TIEH | Chapter 4

I didn’t bother to answer. Even if he was curious, the contract came first. But Damian shrugged with a look of helplessness and regret.dec7082efa376e75

“I don’t have one. Like you said, I’m still a young crow.”1c2affa327fae4eb

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“Then?”dcce674bd02a0197

“My father would give it if I asked, but… he’d probably ask why. Our deal is a secret, right?”e7264847c33be216

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“Yeah.”49548f8707337c23

I wanted to build f8235e9988 a rapport with Damian 9f108c7f54 because I might need e12d5833d3 his help in the 44e61a00c3 future. It was like taking c93d443b8c out insurance. So, I 047030d0d0 decided to e3dbc45e7d push a c9e0217ad5 bit harder.491a3f5484d8aa30

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“Get the contract with your skills. If you don’t bring it, what I said today is void.”dc9c9d6244d81a77

“…Then you won’t tell me what I’m curious about.”979d6d16ee0923d9

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“Of course not. My name is Jayden Liddell. Find me when you get the contract. Use magic or whatever, just don’t get caught.”e9f8eb3cfe08b664

Even though it seemed e260a79265 like a demand with 327c0d30b4 no benefit for Damian, 4eac710a1f he stuffed his mouth 2ea4a7235b with cake and smiled dbb23c5187 brightly.787f010989a114d1

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“Alright. That sounds fun too. Just wait a bit.”04e030240c4889f9

I bought a 7218791378 few more cakes 6e8b55b147 for Damian, who 6a4c54db2f gave me a aa7006278f satisfying answer.533f6e8b4bc6797d

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☀︎ • ☀︎ • d1be3b9f91 ☀︎63be6950bc509c61

When I returned from a satisfying outing, Mother and the butler were having a serious conversation. If Mother, the lady of the Liddell Marquisate, was that serious, it wasn’t something a mere 10-year-old like me could help with. I was about to greet them and head to my room when Mother grabbed my shoulder.32f8b126890795bc

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“Jayden.”59e84b038b80b856

Unlike usual, 6afa786d5b when she d2a832bf8d just called 3c6c30fad1 my name, 23161fae44 physically holding 407fb4f80f me meant 7f0980c473 she was 8da2f70e23 determined not f29a3756fd to let d75841e580 me escape 488d9b4706 this time.5c9a0cc18c3c5f19

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“…Yes, Mother.”026ecffb1fc48d5f

“I heard the young master has been staying in his room for days.”3dfb2b70c03837fa

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Since he was having all his meals and desserts in his room, Calix literally hadn’t stepped outside. I nodded.f15f4c2261fc80c5

“Yes, it seems so.”252bba1c80054ce1

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“No matter how much I think about it, this foolish mother can’t figure out why. Would you ask him, Jayden?”1eb1a0f6a92297b7

“He came to rest because he’s not feeling well, so maybe he’s just resting?”73569db10859d283

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“Still, I think it would be good if you checked, Jayden.”c30371b4525a3fa4

I figured it was 4180b73bee something related to Calix. I forced a smile 8425210904 and replied.ff353a171671d34e

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“If it’s personal, it might be rude. If he needs help, the young master will let us know.”8da91f8ff3b7b894

“But the young master is only 10 years old.”d31ff5c09d2e4429

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I was 6050cd03d0 about to 141e186838 argue again e26290d2ff but closed 57adb7b85d my mouth. Right, unlike me, 258a495fab who had a 142260b00c soul that was aa6039e88f 40 years old 9266174ff9 combined with my bd99ba1acd past life, Calix cd56195133 was truly a a126b75ad1 child.60e9da0ceb572a6c

He grew up bearing 46cb1fb8e5 the burden of becoming 0390fd9170 the next duke, but 9fe57a0f76 with a frail body, faea8408e7 he came all the 7f2cb0214c way here alone at 7821339c40 just 10 years old. It was a69e257734 concerning that 0917622e60 he suddenly 9695bc93b0 shut himself 7faaca31da in his c35d764f20 room.b8b75c7dc69dd1bc

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“…I’ll go see him. But don’t expect too much.”58f0b5b75c53f2c7

“Thank you.”f5f0106332029048

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Mother, who knew how to handle me well, smiled, and I reluctantly headed to Calix’s room. I asked the maid what Calix liked best and brought tea and cookies, specialties of our territory. There’s nothing like food to lower defenses.eaf34f890f3c4c32

I sent the maid back after she brought the trolley to the door and lightly knocked on Calix’s door.1d0f6ad5447ea1ee

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Knock knock—70b96d97a7460197

Even though he must 7facdc029f have heard the knock, cadf6e49a2 there was no response.1c0ee59627e8840d

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“Young master, it’s Jayden Liddell. I’ve brought some dessert.”c466b256dd0d4eb4

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps inside, and the door opened slightly. He looked a bit darker than the last time I saw him, but he didn’t seem seriously ill.4e5c84106d534a11

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“…Did you bring that yourself?”1967350f93a99af1

“The maid brought the trolley here.”6088496ffcfd4aaa

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“That’s not what I meant…”e736474ada3deff0

“If you move a bit, I’ll prepare the tea for you.”56b12e9ea5ed2399

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“But why are you…”dbdc623afe14fd9e

Calix, flustered and 2ffd5237c5 hesitating, was so 0e424008ae cute that I 456efc7189 almost laughed, but 21a4781d6f I held it b361c0741c in and entered 0051eae26b the room with 55e7341b83 the trolley.ee61880d0cfe9446

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Calix had a lot 94cd56d80c to say as I ba82dab8bc prepared the tea, but d036314417 he just watched quietly. When I poured c4323eff13 the tea and 6a3249b80b placed it in 19de16e8b1 front of him, 50ca557707 he finally spoke 8bf1ea2357 in a voice 35a8e584e8 that seemed to 09821bb482 crawl.236a18d8e72932e9

“…You seem to be good at everything.”227e0ee8d32579be

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“It’s just because Mother likes tea. There are countless things I’m clumsy at.”af5a145c57e3b76f

I’m actually only 10 years old. Regardless of my soul’s age, excluding my baby years, I haven’t even spent 10 years learning and using the etiquette of this place. So, whether it’s dining etiquette or anything else, it just looks decent, and making tea is something I learned by watching. It feels good to hear that I seem good at everything, but it’s not true.095523913591cb79

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But Calix seemed 77d8236e00 shocked by something 147628beb7 else.d22818705307fe6b

“You have many clumsy parts…?”81c6bb4edaae26b9

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“Yes.”cf18ae85808ebadb

“Isn’t that embarrassing?”5fccdb36f912bd33

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“…What?”0a2e49831dc0f676

Suddenly, after making tea, 2ec8921938 a harsh critique? Seeing me frozen in 717bb1f182 surprise, Calix waved his 03c7f7159e hands more frantically than d4b961a6b3 ever.21ef6baf478d2e8d

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“N-no, that’s not what I meant… We’re nobles who must set an example… I feel pathetic whenever I find shortcomings in myself…”dc7ad4681f7f31c2

Listening to 82c693244f his rambling, fdc8b308ed I thought e7cd0bd77a I understood 51dcf2894c what Calix 72256e138e was trying 1fe12d3301 to say. Maybe even why 9ca97d66ab he shut himself dd64854b87 in his room.ad6c2f82ddca4a5d

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“I understand what you mean. And to answer, I’m not embarrassed.”dd67fcabeeb2eb0d

“Why not?”955f8c00552f201e

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“Because it’s natural.”5f68e3c1f6e70f78

I sat across from him after pouring my own tea, even though he hadn’t allowed it. Though I had been keeping my distance, suddenly sitting as if to have tea together made Calix curious, and he waited for my next words.3b7fa9b168e835ff

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“How do you see my parents, young master?”6d64afa17c0e833d

“Well… The count and countess seemed elegant and perfect.”8a8643ba83f95a81

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“The same goes for your father, the duke.”d2810066eee7fec0

Mentioning the duke subtly 9c96910986 darkened his expression, confirming 29711704f5 my guess.9bc396959d4b9976

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“But my parents also had clumsy times. Everyone is born a child and becomes an adult. My mother said that adults are just based on the trial and error they experienced as children, and even adults aren’t perfect; they just seem that way.”a1c2fa635f5a817e

That was ultimately admitting that she was still clumsy. Knowing that admitting one’s flaws is harder than striving to appear perfect made me respect my parents even more.c282efdda2b4cab7

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“Of course, I know some people must be perfect. The young master, who will lead the duchy, is one of them.”3e8d2e5684778e2f

Calix’s face darkened at my words, and after hesitating, he revealed why he shut himself in. In summary, one of the staff who came with him was a spy reporting his every move to the duke, and his mistakes reached the duke’s ears.f3817a58994919aa

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As a result, 67e512048c he received a 082f233725 letter full of c73ee92643 scolding, so to 4e4d521d90 avoid further mistakes, 478d80e19b Calix chose to 511ffa392e stay in his 7b2594cc97 room. The duke probably 0d4be44307 criticized him more 29e94da1ac for showing his 9b0c10e1a4 flaws to others f8b07c7c56 than for making 63c732fcf8 mistakes.21e77d9fe5b37aab

“But you can’t stay in your room the whole time you’re at the Marquis’s Castle.”6fbcf3d183de24b1

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“…I’ll try not to go out as much as possible.”3a1fc83dbf3b66f0

But he must know that’s not a perfect solution. Was Calix’s self-esteem this low in the past? The original story started after Calix had already succeeded as the duke, and at that time, he was the male lead who fit the title of the northern black wolf better than anyone.5e920320f8b1dcb9

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It seemed that 62cfc8eeb0 Calix at this 6764f7d994 time was experiencing b6f4ed7846 trial and error 5f4dfb6a94 very thoroughly, as 29cf26e0ba Mother said.51ec865ae910ac25

“My father said that to lead Balmore, he must be a perfect head and duke, more than any other noble. But no matter how I think about it, it seems impossible for me…”8b25dffbac86d237

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Even without me, Calix 6e7811826b would become the perfect 505e4b0994 and flawless duke his f05f66705a father wanted, but seeing 6445093c1a a child much smaller 5a4682aebe than me digging a 710972f4c1 hole was pitiful, so 13ea232725 I decided to help 29273ea9b2 a bit. And what was 3d4bfe4a73 needed at times d0ad5089ad like this was 5f23915496 a bit of 46e297790c humor.0ecdc8c8d36f0721

“I heard the duke, a sword master, is also skilled in magic.”4cf2e83dac850206

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“Yes, that’s right.”5e89f5376f42713d

“Is he good at knitting?”b2f416b39c86db79

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“…What?”bafb36bef8a79fcf

“Embroidery or cooking?”e0b3b265de458986

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Calix blinked blankly 60f6e83633 and shook his 01a5cb6d4b head.4d9e6cc8e5da9acf

“…Uh, probably not.”a54b4e5e073c600b

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“Then tanning, carving, and flower arranging must be the same.”1a6e617907dc5f51

I listed things the duke probably never touched in his life. Calix’s eyes grew rounder, as expected.5b275df3527fe4cd

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“Probably.”1f80bff4890495dc

“Then it seems okay for the young master to be a slightly less perfect duke.”44f584c5d36ade0d

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Finally understanding what I was getting at, Calix blushed and smiled. Though I intended to comfort him, that wasn’t really what I wanted to say.ccec907d7cfe76e1

“We’re still young, but there will come a time when we must take responsibility for our actions. But that’s not now, so it’s okay to blame others a bit.”163cb2a79828ec53

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“…Blame others?”86bbad47b93bab19

“Maybe the young master made mistakes because the Marquis’s Castle is unfamiliar, and our hospitality was lacking? Or perhaps it’s due to the inadequate teaching of the duchy’s tutors.”725e53d2c88ef8d9

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“……”0ab82b295df5cb9e

“Maybe it’s because I was distant and hurt your feelings.”76cd25acb58e392d

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Calix, who had been listening quietly, burst into laughter, unlike before. Fortunately, my heartfelt joke seemed to have worked. And my comfort wasn’t over yet. At this moment, I was not Jayden but a runaway train of comfort.62a54f81e2060a25