The Duke's Daughter Is A Villainess (5)

Dahlia spent the entire rest of the afternoon walking around the town with Stella in her arms. Stella was quiet, and shy, but didn't protest when Dahlia took her into a boutique to get her some new clothes or when she stopped by the bakery to get two boxes of desserts.

In the end, when they got to the carriage, half of it was filled with clothes and food items.

Stella was silent while they rode back to the Baudelaire estate, probably still half in shock at all that had just transpired.

[Host... I thought you were going to save a life.]

~I just did, didn't I?

[...What do you mean?]

~I saved her from a life of poverty.

[....Host! That's not how it-

Task C has been completed! 90 points have been added to your point collection.]

~...You were saying?

[....]

~So now I have enough points to buy the 'Talent Stealer', right?

[Yes. Do you wish to purchase the 'Talent Stealer' for 50 points?]

~Yes.

[Purchase completed. 50 points have been deducted from your points collection, rendering the total amount of points you have to 60. The 'Talent Stealer' can now be found in your dress pocket.]

Dahlia conversed with Buddy for a bit more on the way back home, making sure that the 'Talent Stealer' had stolen the talent from an actress that all her friends loved but she for some reason always thought was annoying. She would've felt bad about it... but also she was pretty sure she'd never meet that actress anyway, so it was probably fine.

"Is this my new home?" Stella asked, as soon as the Baudelaire estate was coming into view.

Dahlia smiled as she pat Stella's head. "Yes, it is."

The carriage pulled to a stop not long after, and the maids that came out to greet Dahlia from returning all froze when they spotted the child in her arms. Dahlia, seemingly uncaring for their surprise, simply said, "Put the boxes of desserts in the kitchen, and all the child's clothes in one of the spare rooms, please."

Then she just walked into the house, Stella gaping at everything she was seeing as she did so.

"Dahlia... who is that child?" The duke came not long after Dahlia arrived, staring at the child in her arms then back to her then back to the child in her arms.

"Father!" Dahlia greeted, a wide smile on her face. "Well, actually... I got lost today while I was walking around in town, and then I found myself at the orphanage, and I was going to leave but then I saw Stella and... she looks just like you, don't you think?"

The duke was clearly not expecting Dahlia to say that, so for a moment he did nothing but blink, but then he narrowed his eyes at the child and looked at her properly, before twisting his expression into one of surprise. "You think she looks like me?"

"Of course! Look, her eyes are green, and so are yours! When I saw a child that looked so much like father in the orphanage I just couldn't leave her there so I had to take her with me... it's alright if she stays here, isn't it?"

Obviously the duke, who was weak to no one but his daughter, had to agree. And knowing that she brought the child home because she couldn't bare to part with someone that looked so much like him... it was enough to put a smile on his face for the rest of the day.

~Phew. It's a good thing I drank that potion before we entered, or else the duke would've probably seen through my lie.

[...Host... I think the duke would've believed you no matter what you said.]

~Huh?

While the duke returned to doing his work, Dahlia showed Stella around the house, and then eventually showed Stella to her new room.

Stella looked at the room, at her bed and her vanity and her own bathroom, and she couldn't help but get excited. "It's really mine? All of it? This entire room? I can live here?"

"Yes. It's all yours."

Well, until Noah discovers she's his long lost sister, anyway.

"It'll be dinner soon, so how about we take a bath, and then you can get dressed in one of the new dresses we bought today when we go down later?" Dahlia suggested, chuckling lightly as she watched Stella pick up random objects in her room with fascination.

"Okay!" Stella agreed, and then ran back to jump into Dahlia's arms.