An Unfamiliar Warmth
Hearing words she had never once encountered in her life, Lefonya pressed her lips tightly together.
"I'm not angry. I was worried about you."
"...About me?"
"Yes. If I looked angry, it wasn't at you. It was at myself, for failing to protect you."
"B-But you weren't even there, Your Grace."
"That's no excuse. You are at an age where you ought to be protected. Keeping you safe is the duty of the adults in this house—mine, Felens's, everyone's. If you got hurt, it's not your fault. It's mine."
"……."
"I heard from Felens. He told me you went in to bring that rocking horse out."
That blabbermouth. He spilled everything already.
Lefonya offered a cautious nod. She braced herself for the scolding she was sure would follow—asking how she could risk her life for a mere wooden toy, lecturing that nothing was worth dying for, or saying something utterly incomprehensible from the lofty perspective of high nobility. As she frantically scrambled to fabricate an excuse about not wanting to abandon her very first gift, his deep voice gently cut through her thoughts.
"Thank you for treasuring it, Ponya."
It was the exact opposite of what she had anticipated. Lefonya jerked her head up in utter disbelief. Even Felens had looked at her as though she were completely beyond understanding, yet here was the Duke...
"...Don't you think I was stupid for trying to save a wooden horse? You're really not mad?"
The Duke raised a broad hand and gently caressed her cheek.
"Stupid? What nonsense is that, Ponya? If anyone dares mock my daughter, I'll teach them a harsh lesson."
Duke Craitan spoke from the bottom of his heart. Though he might not have known precisely what the rocking horse symbolized to her, he seemed to genuinely understand her feelings—the aching need to hold on to something precious, unable to cast it aside.
"I was the one who gave it to you and made it precious in the first place. If I turned around and told you to throw it away because it's just an object, it would hurt you, wouldn't it, Ponya?"
His calloused palm traced her cheek. The gesture was so tender and cautious that the rough skin felt almost ticklish against her face.
"I respect you. If something matters to you, it matters to me. Even if you treasured a plain pebble from the courtyard, I would cherish that pebble right alongside you."
The Duke turned and gestured toward the far corner of the room.
"I fished it out of the lake."
Far from how it had looked resting at the bottom of the murky water, the jewels embedded in the wood sparkled brilliantly once more.
"I had it dried completely with Mana Stones and replaced all the gems with new ones. Don't worry, I didn't throw out the old jewels either; I put every single one into your jewelry box. I also added a few safety enchantments, but I'll explain those once you're feeling better."
He picked up an ornate box from the table and held it out to her. Lefonya accepted the jewelry box and opened it gingerly. Inside lay rows of polished gems, gleaming flawlessly without a single scratch or blemish.
"They're yours, Ponya. I gave them to you, so everything belongs to you."
An old memory flickered through her mind.
Back when she lived in the poorhouse, she had once picked up an empty tin can someone tossed away and declared it her "treasure chest." It must have held preserved fish, for no matter how many times she scrubbed it in the river, the pungent stench never faded. Yet the young Lefonya had been overjoyed simply by the thought of having a treasure chest of her very own.
But that very evening, she had dissolved into tears. Because there was not a single treasure to put inside it. She owned nothing, and no matter where she looked, the only things she could gather were worthless weeds plucked from the dirt path. She had wept with bitter sorrow then, freshly wounded by the realization of her utter destitution.
Had she ever possessed something meaningful enough to tuck away and cherish like this?
"...Thank you."
Gazing down at the jewels, Lefonya let the murmur slip past her lips before she could stop herself. The instant the word left her mouth, she froze in shock.
Did I just... say thank you?
It was the first time in her life she had ever spoken those words aloud. She cautiously lifted her gaze to peek at the Duke.
His eyes were wide with astonishment. But only for a heartbeat. Across his stern, intimidating face, a warm smile gradually spread. Could this man actually smile like that?
Lefonya twitched involuntarily. Every time he had hunted her down after she stole something in her past, he had worn an expression of terrifying wrath. What was a simple "thank you" that it could make him smile so brightly?
Clasping the jewelry box tight against her chest, Lefonya dipped her head. An unfamiliar, strange feeling welled up inside her. She really couldn't let herself get swept away like this. Yet something buried deep within her heart seemed to be sprouting, forcing its way through the parched, hardened earth.
"Now that I think about it, I should have called the physician the moment you opened your eyes. Are you hurting anywhere, Ponya?"
"N-No. I'm fine."
"You're not cold? No runny nose, no headache, no coughing or sore throat?"
Worried that a five-year-old might not understand a general question, the Duke carefully ticked off every symptom one by one.
"Everything's okay."
"And your arms and legs don't ache?"
Lefonya opened her mouth to recite her customary "I'm fine," but stopped short. Perhaps because she had exerted every ounce of strength in her tiny five-year-old body to swim, her limbs were faintly trembling. Just for now... maybe...
"...They hurt."
Even if this was an affection she would inevitably have to discard someday, just for this moment...
"My arms and legs... they hurt."
Wouldn't it be all right to admit when she was in pain? Lefonya murmured timidly, gauging his reaction. The Duke looked down at her small limbs, his expression instantly contorting with fretful anxiety.
"I must summon the doctor at once. There is medicine, so don't worry... Wait. You're still so young; too much medicine might do more harm than good. ...Ponya, shall I massage your legs? No, if I fail to control my strength, I might injure you. Yes, I'll call Birdie and Becky immediately to massage your limbs."
"I-It doesn't hurt that much!!"
Startled, Lefonya grabbed his sleeve and shook her head frantically. She had only mentioned a slight ache, yet seeing this formidable man act as if the world were collapsing brought a sudden laugh to her chest. A man of unmatched power, capable of anything, whom the entire Empire treated with reverent dread, was reduced to frantic pacing over a single word from her.
"I think I'll be fine if I just rest."
Seeing the shy blush tinting Lefonya's cheeks, the Duke suppressed the urge to summon a dozen maids to massage her and reluctantly nodded. He stroked her hair softly, then scooped her up into his arms. By now, Lefonya had grown so accustomed to it that she leaned into his embrace without the slightest hesitation or tension.
"Ponya."
Cradling her securely, the Duke walked over to the bedroom window.
Hm?
Outside, lined up in rigid formation across the courtyard, were the Knights of House Craitan whom she had seen at the training grounds.
"Today, I will assign one of them to be your personal guard."
"Huh?"
Her eyes rounded in shock. So suddenly?
"I know you don't care for the idea. I wanted to wait and let you warm up to it gradually, but I cannot leave you in danger any longer."
Concern weighed heavily upon his brow. Since the fire, the vassals had kept their distance from Lefonya. They seemed to have realized that encroaching on her now would only turn matters against them. Even so, they hadn't simply packed their bags and left; they still lingered within the estate, merely taking care to stay out of Lefonya's sight. Biding their time, waiting for an opportunity.
"Furthermore, the attendants you requested will arrive soon."
That meant the children of those very vassals would soon be placed at her beck and call.
"Of course, as you said, since you are their master, they won't dare act brazenly. Even so, I cannot shake my worry."
It appeared the ever-fretting Duke could not simply sit back and let things unfold.
I forgot how wildly overprotective he can be.
She had completely overlooked that trait. Besides, she had nearly drowned in a lake while wandering off alone, so this reaction was only natural. First a fire, then nearly drowning. He must have decided that leaving her unsupervised was completely out of the question.
Lefonya peered out at the knights in mounting dismay. Even at a glance, they radiated exceptional skill.
"Do you see the knight standing at the very front, Ponya?"
Lefonya followed the direction of Duke Craitan's finger. Even from a distance, the man exuded an extraordinary aura. His build spoke of relentless conditioning, and his posture was impeccably disciplined. Though the distance blurred the finer details, just the glimpse of hardened scars running across his palms told her everything.
He's at least a Vice-Commander.
His combat prowess was undoubtedly terrifying.
"Starting tomorrow, he will be assigned as your personal guard."
"...Huh?"
Are you insane? Someone like that as my guard?
Lefonya swallowed hard. As if sensing her gaze, the knight tilted his head upward. Through the windowpanes, his sharp eyes locked directly onto Lefonya's. Startled, she whipped her head away.
No way. Absolutely not!
If she were trailed day and night by someone that sharp and observant...
She bit her lower lip, pitching her voice into a fretful whine.
"H-He looks scary..."
"He has trained in our house since he was a boy to earn his knighthood. I instructed him personally in his youth, and he has never once caused trouble. He will never frighten or inconvenience you."
Any pretext for refusal vanished into thin air. Worse, he was someone raised within the ducal estate and handpicked and trained by Duke Craitan himself.
Which means his loyalty to House Craitan is unshakeable.
The second he noticed anything even remotely suspicious about her, he might draw his blade without a second thought. Just as she racked her brain for another excuse to turn him down, an unexpected voice cut through the room.
"I'll be the kid's guard."