A Saint Lives In The Demon Duke’s Mansion - Chapter 26

Perhaps because she’d given up on her first love, it was clear that her fanaticism for Bastion itself had decreased.

 

I waved my hands as if I was in pursuit of a troublesome pigeon.

 

“That’s enough. Just find your own way.”

“What?”

“You know about Sol Academy, right?”

 

Vivi nodded her head as if it was natural to know.

 

Sol Academy in the south.

 

It was an art academy, second only to Rev Academy in the Amanta Empire.

 

In particular, most recognized actors were from Sol Academy.

 

I pushed Vivi’s back because I wanted to skip the detailed explanation because I had a lot of work to do.

 

“I’ve already told Hugo, so let’s get going.”

“What the…”

“Do a good job on taking the entrance examination. Don’t come back if you fail.”

“No, wait…!”

 

A bewildered Vivi, who was being pushed towards the door, turned around and faced me. At the moment, she seemed unconvinced.

 

After sighing, I was forced to bring up my true feelings.

 

“Listen, Vivi. I don’t have much.”
“….”

“Of course, I’m going to be the Duchess of Bastion, I’m pretty, cute, and strong. Oh, and I have a knack for enticing others.”

“Wait a minute, only say the first thing.”

“So, the word is patronage. I believe in you, and I want to invest in you. In your future.”

 

In the original book, Aisha was a crown princess who combined her ability, character, and popularity among the commoners… but that was all.

 

Most nobles ignored her, saying that she was vulgar before and after her death. In the end, she had no power other than her title as a saint.

 

Just vaguely, I thought I didn’t want to live like her.

 

I didn’t have any goals or any desire to do well, but of course I didn’t like being an incompetant and neglectful Duchess.

 

That’s why even though I was tired and whined about wanting to escape with dark bags under my eyes…

 

“People are the best assets. I think Vivi is worth the investment.”

 

If I grew a tree well, the fruit would definitely be sweeter in my mouth.

 

In reality, rather than that, I wanted a talented child like Vivi to do well and do what she wanted.

 

To put it bluntly, I thought of it as a kind of self-comfort stemming from what I lacked.

 

In any event.

 

“When you succeed, pay me back double?”

 

I promised, and I hooked my pinky with Vivi’s.

 

Vivi’s finger, which had been shaken by me while she was in a daze, gained strength little by little.

 

As expected, I didn’t have to worry about her.

 

‘I should worry about my brain.’

 

Were you back? Were you there?

 

I returned to my assigned seat after giving Vivi’s hard head a bitter pat.

 

With these silly books that were supposedly made of simple content, I transcribed and transcribed, but the work in front of me never shrunk.

 

I squirmed like a sad cicada with my pen for a while, then pulled out a clean piece of letterhead from the desk drawer.

 

The pure function of my studying of texts was to let these letters fly.

 

The level of the letters I’d been sending to my little fiancé had gone up by quite a bit.

 

[Save me. Before I die. I’m waiting. Just you.]

 

It was an appeal that would make Hemingway weep.

 

I tried to fold the letter with satisfaction, but added a postscript.

 

[I miss you.]

 

“My heart is pounding.”

 

This was embarrassing.

 

It felt more itchy to send a letter than to face him.

 

Would the recipient feel the same way? I was a little suspicious when I saw the replies.

 

‘I send letters every day. I’ve received almost one reply for every ten.’

 

It was only the word [Yes] to my question bomb, or a [I’m fine] reply when I persistant asked about his well being.

 

I glanced disapprovingly at the few replies I’d received that rested in the drawer, then I put the letter in an envelope with a familiar gesture.

 

“Sigh.”

 

The communication caused me to sigh.

 

How was he doing at school?

 

Maybe he’d gone beyond the level of having no friends, and become a walking plague? Even to the teachers?

 

This plausible forecast was bleak.

 

‘The more I get to know him, the less he was like a psychopath.’

 

I was in a position as someone who’d almost died by his hands, I was able to give the most objective evaluation.

 

There was an innocence in his unfocused brutalness.

 

In a way, that part of him was cute too…

 

“I misjudged him.”

“Yup!”

 

 

I could finally endure the sudden appearance of Shia. Good job, my heart.

 

I patted my chest proudly, and asked back.

 

“Was I wrong about him?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay.”

 

I was rewriting a book, and another word with a line was drawn through it.

 

I heard a voice behind me mumbling about worms, but I ignored it.

 

“Is it time to eat already?”

“Yes.”

 

Recently, Wolfgang and the people of the mansion have taken care of my meals more excessively.

 

He seemed to have been shocked that he had to reduce the clothing size to that of a seven-year-old.

 

The Bastions seemed to be larger than average, so the clothing size was far more comparable.

 

I quickly put down my pen, and took Wolfgang’s hand.

 

A legitimate reason to leave the library was important to me as well.

 

“Come on, Father!”

 

He stared down at my hand, where I clung onto him.

 

“You’re healed.”

“Do you mean the cut?”

 

Now that I thought about it, I was completely healed. Not even a scar was visible.

 

Well, it has been quite a while, and the maids poured a suspicious ointment on it morning and night.

 

I shrugged my shoulders a bit.

 

“I’m young and healthy.”

“It’s not like that at all.”

 

Feeling stung, I wrapped my hand around Wolfgang’s, and chattered about being hungry.

 

The letter on the desk would be mailed by the maid who would come to clean while I was away.

 

All the servants I encountered while walking through the halls with Wolfgang always smiled and bowed their heads. Duke Wolfgang was treated like a folding screen, and they were greeting me instead.

 

The more I thought about it, the more strange the response from the servants was, that wasn’t including Wolfgang’s reaction.

 

‘Why is there no resistance about this?’

 

I knew that loving me, and marrying the young master were two different things.

 

Like the aforementioned ‘Aisha’, there have been occasional scenes in the original story where a lowly heroine was involved with the crown prince’s male protagonist.

 

It was a strange world where there was status and descrimination accordingly. It was something I was thankful for, but…

 

‘Where are we going anyway?’

 

Wolfgang passed the dining room, and went out to the slightly hotter garden.

 

As I followed him while wondering, Benjamin was waiting with a large carriage.

 

Oh, no way.

 

“Are you eating out?”

“I just happened to have something to do.”

 

Benjamin opened the carriage door.

 

I admired the inside of the carriage, which looked like a reception room, and there was something else that was surprising in a different way.

 

“…You’re going too.”

 

I was worried that mushrooms would bloom on my body.

 

As I was giving Wolfgang an incredulous look, Betty, who I had chosen as my personal maid, popped out.

 

“Miss, your hair!”

“Oh.”

 

That’s right. I have to be careful about my appearance now.

 

The hair that the maids had combed in the morning had already regained its former identity.

 

Wolfgang reached out to Betty, who was carrying combs and hair ties in both hands.

 

“Give it to me.”

 

These? You want these?

 

Betty hesitated to hand over what she was holding, as she shook like a scared sloth monkey. She acted like it was going to be snatched from her hands.

 

The instruments to save my scattered hair were thus transferred to Wolfgang’s rough hands.

 

“Get on.”

 

Wolfgang motioned with his chin, so I boarded the carriage along with Benjamin.

 

Then Duke Wolfgang settled in, and the carriage started to move.

 

The carriage successfully escaped from Bastion’s mansion while I waved to Betty outside the window, who was standing stiffly outside.

 

‘Come to think of it, it’s my first time coming out, right?’

 

Aisha’s entire living radius was the temple and the surrounding forest, and the only time I remember leaving it was when I climbed the mountain with the wolves and came to Bastion.

 

I appreciated the scenery as I was glued to the window.

 

I felt like I was watching a classic foreign movie. I was about to open my mouth, but my hair was suddenly pulled.

 

“Ow.”

 

Wolfgang, who was trying to comb my hair carelessly, alternately looked at his empty hand and my head.

 

What’s wrong with this thing? That’s what his eyes seem to be saying.

 

Even Benjamin on the opposite side looked at the comb stuck in my hair in wonder.

 

You inconsiderate straight hairs!

 

I managed to pluck out the comb near the top of my head with a huff.

 

“How can you brush it from the top!”
“Then?”

“You have to loosen it up from the bottom, like this!”

 

Wolfgang stared down quite carefully, as I gripped a handful of my hair briefly and brushed it gently.

 

“It’s closer to combing the hair of a beast than a person.”

 

I didn’t forget to add a few hateful words.

 

No, I wasn’t being sarcastic. It was more annoying because it was the way I really felt, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

 

Wolfgang took the comb from my trembling fist. As I’d demonstrated, he began to brush my hair quite satisfactorily.

 

Hmm. If you thought this would ease my mind, then you were right.

 

‘It feels good when someone else combs my hair.’

 

It was around this time that the sound of soft brushing mingled peacefully with my quiet humming.

 

Once I taught him everything from petting to combing, Wolfgang imitated it well, and created perfect pigtails.

 

“Are you done?”

 

I used the window as a mirror.

 

Oh, it looks like my hair was parted with a knife. He tied the ribbons well too.

 

A happy laugh broke out. My appearance in the yellow dress, with the twin tails added, was cute even for me.

 

“What do you think, Benjamin?”

“Poodle…”

“Did you think before you said that?”

“It’s beautiful.”

 

Just as Benjamin was mechanically clapping, the carriage stopped. It was in front of a crowded and expensive restaurant.

 

As soon as I exited the wagon with Wolfgang expecting to eat, I heard a loud voice.

 

“Daughter!”