“……Your Grace?”

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought that way. Duke Baniche had already come outside. The red eyes that had been staring out the window turned to look at me.

“How are… Elodie and… Mother?”

“They seem fine.”

I tried to speak in the lightest tone possible.

“It looked like they needed some time alone, so I stepped out. It seems Your Grace had the same thought.”

Duke Baniche let out a sigh.

“I’ve done something unforgivable to Mother. And to you as well.”

“That’s in the past. What’s ahead is more important.”

“…Is that so.”

The Duke’s response was tinged with bitter self-deprecation.

“Actually, there’s a matter I need to discuss with you regarding Elodie’s future. I’ve been hoping it wouldn’t be an issue, but…”

“An issue?”

My mouth went dry. Elodie, myself, and Duke Baniche had reached our current peaceful daily life after overcoming many trials and errors. I had thought that even with the old lady joining us, it would only be a positive change. Was that naive thinking?

“The heir to the Baniche Duchy must spend more than half of each year in the duchy until they come of age. Of course, during the period of disappearance, that duty didn’t need to be fulfilled, but from this year, if we don’t return… Elodie’s right of succession could be in danger.”

I swallowed hard.

“…So, you’re saying you’ll take Elodie away.”

There was a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew that someday I would have to let Elodie leave my arms. I just didn’t know it would come this soon.

“You seem to misunderstand something, Miss Bertin.”

“What do you mean?”

“This matter is entirely up to Elodie and you, Miss Bertin. I have no intention of taking her if it’s not what you want.”

“Really?”

My voice trembled involuntarily. The Duke was saying that it would be okay if his daughter, whom he had desperately searched for all this time, lost her right of succession.

“Yes.”

The Duke answered calmly.

“Of course, I had hoped that Elodie would succeed me, but… her happiness is more important than that. I’d like you to understand that as well.”

I fell into thought for a moment. Although Duke Baniche said it depended on Elodie’s and my will, in reality, it was as good as depending on my will alone. After all, convincing Elodie, who trusted and loved me even more than her biological parents, would be a piece of cake.

‘I can’t send Elodie to the duchy alone.’

I closed my eyes. Unless there was absolutely no choice, Elodie was still too young to be separated from the only adult she trusted and relied on. Moreover, Duke Baniche, her biological father, was too unstable a person to entrust Elodie to with peace of mind. So I had to go with her. Which meant…

‘I’ll have to give up this shop.’

I opened my eyes and looked around the cafe. It might look shabby to Duke Baniche, but to me, it contained all the tears and sweat I had shed over the past five years. But to keep Elodie here with me…

‘Elodie could become a Duchess. I’d be taking that opportunity away from her.’

I swallowed hard. It wasn’t such a difficult decision. At some point, Elodie had become my top priority.

“…I think we should protect Elodie’s right of succession too. But I have a few conditions.”

“What are they?”

“I’ll go with Elodie.”

“Of course.”

He answered hastily.

“I was actually worried you might say you’d send only Elodie. I’m relieved to hear you say that.”

“And one more thing.”

The Duke nodded as if to say, just name it.

“I have no intention of becoming Elodie’s nanny or governess. I don’t have the ability for that either. If possible, I’d like to continue doing what I’ve been doing in the duchy as well.”

“You mean… the cafe.”

“Yes.”

A faint smile appeared on the Duke’s face.

“That’s not difficult at all. I’ll have a cafe as grand as you want set up wherever you wish. Anything else?”

“……”

I took a deep breath for a moment. What I was about to say might seem quite rude to Duke Baniche. But it was a necessary condition if I were to leave this familiar town and stay in the Baniche Duchy, which was no different from the Duke’s base.

“Please recognize me as Elodie’s guardian.”

“…Guardian, you say.”

Duke Baniche’s gaze changed.

“Do you understand what that means, Miss Bertin?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“A guardian becomes responsible for the child in the absence of parents.”

“It’s not just that.”

Duke Baniche sighed.

“If Elodie were to face danger, you would have to risk your life to protect her. Can you do that?”

I looked straight at the Duke. Had I ever been this confident in my life?

“Even without being her guardian, I would risk my life for her.”

For a moment, the Duke’s gaze and mine met in mid-air, intertwining deeply. It was the Duke who broke eye contact first.

“…I see.”

The Duke took a step towards me and extended his hand.

“I’m counting on you, Miss Bertin.”

I didn’t take his hand. There was one more thing I needed to confirm.

“Earlier, you said you almost harmed the Duchess.”

Duke Baniche’s expression was that of someone completely caught off guard.

“I thought it was understandable that you almost harmed me, given that you misunderstood I had kidnapped Elodie… What exactly happened?”

The Duke’s answer came somewhat slowly.

“…At that time, I was not in my right mind. So I attacked even those who were trying to help me.”

The Duke didn’t explain the reason, but I could guess without having to hear it. It must have been due to the side effects of black magic.

“I need assurance that no matter what happens, Your Grace will not harm Elodie.”

“Elodie is the exception.”

Surprised by the immediate response, I looked up at him. It didn’t feel like the Duke was lying.

“It’s been that way since Elodie was very young. From all my… faults, Elodie was the exception. You don’t need to worry about that.”

I examined him carefully. Could I trust this man?

As if answering that question, the Duke spoke again.

“If my condition becomes severe, I intend to entrust Elodie to you and disappear.”

“Disappear?”

The Duke smiled bitterly.

“Yes. If it comes to that, I’ll make sure to take measures so that I never appear before you or Elodie again, so rest assured.”

“…Let’s hope that day never comes.”

Although I couldn’t completely dispel my doubts, the Duke’s words didn’t sound like lies.

I took the Duke’s hand, which was still extended, and shook it. The warmth from his firm hand was clearly transmitted.

For some reason, feeling my face heat up, I quickly turned and headed towards the storage room. After knocking twice on the completely closed door, I opened it to find Elodie looking at me with wide eyes.

“Are we… leaving this place?”

“…You heard?”

I asked back in a dazed voice. The door had been completely closed, yet she heard. Moreover, the Duke and I had been talking in low voices quite far from the storage room. It didn’t seem possible for Elodie to have heard in any way.

“The wind told me.”

‘The wind?’

Elodie spoke as if explaining something very obvious, then added in a stubborn voice.

“I don’t want to leave.”

“Elodie.”

I met Elodie’s eyes, who was now sitting on the floor.

“If we don’t leave now, the future Elodie will regret it terribly.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

I stroked Elodie’s head.

“You just don’t remember yet, but your original home was the Baniche Duchy. So let’s think of it as just returning home. How about that?”

“…Aria will come too, right? I heard, but tell me too. Will you come or not?”

“Of course, I have to.”

I chuckled softly.

“How could I send Elodie alone?”

“…!”

Elodie hugged me tightly. Although it was sudden, it wasn’t unexpected, so I naturally hugged her back.

“…I’m scared.”

Elodie mumbled into my embrace.

“What if everyone there hates me?”

“That won’t happen.”

My heart ached. Until she came to live with me, Elodie had lived a life of mistreatment. Of course, she would be worried.

“But if anyone dislikes or bullies you, tell me. I’ll scold them for you.”