Chapter 7

Raon bit his lip hard at Adrian’s question, asking what on earth he had done to warrant selling their house.

It started when a noble child visiting the village held something glittering; Raon had watched out of curiosity. Then, the noble child gestured to him. As he walked over, he tripped and collided with the child, shattering the object they were holding.

As a result, Ramona had to drop to her knees and beg. All for him, someone who wasn’t even her own flesh and blood.

“When a child makes a mistake, the family takes responsibility. I can kneel as many times as it takes for our ‘Ugly Prince,’ so don’t blame yourself too much.”

Pushing back the child—who was too shocked even to cry—Ramona’s back as she knelt and apologized to the noble looked both dependable and pitiful.

To pay for the item, the house deed and gold coins received from Andrew were handed over. Conveniently, Anna mentioned the house next door was cheap, so they moved there immediately.

Even now, the memory made Raon feel like a criminal. Ramona had comforted him, saying it was natural for a child to make mistakes and right for a guardian to take responsibility, but hearing those words only made Raon weep inwardly.

After hearing the whole story, Adrian grit his teeth. He was furious that his own child had suffered such humiliation at the hands of some nameless noble. He felt a profound sense of apology toward Ramona, who had knelt and sacrificed everything for the boy.

It weighed on his conscience that he was taking away a child who had been raised with such devotion.

“I’m sorry. I should have brought you home sooner…”

“It’s alright. I actually wished you would have never shown up.”

Raon spoke with a coldness that made it hard to believe he was the same child who had been sobbing about not wanting to leave Ramona moments ago. Stunned into silence, Adrian managed only an awkward smile. He wanted to get close to the boy, but a six-year gap wasn’t something that could be bridged in an instant.

The emotional distance between them was several times greater than the time they had spent apart. Sensing how difficult it would be to bridge that gap, Adrian sighed inwardly.

“When we get home, there is a lady I am to marry, so greet her. Your grandfather is also there, though he is currently staying in the capital for business. He will be down soon, so be sure to be polite…”

Raon simply nodded at the mention of his grandfather being someone who valued etiquette. It seemed the world ahead of him would be far more treacherous than the one he shared with Ramona.

***

After traveling in the carriage for some time, it came to a halt, and Adrian carefully opened the door. Raon’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the massive mansion visible through the open door.

“It’s even bigger than Dad’s house.”

Realizing that the “Dad” Raon referred to was Baron Andrew Grace, Adrian flashed a bitter smile. Initially, he had been livid at the report that his child had been left with another woman, but he suppressed his emotions.

If the Baron hadn’t fed and housed the newborn after his former wife passed away, Raon wouldn’t be here now. Thinking of it that way, his rising anger vanished instantly. Since he himself hadn’t even known the child existed for six years, his own sin was far greater.

“From now on, this is your home.”

Adrian stepped down first and helped the boy out of the carriage. Once on the ground, Raon saw rows of people lined up and quickly shrunk back behind Adrian.

“Welcome back, Young Duke. And welcome, Young Master.”

A young man in a neat suit bowed his head in greeting. Immediately, everyone behind him followed suit.

“Welcome back, Young Duke! Welcome, Young Master!”

The synchronized shout, which sounded practiced and rehearsed, made Raon flinch slightly.

“Did anything happen while I was away?”

“No, sir.”

The man gave a businesslike reply and took the bundle Adrian was carrying, lifting his head slightly. Raon, meeting his eyes for a split second, lowered his gaze.

“My name is Raon.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Young Master. My name is Adiel, and I am the butler of this estate. I look forward to serving you.”

As Adiel bowed deeply again, Adrian patted Raon’s shoulder and spoke.

“In the future, you do not need to bow to the employees. Remember that in this house, except for a very few people, you do not need to lower your head or use formal speech.”

“Yes…”

Adrian watched Raon’s reaction as the boy murmured his response. Raon had learned basic manners from Ramona, but he would now have to learn that those “basics” didn’t apply here.

“Raon, the man behind us is Marquis Kylo Baston, the commander of the Arab Knights who protect our Cassius Duchy.”

A large man, who had been escorting the carriage but hadn’t drawn much attention until now, smiled at Raon.

“I am Kylo Baston, and I served in the war alongside the Young Duke. You may call me Kylo comfortably.”

Though he was a high-ranking noble—a Marquis—he was a descendant of the Baston family who had become vassals to the first Duke Cassius after he saved their ancestor’s life. Raon glanced at Adrian’s face.

“I’m Raon. It’s nice to meet you. And the people behind you, too.”

“The pleasure is ours!”

When Raon addressed them, the knights standing behind Lord Baston greeted him loudly and brought their clenched fists to their chests.

***

After the brief introductions outside, Adrian led Raon indoors. If the exterior was grand, the interior was magnificent. Watching Raon scan the surroundings with wandering eyes, Adrian held the child’s hand and called for the butler following them.

“Adiel, is the child’s room ready?”

“Yes, I will show you the way.”

Adiel led them up several floors and opened a firmly shut door. The room visible through the gap was incredibly spacious.

“Do you like it, Young Master?”

“It’s big. I think it would take a long time to clean this place.”

Having lived in a small space huddled with Ramona, Raon was already calculating how much time it would take to sweep such a vast area.

“Raon, what are you saying? The servants will clean this room, not you.”

“Is that so? I’ve always cleaned my own room…”

Feeling as though he had dropped into a world completely different from the one he knew, Raon tried to recall his distant past. As soon as he managed to remember how the servants at Baron Grace’s estate had treated him, he missed Ramona terribly.

Since this was also a noble house, he was sure the people here would look down on him for coming from the outside. Raon bit his lip, remembering that there were many servants at the Grace estate who were only kind when Ramona was around.

“What did Ramona say? She told you to ask if you didn’t know something, right? From now on, if you’re curious about anything here, ask right away.”

Adrian stroked Raon’s hair as the boy’s golden eyes wavered with anxiety.

“Now, let’s get washed and have dinner.”

As Adrian left to speak with someone, several servants brought warm water and filled the bathtub. Once the temperature was right, they added bath salts.

“We will assist you, Young Master!”

“I can wash myself just fine. I don’t need help.”

Raon, unwilling to show his naked body to any woman other than Ramona, sent all the servants out of the bathroom. He scrubbed himself clean and wrapped a dry towel around his body.

“These clothes were made for someone your age. I will help you dress.”

The clothes had many more buttons and were harder to put on than the ones Ramona had made. He had no choice but to accept their help. When the towel was removed, three red dots appeared on his shoulder. Seeing them, the high-ranking servant nodded.

Once dressed in new clothes and with his hair neatened, he looked every bit the noble young master, with no trace of having been raised outside.

“Lady Aria, the Young Duke’s fiancée, has returned from her tea party. Please head to the dining hall to greet her.”

“Yes.”

At the mention of his future stepmother’s arrival, Raon took a deep breath. He followed the servant to the dining hall. Raon, who had pictured the small table where he and Ramona used to sit and chat, saw instead a table so long he couldn’t take it all in at once.

Adrian sat at the head of the table, the furthest seat, and on his right sat a red-haired woman staring intently at Raon.

“Raon, come here. Aria, this is my son, Raon. Raon, you must greet her. She is your father’s fiancée.”

As Raon approached Adrian’s side, Aria curled the corners of her lips upward under his gaze. Unlike the modest Ramona, the flamboyant Aria stared at Raon, quickly scanning him from head to toe.

“Hello. I’m Aria, your father’s fiancée. I had a prior engagement, so I couldn’t be here to welcome you first.”

She was smiling, but Raon got the feeling it wasn’t out of genuine liking. Seeing Aria turn her head to take a sip of water as if she didn’t care for an answer, Raon clasped his hands together and bowed.

“Hello. My name is Raon, Auntie.”

“Cough!”