Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Delphia's Appearance
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He glanced briefly at Leonhardt and Asid. Then, in a low, seemingly gentle voice, he called for the maids.
“Make sure to serve plenty of evening dessert to Sien’s…… friends as well.”
“Ung? Then who am I eating with?”
“Sien, we agreed you’d eat the tasty stuff with Daddy.”
“Ung? With Daddy……?”
“Yeah, Sien. We agreed you’d eat with Daddy.”
I fell completely for Daddy’s pitiful, innocent expression.
“Ung! Baby, Leonhardt! Friends! See ya later!”
‘At least Leonhardt and Asid made up! I’ll create opportunities for them to meet and make them both my close aides.’
I grinned happily and grabbed onto Daddy’s rock-hard muscled arm.
‘Did Daddy eat a ton of chicken breast and sweet potatoes?’
It was an arm so sturdy even the muscle maid sisters would envy.
But……
As I gazed at Daddy’s lovable eyes, I let out a huge sigh.
His body was knight-level tough, but he looked far too kind.
I’d have to become an even worse person than now to protect Daddy.
***
Leonhardt and Asid were left behind all alone.
Even from Leonhardt’s perspective, he had no intention of bullying Asid anymore.
‘Come to think of it, why did I do that? It was like jealousy.’
It started when the maids introduced that Asid guy as a keychain with a burr attached.
Maybe he’d arrogantly boasted, assuming he was the only one allowed by her side.
‘……It was a pointless thought. As if I’m close to anyone like that.’
Nothing like that existed.
That burr, Sien—he’d only thought to get slightly friendly because she seemed smart.
Leonhardt denied his feelings to the hilt as he stared at Asid.
In any case, he planned to show some magnanimity as Sien’s friend.
Truth be told, he’d felt weird at first seeing Asid stuck to Sien’s side…… Though it still felt a bit off even now……
But right now, they had a common enemy.
He beckoned Asid over like he was giving a warning and whispered in a low voice.
“That man is Matthias Mirmod.”
“Yes?”
Asid tilted his head in confusion.
“He’s the most powerful person here…… and has no interest in kids like us.”
“But he was looking at Sien like she was adorable—”
“No.”
Leonhardt had never in his life received a look that said ‘adorable’ from anyone. The boy was that emotionally dense. So Leonhardt whispered quietly.
“That man is threatening Sien. I heard it straight from her.”
Sien would probably laugh it off if she heard, but Leonhardt firmly believed it.
At those words, Asid’s face paled.
“What reason would he have to threaten a little baby princess?”
“Yeah. Scary, right.”
Leonhardt eyed Asid with narrowed gaze.
“……”
“Sien…… is walking into mortal danger for our sake right now.”
“……Pardon?”
“She left in our place so we wouldn’t become Matthias’s prey!”
“Th-that…….”
As Asid’s eyes clouded with confusion, Leonhardt’s gaze sharpened.
“So if you’re staying in this mansion, protect Sien. When I can’t see her.”
Asid looked toward Matthias and Sien entering the mansion.
In that case…… Just as Sien had saved him, could he be of help to Sien too?
Asid cautiously clenched his fist, then nodded vigorously.
“Yes!”
It didn’t take long for his slumped shoulders to straighten a bit and his face to harden with resolve.
Their gazes, full of determination, met in midair.
And—.
“Um, you two aren’t the only ones here—we’re here too.”
“Yeah. We’re not scarecrows just standing around.”
……The maids yawned widely and whispered toward them.
“It’s time for you young master and little one to head to the tea table.”
The muscle maids began escorting them, proudly flexing their firm forearms.
And so, the four of them headed to the mansion’s drawing room.
***
At the same time, I’d left those two behind and gone to Daddy’s study for tea time.
For some unknowable reason, the grief-stricken Daddy picked at his cake, worrying me.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing…… Daddy just has no appetite…….”
“Ung? Why no appetite?”
“Well…….”
Thinking I needed to share some good news to whet Daddy’s appetite, I flashed a big grin.
“Right! Daddy, I made friends!”
At that, Daddy set down his fork entirely. His face looked even more wan than usual, so I tilted my head.
Daddy quietly lowered his eyes and said.
“But Daddy’s still the best, right?”
I beamed and nailed it down for him.
“Ung! If Daddy gets just a little meaner, he’ll be the best!”
“…….”
“Get meaner, and let’s crush this evil family together!”
Daddy spoke with a freshly shocked expression.
“Sien, Daddy said he’d make the family people nicer……remember?”
His voice cracked too, so he seemed genuinely shocked.
‘Daddy still has a huge aversion to becoming a bad guy.’
As I pondered so hard my little head might burst, Daddy whispered softly.
“Ah, yeah. Sien. I have something to tell you.”
I’d nearly finished the cake, so I loosened the uncomfortable bib. Daddy looked at me sternly and said.
“Let’s go to the [Meloang Children’s Academy Happiness Course] together, Daddy and you.”
“……What?”
My face went instantly white.
[Meloang Children’s Academy Happiness One-Day Course]
To put it precisely, it was like a temple retreat in the hills. A place for etiquette training that turned naughty kids good and calm kids even calmer.
Whenever I caused trouble in the village, Daddy would take me there.
There, good-smelling kind adults and children gathered around me……
‘Lady Sien, you’re so lovable. Lady Sien, you were born to be loved.’
‘The world is beautiful. Everyone is friends.’
‘Now, let’s practice emptying our bad thoughts.’
I absolutely did not want to go to that place where my grimy soul got bleached white.
I looked at Daddy and yelled loudly.
“No way! I’m gonna become the baddest of the bad guys!”
Seeing me freak out, Daddy smiled faintly.
“That’s exactly why we have to go, Sien.”
I sighed hugely and shook my head vigorously.
No to becoming good.
I glared at Daddy with blazing eyes.
The resolve I’d made to give up reforming Daddy for now and get strong on my own reignited.
‘If direct brainwashing doesn’t work, I’ll at least give him indirect villain training.’
Plus, it’d be necessary for me to become the strongest villain and secretly protect Daddy.
I sighed inwardly and clenched my fist.
Daddy showed zero signs of becoming a great villain, so it was time to change tactics.
***
The next morning, Delphia Mirmod returned to the Mirmod family.
Unlike her usual psychotic reputation, she arrived in her carriage unusually quietly.
Heading straight to her own residence within the ducal mansion, she brushed off the terrified maids as annoying and shut herself in her room.
One maid, barely overcoming her fear to approach, cautiously asked Delphia.
“Shall I prepare a bath?”
“Bath my ass. Ask about the soldier training and inspection first. Isn’t that a maid’s duty?”
The maid, far too timid for a Mirmod family servant, asked carefully.
“Um…… How did the inspection go……?”
“I swept out all the annoying ones and left it to my deputy. Ah, my residence still has those splendid taxidermies, huh?”
“Y-yes…….”
Delphia grinned as she eyed the various taxidermies hanging on her bedroom walls.
Her most cherished one, the pure white snow leopard beast, was flawless, not a single hair out of place. Delphia had the creepy hobby of killing things she liked in perfect condition and stuffing them.
“The taxidermies are fine, I checked…….”
For now, she’d come here because of Matthias. And also because of that little girl Sien, who seemed like she could be his weakness.
Attacking Matthias first would be a bit unsportsmanlike, so maybe start with the kid.
“I told you to gather info on Sien Mirmod before I arrived.”
“Ah, yes, yep!”
Delphia elegantly eyed the terrified maid as she plopped into a chair and crossed her legs.
“Who in the family has contacted Sien Mirmod?”
If she couldn’t provide proper info on Sien Mirmod, she’d die at the hands of that ‘Mad Dog of the Wastes,’ Delphia Mirmod.
Recalling that vividly, the maid spilled the info like she’d been waiting.
“The retainers’ kids…… Leonhardt Mirmod, and Duchess Lukella.”
Duchess Lukella. Delphia’s brows furrowed.
Connected to *that* Duchess Lukella.
“The kids are fine. What about Leonhardt Mirmod…….”
Leonhardt Mirmod had potential others didn’t know about.
Delphia knew that well, but he was still just a fragile baby compared to her.
And it wasn’t like that potential would fully bloom in this family anyway.
More importantly, there was the big fish: Duchess Lukella.
They said she’d been broken by the family, but she broke herself—so not an easy opponent.
“What’s the deal between Duchess Lukella and that runt?”
“R-runt?”
“Yeah. Sien Mirmod.”
Perhaps because the time to gather info was short, the maid hadn’t had a chance to probe the duchess’s mood, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
“Well…… It’s probably nothing deep. Duchess Lukella hates kids, and she’s not close to Young Master Matthias either.”
“Is that so? I see.”
Delphia stood up immediately.
“Y-yes. Lady Delphia, what, why are you suddenly standing…… I prepared the bath…….”
The maid sweated coldly at Delphia’s abrupt behavior.
“Why are you so obsessed with the bath?”
She shrugged and barked at the maid.
“What’s the problem? I’m going to see Duchess Lukella.”
She’d go to Duchess Lukella and casually bring up Sien Mirmod.
“I can’t stand not knowing what intrigues me.”
Delphia stretched her legs out like a sprint warm-up and chuckled. She ignored the maid muttering, ‘But you’re covered in dirt right now…….’
To be honest, Sien Mirmod, that girl, was just bait.
‘If she’s Matthias Mirmod’s weakness, I want to snatch her first.’
Matthias Mirmod.
The most dangerous being closest to the ducal title right now.
But Delphia wanted to be the head of the Mirmod family and duke too.
No special reason. It was just an amusing game.
And meeting Sien Mirmod would be part of the game too.