~Chapter 36~
Ruby and Grand Duke Lux dressed in simpler, somewhat shabby clothes.
The point was not to reveal their true status to the people of the territory.
Lux seemed used to doing inspections this way, so the disguise didn’t look strange on him at all.
Their carriage stopped at the busiest marketplace in Cardonia. They purposely got out there and went in on foot.
Even before they entered, the shouts of merchants filled the air. Inside, the market was packed with people.
“Stay close,” Lux said.
“Yes, Grandfather,” Ruby answered, following him into the noisy crowd.
Ruby looked around in amazement.
“Fresh fish here! Just caught today!”
“Delicious skewers! Only 20 pennies for a full meal!”
Vendors shouted at them, each trying to sell their goods.
Ruby, overwhelmed by their enthusiasm, struggled to push through the crowd.
Lux, on the other hand, ignored them all with practiced ease and kept walking.
“Wait for me, Grandfather!” Ruby called, but he didn’t seem to hear her, and the distance between them grew.
Ruby stretched out her hand, struggling to keep up, until she finally caught his.
It was a rough hand, calloused from years of wielding a sword.
Lux looked down in surprise, but Ruby just grinned.
“To make sure we don’t lose each other, we should hold hands.”
Lux stared at their joined hands. Ruby expected him to shake her off immediately—but instead, he tightened his grip.
“This is only so you don’t get lost,” he muttered, almost like an excuse.
“Thank you, Grandfather,” Ruby said, smiling as she held his hand tightly too.
“Aww, what a sweet granddaughter,” one of the merchants teased as they passed.
Lux ignored it, staring straight ahead, but Ruby blushed and tried to keep up with his brisk pace.
Because his steps were longer, Ruby’s arm kept being pulled forward. It was hard for her to keep her balance while rushing.
“Ah, wait a moment,” she puffed, bumping into people as she tried to stay with him.
Then, something surprising happened. Lux slowed his steps.
Looking down at her, he adjusted his pace to match her smaller stride.
It immediately became easier for Ruby to walk.
“Thank you for being considerate, Grandfather,” she said.
“Your legs are short,” he replied bluntly.
“I’m only ten. I’ll grow taller,” Ruby said defensively.
In the novel Our Family Must Repent, her adult self was described as quite tall, so there was hope.
“You don’t need to hurry to grow up,” Lux said.
Ruby blinked. She wasn’t sure what he meant by that.
Surely, he didn’t mean he’d be sad to see her grow?
Maybe it was just his own way of telling her not to feel insecure.
Choosing to think of it positively, Ruby smiled and continued walking beside him.
Lux walked without expression, but Ruby carefully studied her surroundings.
Contrary to her expectations, the people of Cardonia were not gloomy.
Despite the harsh land, they were cheerful and full of energy. Not a single face looked bitter or hopeless.
Even when they saw strangers, they showed no suspicion—if anything, they looked welcoming.
That meant if outsiders ever moved here, they would likely be accepted without issue.
As they walked, Ruby noticed a crowd gathered in one area.
“Grandfather, can we take a look over there?” she asked, tugging on his hand.
Without replying, Lux led her toward it.
The crowd was packed tightly, so Ruby couldn’t see what was happening.
She hopped up and down, trying to peek over shoulders, but she was too short.
Then, suddenly—she rose into the air.
“W-whoa!” she gasped.
“Can you see now?” Lux asked.
He had lifted her by the waist, raising her above the crowd.
Flustered at first, Ruby quickly looked ahead.
In the middle stood a storyteller, entertaining the people.
“And that’s when our very own Grand Duke Lux charged into battle!” the man declared.
The topic was none other than the grand duke’s war exploits in the empire’s territorial disputes.
Ruby turned her head back. “Grandfather, you can put me down now.”
He lowered her, and Ruby tugged on his hand again.
Lux leaned down so she could whisper.
“They’re telling stories about you.”
His eyebrow twitched upward. He didn’t look pleased.
The crowd, however, was hanging on the storyteller’s every word.
“As expected of our lord!”
“No matter how many times I hear it, my heart races!”
They praised him openly—without realizing the very man was standing right behind them.
“You’re amazing, Grandfather,” Ruby whispered.
“Not really,” he said flatly.
Even with all that admiration around him, he showed no pride or shyness. It was as if he didn’t believe their respect was real.
“Still, they must like you because you’ve supported this territory so much,” Ruby suggested.
“Supporting a territory is a lord’s duty, nothing more.”
He wasn’t boasting—just stating it as fact.
That simple, steady sense of duty was probably the very reason people respected him.
Ruby realized anew how great his influence was. And at the same time, she felt the weight of responsibility.
She was about to step in and change things in Cardonia, a place her grandfather had ruled so well.
If she made mistakes, people’s trust in him could be ruined.
She couldn’t allow that. The thought made her tense.
“Grandfather, you said this land doesn’t produce much food, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then what’s the main source of income for the people here?”
She expected him to scold her for asking, but instead, he answered.
“Metals. Many of the materials needed for our weapons come from here.”
“So there’s a mine,” Ruby said.
“Correct.”
“I’d like to see it.”
“The mine?”
“Yes.”
Lux hesitated. It was clear he was wondering whether it was safe to bring a child there.
“But to create proper policies, I need to know how people live,” Ruby pressed.
After some thought, he said, “The path to the mine is rough. Are you sure you’re up for it?”
He wasn’t worried about the mine itself, but the journey there.
“I’ll be fine,” Ruby said firmly.
Though weaker than Calix, she wasn’t frail. Thanks to her mother’s training, she had built some stamina.
“Don’t regret it later,” Lux warned, but in the end, he agreed.
They took the carriage as far as possible, then continued on foot, climbing the mountain. Lux seemed to know the way well, not hesitating once. Clearly, he visited often as part of his inspections.
As they neared the mine, workers carrying heavy loads passed by, eyeing the pair curiously.
One man, who seemed to be a supervisor, approached.
“What brings you here?”
“My granddaughter was curious about the mines. I wanted her to see it for herself,” Lux explained.
“She’s curious, I see. But it’s not exactly a place for children. Her clothes might get dirty.”
“That’s fine,” Lux replied.
“Then please wear these helmets,” the supervisor said, handing them protective gear. He didn’t seem bothered by their visit.
“This mine produces coal,” he explained, guiding them.
Ruby’s eyes sparkled with interest, and the supervisor seemed encouraged.
“This one, however, produces iron ore—the key material for weapons. It’s Cardonia’s main source of income.”
He even showed them raw pieces of ore.
It was Ruby’s first time seeing such minerals in person. She held the rough, bumpy stone in her palm, marveling at its texture.
“Do any other minerals come from here?” she asked.
“Yes, various ones. Occasionally, we even find gemstones.”
At that, Ruby couldn’t help but smile faintly to herself, hiding her excitement.
