4.
The duke was a typical military man and a very strict father, but despite this, Andrea was a very unruly child, unlike his older brother. It wasn’t for nothing that it was called one of the dukedom’s three great mysteries because it couldn’t be fixed even after being scolded so much.
“Father, father, father! I really like this guy! cute!”
“… … .”
If the son was just flashing light, I would have ignored it, but his wife was shooting light beams next to him.
“honey?”
“Umm… … .”
I could tell what he wanted without even saying a word. The duke was a man who retreated from his wife’s 100-level sense of humor.
But the play partner is a girl.
To be honest, it wasn’t very useful. However, you can’t suddenly adopt without any reason… … .
Bringing them in as maids was also not an option in the first place. Because the duke family wasn’t so screwed up that they exploited the labor of a seven-year-old child.
“father… … .”
“Send him back to his room first. I will think about it.”
Discussion seemed necessary, but it was difficult to do so with the person involved in front of us.
“Father.”
The Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of Andrea still crying and ordered Ronnie to be sent back.
That son of a bitch, he doesn’t listen! He was nine years older and had less maturity than a seven-year-old child, so I felt embarrassed as a father. Even if it’s embarrassing, I have to get that girl out as soon as possible.
Ronnie, who was led outside by the nanny’s hand, glanced back with earnest eyes. Her eyes were all focused on the Duchess and Andrea, as she instinctively sensed the danger.
As soon as Ronnie left, the Duchess called her husband with an anxious look on her face.
“honey.”
The child’s desperate-looking face caught my eye. The tears welling up were so pitiful.
“Father! It’s so cute, how can you chase it away? “It’s okay for me to be a girl!”
Andrea also worked hard to help.
“hmm… … .”
“That’s right, honey. From the looks of it, the director didn’t know either, so he would be very scolded when he returned to the orphanage. Besides, I saw it earlier… … .”
The defense continued by saying that it wasn’t like he was intentionally deceiving, that he just didn’t know what to say, and what could a child still know? Andrea also agreed.
However, the Duke only silently fell asleep despite the stereo sound continuing on both sides. blah blah… … There was so much noise that my head hurt.
“Honey, think carefully.”
“Yes, father.”
No matter how long the battle continued, the duke, who had been silent until he was bored, finally made a decision.
“That won’t work.”
“honey!”
“father!”
A chorus that made my ears hurt erupted at the same time. Instead of frowning, the duke continued talking silently.
“It’s too cute not to like it.”
“… … yes?”
Andrea tilted her head and looked at her father’s face to see what he was talking about. For some reason, the tips of the ears look red.
In fact, the duke was also secretly crying out loud. Just two sons. Considering the stability of the succession structure, it was not a bad thing, but it was inevitable that there would be some regret.
Especially when the Crown Prince, who is the most powerful person in the world, boasts about his daughter, I feel like my insides are burning with envy… … .
The Crown Princess, who is his wife’s biological sister, sometimes visited the Duke’s residence with his daughter Princess Bianca, and each time the Duke melted at the princess’s cuteness.
But then what are you going to do? That she is not my daughter.
daughter. I want a daughter!
The wish to have a daughter in the family was the common wish of all members of the duke family. But he doesn’t know where to do it. Now it was almost time to empty my mind.
However, the boy who was brought in as a play partner happened to be a girl.
‘It seems like it’s meant to be.’
Even everyone likes it. He would have to take his time and think about whether to adopt her as his adopted daughter, but since he wanted her so much, it wouldn’t matter if he had her as a playmate. Although it would be unprecedentedly rare to have playmates of different genders.
“… … honey?”
The Duchess also tilted her head.
Andrea was quicker to notice. Andrea noticed that the tips of her father’s ears were slightly red.
“Father, what you said… … .”
“I won’t let you out for now.”
“Really? Wow. Long live my father!”
Shouts similar to cheers erupted.
The wife ran up and started giggling, and the son started jumping up and down. There was a small smile on the face of the duke, who was pretending to be solemn.
“Andrea.”
“yes! father!”
“But you’re going to have to get scolded.”
“… … .”
Andrea, who was so excited, fell down with a squeak and became tearful.
＊＊＊
Meanwhile, Ronnie, who returned to his room, was crying alone.
“Huh, huh… … .”
Basically, orphans don’t cry. This was because, as I grew up, I learned with my whole body that crying was useless.
But I couldn’t stop crying because I thought it might end like this. Since they were like angels, they might not punish them, but it seemed inevitable that they would be sent back to the orphanage.
“Huh… … Huh.”
If that happens, you will most likely be beaten to death by the director. How dare you trick me and make the duke angry.
It was a very scary situation for a seven-year-old child. Even though Ronnie couldn’t stop crying easily, he wondered if he should take off his clothes and cry, fearing that his precious tears might get wet on these precious clothes.
While I was doing that, I heard unbelievable news.
“… … yes? “Really?”
It was the nanny who brought the news. To her surprise, she said she could stay here.
“of course. You were crying out of pitiful worry. Oh my… … .”
Despite the nanny’s comfort, Ronnie was just dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe it and even pinched his cheek hard.
ouch! Seeing the pain made me feel like it wasn’t a dream.
“really… … “Can you stay here?”
Nod.
“Even though I’m a girl… … ?”
“It’s okay.”
“So you’re still the master’s playmate?”
“… … Well, I guess so… … . “You can stay anyway.”
The rule was to find playmates of the same gender. First of all, the subjects taught by men and women were different. Moreover, considering that they would be doing sword fighting, of course they needed a boy.
“thank you! I’ll do anything! “You’re really good at that job!”
Ronnie shouted excitedly. The nanny looked at the child with sad eyes. She was good at her job, these were not words that would come out of the mouth of a seven-year-old child.
“First of all, there is only one thing you have to do.”
“yes! “Please order me anything!”
“Eat well and gain weight.”
“… … yes?”
“This is an order given directly by the Duke.”
“yes?”
Stupidly yes? The only answer that came out was, A sound like a thunderbolt was heard in her ears as she was confused as to what was happening.
“By the way, the Duke himself will be coming down soon.”
“The Duke?”
In an instant, my shoulders became stiff from tension. After all, the scariest person is… … !
“Why would the duke treat someone like me…?” … .”
Instead of explaining, the nanny simply said that she was a good person and there was no need to be too scared, and left.
＊＊＊
Knock knock.
The reason the duke decided to come down in person was simple. It was to improve the image.
It bothered me that the child who had left in tears a little while ago looked earnestly at my wife and son, but did not send a look of salvation towards me until the very end.
You don’t have to be so afraid… … . I came down here on purpose because I wanted to tell you that.
“… … .”
But there was no reaction from inside.
It was my first time entering a room with a girl, so I was cautious. Whatever her status, the small, young female creature was a very unfamiliar type of creature to him.
The duke knocked again. However, Ronnie, who was in a panic, did not hear the knock at all.
He had no choice but to just open the door and go in.
Jump and jump.
Ronnie, who was sitting in the corner, looked up as a shadow fell on the carpet. Even if I couldn’t hear the sound, I couldn’t be unaware of its presence. Surprised, she jumped up.
“Did you say Ronnie?”
“yes yes! Duke!”
It was a voice full of spirit, even though it was shaking. Aside from being scared, I thought I had to look as quick as possible. That way, you won’t go against your will, and even if you get hit, you’ll get hit less.
The nanny said there was no need to be afraid, but it was still natural to be afraid.
Why did you come directly to me? Could it be that he came here to personally whip me? … ? Or are you trying to make me do something?
Ronnie’s eyes trembled uneasily. The nanny simply said that it was the duke’s instructions to ‘eat well and gain weight,’ but anyone could see that it was just a joke. Of course, if you want to stay here, you have to work.
However, contrary to expectations, the duke came up with a strange story.
“I came to give you a new name.”
“… … “What’s your name?”
“okay. Anyone can tell that the name Ronnie belongs to a boy.”
“… … ah.”
That was correct. But the Duke himself came down because of my name? The duke continued speaking, as if not noticing the questioning look in her eyes.
“Because she is not an adoptive daughter, she will not receive the duke’s family name, but she will need a first and last name anyway.”
Not only is the name not enough, but the last name is also given. Ronnie was literally astonished.
“Rozny.”
“… … yes?”
“How do you feel? Do you like it?”
“that is… … “Is that my name?”
“okay. “I created a name for the girl, keeping the original name as close as possible.”
… … Rosny. Rosny.
Ronnie tried the pronunciation in his mouth several times. He stuck to his name as if it had been his name from the beginning. It’s something that catches my ear and feels somehow familiar.
“really… … “Is that my name?”
“okay. “Is it something you don’t like?”
The girl’s eyes were already filled with tears. She eventually burst into tears.
“… … “Because it’s so pretty.”
