#15. Where Is That Child?

‘Nah, it couldn’t be.’

‘No matter how crazy she is, there must be limits.’

Even while denying reality, Taran’s attendants felt an instinctive sense of foreboding.

Meanwhile, one tactless fellow spoke honestly.

“Well, she is……”

Stop! Someone shut that guy up!

The more perceptive attendants were urgently exchanging glances.

“L-Lord Taran!”

An attendant rushed in with an urgent voice.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke has returned!”

* * *

The Grand Duke of Dragonia had returned.

The entire Blue Brick Castle was turned upside down by the news. To return so suddenly, without any prior notice.

‘Why?’

By the time Taran arrived at the main gate of the Blue Brick Castle, all the other people of Dragonia had already arranged themselves in formation.

Large stoves set up to welcome the Grand Duke’s return and drive away the cold were burning brightly in various places covered with white snow, but the flames wavered greatly, almost collapsing before the fierce wind blowing from the sky.

A massive shadow fell over them, causing frightened figures to tremble and be pushed over by the biting wind.

“Th-There—!”

A gigantic demonic beast with flapping wings was descending from the sky.

It was a wyvern, the riding beast of the Dragonia Grand Duke’s family.

That wyvern was a solution devised by the previous Grand Duke, Lady Partilova, who was called “The Great Guardian of Dragonia.”

‘The previous Grand Duke raided wyvern nests, stole newly hatched young wyverns, then tamed them and raised a corps of riding beasts.’

Taran gazed at the wyvern corps with admiring eyes.

That solution led to an overall increase in Dragonia’s military power.

The key was how to handle demonic beasts.

Should they be considered mere disasters and killed? Or should they find ways to coexist and utilize them without killing them indiscriminately?

For generations, the Grand Dukes of Dragonia had deeply held the former mindset, as did other Dragonians.

‘Demonic beasts are dangerous monsters that should be exterminated, and can never coexist with humans!’

But when the previous Grand Duke Partilova was enthroned, Dragonia was in no position to be picky about such matters.

The war with the vile Phoenix.

Because of it, Dragonia was swept into a wave of rapid changes from which there was no return, and by the current Grand Duke’s reign, everything had completely changed.

‘Now, when people think of the Dragonia knighthood, they first think of wyvern riders.’

As the largest wyvern landed, a man descended from it.

Thud, black leather boots stepped onto the white snow.

“His Highness the Grand Duke!”

Ice-cold blue eyes characteristic of Dragonia. Dark blue, thick eyebrows and a high, straight nose. Firmly closed lips and a square jaw.

Below his thick neck extended a tall, solid body composed entirely of muscle.

Objectively, it was a handsome face that made it hard to believe he was a father of four children, but the expression it formed was too cold and blunt to discern his age.

The fur placed on his broad shoulders belonged to a chimera, a powerful demonic beast that had long plagued the Dragonia Grand Duchy.

Garet Dragonia.

Everyone knelt before the man whose mere presence could intimidate others.

“We greet Your Highness, the great Grand Duke of Dragonia.”

“Glory to Dragonia……”

While everyone else bowed their heads, filled with loyalty and submission, Taran rudely only nodded slightly, looking around for a small silhouette.

Partanie.

‘What’s going on?’

Taran’s eyes gradually widened. No matter how thoroughly he searched, she was nowhere to be seen.

‘There’s no way she would miss this occasion?’

Even Taran, who had been indifferent to the youngest until now, knew this fact.

How much Partanie, that child, admired her father, the Grand Duke of Dragonia, who had brought her here.

Though he was such a busy person that she couldn’t see him often, whenever she heard he was stopping by the castle even briefly, she would come running.

If she was lucky enough to see the Grand Duke of Dragonia, she would smile brightly with a face that anyone could see was radiant, and follow him around to take in as much of him as possible.

It was an entirely one-sided affection.

The Grand Duke of Dragonia, famous for being heartless toward his children, never showed fondness for Partanie or acknowledged her.

It was natural, since he was someone who wouldn’t even see his children unless there was business to discuss.

That’s why Taran thought Partanie was foolish whenever she, a lady, would follow him around only to be ignored and become dejected.

‘Being ignored like that and still following him around, does she have no pride?’

Yet inwardly, he had felt disgruntled. Although Partanie would follow him around too, calling “Brother!”, when the Grand Duke of Dragonia arrived, she would act as if she had forgotten about him.

‘It was definitely like that, so what’s going on?’

Taran grew puzzled. No matter how many times he looked around, there was no sign of her distinctive purple-blue hair.

At that moment, the unpleasant nightmare flashed through his mind again.

Though only afterimages remained as his consciousness fully awakened, Taran’s mood rapidly soured.

‘What the hell, where is she hiding?’

While attributing his displeasure solely to his youngest sister’s absence and looking around more intently, his aunt Penelope caught his eye.

She didn’t look at all like someone who had entered as Taran’s aunt and surrogate mother. Rather than a nanny, the woman who was dressed gorgeously looked more like a concubine……

‘……She’s smiling?’

As if pleased by Partanie’s absence, she was smiling.

Just as Taran’s pupils dilated with heightened nerves—

“Taran.”

A massive shadow fell over him.

A deep voice. Seeing the same blue eyes as his own, Taran immediately assumed proper etiquette.

“Taran, the second of Dragonia, greets Your Highness the Grand Duke.”

To an outsider, it would have appeared more like a relationship between a lord and his subject rather than father and son.

But the Grand Duke of Dragonia, far from declining with “There’s no need for that,” looked at Taran coldly for a moment before commanding in a low voice, “Rise.”

As Taran was getting to his feet.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke, have you returned safely!”

A coquettish voice sounded from behind.

It was Penelope.

Whether planned in advance or not, she was dressed remarkably splendidly and beautifully.

“You don’t know how worried I’ve been waiting. On this bone-chilling cold night, for Your Highness to personally go outside……”

The Grand Duke of Dragonia, without even pretending to listen to Penelope, said,

“Why don’t I see Partanie?”

“Pardon?”

At the unexpected question, Taran reflexively asked back.

Though he himself had noticed Partanie’s absence, this was his father, who had never properly given her a glance even when she constantly followed him around.

But what?

“I’m asking where that child is.”

Before Taran could ask again, the Grand Duke’s eyes glowed an icy blue.

As if she alone was his purpose.

“……She’s….”

“Your Highness the Grand Duke!”

Before Taran, overwhelmed by the Grand Duke’s presence, could answer, Penelope interrupted again.

It was truly rude.

Etiquette dictated that those of lower status should not address those of higher status first.

And Penelope was not so ignorant as to be unaware of such etiquette. Just a few days ago, hadn’t she slapped her maid’s cheek and threatened to tear out her tongue for that very reason?

She simply believed that she was someone who didn’t need to strictly follow etiquette in Dragonia.

‘Because I am the blood aunt of Taran, the second of Dragonia.’

Because she was a guardian.

And soon, because she would be the fourth wife……

Indeed, as Penelope intended, both Dragonians gave her their attention instead of immediately rebuking her.

Penelope placed her hand on her cheek and spoke as if sad and concerned.

“She is still young, isn’t she? Please, don’t scold her too harshly for being childish. The reason she couldn’t greet Your Highness this time is……”

“How ill-mannered.”

The Grand Duke of Dragonia coldly cut off her words.

Taran flinched, while Penelope struggled to hide her delight.

The reason she had dressed so splendidly today was to restore her fallen dignity within the Blue Brick Castle.

The Grand Duke of Dragonia was strict with his children, but he was someone who maintained a minimum level of courtesy, so Penelope calculated that if she approached him as Taran’s aunt, he wouldn’t ignore her.

Indeed, the Grand Duke of Dragonia had responded to her words.

Just as Penelope, feeling the gaze directed at her change, was about to speak triumphantly—

“Yes, it might seem that way, but she’s still young……”

“Silence.”

The cold rebuke fell.

“How dare you refer to the lady of Dragonia as if she were your subordinate.”

At the Grand Duke of Dragonia’s low, growling voice, Penelope’s eyes widened.

Was it wrong for her to call that half-breed “that child”?

Why?

‘Could it be…… that the Grand Duke of Dragonia actually cares for that lowly half-wit?’

That couldn’t be.

If that were the case, she wouldn’t have touched her in the first place.

How many years had it been since he brought her here, only to neglect her without showing any interest?

But there was no time to think further. The Grand Duke of Dragonia spoke to Taran.

“Taran, are you incapable of managing even one of your subordinates?”

“I apologize.”

Taran immediately bowed his head and apologized.

Penelope’s expression hardened at the sight of her nephew, who was usually so arrogant, acting so unlike himself.

It would have been better if the Grand Duke had directly rebuked her.

But the Grand Duke was admonishing Taran.

This meant that the Grand Duke of Dragonia considered Penelope not even worth addressing.

‘W-Why?’

As Penelope, her face flushed red, was about to open her mouth again saying, “Y-Your Highness the Grand Duke……”

“Ack!”