<span>I sneakily turned my head and nced around. The eyes of the people are shaking.


    <span>“Did youe forward for me?”


    <span>…..I’m embarrassed, a cheesy word just popped from the mouth of the unemotional guy.


    <span>‘actually I just wanted to hit Marco.’


    <span>Marco, who rubbed his chapped eyelids, grunted.


    <span>“No way! Why would I say that? That’s a lie……!!”


    <span>“That’s enough.”


    <span> His low voice got tangled in my earlobe. It was duke Dubblede.


    <span>When the Duke’s gaze turned to Marco, Marco shrugged and the duke opened his mouth again.


    <span>“She’s the child under my protection,”


    <span>The muttering voice was chilling. Marco, was flinching without realizing it, forgot to make excuses and swallowed dry saliva. Baron Jude then approached, saying, “Wait, sir.”


    <span>“It’s unfair. Don’t you think so? My son wouldn’t have called you that way……!”


    <span>The duke of Dubblede approached Marco. A hand sped Marco’s chin.


    <span>“Your father ims so, I’ll give you a chance.”


    <span>“…What?”


    <span>“Prove what you say is true, even if you’re tongue-tied and your eyes are dug out.”


    <span>“…….”


    <span>“Of course, when you can’t prove it, it won’t end with just you.”


    <span>There’s no way he can prove it.


    <span>‘You’re just telling him to die.’


    <span>Marco became blue and hardened, and the gaze of the Duke sank deep.


    <span>“I’ll ask again. Is my child’s words false or true?”


    <span>“……”


    <span>The duke’s pressure was not something an ordinary child could handle.


    <span>Marco’s hand trembled like an aspen tree. His trousers got wet, and traces of yellow flowed down along the ankles.


    <span>“Tru,…truth.”


    <span>In the end, Marcoplied.


    <span>Baron Jude’s face turned blue. His son admitted so, he could no longer even make excuses.


    <span>The baron falls down and turn his head down.


    <span>“Sa,….Save me, your excellency. I have sinned to death.”


    <span>When the duke let go of his hand, Marco, who had lost all his strength, rolled on the floor.


    <span>“Get rid of them”


    <span>The soldiers ordered by the Duke swarmed in.


    <span>In the meantime, Baron Jude and Marco shouted, “Forgive me……Your Excellency!”. But the duke’s expression was not very good.


    <span>The duke has remembered them properly, so it was probably hard for them to live in the empire.


    <span>As I was watching them dragging Marco and his father, the vassals gathered around me with a new look on their faces.


    <span>“How admirable. “


    <span>“It was spectacr to see the child stand up to the big boy.”


    <span>“Calmly exining the situation,It was great.”


    <span>The vassals poured theirpliments on me.


    <span>It seems that the misunderstanding that ‘I jumped at Marco, who dared to call Dubblede a trash’ has not been resolved.


    <span>My conscience pricked me, but I decided to think positively.


    <span>The gatherers here are the closest allies of the Duke.


    <span>and the Duke sided with me.


    <span>I nced at the duke.


    <span>He’s looking at me a little nicer than usual.


    <span>I was relieved and sighed unconsciously,then one of the vassals reached out.


    <span>“Are you tired? ….Of course you are. Now,e here. I’ll take you to your room.”


    <span>The vassal, who said that, had a very kind look on his face, but I crept on the back.


    <span>‘It’s my first time seeing you…..’


    <span>I stepped back with a wary eye and the other vassals burst outughing.


    <span>“This guy. Didn’t you hear? she is very shy to adult men.She must be afraid because you’re big.”


    <span>“But isn’t she being held by the duke?”


    <span>“Well, it’s okay if the child likes you.”


    <span>“She always smile at the duke.”


    <span>The duke’s eyes were on me. Iughed casually because our eyes met.


    <span>It’s like walking backwards without showing your back when you meet a beast.


    <span>I won’t provoke you. …Don’t attack me.


    <span>-I mean…..


    <span>The vassals gave a big grin.


    <span>“The baby like him so much,Don’t you think so?”


    <span>“I see…”


    <span>“Thest time I heard about the Church, she was always sitting on hisp.”


    <span>‘What….’


    <span>“You must be happy to be loved by the child.”


    <span>“It’s nothing.”


    <span>The duke’s mouth, which said those words, seemed somehow arrogant.


    <span>‘I said, Let’s get along, but you’re so cheap.’


    <span>I was depressed because of my poor evaluation.


    <span>***


    <span>Did they say that after a hard time, there will always be a good thing?


    <span>When I met Marco, I had a bad memory, but good things happen afterwards.


    <span>‘Because they’vee to like me.’


    <span>They seemed to be very proud of me who ran to a big boy with a small body for Dubblede.


    <span>And when it caught the eye of the powerful, there was a remarkable change. Even administrators and managerial employees have begun to pay attention to me.


    <span>Originally, I used all the things that the employees picked up in moderation.


    <span>I was going back to the capital soon anyway, so there was no reason to buy “goods for me.”


    <span>But when I got the attention of the management staff and administrative officers, I could buy some household goods for myself.


    <span>I was very excited toe out to the shop with Lea and other maids.


    <span>The shopping district of Dubblede was a paradise.


    <span>It is beyondparison with the one Val Lua had.


    <span>There are even specialized stores that can only be found in the main streets, so it is fun to see.


    <span>‘There’s a toy store.’


    <span>This is a lot more luxurious than the toys of the other store that the aristocratic children are looking for.


    <span>The children hugged their toys one by one and left the store.


    <span>A five or six-year-old littledy wearing arge bo was hugging a doll that looked very soft.


    <span>‘That’s right. They’re releasing that doll by now.’


    <span>It’s a doll in various animal forms, and when you hug it tightly, it says, “I like you.”


    <span>Suddenly the first life came to mind. That doll was the first andst thing I had ever ask to the Duke of Ami Thie.


    <span>“Fwather, I want twhat doll. (Father, I want that doll.)”


    <span>The Duke of Ami Thie, who sped his trouser, said sternly.


    <span>“Leine, if you donate money and didn’t buy that doll, you can save a lot of starvation.Do you still want it?”


    <span>“No….”


    <span>“<span>That’s great. You‘ll earnpassion and consideration instead of dolls.”


    <span>The Duke smiled as he said so. I loved his smile so much that I never pressed him for it again.


    <span>‘But i really wanted it…..’


    <span>Eighteen-year-old Mina received the doll as a gift from him.


    <span>The duke, seeing Mina hugging the doll and being as fond as a child, was smiling more brightly than then.


    <span>‘No, let’s not think about then,’


    <span>“Little miss”


    <span>“Yes.”


    <span>“Shall we go get a toy?”


    <span>I guess they thought I wanted a toy.


    <span>‘Lea’s so sweet….’


    <span>“Pick anything.”


    <span>‘Anything?’


    <span>When I my eyes get brightened, the maids rmended toys.


    <span>“How’s the puzzle?”


    <span>“Don’t you think Block would be fun too?”


    <span>‘Toys….’


    <span>It seemed like my child’s brain was shouting, “Buy me!” But I closed my eyes tightly.


    <span>I tried hard to look away and pointed to another product. It was a red carnation corsage.


    <span>“But that’s not a toy.”


    <span>When Leah looked at me with a curious look, I answered with my fingers wriggling.


    <span>“Twe kwids at twe nuwsert twold me to gwive it two someone they like.(The kids at the nursery told me to give it to someone they like.)”


    <span>“Oh,that’s right. Soon it’s thanksgiving day.”


    <span>In Wigentra, it was customary for children to present carnations to their parents on Thanksgiving Day.


    <span>‘And I will also give this to an adult as a present…’


    <span>‘To Lea.’


    <span>Originally, I was going to give it to the Duke, but I thought of what he could say, “It’s not worth it,” and decided to quit.


    <span>‘You can’t be more annoying and hateful.’


    <span>Instead, it will be given to Lea, the nicest girl in the world.


    <span>Lea, who knew nothing, smiled innocently.


    <span>***


    <span><Dubblede’s Castle.>


    <span>The duke and the vassals moved together to the conference room to discuss the matter of jurisdiction.


    <span>While walking down the hall, the vassals had a light chat.


    <span>“Oh, it’s a carnations corsage. Did you get one from your daughter?”


    <span>The vassal, who was wearing a red corsage, pulled out his chest triumphantly.


    <span>“Yes. Tommorow is a day of thanksgiving.”


    <span>“I’m proud of you.”


    <span>The vassal, who was looking for a chance to show off, bragged about it.


    <span>“When my daughter give me this corsage, I thought this was the happiness of living.”


    <span>Heughed as the other vassals shook their heads.


    <span>“There’s nothing happier than having a child.”


    <span>“Yes. In fact, what’s the use of honor and wealth?.”


    <span>“That’s right. What do you get when you stack up wealth in a warehouse? If you don’t feel that happiness.”


    <span>“You’re right.Carnations are the ultimate happiness.”


    <span>Then another vassal asked the Duke.


    <span>“Your Excellency will also receive carnations. I’m sure you felt that happiness then.”


    <span>“I don’t know.”


    <span>“What?”


    <span>“None. Never got carnations.”


    <span>In an instant, the office became cold as if it had been poured cold water on it.


    <span>The vassals swallowed dry saliva as they watched the Dubblede, who said,


    <span>“I had three sons, but I haven’t even seen carnations.”


    <span>The Duke and the three Confucius were beautiful and talented enough to be mentioned countless times, but they were cruelly cold-hearted and indifferent.


    <span>It is not a rtionship that wants affection from each other in the first ce.


    <span>“No, that……boys aren’t usually meticulous. There are a lot of things that go beyond just saying thank you for raising me.”


    <span>“I’ve never heard such a thing.”


    <span>“……”


    <span>Then another vassal came out and tried hard to patch up this talk.


    <span>“What’s important about words or carnations? On Thanksgiving Day, just hugging each other is enough.”


    <span>“……”


    <span>The Duke had no answer.


    <span>The vassal swallowed dry saliva.


    <span>The more we opened our mouth, the more we felt like falling into a mine.


    <span>The duke wriggled his eyebrows at the sight of the helpless vassals.


    <span>The gatherers desperately rolled their eyes in search of a way out with white faces.


    <span>Then I found Leine and the maidsing from the opposite side. She may have just returned home as she’s wearing an out-to-town dress.


    <span>And I saw. Carnation rose in Leine’s hand!