Chapter 6
by alexa_TL“What.”
“Why did you lie?!”
“…….”
“Are you stupid? Did you really think I came into this room to save you?”
What nonsense is he spewing now?
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even laugh.
“Let go.”
“Answer me fir—”
Chomp!
“Argh!”
I sank my teeth into the back of Bansis’s hand, making him yelp and yank his hand away in shock.
The force of it made me stumble slightly.
“Y-You… What did you just do?!”
Bansis’s face had gone pale as he yelled at me.
Looking closer, I could see red bite marks on his hand.
Hah, serves him right.
“Are you seriously asking? I bit you.”
“You—! Are you insane?!”
“You should’ve let go when I told you to.”
“Hey!!”
Bansis exploded in anger again, fuming like a boiling kettle.
He really was a hassle at this age.
Annoying.
The adult Bansis was far more intelligent and didn’t bother with childish nonsense like this.
But at eleven years old? He was just a brat—not even worth the trouble of dealing with.
And to think I used to be afraid of this.
The thought was almost laughable.
I didn’t bother hiding my disinterest as I stared at him.
Bansis trembled.
“I asked why you lied.”
“T-That’s right! If you weren’t trying to help me, then that arrogant—”
“Don’t flatter yourself, Bansis.”
“……!”
His eyes widened as if I had stolen the words from his mouth.
I stepped closer, slowly.
Bansis and I were at the same eye level.
Since I was malnourished and underdeveloped, that meant he must have been even smaller than average.
At this age, being smaller than his peers was Bansis’s greatest weakness—his biggest insecurity.
Considering how much pride he had as a Lordvel, it must have been a heavy blow to his ego.
Even now, his face was turning red just from making direct eye contact.
Enjoying the sight, I smirked.
“Don’t misunderstand. I lied because I didn’t want to get involved in useless trouble. It had nothing to do with you.”
“……You…….”
“Stop assuming that everyone will bend over backward for you. It’s disgusting.”
“…….”
Bansis was too stunned to respond.
I shot him a look of pity before casually stepping over the mess in the room and leaving.
As I walked down the hallway toward my room, I suddenly stopped.
“Pfft….”
I covered my mouth with both hands, doubling over.
But.
“Pffft—Hahaha!”
I couldn’t hold it in.
A thrilling sense of satisfaction ran down my spine.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Bansis’s dumbfounded face, his mouth hanging open in shock.
That was the first time.
I had always endured everything.
But for once, I had gotten back at him.
The giddy excitement wouldn’t fade.
With a light step, I continued walking.
I told Bansis I did it to avoid trouble…
I hummed softly.
But the real reason was different.
And if everything went as planned…
Soon, he’ll come looking for me.
My father, Duke Ego Lordvel.
I opened my door.
And then, I froze.
A barren space that could barely be called a “room.”
Thin rays of sunlight filtered through a tiny arched window, illuminating the countless dust particles floating in the air.
In the middle of the room, there was only a worn-out mattress and a thin blanket.
Right…
The sight was too familiar.
It was only now that it truly sank in.
I had returned to ten years ago.
This time…
Things won’t be the same.
I swore to myself.
And the next day, the Duke summoned me.
The person sent to fetch me was none other than Riglin Fedlen.
At first, I was surprised that the head butler himself had come instead of a servant.
But soon, I understood why.
“Why did you lie yesterday?”
We walked through a quiet, empty corridor as Riglin asked in a calm tone.
So that’s what this is about.
I had expected him to be suspicious of my lie.
That was the plan, after all.
If he was suspicious, he would report me properly to the Duke.
But I didn’t expect him to be so direct about it.
I hesitated briefly before tilting my head innocently.
“What do you mean?”
Riglin’s gaze turned icy.
Oh, how terrifying.
He really exuded that strict tutor aura.
“Don’t play dumb. I know you didn’t lie for the young master’s sake.”
Sharp as ever.
Now, how should I respond?
As I pondered, we neared the Duke’s office.
Then, I spoke softly.
“…If I hadn’t, you would’ve never learned my name.”
Riglin froze.
“…….”
He looked at me as if I had struck him with a blunt object.
I casually walked past him.
“And besides…”
If you hadn’t found me suspicious, you wouldn’t have reported me to the Duke or brought me here.
I swallowed the last part.
Instead, I turned and flashed him a bright smile.
Riglin’s expression twisted.
Did he finally realize?
That he had been nothing more than a pawn in my plan.
For someone as proud as him, realizing he had been outplayed by a mere child—a bastard, no less—must have been humiliating.
I watched in amusement as his perfect mask cracked.
But.
“…….”
That was all.
With a quiet sigh, Riglin erased every trace of emotion from his face.
His usual cold, unreadable expression returned as he stared at me.
What a creepy man.
His ability to suppress his emotions was unsettling.
But still…
He won’t forget this moment.
Because Riglin Fedlen was one of the people who despised me the most.
He loathed the ignorant, the foolish, and the weak.
And in the past, I had been exactly that—the kind of person he looked at with nothing but contempt.
Every time he saw me, his eyes burned with disgust.
He had always treated me like I was invisible.
And now, he realized he had been played by me.
How furious he must be.
But that anger wasn’t directed at me.
No, it was aimed at himself—for being tricked by someone like me.
What an unpleasant man.
Did he think he was the only one allowed to look down on others?
I despised people like him—those who judged others solely by their worth.
Still.
I hid my contempt beneath an innocent smile.
Riglin stared at me in silence before stepping closer.
He reached out his hand.
My body stiffened on instinct.
He’s going to hit me…!
But Riglin’s hand simply bypassed me and pressed against the door.
His gaze remained locked onto mine, studying me.
Ah…
I had misunderstood.
It had been a long time since I felt this way.
Before I was taken in by Lordvel, I had spent my days on the streets, frequently beaten.
Even after arriving here, I was struck often.
So the moment a hand was raised over my head, my body reacted on its own.
After growing up, I thought I had overcome it.
But now that I was small again… it had come right back.
Get it together.
I quickly forced my expression back to normal.
Riglin, still watching me, finally spoke.
“The Duke’s office is protected by magic.”
“Ah.”
So that’s why he paused earlier.
I remember seeing this before.
Visitors had to undergo a spell before entering.
Reverse barrier magic, was it?
Normally, a barrier protects from outside attacks.
A reverse barrier, on the other hand…
It keeps attacks from leaving the room.
In short.
If anyone tried to attack the Duke, they’d only end up hurting themselves.
Not that anyone in Lordvel would dare, anyway.
Either way, I had to go through the process to enter.