Ch. 23

"I don't know that a lowly subject can be this insolent...you're lucky you're within the Ferdinand family residence; otherwise, you're dead meat."I could hear the obnoxious man's voice even when my dad's warm hand was covering my ear. 

What he said was right. 

I had a feeling that this guy was a noble from the way he spoke and behaved. Aside from his arrogant manner, he also referred to my mom as 'sister' at one point. 

It was a confrontation between a noble and a commoner.

My dad would've been beaten to death right now if not for the fact that he was my mom's husband and my father. 

But my dad didn't cower and spoke firmly. 

"That's right. However, while we are in the duke's residence, I would like to make it clear to you. Please don't talk like that to my child."

"Haa?"

"She is Astrid's daughter. The granddaughter of Duke Ferdinand. She isn't a child to be ignored like this."

My dad's voice was grim and resolute. 

There wasn't a trace of his usual bubbly and playful voice that he always had when we had fun together. 

His voice when protecting me was firm and solemn, so my heart felt a bit at ease compared to before. 

The guy burst into laughter as if he didn't expect that my dad would be this daring. 

"HAHAHA! I see....You've got a point. I made a slip of tongue. This kid is also a Ferdinand."

Even if she's only a half-breed.

When he laughed, I could hear him slipping in snide remarks toward me. 

My dad covered my ears tightly so that I wouldn't hear any bad things. 

"I guess you got half of the good genes...although I couldn't tell if that's true judging from your face alone."

The hurtful things he kept saying about me felt like a thorn in my ears, I couldn't stand it and removed Dad's hand from my ears. 

"....??"

"E-Eve!"

My dad looked at me in surprise when I did that. 

"Mister."

"......"

"Mister noble."

The guy was only blinking in a daze when I called him, and later, he turned his head to look around. He pointed at himself after he made sure there was no one around but him.

"....Me?"

"Yes, Mister. I am eight years old. I am old enough to remember all the things you said."

"...Really??"

"I can't believe it either, but that's what my dad said anyway. My mom was the young duke, and Duke Ferdinand is my grandfather."

[Good job, brat! Good job!]

"My grandfather is inviting me to dinner with him later. But why do you keep saying things like half-breed in front of me?  Do you think I'm too young to tattle on you to my grandfather? Do you think I'm not an actual eight-year-old but just a doll that you can carry around?"

"....."

"Do you think a commoner kid who lives in the countryside would be an idiot who couldn't even speak properly?"

In fact, I wouldn't be able to answer if people came up to me and asked if I was really the daughter of the infamous young duke of the Ferdinand Family.

It was only a few hours ago that I learned my mom was a noble. 

'I don't know what to  answer when people ask why I don't resemble my mom.'

Because I had never seen my mom's face ever since I was born. 

So I didn't have the confidence to say that I was Duke Ferdinand's granddaughter before my legitimacy was proven through the paternity test. 

But my dad said that my mom was the duke's daughter. 

That she was once the young duke of Ferdinand. 

What my dad said must be true because no one loved my mom more than he did. 

He really loved her and sometimes he murmured her name in his sleep. He was a fool who only loved her. 

So I believe whatever he says. 

'At least, the Duke seems to regard me as his granddaughter.'

Which meant I was the only one who could protect my dad in this duke's residence.  S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"Mister Silvester. I'm going to tattle on you to my grandfather later. I will tell him that you're calling me a half-breed."

"...What?"

"You told me that I'm a half-breed with commoner blood, and you doubted that I have Ferdinand blood from the way I look."

My dad was flustered, but he didn't try to stop me. Rather, he touched my arm gently as if encouraging me to do whatever I wanted.

[Good job, Eve! Look at this brat! You're finally speaking your mind!]

When I looked straight at Silvester and was very upfront, he looked very flustered and began to make an excuse. 

"Um, well, kid. That's not what I mean..."

"Then what do you mean...?"

"Yeah! That's not what I mean at all. I was just...."

"So were you saying that as a joke? Mister, you are an adult, how can you joke about something like that about an eight-year-old....?"

"No, no, kid..I'm just..."

"Mister, at times like this, you should say 'sorry' first."

I got off from my dad's arms and stood with my head held high.

Rustle-!

There was a clear sound of me stepping on the grass amid the stifling silence.

"You are clearly in the wrong here. You should apologize for saying all that. I may be young, but I'm not an idiot."

"....."

"Mister, you know you wronged me, right?"

Silvester finally nodded with a dazed expression.

"...Yeah."

"So apologize to me."

"....If I apologize, will you not tattle on me?"

"It depends on you, Mister. I'll decide after I see how you do it."

[You should tell the Guardian everything! I saw him being very sweet to you earlier, so go tell him everything!]

Of course, I had that in mind, but there was something I must get before doing that. 

'I have to get his apology,'

At least the maids didn't insult me right in my face. Well, they did say it loud enough for me to hear, but this guy came up to us and spit all kinds of disgusting stuff in our faces!

He was a jerk all around.

Mister Silvester pondered for a while before nodding with a slight blush on his face. 

"...I'm sorry."

It seemed like he was still in a daze and went along with what I said just because he got swept in the moment. So, let him get back to his senses before asking again. 

"You just apologized, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then, we'll be going now. I don't want to stay here for long."

I grabbed Ex, which I put on the bench, and held my dad's hand.

"Dad, let's go."

My dad, who was still sitting in a daze, got up and nodded.

"Huh? Ah, yes, Eve."

"Goodbye, Mister. And my name is Eve, not kid."

I bowed slightly to him, grabbed my dad's hand and scurried away. 

When we left, Ex began to lament as if feeling dissatisfied. 

[Why don't you fire more shots at him? At least until that guy comes back to his senses....]

'B-Be quiet. I'm shaking right now."

[Hm?]

'I was a commoner a few hours ago ... .and I can't believe I'm saying that to a noble.'

[Brat...Were you scared?]

'Let's get out of here quick. I have to flee before he catches me being scared.'

[You did very well despite being scared...Good job. I'm proud of you.]

Ex murmured quietly.