CIBLN | Chapter 5

“…Is the relationship between the two that bad?”

No matter how bad things are between them, they’re still family…..

Could it be that this is only half a joke?

However, breaking that expectation, Rona responded firmly.

“Yes, the relationship between them is that bad.”

“Is it okay for you to tell me this? This is…..”

Strictly speaking, it was almost the same as speaking ill of them.

Before long, they reached the center of the hallway, and Rona flashed a small smile as she grabbed the doorknob.

“The Young Duke instructed me to tell Miss Rosalyn anything that you need to know for staying here.”

“……!”

“He hopes that Miss Rosalyn will smoothly adapt to life in the Duke’s household.”

The moment she heard those words, Rosalyn realized.

Rona was not an ordinary maid.

‘She’s someone who received orders from His Highness the Young Duke.’

In other words, what she just said wasn’t an act of her own accord.

As soon as Rosalyn reached that conclusion, she somehow started to feel that Rona was a bit difficult to understand.

“Now, shall we take a look at Miss Rosalyn’s room?”

Rona said cheerfully as she opened the door.

Rosalyn’s eyes, which had been lost in thought, slowly began to open wide.

“Wow.”

The room that unfolded before her eyes was like straight out of a palace.

It was so beautiful that she couldn’t close her mouth.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, it’s so pretty… It’s just like a princess’s room in a fairy tale.”

“Oh my, how cute. How can you say such innocent words.”

Rona smiled as if she was melting, watching Rosalyn looking around the room with sparkling eyes.

“Miss Rosalyn.”

“Yes?”

Rosalyn, who had been looking around the room for a while, looked back.

Rona smiled warmly and then, once again, greeted her politely with a respectful bow.

“It is truly an honor to meet you. I will do my utmost to serve you, Miss Rosalyn.”

Rosalyn then realized.

Her life in the Arcas Duke’s household had truly begun.

* * *

Is this what the life of a noble young lady is like?

Rosalyn glanced at the mirror.

In the mirror, there was the version of herself who, just yesterday, had looked so shabby…

‘I really do look like a rich young lady.’

She smelled of a pleasant fragrance, and her once dry hair now gleamed with shine as if it had never been that way. Her skin was also smooth and fair.

With her hair half-tied back with a red ribbon and wearing a sky-blue dress that reached her knees, Rosalyn looked like a perfect young lady from a wealthy family.

“Wow, Miss Rosalyn is so pretty! How does it suit you so well?”

“…It looks strange.”

Rosalyn stood in front of the mirror and wiggled her toes awkwardly.

Rona clapped her hands with a bright smile.

“You don’t look strange at all. This dress was definitely made for you, Miss Rosalyn.”

“…Really?”

“Of course!”

Rona nodded several times, assuring her that she was sincere.

“Today, I’ll be showing you around the Duke’s household.”

“Yes.”

“The structure isn’t too complicated. It’s just so large that you might get lost…”

…Isn’t that the difficult thing?

Rosalyn briefly looked at Rona with a bewildered expression.

“I’ll be able to find you right away, so even if you get lost, there’s no need to worry!”

“…Yes.”

“Well, shall we go then?”

Rona asked with a bright smile.

Rosalyn tilted her head.

For some reason, it felt like Rona was eager to leave quickly.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Rosalyn nodded solemnly and gently grabbed the hem of Rona’s dress. At that moment, Rona froze for a moment and stared intently at Rosalyn.

“Really….”

“…..?”

“You really wouldn’t know, Miss Rosalyn. What it feels like to be so cute that you just want to bite them.”

Rona said with a very serious expression.

Rosalyn flinched.

Since yesterday, Rona had been saying incomprehensible things from time to time.

It was mostly strange expressions like wanting to bite, having heartache, or wanting to destroy everything.

Each time, Rosalyn would flinch back and keep her distance from Rona.

“As you may know from the brief explanation I gave you yesterday, the Duke of Arcas household has three palaces in total.”

As they walked down the hallway, Rona began to explain.

The sunlight streaming through the window was warm.

“The palace we’re in right now is the main residence. It’s where you’ll mostly be staying, Miss Rosalyn.”

“Yes.”

“The palace on the left of the main residence is the Letium Library. It’s named after the Goddess of Wisdom, ‘Letiane’. Scholars conduct research there, and soon, it will also be the place where you’ll study, Miss Rosalyn.”

“…Wow, the library is huge.”

“Yes. That’s right. It’s the second largest after the Imperial Library.”

Rona replied proudly.

Second largest after the Imperial Library. Rosalyn was so surprised that she looked at the Letium Palace once more.

Even outside the palace, Rosalyn could see scholars wandering around here and there.

“And the palace on the right is the Central Palace, where the elders work. They hold meetings there and decide important matters for the family.”

Rona added meaningfully in her explanation.

“They are also those who have been granted the ‘Arcas’ title.”

“What does it mean to be granted a title?”

Rosalyn tilted her head in curiosity.

Does that mean that family members from the collateral line can also use the title?

Suddenly, Rona stopped in her tracks.

“The Arcas family grants the title to those who have manifested their power. It gives them the right to become a member of the Duke’s household. And… they compete against each other, no matter the position. Of course, the final decision is made by the Duke.”

“……!”

“That’s how the Arcas family has been able to survive for hundreds of years.”

After finishing her explanation, Rona resumed walking.

Before long, the two of them had reached the main residence’s lobby.

Rosalyn could feel eyes glancing at her and Rona from all around.

Everyone was curious about Rosalyn, the child Deon had personally brought in.

However, Rosalyn was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice the attention.

What Rona had said kept swirling in her mind.

‘Does that mean someone else could become the Duke instead of the Young Duke?’

Isn’t it supposed to be Deon who inherits it?

That means…..

‘Could it be that the reason Young Duke adopted me is because of this?’

Rosalyn’s eyes sparkled.

It felt like she was finally grasping a clue that had seemed so distant.

* * *

‘So cute……!’

The gazes of the people working in the Arcas Duke’s household shifted unnaturally.

At the end of their gaze stood a child.

Half-tied, rich blonde hair flowing down to the back.

Round, bunny-like blue eyes.

Chubby cheeks.

A sky-blue dress adorned with ribbon lace. Cute matching shoes of the same color.

Holding Rona’s hand and looking around the mansion with curiosity, the way she explored made her seem like a baby animal seeing the world for the first time.

“How long has it been since we had a child in our family?…… I feel like my heart is being purified.”

“She’s so cute, just like Rona bragged… I can’t believe she’s the daughter of the Young Duke.”

The fact that she was Deon Arcas’s daughter was the most shocking.

At first, when they heard she was the Young Duke’s daughter, they expected her to be arrogant and cold.

That was the atmosphere of most of the Arcas family’s children.

Cold, distant, and dangerous.

But Rosalyn was far removed from that.

With her round eyes wide open, looking around curiously, she resembled a bunny full of curiosity.

The child’s surroundings seemed to sparkle brightly.

“I was wondering why Rona had returned to the family, but it seems the Young Duke left the young miss in her care.”

“…If someone were to kidnap her, it would be a disaster. A skilled person like Rona needs to stay by her side.”

Nod.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Huh?”

At that moment, Rosalyn tilted her head in confusion and quickly turned her gaze toward them.

The servants swiftly began to look away, pretending not to notice.

“Is something wrong, Miss Rosalyn?”

“Ah, it’s nothing… I guess it was just my imagination.”

“I see! Then shall we go and check the backyard?”

“Yes.”

Rosalyn took Rona’s hand and disappeared behind the Duke’s castle.

“…How cruel, taking the young miss away like that?”

“Haa. What a pity. I wanted to see the young miss a little longer.”

The servant, who had been pretending to sweep the floor with a long broom, pouted.

After a while, someone opened their mouth with a “Huh?” and spoke.

“Come to think of it, isn’t the Young Duke in the backyard now?”