Beneath the curtain of ash-gray hair, sharp eyes swept over the faint traces of sleeping powder lingering in the air.
His gaze narrowed.
He had used a colorless, odorless sedative.
And yet this little brat was still resisting.
Which meant only one thing.
The child had undergone the Grand Duke's training as well.
High-ranking nobles often built children's resistance to poisons and drugs under the excuse of preparing them for kidnappings.
So the abandoned heir did receive an education after all?
The woman and child before him were nothing like the rumors.
Hmm. What should I do?
"You’re quite different from the rumors, Young Master."
Ashdel crossed his arms and arrogantly lifted his chin.
His face was still round with baby fat.
"Oh, my rumors? I know. They call me the Ghost Heir, don't they? The poor child being used by Milena Rastia."
Since he had never once appeared publicly as the Grand Ducal heir, the rumors had only grown more outrageous over the years.
Why had Milena become a villainess in the public eye?
A count's daughter having feelings for a Grand Duke wasn't particularly unusual.
But the younger sister of a Grand Duchess obsessively pursuing her brother-in-law?
That was a different story.
On top of that, she had remained in the Grand Ducal estate and involved herself in household affairs.
To outsiders, she was nothing more than a shameless woman who didn't know her place and acted like a mistress.
For people who loved gossip, the truth was irrelevant.
Her strong features and confident demeanor were twisted into signs of cruelty.
If anyone in the Grand Duchy died, people blamed Milena's jealousy.
The fact that Ashdel was treated like he didn't exist.
The fact that the Grand Duke never remarried.
Everything.
People blamed Milena for all of it.
A woman who controlled both the Grand Duke and his heir.
That was the image society had created for her.
Neither Ashdel nor Callion had ever actually suffered because of her.
Yet the rumors never disappeared.
Ironically, the person most responsible for fueling those rumors was Grand Duke Callion himself.
It was truly unfortunate.
Whenever Ashdel heard such stories, he could only sigh.
My aunt looks scary, but she's actually soft-hearted.
Far too soft-hearted.
Not cold enough.
Which was probably why someone like this man had managed to approach her.
If she couldn't be ruthless...
Then he would be ruthless in her place.
That was what Ashdel believed.
"They all say I turned out this way because I was abused. So what?"
"..."
Ashdel glared at the man with eyes as wide as a startled rabbit's.
"You still haven't answered my question."
His voice sharpened.
"Who are you?"
Watching the child snap at him, the man rubbed the corner of his mouth.
His unruly hair couldn't completely hide his face.
He seemed to be considering how to answer such a bold little brat.
"Hmph. Even craftier than I expected. So you've been hiding your true nature behind the rumors."
This child wanted to hide his real self from his aunt.
The same boy who acted like a baby in front of Milena was now speaking with an unnaturally mature tone.
"But does Lady Milena know this side of you?"
"Auntie doesn't need to know! I'll protect her! Mmph!"
Oh?
So he was much more expressive when Milena wasn't around.
"Shh—"
A large hand suddenly clamped over his plump cheeks.
The man bent down until their eyes met.
Pink eyes locked onto his own.
"What are you planning to do if your precious lady wakes up?"
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Ashdel grabbed his wrist and struggled.
The arm didn't budge.
Not even slightly.
"Let me give you some advice."
The atmosphere around the man changed instantly.
The vague, forgettable presence vanished.
A suffocating pressure filled the room.
Ashdel frowned.
"When you meet someone whose strength you can't measure, you stay quiet and wait."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"You don't expose your hostility and challenge them directly."
The difference in their physiques alone made the outcome obvious.
The boy certainly had confidence.
But—
The man effortlessly snatched away the dagger Ashdel had secretly been reaching for.
"Ah!"
The moment his weapon was gone, Ashdel struggled even harder.
The man remained completely unfazed.
As though the resistance meant nothing at all.
"Hissing like a kitten is cute, but you should learn when to retreat too, little one."
He casually tossed the dagger onto the thick carpet.
Then slowly brushed back his gray hair.
And in that instant—
Ashdel froze.
The color changed.
As though by magic.
The dull gray transformed into dazzling silver.
What had seemed rough and coarse moments ago became smooth and lustrous, reflecting the light.
And then the face beneath was revealed.
A breathtakingly beautiful face.
Crimson eyes.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Ashdel's eyes widened.
That face.
He had seen it before.
In newspapers from the Imperial Capital.
A man famous for a beauty so dangerously alluring that it captivated both men and women.
Seriously, who writes lines like that?
Whoever did was obviously one of his fans.
A man who had once turned high society upside down.
A noble rumored to have made more women cry than not.
A notorious playboy said to have even charmed an Imperial Princess.
The third son of the Silvert Ducal House.
Lexion Silvert.
Seeing the disbelief in Ashdel's gaze seemed to amuse him.
Lexion smiled lazily.
"Hmm. So news from the capital reaches even the north?"
Revealing his identity had been purely impulsive.
He had witnessed too many interesting things since arriving here.
Milena.
This child.
Everything.
He was in a good mood.
A small reward felt appropriate.
Besides, it wasn't as though some isolated noble brat would go around spreading his secret.
There was only one reason Lexion had risked coming all the way to the Grand Ducal estate.
Something he absolutely had to accomplish.
And this child might make that task considerably easier.
"Mmph."
"Now that you know who I am, what do you think, Young Master?"
Lexion grinned.
"Want to work together? I don't care about age or gender as long as someone is useful."
Doesn't care about age or gender?
"MMPH!!"
Pervert!
Ashdel immediately bit down on Lexion's hand as hard as he could.
"Ouch."
Of course, it didn't actually hurt.
Lexion simply pretended it did and released him.
Ashdel immediately shouted.
"You came here to get close to Auntie, didn't you?!"
"Hm?"
The boy rushed to stand protectively in front of Milena.
"How did you know Auntie was pretty?! You disguised yourself because you're trying to seduce her!"
Lexion blinked slowly.
Then burst out laughing.
No matter how much he tried to act mature—
He was still a child.
Squatting down, Lexion rested his chin on one hand.
"You're right. She's much prettier than the rumors said."
His smile widened.
"But can you really protect her?"
Ashdel's eyes drifted toward the dagger lying on the carpet.
"..."
"I can."
The pink eyes trembled.
Lexion smiled.
"So then."
"What do you want?"
Clever kid.
The smile on his face deepened.
"That's..."
Milena's safety.
And the secret map hidden within the Grand Ducal estate.
A transaction where both sides stood to gain.
"Auntie."
Milena still hadn't woken up.
Perhaps the sleeping powder Lexion used had worked a little too well.
She had slept through the entire day.
"Auntie, wake up."
At the small voice calling her, Milena frowned and slowly opened her eyes.
Dark green irises appeared beneath trembling lashes.
She stared at the child waking her.
Then immediately closed her eyes again.
When did I fall asleep?
"Ash."
Her voice came out hoarse.
"Auntie, did you sleep well?"
"Mm. I don't think I even dreamed."
Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to burrow back under the blankets and continue sleeping.
Her headache was gone.
Her body felt surprisingly light.
"Auntie, even if you want to sleep more, you have to get up."
"Why? Can't I sleep just a little longer?"
And then—
Ashdel's next words made her eyes snap open.
"They've come to measure you for your wedding dress. They said we have to start preparing for the marriage."
The moment she woke up, reality came crashing down on her.
She wanted to run away.