The process of bringing Lizzy in was far from smooth. Even though she was a Marchioness who had accomplished great feats, it was hard for the vassals to accept her decision to bring in a commoner child while still unmarried.

From their perspective, what they wanted was for Olivia to fulfill her duties as a border master and marchioness flawlessly, and eventually marry a duke and give birth to a proper heir. If Olivia had been as compliant as she used to be, the vassals would have easily convinced her.

“Ugh, these stuffy nobles! I just want to do something I really care about after all the hardships I’ve been through! It’s not like I said I was going to gamble or kill someone, right? Adopting a cute child before I get married—how is that such a crazy idea? Want me to show you what real madness looks like?!”

The vassals surrendered. Having seen what had happened to Harry Palmer, their former leader, they wisely chose to submit to her.

Even the duke, who was considered rational, had been completely taken by his liege. Realizing there was no way to stop Olivia, they gave up.

“Lizzy, look here! This is your room.”

Olivia had put more thought into it than ever, choosing a spacious room with plenty of sunlight. Dressing Lizzy in fine clothes and bringing her to the mansion like a princess was just a bonus.

“Wow… it’s amazing…”

“It’ll look even better once we add some furniture, Lizzy.”

Marsden gently patted Lizzy’s head. She still seemed dazed, as if she couldn’t quite grasp the situation.

“That’s your bedroom, and over there on the right is the dressing room. I even divided the bedroom into two, so there’s a space for you to write letters. If you ever want, we can remodel the room even further to your liking.”

At Olivia’s explanation, Lizzy swallowed hard. Still unable to believe her new circumstances, she clung tightly to Olivia’s hand. Sensing her tension, Olivia crouched down to meet her eyes.

“If there’s a color you like, let me know. I’ll order the curtains and furniture in whatever color you want. Oh, and I’ll show you the catalog first, of course! But if you’d rather explore a bit more first, that’s fine too. Maybe I got too excited right after you arrived, huh?”

Olivia shared a sheepish smile with Marsden, who knelt down in front of Lizzy.

“I saw you watching the knights train earlier. If you’re interested in learning swordsmanship, I could teach you.”

“Huh? Why you? She’s my daughter.”

“Come on, we’re getting married, right? That makes Lizzy my daughter too. Lizzy, Olivia can be a bit… aggressive, so it might be better to learn from me.”

“Swordsmanship is about survival! Of course, you have to learn how to break things!” Olivia retorted.

Olivia and Marsden began bickering in front of Lizzy, each adamant about being her teacher. Lizzy looked up at the two of them, wide-eyed.

After Olivia had suggested they become a family, Lizzy spent a week packing her belongings and pinching her cheeks repeatedly, asking everyone around her, “Am I really going to be the marchioness’s daughter and not a maid?”

“It’s true,” said the head chef, tapping her gently on the head.

“That little sapling is finally becoming a tree,” he remarked wistfully. He was both the most regretful and the happiest to see her go. Even as Lizzy waved out the carriage window at him, she still half-believed it was all just a dream.

“You know I could beat you if we had a proper fight, right?” Olivia said.

“Liv, just remember I’m your teacher. I taught you everything.”

“I’m younger than you! You should learn from someone younger.”

Marsden pouted, always the weaker one when it came to Olivia. She affectionately patted his cheek in response.

“Okay, how about this? Once she gets the basics down, you can teach her. Deal?”

“Really? Actually, it’s always been my dream to teach our child swordsmanship if we ever had one.”

‘Our child.’

If Lizzy understood correctly, it meant that Marsden, the duke also considered her their daughter, despite her being a commoner with no blood relation to them.

“Well, Lizzy, how about—” Olivia started, but stopped abruptly when she saw Lizzy’s face. Lizzy was crying.

“Oh no! Why, why are you crying? Did I say something wrong? Please don’t cry, I’m so sorry!”

Olivia, who was helpless when it came to a child’s tears, pulled Lizzy into a tight hug.

“If you don’t want to learn from me, just tell me. I won’t force anything on you. I brought you here because I love you and want to be your family. There’s no pressure at all…”

“I love everything. I really do,” Lizzy whispered, clutching Olivia with all her might.

“I just want you to stay with me for a long, long time, and not leave like my father did. That’s all I want.”

Cleaning chimneys, enduring the cold indifference of adults—all of that had been bearable. Even when Kellic had dismissed her, saying a skinny little girl couldn’t possibly be capable of anything, she hadn’t been too hurt.

But Lizzy had cried because her father wasn’t there to comfort her. Even if he wasn’t the knight she dreamed of, just having him by her side would’ve made her feel less lonely.

“Lizzy, look at this,” Marsden said, pulling out a small object.

“The chef told me you like cherry candy. I brought some for you to have while we explore. Want one now?”

Marsden voices were so warm. If Olivia’s voice was like a blazing torch, the duke’s voice was like a comforting campfire. Just listening to them made Lizzy feel at peace.

“Yes.”

When Lizzy responded, Marsden unwrapped the candy and gently placed it in her mouth. Despite sniffling, Lizzy eagerly swirled the candy around in her mouth.

“When did you manage to find out all that?” Olivia asked gratefully.

Marsden smiled warmly. “A father who doesn’t pay attention to his daughter isn’t a real father. If you like anything else, just tell me. Your mother and I has a lot of money, you know.”

Marsden playfully poked Lizzy’s side, making her burst into laughter.

“And I’ll keep my promise to stay by your side for a long, long time. You too, right, Buddy?”

“Of course. I’ll be sticking to Lizzy like glue,” Olivia chimed in.

Marsden, amused, shook his head slightly, then brushed Lizzy’s hair back and asked again, “What’s your favorite color, Lizzy? I heard you like yellow, but is there another one?”

Lizzy looked between Olivia and Marsden.

Her once colorless life was now filled with vibrant hues—red, gold, the color of the night sky, the color of sunlight…

“Mom and Dad’s colors.”

“Huh?” Marsden tilted his head in confusion.

Lizzy smiled shyly. “Pretty colors like Mom and Dad. That’s enough for me.”

* * *

It wasn’t long before Olivia and Marsden realized that, despite Lizzy’s many emotional scars, she had a strong sense of self-worth.

After much discussion with Marsden, Lizzy’s surname was officially changed from Klein to Charbert. She was incredibly grateful for it. Perhaps because of that gratitude, she always greeted the sometimes cold-eyed vassals politely, and knowing that she was smaller than most kids her age, she never missed a meal, taking care to eat well.

She was a bright child and excelled no matter what subject the tutors taught. She especially had a natural talent for swordsmanship, likely inherited from her biological father.

“Wow, the young lady has some innate talent,” even Glenn, who occasionally looked after Lizzy when Olivia and Marsden were busy, marveled. Lizzy was not only intelligent but also seemed to glow when wielding a sword, just like Olivia.

“Looks like we don’t need to interfere,” Olivia said one day, watching Lizzy train from a distance with Marsden. Lizzy had seamlessly adapted to life in the Charbert family, growing closer to both of them each day.

“As much as I hate to admit it, she’s a lot like you, Buddy. Even that slight reddish tint in her hair,” Marsden commented.

“But she’s calm and gentle like you. Every time I’m about to cause a ruckus, both you and Lizzy hold me back,” Olivia replied.

Marsden chuckled at that. “True. It’s much easier to calm you down these days.”

Olivia squinted her eyes at him, pretending to be annoyed. “You two are getting along so well it’s almost irritating. Why are you two so in sync?”

Marsden just shrugged playfully. “What can I say? We complement each other well.”

Olivia growled playfully but soon stopped and stared at Marsden for a moment before leaning into his arms.

“Let’s be happy together for a long, long time.”

“Of course. I’ll never break the promise I made to you and Lizzy.”

Marsden pulled away slightly and gently kissed Olivia. It was short, but sweet. Just as their kiss ended, Lizzy finished her training and ran toward them.

“You’re hereee!”
TL NOTE: Visit dusk blossoms for more chapters of the side story.