TMLO 15

Chapter: 15

Kkamangi continued speaking.

[To Master, all water may look the same—but to me, every kind feels different. Just like the water you drink and the rain that falls from the sky are different. I can tell them all apart.]

“So you’re like… a water connoisseur?”

[You could put it that way. Though I can also turn the water Master drinks into rainwater from the sky.]

“Then can you purify polluted water too?”

[Yes.]

If this had existed in my past life, it would’ve been absolutely groundbreaking.

In that world, water pollution had been a major social issue.

This world’s water was clean enough that people drank rainwater collected outdoors, but still—

It was obvious now that Kkamangi was an incredible divine beast.

[But purification takes a lot of power, so I can’t do it right now.]

Kkamangi drooped sadly.

[I’m originally an amazing divine beast. Really. I can protect Master from any threat, and also—]

“I know. I know you’re amazing. My divine beast is truly incredible.”

When I gently stroked Kkamangi to comfort him, he rubbed his face against my hand.

When he was in human form, he’d had a cold, doll-like impression, but in animal form, he was surprisingly affectionate.

“The seal can’t be helped. I’ll work hard and earn money to raise you properly. Even like this, you’re still the strongest divine beast in the world, right?”

Honestly, this was more than enough.

Even with his abilities sealed, he was already plenty helpful.

Raising Luce, rebuilding the family, raising Kkamangi—

I had a lot to take care of.

We decided to keep Kkamangi’s identity as a divine beast a secret.

A contract with a divine beast alone was enough to shake the entire continent.

Noble houses wouldn’t hesitate to pour vast sums of money into securing a divine beast’s contractor.

But Kkamangi was still weak, and Valfruga wasn’t powerful enough to protect me.

Someone might go mad, kill me to take the divine beast, or crush the family and abduct him.

So Kkamangi officially became a lizard I’d picked up somewhere.

When Bella came to find me in the office, I immediately held Kkamangi up for her to see.

“I want to raise a lizard.”

Kkamangi’s large wings had shrunk into vestigial nubs pressed tightly against his back.

His ice-white body was mysterious, but it was believable enough to pass him off as a well-fed lizard.

“A lizard? Where did you find it?”

“In the castle.”

“In the castle? A lizard in a place this cold? I’ve never seen one before. Are those wings? Lizards have wings?”

Bella pointed at the tiny wings clinging to his back.

“Well… maybe it’s a mutation from the cold? Anyway, I want to keep him. I’ve already named him. Kkamangi.”

Bella looked slightly puzzled at the white body and blue eyes that didn’t match the name, but she soon nodded to herself.

“They say naming things opposite of how they look makes them live longer.”

Even thinking about it again, it was a truly terrible name.

I apologized to Kkamangi again in my heart.

“Then how do you take care of a lizard? Does it eat bugs?”

Kkamangi, sitting in my palm, desperately shook his head.

“I’ll look it up.”

“Yes, but you must take full responsibility for it, milady.”

“Don’t worry.”

“That lizard’s life sure turned around—becoming our lady’s pet.”

Bella laughed at Kkamangi.

“Oh, right! I came to tell you—Milady, Sir Treon has returned.”

“Who’s Treon?”

“Oh, come on! The one who went to the orphanage to bring you here!”

“Ah… that man…!”

Wait.
But… will he even like me?

With news of Treon’s return, Luce and the retainers gathered in the castle’s great hall.

Behind Luce hung the enormous family crest, unchanged—as if my contract with Kkamangi had never happened.

Luce and I sat side by side on the highest dais as we welcomed Treon.

Normally, a single retainer returning wouldn’t warrant this much attention, but this time was different due to the nature of his mission.

“Knight Treon. By my lord’s command, I have received the letter of appointment from His Majesty the Emperor.”

Treon presented the document respectfully to Luce.

It formally recognized Luce as the Duke of Valfruga.

The moment our marriage seal had been stamped, Treon had rushed straight to the capital to secure the Emperor’s confirmation.

Our first meeting hadn’t gone well, but his loyalty to Luce was genuine.

“Good work.”

Luce spoke with deliberate solemnity, then accepted the appointment letter—only to hand it to me.

“Luce, this is yours. You should keep it.”

When I placed it back into his hand, Luce tilted his head.

“But everything that’s mine is yours, Sister.”

I wanted to shower him with praise like always—good boy, cute, adorable—but Treon’s gaze burned into me.

It practically said, How dare a shameless stray cat covet the Duke’s possessions?

It was a short meeting, but I was certain.

That man hates me.

“So Treon was originally the head steward of this castle?”

“Yes, milady.”

Butcher replied as she brushed my hair.

I’d thought her request—asking for a full day of personal attendance as a reward for gathering information—was a joke.

It wasn’t.

“Why is attending me a reward?” I’d asked.

The maids’ reaction had been intense.

“Being by your side is the greatest reward, milady!”

At that point, I had nothing left to say.

After bickering with Bella for days, they’d apparently agreed on today.

Thanks to that, I was receiving the most luxurious service of my life.

Normally only Bella attended me, but today even off-duty maids had gathered—plus Butcher.

Seven people were waiting on me.

When I took a sip of tea, admiration erupted around me.

“How can milady even drink tea so elegantly?”

“She has such grace for her age. Truly the lady of the house.”

“Even duchesses from other families weren’t this refined at her age!”

Their rose-colored glasses were thick.

But despite their chatter, my thoughts were consumed by the man I’d seen today.

Treon Ivarofa.

A refined, handsome man and one of the male lead’s core retainers in the original story.

In the novel, he served as the male lead’s steward and strategist, managing the estate and understanding continental politics inside and out.

If I hadn’t existed, wouldn’t he have been the one to raise and guide the male lead?

He didn’t like me—and I understood why.

He’d brought me here as a disposable stand-in to buy time until the male lead could come of age and seize control of Valfruga.

In the original story, when the male lead fell in love with a noble heroine, Treon had been the one who led the charge to eliminate me.

If Luce and I were to fall in love…

That would probably be his worst nightmare.

The thought passed quickly, but when I imagined Luce’s innocent, lovable face, guilt stabbed at my conscience.

Love with Luce?

Ridiculous.

“Our milady is so kind—she even takes care of a lost lizard.”

“Milady, the lizard isn’t eating anything. Is that okay?”

A maid waved grass in front of Kkamangi.

Kkamangi, wearing a pink ribbon around his neck, looked at me pitifully.

[I hate grass… I can see bug bite marks on it… and I hate this ribbon too…]

I’ll take it off later. Later…

“It’s fine. He only eats what I give him.”

“A lizard that recognizes its owner! How smart!”

“Is this the level of loyalty required to be milady’s pet?”

“As expected of our milady—even her pets aren’t ordinary.”

Amid the chatter, a knock sounded.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Treon entered.

Seeing the crowd, he frowned in displeasure.

“What are you doing with so many maids here? And Butcher—what are you doing?”

Yes… this looked extremely suspicious.

A duchess receiving seven attendants in a financially struggling castle.

“I’m attending milady.”

At Butcher’s calm reply, Treon’s irritation deepened.

“You’ve abandoned your duties—”

“And what do you think you’re doing before milady? Mind your manners. Is this the time to address me?”

Treon shot me a sharp look.

Though he clearly disliked me, he bowed with perfect etiquette.

“My apologies, milady.”

“Mm.”

This was hard.

Honestly, it would be easier if I could just kick Treon out—but I needed him to raise Luce and restore the family.

Treon surveyed the room before speaking.

“Milady, considering the castle’s finances, keeping this many maids—”

“Goodness, Steward! I’m the only one serving milady!”

Bella cut him off.

“That’s right! We just came because we wanted to see her!”

“And it’s our day off anyway! We don’t need to report how we spend our free time!”

The maids spoke all at once, completely shutting him down.

The refined smile Treon had worn upon arrival vanished.

At this rate, he wouldn’t get a word in.

I glanced at him and spoke up.

“But why did you suddenly come to see me?”

“I heard that you discovered Frugg embezzling funds and expelled him. May I ask how you learned of it?”

His words were polite, but his eyes were sharp.

Treon suspected me—of colluding with another house to take over Valfruga.

Feigning ignorance, I replied calmly.

“I just found it while reviewing the ledgers and followed procedure.”

“But, milady, expelling him unilaterally—”

“Luce—no, the Duke—approved it.”

“…Understood.”

Treon nodded, as if having reached some conclusion, then bowed and left.

Ugh…

Having to work alongside someone who hates me—

My head already hurt.

What on earth happened to this castle?

Just one month.

In the short time Treon was away, the place had changed dramatically.

The cold, drafty halls now held warmth, and repairs had been made everywhere.

New servants had appeared, and Frugg—who once managed the castle—had long been expelled.

Thanks to a deal with Marquis Reholas, the family now had money.

The change was most obvious at meals.

Valfruga’s original fare had been thin soup and hard bread.

Now there was hearty soup filled with ingredients and soft bread—enough to eat until full.

But the most shocking change was the orphan girl brought in as a marriage candidate.

Pellia… was it?

Pink hair like blooming flowers and clear, water-blue eyes.

She’d been chosen simply because she was presentable enough not to embarrass the family.

He’d assumed sending her alone to the castle would accomplish nothing.

Yet the entire castle was enchanted by her.

Everyone said the same thing:

“Milady is the best!”

“Our castle improved thanks to her!”

Not a single bad word.

It was impressive—but that only made him more suspicious.

Could a fifteen-year-old orphan really accomplish all this?

The orphans he knew couldn’t even write their own names.

Shattering the servants’ illusions mattered—but first, there was something more important.

The most important thing is restoring the Duke’s heart.

When he saw the Duke casually hand the imperial appointment letter to Pellia and say, It’s all yours, he’d nearly lost his composure.

He’s just young and temporarily confused.

Correcting a lord’s misguided path was a retainer’s duty.

Creak—

The door opened.

Treon rose from his seat and bowed respectfully.

The master of House Valfruga—and Treon’s lord.

“Thank you for granting me the honor of educating you, my Duke.”

Luce’s gaze turned to Treon.