Naturally, Shailyn had no intention of helping the mother and daughter.

But she was uneasy about what Gwen might say to Bartholomew.

‘The bond between Lord Diart and me isn’t strong enough to withstand any kind of manipulation.’

Even when she was injured and brought back from the Magic Tower, he hadn’t shown his face.

‘So I should either stay until the end or be the one to drive those two out…’

As if cutting off her train of thought, a large, wrinkled hand rested on Shailyn’s shoulder.

“It’s alright.”

Bartholomew spoke softly.

“Don’t worry, you can trust me and step back.”

…Does he know what I’m worried about and is he certain about it?

Yet, there was an inexplicable sense of trust in his deep, solid, dark green eyes, like an old tree.

“Master.”

Carl, who quietly held her arm, gestured for her to leave.

As if unable to resist, Shailyn began to walk.

“Then… I’ll be going.”

“Shailyn! Are you really going to leave your mother and sister behind?”

Gwen urgently tried to grab her stepdaughter, but Shailyn resolutely shook her off.

As Gwen, overwhelmed with emotion, reached out again.

“Enough.”

Bartholomew intervened.

With his hands behind his back, he gestured for Gwen to sit down.

“Count, let’s have a talk.”

“……!”

The faces of Gwen and Janice turned pale.

Leaving them behind, Shailyn exited the reception room with Carl.

Outside, Deborah, who had been pacing nervously, hurried over.

“Are you okay, sister?”

“Deborah, why are you here…?”

Seeing her cousin as if she had been waiting for her, Shailyn’s eyes widened.

“She asked me to ensure your safety and went to fetch Lord Diart.”

“What? Deborah did?”

“Well, actually… I came to greet your family but overheard some of the conversation.”

Deborah confessed hesitantly, glancing around.

Shailyn was surprised, not because she had eavesdropped, but because she had come to greet them.

Gwen became the countess after Diane Diart.

From the ducal family’s perspective, she was an uncomfortable presence.

Shailyn had assumed they wouldn’t even want to see her face…

“Why did you come to greet them?”

“They’re your family, sister.”

“……”

“I like you, so I wanted to get along with your family too. Not anymore, though.”

Deborah, who had heard the insults from Gwen and Janice, frowned.

Shailyn felt a peculiar stirring in her heart.

From the garden, she sensed Deborah’s care for her. It was akin to familial or sisterly affection.

“I called Grandfather because I was worried those bad people might forcibly take you.”

“…I see. You did well, Deborah. Thank you.”

Shailyn gently smiled and patted Deborah’s fluffy blonde hair.

Deborah’s lips twitched like a puppy receiving affection from its owner.

After withdrawing her hand, Shailyn looked at Carl.

“And Carl.”

Carl anticipated that she would praise him similarly to how she did Deborah.

Though he was not fond of being patted on the head in front of others, he was willing to comply if his master wished.

He slightly lowered his head, waiting for Shailyn’s hand to approach.

However…

“Why did you do that earlier? Think what would happen if you recklessly intervened like that!”

Instead of praise, Carl received a scolding.

He raised his head, looking bewildered. Shailyn stood with her hands on her hips, wearing a stern expression.

“I was really surprised. You should’ve pulled me aside instead.”

“…Why am I being reprimanded instead of praised?”

“Go get your hand treated immediately. You’re my bondservant. You shouldn’t get hurt without my permission, understood?”

“…Yes.”

Carl reluctantly answered.

Enduring the unfair distribution of the stick and carrot.

* * *

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the reception room, now left with only three people, was chilly.

Unlike when Shailyn was present, Gwen and Janice remained silent.

Unable to bear the suffocating silence, Gwen finally spoke up.

“…Lord Diart, I only came to rightfully take Shailyn as her mother.”

Her voice was meek.

She had been so bold when hurling harsh words at Shailyn.

Bartholomew didn’t even bother to scoff as he looked at her expressionlessly.

“Rightfully? You barged in unannounced and call that rightful?”

“I-I’m sorry for that. I was in such a hurry that I made a mistake…”

“Enough with the excuses. You knew you’d be refused if you notified us in advance, so you pulled a trick.”

Caught off guard, Gwen couldn’t refute and bit her lips hard.

Something was off.

Honestly, she thought the Duke of Diart would consider Shailyn a burden and wouldn’t care if she came to take her or not.

But Bartholomew standing before her seemed somehow angry.

‘He said Shailyn was hated by the Duke’s family…!’

Why does it feel otherwise?

Swallowing dryly, Gwen put on a pitiful expression and spoke.

“My lord, I apologize again for my rudeness. Please grant us the grace to take Shailyn back with us. Please return my eldest daughter to me.”

“How shameless.”

But Bartholomew wasn’t swayed by her smooth-talking.

Even from her empty eyes, it was clear she was lying without sincerity.

“When I first saw Shailyn, she was so shabby and haggard that I couldn’t believe she was the eldest daughter of a count’s family.”

“……”

“If she were truly a daughter you cherished enough to plead with tears, you wouldn’t have let her become so wretched.”

He had already witnessed Gwen’s true nature directly and indirectly.

If she truly considered her a daughter, she couldn’t have treated Shailyn as a nuisance.

“How exactly did you raise Shailyn all this time? How did you treat her?”

Gwen flinched at the voice filled with anger and contempt.

She bravely retorted.

“…Why does Your Grace care about that? Weren’t you indifferent to Shailyn? You hated her for being born after she caused her mother’s death.”

Each word pierced Bartholomew’s heart like a sharp arrow.

Interpreting his hardened face as an affirmation of her words, Gwen spoke confidently.

“I will take care of Shailyn myself.”

“No, she’s my granddaughter.”

Bartholomew impulsively uttered the words that had been lingering in his throat.

A sense of relief and clarity washed over him, as if a burden had been lifted.

Perhaps he had wanted to accept Shailyn as his granddaughter for quite some time.

“I will take care of my granddaughter, so the you should stop concerning yourself, Count.”

“What nonsense…”

Gwen looked at him in shock.

She never imagined Bartholomew would acknowledge Shailyn as his granddaughter.

“Unless Shailyn chooses to leave this house on her own, no one can take her or drive her out.”

Regardless, having said all he intended, Bartholomew stood up.

He gestured toward the door with his chin at the dazed mother and daughter.

“If you understand, leave.”

He added, frowning.

“It’s revolting to watch someone who can’t tell right from wrong for so long.”

“……!”

Gwen’s face turned crimson. Biting her lips tightly, she quickly left with Janice.

After confirming that the carriage carrying the two had left the estate, Bartholomew slowly turned around.

He headed toward the western part of the main building.

It used to be Diane’s room, and now it was Shailyn’s.

Upon arriving at the door, Bartholomew knocked cautiously.

“Shailyn, may I come in?”

“Yes, come in.”

A clear voice readily permitted entry.

Shailyn, who had been standing by the window, guided him to the sofa and sat down awkwardly.

“…Did you have a good conversation?”

She had seen the mother and daughter leave in disgrace.

While it was satisfying to see them leave empty-handed, she was worried about what had been discussed with Bartholomew.

“Yes.”

“May I ask what you talked about…”

Seeing her pale face showing faint anxiety, Bartholomew sighed softly.

A deep regret appeared on his wrinkled face.

‘Did I make this child so timid…?’

In truth, when he first saw Shailyn, he felt both affection for her as his daughter’s only bloodline and complicated emotions because she reminded him of the former Count.

As a result, even though he didn’t lack the desire to treat her well, he couldn’t express it properly.

His naturally reserved and blunt personality also played a part.

Moreover, meeting her as an adult grandchild made it even more challenging to know how to approach her.

Even when Shailyn gave him an allowance recently, he was very happy, feeling as if she was reaching out first, but he couldn’t say it.

‘I wish I could give you an allowance in the future too.’

And when she was brought back from the Magic Tower…