REDA | Chapter 17

~Chapter 17~

“I told you before—I remember everything I see. I’ve memorized the Imperial Law Code, so it wasn’t hard for me to apply those laws to this case,” Ruby said casually, as if she were just picking up a stone from the road.

“No one advised you?”

“With Duke Lux watching me so closely, who could secretly help me?”

“You never know. Maybe you used a spy yourself.”

“Are you accusing me?”

“How could I not?”

Ruby nodded. “Fair enough. But this was something I had to prove on my own. I didn’t get help from anyone. If you watch me from now on, you’ll see for yourself.”

“Are you saying I should accept you?”

Ruby tilted her head. “Wasn’t our agreement that I’d find out who the spy was? I found the spy within the week you gave me, and I even gave you a way to recover the stolen weapons.”

As always, Ruby left no gaps in her argument. Not a single word was wrong, so Duke Lux had no choice but to acknowledge her.

“Fine. I’ll let you and your youngest sibling stay in the mansion too.”

“Thank you.”

At last, all four siblings were officially allowed to live in Duke Lux’s mansion. Even though Ruby expected this outcome, she couldn’t hide her happiness.

“Has the Duke chosen an heir yet?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Just curious.”

Ruby might be living here now, but if she didn’t win the Duke’s favor, she could be thrown out anytime. She wondered if there was a way to secure a permanent place in the mansion.

Her idea: become the Duke’s heir. That way, she could protect her siblings and keep her own position safe.

The truth was, the Duke hadn’t chosen an heir yet.

“Living here doesn’t make you the heir. Unless you bring direct benefits to the Lux family, I can throw you out anytime. Keep that in mind.”

Ruby realized the Duke wouldn’t make her heir just because she and her siblings were allowed to stay.

“I’ll choose my heir based on merit, not bloodline,” he added.

“Then I’ll have to prove I’m worthy of being your heir—for my sake and my siblings’,” Ruby said.

She knew life here wouldn’t be easy just because she was accepted.

“My heir must be exceptional. Your little tricks aren’t enough.”

“I have plenty of time now, so I can prove myself little by little,” Ruby replied with a confident smile, like a player who already knew they’d win.

She was certain she could do it.

The Duke frowned at her confidence, then pulled out some papers and handed them to her.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“You want to be my heir? Then you need to pass a test.”

Ruby looked over the papers. They were about important problems in the Duke’s territory.

When they first negotiated, the Duke said he wouldn’t give her important matters to handle. But now, he was the one giving them to her.

“There are several problems in my lands. Solve them, and I’ll give you some recognition.”

It wasn’t a full acknowledgment as heir—more like giving her a chance to earn points. But Ruby knew this was a sign he was starting to trust her.

“Thank you for trusting me, Grandfather.”

“I’m only giving you work because you said you could prove yourself,” he replied coldly. Still, the suspicion in his eyes had lessened.

“Please take good care of my younger siblings too,” Ruby added.

Since they’d be living here, she wanted to make sure the Duke wouldn’t make life hard for them.

“All right.”

He didn’t refuse, which meant he probably wouldn’t harm them.

“Grandfather, would you like me to give you a massage today?” Ruby asked, trying to build a closer relationship outside of official matters.

“Hm. Go ahead,” he agreed. He must have liked the massage she gave him before.

Ruby set the papers on the table and went over to him. “If you ever need me, call me anytime. I’ll do my best to help you relax.”

“If I need you, I’ll call,” he said gruffly—but Ruby had a feeling he might call her often.

“By the way, since we’re living together now, please understand that Calix and Sasha can be a bit mischievous. They’re still young.”

“So they didn’t take after you?”

Was he implying Ruby was well-behaved?

In truth, Ruby acted mature because she had memories from her previous life. She couldn’t behave like a child anymore. Still, she hadn’t lost her original personality—her confidence and certainty in her abilities remained. What had changed was her attitude toward her siblings; she no longer looked down on them but cared for them deeply.

Feeling like he had seen through her, Ruby calmly replied, “Siblings don’t always have the same personality.”

“That’s true,” the Duke agreed, dropping the topic.

When Ruby’s arms started to ache, the Duke told her to stop. She stepped back, and he pulled a small coin from his pocket.

“A hundred-penny coin,” Ruby noted. It was worth about a commoner’s monthly living expenses.

“For the massage,” he said.

But Ruby didn’t take it. “I didn’t do it for payment. I did it out of respect and gratitude.”

“You don’t need money?”

“I don’t want to put a price on my feelings.”

“In this household, acting without gain is unheard of.”

“Sometimes you act without thinking of gain. That’s what family is for,” Ruby said.

The Duke repeated her words softly. “Family…”

Her boldness reminded him of someone—someone warm-hearted, unlike himself. The resemblance in appearance made the feeling stronger.

Realizing he was getting sentimental, the Duke put the coin away.

“If you don’t want it, I won’t force it. But if you need anything, tell Balt. Since you’re staying here, I’ll provide whatever you need.”

Ruby saw that once the Duke accepted someone, he treated them generously.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” she said with a polite bow.

“All right, you may go now.”

“Actually, Grandfather, I have one more request.”

“What is it?”

He expected her to ask for money, but instead, Ruby said something unexpected: “Will you eat meals with us from now on?”

“With you?” The Duke looked surprised.

He had kept his distance from the children—not only because he hadn’t fully accepted them but also because he thought they might feel uncomfortable around him.

But Ruby had asked first, so his eyes wavered.

“We’re family. My parents taught me that family should eat together,” Ruby explained.

Her real reason was to grow closer to him faster.

“Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable?” he asked, thinking of the children.

“You’re our grandfather. Children adapt quickly—they’ll be fine.”

The Duke hesitated. Was it better to eat separately for comfort, or together to bridge the gap? He couldn’t calculate the benefit, but somehow his heart leaned toward one option.

“…All right. From now on, we’ll eat together.”

Ruby smiled brightly.