Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 84

☆ Chapter 85 ☆

* * *

The gates of Paeraton Estate opened.

The estate gates, which had been firmly closed since the Duchess’s death and the Duke’s departure for war, finally opened after a long four years.

It was for the youngest daughter, Ruatisha Paeraton’s, birthday party.

“Wow, Paeraton sent out invitations! It’s been so long, hasn’t it?”

“And the star of the party is ‘that Paeraton daughter’!”

“Isn’t she the one who created the Black Death cure? I’m so curious!”

“Rumor has it she wasn’t born with magical powers, though?”

“Oh my, isn’t that unusual for a Paeraton?”

“Still, making the cure proves she’s a Paeraton through and through, I suppose.”

“Well, you never know. Who’s to say the real daughter made it, or if they just put her name on it.”

“Goodness! How can you say that after the help we received from Paeraton during the Black Death!”

“We’re truly grateful for that help. But that’s one thing, and this is another, isn’t it?”

In an instant, all eyes in society were focused.

When two or more people met, they talked about the Paeraton daughter’s birthday, and when three or more gathered, they discussed how to get an invitation.

Naturally, all the invited nobles sent replies saying they would attend.

Even nobles who weren’t invited were scheming, wondering if they could attend as someone’s plus-one.

And so today, the Paeraton daughter’s birthday party, about which there had been so many rumors, was held.

* * *

The Integritas Hall of Paeraton Estate.

The hall, which hadn’t even been opened for the Duke’s birthday celebration earlier this year, was welcoming guests.

Of course, the number of attendees was vastly different from the Duke’s birthday, but this hall was reserved for only the most special occasions.

The invited guests entered the hall in awe.

“Goodness, this is a five-year-old child’s birthday party.”

“Even the Princess’s birthday wouldn’t be like this.”

“Truly Paeraton. They really do have a never-ending spring of gold.”

Diamond curtains sparkled like a dream, and Artesan carpets [finely woven, luxurious carpets] spread out like clouds.

Add to that the sweet music, fragrant wine, and finger foods that looked like works of art.

“Oh my? The wine is from five years ago. Isn’t that the year the Paeraton daughter was born?”

“Goodness, didn’t Chaffner Conti only produce 200 bottles that year? A wine that could be auctioned off is just… like this!”

Although many prominent nobles attended, frankly, none of them had ever seen a child’s birthday party held on such a grand scale.

“But whose work is that portrait in the center? It looks like hyperrealism, but it’s a style I’ve never seen before.”

“An artist who can paint such a large portrait must be very famous.”

“They really captured the child’s cuteness and loveliness. I’d love to commission a portrait of my son.”

“My, she looks like such a soft and innocent little girl; it’s hard to believe she came from Paeraton.”

“But, that doesn’t seem like a good idea. If such a large portrait is hung, wouldn’t it inevitably be compared to the real thing…? Ahem.”

“Count Viaso! What are you saying about a child!”

“Ahem, I was just thinking about how many young ladies have been deceiving people with their portraits lately. It was a slip of the tongue.”

“That’s a rude thing to say to any woman, not just a child! And Count Viaso, aren’t you the one whose portrait differs the most from reality?”

“Wh, what are you talking about! I look exactly like my portrait!”

People responded with snorts and stifled laughter.

Count Viaso’s face turned bright red.

At that moment, the orchestra’s music stopped.

People naturally stopped chatting and looked towards the door.

“The Duke of Paeraton, along with Prince Ares, Prince Ixion, and Lady Ruatisha, are entering!”

The massive door swung open, and the Duke of Paeraton appeared.

People were mesmerized by his majestic appearance.

The word ‘perfect’ was an understatement in his presence.

Broad shoulders and long, well-proportioned limbs.

Tightly defined pectoral muscles.

A face that was the epitome of perfection.

And a baby in his arms.

Huh?

A baby?

People’s eyes widened.

They rubbed their eyes and looked again, but it was still the same.

The Duke of Paeraton, exuding an oppressively intense aura, was holding a baby with fluffy, cotton-candy-like hair.

‘Is there any combination more mismatched than this?!’

‘But it also looks kind of nice… There’s an unexpected charm to it.’

The ladies exchanged glances and nodded.

And two Paeraton princes walked out on either side of the Duke of Paeraton.

“Wow… Ares’s beauty is just getting better and better.”

“He’s still a boy; why are you calling him ‘Prince’ already…? Oh my, Prince Ares.”

“Goodness, Prince Ixion is still young, but how can his proportions be so perfect?”

“That subtly playful, dangerous smile is driving this auntie crazy.”

It was a feast for the eyes.

All three were people rarely seen in social circles.

“It’s almost the first time I’ve seen the three of them together like this.”

“Right. Especially since Prince Ixion never shows up.”

“No, that’s not the point. It’s a miracle that Prince Ares and Prince Ixion are walking side by side like that.”

“Anyway, it’s even more of a feast for the eyes when they’re together.”

“The youngest daughter isn’t very visible yet, though.”

She was wearing a large bonnet, and her face was obscured by the Duke of Paeraton’s arm.

Still, everyone smiled like a mother looking at her chubby limbs.

“Still cute—oh my.”

At that moment, as the Duke of Paeraton entered the party hall, the child’s face, which had been hidden, was revealed.

People who had been chattering stopped talking.

“…The portrait doesn’t even capture her real beauty.”

Everyone was nodding in agreement.

Suddenly, the lights of the magic chandelier went out all at once.

“Kyaa!”

“What’s going on?”

While everyone was panicking, the portrait was glowing strangely.

“Uh, uh? The, the portrait is moving? Th, the eyes just looked this way.”

“E, hey, there’s no way there’s a ghost in a place like this! Don’t scare us so much…”

People forced a smile and joked.

Holding hands tightly in anxiety, they looked at the portrait—.

The portrait was really moving.

* * *

“Lulu loves Daddy the most!”

“Ixion, give me a piggyback ride!”

“Ares, does Ares like Lulu, or pudding?”

“Anna, are we bathing with the otter friend today too?”

Ruatisha was moving inside the giant video panel.

The Duke of Paeraton proudly puffed out his chest.

Behold, the cuteness of my daughter!

Ares and Ixion wore arrogant smiles.

Worship, the loveliness of my sister!

The Paeraton retainers, officials, and employees cleared their throats.

Adore, the adorableness of our young lady!

“Lulu flower has bloomed!”

The video ended with the image of a child smiling brightly with her hands cupped around her face like petals.

Soon after, the lights returned to the magic chandelier.

‘What on earth did I just see?’

While people were still dazed.

The Paeraton household members were strutting around.

My daughter/my sister/my young lady is this perfect!

Except for one person.

‘Wh, what is that!’

* * *

Ruatisha wanted to disappear.

“Ruatisha, happy birthday! I don’t know how much I’ve wanted to meet you all this time.”

“Thank you for developing the cure. Thanks to you, our territory avoided a great disaster. Everyone here considers Ruatisha a benefactor.”

“What a wonderful birthday party. Congratulations! I hope you have the happiest day in the world today.”

People congratulated me one after another, giving me birthday presents.

My cheeks felt hot for some reason.

I’ve never received so many congratulations in my life…

It felt like I was receiving all the congratulations for the past four years at my first birthday party.

I was happy to be congratulated by the familiar and friendly people of the estate, but it wasn’t bad to be greeted by so many new people either.

A bustling birthday party.

It was a first even counting my past life.

‘Past life…’

Naturally, my last birthday in my past life came to mind.

I don’t usually celebrate my birthday, but for some reason, I did that day.

I bought a buy-one-get-one-free piece of cake from the convenience store and returned to my basement room.

I peeled off the plastic packaging and took a bite, and it was surprisingly delicious.

‘Oh, convenience store cakes are amazing! Are all cakes delicious?’

I thought, taking bite after bite.

And then, in the next moment, I became terribly lonely.

There was another cake, still unopened, on the table.

And I had no one to share it with.

Why did my cramped basement room feel so big?

I picked up my phone for no reason, then put it down again.

I still occasionally contacted friends from middle and high school.

But I felt too embarrassed to contact them just because it was my birthday.

I realized as I became an adult.

Maintaining friendships also costs something.

I’m not just talking about money.

If your lives diverge, you can’t help but grow apart.

While I was working three or four part-time jobs to earn money, my friends were attending university.

I was busy, and they were busy too.

We couldn’t see each other at school every day like we did in high school.

When we met occasionally, they would tell stories I couldn’t understand.

My friends probably thought the same thing.

And so, contact gradually decreased.

For some reason, the cake I had been eating with admiration just a moment ago didn’t taste good anymore.

A quiet room.

Only my breathing could be heard.

I turned on my work laptop and played a random video.

Finally, there was noise in the room where there had been no human voices.

People laughed on the broadcast.

I laughed along.

I took another bite of the cake.

I wish it tasted a little worse.

So I wouldn’t want to share it with anyone.

“Lulu, it’s time to cut the birthday cake.”

At my father’s words, I woke up from my reverie.

I was led by my father’s hand to the platform.

There, there was a birthday cake much larger than my height.

“Wow…”

It was such a beautiful cake that I didn’t know if it was a cake or an installation art piece.

‘Is it okay to cut this?’

It’s such a waste.

As I hesitated, Ixion smiled and asked.

“Shall I help you? I’m good at cutting things. Whatever it is.”

…What on earth has he been cutting.

“Shall I hold you? It’ll be easier to cut then.”

Ares smiled like the spring sunshine and opened his arms.

I raised the cake knife above my head.

“I’ll cut it because it’s my cake!”

Ares and Ixion chuckled and stepped back.

People watched me from below the platform with smiles on their faces.

‘Good.’

I stood on tiptoes and carefully cut the cake.

So it wouldn’t fall over, so it wouldn’t collapse.

As I cut to the end of the first tier,

People smiled and applauded.

I looked at the many people from the platform and then turned to my father.

“What if there isn’t enough cake? I want to share it.”

The cake is bigger than my height.

But there are too many people.

“It’s okay. There’s more.”

My father gestured to one side of the party hall.

There, mini cakes the size of a palm were prepared like finger foods.

Huh, then.

“Th, this isn’t for cutting and eating?”

It was just for the cake cutting ceremony.

Well, how could I cut and distribute all of this cake.

I was a little embarrassed.

As I lowered my head, my father opened his mouth with a firm tone.

“No.”

Hedwig, who had already come up to the platform, politely presented a white plate to my father.

“Hurry up and cut it. You have to share the cake with your father.”

He even brought a plate and urged me.

I fidgeted with my hands and started cutting the cake.

I have to cut it nicely because it’s for my father… Huh! It’s completely crooked?

“Y, you should eat the mini cakes over there—.”

“It’s delicious.”

My father took a bite of the cake and smiled at me.

Ah.

“I want to eat the cake my sister cut for me too.”

“You’re not thinking of not cutting a piece for me, are you, fluffball.”

“I, I’ll cut it for you!”

I diligently cut the cakes for my brothers.

“Ruatisha, won’t you cut one for me too?”

“Young lady! Please bestow a piece upon Dier, your first servant!”

No, Uncle Dier isn’t a servant; he’s an aide.

There were so many people asking for cake that I cut it with a happy heart.

And the last piece.

The original beautiful appearance was nowhere to be found, and it was a sight that was embarrassing to even call a cake.

The strawberries inside the sheet had all been given to people, leaving only bread and cream.

But it looked delicious to me.

“Here, Lulu’s plate.”

My father handed me a plate, so I hurriedly moved the cake onto it.

And one bite.

It’s delicious.

Looking around, everyone was eating cake and smiling.

My father put a strawberry on my plate.

Ares and Ixion also gave me the strawberries from their plates.

I ate the cake with the strawberries I received.

It’s really delicious.

I think it’s even more delicious than chicken.

I’m happy that I can share something so delicious.

“…I’m happy.”

It was the moment I muttered that.

Far away below the platform.

The entrance to Integritas Hall.

A boy was standing there.

The moment I noticed, our eyes met.

Jet-black hair that seemed to have absorbed all the light.

Eyes redder than flowing blood.

The boy approached me very slowly.

Even though he was still far away, I felt a sense of pressure with each step he took.

An oppressively intense aura.

People turned their bodies sensitively, like herbivores who instinctively felt a threat.

“Prince Paeraton?!”

“D, did he come back because it’s his sister’s birthday?”

The atmosphere, which had been warm, suddenly froze at his appearance.

People made way as if they had received an order.

No, it would be more accurate to say that they retreated to avoid the boy.

Thanks to that, the boy walked straight towards me without any obstruction.

A button fastened all the way to the neck.

A neatness that didn’t allow even a single gap.

It was clearly different from my father, who always unbuttoned his shirt down to his chest because he hated feeling constricted.

He stopped at a distance close enough to reach out and touch him.

The boy I saw up close was like a delicate flower made of glass.

Beautiful, but inorganic.

He looked down at me.

Chilling eyes that seemed to freeze me to the bone just by looking at them.

It was the first time I knew that the color red could be so cold.

“There’s a puppy I haven’t seen before.”

The moment he reached out his hand to me,

Clack.

Ares blocked his touch with sharp, blue eyes.

Only then did I realize.

That the black glove covering the boy’s hand was wet.

It was blood.