CH 37

However, Duke Lodgemund didn’t back down easily even after hearing that his son had caused trouble first.

“Do you have any proof?”

Duke Lodgemund asked in a calm voice.

Kellerhan crossed his arms and stared at him.

He was about to say something when a familiar voice interrupted again.

“I’m a witness!”

It was Lishi.

Lishi was frightened by the appearance of the tycoon Duke Lodgemund, yet she didn’t back down this time either.

She mustered up the courage to shout that she was a witness.

“Who are you?”

Duke Lodgemund asked with a puzzled face.

Although he knew every lord and lady from noble families, he seemed bewildered at the appearance of a face he was seeing for the first time.

“I-I’m Lisittea Lemper.”

Lishi nervously bit her tongue.

“Lemper? Where else is that?”

Duke Lodgemund frowned.

“We’re a baron family that has been serving the Marquis of Makachi in the southeastern part of the Empire for a long time. Today, thanks to the consideration of the Marquis of Makachi, I was able to participate in the tea party.”

“What? Baron?”

An expression of irritation and bewilderment flashed across Duke Lodgemund’s face.

“Are you saying I have to listen to someone from a baron family, and that’s also a child who must have been barely 10 years old, and go through my son’s situation?”

Lishi bit her lip.

If a man the size of the Duke of Lodgemund was determined to stamp someone into position, there was little Lishi could do.

“But I saw what I saw. Anyone, regardless of status, can tell the truth.”

Lishi did her best until the end.

She looked around her as if she was asking for consent.

But while the Duke of Lodgemund was looking at her with his eyes wide open, no one could step forward and say that her testimony was valid.

Except for the people of Barmuth.

“Look at this.”

Kellerhan slowly stepped in front of her and placed one of his hands on Lishi’s shoulder.

“This child is talking. She said she saw the scene. Then shouldn’t we at least listen to the situation in order to determine her authenticity?”

“But she’s only a child.”

Duke Lodgemund repeated the same words.

“Besides, there is only one.”

He raised his hand and pointed at Lishi.

“Who knows if that child is lying because she wants to look good for Barmuth?”

Lishi’s face went white.

No matter how great she was destined to become in the future, Lishi was still a child.

Few things are as painful as a child being openly called a liar.

Lishi dropped her head.

It was at this moment that she lost her courage.

“I saw it too, though?”

A strange voice was heard.

Turning my head towards the sound, I saw a gorgeous blond boy who had been with us earlier under the garden tree.

Unlike Lishi, who trembled under the pressure of Duke Lodgemund, the blond boy was very calm.

As if it wasn’t the first time or two that he had dealt with a high-status adult.

“You…”

Duke Lodgemund’s eyes widened as if he knew the face.

The boy bowed in perfect manner.

“I’m Nathaniel Helvard.”

Nathaniel… Helvard?

Was that child Nathaniel, the second son of the Marquis of Helvard?

I know that child.

In his previous life, the Duke of Lodgemund, who didn’t want to wait until I came of age, took me to the Central Bank.

He was asking if he could open a trust account earlier.

At that time, it was Nathaniel Helvard who said, “No,” with an ice-cold face.

The Marquis of Helvard is a family that has been managing the Central Bank since ancient times, and Nathaniel had just inherited his father’s job that year and became the head of the Central Bank.

At the time, I was 18 and Nathaniel Helvard was 22, so Nathaniel must be 13 now.

Unlike Yuta, whose future and present appearances are completely different, Nathaniel Helvard’s appearance in my memory matched many parts.

For example, that cynical smile or those calm eyes that won’t shake no matter what happens.

“I saw the scene where Young Lord Lodgemund tried to assault Lady Schwires first. I swear on the name of Helvard.”

Surprisingly, Nathaniel Helvard told the truth, knowing that he would face the Duke of Lodgemund head-on.

What the hell is going on?

He’s not even familiar with me in this life, is he?

No, even if we do know each other, there is no reason for him to take my side.

And it’s not that the Marquis of Helvard was hostile to the Duke of Lodgemund.

Rather, they must have considered the Duke of Lodgemund as an important customer, though?

I was confused because I couldn’t understand Nathaniel Helvard’s actions, but Nathaniel gave me a moment’s attention.

What… Did he just wink?

I was dumbfounded and couldn’t react.

In the meantime, Nathaniel looked at Yuta, Kellerhan, and Lishi in turn, then looked at Duke Lodgemund again.

It looks like his eyes have stayed on Lishi for a while. Do they know each other?

It occurred to me that Nathaniel might have stepped up for Lishi and not me.

But looking at Lishi, she, too, was puzzled.

I don’t know if it’s mutual, but at least she didn’t seem to think of Nathaniel intimately.

“Is that true Nathaniel?”

When Nathaniel, who had the surname of the Marquis of Helvard, joined in, the Duke of Lodgemund also faltered.

Nathaniel nodded, and Duke Lodgemund sighed.

“And those four will testify too. Young Lord Lodgemund appeared with them to threaten Lady Schwires.”

Nathaniel pointed to the four big boys who acted as Heiner’s thugs.

Heiner’s thugs hardened their faces in embarrassment.

“Six people have already gathered. What should we do? Need more witnesses?”

Kellerhan grinned at Duke Lodgemund.

The Duke of Lodgemund was at a loss for what to do with Kellerhan’s attitude, but he didn’t insist anymore.

“…It seems that the children had a quarrel for a while.”

Instead, he reduced his son’s threats to me as ‘children’s quarrels’.

Kellerhan frowned.

I clasped his sleeve before he said anything.

Kellerhan looked at me, and I shook my head.

I hate that Duke Lodgemund downplayed Heiner’s atrocities, but if we dig deeper here, Yuta will be held accountable for breaking two of Heiner’s ribs.

For now, it was best to dismiss both incidents as just ‘children’s quarrels’.

“Yeah. Let’s pretend there was a fight between the kids.”

Although Kellerhan wasn’t very happy with my suggestion, he eventually complied.

“But I hope this doesn’t happen again from now on.”

“Who is to say!”

Kellerhan spat out, and Duke Lodgemund was furious.

They fought until the very end.

“Now, now. Stop both of you.”

In the end, it was only after the Emperor intervened that the tense atmosphere between Kellerhan and Duke Lodgemund disappeared.

“It seems impossible to continue the tea party any longer. It’s very unfortunate, but stop for today.”

The Emperor declared the end of the tea party.

Duke Lodgemund remained in the palace to check Heiner’s condition, and all other nobles left the palace.

Me, Kellerhan, and Yuta did the same.

As I walked towards the carriage, I turned my head to look for someone.

“Miss Lishi!”

Finally spotting Lishi, I waved my hand loudly to get her attention.

I saw Lishi, who was walking with an adult woman who appeared to be the Lemper family’s maid, also came running.

“Thank you for helping us.”

I expressed my sincere thanks to Lishi.

Lishi lowered her head as her cheeks blushed.

Is she embarrassed?

When I think of the achievements that Lishi will make later on, I don’t think she would feel shy, but that’s surprising.

After a while, she raised her head and glanced at her side.

Next to us was Nathaniel walking with his attendant.

“Rather than me…”

Nathaniel, noticing that we were talking about him, came over to my side.

“My help was crucial.”

He said, shrugging his shoulders.

It’s true… It’s true, but somehow it feels unlucky.

It felt new to see Nathaniel, who was calm and sly, blushed and was at a loss in front of me, just like Yuta and Lishi.

“Sir Nathaniel.”

I cautiously called him.

It was normal for the second and younger sons of noble families to be called ‘lord’, but Nathaniel, who voluntarily refused the title, was called ‘sir’ by everyone.

“I have a question, but why did you… ”

“Brother, why did you testify?”

I was going to ask why he helped us, yet Yuta completed the question first.

Nathaniel looked back and forth between me and Yuta, then shrugged his shoulders.

“The truth is the truth because it’s worth keeping. I didn’t want the truth to be covered up by lies.”

He said he helped us because he didn’t want the truth to be covered up by lies?

That’s a lie.

The Nathaniel Helvard I knew had a knife-like disposition, befitting the Marquis of Helvard, but he wasn’t a righteous person who would defend justice or help someone even at a loss.

This can be seen from the fact that Nathaniel Helvard in my previous life rejected Duke Lodgemund’s inappropriate request to open a trust account early, yet didn’t help me, who was in a position to lose my parents’ property.

If he had been an advocate of justice without a price, he would have accused the Duke of Lodgemund of exploiting me on the spot.

Keep the principles, but don’t do anything at a loss. Then he must be a man with a motto, yet why…

“This is also a fate, let’s be close from now on.”

Suddenly, Nathaniel held out his hand to me.

Unknowingly, I noticed Kellerhan.

I wanted to know what he thought of Nathaniel.

However, Kellerhan didn’t seem very interested in our exchange with Nathaniel.

Although he’s just particularly sweet to me, he’s not particularly fond of children, gosh.

“Soon we will have a tea party at our house. It’ll be nice for everyone to come.”

Nathaniel continued talking, whether he knew I was suspicious of him or not.

From helping to inviting us? It’s really abnormal, though?

As my doubts reached their peak, Nathaniel turned to Lishi.

“Ah, I hope Lady Lemper comes along too. Aren’t you testifying for Miss Schwires with me?”

“M-Me?”

“Yeah. To repay the gift I received from the Lady the other day.”

In response, Nathaniel smiled brightly.

Lishi blankly looked at him.

Nathaniel was originally good-looking, but as he laughed, he really looked like a prince from a fairy tale.

“It was nothing.”

“No. It has been of great help to me.”

He said to Lishi with a charming eye smile that melted the sorrows of those who saw that.

In an instant, I understood why Nathaniel had even testified against Duke Lodgemund.

But I tilted my head, unable to believe it easily.

Nathaniel Helvard? Towards Lishi? Really?