The Villainess Has Proposed a Contract Marriage

23 – Grandfather

The mornings at Luminal Manor were hectic.

From dawn, the maids would wake up and inspect the cleanliness of the mansion. In the kitchen, they would sweat preparing a meticulously crafted breakfast. And numerous administrative assistants would wait for the handover of documents.

On one such early morning at the mansion, Tina opened her bright blue eyes.

“Yawn…”

Stretching with a yawn, she woke up. She wasn’t usually an early riser, but perhaps due to the change in her sleeping quarters, she woke up early.

The sleepiness dissipated, and she got bored waiting for the day to fully brighten, so Tina went outside.

And there, she saw the maids bustling around. At the same time, the maids noticed Tina, rubbing their eyes, and were taken aback.

“Miss, how come you’re already awake…”

“My mother isn’t here right now.”

“I’m referring to the young lady in front of me, not the Duchess. Did I say something wrong?”

“No…? I just woke up early and got bored, so I came out.”

“Phew… I see. That’s a relief.”

The maids of the manor were very cautious around Tina. And it wasn’t limited to just Tina.

Elphicia and Duke Cardi had given strict orders to never be rude, even in the slightest. It was a precaution against those who didn’t understand boundaries and would casually mock others.

Unaware of such circumstances, Tina innocently spoke up.

“By the way, where are Mom and Dad? I want to sleep with them too.”

Lady Lothera, who had worked as a bureaucrat in the capital for over 20 years.

She had now come face to face with the biggest challenge in her life.

“T-That, that’s, no, it can’t be.”

“Why? I’m their daughter… It’s true…”

Tina assumed that her parents opposed her because she wasn’t the biological daughter of Elphesia. When Tina started to cry, Lothera panicked and gestured frantically.

“Oh my, there’s no way we would doubt such a serious truth. It’s just… until noon. Yes! Until noon, it’s inconvenient, that’s all.”

“Why?”

“Are the young lady’s parents a loving couple?”

“Yes, that’s right. Mom and Dad even kissed each other in the carriage!”

“Kiss…!”

Lothera couldn’t bring herself to speak and her eyes glistened with tears.

“Our Lady has finally found her destiny… I’m truly happy for you, Lothera. What does social status matter? As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters, right?”

Lothera, who had been murmuring to herself with melancholy, placed her hand on Tina’s shoulder with an intense gaze.

“But, my dear, that’s why I can’t let you go any further.”

“Why not?”

“Actually, for a harmonious couple relationship, it’s necessary to have time to share love with each other. But if that time is disturbed, your wishes may not come true.”

“Oh, really? Then Mom and Dad will have to sleep in the same room every day?”

“That’s…”

If they were an ideal couple, that would be the case. But the reality of noble society was different. It was common for couples to only meet on predetermined days, and it was customary to have separate rooms.

However, Lothera, who was full of loyalty to the Duke’s family, couldn’t bring herself to teach her the reality.

“Of course… Indeed…! Since the young lady has two daughters, if she intends to use each room, she must scold them severely.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll get angry to my heart’s content so that you can share love in the same room every day!”

“That’s a good attitude. Lady Rothera, as the head maid, truly feels reassured.”

Even as she spoke, Rothera couldn’t easily understand the master’s decision.

There is only one direct heir in the Luminal Ducal family, and it was difficult to comprehend why they would leave the flaw of being a commoner lord.

Even if Elphesia is happy… no matter how you look at it, it’s unfortunate that she has a poor man as a partner.

‘It’s fortunate that she’s a daughter…’

Moreover, if he is a former knight, at least his body would be clean. It was a relief that he was not a vulgar man, at the very least.

Above all, if she had such an adorable daughter, it wouldn’t be a big deal to adopt one. In noble families, adopting a commoner child for the sake of an image is a common occurrence.

Rothera decided on her mindset and put on a friendly smile.

“Miss, if you can’t sleep, would you like to explore the mansion?”

“Really? How far can we go?”

“If you have a place you want to see, I’ll guide you anywhere.”

“Wow, exciting! So… what should I call you?”

Was it rude to ask only after making a fuss? Tina awkwardly smiled and glanced at her.

The warmth naturally emanated from Rothera’s voice, perhaps because of the cuteness of her granddaughter.

“I am Maid Rothera.”

“Yes! Lady Rothera.”

Tina’s grand adventure of exploring the mansion began in such a way.

◇

However, adventure is adventure, and Tina paid the price for adventure preparation in full.

Not only was it the first time she wore a dress, but she also had to endure having three maids attached to her. Tina was particularly amazed by the astonishingly meticulous bathing ritual. Until now, her bathing routine had been nothing more than a perfunctory act of splashing water.

Despite not doing anything herself, she was amazed at how her outing preparations were perfectly finished.

“The dress feels so uncomfortable.”

“Don’t all noble ladies dress up like this? Look in the mirror, aren’t you pretty?”

“Yes. Very… very, pretty… um…”

Tina seemed embarrassed by her self-praise and lowered her head, holding onto the hem of her skirt. The maids who helped with her attire were so moved by her appearance that their faces turned red.

“I’ve seen many young ladies of the same age, but you’re the cutest!”

“Especially your eyes, aren’t they really beautiful? The color is so clear, it feels like it could suck you in.”

“When you grow up, the men around you will be captivated. It’s a shame, isn’t it…”

With her final remark, Tina raised the corners of her mouth confidently and declared.

“It’s okay! Because I’m going to marry my dad and mom!”

It was a perfect line that struck a chord with the commoner maids. Especially in a conservative noble society, it was a pure determination that was difficult to hear. It resonated well with the maids’ emotions.

“If only I had a son or daughter like that, I would be so envious of the world…”

“Yeah, is there anything more precious than having children? It’s like a bountiful harvest.”

“Madam’s future husband must have a lot on his mind…”

The maids’ conversation filled with kindness went on for a while. When Tina, oblivious to the English language, continued to listen to their stories, the head maid, Lotera, interrupted at the right moment.

“Miss, it’s time to go now. You should tour the mansion.”

“Okay!”

“You’re too kind, Head Maid.”

“We can guide well too…”

In the eruption of dissatisfaction, Rotera wore a smile of victory in his own way.

“How much time have you spent in the mansion? Can’t I guide better than you?”

The weight of twenty years easily quelled the maids’ resistance.

Above all, there was a reason why no one could underestimate Tina as long as Rotera was with her.

Although Tina was also a commoner, her position, dedicated to the duke for many years, had long surpassed that of an ordinary commoner.

Tina wandered around as if observing an unfamiliar landscape, then suddenly fixed her gaze on numerous frames.

“Lady, what are these paintings here?”

“They are portraits of past dukes.”

“But why don’t they look like people?”

“Well…! Miss…! You must be careful with your words…!”

“Oops, I’m sorry…”

The portrait Tina pointed at was clearly different from the others, with a distinct and seemingly whimsical style, as if painted by the eyes of an ordinary child of this era.

“This one… depicts the artistic style that was popular 70 years ago. That’s how the portrait of the duke who patronized it at that time was created.”

“Ah, so the ones on the right are closer to the present?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Tina took long strides to the right and suddenly stopped in front of the last portrait.

“So, is the person depicted here Mom’s dad?”

“He was a duke of that era. His name was Cardi Luminel.”

“Wow, Mom had a good reason. He seems to be the most handsome among the duke portraits I’ve seen so far!”

“hehehe, although you are the Lady-in-waiting, your status must be high as well, considering your connection to the Duke.”

Tina had to tilt her head because of the unfamiliar word.

“What is a ‘Lady-in-waiting’?”

“It means that you resemble the late Lady more.”

“Ah…”

Tina had no idea that Elysia’s mother was petite. But hearing it from Lothera’s mouth made her feel somehow sad.

Even when she was scolded by her foster mother in front of her, her heart ached. She couldn’t imagine how much it must have hurt to be gone.

“Oh, poor Mom… And poor Dad too…”

“That’s right. Although you are still young, the Duke truly loved the late Lady. That’s why he didn’t rema… No, it was a slip of the tongue.”

Lothera, who had been momentarily relieved by the innocence of the young child in front of her, broke her rule of not teasing her master so lightly.

Tina’s crying had a magic that even broke the habit of crying that had been ingrained in her body for many years.

“… Shall we go, Miss?”

“Yes…”

Lothera continued with a vivid explanation to boost Tina’s spirits. Tina seemed to gradually recover from the shock as she admired the splendid mansion.

The corridor, divided into two, had a presence with its huge doors. Lothera kindly added an explanation to this as well.

“This is the dining hall. You will also use this place in the future. And… the Duke wakes up earlier than others, so he is having breakfast now.”

“What are dinner and breakfast?”

“… They are both meals.”

“Ah, I see. Sometimes words seem too difficult. How nice would it be if I were as smart as Urian?”

‘Urian… that is the alias currently used by the Third Prince.’

Comparing the knowledge of a commoner and an aristocrat is unfair. Rothera wanted to convey that, but as someone who had lived on equal terms with him until now, it seemed difficult to accept.

So, she pondered about what to say.

Kkiik…

The door of the untouched dining room opened on its own. Immediately, the fragrant smell of a well-prepared meal wafted outside.

Rothera glimpsed at the man sitting across from her and quickly bowed.

“I greet the Duke.”

“Uh, well, I greet you too…?”

Tina instinctively followed her awkwardly. Then, Duke Cardi inside gestured, calling Tina.

“I didn’t have a chance to see your face yesterday… So, you’re Tina, the girl.”

“Yes…”

“Come here.”

“Uh… here…?”

Tina pulled out a chair from a distance. However, Cardi shook his head and gestured with his hand.

“Closer.”

“Here…?”

“Come closer.”

“Is this…?”

“Hmm, you’re timidly asking, aren’t you? I mean the seat right next to me.”

“Oh, yes…”

Tina cautiously approached, mumbling as she took a seat. Cordy, with a tense demeanor, asked Tina gracefully,

“Since we’ve met, let’s have breakfast together. Do you have any favorite dishes?”

“Um… well, I eat everything.”

“Hmm, then let’s go with the same menu as mine.”

The duke shouted loudly,

“Bring the same for her, in a size suitable for a child!”

“Yes, understood, Your Excellency.”

As the attendants swiftly moved, Cordy delicately cut a piece of meat. After transferring it to an empty plate, he pushed it into Tina’s space.

“Try it.”

“What?”

“We need to see if it suits your taste.”

“Oh, okay.”

Tina picked up a fork received from him and brought a piece of meat to her mouth. Even before tasting it, the smell was intoxicatingly good.

As the meat touched her tongue, Tina’s blue eyes sparkled.

“It’s delicious, Your Excellency!”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Cordy left a brief comment and resumed cutting the meat. Tina watched his actions closely.

Shoulders hunched, Tina swayed uncertainly. Finally, she mustered the courage to ask.

“Grandpa… should I call you that?”

“Call me whatever feels comfortable.”

“Then I’ll call you Grandpops.”

“What?”

“Oops…”

Due to nervous tension, Tina bit down on the soft flesh inside her mouth. Thanks to that, what she intended to say as “Grandpa” ended up as “Grandpops” like a baby.

Cardi, who had paused for a moment, chuckled.

“Grandpops… that’s fine.”

“It’s Grandpa…! Because you’re Grandpa!”

“Such a pitiful thing.”

“Ugh…”

It was natural for Tina to be nervous.

Although young, she was not an oblivious child. Not Elpisia’s biological daughter, she had already dismissed any expectations of a warm reception. However, the grandfather she faced in person didn’t leave a bad impression, making the situation confusing.

Is that all?

“As handsome as in the paintings…”

“It’s an honor.”

“Eek!”

Tina made a startled noise.

“Oops, did I just say that out loud…?”

“I said it. It sounded quite pleasing. You must have passed through the corridor adorned with portraits of the past lords.”

“That’s right…”

“One of them must have had a very ridiculous appearance.”

“That’s right! …No, I mean, an excellent artistic style… It must have been… probably…”

“No need to package it. I don’t have much of a different opinion.”

“Oh…!”

Tina finally showed a hint of color on her face. She felt oddly pleased by his honest empathy.

Meanwhile, Cardi, who had been silently observing Tina, was secretly astonished.

“This child is mixed. It’s not a human but a powerful being…”

He had never received such a report, and it felt like receiving a surprise gift.

Surely, this child would exert her power effortlessly, as if breathing, without having to strain herself. This small life in front of him possessed a talent that was different from that of ordinary organisms.

“Not bad. Even if she’s not a blood relative mixed with our kind, I won’t be disappointed with a granddaughter like her.”

In terms of appearance, she was definitely someone with a promising future, and in terms of strength, she could already overpower a few palace knights. It was clear that she would grow up to be a human with various useful abilities.

He only wanted Harte, but a pumpkin had rolled in instead.

However.

“It’s small.”

“What?”

“I’m talking about your height.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. It’s simply because you lack appropriate nutrition.”

Tina’s dining setup is inconvenient with low chairs and a high table. Hence, Cardi would rise from his seat to lift Tina, seating her on his lap.

“Grandpa?”

Though Cardi heard Tina’s call, he continued with what he wanted to say.

“First, you need to gain some weight. That’s how you grow, gaining kilos you had when you were young.”

“Well… I mean, I eat just a little…”

“Oh, it’s sufficient. You won’t escape until I deem it enough.”

“Yes…”

Reluctantly agreeing, Tina could only accept the meat and vegetables pouring into her lips in silence.

Cardi’s breakfast stretched into an exceptionally long morning.