BCDRF 09

Chapter 09

It was purely by chance that the Duke happened to witness that scene.

If the child had been unable to do anything when the servants picked a fight with her, he had intended to step in and help.

But the child had appropriately crushed them by using his name. So there was no need for him to interfere.

‘Still, she came to tattle on them in the end.’

Well, if she simply told him, the troublesome people would disappear, so there was no reason for her not to tell him.

Whether she knew what Duke Aubrey was thinking or not, the child approached with an innocent expression and carefully placed the tray between the documents.

Pedro, the butler who had come over, tactfully opened the lid of the tray.

The aroma that tickled the tip of Duke Aubrey’s nose made his eyes widen slightly. The reason was that the food looked much more elaborate than he had expected.

There was a dish that looked like beef bourguignon, and beside it was a dark-colored pie giving off a sweet-and-sour aroma.

A sweet and tangy scent rose from the glossy beef.

“Is this beef stew? The head chef made something he doesn’t usually make.”

Having been working on paperwork since morning, Duke Aubrey had become quite hungry without realizing it. He picked up a spoon and put a bite-sized piece of beef into his mouth.

The tender beef melted softly on the tip of his tongue.

It was the most delicious beef stew he had ever eaten.

In fact, it had been a very long time since he had eaten beef this tender. There wasn’t even the slightest unpleasant smell.

Tenderizing beef took a very long time, which was why beef stew was one of the dishes the head chef rarely served.

If he wanted it, he could request it, but Duke Aubrey wasn’t particularly passionate about food.

‘He must have put quite a bit of effort into it because it was the child’s request.’

Even so, it must have taken at least four hours to cook this.

For someone with that personality, it was quite an effort.

“And what’s this?”

“Berry pie! I put lots of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries in it.”

His eyebrow twitched slightly.

Berries were Duke Aubrey’s favorite fruit.

However, the only person who knew that was his wife, Rosana.

‘Did she tell her?’

No, that couldn’t be. If the child had asked Rosana, a report would have reached him.

It could simply be a coincidence.

“You brought some strange food.”

“Do you not like it…?”

At the sight of Anisha carefully asking while holding onto the desk with her fingertips, Duke Aubrey narrowed his eyes.

“Well, I don’t particularly like it. But since my daughter went through the trouble of bringing it ‘for me,’ I suppose I have no choice.”

After saying that, he snapped his fingers.

“Pedro, bring out some tea that goes well with the food.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Duke Aubrey picked up the tray and moved to the sofa.

When Anisha stood there blankly, he sat down and motioned with his chin.

“Are you going to keep standing there?”

“Ah, n-no!”

Anisha hurried over and sat down across from Duke Aubrey.

‘Well, there’s no harm in indulging her.’

Of course, it was somewhat irritating that she had used his name.

But he had ordered the servants to take good care of his daughter. The fact that they had disobeyed him was even more infuriating.

‘I also wanted to ask about the tea she gave Rosana yesterday….’

If this child, who had become his daughter, asked him for help, there was no reason he couldn’t specially and personally help her.

Pedro brought out the black tea.

Duke Aubrey picked up his fork and elegantly cut the pie as though painting a picture before putting a piece into his mouth.

His eyes widened.

The sweet and sour flavor popped pleasantly in his mouth, melting softly and spreading across his tongue.

This pie was also something the head chef rarely made.

That was simply because no one knew that Shacol Aubrey liked berries.

“…How is it?”

The child looked at him with sparkling eyes and a worried expression.

‘It’s delicious.’

For a moment, he nearly said those words.

He bit down hard on his tongue instead.

Even though he knew everything she did was an act, looking into those innocent eyes somehow made his thought process come to a halt.

“Well, it’s just so-so.”

He put down his fork.

If someone discovered what you liked, it could become a weakness, and the thing you liked could even be taken away from you.

Shacol Aubrey had learned that lesson faster than anyone during his childhood.

Never reveal what you like.

The only person who had broken that rule was Rosana Aubrey, who had become completely and entirely his.

“Ah….”

Anisha’s expression darkened slightly.

She looked genuinely disappointed.

‘She must have chosen the menu herself and asked the chef to make it.’

Or perhaps even that was an act.

“Still, my daughter resembles me and knows what manners are. At least she knows how to ask for something.”

Shacol Aubrey folded his arms and sank back into the sofa.

“You look like you have something you want to say. Go ahead. I’ll hear you out.”

“Ah… Did it show?”

Anisha’s cheeks reddened as though she were embarrassed.

Seeing her flushed cheeks, Shacol Aubrey scoffed.

“Actually… there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

‘As expected.’

He hadn’t expected this child to have such a bold personality, but honestly, Duke Aubrey didn’t see it as a bad thing.

If she had needed to survive in an orphanage, she would have had to learn how to put on an act.

If she had simply allowed the servants to push her around, he would have been disappointed instead.

Shacol Aubrey moved his lips as though convincing himself.

“Go ahead.”

“Um… I was studying, and I discovered an incredible secret. I was wondering if we could turn it into a business!”

Anisha squeezed her eyes shut and shouted the words like a machine gun.

“I’ll have them fired immediately—what?”

“Pardon? Fired?”

“…A business?”

“Yes.”

“Not fired?”

“Fired? What fired?”

The two stared at each other with equally bewildered expressions.

Shacol Aubrey was the first to regain his composure.

“No, that’s not it. I was just thinking about something else. I happened to think of a few people who need to be fired.”

“Ah….”

Anisha looked puzzled for a moment before quickly smiling.

At that seemingly manufactured smile, a trace of displeasure appeared on Duke Aubrey’s face.

“A business… What kind of business are you talking about? I’ll warn you now, I hate wasting time on useless things.”

“Yes. Have you ever heard of composite mana stones?”

“Composite mana stones? What’s that?”

“It means putting two opposing powers into a single mana stone.”

Duke Aubrey’s expression became complicated.

He was trying to decide whether he should take this seriously or not.

One attribute per mana stone.

That was such an obvious fact that even a three-year-old knew it.

“If you melt a fire mana stone and a water mana stone at the proper temperature, mix them together, and then let them harden again, you get a mana stone containing two attributes that produces hot water.”

Anisha continued explaining as though she had prepared everything in advance, providing flawless reasoning to support her claims.

There wasn’t a single unnecessary word in her explanation.

It was the cleanest briefing Duke Aubrey had ever heard.

At first, Duke Aubrey had only pretended to listen, but before long, he was asking serious questions and listening intently.

“Certainly, if that theory is correct, there is potential. But experiments would have to be conducted first.”

“Yes, you can take your time with that. Instead of that, though….”

As he listened, Duke Aubrey suddenly realized that he had been leaning forward considerably.

He quickly straightened himself and leaned back into the sofa.

‘She’s finally saying it.’

If she wanted to make this kind of demand in exchange for not being fired, there was no reason he couldn’t accommodate her.

‘I could even make sure she never sets foot in another noble household again.’

After all, they had disobeyed his orders, so such severe punishment would be more than justified.

“Um, if it becomes a product, could you give me about twenty percent?”

“Fine, I’ll have them fired—what?”

“If twenty percent is difficult, even ten percent would be fine….”

Duke Aubrey’s expression hardened.

Seeing his face, Anisha’s eyes drooped slightly.

“Was I… being too presumptuous?”

“That is something we’ll negotiate later. And presumptuous? What do you mean by that? You’re my only daughter. You’re a duke’s daughter of this country. I told you not to forget that.”

After snapping at her irritably, the child’s face immediately brightened.

Duke Aubrey clicked his tongue softly.

“Yes! Thank you! Then I’ll be going now. I’m sorry for bringing such tasteless food.”

As the child casually reached for the tray, Duke Aubrey’s eyes widened.

“Leave it. Just leave it here. I’ll have Pedro clear it away. A duke’s daughter shouldn’t be walking around carrying things like that.”

“Oh, is that so? All right. Then I’ll just go.”

“You’re leaving?”

Duke Aubrey asked reflexively.

“Yes. Please call me again once you’ve experimented and confirmed it.”

“You’re leaving just like that? Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”

“Pardon? No….”

“Are you sure? Search your head carefully.”