Please Don't Do This

There was one thing the orphanage had in abundance despite being short on everything else: books. They were among the easiest items for the wealthy to donate while making a show of their generosity. So donated books kept piling up at the orphanage. Most of them ended up as firewood after being left alone for a while, but Julia read every single one before it could be burned. She read whatever came her way. The thought that they would all turn to ash if she didn't made her anxious, so she devoured them all. As a result, Julia possessed exceptional literacy and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vocabulary. She had learned the meanings of even the most difficult words back when she was little. There wasn't a single word in the newspaper that she couldn't understand.

"So this is what happens when you finish reading? Count Belmont really fell for a commoner slave? They're said to be thirteen and fourteen years old respectively—scandalous!"

"···!"

"What does 'fell for' mean? Did they make eye contact? Ehehe, I don't get it!"

Charlotte scratched her head and laughed awkwardly. Julia's eyes widened in shock.

What on earth is this!? Julia shot to her feet and shouted.

"This is complete nonsense···!"

It was all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a false rumor! Falling for each other? That phrase only applies when it's mutual! I was only being one-sidedly courted by Aslan! I've never liked this man even once···! The private lessons were only because he wanted them. Even when we sleep, it's only because he wants to be there, so I have no choice but to stay by his side! R-really!

"Right. It's an absurd rumor. Don't pay it any mind."

The idea that I would see children in a romantic light was ridiculous. At the very least, I had the patience to wait until they were grown. Aslan snatched the newspaper away.

"What rumor? What rumor? Huh? Explain it to me! I don't understand!"

"W-well, it's saying that Aslan and us are in an inappropriate relationship···."

"Inappropriate?"

"It means it's not wholesome."

"Wholesome?"

"It means it's not proper."

"In what way is it not proper?"

"T-that's···."

Julia's words caught in her throat. How was she supposed to explain this? Charlotte could be clever and even scheming at times, but her mind was a blank slate when it came to this. Her innocence was undeniable.

"Um··· it's talking about the kind of relationship where people like each other···."

"Do I like Uncle? Does Uncle not like me?"

"He does like you."

"Then it's not a rumor!"

"That's not what I mean···. Haah···."

Julia pressed her forehead and sighed.

"Anyway, people have completely misunderstood."

"Oh yeah?"

"Misunderstanding···."

Charlotte still looked confused. Julia gave up. Explaining it a hundred times wouldn't help.

"But you··· you look kind of happy···."

"If I look happy, it's because I already know who the culprit is. I'm dying to have a serious talk with that person right now."

It was clearly a false rumor, but Aslan couldn't say he found it entirely unpleasant. What was the point of this smear campaign? It was obvious. Besides damaging his reputation, it was a scheme to interfere with any marriage prospects.

'Now that I've inherited the count title, it's only natural that marriage proposals would start coming in.'

After the execution of the previous Count Belmont, the Belmont family ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had become completely isolated. Almost all connections were severed, and not a single faction remained friendly to them. Then Belmont succeeded in rebuilding, constructed a major road, and even managed to display their closeness to the emperor. On top of that, the young master had instantly succeeded the count title. A worthless backwater territory had transformed into a wealthy count family close to the imperial family. It was only natural that noble houses would take an interest in improving relations with Belmont.

But Aslan avoided all social activities. He never showed his face at any official events and refused meetings except for business-related matters. The easiest way to contact such a reclusive Belmont was through marriage proposals—offering a political marriage to arrange a meeting.

'Irene's got some brains.'

But would anyone send a marriage proposal to someone rumored to have fallen for a child, and a commoner slave at that? Probably not. And indeed, not a single proposal had arrived.

'Not that I have any intention of getting married anyway.'

Of course, this strategy would only work on someone desperate for connections with other nobles. I had no interest in joining powerful noble factions, and I wasn't particularly drawn to a noble wife either. Noble women were all properly educated, weren't they? Ladies full of grace and refinement? Ugh. That felt too much like a well-trained pet dog—it was off-putting.

Someone like Charlotte, who had no idea what "grace" even meant, or Julia, who tried to look smart but was actually a klutz—weren't they far more charming? There was something satisfying about personally teaching and raising them. It was a man's instinct to be drawn to something untouched by others.

'If they want to keep me in check, let them. I'd rather enjoy the peace and quiet.'

This way, there wouldn't be any noisy talk of marriage proposals. Aslan turned away, feeling rather relieved. Being slandered as a pedophile and becoming the subject of gossip? He didn't care in the slightest. Only those with something to hide would feel ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ashamed. He simply liked the children in a pure way and wished for them to grow up properly. There was nothing to feel guilty or embarrassed about.

"You two have nothing to worry about. Charlotte, focus on training with the Super Strong Sword, and Julia, devote yourself to your necromancy practice."

"Yes!"

"Okay···."

Aslan turned away indifferently. He was busy, already discussing something with Sylvia as he headed somewhere else. Left alone, Julia and Charlotte's eyes met.

"So what does it mean? Explain it to me."

"Oh! So basically, the rumor is that Aslan sees us as marriage prospects!"

"What? But that's true."

"That's not it. The rumor is that we're in a relationship where getting married right now wouldn't be strange."

"Aha···!"

Only then did Charlotte clap her hands in understanding. She should have explained it like this from the beginning. Was she too embarrassed to say it in front of Aslan? What a faker. Charlotte pouted in displeasure.

"Well, Uncle does treat us like he's just looking after kids. No, more like··· just raising dogs? Even our bowls are dog bowls."

"That's just because Aslan's tastes are twisted."

"Aha!"

Uncle's taste is treating people like dogs. I should remember that! Charlotte made sure to store it firmly in her mind. Of course, she forgot it within ten minutes.

"But who on earth spread this rumor?"

"Hmph. It must be someone who hates Aslan, right? He has plenty of enemies."

"Enemies? Doesn't everyone like Uncle?"

"You can't assume the whole world is like you···."

"I don't think that! But everyone really does like him, don't they? The people from Ariente, the blacksmiths, the residents···."

Huh? Was that true? Julia's pupils trembled. Aslan's reputation had been terrible, but thinking back on Charlotte's words, she couldn't really recall anyone who hated him. Everyone benefited from Aslan and looked up to him. Was she the only one who disliked him? Just because of past prejudices···? Did that make her look incredibly petty? She didn't want that! She really didn't want that···!

"W-who could it be? The person who spread this false rumor. Aslan seemed to know. I'm curious."

Urgh. Julia couldn't hide her discomfort and quickly changed the subject.

"Oh! I know!"

"Huh? Who?"

"Hehe. Uncle said that when you don't know who the culprit is, you should pick the person who benefits the most—that's usually the culprit!"

"The person who benefits the most? Who would that be···?"

"Who else! It's obvious! Hehe!"

Charlotte struck a confident pose with her hands on her hips. Julia felt a flicker of anticipation. Charlotte could be surprisingly sharp sometimes!

"It's Uncle himself!"

"What!?"

"What do you mean?"

"Uncle is planning to make one of us his wife later, right?"

"Yeah. So there's no reason for him to spread a rumor like that."

"It's the opposite! If that kind of rumor spreads, who in the world would want to marry Uncle? Now Uncle is as good as married! The only ones left to marry him are us!"

"Aaah···!"

Only then did Julia understand Charlotte's meaning, her mouth slowly falling open. The explanation was sloppy, but it made a surprising amount of sense! There was even an old fairy tale about a princess who ended up having to marry the village idiot because of a rumor. Aslan had come up with a similar scheme!

"He laid the groundwork in advance!"

"Why would you hit Sujin···?"

"···."

Ignoring the confused Charlotte, Julia ground her teeth. Aslan, you terrifying man! To think he'd even orchestrate public opinion to make us his wives···! It was chilling.

. . .

'Another letter?'

When Aslan spotted the black envelope in the mailbox, his heart began to flutter. On the back, written in neat handwriting, were the words: To the pitch-black uncle. It was another letter from Yuri. At first, exchanging letters with the protagonist had been nothing but a nuisance, but now it had become one of the joys of his life. Maybe he'd been too prejudiced because the boy was fated to kill him. Reading the boy's honest, unfiltered letters, he'd realized Yuri was quite an adorable kid.

'Kids really are just kids.'

Before being a noble and righteous hero or anything else, he was just a little boy. The one who wrote these letters was simply a cute child who genuinely respected his sponsor. Thinking that way, Aslan had even reached the point of looking forward to the letters.

"Alright. Let's see what it says today···."