TVBDS 07

Chapter: 07

While Father was meeting with Mr. Hedevo, I seriously reviewed my plans.

From now on, there were three main things I needed to do.

1. Repay my debts of gratitude

2. Take revenge on my enemies

3. Create a happy future for the people precious to me

The most urgent one right now was number one.

More specifically, I needed to save Bastian, who around this time was probably picking up rotten apples from the gutter and eating them.

Sebastian Bellure. Sebastian for short. Or Seb.

He was the abandoned prince of the royal family.

Unlike the fairy tales where a princess marries a prince from a neighboring kingdom and lives happily ever after, reality was never that romantic.

The royal marriage between Loire and Albion, two kingdoms that had been infamous for their terrible relationship for a long time, was nothing short of a miracle created through the blood, sweat, and tears of countless diplomats.

And the fact that Sebastian was born from that union was also undoubtedly a miracle created by the almost brainwashing-like early education given to the heirs of both kingdoms from a young age.

But that miraculous child, Sebastian, was switched with a stillborn baby immediately after birth and abandoned in the slums.

It was the doing of the king’s mistress, Violetta Dian de Satin.

My heart wanted to run straight to the palace and bring him back immediately.

However, I had not even been granted permission to enter the royal palace yet, I lacked evidence, and most importantly, Violetta was there.

If I acted carelessly, my family would be destroyed even earlier than in my previous life under the accusation of insulting the royal family.

Then, the second method.

Hire him as a servant at the mansion, raise him properly, and then bring him to the palace.

It was more realistic than the first method, but it was still close to impossible.

A young lady of a mansion who had never gone outside in her life suddenly brought back a filthy child from the back alleys one day and ordered everyone to raise him?

It would probably be more believable if I picked up an abandoned puppy and insisted on keeping it.

“Then… I guess there’s only the last method.”

The method that would take the longest and be the most painful, but was the safest.

I would go out into the streets myself and become acquainted with him.

Then, whether by coincidence or by plan, I would continue meeting him and help him escape from the slums.

So that his abilities could bloom and bear fruit much earlier than they did before.

“…First, let’s go to the market.”

If I couldn’t save him right away, then I would make someone else save him in my place. Father or Uncle Guillaume would definitely recognize his abilities.

But to do that, I first needed to know what condition he was currently in.

“Antoine, do you want to go see the market with your sister?”

“The market?”

They say the earlier you get life insurance, dental insurance, and a housing savings account, the better.

I headed to Father’s study to ask for permission to go out and meet my future pension insurance.

By now, had he finished talking with Mr. Hedevo?

Just as I was about to knock on the door, I heard the two of them arguing beyond it.

“I’m thinking of giving my daughter a toy.”

“A toy? Are you kidding me? Did you call me here just for something like that?”

Perfect timing. I shouted a silent cheer inside my head and pushed open the door.

“Father! Can’t we go buy that toy ourselves?”

“No.”

Before I could even explain why I wanted to visit the market, a firm answer came back like it had been cut with a knife.

“Why would a young lady go to the market? What for? If you just wait quietly in the mansion, Uncle will bring you the prettiest doll in the world.”

Mr. Hedevo also blinked as if he genuinely couldn’t understand and agreed with Father.

It was the reaction I expected, but I lowered my eyebrows and shoulders together with Antoine, looking as disappointed as possible.

“I want to choose it myself…”

“But you don’t have a nanny right now, do you? Who knows what could happen if you leave the mansion without a guardian?”

So that was the reason.

The nanny position was currently vacant. And if I wanted to go with Mother, that was impossible because she had fallen ill again this morning and was resting in bed.

As for simply going with a maid, that also wasn’t exactly a pleasant sight for others to see.

Then there was only one answer.

‘I really didn’t want to use this method if possible…’

Sigh. There was no choice.

I slightly turned my feet inward, tapped the tips of my shoes against the floor, placed my hands behind my back, lowered my head toward the ground, and finally swayed my body from side to side.

Then I puffed out my lips like a duck and blinked my eyes widely.

“Addie wants to go on a date with Daddy…”

I am ten years old right now. I am ten years old right now. This is just a performance to make my father happy. I am simply suggesting a father-daughter outing as an act of filial piety…

“Hedevo, I’m sorry, but forget the request I just made.”

“What? Wait, Lord Charmeuse?”

The effect was incredible.

Using it twice might actually kill my soul.

Father, who had been ready to go to the market with me immediately, changed his mind at the very last moment and decided to stay beside Mother.

“Good heavens, I’ve never seen that expression on Charles before. Maybe I should have had a daughter too…”

“Mr. Hedevo, it’s not too late even now.”

Mr. Hedevo froze with a serious expression, as if wondering if he had heard correctly, then immediately grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter.

“What? What does a child know…? Still, thank you. But what can I do? The woman who would have given birth to my daughter has already gone far away.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

Ugh, why did the atmosphere suddenly become so heavy?

But did Mr. Hedevo have a late wife? I was certain that in my previous life…

“No, you don’t have to apologize. I’m divorced and she’s living abroad.”

“……”

This man, seriously!

Don’t joke with a child about such a heavy topic! Since it was me, I only widened my eyes in surprise!

In my previous life, I thought Mr. Hedevo had never lost the mischievousness unique to a young boy even as he grew older.

But looking at him now, it seemed that what I thought was childish mischief was actually just him becoming extremely dignified with age.

“And besides, why are you so stiffly calling me Mr. Hedevo? Mr. Hedevo? Since you’re Charles’s daughter, you’re practically my niece. Call me Uncle.”

At the word “uncle,” my shoulders unconsciously flinched.

For me, the word uncle—or rather, paternal uncle—could never remain as a good memory.

“…Sorry. I acted too informally toward the daughter of the Charmeuse family. My apologies, Mademoiselle Charmeuse.”

When I stared at him seriously and closed my mouth, Mr. Hedevo hurriedly corrected his posture and even tried to speak formally to me.

“No! It’s a misunderstanding. I was just surprised… Since you’re Father’s friend, you’re someone I can treat without… without any formality! So… Ah! I’ll call you Uncle Guillaume. Is that okay?”

Whatever. I’ll just go with it.

“Oh? I actually like that.”

In an instant, color returned to Uncle Guillaume’s face.

Thankfully, he was a simple person.

Hmm, Uncle Guillaume.

For something I blurted out without thinking, it wasn’t bad.

“Let’s see. You two are probably going to Rierre, right?”

There were two major shopping districts closest to the Charmeuse mansion.

Rierre Street and Reforme Street.

Rierre, an upscale shopping district where guilds and workshops gathered together, like ivy covering not only the walls but becoming the walls themselves.

And Reforme, a traditional market that opened early in the morning like a morning glory.

Naturally, the place we were going was the former.