Chapter 14
The Grand Duke frowned.
“You rejected my request without even hearing it. That’s quite rude.”
“You’re the rude one.”
“Shouldn’t you apologize before asking me for a favor?”
“What exactly should I apologize for?”
“You falsely accused me of using dark magic.”
The Grand Duke opened his mouth to argue, but then closed it again.
He looked at me for a moment before slowly closing his eyes and nodding.
“You’re right.”
“That was a false accusation. I admit it.”
“I blamed you without any proof. That was my mistake, and I apologize.”
I didn’t expect him to apologize so easily.
Was his request really that important?
I stared at him in surprise.
Then, instead, the Grand Duke demanded an apology from me.
“But after hearing that I live in hell every single day, shouldn’t you apologize too?”
“You still didn’t return my younger siblings.”
“I didn’t know they were Your Grace’s younger siblings.”
“Who would believe that?”
Honestly…
Even I wouldn’t believe it if I were someone else.
To anyone, it looked like a witch had taken the children of the Grand Duke’s family for some secret purpose.
“When a witch finds children on the road, does she raise them instead of taking them to the city guards?”
“People don’t even do that with lost puppies.”
“That’s because they said they were being abused.”
“Who would willingly return children to abusive parents?”
“Abused?”
The Grand Duke’s face immediately darkened.
“If it wasn’t abuse…”
“Then why would the children choose to live in a shabby cabin with a witch instead of staying in a rich mansion?”
“So you’re saying I’m a worse family than a witch?”
“When you tried to execute me in front of the children…”
“I can’t exactly call you a good guardian.”
The Grand Duke froze for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.
“You’re right.”
“I shouldn’t have let the children see that.”
“I completely lost my reason back then…”
“I don’t think that’s the only thing you should reflect on.”
“The children said they were locked up.”
He frowned again.
It looked like he didn’t think he had done anything wrong there.
“Is living in a mansion with hundreds of rooms, dozens of gardens, a lake, and five toy rooms considered imprisonment?”
“But children need to go outside and experience the world.”
“They loved running around in the forest.”
“But the world is dangerous for children who aren’t ordinary.”
“There’s a reason I don’t let them go outside.”
“I’d rather not be judged by someone who doesn’t know the situation.”
I quietly waited.
But it didn’t seem like he intended to tell me what that situation was.
“Even so…”
“That doesn’t mean they have to live a boring life.”
“They haven’t experienced much at all…”
The Grand Duke gave me a sharp look.
He clearly didn’t like me questioning him again and again.
“Noble children don’t do kitchen chores.”
“They don’t dig carrots out of the dirt with their own hands.”
“Do noble children lose their status if they do those things?”
“What I mean is…”
“Nobles have work that’s suitable for nobles.”
“I know that.”
“But isn’t it enough if the children enjoy it?”
“People can’t spend their whole lives doing only enjoyable things.”
“That’s true for adults.”
“But children don’t need those limits.”
“When they’re young, it’s important for them to experience many different things.”
“Those experiences become the foundation for their future.”
“They’re even important when choosing a career.”
“…”
“Even Your Grace knows a lot about mushrooms.”
“But my little chestnuts didn’t know anything.”
That was dangerous.
I remembered the time the children almost ate poisonous mushrooms because they thought they were strawberries.
Just thinking about it made me shiver.
The Grand Duke stayed silent while listening to me ramble.
Then he suddenly said,
“You seem like someone who’s raised many children.”
Well…
Not my own.
But I had taken care of many other people’s children.
I remembered my days as a kindergarten teacher.
A deep sigh escaped my lips.
I probably could never go back.
Only then did I notice his suspicious gaze.
I quickly clapped my hands and changed the subject.
“Oh, right!”
“The children said you abandoned them.”
“What?”
His calm expression twisted immediately.
“Why would they think that?”
“Honestly…”
“If I only listened to the children…”
“I’d say you shouldn’t be raising children.”
Seeing the look on his face, I hurriedly added,
“Of course…”
“They’re children, so maybe they misunderstood.”
“But the fact that your relationship with your younger siblings is this bad…”
“That’s definitely Your Grace’s responsibility.”
“You’re right.”
“It was a misunderstanding.”
“But it was also my fault.”
Maybe he wasn’t such a bad person after all.
Since he admitted his mistakes, I handed back the teacup I had taken from him.
The Grand Duke let out a quiet laugh before accepting it.
Out came the silver spoon again.
Did he think I had poisoned his tea while he wasn’t looking?
“Everyone already knows this, so I’ll just be honest.”
After making sure there wasn’t any poison, he continued.
“Expeditions.”
“Monster subjugations.”
“Diplomatic missions.”
“Because of all those duties…”
“This year I’ve spent less than three months at the mansion.”
“So it’s understandable that the children think I abandoned them.”
He emptied his teacup in one gulp before quietly adding,
“They’re still too young to understand the responsibilities adults carry.”
So that was why.
The Grand Duke’s expression became gloomy.
Mine probably did too.
“I don’t know why I’m explaining this to a witch.”
“But more than anything else…”
“My younger siblings’ safety comes first.”
That was only natural.
Any parent…
Any older sibling…
Would feel the same.
I quietly nodded and listened.
At least…
It didn’t seem like the children had actually been abused.
There had simply been too many misunderstandings.
The Grand Duke truly cared about them.
“The problem is…”
“I have to leave on another expedition soon.”
“And while I’m gone…”
“I think those little troublemakers will run away again.”
The Grand Duke lightly tapped the edge of his teacup with his fingernail.
He stayed silent for a long time.
Finally, he took a deep breath and looked up.
“I must be crazy for asking a witch this…”
His eyes held a serious meaning.
Just what kind of favor was it?
Was it about the children?
I swallowed nervously.
“What… is your request?”
After hesitating, the Grand Duke bit his lip once before speaking.
“While I’m away on the expedition…”
“Could you work as their nanny… just for a while?”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“I’ll do it!”
“I’d love to!”
My excited cheering and loud clapping echoed throughout the small cave.
The Grand Duke covered his ears and frowned.
“You’re a little too happy.”
“That’s suspicious.”
“Why?”
“Nobody in the world is happy to be asked to become the nanny of the Blaine Grand Duke family.”
“Why not?”
They were such adorable children.
Wasn’t this a dream job?
I was already so happy!
Instead of answering, the Grand Duke sighed.
“I’ve been thinking this since last time…”
“We really can’t communicate.”
I felt exactly the same.
But who cared?
I could finally see the children again!
Overjoyed, I snapped my fingers several times.
One by one, the teacups and plates disappeared from in front of me.
Soon, only the campfire remained inside the cave.
After cleaning everything up, I jumped to my feet and grabbed the Grand Duke’s hand.
“Where do you think you’re touching?”
“Your hand.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Does that really matter right now?”
“Let’s go! Hurry!”
“It’s still raining.”
“…Ah.”
I looked outside the cave and immediately became disappointed.
“You really should’ve learned weather magic.”
The Grand Duke laughed again.
*** * * **
“Your Grace.”
“I’m afraid I have to speak honestly today.”
The deputy commander’s face, visible over the pile of documents, looked as hot as iron fresh from a furnace.
Elliot lowered his eyes back to the papers and nodded.
“When have you ever held back?”
There was only one week left before departure.
He still had a mountain of work to finish before then.
Because of that…
He didn’t even notice that his deputy was gripping the edge of the desk so tightly it looked ready to break.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“The fact that Sir Daniel of House Arwen is asking the Grand Duke if he’s in his right mind…”
“Already proves he’s the one who isn’t.”
“You went to find a nanny.”
“So why did you bring back a witch?”
The Grand Duke had gone out alone.
When he returned with a young woman, every servant in the mansion immediately began whispering excitedly.
The Grand Duke had never brought a woman home before.
Everyone imagined something romantic…
Until they saw who she was.
The young woman stepping down from the white horse while holding the Grand Duke’s hand…
Was none other than the man-eating witch of the Black Forest.
And then…
The Grand Duke introduced the witch as the new nanny.
Everyone instantly turned pale.
While everyone else stood frozen as if winter had suddenly arrived…
Only the witch looked excited, like a child welcoming spring.
There could only be one explanation.
“Has the witch put you under a spell?”
“Does it look that way?”
“…”
Daniel carefully examined the Grand Duke.
But he couldn’t find anything unusual.
The young man before him looked exactly like the usual Duke of Blaine—
Exhausted from endless work and surrounded by an intimidating atmosphere.
“No…”
“But maybe my holy power isn’t strong enough to notice…”
“No.”
“Your holy power is more than enough.”
“Enough to keep an eye on the witch.”
“…What?”
“Daniel.”
“Listen carefully.”
The Grand Duke finally set the documents down and folded his hands together.
It was a habit he had whenever he was about to say something unpleasant.
And this time was no different.
“I’ve decided to leave you behind during this expedition.”
“Why…?”
Ever since Daniel had started serving as a trainee attendant in the Grand Duke’s household…
He had followed Elliot everywhere.
There had only been one exception—
The short time he had served in the Holy Knights.
Officially…
They were the Grand Duke and his deputy.
But privately…
They were each other’s closest friend.
So Daniel couldn’t understand it.
Why would Elliot leave behind the person he trusted most…
Before heading into such a dangerous monster subjugation?
“Because I have a much more important mission for you.”
What mission could possibly be more important…
Than protecting the Grand Duke’s life?
“I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“Watch the witch.”
“…What?”
