SBFCV 06

Chapter 6

Even with his hood up, Aria could tell exactly who he was.

The Grand Duke’s overwhelming power and threatening aura were exactly the same as his son’s.

‘The way they kill people… it’s the same.’

She stared intently at the Grand Duke, searching for traces of Lloyd.

‘They even look the same.’

Their hair color, eye color, facial features—everything looked as if they had been stamped from the same mold.

The only noticeable difference was the hair length.

Lloyd had short hair that exposed his nape, but the Grand Duke had hair as black as the night sky, long enough to reach his chest.

“Hm.”

The Grand Duke did not avoid Aria’s gaze and stared straight back.

The vivid crimson eyes meeting hers were so intense that her face tingled.

For the Grand Duke, it was a gaze he had never once received from a child—other than his own sons.

“You’re a strange brat. Did you not hear me say I’d feed you to the dogs?”

“And you know I was going to kill you?”

Aria, who had come fully prepared to die, nodded and tightly grabbed the Grand Duke’s sleeve.

He flinched.

‘Huh? What was that?’

Aria was more surprised by his reaction.

He stared down at his sleeve, held in her tiny hand.

“…The contract fee will be paid immediately. Handle the rest of the procedure right here.”

After a moment, the Grand Duke spoke again.

He issued orders as naturally as breathing, gesturing to William.

“You’re impulsive as always, Your Grace.”

The head butler looked utterly fed up, as if this wasn’t the first time something like this happened.

“Is that dissatisfaction I hear?”

“Of course not. I like the little lady as well. Anyone whom animals follow can’t be a bad person.”

By that logic, the Grand Duke wasn’t a bad person either.

Aria thought that didn’t make any sense.

Regardless, William ordered the servants to stack boxes of gold coins neatly.

“I trust that you will never seek out the Count again. Since the child supposedly ‘doesn’t exist,’ erase today from your memory completely.”

The Grand Duke added lazily,

“If you break that promise, I’ll carve Cortez cleanly out of the Empire’s history.”

Even such an outrageous declaration—erasing Cortez, masters of music, from the Empire’s history—was not doubted by anyone.

Because he was a Valentine.

“Wait, I have one condition.”

The Count, clutching his twisted arm, croaked out a plea.

“You still have something to say?”

His voice implied How dare you?

Even so, the Count trembled and continued stubbornly,

“If she bears a daughter… give the child to me. A daughter can’t inherit the title anyway.”

“That is all I want.”

If a Siren’s daughter had a child, that child might also be a Siren—that was why he made such a demand.

‘Even while brainwashed… he still thinks of that at the very end.’

Aria thought her father was impressive in the worst possible way.

The Grand Duke heard this and nodded as if he understood something.

“So you want to become dog food as well.”

“W–what!”

“If you want, I can erase you along with Cortez’s history.”

He gestured toward the beasts.

The Count immediately shut his mouth.

Leaving all further procedures to the butler, the Grand Duke walked away leisurely with the dogs.

“Now then, Count. We’ll move you elsewhere.”

“P–pardon? Why bother?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? It wouldn’t be good for the little lady’s emotional wellbeing.”

What are you planning to do?

Aria could practically hear the words the Count could not bring himself to finish.

“You shouldn’t have said that last part. We could’ve at least sent you off cleanly.”

“I suggest you forget the fact that you ever had a daughter.”

How that was even possible, she didn’t know.

But the butler spoke as if erasing a person’s insignificant memories was nothing.

“The Valentine interrogators are very skilled. You’ll feel it in your skin.”

With that, knights dragged Count Cortez away somewhere.

A desperate scream echoed.

“Now then, shall we go, my lady?”

Aria looked up at the kindly smiling butler with a reluctant expression.

“As this was a sudden decision, we weren’t fully prepared. You’ll be staying here for now, until your room is ready.”

The room seemed reserved for distinguished guests—spacious and extravagant.

Every piece of furniture, every display case, every sculpture caught the eye as high-quality.

‘Above all… art.’

Didn’t they say Valentine supports and loves the arts?

The place overflowed with masterpieces—works one would only expect to see in history books.

A private museum, really.

There’s no point appraising any of this… they’re priceless.

Honestly, it was a bit surprising.

She thought the place would be gloomier.

It’s even more extravagant than the Imperial Palace.

A palace annex more extravagant than the palace itself.

Could the rumors be true—that Valentine manipulates the Empire’s national assets?

I thought those were just scary stories.

At that moment, William gestured behind him.

A middle-aged woman flushed red and nervously approached Aria.

“I am Dana, the head lady-in-waiting and the young master’s nanny. I’ll be attending to you from now on.”

She gazed at Aria as though looking at a tiny, adorable creature.

Her stare itches…

Aria fidgeted awkwardly.

Come to think of it, this was the first time she was interacting with someone as Aria, not as a Siren.

“Young Master… is probably tending to My Lady right now.”

My Lady. Lloyd’s mother.

A woman said to be dying soon from what everyone called the “Devil’s Curse.”

She was probably lying bedridden at this moment.

“I hope you won’t take it too personally. The decision was abrupt, and he needs time to prepare. You must be confused as well.”

Dana spoke soothingly.

So Lloyd isn’t welcoming me.

Well…

Who would welcome a bride they never wanted?

“For now… hmm…”

Dana examined Aria up and down.

Seeing the body so small and thin it was hard to believe she was ten, she said,

“Please write down all the foods you like and the foods you want to eat.”

Aria blinked blankly at the unexpected request.

Dana dipped a pen into ink and placed it in Aria’s small hand.

Foods she liked? Foods she wanted?

I don’t have anything like that.

Aria never really had an appetite.

As a child, she ate cold pig slop.

As a Siren, she had no desire to eat anything.

Even the Imperial Palace’s world-renowned chef’s dishes made her nauseous.

Food was simply something eaten for survival.

I don’t even know many kinds of food…

Her knowledge was deeper in alcohol and drugs.

She learned them naturally, unwillingly—after all, the nobles she met in the underworld never held wholesome parties.

There was even a saying: “Where corruption gathers, the Siren sings.”

This assignment is too hard…

Ink pooled on the blank white card. A drop fell because she couldn’t write anything.

Aria finally wrote a food down.

Warm soup.

That seemed enough.

As long as it wasn’t some cold, foul-smelling slop, she didn’t care.

But Dana, who had been excitedly planning to feed her properly, suddenly stiffened.

She looks disappointed.

Aria, noticing her reaction, wrote another card.

Bread and cheese.

Not this either?

It was a perfectly reasonable answer, yet Dana’s expression worsened.

Then…

On cocoa… the flavor that tastes like melon.

“Tastes like… melon?” Dana repeated, baffled.

Aria looked at William for help.

He wore a strange expression—neither laughing nor crying—biting his lip tightly.

What is going on?

Aria threw him several pleading looks, but it was useless.

So she wrote an explanation instead.

White, fluffy, floating… squishy.

“Pfft— ahem. My apologies.”

William turned his head, making odd noises.

Understanding dawned on Dana, and she burst into laughter.

“Ahh, the taste is melon!” she said knowingly, nodding.

“Yes, I’ll bring it right away.”

Thank you.

“Anything else you need?”

Dana kept asking hopefully, so Aria had no choice but to answer honestly.

I don’t really know food names.

Dana’s expression collapsed as if she were about to cry.

Her sudden emotional shift flustered Aria.

Is this something to cry about?

Aria hurriedly held up another card.

If you teach me, I’ll memorize them right away.

At that moment, Aria was pulled into a hug.

The cards slipped from her hands and fell to the floor.

She had never expected this, and her body froze stiff.

This was the first time in her life she had embraced someone.

Hugging me out of nowhere… what a strange person.

Yet… it felt soft.

Warm and cozy, like the first time she petted a dog.

Strangely, she didn’t feel the urge to push her away.

Aria simply blinked quietly.

“My lady.”

“You must have suffered so much. You endured so well.”

Was she… comforting her?

Aria felt bewildered. Her mistreatment had been a long time ago.

That was when I was little.

She had cried a lot back then.

But now, she could no longer shed tears.

She felt numb.

Not even suffocated.

Nothing.

Rather than getting revenge properly, I chose coming safely to the Grand Duke’s estate.

It was a success. Wasn’t that enough?

She would never see them again, anyway.

As Dana patted her back, Aria rested her head quietly against her shoulder.

“Everything is fine now. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

The gentle comfort continued.

The lady-in-waiting who lived in the Devil’s estate smelled very strange.

Sun-dried blankets…

A scent that made you want to lie in sunlight and wrap yourself in warmth.

“Oh my!”

Dana gasped.

Aria was standing still at the window from early dawn.

“Oh dear. Did you have a nightmare?”

Aria shook her head.

But Dana had already jumped to her own conclusions.

“This is entirely my fault. I should’ve stayed by your bedside.”

No.

“You’re still a baby. How careless of me. You must have been scared. The rain lasted all night…”

No.

Aria simply wasn’t a heavy sleeper.

It was embarrassing listening to Dana continue scolding herself while Aria frantically waved a card reading No.

A baby…?

Even if she had regressed, she was still ten.

I’m short, that’s all. Not a baby.

Aria calmly explained that she just hadn’t grown tall.

Dana let out a soft laugh and gently patted her head.

“Hehe, you’re not a baby?”

Aria froze stiff.

Then slowly reached up and touched the top of her own head.