The butler, who had come out to welcome the return of the Grand Duke, was startled to see the child comfortably nestled in the Grand Duke’s arms.

It was surprising to see someone so comfortable in the Grand Duke’s embrace for the first time, and the Grand Duke’s attitude itself was surprising.

The Grand Duke was not someone who would show affection or kindness to a child.

He hadn’t even held his own son since he took his first steps.

“Has anything happened while I was away?”

He returned after a whole week.

Considering he had fallen into a trap and ended up in the monster forest, it was likely that his whereabouts were unknown.

Therefore, there was no choice but to worry about whether unnecessary words had leaked outside the residence, or if unexpected events had occurred within.

“Thanks to the Little Grand Duke’s assistance, everything was resolved safely.”

In fact, the Grand Duke’s disappearance had caused great confusion within the residence. Among them, the confusion and shock of the knights who had gone with the Grand Duke to subdue the demons were particularly significant.

However, despite his young age, the Little Grand Duke stepped up and calmed them down. And under the judgment that it would be best if the Grand Duke’s absence wasn’t known, he firmly silenced the knights to prevent the fact from leaking out.

Moreover, the Little Grand Duke also took care of the Grand Duke’s duties in his absence.

“But what about the child in your arms …?”

“She will be a part of our family from now on.”

Leciel understood that statement meant that she would become a trusted member of the family.

After introducing Leciel, Kael continued to introduce Carren.

Carren resembled Kael greatly, with exceptional looks and black hair like his.

“My son, Carren. Though he may have a mean personality, he is not a bad child.”

“As expected from a father and son.”

“What?”

“You know how they say it? Like father, like son. Uncle, you also have a somewhat mean personality…”

A tone of teasing towards the child, subtly showing a mischievous side.

Kael didn’t have a very good personality either.

Kael looked somewhat puzzled at that remark.

Even though Carren knew he resembled his father, hearing it from someone else wasn’t pleasant.

“… well, I guess my son does take after me.”

Kael reluctantly admitted after a moment of being perplexed.

Leciel nodded approvingly at that.

Then she looked at Carren carefully.

Looking at the child’s aura, it didn’t seem that they have much age difference.

He looked like he was about 12 years old.

But he had a very mature atmosphere, and he was also tall.

‘… I can’t figure him out.’

Unlike Kael, who was expressive in front of her, Carren’s expression was unreadable.

He  felt like a well-made  doll. And inheriting Kael’s dazzling appearance only made him even more unrealistic.

Well, she didn’t feel any rejection or hostility towards herself, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Meanwhile, listening to the conversation between Leciel and Kael, the servants of the residence were once again astonished.

In the meantime, Carren, with an unreadable expression, was sending an intrigued gaze towards Leciel.

The child in front of him was extraordinary in many ways.

Firstly, the ease with which she nestled in his father’s arms, and her attitude of speaking her mind confidently to his father.

Those were not something an ordinary child could do.

Sure, considering she was the child his father brought back, she couldn’t be ordinary, but still.

As the introductions finished, Kael, still holding Leciel, entered the mansion.

Then he called for a maid to escort the child to her room.

Having suffered without proper rest for several days, it seemed best to let her rest first.

“Escort our esteemed guest with the utmost care. She should be led to the best room.”

The maid bowed politely at Kael’s command.

“Um, should I just go straight to the room?”

“If you don’t want to part from me, I’ll respect your opinion.”

Even though he knew that wasn’t the case, Kael still said teasingly.

“…seeing how tired you seem, uncle, I’ll just go to my room and rest.”

Now that they had arrived at the Grand Duke’s mansion, Leciel thought they should discuss the contract, but now she changed her mind.

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow. Rest for now. You should get some good sleep. It might help you grow a bit taller.”

“Isn’t this height average?”

When Leciel asked, feeling a bit emotional about being called short, Kael replied with a squint.

“That height?”

“Yes, this height!”

Even though she couldn’t know if her height was average since she had never seen another human, she  felt her pride hurt and couldn’t accept it.

“That doesn’t seem likely. Even when that brat was six, he was taller than you.”

“No, that’s not…!”

She was already upset when he thought of herself as eight years old at first, but now she was being treated worse than a six-year-old!

Leciel was upset.

“Hmph! We’ll see! I’m still growing, so I might end up taller.”

“That might be the case.”

“I might end up looking down on you someday!”

“…I doubt it.”

Kael replied with an incredulous expression.

Given that Kael was quite tall even among adult men.

He had never met anyone taller than him.

But this small child in front of him would look down on him?

She was just ten years old now, so even though he couldn’t know how much she would grow until she became an adult, he didn’t think she would become taller than himself.

“A person’s affairs are unpredictable!”

“Well, don’t expect it. If you want to end up looking down on me, you might have to become a giant.”

Leciel glared at Kael’s indifferent reply.

It would have been better to flatly oppose it as impossible rather than speaking like that; it  felt even worse as if she was made fun of.

But it wasn’t like Kael’s words were wrong, so Leciel just pursed her lips in dissatisfaction.

That too for a moment.

“But didn’t you tell me to go to my room and rest?”

“I did.”

Kael nodded indifferently.

“Then could you please drop me off?”

“Hmm.”

Kael hesitated for a moment at the confident demand.

It  felt pleasantly soft to hold the child in his arms, more than he had anticipated that he had forgotten about the need to put her down.

But when the thought of actually putting the child down crossed his mind, he  felt a slight reluctance. So, for some reason, he didn’t want to let go easily.

Maybe it was because he found Leciel’s reactions cute and wanted to tease her more.

“What?”

“If you ask a little more cutely and politely, I’ll consider it.”

“If it’s cute, it’s cute, and if it’s polite, it’s polite. What’s cute and polite?”

“So, I’m looking forward to it. What it feels like to be cute and polite.”

With a playful smile, Kael looked at Leciel.

“Alright then. If you like it that much, should you just keep holding me?”

It was comfortable, very comfortable indeed.

Despite feeling bad because he made fun of her about being small, Leciel, not wanting to comply with what he wanted, spoke calmly but with a hint of defiance.

“Oh, that’s a good idea. People would think you’re my favorite  doll.”

“… huh?”

At Kael’s response, which seemed like he would carry her around like a  doll forever, Leciel looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“If a grown man held a child in his arms and called it a beloved doll, people would most likely believe it.”

“If someone else said that they wouldn’t believe it, but since it’s me.”

Even if he was saying something unreasonable, there would hardly be anyone to contradict him, unless they had a very big gut.

“Anyway, put me down.”

Though she might not have minded for a moment, Leciel, now requesting to be put down, subtly squirmed as if indicating her discomfort at being held all day.

“Oh, isn’t this cute?”

“Does this look like cute to you?”

“Just look at your short legs kicking like that, it’s obviously cute.”

“Stop talking about my short legs.”

Although she didn’t particularly have a complex about her height, it seemed like Kael’s teasing might create one.

People could be short, and they could have short legs!

How tall did he expect a ten-year-old to be anyway?

“So, when are you going to be polite?”

Ignoring Leciel’s rebellion lightly, Kael said with a playful expression.

Frowning at Kael’s teasing, Leciel lightly nipped at Kael’s shoulder.

It wasn’t a hard bite, just enough to feel a bit of pressure.

“…I think that’s more like defiance than politeness.”

“No, according to my standards, this is polite. When I should be polite, this is how I express it. It’s a very polite request.”

Even though she knew it sounded absurd, Leciel confidently said it.

With a light chuckle, Kael obediently put Leciel down.

Teasing the child was just for fun, he didn’t intend to keep holding her like that. After all, the tired child needed proper rest.

As Leciel finally freed himself from Kael’s arms and looked at him with a dissatisfied expression, she walked away with a brisk pace, accompanied by the maid.

“Well, let’s go then.”

Kael said, looking at Carren standing beside him.

In response, Carren moved on with an expression devoid of any emotion.

“… he’s still a boring son.”

Even though Carren could have been surprised or questioned Kael’s sudden decision to bring the child and his attitude toward her, he simply remained indifferent.

“If you were expecting the same reaction from me as that child earlier, then give up.”

Carren replied coldly without even sending a glance.

“I never expected that.”

As expected, Kael looked disappointed at that stiff expression.

“For that matter, you seem disappointed.”

“I hoped my son would be a little cuter.”

Carren neatly ignored Kael’s small hope.

Shortly after, Kael and Carren arrived at the study.

“What happened to the knights who went on the subjugation with me?”

As soon as he took a seat, Kael got straight to the point.

Small talk between himself and his son would be nothing but a waste of time.

Though Kael expected such a conversation, Carren would have simply found it bothersome.

“Some have returned.”

“…I see.”

Considering that even he himself was injured, Kael didn’t expect all of them to return safely, so he didn’t show any particular surprise.

“What have you heard?”

“There wasn’t much. But I have some suspicions.”

“Is that so?”

“Seeing the situation, I suspect someone set a trap to endanger father.”

“Accurate.”

Indeed, his son was quick to grasp the situation, just like him. He must have inferred that much from his absence and the knights’ injuries alone.

“So, what happened exactly?”

In response to the question filled with concern, Kael briefly explained the situation he had faced.

The fact that someone intentionally lured him to the monster forest and that he was put into a dangerous situation.

He didn’t go into detail intentionally.

Even if his son pretended to be indifferent, he would surely worry upon hearing that he almost died.

“Is that so.”

After listening to everything, Carren nodded indifferently.

Then suddenly.

“Then rest. Oh…”

As if he had realized something, Carren stopped abruptly as he was about to rise from his seat.