Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 25

☆ Chapter 25 ☆

“Miss, the young masters might be very… um, distant towards the youngest miss.”

Anna’s eyes were very serious.

“But it’s definitely not because they dislike you.”

A tone of earnest pleading.

“It’s just that they don’t need anyone else, that’s all. It’s not just you; the other siblings don’t rely on each other either. It’s definitely not because they hate you.”

Kind eyes that hoped I wouldn’t get hurt.

“I don’t get hurt just because someone is mean to me!”

I shouted, raising my fist valiantly.

But the reaction was strange.

“Miss…”

“It’s because you’ve been through too much in that damn Marquis’s residence.”

“If anyone is mean to you, make sure to get angry.”

“Don’t just hold it in and pretend you’re okay.”

Huh?

That’s not what I meant?

The maids were looking at me with eyes full of worry.

In the end, I smiled brightly and nodded my head emphatically.

“No. Just tell us!”

“Yeah! I’ll tell you everything! I’m a tattletale!”

“Good! You’re a good child.”

I was praised!

Hehe.

I basked in the maids’ doting before opening my mouth.

“But I really don’t get hurt.”

The maids were about to say something but closed their mouths at my serious gaze.

“No, I might get hurt. But I’ll recover quickly!”

If I have solid ground to stand on, even if I waver for a moment, even if I fall, I can regain my balance.

I didn’t have solid ground before.

But now I have Dad and my sisters!

“And!”

I raised my index finger resolutely!

“That’s not perfect.”

The maids’ eyes widened.

“Not needing anyone, not even knowing why you need someone else. That’s not perfect.”

I thought about this when I talked about Dad like this before.

The maids looked at me without a word. Their expressions were somewhat blank.

Then they nodded and smiled.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Seeing how much His Excellency has changed, it really seems that way.”

“That’s right. Before, I couldn’t even dare to think of His Excellency that way.”

“It would be nice if the young masters got to know you, Miss.”

Calm hands stroked my hair.

“And it would be nice if you had more precious family members.”

“Yeah!”

I nodded.

Since I’m getting along well with Dad, I hope I can get along well with my brothers too.

I know that family isn’t always that good.

But I, who am experiencing family for the first time, can dream of an ideal harmonious family, right?

‘But you never give me an easy path.’

This is the world of K-Romance fantasy, after all!

Wouldn’t it be nice if my brothers had the younger sibling-obsessed attribute from the start?

‘I beg the real god, not that con artist demon.’

I prayed with my hands together.

‘Please make my cold, northern duke seedling brothers awaken as younger sibling fools as soon as they see me…!’

Let’s walk an easy path now!

My head is already hurting from the business homework the quest threw at me!

‘If possible, not just younger sibling fools, but younger sibling idiots…! Please, teacher! I’m a four-year-old baby!’

I want to walk a flowery path too!

* * *

A wild bear cub has appeared!

Ah, it wasn’t a bear cub, it was me?

I looked at myself in the mirror.

With only my eyes, nose, and mouth barely sticking out, I looked more like a bear cub than a human.

Still feeling sorry, the maids hesitated while holding a fur blanket.

“Our young miss mustn’t catch a cold.”

They looked back and forth between me and the blanket with eyes as serious and sharp as a knight choosing a weapon before going into battle.

“This is… um, it’s a shame, but if we put anything else on you, you won’t be able to move.”

“L, let’s go… Dad is waiting.”

I urged Anna, afraid that they would decide to put it on anyway.

Holding hands with the maids, I waddled down to the lobby.

Dad, who was waiting in the entrance hall, narrowed his eyes when he saw me.

“What is this cotton ball?”

“It’s Ruatisha!”

Dad swept me up into his arms.

“Why are you in this state?”

“The maids said I have to dress warmly because it’s cold.”

“Is it cold?”

At those words, I rolled my eyes.

And whispered softly in Dad’s ear.

“No… It’s hot, actually…”

We haven’t arrived in the North yet, and aren’t we in the capital right now?

Of course, it’s hot if you turn someone into a bear cub!

“Then why are you wearing it?”

“Because the maids are worried I’ll catch a cold, so they did it for me.”

I said, wiggling my fingers inside the thick gloves.

To be honest, I’m happy, so I want to keep wearing it even if it’s hot.

I was always envious of the kids who complained that their moms forced them to wear too many layers.

“…I can’t understand—”

Dad stared at me and tilted his head.

“—I understand.”

“Yes?”

“It’s a strange feeling.”

Dad frowned slightly.

As if his emotions were not rationally understood.

“You understand?”

“Yeah. It’s the same as when you put ointment on my scars.”

“Huh?”

“It’s annoying and useless, but I just want to leave it alone.”

No, that’s useful enough!

You said it was scar treatment!

O, of course, it’s not like the scar will disappear just by applying some ointment…

“I couldn’t put medicine on you when you were hurt, so I’m doing it now.”

But he says it’s annoying.

Dad pinched my pouting lips.

“Thank you.”

My eyes widened on their own.

Dad was smiling.

The way he looked at me softened, and a gentle smile hung on his lips.

A gust of cold wind swept through Dad’s hair.

The winter wind smelled slightly bitter, and the pale sky shone white behind Dad.

The warm temperature of the hand that pinched my lips.

The winter air that turned my cheeks red.

All the senses were vivid.

I smiled brightly.

“Yeah!”

* * *

Everyone in the Paeraton ducal estate was tense.

It was the day the master was returning after three years. How could they not be nervous?

The estate, which was already perfectly managed, was inspected several times on this day alone, and the employees also straightened their posture.

“His Excellency has passed through the main gate!”

And finally, the master’s arrival was imminent.

“He has passed through the middle gate!”

Soon, the Duke’s carriage appeared.

Even though quite a bit of time had passed, the people waiting did not move a finger.

The carriage door opened, and the Duke of Paeraton got out.

Everyone tensed, ready to bow their heads in unison the moment he entered the castle.

But the Duke of Paeraton turned and reached out to the inside of the carriage.

Then a cotton ball rolled out from inside.

‘Huh? A cotton ball?’

Looking closely, it was not a cotton ball but a child.

They were wearing so many clothes that they looked like a ball.

Although they realized the identity of the cotton ball, their questions were not resolved.

Of course, they, who were excellent employees, immediately noticed the child’s identity.

‘It seems to be the youngest princess, but why…?’

‘Why did she ride in the carriage with His Excellency?’

And why is the Duke of Paeraton escorting her?

Even with numerous questions, they did not change their expressions.

These were all the elite employees who could directly welcome the Duke of Paeraton’s return, so it was only natural.

The child held the Duke’s hand tightly and took a step.

And—.

Boop.

‘Boop?’

Boop boop boop, boop boop.

The sound of boop boop echoed in the silence as the youngest princess waddled out of the carriage.

“….”

No one could understand the current situation.

They were maintaining their composure with a professional attitude, but their minds were confused.

Even after the child got off, the Duke did not let go of her hand.

The child, holding the Duke’s hand, walked a few steps boop boop and then shivered.

“Achoo!”

The Duke of Paeraton’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you cold?”

A low, cool voice.

Even though it was heard after three years, it was still a voice that seemed to freeze people’s bones.

The head butler of the ducal estate, Chadwick, hardened his face.

That wasn’t just a simple question.

‘He’s saying he’ll make you cold forever!’

Because people get cold when they die.

It seems the sneezing sound was very annoying.

The youngest princess doesn’t have any magical power, so she must be an ordinary child. How scared must she be right now?

But that worry didn’t last long.

“Ah, Miss…!”

“Oh my, what should we do? She must be cold!”

“We should have put more clothes on her…!”

“But if we had, she would have fallen!”

Hedwick’s eyes widened as he saw the four maids running towards them.

The others were the same.

‘Are they crazy?’

‘Are they determined to die?!’

But.

“Bring the tangpa [a type of Korean winter hat]! Bring the tangpa!”

“It’s an emergency! The young miss sneezed!”

“Quickly, get our cute miss inside…!”

Even the vassals who were following behind rushed over, shouting like crazy.

The employees who were lined up stared at the scene in amazement.

‘…What is this? A group suicide?’

Please leave us out of it.

It was then.

Finally, the Duke of Paeraton reached out to the child.

The small child was about to be lifted up by the ruthless Duke’s hand—.

‘Huh? Lifted up?’

The Duke of Paeraton lifted the child up and put her in his arms.

“….”

His Excellency? Held? In his arms? A child?

The brain was not properly processing the given information.

“Welcome back, Your Excellency.”

A beautiful voice that had not yet shed its boyishness echoed through the quiet lobby.

At that sound, the employees barely regained their senses.

Indeed, the young master of Paeraton.

To be so calm even in the face of a reality that is more absurd than the sun rising in the west.

The employees admired and hurriedly bowed their heads.

The Duke of Paeraton entered the lobby with his youngest daughter tucked in his arms like a mother bird protecting her eggs.

He nodded to his sons who were greeting him and looked down at his daughter.

“Lulu.”

Lulu?

Did that cute word come out of the Duke of Paeraton’s mouth?

They were too tired to be surprised one by one.

“These are your brothers.”

At those words, the child peeked her face out from inside the Duke’s coat.

“Hello! I’m Ruatisha!”

The images of the two older brothers were fully reflected in the child’s eyes.

The paraiba-colored [a vivid, neon blue] eyes widened and then wavered for a moment.

‘Wow, this is really amazing!’

The beauty was so great that the reason that had left returned.

‘Demon, thank you this time, I really won’t forget it! I won’t forget it!’

According to Nancy, there were three young masters of Paeraton.

‘The first older brother didn’t return from the front lines, so…’

The two young masters in front of me now must be the second, Ares, and the third, Ixion.

Both of them had unbelievably perfect beauty.

‘I’m sorry for cursing that it was a 0-point world.’

To the point where I apologized without realizing it.

‘A world with such good welfare is definitely a 10!’

The Duke of Paeraton shook the hem of his coat and put her down on the floor.

Ruatisha stood up straight and looked up at her brothers.

‘I wish I had been in my right mind from the moment I got out of the carriage.’

Her cheeks flushed as she remembered calling him a kidnapper.

‘I need to make a good impression now…!’

It was when Ruatisha clenched her fist.

“Ah, so you’re the weakling?”

Ixion stared at Ruatisha and twisted his lips.

Smirk.

It was a clear sneer.

Ruatisha opened her mouth.

‘I’m canceling that it’s definitely a 10.’

To have such a bad personality that he sneers from the start without even introducing himself.

‘People! Being handsome isn’t everything!’

Looks aren’t everything! The heart is much more important!

‘I had a bad feeling about this from the start.’

Ruatisha thought without even wetting her tongue.

At the Duke of Paeraton’s call, Ixion turned around and waved his hand.

“I’ve finished greeting her, so I’ll be on my way.”

He stopped as he left the lobby.

“Ah, you should be careful.”

He only tilted his head and looked at his youngest sister with a languid smile.

“The weak die easily.”

The bright red eyes, which looked just like the Duke of Paeraton’s, flickered strangely.

“….”

Ruatisha shrank her neck.

‘W, what…’

I wanted to laugh and say that the young one was trying to act cool, but I couldn’t.

Even though I was bundled up like this, goosebumps rose on my arms.

“Ruatisha.”

At the voice calling her, Ruatisha flinched and turned her head.

The second young master, Ares, was smiling at her.

It was a rather kind smile, but Ruatisha looked at Ares with wary eyes.

“You must be tired from the long journey. Are you very tired?”

“Yes? Ah, no.”

Ruatisha, flustered by the kind attitude, shook her head.

Ares narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ruatisha. His cheeks became plump, making him look quite boyish.

“I’m Ares. Your second older brother.”

“Yes…”

Ruatisha cautiously relaxed her guard, glancing sideways.

“It must be cold. The capital is much warmer than the duchy.”

“It’s okay. I’m wearing warm clothes.”

Ares asked, “Really?” and took off Ruatisha’s gloves.

“Your hands are like ice.”

He wrapped Ruatisha’s hands tightly in his own.

They were very warm hands.

As Ruatisha wiggled her fingers awkwardly, he raised his eyes.

The red eyes in the slightly drooping eyes sparkled like rubies.

As if possessed, Ruatisha couldn’t take her eyes off those eyes.

Slowly, Ares brought Ruatisha’s hand to his lips.

Hooh.

Warm and gentle breath touched her frozen hands.

“My sister, you mustn’t freeze.”

Paah!

Light radiated from Ares’s face.

Ruatisha was speechless at the sacred sight.

Light.

It’s just light.