I Didn't Expect This
Silina's eyes widened as she put on a composed expression. A whirlwind of thousands of thoughts churned through her mind.
Her gaze met Cael's in mid-air, but she couldn't sense a thing from him. If anything, it was Silina who couldn't hide her fluster. But she was the lady of the house in the Restis Ducal Residence, where power struggles were everyday affairs. No matter how rattled she was, she couldn't lose her poise and throw a tantrum in the front courtyard, with all those servants and guard knights watching.
The fact that Cael had come back alive was already set in stone, spread by the mansion's countless eyes and ears. If she held a knife to his throat right now, it'd just hand her husband—the duke out on the battlefield—a perfect excuse.
Silina forced the corners of her mouth up into an awkward smile.
"W-well, yes. After lying bedridden for so long, to think you've recovered enough to walk back on your own two feet... What a great blessing for the family. You have no idea how many prayers I've offered for you."
Cael snorted inwardly at Silina's fake welcome.
'Yeah, your guts must be twisting, but with all these eyes around, you can't do a damn thing right now. Not a total idiot, then.'
Silina quickly nodded toward the head steward standing behind her.
"What are you waiting for? Show him in!"
"Yes, Lady Acting Duchess!"
The steward scurried over to Ella and Weger, reaching for their luggage. Cael docilely followed their lead into the main house. His mind was already racing through calculations of Silina's next move. If she couldn't outright kill or exile him, her options were limited.
'The most likely one...'
It'd be going after Ella and Weger. Cael smirked.
'Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for a while.'
Ella and Weger's current levels weren't secure enough for Cael to relax. In a place teeming with powerhouses stronger than them—just a casual glance around—without his protection, their lives could be in danger. But Cael had no intention of letting that happen.
It was right then, as Cael strolled down the corridor, mulling over what lay ahead with leisure—
"Oppa!!"
A piercing, crystal-clear girlish scream shattered the air, and from around the corner, a small shadow shot out like lightning.
Pa-at!—!
The shadow kicked off the floor at unbelievable speed, leaping straight toward Cael's chest like a bullet. It was the pounce of a feline predator on its prey.
"Hm!?"
Cael's body reacted on instinct. Without thinking, he stepped back half a pace and unleashed the subtle art of deflection, turning her momentum against her. His hand sliced through the air, caught her wrist mid-flight, spun her with that force, and flung her away.
Whir!—!
"Kyaaak!?"
A startled yelp escaped the girl as her trajectory twisted in mid-air. Only then did Cael realize he'd mindlessly tossed a kid aside, his eyes widening in alarm.
'Oh shit!'
What if she hit the floor and broke a bone? But then, something astonishing happened.
The girl, hurled into the air, twisted her body with cat-like grace and landed lightly on both feet on the corridor's marble floor. Taat!— A flawless, dust-free landing.
Interest flickered in Cael's eyes.
'Ho? Not bad.'
But his admiration was short-lived. Tears quickly welled up in the girl's big eyes after her dainty landing.
"O-oppa... threw me...!! I was just trying to hug you, and you slammed me into the floor...! W-wah, waaaah!!"
She plopped down right there, bawling her eyes out with fat tears streaming like chick peas, her wails echoing through the main house corridor. The following servants and knights panicked, not knowing what to do.
To Cael, who'd lived his life in a world of blood and blades, the pitiful sobs of a little girl were a weapon potent enough to fluster him.
"Wh-what the—!?"
"Waaah!! He says 'what are you'! I'm not a 'what'!!"
Cold sweat trickled down his back. Cael whipped around and whispered urgently to Ella.
"E-Ella. Who's... that...?"
Ella shot him a look like he was unbelievable.
"You don't remember, Young Master? It's Lady Isabel! Your little sister!"
"Little sister? I had a little sister?"
"Yes! The Lady Isabel who always trailed after you when you were at the main house!"
The name 'Isabel Restis' flashed through Cael's mind. A name mentioned briefly but intensely in the novel Sword Duke Chronicles. A girl born with immense sword talent, but trapped in Silina's vicious schemes and persecution as acting lady of the house, eventually sold off as a sacrificial pawn in a political marriage to some nameless old noble. She was the child of a concubine, not Silina's blood. Not central to the main plot, but described as a genius in talent. Despising her unwanted marriage, she volunteered for the front lines and met a miserable end.
'This little squirt is that genius, Isabel?'
Cael, who'd only read about her in text, had no clue about her looks or age. He closely examined the sobbing Isabel, snot and tears streaming.
He had pitch-black hair like ink, but Isabel's was blindingly white silver, cascading long. Different mothers aside, their bloodline seemed questionable with such contrasting features. Yet they shared one undeniable trait: exquisitely beautiful, refined features that drew awe from anyone.
"Hurry and comfort her, Young Master! Lady Isabel adored you so much! She was the only one in the main house on your side!"
Ella stamped her foot impatiently.
"R-really? We were that close?"
"Of course! Give her a hug already!"
Cael cleared his throat awkwardly and shuffled toward Isabel. The supreme master of the world, fumbling to soothe a single child—what a sight.
"Uh... A-are you okay? L-little... no, Isabel. S-sorry. My memory's not all there, and you came flying at me without a sound, so my body reacted on reflex."
At Cael's clumsy apology, Isabel whipped her head away, pouting.
"Hmph! I hate Oppa!!!"
"Haha... That's not it. I'm really sorry... My fault."
As Cael broke into a sweat with repeated apologies, the sulking Isabel sneaked a peek at him. After glaring with a mix of resentment for a moment, she wiped her tears, hopped up, and slowly approached. She spread her small arms wide, hugged his waist tight, and buried her face in his chest.
"Oppa... Waaah... I missed you so much... When you got sick and they sent you to the annex, I cried buckets... I thought I'd never see you again... Sob..."
"......"
Isabel's shoulders trembled in his arms. That tiny gesture conveyed pure, unfeigned longing and relief—genuine love for the only family member who'd cared for her as a child.
'Sigh, this is an unexpected variable I didn't plan for...'
Cael looked troubled but couldn't bring himself to push her away. He gently raised a hand and stroked her silver hair.
From day one, a strange, warm tickle stirred unfamiliarly in Cael's chest.
Since it was Isabel's sword training time, Cael finally soothed her and sent her off, then toured his room. They'd catch up properly later.
A satisfied smile curved Cael's lips as he looked around. Masterpieces adorned the walls, a dazzling chandelier hung overhead, and the highest-grade carpet sank luxuriously underfoot. Worlds apart from the dank, blood-scented Matheonru Tower of the Demonic Cult.
"Hm, indeed befitting the duke's main residence. Far grander and more opulent than the annex."
Not just the splendor—it appealed because the style was far more modern than anything in the Central Plains martial world.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
At Cael's permission, the door opened to a familiar face: Ella. But her outfit was different. Gone was the faded, drab maid uniform from the annex; she wore the ducal house's official one—crisp black dress hugging her figure, pristine white apron with abundant frills, accentuating her youthful beauty.
"H-how do I look, Young Master?"
Ella clutched her skirt hem, twisting shyly.
"What do you mean 'how'? You're just Ella."
At Cael's nonchalant reply, she pouted.
"Pfft, it's the great ducal house's official maid uniform! A little praise like 'you look pretty' wouldn't hurt!"
"Heh, alright. Very cute and pretty. Every passing knight'll do a double-take."
"Not a shred of sincerity!"
Still, Ella blushed happily.
"Where's that Weger guy, anyway? I told him to unpack."
Ella's face darkened at the question.
"Ah, well, Young Master..."
She cautiously explained the situation. Cael had planned to appoint Weger—who'd shared life and death in the annex—as his personal guard upon returning to the main house. But Weger's affiliation was the issue. He was originally a direct guard of the ducal house. His time at the northern annex had been a dispatch assignment as such.
But the moment Cael returned, Weger's dispatch order was revoked. On orders from Acting Duchess Silina, he was barred from staying by Cael's side and forced back to lowly patrol duty on the outskirts.
'How childish and petty. Predictable ploy.'
Cael scoffed. Something similar had happened back at Shipman Mountain Range. Elders displeased with Young Il-rang by his side had nitpicked to send him to the front lines' meat grinder—a shallow political stunt. Cael hadn't let it slide then, either.
"Where's Weger now? I'll go see him."
As Cael rose, Ella waved her hands frantically.
"N-no, Young Master! Weger said he absolutely didn't want to burden you and stormed off to handle it himself!"
"Hm? For real?"
"Yes, he said he can't always rely on you..."
Interest glinted in Cael's eyes.
"Ho, is that so?"
He stroked his chin with an amused smile.
"In that case, I have to go watch."
"Huh? But he wanted to do it on his own..."
"If he wants to handle it himself, let him. But watching should be fun, no?"
A true lord had to witness his subordinate's growth sometimes.