“Madame Elena used to take care of Collen and Marianne frequently when they were young.”
I listened carefully to Zion’s words. Collen looked at me, tilting his head in my direction.
“So, do you like her?”
“…”
“Do you want to be listed in the family register as my daughter?”
I nodded in response to Collen’s words.
“Actually, I would be happy with anything like an inheritance. But…”
It was what I dreamed of every night. It was what I imagined every day. To be born into Collen and Jade’s family.
I couldn’t tell even the beloved family I trust and love about this desire, fearing their ridicule.
“I want to be your daughter, in any way.”
Collen smiled. His crimson eyes curved.
“Alright. I’m glad.”
* * *
“You want to raise an adopted daughter from a commoner as a family member? I have no idea what our tyrant Duke is thinking.”
Elena had a troubled expression. As the aunt of Duke Collen and the one who ruled the South in his absence, she was the head of the Southern Gathering.
Her refined gray hair and short hairstyle gave her a distinct appearance.
“What trouble is it this time…?”
“To think you got rid of the daughters of Count Gallian… How long has it been?”
The faces of other relatives from different families wore similar uncertain expressions.
Count Gallian was a relative from a distant branch of the noble family. Far removed from the direct lineage, their lineage wasn’t impeccable, but they were wealthy from their mines.
Moreover, they had sent their daughters as beauties for generations, marrying them into prestigious families.
The fact that Collen personally executed Rose and Melissa, the daughters of Count Gallian, had caused a stir in high society.
Count Gallian himself was also a noble of the South.
With the Duke’s influence over the Southern nobles being absolute, it was a possible act.
‘I have my reservations about Count Gallian as well.’
Elena didn’t like that family due to their image of a household that trades their daughters.
‘But still, I had hopes that Collen would marry a Southern woman, considering that he once met Count Gallian’s daughter, Rose.’
Why did the adoptive daughter suddenly come up?
“What kind of child is that adopted daughter?”
“Well, rumors have spread even here.”
In response to Elena’s question, the people of the Southern Gathering hesitantly spoke up.
“They say she’s an incredible genius who has solved two bizarre incidents in the capital. There’s a rumor that the Duke dotes on her like his own child.”
“That’s the problem. Collen isn’t the type to do that…”
Another member of the Southern Gathering chuckled and then spoke.
“They say she’s just as… similar to the Duke. In terms of beauty and intelligence.”
“So… is she the female version of Collen?”
In that moment, everyone present and Elena had the same thought.
‘Wow… I really don’t like this.’
Their sour expressions came naturally.
“If she’s a little Duke, isn’t she just like Jade…?”
Ah, even worse.
Elena recalled Jade’s childhood, which was so perfect and subtly terrifying that she couldn’t even approach him.
‘What a despairing child he’ll bring.’
Elena felt her worries increase.
“The Duke has various ways of ruling the South.”
“Will you allow it?”
The vice-chairman of the Southern Gathering asked cautiously.
“The Duke is the owner of the South. How can we express our displeasure? But I will resist as much as I can.”
“That’s our only right.”
Deciding whether to accept or reject a girl as the family.
That was something the branch families had to unanimously agree on.
And the branch families were the backbone of the Southern Gathering. They were determined to put up strong resistance.
“Oppose, let’s oppose.”
“Yes. Do you remember young master Jade?”
“I tried to be cute, but I ended up getting addicted to poison.”
“What about young Collen? He used to hang our kids in the forest in the middle of the night for playing pranks.”
“They’re so good-looking that it’s impossible not to hate them!”
“Let’s not be complacent no matter what child comes.”
“Agreed!”
And so, the day came when Collen would come to the South.
“Madame Elena used to take care of Collen and Marianne frequently when they were young.”
I listened carefully to Zion’s words. Collen looked at me, tilting his head in my direction.
“So, do you like her?”
“…”
“Do you want to be listed in the family register as my daughter?”
I nodded in response to Collen’s words.
“Actually, I would be happy with anything like an inheritance. But…”
It was what I dreamed of every night. It was what I imagined every day. To be born into Collen and Jade’s family.
I couldn’t tell even the beloved family I trust and love about this desire, fearing their ridicule.
“I want to be your daughter, in any way.”
Collen smiled. His crimson eyes curved.
“Alright. I’m glad.”
* * *
“You want to raise an adopted daughter from a commoner as a family member? I have no idea what our tyrant Duke is thinking.”
Elena had a troubled expression. As the aunt of Duke Collen and the one who ruled the South in his absence, she was the head of the Southern Gathering.
Her refined gray hair and short hairstyle gave her a distinct appearance.
“What trouble is it this time…?”
“To think you got rid of the daughters of Count Gallian… How long has it been?”
The faces of other relatives from different families wore similar uncertain expressions.
Count Gallian was a relative from a distant branch of the noble family. Far removed from the direct lineage, their lineage wasn’t impeccable, but they were wealthy from their mines.
Moreover, they had sent their daughters as beauties for generations, marrying them into prestigious families.
The fact that Collen personally executed Rose and Melissa, the daughters of Count Gallian, had caused a stir in high society.
Count Gallian himself was also a noble of the South.
With the Duke’s influence over the Southern nobles being absolute, it was a possible act.
‘I have my reservations about Count Gallian as well.’
Elena didn’t like that family due to their image of a household that trades their daughters.
‘But still, I had hopes that Collen would marry a Southern woman, considering that he once met Count Gallian’s daughter, Rose.’
Why did the adoptive daughter suddenly come up?
“What kind of child is that adopted daughter?”
“Well, rumors have spread even here.”
In response to Elena’s question, the people of the Southern Gathering hesitantly spoke up.
“They say she’s an incredible genius who has solved two bizarre incidents in the capital. There’s a rumor that the Duke dotes on her like his own child.”
“That’s the problem. Collen isn’t the type to do that…”
Another member of the Southern Gathering chuckled and then spoke.
“They say she’s just as… similar to the Duke. In terms of beauty and intelligence.”
“So… is she the female version of Collen?”
In that moment, everyone present and Elena had the same thought.
‘Wow… I really don’t like this.’
Their sour expressions came naturally.
“If she’s a little Duke, isn’t she just like Jade…?”
Ah, even worse.
Elena recalled Jade’s childhood, which was so perfect and subtly terrifying that she couldn’t even approach him.
‘What a despairing child he’ll bring.’
Elena felt her worries increase.
“The Duke has various ways of ruling the South.”
“Will you allow it?”
The vice-chairman of the Southern Gathering asked cautiously.
“The Duke is the owner of the South. How can we express our displeasure? But I will resist as much as I can.”
“That’s our only right.”
Deciding whether to accept or reject a girl as the family.
That was something the branch families had to unanimously agree on.
And the branch families were the backbone of the Southern Gathering. They were determined to put up strong resistance.
“Oppose, let’s oppose.”
“Yes. Do you remember young master Jade?”
“I tried to be cute, but I ended up getting addicted to poison.”
“What about young Collen? He used to hang our kids in the forest in the middle of the night for playing pranks.”
“They’re so good-looking that it’s impossible not to hate them!”
“Let’s not be complacent no matter what child comes.”
“Agreed!”
And so, the day came when Collen would come to the South.
