Chapter 24
Liriette took a step closer to the stag, chattering excitedly.
“Your antlers look like tiny trees—they’re so beautiful! Your black eyes are gorgeous, and your long fur looks so warm. I can’t believe I actually get to ride an animal like you. It feels like a dream.”
As if it understood her praise, the stag bobbed its head cheerfully.
The Duke couldn’t help letting out a faint chuckle.
“You’ve praised it enough. Now it’s time to get on.”
“Kyaa!”
Liriette squealed in surprise.
The Duke had effortlessly lifted her into the air with both hands.
Looking down at her, he muttered,
“I knew you’d be light because you’re so small… but you’re practically a ball of cotton.”
Liriette’s face turned bright red.
“I’m heavier than that!”
“I see.”
His tone clearly implied, If you say so.
Liriette puffed out her cheeks in protest.
Before she could complain, however, the Duke gently placed her on the stag’s back.
The enormous animal was so tall that the ground seemed frighteningly far away.
Her nervousness didn’t last long.
In one smooth motion, the Duke mounted the stag behind her.
He had often patted Liriette on the head before, but this was the first time they had been this close.
Strangely…
She didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
Instead, she felt completely safe.
It feels like I’m wrapped inside the warmest blanket in the world.
The Duke, meanwhile, remained expressionless as he had his own thought.
She’s as warm and soft as one of those dolls filled with mana stones.
It made him oddly uneasy.
He felt that if he used even a little strength, the child’s tiny, delicate body might crumple beneath him.
So he carefully kept from putting any weight on her as he said,
“Hold the reins. It’s dangerous.”
“O-Okay.”
Liriette gripped the reins tightly with both hands.
The Duke’s large hands settled beside her small ones.
With a light flick of the reins, the stag began to move.
Normally, the Duke rode without restraint.
He was considered one of the fastest riders in the North.
Today, however…
He urged the stag forward as slowly as possible.
Just in case the little cotton ball—
No.
Liriette—
might be jostled or fall.
After crossing a vast snowy plain, they arrived at an immense forest.
The Duke spoke.
“This forest belongs to House Windsorice. No one may enter without permission, making it the perfect place for a quiet walk.”
The sky was a brilliant blue without a single cloud.
Towering trees stretched toward the heavens.
Snow sparkled beneath the sunlight.
The scenery looked like something from a painting.
Liriette stood spellbound.
Then…
She noticed something in the distance.
A squirrel peeked out from behind a tree.
Excitedly, she pointed.
“Your Grace! There’s a squirrel!”
“With spring approaching, the animals that have been hibernating are beginning to wake.”
The Duke answered in his usual flat tone.
Then he handed Liriette a small pouch from inside his coat.
It was filled with almonds and raisins.
“If you’d like to see it up close, scatter these on the ground.”
“It’ll come over once it smells food.”
Liriette’s sky-blue eyes sparkled.
“Yes!”
She happily scattered the nuts across the snow.
The squirrel sniffed the air.
Then it cautiously approached.
One step…
Two…
Three…
When it finally stood before her…
Liriette was speechless.
Those big black eyes…
That curled tail…
It’s definitely a squirrel…
But…
It was enormous.
Almost as big as she was.
Come to think of it…
The Duke once said I was about the size of a squirrel.
I thought he was exaggerating.
Turns out…
I’m really squirrel-sized.
The realization left Liriette quietly stunned.
And it wasn’t only the squirrels.
Every animal they encountered in the forest was gigantic.
Rabbits the size of grown adults.
Foxes as large as tigers.
If every animal here is this huge…
Then bears must be enormous too.
What if we run into one…?
The moment that thought crossed her mind—
A bear the size of a house appeared.
It bared its teeth, clearly wearing an expression that screamed,
“Food!”
Then it locked eyes with the Duke.
Instantly…
The bear froze like a statue.
A second later, it looked as though it were saying,
“My deepest apologies!”
…before turning around and fleeing as fast as it could.
Liriette blinked.
That’s right.
The Duke is with me.
The strongest man in the Empire.
There was nothing to fear.
Feeling completely at ease, she waved toward the fleeing bear.
“Sorry, Mr. Bear.”
“I know you’re hungry, but you’ll have to find something else to eat.”
The Duke watched her silently before speaking.
“People in the North raise many animals.”
Because the long winters made farming impossible, livestock was a necessity.
Of course, the purpose was largely practical rather than sentimental.
When the animals grew up, their hides became clothing, and their meat became food.
The Duke chose not to mention that part.
Instead, he continued,
“If you’d like, I’ll catch one for you.”
“You can keep it at the castle.”
Liriette’s eyes widened.
She had never imagined such an offer.
She loved animals.
Even when she lived in the temple, whenever a stray cat wandered inside, she would stop and search her pockets for something it could eat.
Whenever she managed to pet one, she would always think,
How wonderful it would be if we could stay together every day.
But…
She shook her head firmly.
“They’ve been living freely in this vast forest.”
“If they were locked inside a castle, they’d feel terribly trapped.”
“…”
“I know how painful it is to lose your freedom.”
“I don’t want an animal to suffer like that just because of my own selfish wishes.”
The Duke quietly looked at her.
Then he reached out.
Gently stroking her small, round head, he said,
“You’re kind.”
Liriette had never liked hearing those words.
In her previous life, the High Priest had often laughed as he said,
“You’re kind—that’s what makes you so easy to use.”
But this time…
The words felt completely different.
Your heart is warm.
And I rather like that about you.
A shy smile spread across Liriette’s face beneath his large hand.
* * *
After making a full circuit of the forest, the Duke lightly touched Liriette’s reddened cheeks.
“Your face is cold.”
“Let’s head back.”
Liriette wanted to explore the forest a little longer.
But I don’t want to trouble the Duke.
And I don’t want to be a child who refuses to listen.
So she obediently nodded.
However…
Instead of returning to the castle, the Duke guided the stag toward a secluded villa hidden deep within the forest.
The empty cabin was filled with a chilly stillness.
The Duke removed his cloak and draped it over Liriette’s tiny body.
Then he wrapped it tightly around her until she resembled a cocoon.
“Wait here.”
“I’ll warm the place up in no time.”
Liriette blinked in surprise.
The Duke had always shown her consideration.
But this was the first time he had personally fussed over her like this.
“If you tell me what needs doing, I’ll help!”
Unfortunately…
The cloak was wrapped around her so tightly that she couldn’t even stand up properly.
Judging by the Duke’s expression, there was absolutely no chance he intended to unwrap her.
Giving up, Liriette simply poked her face out from the bundle of fabric and watched him.
Although he had undoubtedly spent his entire life with servants attending to his every need…
The Duke was surprisingly skilled at lighting a stove.
Soon, the kettle hanging above it began to bubble.
He poured steaming milk into a cup, stirred in a spoonful of honey, and handed it to Liriette.
“Drink this.”
“It’ll warm you up.”
There was just one problem.
Liriette struggled helplessly inside the cocoon-like cloak, unable to free her hands.
The Duke paused.
“Ah.”
He loosened the cloak.
Finally free, Liriette accepted the cup with both hands.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll enjoy it.”
She slowly took a sip.
Wow…
It’s so warm.
Heat spread through every part of her chilled body.
The corners of her eyes softened into a smile.
She’s smiling like that again.
As though spring has arrived in the middle of winter.
That was what the Duke thought as he casually drained an entire cup of milk in one gulp.
Color had returned to Liriette’s cheeks.
“It’s delicious.”
“That’s good.”
After a brief hesitation, Liriette asked,
“By the way…”
“Doesn’t this villa normally have a caretaker?”
She found it strange that the Duke’s private villa had no servants.
As he poured himself another cup of milk, the Duke replied,
“I come here whenever I want to be alone.”
“So I don’t keep anyone here.”
“You could call it… my secret base.”
Secret base.
It was a phrase that seemed completely out of place coming from the cold, fearsome Duke of Windsorice.
Liriette couldn’t help giggling.
Then, moments later…
The tips of her ears turned bright red.
He brought me…
…to the secret place where he comes whenever he wants to be alone?
The realization made her heart flutter.
Her lips kept trying to curl upward.
If I look too happy…
The Duke might think I’m strange.
She hurriedly tried to compose herself.
Watching her struggle to hide her excitement, the Duke suddenly spoke.
“Liriette.”
“Will you become my daughter?”
She tilted her head.
“But…”
“Wasn’t that already the plan?”
The Duke answered calmly.
“I don’t mean pretending to be my daughter temporarily in order to escape the High Priest.”
“I mean…”
“I want you to become my real daughter.”
Liriette’s eyes flew open.
She was utterly stunned.
