The Baby Raising A Devil's
Chapter 23

...***...

A few days later, the story that Teramore was going crazy in the middle of his detention spread. I tried to peek in front of the dungeon to confirm the truth of the rumor.

'Since Henry's incident, Teramore has had suspicions regarding my identity. It would be great if he really lost his mind, even if he lost his mind, I better not draw attention for a while.'

As I paced in front of the entrance. I bowed my head and tried to steal a glance at the slightly open door.

Someone's feet suddenly blocked my vision and Viscount Dubos, the chief advisor, came out of the dungeon.  He stood straight in front of me.

"Little girl."

"Hallow Tuwan's....  Are you still scolding Tewamor's kakwek?" (Hello, sir.... Are you still scolding Grandpa Teramore?)

That question hides my real question that, 'Is Teramore really losing his mind?'

"No, his mind is not in the right place. The man was supposed to wait for me to cut his ankle slowly and throw it outside —ahem,"

Sir Dubos faked his cough when he realized his real thoughts were spewing out of his mouth in front of little Leblaine.

Dubos looked at his flickering innocent eyes as if his words were too unfamiliar to be understood by his little mind. He laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

"The interrogation is over. I've made sure he won't do anything bad to you or Henry again. I promise."

"Wow! Thank you, Tuwan Dubos!" (Wow! Thank you, Mr Dubos!)

The burden that had been weighing on my mind was lifted, I jumped away from the prison entrance happily.

'I've been thinking about what to do with Teramore ever since he suspected my identity. It was my fault, when I showed him that I was too mature for a child my age.'

'With this one of my problems was solved. It's really luck.'

After I parted with Viscount Dubos, I walked around the castle, feeling the cold wind gently caressing my warm cheeks. The garden and the flowers looked more vibrant than yesterday. Everything seems more beautiful than usual when the evil man Teramore disappears.

'Ah, it feels good to relax once in a while...'

Passing workers smiled and greeted me cheerfully as they watched me wander around the castle cheerfully.

"Hello, young lady. You are in a good mood today. Where you going?"

"I'm akyan going for a snack." (I'll go get a snack.)

Since the incident with Teramore, Lea and the servants gave me a lot of snacks. Fearing that Teramore's rude behavior would frighten me, the servants became more indulgent of me than ever.

"Basic rubbish."

"Dead!"

"You son of a bitch!"

The servants hurled horrible insults at Teramore every time they remembered what the rotten man had done to me. Leah was the only one who was quiet in the midst of the curse. Suddenly, his chair fell down with a loud bang as he stood up and walked into the kitchen. The other waiter was silent. They looked at Lea's sudden action anxiously.

'What's up?'

Then Lea came out.

With a kitchen knife....

"I'll kill Teramore," his frightening gaze shocked the servants.

If only Lea had not been afraid of the Duke, Teramore might have left the world the same night.

'His eyes are terrifying with burning anger....'

When the thought of Lea with a kitchen knife flashed through my mind, I couldn't help but shiver in horror.

After venting out their repressed anger, the servants surrounded me in their arms and suddenly cried. One of the maids stopped the crying and let out a question that had plagued his mind.

"How about... What if the child is traumatized?"

"What?"

"Didn't that happen often? When you can't trust anyone else your whole life because of childhood trauma."

From that night on, they showered me with snacks and told me things like:

"Young man is the most precious."

"Don't worry little lady, the bad guys will be punished!"

"You need not fear, little lady." and so on.

'Their exaggerated attitude towards me feels a little burdensome, although I don't mind the amount of snacks they give me....'

I hummed a happy song as I walked into my room.

'Today's snack is sweet pickled pie. I can't wait to enjoy one of those delicious pies.'

When I jumped onto the chair, the servants quickly surrounded me like a bee and began to voice their usual words of praise.

"You are so brave, young lady."

"Our young lady is the smartest."

"Young man is the most precious."

I could only praise them. I tapped my feet impatiently waiting for a plate of snacks.

But.something looks weird. No matter how long I waited, no snacks came, and the servants started combing my hair.

I pulled up Dahlia's sleeve, one of the maids here, and asked,

"Wi where's nibnywa?" (Where's the snack?)

"Today's snack will be served in the afternoon. Duke will be having lunch with you, so he'll be arriving earlier than usual."

'Why!!!'

I could feel imaginary tears flowing down my cheeks. It was quite disappointing that snack time was delayed, but had to eat with Duke in addition....

My mind drifted to the unexpected meeting yesterday. When I accidentally met the Duke yesterday, his terrible expression was more frightening than usual. Perhaps, as the encounter with the followers was worse than his expectations, his usual intense attitude became worse.

"I think I have a stomachache."

At this rate, I should take some digestive medicine first. Glumly, I got up and fumbled over the elephant bag.

...***...

Dubbede was already sitting at the table when I finally arrived at the dining room. The food was placed on a long table, waiting to be eaten. As I was about to climb into my seat, the door opened. Isaac's figure was seen through a crack in the wooden door.

"Good afternoon, Duke." Isaac bowed as he gave the Duke a greeting. The quiet Duke nodded slightly towards him.

'Isaac is here. Did Henry come over for dinner too?'

Right after I thought of Henry, immediately, the large door of the dining room opened once again and a light step approaching from outside the room sounded.

"Good afternoon, Duke."

The person who entered lowered his head to the Duke. As usual, Henry appeared neat and elegant in his modest attire.

"Please sit down."

Instead of returning Henry's greeting, Duke simply sighed and pointed to the empty chair. Henry could only raise his head and walk closer to his designated seat.

'Are you okay now?'

The question of Henry's state flooded my worried mind.

The whole week since Teramore's confinement, Henry had locked himself in his room, while the castle was in an uproar. All the servants who had previously served him were temporarily forbidden from entering his room. The only people allowed in were a waiter and a doctor. To serve food and check its health.  Other than them, no one in this land was allowed to pass through the door.

'Bright on the arm. hmm. thank God, look much better.'

Teramore's abusive behavior towards Henry was very worried about me because I used to be a victim of people who were just as bad and that was the worst thing I've ever experienced.

I sat down and glanced at Duke and Henry.  The last time I saw the two of them interacting was when Duke interrogated Henry before he escaped, not wanting to tell everyone what Teramore was doing to him.

'Is it possible for them to be more tenuous since then?

Breaking the eternal silence, Henry spoke.

'Huh?'

'Does he want to keep an eye on Teramore? Is that why he would rather stay here?'

I was startled by his sudden request, but the Duke replied calmly.

"Why?"

"I'm sure there will be a lot of difficulties for a child as young as me to manage a feudal estate, but I think I should start learning step by step."

*Feodal: a piece of land given that is temporary to a vassal (subordinate ruler or military leader) as a form of compensation for services provided to the ruler (lord) as the owner of the land.

It was only when Duke saw Henry. His eyes were not full of anger, instead filled with gentleness.

"Alright," the short answer ended the conversation between the two.

While all the eyes in the room were staring at the two, the party he noticed was not affected by the sight. I can only force myself to swallow my complaint.

'No matter how bad their surroundings were when they grew up, wasn't it too much for Duke, as an adult, to behave like this?'

It's not that I don't understand where they both came from. Duke and Henry, both of whom grew up under a reputable family. The Duke, at Henry's age, was on the verge of dying in the war; meanwhile, Henry was harassed by his own teacher in recent years.

'It can explain the reason they don't know much about family relationships.'

'But how can they know a little more than me? I, who have shed so much blood, life after life, only to find happiness in my fourth life?'

I looked at Duke with glaring eyes, and the Duke, who felt that gaze, thought I was staring at the shiny strawberry on his plate.

"You like sweet food, don't you? Give me your plate. I'll give you some."

He then brought my plate to his side before moving the strawberries over him. Unaware of the stern look I gave her. I keep worrying about Henry.

I, as a child, didn't really like people's attention, yet I still believed that every child needed their parents' attention. Especially a kid like Henry, who would rather keep it all to themselves.

'What should I do?'

I hurriedly shook the Duke's arm and said.

"Henli shuka strawberry."  (Henry also likes strawberries.)

"...."

'Does Henry like strawberries? I hope he likes it or all my efforts will be in vain.'

Duke looked at me, but there was no answer, so I told him once more.

"Jugak henli, strawberry." (Henry too, strawberries)

"...."

"Henli! Strawberries!" (Henry! Strawberries!)

I shouted in frustration to the point that Duke gasped. He looked at Henry and moved his fork slowly.  His movements were stiff, as if it was his first time using cutlery.

And....

"...."

Henry's eyes trembled as he observed the strawberries given by the Duke on his plate as if they were unreal. None of them had any change in expression and no one spoke. Even that suffocating awkwardness could be felt miles away.

I held back my annoyance and braced myself as I shook Duke's arm once more. After a while, he finally broke the silence.

"...Eat."

"...Thanks...."

I'm thrilled.

'Good.'

It won't tear down the high wall between Duke and Henry, but I hope it will improve their relationship a little.

I looked at the two in turn with a happy big smile on my face.

With a childish smile, I said to the Duke,

"What's wrong?" (What's wrong?)

"Dyuke, you should give some to Isaak jugwa."  (Duke, you should give some to Isaac too.)

You can't discriminate as a parent.

"......."

Duke moved his cutlery again, only stiffness left, as he moved the strawberry piece on Isaac's plate.

...***...

I rubbed my stomach while sighing as I left the dining room after a suffocating dinner.

'The atmosphere is too gripping for my nerves.'

I shook my head while thinking if I should ask Lea for more food. Today's snack is a pie with sweet peach pickles.Maybe I just have to wait?

'Hmm... what should I do while I wait for a snack?'

It's funny seeing myself pondering what to do in my free time.

In my first and second life, I was desperate to get some rest, but now I have too much free time and think about what to do.

'What should I do?'

Freedom like this used to be a dream, which I never thought would happen.

'Am I really in heaven?'

I look at it with serious consideration.

The sudden sight in front of me woke me from the daydream, the door at the end of the corridor on the first floor had opened.

'Huh?'

That door is what separates the east and west wings. The east wing is where outsiders can come and go, such as offices, meeting halls, and guest libraries.

On the other hand, the west wing is an exclusive space only for Dubbede's relatives. This is where the Duke's bedroom and my brother's room are located.

That way the door at the end of the first-floor corridor connecting the east and west gates will always be closed.

'West wing. What kind of place is that?'

I had just been adopted, and Duke had prepared my room in the west wing, but my room was currently being renovated, so until the repairs were completed, I was still staying in the east wing VIP room.

'At any rate I'll stay there, so can't I just go in and see it?'

I glanced around as soon as I made sure no one was around.  Furtively, I crossed the corridor and opened the door that would eventually lead me to the west wing.

"Wow...."

I exploded with admiration at the sight before me. Of course, the eastern wing was excellent in every way, but it was decorated as a front to preserve the Duke's dignity and virtue as outsiders came and went. The west wing is completely different from the east wing.

The warm smooth marble shines brilliantly, reflecting sunlight that penetrates the tall windows. The trees planted on the floor at the end of the hall gave off a pleasant smell of the forest.

If a fairy king lives in a castle, this is what the castle looks like.

Looking around at the magnificent hall, I found a doorless hallway with a curved-shaped passageway. I stuck my head out from behind the wall.

'Drawing?'

A giant painting filled one side of the wall. But the room was too shabby, in contrast to the magnificent hall, decorated only with paintings. There was only an old embroidery sheet stuck in the middle of the top of the frame.

I stared at the huge artwork. The face that filled the picture was an old man. Although her gray hair and wrinkles covered her face, elegance and beauty could be felt even outside of the painting world.

"Who's there?"

...***...