Chapter 2: Leon de Normand (1)

“Let me briefly explain the situation.”

“I will listen carefully, Your Grace.”

It still felt awkward to call him Father, so I addressed him as Your Grace.

“One, in the current Kingdom of Frank, women cannot inherit titles or lands. And currently, I only have two daughters.

Two, my health is not very good right now. Therefore, it’s highly likely I won’t have time to wait until I have a son.

Three, even if I were to have a son right now, if I die before he reaches the age of 15, there will be no one to protect the family and the duchy from the pack of wolves.”

“In short, I am like an insurance policy, is that it?”

The Duke gave a bitter smile at my response and said.

“Correct. Even if I die without having any more sons, you will only be the heir in name. All real power will be given to my eldest daughter.”

In other words, aside from the title of heir, there was nothing I could gain in this duchy.

“How about it? Hearing my story, you see there’s nothing for you to gain. Don’t you regret following me now?”

“…Honestly, I’m not particularly disappointed.”

“You don’t need to offer empty flattery. I’ve told you everything without hiding anything, so I’m curious about your honest thoughts.”

Actually, I truly thought it was a gain, not a loss.

For an orphan with nothing to become involved with a ducal family, shedding commoner status to become a noble, or at the very least be treated as quasi-nobility, was already a huge benefit.

Besides, as someone who was obsessed with games like Crusader Kings 3 in my past life, I found many aspects of the Duke’s thinking relatable.

If I were in the Duke’s position, I probably would have done more, not less, right?

“Even if I, an orphan, have magical talent, without a foundation, it would be nearly impossible to fully develop it. Also, the fact that you’ve told me this much implies you don’t intend to cruelly abandon me later, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s correct. But I wonder if I’m really talking to a 12-year-old child right now. Well, I don’t care what’s inside you.”

It felt as though the Duke, shrugging his shoulders, was implying an unspoken ‘as long as you don’t harbor ulterior motives and become greedy’.

“That’s fortunate then.”

“Of course, the conversation we’re having now is a secret between just you and me. Publicly, I will definitely raise you as my heir.

However, the pressure from those who will check and envy you because of it is something you must bear.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

***

After talking with my newfound father for a while, we finally arrived at the mansion.

“It will soon be lunchtime, and I will introduce you to the family and household then. Follow Alfred and wait for a moment.”

“Yes.”

“Alfred, guide Leon to his room and prepare him before the meal.”

“As you command, Young Master Leon. Please follow me.”

Following Butler Alfred through the mansion, my eyes met someone looking down at me from a second-floor window.

Red hair, expensive-looking clothes, pale skin that seemed to prove her noble status, and a contemptuous gaze and expression, as if looking at something dirty.

I didn’t know who she was, but I could clearly tell she was someone who disliked me.

‘An adult woman, noble, who dislikes me… probably the Duchess.’

I deliberately avoided her gaze and gave her a brief nod.

A short while later, we arrived at a room located in a corner among the many rooms on the mansion’s second floor.

“This will be Young Master Leon’s room from now on. A maid will soon arrive with clothes and necessary items, so please rest.”

The room seemed a bit stark, furnished only with essentials, but it exuded an air of luxury.

Lying down on the plush bed and closing my eyes, I felt a softness and fragrance I had never experienced at the orphanage.

-Knock knock knock…

“Young Master, I’ve brought your clothes. May I come in?”

I heard the maid’s voice from the doorway, but I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should use formal language or speak down to her.

After a brief thought, based on my past life experience, I decided it was better to be respectful even to subordinates.

“Come in.”

“…Excuse me. The Duke sent clothes for the Young Master to wear.”

The maid showed me the clothes, her eyes betraying a slight nervousness.

It was a suit that looked quite luxurious at first glance.

“I will help you change.”

“Yes, well… Please take care of it.”

It felt awkward having someone else dress me, but I wasn’t confident I could put on such unfamiliar, luxurious clothes properly myself, and I figured it might be normal for a maid to do it, so I accepted.

The maid began dressing me with practiced hands, finishing in an instant.

-Tighten…

“Ugh…”

“My apologies. This part needs to be tightened for it to fit properly, so please bear with it for a moment.”

Once I was fully dressed in the uncomfortably tight clothes, another maid came with scissors, trimmed my messy hair, applied perfumed oil, and styled it neatly.

“…It’s done. Please check your appearance in the mirror.”

Looking in the mirror, a rather noble-looking young nobleman stared back at me.

A boy with black hair and dark eyes tinged with a hint of red, looking awkward.

‘My god, it was me reflected in the mirror… Ahem… It’s a bit troublesome when memories from my past life suddenly pop up like this.’

Anyway, I looked quite handsome, better than I expected.

With this appearance, I should be able to make a reasonably good first impression on others.

“Preparations are complete. I will guide you to the dining hall.”

“Yes.”

“Young Master, please speak casually to us. Others might look down on you otherwise.”

“Hmm… It’s still awkward, but I’ll try.”

“That alone is sufficient.”

Following the maid out of the room, I arrived at the dining hall to find everyone else already seated.

The Duke sat at the head of the table, the Duchess sat impassively to his right, and the seat to his left was empty.

It seemed that empty seat to the Duke’s left was mine.

The seating arrangement clearly showed his intention to treat me as the heir.

Finally, next to the Duchess sat two girls with similar red hair, watching me with complex expressions mixing slight curiosity and hostility.

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

Taking the hint, I sat down as the Duke instructed, and only then did the appetizing food come into view.

Faced with dishes I had never even seen during my time at the orphanage, my nostrils flared involuntarily.

Moreover, my growing body reacted intensely to the smell of food, stimulating my salivary glands wildly until my mouth was full of saliva.

“Gulp…”

Eventually, I couldn’t help but swallow loudly.

Everyone seated probably heard it.

“…You probably haven’t had a proper meal until now, so let’s eat first. You’ll learn table manners and other etiquette starting tomorrow. For now, just eat comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

My face flushed with embarrassment, I expressed my gratitude for the Duke’s consideration and began eating after he took the first spoonful of soup.

I didn’t know medieval table manners well, but I discreetly watched how the other family members used their utensils and followed suit.

‘Ah, this is truly delicious.’

Unlike the watery soup and hard bread from the orphanage, the rich soup brimming with the flavor of smooth cream and milk, along with the soft white bread, was so delicious it brought tears to my eyes.

In an instant, I scraped the soup bowl clean until the bottom showed.

Cutting a piece of the luscious-looking steak and putting it in my mouth, the savory taste of the meat, the saltiness, and the slowly rising aroma of spices overwhelmed my senses.

I worried I might be eating too voraciously, but the steak, which I was tasting for the first time, was too delicious to care about such things.

Slightly lifting my head, I glanced around and saw the two girls watching my hurried eating with interest, while next to them, the Duchess observed me with a gaze reserved for something dirty and unpleasant.

‘The Duchess clearly has no intention of accepting me.’

‘Even without her keeping me in check like this, there’s no way I’ll actually become the Duke’s heir…’

Then again, if I didn’t know the circumstances and an adopted son suddenly appeared to become the Duke’s heir instead of her own children, I’d be furious too.

I had expected not to be welcomed, but facing such open hostility made me realize that life ahead wouldn’t be easy.

Getting help with relationships from Duke Normand was practically impossible, so I somehow needed to make at least one or two allies within the ducal household.

First, I should think about how to get closer to those two girls who seemed interested in me.

Once everyone had mostly finished their meal, the Duke captured everyone’s attention and began to speak.

“You all may have heard bits and pieces, but I will state it clearly once more here. I have adopted Leon as my son and will make him my heir.

From this moment on, Leon is granted the surname Normand, becoming Leon de Normand. If I were to die, he, as the heir of the Normand Duchy, will lead the ducal house.”

“…”

After the Duke finished speaking, the Duchess glared at me with even more fury in her eyes before quickly erasing her expression and returning to impassivity.

-Bang!

“Father! This is strange! He’s not part of our family!”

“That’s right! His hair color is different from ours, and he has a different mother!”

“Tania, Serena, be quiet. From now on, Leon is also part of our family, so do not show such an attitude.”

“I refuse!”

The girl who appeared to be the second daughter screamed loudly, pushed back her chair, and stormed out of the dining hall.

“…Tania, go and comfort Serena.”

“…Yes.”

Tania replied reluctantly, her face still full of resentment.

“…My dear, Tania and Serena must both be shocked. I will go with them.”

“Do so. Leon, I will assign Alfred and a maid to you. Come find me in my office later.”

“Yes, understood, Du… Father.”

At my utterance of “Father,” the Duchess’s eyebrow twitched.

‘Hmm… From now on, I shouldn’t use the term ‘Father’ in front of the Duchess.’

‘She looks like she could bury someone.’

Is this how Hong Gildong felt, unable to call his father ‘Father’? (TN: Referencing a famous korean novel called Hong Gildong jeon)