The Softest And Cutest Of The Dukes - Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Jenny and Vance flinched upon hearing the name and age. Without saying a word, Duke Panteur left.

“Mr. Vance, how should we accept this situation?”

“Well, it’s quite charming how our stern Duke suddenly bursts in without any notice, but even I was surprised this time.”

Vance chuckled and shook his head as if finding solace in the calmness of the child’s face after the doctor’s visit.

It was a forbidden name in the Panteur’s duchy. Yet, he had given such a name to the child.

“Perhaps the Duke cannot forget his late wife. I thought he had forgotten everything.”

“I doubt it. Our Duke may not show it outwardly, but at the very least, he knows what love is.”

She passed away three years ago. The Duke’s only angel and the light of this duchy vanished, and he didn’t even know about the child in her tummy.

At that time, the Panteur’s duchy was turned completely upside down, and even the palace was overturned. Remembering how Duke Panteur had turned the palace upside down and accompanied it with threats, Vance caressed the child’s face.

Even in a closed state, the child seemed to be bothered and wriggled her tiny hand. Vance placed a rattle next to the child, who was no longer just a child but now bore the name Seraphina.

“I suppose we should call her ‘Miss’.”

“Yes, that’s right. Considering the significance of allowing that name.”

The two people, thinking of Seraphina, who had been the Duke’s young second wife, exchanged faint smiles. She was a woman from a long-line of a family with a bad relationship with the Panteurs, and they had never given her their hearts or followed her properly, but they regretted it after losing her.

“We shouldn’t do anything we’ll regret now. Right, Miss?”

Gently brushing Seraphina’s silvery hair, Vance whispered. In response, tears glistened in the corners of Seraphina’s eyes, and her tiny lips trembled.

“Ung, want to see mama….”

* * *

Am I not getting kicked out? I broke a cup.

The Duke’s hand, which he extended without thinking, overlapped with my father’s hand that hit me, and I quickly fell to the ground, begging. Then, my memory abruptly cut off.

I don’t know how long I slept, but as soon as I woke up, Jenny was smiling at me in a strangely gentle way, taking care of me.

“Miss, you woke up in just one day. Is there anywhere that hurts?”

Nodding cautiously, afraid of being kicked out, I ate the food Jenny gave me without knowing where it was going. As a result, unable to digest it properly, I ended up vomiting it all out.

That’s why I shouldn’t eat while feeling guilty.

“Agh!” 

When the delicious food came out undigested, the doctor rushed over. After vomiting, I greeted the doctor in a weakened state, slumping down.

The doctor, who was examining my condition, handed medicine to Jenny and spoke.

“Children often vomit and get sick, so take good care of them. Little one, is your stomach still not feeling well?”

Hiccup-

“If you’re in pain or feeling unwell, speak up immediately.”

Nodding, physically averse to doctors, I grabbed onto a corner of Jenny’s apron tightly and only gestured, half-hiding my face. The doctor, who looked at me with great pity, stood up from his seat.

“What’s the child’s name?”

“Yesterday, the Duke bestowed a name upon her. Her name is Seraphina.”

Upon hearing that name, the doctor’s eyes blinked and widened as if about to burst.

“S-Seraph… I see. Seraphina, my name is Elio. I’ll be taking care of you from now on.”

As Elio revealed his name, I unknowingly looked up at Jenny.

My name is Seraphina? It can’t be true.

Here, they call me Seraphina. What kind of strange fate is this? Among countless names, I have never been properly called once.

Seeing my bewildered expression, Jenny smiled and hugged me, then gently tapped my cheek with her face.

“Hey, hey… Am I not getting kicked out?”

“You’re not being kicked out. Do you know how many people would kneel before the name Seraphina?”

I’m not being kicked out. I’m thrilled.

Relieved, I let out a relieved sigh. No matter what happens, I needed a safe place to stay until I could find my magic and cast spells.

And this was the place. Later, I planned to gather money and go back to where my older brother was.

When I was relieved of my vomit, I began to protest that my stomach was empty.

“Let’s get you something more digestible to eat, then, young lady. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

He should be sent off quickly. That’s why I waved my hand to bid farewell to him. As I did, Elio smiled and waved back but bumped into the door.

Elio, with a perplexed expression, went out, and Jenny immediately went to the person outside and asked them to prepare easily digestible and delicious food before coming back inside.

“Miss, after we eat, should we have fun?”

Seeing Jenny sparkling with excitement, I smiled and replied, 

“Sure.”

“I wanted to play with you. I was going to bring the toys that the young lady and the young master used to play with.”

Well, I’m not at the age to play with those things.

As I was about to climb onto the bed with a nod, I noticed something dangling.

Ah, this is it! It’s that rattle. There’s a pearl inside this toy.

“Let’s play, Jenny.”

“Really? Our young lady is the best. Let’s eat quickly and play together.”

While Jenny sang a cheerful tune and tidied up around me, I smiled ominously. 

Although I received a name, I wasn’t of this noble bloodline. That’s why I needed money in case I got kicked out and had to live alone. 

Since I couldn’t work here, I decided to secretly collect money to return to where my brother was. 

Thinking that even toys would be of some use, I eagerly started eating as soon as the meal arrived. I didn’t really need Jenny’s help with this, but my damn fingers just wouldn’t move according to my will. 

Despite loading up a spoonful, only half of it made it into my mouth. The spoon held in my grasp tilted, causing half of it to spill on the floor. And when I tried to put it in my mouth, I misaimed and coated my lips with soup instead of my mouth.

“Oh, our young lady spilled it all. I’ll help you for a while.”

As I spilled soup and made a whining sound while eating, Jenny, who couldn’t bear to watch, took the spoon from my hand and fed me.

“No, it’s the spoon’s fault”

“Yes, yes, what you say is true. It was all the spoon’s fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Jenny laughed at my extended blame and fed me the remaining soup. While eating, I unknowingly tapped my fingers. I accidentally touched the cup next to me, causing it to fall and shatter.

Startled by the breaking cup, I looked at Jenny. Her eyes widened significantly. Feeling that she was about to scold me for the crime of breaking the cup, I immediately grabbed my head with both hands and trembled.

“I-I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

I was certain that Jenny was going to hit me for breaking the cup. However, instead of pain, I felt the warmth of her embracing me.

“You don’t have to worry about breaking a cup. You’re just a child. No, even adults don’t need to cry like this over a broken cup.”

Looking down at me with a salty gaze, Jenny held me in her arms and gently patted my back. Perhaps due to her warmth, the trembling subsided, and Jenny wiped my face with her hands and said,

“Shall we play with our toys? I’ll prepare them soon.”

I nodded in response to her suggestion. Then those who heard Jenny’s words piled up toys in front of me as if they were mountains.

Oh, the wonders of the world.

Staring blankly at the toys, I couldn’t help but smile as if I had been waiting and trembling all along.

The seemingly ordinary teddy bear had jewels embedded in its eyes.

Jackpot! This noble family truly had grandeur.

How much would I get if I sell these eyes? Without realizing it, I poked the eyes of the teddy bear.

As I was about to pull them out, I got caught by Jenny, but she just smiled as if nothing had happened.

“Why did you do that? The lady and the master also removed all the eyes from the dolls.”

Jenny explained that they had removed all the whiskers from the cat doll and torn the nose and tail of the dog doll. I just shrugged my shoulders.

“A nanny who retired recently said that she fixed the toys every day. Compared to that, our lady is quite well-behaved… Oh, young lady!”

A loud noise erupted as the toy-made mountain collapsed. It quickly covered me, and trapped in the toy debris, I struggled to free myself.

“Ow, ow…”

Unable to find my balance within the toys, Jenny unearthed me.

“Be careful with that.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that toys could become weapons.”

Since they had brought all the toys the siblings had used, there was no way to avoid being buried. Having escaped from the pile of toys, I looked around with my eyes, trying to choose the lightest and most expensive items. I picked out a teddy bear with jewel-embedded eyes and a puzzle made of jewels.

“Oh, our lady, do you want to play a puzzle game? I’ll help you.”

As I touched the jewel pieces on the golden puzzle board with my little finger, Jenny approached. Even though she didn’t have to help, Jenny clung to me with a very happy expression.

“I think this is a 200-piece puzzle.”

At the mention of 200 pieces, my eyes widened. Yes, this was it. With just this, I felt like I wouldn’t starve to death no matter where I went. I couldn’t carry too many things, so this seemed appropriate.

“What should I do?”

“I’ll show you a demonstration. Watch carefully.”

She placed the colorful jewels one by one on the golden puzzle board. Seeing the various jewel pieces carefully crafted to fit the puzzle board, I nodded my head. I could pretend to do it and then pretend to lose them one by one and retreat.

As I watched Jenny put the puzzle together, I picked up the jewels, which were just as mesmerizing to look at.

“Here. Right here.”

“Difficult.”

“Yes, it might still be difficult for the lady, but try it slowly.”

While looking at Jenny’s cheerful smile, I also smiled back. Then I fiddled with the jewel pieces diligently with my little finger. 

Where should I hide this? Since this wasn’t my home, I didn’t have my hiding place.

Thinking about putting it in the sleeve and hiding it, I quickly put it into my sleeve while watching Jenny’s reaction. 

However, the loose sleeve caused me to spit out the jewel pieces again. What should I do with this? I was deep in thought when Duke Panteur and another person entered the room.

But like a child, I pretended not to know and acted as if I was fully immersed in the jewel-matching game. 

Holding the jewel pieces in my hand, I placed them one by one on the golden board, and the Duke chuckled.

“You seem to be materialistic for a child.”

Was I caught off guard?

In response to Duke Panteur’s voice, I approached him pretending not to know anything, holding the jewel pieces. 

In an instant, Duke Panteur flinched. The more he did, the more I took quick and careful steps, barely managing not to trip, and stood in front of Duke Panteur.

While smiling brightly at Duke Panteur, who was staring at me intently, I extended the jewel pieces toward him.

“That’s it, handsome brother. Let’s play together.”

In an instant, the Duke’s eyebrows twitched, and the man standing beside him shook his head and spoke.

“You shouldn’t address the Duke like that, miss.”

“Why should I call him anything else?”

As I pressed my lips tightly with my index finger and moved my head back and forth, the man squeezed his heart for a moment and coughed before speaking.

“He is not a handsome ‘brother,’ but a handsome grandfather.”

In an instant, laser-like beams shot out from Duke Panteur’s blue eyes.