Chapter 9

“Dear, Stephania.”

The Empress called her daughter’s name softly.

The Princess’s tear-filled eyes turned to the Empress.

As if pleading.

“How about waiting for now?”

“Mother, why…….”

“If that boy is truly Duke Conver’s child…… today is a very important day for them as father and son. The day they meet a family they didn’t know existed. If not, it will still be a complicated feeling. So we should watch and…….”

“That’s why.”

“Hmm?”

“Because it’s an important day, I should be by his side even more.”

“Dear, Stephania.”

“I’ll be going, Mother.”

The Princess turned away without listening to the Empress’s words to the end.

The Empress’s face twisted as she watched the Princess’s retreating figure.

“What are you standing there for? Go and escort the Princess immediately.”

“Yes, understood, Your Majesty the Empress.”

James Forte, the commander of the Second Imperial Knight Order, bowed and quickly followed the Princess.

The Empress’s gaze cooled.

“Duke Conver’s son…….”

* * *

“Ray, have you been waiting long?”

“Oh, As!”

Ray looked flustered when she appeared.

Upon closer inspection, there were crumbs around his mouth, like those from snacks.

“What did you eat? It’s all over your face. You act so grown-up, but you’re so messy. What’s all this?”

She wiped Ray’s mouth gently, giving him a soft look.

Ray, unable to meet her gaze directly, shifted his eyes as he spoke.

“A stranger gave it to me, but she ate it first to show it wasn’t poisoned, and since you were nearby…… and it looked appetizing and smelled good… so I ate it.”

She found Ray’s rambling excuses so adorable that she patted his head.

“Was it good?”

“Yes, very.”

“Then that’s fine.”

Ray nodded and smiled brightly.

She pointed to Duke Conver standing behind her.

“Ray, say hello.”

She should say, “He’s your father,” but the words wouldn’t come out.

His sparkling black eyes looked up at her.

Huff, ha, she took a deep breath and was about to speak again when it happened.

“It’s okay to say it, As.”

“Huh?”

“That person is my father?”

Ah……

Ray knew.

He really was a perceptive child.

She answered with a nod instead of words.

Ray took small steps towards Duke Conver.

The child had to tilt his head to look up at the tall Duke.

His round black eyes were full of tension.

No matter how composed Ray was, he must have been very surprised.

Meeting a father he never knew existed.

A father he never dared to hope for.

“Hello. I’m Ray, Father.”

Ray bowed his head in greeting.

The child’s voice was strong, but there was a slight tremble at the end.

Duke Conver stood frozen, staring at Ray with intense eyes.

The Duke approached Ray, knelt on one knee, and met his gaze.

“I am your father. Nice to meet you, my son. And…… I’m sorry for being so late.”

“…….”

The Duke’s voice, filled with emotion, flowed slowly.

But Ray just stood there silently.

“Ray, may I hug you?”

“…….”

Without a word, Ray stepped forward towards Bryce.

It was a sign of permission.

Duke Conver’s long arms wrapped around Ray’s small body.

The already small child looked even smaller in the large man’s embrace.

But she couldn’t see Ray in the Duke’s arms properly.

Because tears kept blurring her vision.

She should have been happy about this historic reunion of father and son.

She should have celebrated Ray meeting his biological father.

Moreover, his real father was not some neighborhood drunkard but Duke Conver, the male lead of this world, which should have made her extremely happy.

That was right.

But she couldn’t.

‘But I’m not happy at all. I’m sorry to Ray…….’

The overwhelming sadness pierced her heart.

She bit her lower lip hard to hold back the sobs threatening to escape.

* * *

“Ray, aren’t you hungry? I came all the way in a carriage yesterday to meet you. So I haven’t eaten since yesterday until today. Let’s eat together.”

“I had breakfast at the inn, and I just had cookies and milk, but okay. As said I need to eat a lot because I’m growing.”

Ray smiled at him.

The table setting was done quickly.

The faces of the maids and butlers preparing the first meal for Duke Conver were filled with deep emotion.

“As, the dining table is as big as our living room.”

“Yes, really.”

When Ray whispered softly enough for only her to hear, she nodded in agreement.

Duke Conver picked up his fork and knife and spoke.

“I hope it suits your taste.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Ray energetically replied and began cutting the beef steak in front of him.

“Wow, it’s delicious.”

A look of delight appeared on Ray’s face as he chewed the steak.

She had no appetite, but she couldn’t just sit there, so she cut a small piece of steak and put it in her mouth.

Oh-ho!

As expected, the steak from the empire’s top noble house melted in her mouth.

Ray laughed at her wide eyes.

As if to agree.

Duke Conver, watching them, spoke.

“I’m glad it suits your taste. But are you left-handed, Ray? I am too.”

The Duke asked, looking at Ray’s left hand holding the knife.

He also waved his left hand holding the knife.

Ray answered clearly.

“I mainly use my left hand, but I use both hands during sword training. As said I should be able to use both hands.”

“So you are left-handed. But you practice swordsmanship too? Who is your teacher?”

“I don’t have a separate teacher. As teaches me.”

Ray smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Duke Conver spoke with a curious expression.

“Miss Astrid, your swordsmanship must be impressive. Ray, you must be lucky.”

“Yes, that’s right. As is really strong.”

Ray shrugged his shoulders proudly.

She didn’t expect Ray to be so boastful.

She looked at him with a satisfied smile.

But then Ray stuck out his tongue at her and grinned mischievously!

And his next words made her hold her forehead.

“But while it’s nice to be taught swordsmanship by As, she’s strict. Sometimes I think she forgets I’m just a seven-year-old.”

Ouch!

She narrowed her eyes and ruffled Ray’s hair slightly.

“I didn’t forget you were seven, I believed in your potential! Now that you have a father, you’re even tattling!”

Is that so great?

She gave him a gentle glare, and Ray grinned widely.

* * *

After the meal, they headed straight to the cabin on Hurt Mountain.

It was at Duke Conver’s request to visit Ray’s mother’s grave and pay respects.

Her grave was on a small hill behind the house.

The Duke followed Ray to the grave, while she went into the house alone.

It was the historic day of the first meeting of the three family members: Ray, Duke Conver, and Isabella.

“Things really can change overnight.”

Pfft, she laughed weakly, mumbling to herself.

She sat quietly on the sofa and looked around the house.

The scene without Ray felt unfamiliar.

It was a space where Ray had always been for the past seven years.

‘He’ll always be gone from now on. How will I live without Ray?’

Her eyes grew hot again, and tears streamed down.

“Get a grip, Astrid! Don’t be weak! Life is a solitary journey, after all! It was like this from the beginning!”

She patted her cheeks with both hands, scolding herself.

Then, the sound of hooves and a familiar voice came from outside.

“As! Ray! I’m here!”

It was Neil’s voice.

She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

But it seemed impossible to hide all the traces of her crying.

“You must already know since you were crying.”

Neil said with a sigh as he entered the house and looked at her face.

He seemed to have come all the way here to talk about the matter she had asked him to investigate yesterday.

“I went to the inn, but you weren’t there, so I came here. Where’s Ray?”

“He’s at his mother’s grave with Duke Conver.”

“I see. Ray, that kid turned out to be the son of the great Duke Conver! He’ll be even more arrogant now. I should definitely beat him before we part!”

“You’ve never won against him.”

“I let him win!”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, but Neil boasted proudly.

“So what will you do now?”

“What do you mean, what will I do? I’ll send Ray to the Ducal House, and I’ll just live as I have.”

“Can you keep living here? Without Ray? How about moving for a while?”

“Move? I’ve never thought about it……. I’ll consider it.”

It’s not a bad idea.

This whole house was filled with memories of Ray.

She didn’t think she could live in this house without Ray.

Tears flowed again.

“Foolishly, I keep crying. It’s strange, isn’t it? I’m not a child, so why do I keep doing this?”