Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 3

☆ Episode 3 ☆

A faint, whimpering voice escaped me.

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me.

Sad, heartbroken, and utterly dejected.

It felt as though I were the only person left in the entire world, completely alone.

The Duke’s cold voice cut through my despair, landing like a weight on my shoulders.

“This is preposterous.”

I choked back a sob.

“You’re my dad!”

I blurted out, raising my head to look at him.

Honestly, I couldn’t truly feel that he was my dad simply because the Duke had appeared.

But…

“Sniff…”

Perhaps it was because I was inhabiting this wretched child’s body, but I felt as miserable as if I had been abandoned by my real father.

I didn’t want to cry, but tears welled up in my eyes despite my efforts to stop them.

The Duke’s face appeared blurry through my tears.

But that blurry image gave me courage.

Because I couldn’t clearly see his stiff, cold expression.

“You’re my dad!”

Just like Clottie has the Marquis, I have you.

“I want to go home!”

Large teardrops streamed down my face endlessly. My nose tingled with the effort of holding back more tears.

I clenched my small fists tightly and hugged the Duke’s leg.

Hugging as if I would never let go.

“Dad, take me with you—!”

* * *

“…”

“…”

It was eerily quiet. I could almost feel the people around me holding their breath, suspended in anticipation.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes.

Plop.

At the same moment the tears that had welled up finally spilled over, I saw Duke Paeraton’s face.

It was a terrifying face to behold.

He wasn’t making a fierce expression, nor was he contorting his eyes in anger.

Rather, his face was almost completely expressionless, a blank slate.

But I could still feel the chilling aura emanating from him, a palpable wave of cold.

Hic.

A hiccup escaped me, betraying my fear.

The Duke reached out his hand toward me.

‘No! I won’t let go!’

I desperately clung to his leg, tightening my grip.

I stuck to him with all my might, but Duke Paeraton easily scooped me up with one hand, as if I weighed nothing.

Contrary to my expectations, he didn’t throw me away or shake me off like an unwanted pest.

Instead, he lifted me until we were at eye level and glared at me, his gaze intense.

My eyes met his crimson eyes from a mere hand’s breadth away.

It was a look that clearly conveyed his displeasure, a silent declaration that he didn’t like me.

Hmph, do you think I like you?

I’m only doing this because I’ll surely die if I stay here!

Hic.

Unlike my confident (inner) shout, hiccups continued to leak out, punctuating my defiance.

The Duke raised one eyebrow, a silent question, and then began to walk.

With me still cradled in his arms.

“Your Excellency.”

The aide, who was guarding his back like a loyal shadow, called out to Duke Paeraton as if to dissuade him from his course.

“We’re going back.”

But the Duke only uttered those words and strode away, his purpose unwavering.

Hanging from the Duke’s waist, I dangled precariously with every step he took.

‘If we go back like this… is he really taking me with him?’

My heart pounded with a mixture of hope and disbelief.

Finally, finally, I’m escaping from this terrible place!

I stared intently at the door, which was growing closer with each step, afraid to blink lest it disappear.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, Duke Paeraton stopped abruptly, halting our progress.

‘Why?’

I glanced up at him, searching for an explanation, but I couldn’t decipher anything from his expressionless face.

For some reason, a sense of unease began to creep up my spine, a premonition of something amiss.

With the exit so tantalizingly close, he turned his body, pivoting away from freedom.

Hanging from his waist, I had no choice but to turn my back to the door as well, my hopes dimming.

‘No, don’t tell me…’

My heart plummeted to the floor, fear gripping me.

I grabbed the Duke tightly, clinging to him as if he were my only lifeline.

‘No! Don’t abandon me now!’

It was at that precise moment.

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

A piercing scream echoed through the grand hall, shattering the tense silence.

‘What…?’

Hugging the Duke’s chest, I stared blankly at the source of the sound, trying to understand what was happening.

“Cl, Clottie!”

“Young Lady!”

“Wh, what in the world…”

Through the chaos of the panicked crowd, I spotted Clottie.

Her dress, which had been embroidered with diamonds worth billions [currency not specified, but implying great wealth], was now torn to shreds, a ruin of its former glory.

“My, my dress! My dress…!”

Clottie sat down on the floor, her face contorted in distress, and groped at her tattered dress, as if trying to piece it back together.

“Duke Paeraton!”

The Marquis wrapped his arm protectively around Clottie’s shoulder and called out to the Duke with a pale, accusing face.

‘Could it be that the Duke did that?’

The Duke hadn’t drawn his sword, nor was he physically close to Clottie when it happened.

But judging from the impeccable timing and the Marquis’s accusatory attitude, it seemed highly likely that he was responsible.

“Have you lost your judgment? You should only covet what you can actually obtain.”

The Marquis flinched visibly at Duke Paeraton’s cold, cutting words.

I was surprised that he didn’t immediately retort, didn’t defend himself, and instead turned his head away as if avoiding the Duke’s gaze.

It’s not just that the Marquis, who was so powerful and intimidating to me, lowered himself so easily—.

‘It’s like he has a guilty conscience about something.’

That was the most surprising thing of all.

“D, Dad!”

Clottie called out to the Marquis with a tearful face, seeking comfort and reassurance, but the Marquis only patted her shoulder and didn’t argue with the Duke any further.

As if there was nothing more to see, the Duke turned his body, dismissing the scene.

Hanging on his chest, I let out a silent sigh of relief, the tension draining from my body.

‘Thank goodness. He’s not leaving me behind after all.’

But what could the Marquis possibly be feeling guilty about?

Leaving that intriguing question unresolved, I headed towards Duke Paeraton’s residence, finally escaping the hellish confines of the Marquis’s estate.

* * *

‘Why is the ceiling of this bed so incredibly fancy?’

I’ve been staring at it every day for the past ten days or so since I’ve been living in the Paeraton Duke’s residence, but I still can’t quite get used to it.

I was surprised yet again today by the opulent sight that greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes, and I stretched languidly.

Yaaawn—.

Even though I slept for what felt like an eternity, I still felt a lingering drowsiness clinging to my eyelids.

‘What time is it, anyway?’

The people here never wake me up, no matter how late I sleep, which is a welcome change.

Thanks to that, I’ve been able to sleep as much as my body craves, a luxury I haven’t experienced in a long time.

And whenever I wake up, they seem to sense it like ghosts and silently appear in the room.

“Did you cough, youngest young lady?”

Like this.

“Yes, good morning.”

At my words, the maid bowed slightly, her movements precise and respectful.

I put my hands in the washbasin and glanced at the maids standing silently like pieces of interior decoration, their presence unobtrusive.

‘They still have no expression on their faces today.’

It’s been quite a while since I arrived here, but I’ve never seen them laugh, smile, or even crack the slightest hint of amusement.

And they only speak when necessary, offering only the most essential words and answers.

‘It doesn’t seem like they’re ignoring me or disliking me, though…’

After washing my face, I struggled to climb out of bed, my small limbs working against the height.

The bed here was significantly higher than the beds I was used to seeing in my previous life, making it a bit of a challenge to climb up and down with my diminutive stature.

Well, they always said that expensive beds were higher, even back in my previous life.

I’ve never actually owned a bed myself, though.

I stood on the plush rug with both feet and did a few jumping jacks in place, testing my strength.

‘Good, my legs don’t hurt anymore.’

When I put too much strain on my calf muscles because of the old wound, I used to feel a sharp pain, but now I didn’t feel anything at all.

The lingering cold I had been battling was also completely gone a long time ago.

Since coming to the Paeraton Duke’s residence, my health has been steadily improving at a rapid pace.

After scrubbing off the accumulated dirt and grime and sleeping in a warm, comfortable blanket every night, I was in better condition than I had been even before I got sick.

‘The Duke hasn’t visited even once.’

Even though it’s been over ten days since I was brought here and treated so well.

During that entire time, I haven’t seen a single strand of the Duke’s hair, a complete absence.

‘It’s not like I particularly wanted him to come, though.’

Judging from his cold and distant attitude when we first met, he clearly doesn’t think of me as his daughter.

In contrast, I clung to him, shamelessly calling him Dad, a desperate act.

Thinking about that moment now makes me feel a little embarrassed, a flush creeping up my cheeks.

I, who was an orphan in my previous life, had never acted so stubbornly or desperately.

Ugh, how embarrassing.

‘No, this is also a thought that I can only afford to have because I’m finally full and warm, safe and secure.’

Emotions like embarrassment and shame were luxuries that I couldn’t afford in the face of constant pain, suffering, and starvation.

‘I want to keep living here, in this place.’

That hopeful thought swelled up in my heart like a fragile balloon, threatening to burst with anticipation.

I haven’t heard any confirmation yet that I can continue to stay here, that this is my new home.

‘Hmm, before I get too carried away, I need to figure out what kind of person the Duke truly is.’

At first glance, the Duke seemed far removed from positive qualities like justice, protection, and peace.

‘Rather, he seems more like a villain straight out of a storybook.’

In my extensive experience with reading romance fantasy novels, villains are largely divided into two distinct types.

1. Villains who are irredeemably evil and need to be defeated, like Marquis Tarenka.

2. Villains, tyrants, and masterminds who appear cruel and ruthless, but are actually good people deep down (but only for the female lead, of course).

Type 2 is definitely my favorite character archetype, the kind I always root for.

In terms of the overall narrative flow, the Duke is definitely type 2! I’ve successfully invested in the right stock!

Finally, there will be a day when the sun shines brightly in my dark and dreary rat hole…! [A metaphor for a life of poverty and despair]

—I desperately want to believe that, but after being reincarnated, I’ve been repeatedly backstabbed by that demon bastard, the one who promised me a better life, all my life.

When I made a reincarnation contract last time, naively believing that the day had finally come when the sun would shine in my rat hole, what greeted me instead was a gutter even more terrible and miserable than before.

‘Nothing he said was ever right. I can’t afford to let my guard down, not even for a moment.’

So, in order to truly understand the Duke and his intentions?

‘I need to earn my keep first, prove my worth.’

I clearly told the Duke that I could earn my keep, that I was willing to work hard, so please, take me with him, give me a chance.

Unless he makes me do something completely impossible from the very beginning, like the Marquis would have, I was confident that I could handle most tasks.

Because I’ve been working since I was practically a baby in my previous life, I’m no stranger to hard work.

Let’s work diligently to earn my keep and carefully observe the Duke’s reaction to my efforts.

If the Duke turns out to be type 1, an irredeemable villain, I’ll lie low and quietly prepare to run away as soon as possible, and if he’s type 2, my life is as good as over, I’ll be set for life!

‘Okay, let’s go to work and prove myself!’

I clenched my small fist, determination burning in my eyes.

* * *

“Yo, youngest young lady…”

“We’ll take care of things like this…”

The employees of the Paeraton Duke’s residence were consistently stiff and formal in their demeanor.

Their movements were as precise and calculated as if they were measured with a ruler, and they were so silent and unobtrusive that you wouldn’t even know they were there unless you actively looked for them.

But now, those usually expressionless people were visibly flustered, their composure shaken.

“Please give us what you’re holding in your hand first, let us handle it.”

“I have to do it myself.”

I replied simply and diligently, continuing to wipe the window frame with focused determination.

“But…”

“I came here to work, that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Yes?”

At my words, the maids appeared even more embarrassed and uncomfortable than before, their faces etched with concern.

They exchanged furtive glances with each other for a moment, as if silently communicating, and then one of them opened her mouth as if they had finally made up their minds to speak.

“It seems like there’s been some kind of misunderstanding.”

“You are the youngest daughter of the Paeraton Duke’s family, so how could you possibly be expected to work? It’s simply not done.”

“If I could have lived here just because I’m the youngest young lady of this house, I would have done so a long time ago.”

Instead of enduring the horrors of the Tarenka Marquis’s residence.

“That bastard daughter abandoned by her own father doesn’t know her place!”

The Marquis’s cruel words still echoed in my mind, stinging my heart with their venomous truth.

I denied it several times, vehemently protesting that it wasn’t true, but deep down, I actually knew it to be true.

I was abandoned, left to fend for myself.

I’ll come to pick you up after ten nights, I promise.

—I have never seen the parents who made that promise come again, their words as empty as the air.

Moreover, Duke Paeraton didn’t make any promises to me, offering no guarantee of a future.

‘An abandoned child can never truly be a child again, not in this world.’

The image of the cold, unyielding iron door that had slammed shut in front of my eyes in my previous life was reflected in the pristine glass window, a haunting reminder of my past.

“Youngest young lady, that’s…”

The maid opened her mouth to say something, perhaps to offer comfort or reassurance, but someone else grabbed her arm as if to stop her from speaking, preventing her from interfering.

I continued to wipe the glass with renewed vigor, as if trying to erase the painful illusion reflected in its surface, to banish the ghosts of my past.

* * *

“What are you doing here?”

At the sound of the cold, commanding voice heard from behind, I immediately stopped wiping the window and turned around to face the speaker.

Bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight, a handsome man who looked as though he had stepped out of a painting was visible, his presence striking.

It was Duke Paeraton, my father on paper, the man who held my fate in his hands.

‘He must have returned early today, which is a rare occurrence.’

I had inquired about his whereabouts several times while living here, but each time I only received the same curt answer: that he was absent, away on business.

“I’m good at cleaning, I’m helping out.”

It was already clean to begin with, but now the glass was so transparent and spotless that it was almost as if it didn’t exist, a perfect reflection of the world outside.

I was quite confident in my efforts, proud of the work I had done.

But the Duke’s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening with disapproval.

“Who told you to do such useless things?”

Useless things.

“I said I’d earn my keep— Ack!”

“You’re still nothing but skin and bones, you’re too frail for this.”

Before I could finish speaking, Duke Paeraton suddenly scooped me up into his arms, lifting me effortlessly.

He looked down at me as if he was facing something unpleasant, something distasteful, and strode away in that state, carrying me away from the window.

I immediately became anxious, my heart pounding with apprehension.

Don’t tell me he’s going to throw me away like this, discard me because I’m deemed useless and not worth the effort?!

But the place I arrived at was the grand dining room, the heart of the residence.

“Eat.”

Or I’ll kill you if you don’t eat, waste away before my eyes.

It was an intonation that seemed to convey such a threat, a silent warning lurking beneath the surface of his words.

My liver shrank to the size of a tiny bean, and I hurriedly reached out to the plate, grabbing a piece of food.

The Duke was staring intently at me as I ate—or rather, struggled to survive, his gaze unwavering.

His gaze was so sharp and intense that I couldn’t help but think, ‘If I don’t eat, he might actually kill me instead of simply kicking me out!’

I stuffed the bread into my mouth without even tasting it, not knowing where it was going, driven by a primal fear.

But there was a limit to how much I could consume, my stomach protesting with each bite.

“Is that all you can eat?”

The Duke asked, his voice laced with impatience, as soon as my hand faltered and stopped reaching for more food.

It was a voice so cold and devoid of warmth that my bones were chilled to the core, a winter wind blowing through my soul.

I reached out to the plate once again, forcing myself to take another bite, but I couldn’t bring myself to put the food in my mouth, my stomach rebelling.

I’m not lying, I really felt like my stomach was going to burst if I ate another bite, my body at its limit.

“You can eat more, can’t you?”

Is this a threat? Is he testing me?

Is he planning to kill me by forcing me to burst my stomach with food! A slow, agonizing death!

‘Th, this pervert…!’