Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 7

My pupils shook violently.

A pink heart, utterly out of place on the Duke’s cold face, nestled there shyly and adorably.

‘No, maybe it *does* suit him…’

Being handsome is truly unfair. He can actually pull that off.

‘This is not the time to be thinking such things!’

Why did a heart pop up on the Duke’s cheek as a hint?

The reason is very clear.

My numerous romance fantasy experiences tell me:

That I should put my lips on that heart.

So, in simple terms—

‘I have to give that cold-hearted Duke a peck on the cheek!’

Is *this* supposed to be a hint? Seriously?

The words of the devil, who told me to be careful at all times because I’m supposedly so innocent and naive, echoed in my head.

‘I shouldn’t have trusted that damn devil!’

I screamed silently.

* * *

“Hmm?”

The Duke looked down at me, who had turned white, with a puzzled expression.

“Your complexion is strange. Like a strangled frog.”

Ha. What frog?

Seriously, would you like to try kissing that strangled frog? Huh?? Then maybe you’ll watch your mouth!

“What’s wrong?”

I couldn’t answer the Duke’s question and sighed, “Ahyoo.”

You see, I just received a very wonderful quest to give you a kiss on the cheek.

But if I fail, I’ll die, hahaha!

Damn it.

This world is worth 0 stars!

‘Let’s calm down first.’

The hint is just a hint; the condition has nothing to do with a kiss.

It means that I can get that book by persuading the Duke somehow.

‘The Duke is also human, so he’ll understand. Let’s ignore this damn hint.’

I tried to pretend I didn’t see the pink heart on the Duke’s cheek.

The die has already been cast.

“Ah, Daddy…”

I’ll do it, me! Persuade, Duke!

I grabbed the Duke’s sleeve tightly.

“I’ll touch it very carefully. Just once, can’t I take it out just once?”

Blinking, blinking.

I looked at him with innocent eyes that had perfectly fooled the maids.

But.

‘Huh?’

For some reason, the Duke’s face, looking down at me, hardened even more.

Even his eyes became sharper.

‘Ugh…’

How dare you object when I said no. I’ll kill you.

It’s not like that, is it? It can’t be. Sniffle.

I moved my trembling lips and said as innocently as possible, pretending not to know anything.

“You know, Daddy, songs are meant to be sung, and books are meant to be read.”

Why.

“If it hasn’t been read by anyone for hundreds of years, that book is so, so pitiful.”

The more I speak.

“I’ll gently pat the book so it doesn’t hurt, okay?”

Does his expression become sharper?

I feel like a knife is stabbing between my eyebrows as I receive that gaze. Ugh, heongheong [onomatopoeia for sobbing].

‘A-and it looks like there’s strength in his hand too…!’

It’s not just my imagination; the Duke’s arm holding me is really getting stronger.

He’s not going to crush me to death like this, is he!

Save me, heuk [onomatopoeia for sobbing]!

The Duke’s eyes only become more intense, as if he’s about to commit murder, and it becomes increasingly difficult for me to smile.

Am I going to end my life at the hands of the Duke, not because of the quest?

And,

‘H-Hearts have increased?!’

Little hearts are popping up because I didn’t kiss him. Not only that, but they’re even sparkling!

Bbyorong bbyorotong [onomatopoeia for sparkling].

Kiss me! Kiss me! Kiss me!

I think I can hear hallucinations from the hearts.

‘Ughhhhh!’

What are you thinking, you damn devil!

It’s so burdensome, like something terrible will happen if I don’t kiss him.

“D, Daddy!”

Persuasion is abandoned.

I bit my lip.

And I raised my face sharply towards the Duke.

On a cliff at the end of the road, you have no choice but to grab even a rotten rope!

Here goes!

I rushed towards the Duke’s face as it was.

Thud!

“Ako [onomatopoeia for a small sound of pain]!”

My nose, which collided with something hard, tingled.

[You have failed to control.]

〈Bad Control〉

Reader, you have bad control?

No, even if you controlled it with your feet, you would do better than that.

How can you not hit even one when the target is marked so kindly?

This is not an action worthy of a contractor of the great 〈Aftanes〉.

I’m really disappointed! I’m ashamed! I’m embarrassed!

‘……?’

Why did this notification come?

Did you come to make fun of me! You’re not helping at all!

It felt like the guy who sent this notification was laughing somewhere right now.

Ah, I’m so embarrassed.

“……What are you doing?”

A low, cool voice landed on my head.

I lifted my face, which had been received by the Duke’s shoulder, and rubbed my nose. It must have turned red without even looking.

Duke, your shoulders are very firm.

The Duke was looking at me with a frown.

He has a very cold face, but he has a lot of bbyorong bbyorong hearts—oh, but he’s still handsome. It works.

“Daddy.”

This is not because I have bad control. It’s because the Duke is too tall.

When I stretched out my arms towards the Duke, he thankfully lowered his face.

‘What is it?’ His face says.

Hehe, look at the face of someone who doesn’t know what’s going to happen to him.

‘No, is it better not to know?’

I was suddenly sad about my situation. Hearts increased even more as if urging me.

Okay, okay!

I closed my eyes tightly.

Ssmack [onomatopoeia for a kiss]!

Unlike before, a cute and lovely sound rang out—

My lip print was stamped on the Duke’s smooth cheek.

Oh, a little.

I felt strange.

I had never kissed anyone like this in my life, neither in my past life nor in this life.

This was the first time.

“……”

I couldn’t look at the Duke straight, so I turned my head as if to hide my flushed cheeks.

Butler, the maids were screaming silently.

Um, Munk [likely referring to Edvard Munch, the artist] painted the work 〈Scream〉 after seeing that expression, I bet. I thought it was artistic exaggeration, what.

Until I finished my hard escape from reality, the Duke, who had been kissed on the cheek by me, had no reaction, as if he had turned to stone.

No, Duke Daddy, how can you be so handsome even when you’re turned to stone like a work of art? Like a statue carved by God himself.

I’m glad the hearts are gone. I almost mistook it for graffiti on a work of art.

It was the moment I tried to escape reality once again.

Crack.

A thin sound echoed in the silent stone chamber.

I tilted my head, wondering if I had misheard.

Creak?!?

This time, a clear and definite sound was heard.

When I turned my gaze, cracks were forming on the glass case covering the book.

“Huh?”

The moment I thought, ‘It’s collapsing?’, glass shards… no, dust scattered everywhere as if swept away by a shock wave.

As I watched the dust, which was once glass, scatter, I opened my mouth wide.

The, the glass case exploded… or rather, crumbled and disappeared without a trace?

What is going on?

At that moment, a book suddenly appeared in front of me.

I blankly looked up at the Duke, who was handing me the book.

“Y, Your Grace!”

The aide’s surprised cry is heard.

I came to my senses and quickly reached out my hand. But.

Swish!

Just before my hand touched it, the Duke pulled the book back.

What, are you making fun of me?

Whether I puffed up my cheeks or not, the Duke leisurely held the book and turned it around.

And lightly throws it up.

I opened my mouth wide.

‘My book…!’

It’s old; isn’t the binding going to fall off?

‘Is it fun to tease a child! You bad guy!’

I glared at the Duke, huffing and puffing, but the book stopped in mid-air.

Around the book that floated up, a black aura swirled slowly.

“There’s nothing wrong.”

As soon as the Duke finished speaking, the black aura scattered like a lie, and the book fell into his hand.

“Even though nothing is trapped inside now, it is a sealed book. There may be some residue left.”

Oh?

I blinked at the unexpected words.

Could it be that the reason he hesitated earlier was not because the book would be damaged—

‘But because I might be in danger?’

Am I interpreting it too positively?

The aide, who has been with the Duke for a long time, would know better than me.

“Your Grace, even so, it is a treasure that has been with the Paeraton family throughout its history and the treasure of the first Duke. What if the youngest lady touches it—”

“Is this yours?”

The aide’s words were blocked by the Duke’s one word.

Well, Duke… no, it’s my daddy’s!

Don’t break the mood when the owner is okay, mister!

“Wow! Daddy is the best!”

I smiled brightly and stretched out my short arms towards the book.

Please give it to me quickly.

“The best?”

The Duke glared at me with a terrifying gaze.

No, isn’t being the best a good thing?

Why are you doing this when things were going well? Scary.

“Y-yes, the best…”

I slipped the book into my hand, but the Duke didn’t let go.

Ah, it’s really hard to get a book in my hand.

‘Should I turn him back into a statue…’

When I saw it earlier, my kiss seemed like Medusa’s kiss or something.

It was a thought I had jokingly, but something popped up on the Duke’s cheek.

No way.

Looking at the newly formed heart on the cheek of the cold beauty that had been clean, I smiled contentedly, hehehe.

‘……If I catch that damn devil, he’s dead in my hands.’

For some reason, I brought my lips to the Duke’s cheek, which seemed to be getting closer.

Ssmack [onomatopoeia for a kiss].

After kissing him once more, the Duke’s hand holding the book slowly lost strength.

I feel like there’s strength in the Duke’s shoulders.

‘Oh?’

I opened my eyes wide.

He is happy with his daughter’s kiss.

Isn’t this a typical symptom of a daughter-fool [someone who dotes excessively on their daughter]?

Looking at it now, his mouth is also a little relaxed… no, it’s getting stiffer instead of relaxing.

You look very upset?

As if a strangled frog had touched my sacred cheek….

Was the strength in his shoulders because he was pissed off!

‘Oh well, that’s right.’

Anyway, I got the book.

I stroked the cover of the old book with a satisfied expression.

It was then.

[You have acquired 〈Summoning Medium〉.]

[Quest 〈Proof of Value〉 has been completed.]

[500 cash will be paid as a reward.]

[You have completed the quest 〈Best Filial Duty (1)〉.]

[A 5000 cash gacha ticket will be paid as a reward.]

A notification popped up.

‘Whew, I’ve escaped the crisis of ending my life. And—’

A 5000 cash gacha ticket.

A smile bloomed on its own. No romance fantasy enthusiast dislikes cash.

The notification didn’t end there.

[The Paeraton Duke’s chief aide, Baron Erkel, admires you.]

[The Paeraton Duke’s chief butler, Heinz, feels respect for you.]

[A group of senior maids from the Paeraton family feel respect for you.]

[Your influence within the Paeraton family increases slightly.]

[500 cash will be paid.]

Oh?

The quest reward was originally one 5000 cash gacha ticket, but I earned 500 cash more.

‘Do I get more cash if I get reactions from people like this?’

I don’t know the principle, but it was a good thing for me.

‘But why do they admire and respect me…?’

I couldn’t understand.

But the most incomprehensible thing was the notification below.

[Additional rewards will be paid because the satisfaction level of the persuasion target, Paeraton Duke, is the highest.]

‘Huh?’

I rubbed my eyes and checked the notification window again.

[Additional rewards will be paid because the satisfaction level of the persuasion target, Paeraton Duke, is the highest.]

The notification content was still the same.

‘The Duke’s satisfaction level is the highest?’

It was unbelievable.

Even now, he seems to be wondering whether to crush this frog to death.

“So, have you finished looking around?”

“Y-yes!”

I answered the Duke’s question quickly.

I saw a new notification coming, but I’ll have to check it later.

As soon as I thought that, the notification window scattered before my eyes.

The Duke went back to his office as it was.

As it was… that is, while holding me in his arms.

Unlike before, vassals [a person or country in a subordinate position to another] were waiting in the open room next to the Duke’s office.

It must be time for the report.

They saw me being held by the Duke and gasped, gasped, had difficulty breathing.

‘Do they all have asthma or something?’

They did that last time too.

They tried to catch their breath as they received the Duke’s gaze and carefully followed him into the office.

In the meantime, someone saw the book I was holding in my arms and was startled.

“Th-that book, could it be…!”

“Book? What book is it that makes you so surprised. Heok [onomatopoeia for a gasp]!”

Even the other vassals are surprised.

‘Oh, was it more precious than I thought?’

Still.

‘It’s my book!’

I hugged the book even tighter, and the vassals laughed at me as if I was cute.

‘Huh?’

I pondered for a while and nodded.

‘That’s right. It’s cute when a baby does that.’

I also thought it was cute to see a baby hiding chocolate behind its back.

But, I never thought I would be the object of that cuteness.

‘I’ve never received that kind of cuteness even when I was a baby.’

In my past life and in this life.

I fidgeted with the hand holding the book.

For some reason, I was embarrassed to face the vassals.

* * *

The Duke listened to the vassals’ reports while sitting me on his lap.

‘Ugh, I want to go back to my room and check the cash gacha ticket and additional rewards. I also want to look at the book and see if the ability is real and use it.’

I was awkwardly rolling my eyes around, but I heard news that perked up my ears.

“Investors are flocking to the mana stone mining project being carried out by Marquis Tarenka. But what’s strange is… there are also rumors that our Paeraton family has invested. Of course, it’s just a story that can’t be called a rumor.”

Marquis Tarenka.

“You useless, bug-like bitch! You won’t come to your senses unless you get hit!”

The face of Marquis Tarenka, who was whipping me, flashed before my eyes.

I raised my head and looked at the vassal who had spoken.

“If Your Grace hadn’t ordered us to keep an eye on the Tarenka family, we would have just passed it by. It was just a word that came out of the mouth of the drunken Marquis Sherodel once. He denied it the next day after he sobered up.”

Did the Duke order to keep an eye on the Tarenka family?

I glanced at the Duke.

“However, the problem is… despite the fact that mana stone mining has many variables, many investors have flocked to it. Excessively. Here is a list of investors.”

Thanks to sitting on the Duke’s lap, I was able to see the list.

Delbatren Duke, Iskamill Duke, Sherodel Marquis….

The list that continued went on even past the page.

Even I, who haven’t learned anything about this world, could tell that there were big shots involved.

“Heavy-assed guys have moved.”

“Isn’t it strange? If the mined mana stones are empty of mana, they’ll just lose money.”

“It’s only possible if there is a certainty that the mana stones are full of mana. And what can give that certainty is—”

“The information that the Paeraton family is investing in the mana stone mining project.”

The Duke’s voice was low.

“It seems that Marquis Sherodel didn’t just make empty words while drunk. Where did he hear such nonsense.”

“Marquis Sherodel says he was drunk and made it up, so the source is unclear. However, when we tracked the movements of Duke Delbatren and Duke Iskamill, we were able to find out that the three invested around the same time.”

“Marquis Sherodel actively went to parties and clubs, but Duke Delbatren and Duke Iskamill were quiet. The three have never contacted each other privately.”

‘Oh? Then it must be one of two things.’

As I was thinking that, the Duke leaned back deeply in his chair and said languidly.

“Then it must be one of two things.”

Oh, did we think the same thing?

“The two just invested regardless of the nonsense that Paeraton invested, or—”

That’s right, or.

“Marquis Tarenka directly leaked the words to those guys.”

Everyone’s eyes were focused on me at my words.

Huk [onomatopoeia for a gasp]!

Did I just say that out loud?