CH 15

“!”

The old man’s amber eyes widened a little, then began to take on a different hue.

“Amazing, since when did you notice?”

“It came naturally. Because the Great Feudal Lord didn’t bother to hide it.”

The mention of Lilian’s engagement, his casual treatment of the younger brother of the emperor even as an etiquette teacher, and so on.

Right. The Great Feudal Lord didn’t hide his identity.

‘I thought she wouldn’t notice since she’s a child…’

Indeed, he was stunned for the first time in a while. The old man blinked and began to carefully look at the child in front of him once more.

Lilian was dressed in a child’s dress that didn’t tighten the waist.

On top of that, she wore a thick cape to keep her warm, so she looked like a cute and gentle little girl in every way.

That’s true, she’s an innocent child…

“You came to know it naturally.”

He was careless.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“I was a little surprised.”

That appearance of honestly answering that she was surprised was such a 12-year-old thing to do that the Great Feudal Lord unconsciously smiled then coughed.

“I apologize. As I got older, my curiosity increased. I let my guard down because I wanted to see my granddaughter-in-law. Thank you for your understanding.”

“For the Great Feudal Lord to seek my understanding, please don’t bother.”

The Elector of Hemenlinna was the Duke of Hemenlinna, the Captain of the Alt Sea, and the Count of Palmiens.

People called him “The Great Feudal Lord” out of awe.

“Interesting. What would you have done if I hadn’t been the Great Feudal Lord?”

“Well…”

Lilian only gave a faint smile instead of a detailed answer.

“You seem to have something on your mind.”

“That’s…you probably wouldn’t be able to see me like this if you weren’t the Great Feudal Lord of Hemenlinna. My older brother cares about my safety as much as he loves me.”

“Hoh?”

The words said with her lips pursed were fierce and cute.

Indeed. The Great Feudal Lord burst into laughter.

“Huh…!”

The Great Feudal Lord’s old henchman, who was waiting with Mrs. Hayworth outside the study room, was startled.

“I’ve seen all sorts of things. But he’d never laughed like that before.”

“Oh my, is that so?”

“Yes, since the late Grand Empress, his daughter, passed away, he hardly laughed out loud. It’s been a while.”

Mrs. Hayworth proudly straightened her shoulders.

“Then it seems like he likes my young miss very much.”

“That could be, but…”

As a confidant who knew well the picky temper of the person he’d served all his life, he inwardly thought that there could be no such thing.

Anyway, back to the study room.

“Alright, I guess I’ll have to pay for frightening my sweet granddaughter-in-law.”

“Yes?”

“Just as I said. Do you want anything?”

Lilian was taken aback by the sudden request.

‘Why is everyone like this, always trying to give me something, like my older brother…?’

However, compared to Cedric, this offer that was generously given only to Lily had a strong sense of the Great Feudal Lord Hemenlinna testing her.

“I’m not joking, so be at ease and think carefully.”

“It’s too sudden…”

“So there are corners that aren’t perfect.”

The child felt a little cuter than before. The old man grinned and muttered, intending to tease the child.

“If you don’t want anything, then let’s see. Should I give you some of my land?”

“Yes?”

“Or give you jewelry that my daughter used to have when she was young.”

The aide, who was listening through the crack in the open door, was startled once more.

‘The late Lady’s jewelry!’

Aside from the fact that the lady was the late Grand Empress, the old man regarded his only daughter as gold. It’d be easier to take one of his titles than to take his precious dead daughter’s things from him.

‘Is he serious?’

Of course he was sincere. That’s how much the Great Feudal Lord liked Lilian.

“Now, tell me without hesitation.”

Lilian felt it. If she didn’t say anything here, she would end up carrying burdensome things like the late Grand Empress’ jewelry or the Great Feudal Lord’s land.

“Then…”

Lilian thought for a moment before unpacking the pocket at her waist.

The old man asked with a puzzled look.

“What is this?”

“It’s an ornamental knot I just finished before coming here.”

A knot of dark blue silk thread.

The knot was quite complicated, but the grip on the thread was uneven and slightly bumpy.

“It’s too much for me to ask for something, so I can’t even think about it… So why not accept this ridiculous thing instead?”

“This.”

The old man made a stern face. And then whispered softly.

“I said I would give you a gift, but this kind of treatment is embarassing.”

Although he said that, any decent child would burst into tears right away.

But Lilian merely smiled calmly.

“If the Great Feudal Lord accepts this item, it will be my source of pride for the rest of my life. I want to make that honor my gift. Can’t I?”

“Hoh…”

The Great Feudal Lord’s lips twitched, as if stunned.

And after a while…

“H-haha, ha! What a masterpiece, a masterpiece indeed!”

Loud, boisterous laughter rang out from the study room.

The aide who had been with the Great Feudal lord for over 40 years muttered with an absurd face.

“No, really…he’s never that kind of person…”

“Yes, he would.”

Mrs. Hayworth nodded proudly.

“It’s really like young miss Lilian to make someone who wasn’t like that in the past to act like so.”

“How terrible…”

Regardless of the aide’s doubt, Mrs. Hayworth was just snobbishly smiling.

***

About an hour after that.

“Oh my, Marquis Turin. I’m seeing a very rare face.”

“…I greet the Great Feudal Lord.”

Tsk tsk. The old man clicked his tongue.

It was a joke to lighten the mood, but the reaction was so stiff that it went cold.

“Oh, your temper is still the same.”

“Can I compare to the one who dared to come a long way to test my little sister?”

“Oh-ho. To say it’s a test is an overstatment. After seeing her, I was just curious about the child who would become my grandaughter-in-law.”

Cedric didn’t even respond. It was an attitude that could have been rude, but the Great Feudal Lord just smiled smirkingly.

As an old man who had a connection to the previous Marquis of Turin, this young man felt as close to him as his grandson. A little disrespect meant nothing.

‘After his father died, I wondered if he was going to wither and die too.’

Fortunately, his face was much better now.

“Why are you staring so hard?”

“Why, I can’t?”

“It’s uncomfortable.”

The Great Feudal Lord clicked his tongue. This was what he got even if he worried.

‘This damn guy acts like his father.’

“Anyway, I knew long ago that all of Islar’s bloodlines are stiff.”

“I’m glad you know.”

“But how could such a child come out of this lineage?”

He didn’t bother to say who it was, but Cedric realized that he’s talking about Lilian.

“So, didn’t I tell you that you don’t even need to see her?”

“Hah, look at this. Marquis Turin, are you laughing now?”

That face with a faint sneer finally looked a bit human.

“Aren’t you walking in such a vain way because you don’t listen to people?”

The Great Feudal Lord’s eyes narrowed.

“…how can you say it’s in vain? Marquis Turin’s beloved sister promised that she’d write me a letter in the future.”

Suddenly, Cedric’s expression hardened.

The old Great Feudal Lord seemed to be telling the truth, but he didn’t elaborate and just deeply smiled.

“…did you just say you would correspond with that child?”

“I didn’t say that. Unbecoming of this family’s lineage, she was a kind child.”

Come to think of it, Cedric had never received a letter from Lily. In fact, it’s because they could see each other any time, so there’s no need to write a letter, but the jealousy that soared suddenly interfered with his rational thinking.

“Since I’m just building a strong relationship with my future granddaughter-in-law, I didn’t do anything wrong. Is it not?”

“…do you like her that much?”

“Everything about her is fine. Oh, I almost forgot about this.”

Suddenly, the Great Feudal Lord rummaged through his pockets.

What came out was a dark indigo ornamental knot.

“Since I asked if she wants any present, she’d rather give me this. I didn’t say it, but I was very impressed with her wit… Marquis Turin?”

Cedric’s condition was a bit strange, isn’t it?