I Became the illegitimate son of a duke

5 – Engagement

Some people were still hostile to me, so I knew something was going to happen, but without that, my meeting with the duke ended happily.

Since my other relatives have come to see me favorably, I must have known very well that it would be futile to rise with a small number.

Of course, I’ll allow my relatives who view me favorably to join the duchy! It was a feeling of admiration to see a puppy trained to perform tricks well. I feel a little bad.

Anyway, after all my relatives passed away, I went back to my daily routine. The daily life of living with Chloe and receiving education.

“Hmm… Can I do this?”

“Yes, the shape is stable and nice.”

Seeing the small candle blooming in my hand, the magic teacher smiled and was satisfied.

“At this level, I don’t need to learn fire magic any more.”

‘It’s futile…’

There is magic in this world, but it is very different from the magic seen in cartoons and movies in my previous life.

In previous life movies, it was common to see a few wizards using magic to turn the surroundings into a sea of fire or strike down lightning to make a mess, but this is not the case at all here.

It takes a long time, but with practice, everyone can use magic enough, and the scale and strength of magic is extremely small.

It is said that just making a candle with the tips of your fingers is enough to keep you from being ignored in the social world. I just expected it because it was magic.

“Wow…”

“…”

But that’s my case as I remember seeing the movie, not Chloe at all.

Chloe looks moved as she sees the candle burning at the tip of my finger.

“Chloe, would you like to learn?”

“Yes, yes…? It would be nice if you would…”

Swipe

Chloe seems to be concerned that I, who have never learned anything in education class, learn magic directly from a teacher. Are you afraid to waste your time?

Chloe carefully alternates between the teacher and me… It’s new, but it’s cute.

“Don’t worry, I can teach you during my free time. Let’s do it as soon as the training session is over.”

The training time isn’t that much, and there’s literally nothing to do once it’s over, but if I use that time for education, I like it because it’s worthwhile, and Chloe likes to learn magic.

“Ah, ahahahaha…”

“… Huh?”

Chloe, who had been happy until just now, was not happy with her reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“That’s… Actually.”

Chloe put her mouth in my ear like a shy girl and started talking.

“…I have to go to an orphanage.”

What are you talking about?

But it was an illusion.

Chloe wasn’t shy, she was slightly scared.

…………

“So, did you donate all your salary from working as a maid to the orphanage?”

“Yes…”

Chloe is my exclusive maid, but that doesn’t mean she sticks around with me every hour.

When the clock is set the same as in the previous life, 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and after 10:00 PM is Chloe’s break time.

And it seems that Chloe often went to the orphanage using her break time at 3pm. Don’t even talk to me

“…”

Chloe walks around the town dangerously alone without saying a word, but strangely she doesn’t get angry.

Rather than angry… Yes, it’s sad.

I can feel at least a little how Chloe, who was adopted by our family, must have felt and how she must have felt when she went to the orphanage.

“Chloe.”

“Yes…”

Chloe shrinks too much.

She seems to think that she has done something very wrong.

“Come back. You can learn magic later in the evening.”

“…!”

“What’s wrong? You thought I’d get mad at you for something like that?”

“Oh, boy…”

Chloe’s eyes are filled with tears.

Ahh, you cry over something like this.

“Instead! It’s dangerous to go alone, so should I go with someone else?”

“Yes, I’ll ask the old man I’m close with!”

“…”

You’re saying no, heh.

It’s a bit disappointing, but… He seems shy, so let’s stop digging further.

Me and Chloe spent her childhood together, learning her new knowledge or attending parties side by side.

Nine years later, I have grown up and turned 22, and Chloe has grown so pretty that everyone who walks the street looks back at least once.

Her slightly short black hair came down to her shoulder blades, and her yellow eyes became so beautiful that it would be rude to compare them to gold.

The appearance that could be seen as a little naive as a child has grown into a sharp beauty, and the tear point under the left eye completes it.

Is this the end of the dragon? The meaning is different, but the pronunciation is the same.

…………

“…Greetings to my older brother–“

“Wait a minute. Hmmm…”

After 9 years of repeating the act of saying hello every time we meet, I can’t seem to ignore the brothers and sisters who hate me at all.

…I wish I had just ignored it.

You can tell even with your head down.

You bastard, you’re looking at Chloe next to me with sinister eyes.

“Okay, go on your way now.”

“…Goodbye.”

The third anchovy left the place with a satisfied smile, not sure if he knew what I was cursing inwardly.

“Chloe, are you okay?”

“No big deal. It’s okay.”

Chloe’s shy smile is very beautiful, but she can’t chew the beauty.

She instinctively came to regard her as a daughter, and more than anything, it was because she was so sorry to leave her in a castle where people like that frequented.

How could my mother, who was a maid in the first place, have had me so easily?

I don’t know about the maid, but her maid is literally exposed to all sorts of dangers.

“If they do anything bad, tell me right away.”

“Yes, of course.”

Chloe smiled and nodded her head as if it were natural.

To think that she grew up to be so reliable … Her heart throbs with emotion.

But no matter how dependable she is, leaving her to deal with it on her own is a bad thing.

“No, shall we just leave here?”

“That… What do you mean?”

“Ah, people in my situation seem to get paid and become independent when they become adults. Because I have stepped in a little deep, independence is impossible and I will have to continue working in the castle, but I will still buy a house separately. It is possible to go to work at the castle.”

Originally, it is normal for illegitimate children to receive support money and become independent when they become adults, but the Duke of Burgon seems to hate that very much, and continues to block my independence even after death.

He wants to be close to his older brother, who will inherit the duke’s family, and help him well… Due to the difference in personality, it seems difficult to get close to him privately, even if he doesn’t know about it publicly.

“…Yes!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Chloe immediately covered her face and smiled broadly.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Chloe smile, she looks really good.

Well, maid work must be hard.

“Okay, then let’s go to the Duke right now.”

“Yes… Hee hee…”

Even the sound of laughter seems uncontrollable.

Chloe’s wispy laughter tickles my ears beside her.

“…Yes?”

“He said he caught his fiancée.”

I couldn’t even bring myself to say that I would move.

As soon as I knocked on the door and entered the office, the Duke smiled happily as if it had just happened and started explaining about my engagement.

“I’m a bit sorry to say this, but… She’s from Claude, so you can’t even compare. She’s the granddaughter of the Duke of Laurel. You know that, right?”

“Yes, yes…”

The Duchy of Laurel is a vassal duchy belonging to the Holy Empire, unlike the independent Duchy of Burgon, and the Duchy of Laurel borders the Duchy of Burgon.

Since the Principality of Burgon, which was independent from the Carolingian Kingdom in the past, must stand alone without the protection of a powerful country, it is essential to restore relations with neighboring lords and make the borders as safe as possible.

It’s not for nothing that the duke is so happy with the arranged marriage.

Of course, it’s not only that, but it seems that there is a little bit of joy in finding a good partner for me.

I was supposed to get married one day too, but I’m a bit embarrassed that the marriage partner was decided so suddenly… Putting that aside, how the hell did you do it?

Literally, I am an illegitimate child, and the other is the granddaughter of the Duke of Laurel. It may seem masochistic, but it doesn’t match the level.

“The girl seems to like you quite a bit?”

“…Is that so?”

“Of course, it seems that you were looking for an ally as well.”

The Duke immediately tells me what I was curious about. It seems to have all been revealed on the face.

“But he’s old…”

“Are you 18? Isn’t that the perfect age?”

Aren’t you the perfect age?

You’re younger than Chloe.

“Ah, of course, I said this because of the 4-year age difference. You can get married later. If you are truly in love, it will be different, but a wife 4 years younger is generally the most appropriate.”

“Ah, ahahahaha…”

I was just surprised.

I thought the Duke had a strange hobby.

“So, what are you here for?”

“Ah… That’s…”

There is no way I can talk about leaving the castle and living separately since the engagement has been decided.

It is unimaginable for a duke’s daughter to live in a commoner’s house.

From what I know of her personality, I’d probably like her, but… For all nobles, other people’s eyes are more important.

I had no choice but to blurt out the purpose of coming here and dismiss the plan I had made with Chloe.

And Chloe never raised her head while I and the Duke were talking.

The next morning, the third brother’s body was found in the garden.