‘Anyway, the Duke’s mouth is the problem.’

While not actually thinking that. Despite cherishing him too much to bring up the most frightening topic.

The more she thought about it, the more she disliked his mouth, and her desire to help him completely disappeared, but Reibella decided to defend him just this once.

“The Duke probably didn’t mean it in a bad way. He’s just awkward and doesn’t know how to comfort people.”

“That person is like that?”

He snorted and continued.

“That’s impossible. That man hates my mother. That’s why he didn’t attend when she passed away. It was my mother’s final journey.”

“……”

“And he abandoned me too.”

She had thought he would at least know the reason why he was sent to his maternal family. But Royan didn’t seem to know.

No, did he really not know?

“Do you really think so?”

At Reibella’s question, he pressed his lips tightly together. His stubbornly closed expression showed he didn’t want to answer.

“You know that’s not true.”

“……I know.”

Royan answered obediently with a sigh.

“How could I not know? I do know. I know, but…”

He knew, but what happened to him at his maternal family’s home, where he was sent, was so painful that he didn’t want to believe in his father’s thoughts and judgment.

“Why am I so stupid?”

“Who says you’re stupid? Where could you find someone as smart as you?”

“Me?”

Royan asked Reibella as if hearing this for the first time.

“You’re saying I’m smart? I’m not as good as you.”

What are you saying, male lead? You’re going to become a figure who stands shoulder to shoulder with the Emperor, the strongest person in this world in the future.

How can you compare yourself to an extra who doesn’t even have a name in the story?

“That’s not……”

“I have a bug-like person bringing you poisonous herbs right beside me, and I did nothing. Do you really think that?”

Reibella’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.

“You knew?”

“How could I not know? You told me.”

Come to think of it.

Recently, she had been telling Royan about the princess’s recent activities. Those activities were just stories about her time as a food taster, how she became friends with the princess, and what happened.

During that, she had also talked about the todoria herb, and since it was about the princess, Royan seemed to have looked up the herb in books himself.

“I want to catch up to that person as soon as possible, but I didn’t even know there was a traitor right beside me.”

He added with a dejected expression.

“Don’t worry. I’ve dealt with that bastard. I couldn’t keep someone who dared deceive their master by my side.”

Royan was another protagonist of this world, with the ability to do whatever he wanted.

Others knew this, but he himself, who should know his own abilities, didn’t seem to.

Reibella felt like she understood where all the problems with this child originated from.

At the same time, she realized what she needed to give this child before resolving various complex situations and relationships.

Reibella decided to willingly give it to him.

“You’re doing well.”

Unlimited affirmation, that is.

“You’ve done well so far, and you’ll continue to do well.”

Lighting a lamp in your future that feels as dark as the abyss.

“You’ve been studying for less than a year, right? Yet you’ve already covered history up to the reign of the previous Emperor, and you’ve already gone through half of the economics book. Not just anyone can do that.”

Until now, he had been surrounded only by adults who spoke and acted badly.

And the first peer he met was the princess, who had an adult’s mind. When he was with her, he must have seemed young and lacking, as everyone said.

In the midst of all this, his father, with whom he had a bad relationship with, suddenly adopted a sibling.

His already unstable foundation must have been shaken like waves.

“You’re doing well. With swordsmanship and other training too. The Duke said you’re lacking, but there’s probably no one who isn’t lacking compared to him. But just wait a year. The Duke’s jaw will drop, I guarantee it.”

“……How do you know?”

“Who am I?”

Reibella said, lightly tapping her chest.

“I was Felicity. What is Felicity most famous for?”

“……Money?”

Scholarship, art, politics, history, and so on. With all of Felicity’s brilliant achievements, he mentioned money? He truly was Vicheravali, living and dying for money.

It was a somewhat absurd answer, but Reibella withdrew her narrowed eyes and asked proudly again.

“Who do you need to make money?”

“People?”

“Yes! I’m saying I’m someone who knows how to judge people. Do you understand?”

“……”

“I guarantee it. You will become someone more outstanding than anyone else.”

Reibella grinned and stood on her tiptoes to stroke his hair. Royan blankly accepted her touch and then collapsed as if crumbling.

As he buried his face between his legs, Reibella sat beside him and stroked his clearly visible head.

For quite a long time, until his sobbing stopped.

* * *

“Shall we go back?”

At Reibella’s question, Royan, whose eyes were swollen from crying, nodded slightly. He seemed a bit embarrassed.

Reibella pretended not to notice his expression and continued.

“Oh, by the way, I won’t be adopted here, so don’t worry.”

“……Why?”

Though she meant to reassure him, surprisingly, Royan’s response was sharp.

“Do you hate Vicheravali?”

No, this kid. Was he that proud of Vicheravali?

Reibella immediately made excuses.

“Vicheravali is a good family. That’s why I thought it wouldn’t be good if someone like me interfered. I’m from a family of traitors. And you hate me too.”

“That’s……!”

Royan started to blurt something out but stopped and pulled Reibella’s arm. Reibella’s body tilted as she was pulled by his strength.

And at that moment. The hair near Reibella’s ear fell to the ground as if someone had cut it with scissors.

At the same time, Royan’s drawn sword deflected a dagger.

It was an attack.

“Hide behind me.”

Royan unsheathed his sword and hid Reibella behind him. Reibella quickly moved behind him, who was half a span taller than her, trying not to interfere with his movements.

Meanwhile, people wearing black masks surrounded the two.

Royan said.

“Who sent you?”

Then, the most robust-looking person among those wearing masks answered.

“None of your business. Put down your sword obediently, young master.”

“Shut up. It would be better for you to disappear from my sight right now.”

The man laughed at Royan’s prickly retort.

“They said you were quite prickly and needed education, and it seems true.”

“……Marquis Pueblo?”

As if the word ‘education’ was a hint, Royan quickly figured out who had sent them. When he laughed bitterly and gave the answer, the one presumed to be the leader whistled.

It seemed to be the correct answer.

‘If it’s Marquis Pueblo, he’s Royan’s maternal uncle.’

……Is he crazy?

Even if he had abused Royan when he was at the mansion, keeping him under his feet, Royan was the young duke. He was not someone to be treated so carelessly.

Moreover, that might have been understandable before. But now, the Duke of Vicheravali was in Louvindisi. Yet he attempts a kidnapping?

It was a choice that couldn’t be made with a sound mind.

“If you know, put down your sword and come with us, young master. We’re not scary people.”

“Do I look like a fool to you?”

The man’s voice was slimy. In contrast, Royan’s voice was cold as he gave his answer.

Royan gripped his sword firmly with both hands and said.

“I will never go.”

With those words, the unidentified attackers rushed in. But their blades would never reach Royan.

“I apologize, young master. Miss. I was late because I was dealing with the enemies.”

It was because Cleo stood in their way. Then Tony appeared and swung his sword at an enemy approaching from behind Reibella.

Tony shouted.

“Young master! Take Miss and run away!”

As soon as his words ended, Royan grabbed Reibella’s hand. And he started running with all his might.

But not long after, Reibella had to let go of his hand.

“Cough.”

It was because blood was pouring out.

‘I couldn’t take the antidote.’

She had been on her way to the annex when she received the news and went to see Royan, so she hadn’t drunk the antidote. Perhaps that’s why the poison seemed to be acting up again.

When Reibella suddenly vomited blood, Royan approached her in shock.