“That’s right. If it were me, my pride would have been hurt and I wouldn’t have done it. Marie has a great personality.”

Nodding in agreement with the maid who spoke first, another maid added to the conversation.

Listening to their chatter, Leciel let out a sigh.

From the looks of it, the subject of their conversation seemed to be her and the maid attending her, but she didn’t particularly feel bad about it.

It just felt a bit pathetic.

Kael had introduced her as a precious guest of the Grand Duke’s household, yet they were having such a conversation.

They must have thought she couldn’t hear them, but they were remarkably careless.

Even while Leciel was thinking this, the maids continued their enthusiastic conversation.

“Still, can’t she just endure it a little?”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. She seems so uneducated, calling the Grand Duke <uncle> so rudely. With that kind of behavior, she’ll be kicked out soon, don’t you think?”

“Right, indeed. His Excellency hates people without manners more than anything.”

Really, when that shabby kid first called the Grand Duke <uncle>, it was so shocking.

No matter how ignorant one might be, how could anyone be so rude?

From the maid’s perspective, it felt gratifying.

Because it was infuriating to see a child of unknown origin being treated as a precious guest in the Grand Duke’s household.

“But what was His Excellency thinking, bringing such a kid here?”

As a maid, she knew it was inappropriate to question the actions of her master, but she genuinely couldn’t understand the Grand Duke’s decision.

At first, she thought there might be something special about the child, but watching her until now, she seemed just rude and foolish.

“What does it matter? She’ll be kicked out soon anyway.”

No doubt she was brought here out of pity.

Though knowing the Grand Duke’s nature, it wouldn’t be just out of pity, the maid said so anyway.

Because she couldn’t understand otherwise.

“Poor thing. She must be feeling so full of herself, thinking she’s somebody important.”

“Exactly.”

The maid sneered as if she didn’t care what life awaited the child after being kicked out of the Grand Duke’s household.

It was at that moment.

“Tsk, when did the Grand Duchy become so easy to ridicule?”

Amidst the maids’ conversation, Carren’s indifferent yet cold voice interrupted.

“… Master Carren.”

The maids were in a part of the mansion where few people usually came.

Yet here they were, encountering the Grand Duke’s son, Carren.

Seeing his hardened expression, it seemed he had heard their entire conversation.

The maids’ faces stiffened.

“Like squeaking mice, chattering away noisily.”

Carren’s expression was nothing but cold as he looked at the maids, who were now visibly shrinking under his gaze.

“We… we are sorry.”

“It seems you do not understand your duties as maids.”

To think that as maids, they would dare to speak so disrespectfully about a guest personally brought in by the Grand Duke, Kael.

One of the virtues of a maid should be to refrain from careless talk.

Therefore, Carren was irritated.

He disliked the fact that the maids working for the Grand Duchy didn’t know the basic.

To think that these were the standards of the maids working in the Grand Duchy was infuriating.

Regardless of who Leciel was or why she was brought here, it was a decision made by his father.

Moreover, his father had introduced Leciel as a precious guest and someone who would become a family member.

Did they not understand the weight of those words?

To speak so carelessly.

Furthermore, their behavior not only showed disrespect to Leciel but also undermined his father, Kael’s authority.

Thus, he couldn’t just let it slide.

“I cannot tolerate the likes of you in the Heithrian Grand Duchy.”

“W-what do you mean by that…?”

One maid asked with trembling eyes, feeling the unease growing in her heart.

“I will report this conversation to my father exactly as I heard it. Including my opinion that I no longer wish to see your faces in this household.”

Knowing his father’s nature, even if he didn’t relay his complaint, maids who didn’t fulfill their duties wouldn’t be allowed to continue working here.

“We… we’re truly sorry. Please, just this once… we were only… worried about the household….”

“The Grand Duchy is not something to be worried about by the likes of you, and my father is not a fool.”

“But… we have served diligently. Our loyalty to the household is unmatched.”

“Loyalty from those who do not know their place is worthless.”

Carren’s attitude was unwavering, showing no interest in the maids’ excuses.

The maids pleaded further, but Carren, feeling increasingly annoyed, called for a knight to remove them from his sight.

He then resumed his walk as if nothing had happened until he spotted Leciel crouched in the corner of the hallway.

She seemed deeply lost in thought.

With a serious expression that made her look slightly hurt.

‘Ah…’

Carren paused for a moment.

He didn’t know why she was there, but judging from the atmosphere, it seemed she had overheard the maids’ conversation.

‘Tsk.’

What should he do?

Pretending not to know might be best. He didn’t need to concern himself with an unfamiliar child.

His anger towards the maids wasn’t for the child’s sake but because their words disrespected his father’s decision.

However, when he pretended not to notice, his concern only grew.

What did that child being hurt have to do with him?

Did he like Leciel in some way even if he pretended not to?

Or maybe it was because the unresolved questions he had about her were holding his interest.

Leciel’s mere existence was full of questions and continued to stimulate his curiosity and interest.

Anyway, he thought it would be annoying later if he pretended not to notice and ignored her.

Carren sighed inwardly and approached Leciel.

But she was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice his presence.

“… you don’t need to care about what the maids said.”

After a moment of deliberation, Carren spoke in a nonchalant voice.

Leciel looked up at him, only now realizing his presence.

“… pardon?”

Having been so focused, she hadn’t heard what he said.

“Whatever anyone says, you were brought here by my father. He won’t discard you just because you’re deemed useless.”

“… are you subtly insulting me?”

It seemed like he was trying to comfort her, but the content wasn’t very reassuring.

The maids had called her rude, but not useless.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

Seeing Carren’s reaction, Leciel realized that wasn’t his intention and shrugged.

“Anyway, my father won’t cast you aside.”

“Even if I’m rude and useless?”

“Yes. My father isn’t cold-hearted enough to discard a child for being a bit rude or useless.”

“Hm, I see. So, he is still a father.”

Leciel commented with a peculiar expression.

“Why are you suddenly saying that?”

Carren frowned, not understanding the sudden change in the conversation.

“Because from what I’ve seen, <Uncle> isn’t the type to forgive just because someone is young.”

“Well….”

Carren was at a loss for words.

Indeed, Leciel was right.

Although he tried to comfort her, his father Kael wasn’t someone who would let things slide just because of a person’s age.

That made it even more puzzling why he brought Leciel here, but there seemed to be another reason.

“Of course, but! He did say he doesn’t discard people he likes, even if they’re a bit useless.”

“… that’s true.”

Although it was rare to see his father take a liking to someone, Leciel’s words were correct.

“And he said he likes me.”

“… yes.”

“So, if you were trying to comfort me, wouldn’t it have been more effective to say that?”

“It wasn’t meant to be comfort.”

“It wasn’t a comfort, yet you added a bit of a lie, saying he wouldn’t discard me?”

Leciel looked at Carren with a playful expression, indicating she saw through his attempt.

“… anyway, you’re a precious guest of the Grand Duke’s household, it’s only natural to be concerned if you heard such things from the maids.”

He was worried that she might have been hurt.

Carren added awkwardly, glancing at Leciel’s expression.

“No, I’m a little worried, but it’s okay.”

Her worry wasn’t for the reason Carren thought.

Once she called him uncle, she felt comfortable with that title, so she continued to call him that without any problem, but it was only then she realized that it might look bad in the eyes of others.

Kael, the person involved, didn’t say anything, so she didn’t think anything of it.

However, since the words were spoken, she felt like she needed to rethink the title she used to call Kael.

So, she was just thinking about what to call him.

“There is no need to listen to everything the maids say. Especially when they say my father is going to kick you out.”

He thought she wasn’t too hurt because she pretended nothing had happened and continued the conversation with him, but that wasn’t the case.

Carren, who understood that the maid’s conversation was bothering meant that she was hurt, spoke with an awkward expression as if comforting her.

“Oh, of course, I don’t care about that. And you’re forgetting something important. As I mentioned before, <Uncle> and I have a contract. He’ll be my guardian until I become an adult.”

In such a situation, why would she worry about being discarded?

Even without that, she wouldn’t have been overly anxious. She trusted Kael to keep his promise, and she had the abilities he needed.

“… ah.”

Carren finally remembered the contract between her and his father, feeling foolish for his earlier concerns.

‘That was unnecessary.’

There was no need to console her.

He regretted his actions.

But Carren’s thoughts soon changed.

“Still, thank you. It wasn’t pleasant to hear, but thanks to you, I feel better now.”

Despite his indifferent demeanor, Carren’s actions were clearly meant to console her.

His rough sincerity was even more palpable.

Leciel smiled brightly with gratitude.