Chapter 7

Who could LeBlaine, an orphan, give Carnation as a gift to?The only person left was the Duke of Dubblede.

'Oooooh!'

The vassals shouted as if they had found a rope.

"Look, Your Excellency!'"

"Carnation!"

"She's the only one who will give you a carnations corsage!"

The vassals welcomed LeBlaine's carnations, ready to jump if they could.

The Duke paused in front and glanced gently at LeBlaine. The child wriggled her hands with a shy face.

***

I thought the word "carnation" was an excuse for being left behind in the power struggle.

I was offended by what they said because I had no experience with the thing.

It's just a piece of thing that's useless to receive.

But, It didn't feel too bad to get it.

***

'What did I do wrong?'

The duke's eyes at me were so intense.

Are you mad that i spent a lot of money in the shop?

Or when i draw you in the sketchbook, did you notice that i always drew a horn with it?

'Why are you looking at me like that?.......'

My insides were burning black, and the vassals were smiling.

"Did you buy your own corsage?"

"Yes."

The vassals were overjoyed when I answered.

Then the duke's mouth curled up.

'Wow, it's even scarier today.'

I grabbed Lea's leg, But the vassals smiled and pushed me lightly on the back.

"How about handing it over to him now?"

"Yes, that would be good."

Shall we? I know i bought the corsage anyway, but it's weird to procrastinate.

'It's my first time giving a carnation, so I'm a little embarrassed.'

I wriggled my hands.

Then the vassals became more tired and urged me, "Go ahead!"

The people surrounding me were divided like the Red Sea, and the duke was seen in front of a straight line.

And I was shyly sticking out a corsage.

To Lea.

"...........!"

"...........!"

"...........!"

"Oh my."

Lea shut her mouth with a look as if she didn't think she would receive it.

'Since I gave you this, you'll give me more snacks, right?'

Lea bent her knees before me in tears.

"Are you trying to give it to me?"

"Nea lwike. Thwank you. (Lea i like you,Thank you.)"

"Thank you, little miss. I'll keep it in my chest"

Lea hugged me, and I rubbed my face against her neck.

But it was strange.

'Why is the back of my head so cold?'

I looked back, wondering what was going on.

Except for the maids and Lea, the men were alternately looking at the corsage and the duke with a bluish face.

Then, the Duke called me.

"Leblaine."

"Yes?"

"Mine."

".....?"

"You don't have mine."

"Yes!"

I didn't buy it because you will be annoyed with me. I did a good job, right?

The Duke wriggled his eyebrows as I laughed in Lea's arms.

And for some reason, I stared at the vassals with their terrified faces, and they were all pale, swallowing dry saliva.

That evening, the Order of the Abolition of the Thanksgiving day was issued throughout by the Duke of Dubblede.

***

Lea had a red corsage on her chest all day long. And then every time I looked in the mirror, I was thrilled.

Of course, I also feel good because Lea is happy.

'Lea gave me a bunch of snacks.'

I was so happy that I ate snacks until my stomach is full, then, Nos came to see me.

"Shall we go?"

Today was the day I was supposed to tell the Empress Dowager how I was doing.

"Yes!"

Nos laughed as i answered loudly.

"You're very brave too, this time."

I nodded and my cheeks were bouncing.

When Nos saw it, he stretched out his hand. He seemed to want to touch my cheek.

But all of a sudden,the maids! they jumped out and blocked Nos.

"Oh no.. i'm in trouble"

Nos lowered his hand in a jagged manner to the maids. The maids shouted with disapproving looks, even though he had withdrawn his hands.

"We have a waiting list!"

At the words of Linda, the maid, the other maids, with a look of disaproval, also condescended.

"You have a chance once a week and take off within two seconds."

"If you touch it for a long time, her delicate skin can't stand it."

......when did you set that rule?

I looked at the maids with a puzzled look.

Unlike me, however, Nos nodded his head.

"I see. I almost made a big mistake."

They soon discussed it with a cautious face.

"You have to wait three weeks!"

Nos, who saw the list, shouted.

"You have to wait three weeks?!"

"I'm giving you a fast pass. If it's in order, you'll have wait for a month."

"Are there so many people waiting?"

The maids snorted at Nos's words with a look

"My baby's cheeks are lovely, cute, and the softest in the world. They all want to touch it."

"Of course you want to touch it."

"If you're human, you can't help but want to feel it."

Nos shook his head hard again, but I was dumbfounded

"Lwet's Go. (Let's Go.)"

It wasn't until he heard me that he came to his senses that he opened the door, saying, "Oh, yes."

I walked down the hall to the Duke's office.

There's a pile of stuff in the hall, and the employees are frantically organizing them.

When I looked at him with a curious look, Nos said

"We're arranging gifts for the Emperor's birthday party."

Come to think of it, the nobles were busy preparing gifts at this time of year.

The Duke of Ami Thie, the father of my first life who was not interested in it, was polite with a small amount of gift.

But the Duke of Val Lua even borrowed money to prepare the gift.

At times like that, he splashes his money on it, but he is so stingy to others.

Especially to me.

When I was the child of Duke Val Lua, I bought a fountain pen which is a bit expensive.

At that time, the Duke of Val Lua was furious and locked me in the attic for three days.

Trapped in a dark old attic, I shuddered and cried for my wrong.

I remember hearing Val Lua's second son ask the oldest son.

"Brother, are you not allowed to buy fountain pens?"

"Why not? My father and mother will be happy if you ask me to buy them. Where's the parent who doesn't like children asking for school supplies?"

"But why did LeBlaine get scolded?"

"She's not his own child."

That's when i knew

I'm not their own child, so I'm hated for trivial things, I have to try desperately.

'Now I have to do something that will appeal to the Duke of Dubblede.'

If you didn't act good, the adoption will fly away.

Thinking so, I entered the duke's office. The Duke, who was sitting at his desk, felt my presence and raised his head.

The silver-rimmed glasses, which were worn to look at the documents, matched the blue eyes perfectly, and my tongue was tied.

But is it because of the glasses? Somehow he looks more fierce than usual today.

When I clung to Nos' leg, Nos smiled awkwardly.

He sat me on the duke's couch and whispered, so that the duke wouldn't hear.

"He's not mad at you."

"I think he's angry at himself who's looking forward to it......."

Nos said, with a tearful look.

'What the hell'

"Please prepare two carnations next time."

Ah....... Only then did I realize it and I was stunned.

All the money bought at the store belongs to Dubblede. It must be quite expensive since I've picked a lot of things.

'He must have been upset because i didn't buy any for the duke even though i spent a lot of money.'

I should have just bought two corsages. He seem to really like carnations.

But that was already past.

'Let's do something to please him instead.'

'Which of the things I know can help the Duke?'

I was struggling, and I saw something on the sofa table.

Inside the luxurious jewelry box was a stone.

'Why is the stone kept in such a luxurious jewelry box?'

It was as soon as I tilted my head.

My lungs tightened with vibrations.

Nos's voice crumbled and the speed around me felt remarkably slow.

As if time in the world and i are passing differently.

A swarm of light flowed over the black stone and soon scattered quickly to form a line. Soon it became a six-star star in which two triangles crossed. The spine gave me goose bumps in an instant.

Beep-!

Something crossed my mind.

[ My.....]

[Wa.....it...]

A voice that feels like it's seeping right into your head without piercing your ears.

It's too small to hear, but at some point, it's very strong.

[My child.]

Only then did the voice of Nos, which had been crushed, and the slow gesture return to its original state.

Nos muttered in a stiff voice.

"Is it an earthquake?"

But the vibrations fade away in an instant.

the Duke drew the curtains and checked out the window.

"Send an expedition to Mount Rubbs. It could be a sign of a volcanic eruption."

"Yes."

While the Duke and Nos were talking, I pressed my chest with a pale face.

My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't breathe.

What the hell is that?

the lustrous light that came upon me

And that voice that keeps going through my head.

The voice that came out of the stone called me anxiously. My hands moved toward the stone as if I had a will I didn't know. As if magnetic.

And when the stone came in my hand.

"......."

It crumbled in an instant.

Only then did I come to my senses, and I puffed my lips in utter surprise.

'Wha, wha, what!'

Unwillingly, I looked at the Duke and the Nos.

'Wha,wha, what to do!, what to do!'

Nos was greatly surprised to see the remnants of a rock that was fluttering through a crack in my hand. The duke's eyes were also infrequently enlarged.