traitors confessed and entered the Duke’s study.

“They tried to recruit Conrad.”

Conrad was very surprised and asked,

“Me?”

“They knew you needed Cheonghwa bulb for your brother and tried to recruit you.”

“That...”

Conrad’s eyes trembled greatly.

Marquis Debussy asked the flustered Conrad,

“Luckily, you got the Cheonghwa bulb first.”

“I didn’t get it.”

“Then?”

“The lady gave it to me.”

“What?”

Grandfather and Marquis Debussy looked at me.

I pretended not to know and chuckled.

The Duke handed down the bulb but did not insist on taking it himself.

So there was no blame in giving it to someone else.

Rather, using the bulb to prevent talented people from defecting was a great achievement.

“You’re quick-witted. The lady was also the first to sense the Duke’s danger.”

“Yes. She said, ‘Bad people will bother grandfather.’”

Marquis Debussy looked at me and exclaimed.

“But how did you know?”

“She said she overheard suspicious talk from the traitors.”

Of course, it was a blatant lie.

It was a conclusion drawn from the novel’s content and circumstances, but who would believe a three-year-old did it?

So I said,

“The guards will bother grandfather!”

“Yes?”

“They said they’ll send grandfather to the other world when he gets weak. They secretly said it. I heard it!”

“What did you say?”

Marquis Debussy, hearing from Conrad, nodded.

“She must have spoken easily, thinking a child knew nothing.”

“Yes. Since she’s been around the Duke lately, she could hear the guards.”

Marquis Debussy and Conrad agreed, so I was relieved.

Grandfather didn’t say much either, so he didn’t seem very suspicious.

‘But my wrist still hurts.’

Maybe the tension broke and the pain worsened.

I probably hurt it grabbing that bad guy’s hair earlier.

I rubbed my wrist slowly.

Then I met grandfather’s gaze.

“......”

“......”

Grandfather clicked his tongue and pulled my wrist.

‘Why, why...?’

What does he want to do with my wrist!

I tensed up stiffly.

But what he actually did was check my wrist.

“You sprained it. Why did a palm-sized thing interfere there?”

“I have to protect grandfather.”

So the other main branch kids can’t target me.

Grandfather glanced at me, cleared his throat!

“You’re too small to protect me.”

“......”

“So small. When I was your age, I fought bears.”

That’s because grandfather had a killing Gaho.

He applied ointment all over my wrist and cleared his throat again.

“Go to your room and get treatment.”

A welcome order.

I was already very tired, so that was good.

“Yes!”

I answered and skipped out of the room.

The result of the assault incident was a territorial war.

Armed soldiers of Astra attacked Marquis Tolliso’s domain.

Astra was known for military power.

Tolliso’s soldiers were no match, and the castle fell in a week.

Grandfather reportedly dragged Marquis Tolliso to the burning domain.

And there he had both wrists and ankles...

‘No wonder the mastermind is terrifying.’

How could an old man who lost his family and became disabled survive?

A fate more miserable than death.

Spoonful of pudding, I made an ecstatic face.

‘Perfect.’

Texture, aroma, caramel concentration.

Nothing was lacking.

And the best thing was that I could eat this delicious pudding without any worry.

I smiled brightly as I popped the pudding into my mouth.

‘I’ll be busy again soon, so I should enjoy it fully now.’

The Duke’s castle was busy with the aftermath of the territorial war.

Marquis Tolliso’s domain was integrated into Duke Astra’s.

So there was a noisy dispute over who would govern the land.

Uncles, aunts, and older relatives were busy moving to become the new lord.

‘Good for me.’

Because the castle was noisy, the main branch children’s lessons were delayed!

I pushed away the finished pudding and jumped off the chair.

Humming, I headed toward where the picture books were kept.

I was about to open a book when I felt someone watching me from behind.

Turning around, the maids were quietly looking at me.

“Didn’t you read that book yesterday?”

“You read it the day before yesterday, too.”

“Three days ago as well.”

The maids sighed.

“There’s nothing for the lady to play with in the stronghold.”

“Did you request toys from the general affairs office?”

“They’re reviewing it, but it’ll take at least two weeks before they can bring anything.”

Since the Duke’s assault, security at the stronghold had been tightened to a scary degree.

To prevent any cursed items, thorough inspections were required.

Because of that, I kept rereading the books I had already finished.

‘Still fun, though?’

Maybe it was the mental penalty of being a kid’s body, but I liked what children liked.

While I was focused on the picture book, the maids approached.

“Shall we call a friend from the Twelfth Tower?”

“Yes. Since they’re from the cadet branch, they might get permission to visit even in this situation.”

I lightly said, still focused on the book.

“I don’t have any friends.”

“Didn’t you grow up together?”

“But they don’t play with me.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because their families don’t like me.”

Sometimes clueless children came near.

But their maids would panic and take them away.

“They say if you play with the family’s outcast, you get treated the same.”

If caught playing with me, parents would call and scold.

So the kids didn’t play with me, and I didn’t approach them because I didn’t want them punished.

I answered indifferently and turned the page.

‘Ah, my favorite picture.’

I loved the illustration of the mother fish searching for her baby fish.

While looking at the sparkling eyes in the picture, the atmosphere suddenly grew quiet.

It felt strange, so I turned my head.

The maids’ expressions were odd.

“Oh dear...”

Seeing the maids begin to sob, I flinched.

‘Oops.’

They must have felt sorry for me.

‘I’m used to it, so I said it lightly.’

This damn side character penalty.

Because I’m not the protagonist, if I’m not careful, my mind becomes like a child’s.

So I miss adults’ feelings.

‘Ah, these ladies have tender hearts.’

They were unusually kind for Astra stronghold employees.

Maybe that’s why they didn’t succeed much.

‘Well, maybe they were assigned to me because they didn’t succeed.’

Other noble main branch kids had nurses (nannies of noble children, high-ranking employees).

I raised both arms and hurriedly said,

“I’m not sad at all. Playing alone is fun!”

I said it earnestly, but they became even more tearful.

“Lady...”

“No one will play with the lady anymore.”

“Of course! She’s manifested Gaho and is staying in the castle now.”

Hilda hugged me tightly.

Greta stroked the back of my hand.

“The adults are bad. The kid doesn’t understand why no one plays with her. They’re the ones stopping it.”

“Exactly.”

Hilda and Greta’s eyes flashed.

“—That’s what happened.”

Conrad told the Duke what he heard from the servants.

The children in the Twelfth Tower hadn’t played with Erilot.

It seemed the adults pressured them.

The maids told Conrad about it.

And Conrad immediately told the Duke.

Duke Astra, focused on the papers, spoke.

“So.”

Conrad’s face darkened.

‘I thought the way he looked at the lady changed recently.’

She manifested Gaho and helped the family.

She was even the greatest contributor who stopped the assault.

I wondered if he realized his cold-hearted grandson even cared because of his wounds.

‘Well, he’s lived without knowing affection for people.’

He wouldn’t step up for his granddaughter otherwise.

Conrad became gloomy, and Marquis Debussy smiled.

“I’m just relaying what I heard. Also, here are the results of the traitors’ torture. Conrad, please report.”

“Yes.”

The Duke took the papers and skimmed them, then glanced at Conrad.

“Is this all?”

“Yes. They promised Marquis Tolliso titles and money to betray.”

“Tolliso?”

“He resented losing the granary land.”

The Duke sneered.

“Lame excuse.”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think Tolliso is the mastermind behind this incident?”

“...Yes?”

Astra handled information strictly.

Even Tolliso, a noble elder, could never find out the Duke’s guard list.

Selecting which guard might betray Tolliso.

Conrad, narrowing his eyes, flinched.

“Are you saying there’s a traitor inside? Who could it be...?”

“One of my own children.”

Only someone among the Duke’s blood had the power to move Tolliso.

And the Duke’s enemy was always the same bloodline.

“Oh my...”

Conrad was just bait.

Bait to hide the fact that someone inside was giving information.

The Duke chuckled.

“I guess I was too merciful.”

“......”

“They grew greedy, dissatisfied with the food the pigs gave.”

The Duke’s eyes flashed with killing intent.

Conrad swallowed dryly.

“What shall we do?”

“Tighten control properly. First prove the cadet branch’s loyalty.”

“Loyalty?”

“Make them greet Erilot properly.”

“Yes?”

“Prostrate flat properly.”

“Yes?!”

The Duke stood up.

“Disband the private soldiers of the second generation (the Duke’s children).”

He strode out of the room after saying this.

Conrad looked at the Duke’s back dumbfounded.

To prove the cadet branch’s loyalty, why make Lady Erilot receive ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) their greetings?

And prostrate flat as if apologizing.

Conrad tilted his head.

Then Marquis Debussy...

“Pfft!”

Suddenly clutching his belly and giggling.

The Duke, just leaving the hallway, grabbed a vase from a stand and threw it.

Debussy barely dodged and followed behind the Duke.

“You must have worked hard thinking of excuses.”

“Shut up.”

Debussy’s laughter echoed down the dark hallway.

I looked at the couple prostrating flat with a bewildered expression.

Their faces were pale as death.

‘Why are these people suddenly like this?’

This morning, people had started lining up outside my room.

They were all familiar faces.

Adults who had come to pick up children during breaks at the Twelfth Tower.

In other words, parents of cadet branch children.

“R-Rondontas. We greet the lady.”

“Th-the words I said before weren’t meant to insult the lady...”

Why were they so terrified?

Their eyes were completely different from the mocking ones they gave me at the Twelfth Tower.

I peeked out the door.

Not only parents of Twelfth Tower kids were here.

But everyone else was trembling too.

Wondering what was going on, I soon nodded.

‘Ah.’

They were scared because it was known I had manifested Gaho!

I even saved grandfather.

The maids glared at the adults like demons behind me.

“Next, it’s your turn. Let’s go.”

“Wait! Give me one more minute. I still haven’t cleared the misunderstanding!”

The couple of this turn were dragged out by servants.

And the next.

And the next.

It took two whole hours for the cadet branch adults to greet me.

I was tired, but the maids kept smiling.

“Lady, there’s more good news.”

“Hm?”

The maids glanced at each other and giggled, then suddenly held something out to me.

A pretty freesia flower.

“Wow, it’s so pretty!”

“Right? Lord Conrad brought it. On his way, he saw a pretty freesia that looked like the lady and picked it.”

“I like flowers.”

“It smells nice. Would you like to smell it?”

“Yes.”

I accepted and sniffed it.

The maids squealed, “Kyaa! So cute!”

“You seem to have a lot of good things today. Flowers and greetings.”

“I like it.”

“Right? The greetings were really joyful, and the flower is very pretty.”

I didn’t understand greetings, but flowers made me happy.

‘This proves Conrad is favorable to me.’

After receiving greetings from the cadet branch today, the main branch would notice me.

Though my standing rose through various things, it was still far from the other main branch children.

‘Conrad will be a help to me.’

I giggled and told the maids,

“I want to thank Conrad.”

I should greet Conrad and ask about the schedule at the stronghold.

The maids giggled.

“Yes. He will be at the castle.”

“I want to go!”

I held the maids’ hands and left the room.

Going downstairs, I saw Conrad coming out of grandfather’s office.

Marquis Debussy and grandfather were with him.

The maids hurriedly greeted the Duke. Marquis Debussy asked,

“What brings the lady here?”

“She said she wanted to greet you.”

“Ah. Today’s matter.”

Marquis Debussy chuckled and looked toward grandfather.

“She said she wanted to greet you.”

Grandfather cleared his throat.

“It’s nothing important. Enough, I’m tired.”

“Please don’t say that. It’s the lady’s sincerity.”

Grandfather cleared his throat again, and the Marquis looked at me.

“Yes, lady. Please greet him.”

The maids, Marquis Debussy, Conrad, and grandfather all focused on me.

I smiled and stepped forward.