# 8
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The evil duke has five brothers?
Elinor almost asked if that was true, so confused.
No wonder, it was completely illogical.
Matthias was the main villain in this world, cunningly planning and stalking the heroine.
A crow cawing ominously amidst the smell of blood would have suited him.
But to have five younger brothers at home?
“Umm...”
Elinor chose her words carefully.
She was confused. What should you say in such a situation?
“You seem to have a very friendly family.”
“My parents had an unnecessarily good relationship.”
Matthias replied coldly.
His face expressed distaste.
So, not family friendly?
"Anyway, since I have many younger brothers, I have been through such situations often. Injuries are common."
“Ah…”
“It's easy to panic the first time you go through something like this. So, don't beat yourf up and learn how to cope. Young children get sick a lot.”
“Yes...”
“It seems nothing has happened yet? You were lucky.”
He said as he wiped the child's forehead with a wet tissue again.
'Was he consoling me?'
Elinor fiddled with her fingers.
Matthias's words seemed like consolation.
'I thought he was evil and would hurt my nephew...'
But thanks to the actions of this villain, her nephew survived.
Elinor moved her lips.
She was ashamed of being less than Matthias, and still suspected him of being the villain.
But at this moment, what had to be said was clear.
"…Thanks."
Matthias looked at Elinor.
Elinor did not avoid his gaze. She held her hands tightly and gathered her courage and said.
“Thanks to you, Your Highness, the child survived. Thank you very much.”
Matthias looked at her indifferently, then nodded slightly.
“Sit here. We have to watch him until morning.”
It was an exhausting night.
* * *
Piaccina is a small village located in the south of the empire.
Elinor chose this place as an escape with her nephew because of the description of the village in a book she once read that she liked.
The waving fields of golden sunflowers all around.
When she saw the illustration that filled two pages in the book, she thought she would want to visit it one day if she had the chance.
She never imagined she would visit him for this reason.
Tweet tweet.
Elinor woke up to the sound of birds outside the window.
“Ah, baby!”
I realized that she had been asleep for some time after staying up all night, so I checked on the baby first.
Fortunately, his fever seemed to go down, and his breathing became more comfortable.
His little body was no longer as hot as it had been yesterday.
“Huh...”
Elinor breathed a sigh of relief.
Last night had been so terrifying that it felt like her life was cut short by a few years.
She lifted the light blonde hair stuck to the child's forehead.
“I'm sorry, baby.”
Your aunt is very deficient.
But from now on, I'll do my best.
After she calmed down a bit, she looked around.
Then she suddenly realized where she was lying and her face turned pale.
“Why am I lying on the Duke’s bed?”
She clearly remembered sitting in a chair next to the bed before falling asleep at dawn.
But when she opened her eyes, she found herf lying on the bed with the baby.
Did she instinctively climb into bed while she slept?
Elinor quickly got out of bed.
Her face turned red with embarrassment.
She felt as if she had experienced all the embarrassment in her life yesterday and today.
“Where did the Duke go?”
It was only the child and Elinor in the room.
Elinor hesitated for a moment, then left the sleeping child and went out.
But she didn't need to look far for the Duke.
It was on the first floor of the hostel.
He seemed to be eating, and Sophie was talking to him excitedly.
“Does the food taste good?”
“Yes, delicious.”
“Hugh, this is convenient. I have been working hard since yesterday to prepare it for you. Try this. I am the best person who makes roast chicken in our village.”
“Actually, I was thinking this was the most delicious roasted chicken I've ever had. But, ma'am, speak at ease like you did yesterday. I don't mind.”
“Oh, really? Yesterday I was distracted by the child’s illness, so I spoke at ease. But if the child’s father doesn’t mind, that’s fine! A young father with a great personality!”
“It's not that. You hurt Elaine...”
“Oh, young people can make mistakes. My husband used to annoy me a lot when he was young, but now he’s a wonderful person.”
“Do you think Ellen can forgive me?”
“Of course! The child’s father is so honest. But keep ing until Ellen’s heart softens.”
Sounds of laughter echoed from downstairs to upstairs.
Elinor trembled with anger.
'What are they talking about me?'
It seems that he has quite decided to shamelessly play the role of the child's father.
Elinor made a creaking sound from the stairs as she appeared on the first floor.
"Oh my God, Ellen! You're awake! You should be eating breakfast."
“Sophie…”
“Sit next to the child’s father. I will bring the food right away!”
Sophie entered the kitchen.
Sit next to the child's father?
Matthias seems to have completely charmed Sophie in the meantime.
Elinor looked at Matthias with a frown.
He patted the seat next to him carelessly.
“Sit down, mother of the child.”
“Your Highness the Duke.”
“There are ears listening. Instead of calling me Duke, it would be better if you called me the baby’s father.”
“Why are you… the baby’s father?”
Elinor sat on the opposite side of him disapprovingly.
She had never thought of sitting next to him.
What is this sitting next to him?
Matthias smiled cheerfully.
“What about the baby? Is it okay to leave it? Yesterday, you didn’t leave your room all day for fear that I would steal the baby.”
“I will carry the food and go upstairs. Please, stop calling me the baby’s mother.”
“Yesterday, you vehemently insisted that you were the child’s mother.”
"…Yes, this is correct."
But I don't want to be called the baby's mother and the baby's father with a villain like you.
Elinor trembled with anger.
But somehow, she felt like the more she talked, the more she got sucked in.
At that moment, Sophie returned carrying breakfast.
The dishes on the tray were steaming.
A creamy stew filled with meat, great rye bread, and roasted chicken.
“Here, eat a lot. You were tired yesterday, so you should eat well.”
"Thanks."
"Talk quietly while you eat. You two have a lot to discuss, don't you?"
“No, I have no intention of…”
"Don't be like that! When there's a misunderstanding, talking is what solves it. The kid's on the second floor, right? I'll go check on him, so talk quietly without rushing. Okay?"
Sophie patted Elinor on the shoulder to encourage her, then winked at Matthias and smiled mischievously before going up to the second floor.
incredible.
Elinor whispered softly.
“I don't know how I managed to convince Sophie.”
“She is a woman full of compassion.”
Matthias bit the bread and smiled slyly.
“I told her how much I missed my wife and child and how sorry I was. I said I wished I could turn back time.”
“Huh, what a silly lie…”
“Aren't you the one who lives a lie too, or the child?”
Mathias sneered.
“Who would have imagined that a sought-after talent would hide in a rural village like this, pretending to be a single mother?”
Elinor couldn't match Matthias' skill in speaking.
Nor the strength of his information.
Elinor swallowed a sigh.
Finally, she made up her mind.
“I will cooperate with you in finding Charles.”