The Baby Raising A Devil's
Chapter 25

...***...

"is there anyone new to the castle?" (Did anyone new come to the castle?)

"Yes, the new administrator took the test last month and some of them passed. The second round of exams will be tomorrow. If they pass the second test as well, they'll be Dubblede's new administrator."

When the vacancy was published, talented people from all over the country immediately came to attend the test. That's a great opportunity for them. Dubbede never cared about one's background, even if they were ordinary people or nobles, it didn't matter to her as long as their abilities were good.

By hiring such a person, it was no wonder Dubbede could have so many talented people by her side. Unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to that system. One of them, even fugitive criminals could enter because of how weak background checks were.

'Capturing the perpetrator will be easier than I imagined.'

In the middle of the study session I had with Nos, the door opened when Henry and Isaac came. Nos, who was looking at the two, thoughtfully gave me some time off and slipped away for a while.

Isaac came to me.

"Hey! How are you doing?"

"...?"

"That flu. Your condition is improving, isn't it?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Hearing my weak voice, Isaac groaned in annoyance. He looked at Henry and asked.

"Why is he so weak?"

"That's because he's a kid, Isaac."

"But I'm perfectly healthy when I'm as small as she is."

"That's because you're a monster."

Henry pushed Isaac away from me and took his place before leaning his body, so that his eyes met mine. He looked me in the eye and greeted me.

"Hello, Leblaine."

"Hello...."

"Have you noticed anything strange since you fainted? Did you find any black spots on your body, or was there something wrong with your divine power? It's a symptom of people who are cursed..."

Before I could answer, Henry continued with a sad and regretful expression.

"I'm sorry... Blaine's. I said really rude things to you last time."

"I want to apologize. If it's okay, will you forgive me?"

I remembered Henry's heartless remark that day, his words hurt me a little, but it was nothing compared to all the kind of painful humiliation I had to face in my previous life. Especially when I knew he was being defensive because of his weakness.

"Yes, Henli. It's okay apwa. I'm sticking you up." (Yes, Henry. Its alright. I forgive you)

Henry's sad expression turned into a bright smile as he patted my hair and said,

"You're the sweetest, Blaine. Thank you for giving me a second chance."

Waw.

Her warm gentle smile even managed to make the servants scream.

Isaac frowned at Henry.

"Why is your treatment of him and I so different?"

"Because I only care about my people."

"Since when did the boy become your man? She's my sister!"

"My sister."

"No. Mine!"

They glared at each other throughout the heated debate. I, as an observer, was surprised to see such an unusual interaction between them.

'What's wrong with both of them!'

Amidst their disagreement, incoming footsteps could be heard from outside the door. That's Duke.

He was stunned when he saw his two sons being at odds.

'Duke, your children are doing strange things.'

'Please take them away.'

I tried to convey the request with my eyes, but instead of dragging his sons away, the Duke suddenly carried me.

"My daughter."

...***...

Henry and Isaac frowned as Duke walked in and stole Leblaine from them in his arm.

'I don't like.'

'Very evil.'

The two had been wandering in front of Leblaine's room for the past few days. They want to see how things are. However, when they were told that he needed to recover, they resisted their urge to see him.

However, the Duke regularly visited the room to check on Leblaine's condition.

And every time he visited, he would bring Leblaine's favorite snacks.

The two brothers could only hear Leblaine's voice praising the Duke from outside the room with a grudge.

Isaac looked at the Duke dissatisfied.

"It's not fair."

"It's not fair?"

"You're the only one who can see that kid!"

"What's so unfair about a father seeing his daughter?"

"That's. but..."

Isaac was at a loss for words and rolled his eyes. Seeing the defeat of his brother, Henry stepped forward to save him.

"We also need time to be with Leblaine. It must feel awkward for him to always be accompanied by you."

"He's right!"

Those siblings who normally couldn't stand each other's presence, were fully in harmony today.

"Other times. This kid is still sick today, so you two should go."

"The boy said it was in good condition!"

"Yes, Leblaine's doctor says he's fine now."

The dispute between the three is still ongoing. In the end, the three of them turned to me and asked me to choose one of them.

"Leblaine, don't you want to be with your father?"

"Hey, you don't want to play with us?"

"Who do you like better? Huh uh?"

Leblaine looked at them in panic, nervously playing with her fingers.

Three people in the library waited eagerly for the boy's response.

"Gee!"

Suddenly Leblaine jumps out of Dukeuke's arm and runs into Lea, who has just entered the library.

"Lea ywang got carried away." (Lea is the best)

"Geez, thank you very much, little lady.  I like you too."

"How about we go to the dining room?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Leblaine pulled Lea by the hand and the two left the library, leaving three people in the room.

...***...

Seen from the outside, they were like fathers and brothers visiting their ailing daughter and sister.

'But I don't believe.'

One of the things I learned when I was at Duke Vallua, was that whenever I got excited by the idea of 'family', it ended up being one of their ways to blackmail me through my stupid desires.

Lea smiled at me with a look of admiration on her face.

"Little lady, are you excited for lunch?"

"Kurasya..."  (I think so.).

"This is your favorite cream stew. I asked the chef to add a lot of meat."

When I heard that I was going to eat cream soup for lunch, the bad thoughts disappeared and I immediately felt much better. I held Lea's hand even tighter as I convinced myself.

'Of course, Lea's the best.'

The soup served by the kitchen staff felt better than I thought. After lunch, I sighed in satisfaction while rubbing my expanding stomach full of two bowls of cream stew.

...***...

Isaac and Henry were heading to the training ground. Unlike his usual bright expression, a sullen look was seen on his face.

"Why would that kid rather be with the waiter than us?"

Come to think of it, it happened not just once or twice he was ignored when Lea came.

"Would he rather be with the servant than me, his brother? ...It can't be!"

"You're talking nonsense, Isaac."

Isaac, who heard his brother's reply, frowned.

"That's true! The boy even said that he liked me the most. Don't you remember when I gave the cake to the boy, he said, 'Isaac is the best!', 'Isaac is so cool'?"

Isaac said triumphantly. Henry narrowed the distance between them.

"You're too big a head."

"I'm telling you the truth. That kid loves me so much. He even said, "Isaac, I'm happy to see you.", When he saw me."

All along, no one had been happy to meet Isaac.

People would always welcome him stiffly due to his high status. Even the noble children deliberately avoided it.

Henry retorted, frowning his forehead.

"Leblaine also greeted others."

A small ray of sun would appear on Dubbede's gloomy castle and greet everyone and cheer them up with his ecstatic smile.

Isaac stopped walking.

"Then the boy doesn't like me?"

He looks heartbroken. Henry shrugged his shoulders unsympatheticly,

"He doesn't hate you. I don't know how much he likes you, but you're not on the top list."

"Then what should I do to make him like me so much?"

Henry frowned at his brother's question.

"I also want to know the answer."

Usually, it was easier for people to get acquainted with Henry than with the rest of his family.

Unlike Duke, Johann and Isaac, he is great at hanging out with other people and a great speaker.

But Leblaine is different.

The child is neutral and objective.

'I need to do something to build a relationship between us.'

As he pondered what to do, the servants crossed the corridor with toys in their hands.

"Do you buy it?"

"Yes, luckily I got there early. After buying the toys, I saw people queuing outside the door just to get one of them. Children's Day is near, that's why the toy store is so crowded."

Henry and Isaac, who heard the servants' conversation, turned their eyes to the gift that was in the servants' hands.

"Isaac."

"Hm. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Cooperate?"

"okay."

They get along well for the first time. They did not know, from the corner of the hall, a pair of sharp eyes were watching their every move.

"So they both plan to go to the toy store to buy gifts."

Duke, who was told the news by Nos, laughed.

"I can't believe they're buying presents for little miss."

Nos said, smiling awkwardly. He never imagined there would be a day where Isaac and Henry would buy someone a gift on their own initiative.

"So they tried to change the boy's mind with a bribe...."

The Duke clucked in annoyance, then ordered Nos.

"Buy me the biggest toy store for the kid."

"...?"

The Duke looked at him with an unhappy look.

"What are you doing standing there?  Go buy me the biggest toy store now."

Nos, who was once again tasked with an absurd job, could only sigh in resignation.

...***...

Two days later

When I heard a new group of administrators had come, I headed to the first floor where they were waiting. I stuck near the corner of the page and tried to peek at the new administrators.

'Oh, my money. Who's the criminal that's gonna be my source of money, huh?'

I scanned them all closely, yet everything seemed normal. None of them showed any suspicious behavior.

Well, I shouldn't have determined them just from their looks.  Just because you're a criminal, it doesn't mean that a fugitive's mark will be written on your forehead.

When Nos, the administrator general manager, announced the country's upcoming agenda for the month and the department allocation, my eyes met with some new administrators.

"Huh? That's a leak."

Some new administrators noticed that I was there.  Nos and the other employees followed their eyes and found me hiding behind a wall. Nos and the servants were surprised to find me but immediately lowered their heads.

Being discovered from my hiding place, I came out from behind the wall and said,

"Hello."

Nos carried me in his arms and headed forward.

"She's the Duke's youngest daughter, Leblaine."

Then he glanced at the new administrator who called me 'bocil' and reprimanded him.

"And not just any boy."

...***...