Back to the inn

After Sian arrived where Ophilia and Emily were, they left the orphanage. Ophilia, holding Emily's hand, looked at Sian suspiciously.

Predicting her question, he said, "The talk about retiring was a lie. I was just unsure about what to do at that moment. I just wanted to spend some time here with you."

"So..." She hesitated a bit before asking, "Are you really a noble?"

"Yes, I am, but I don't care much about it," Sian replied. "The title of Duke was given to me by the king of Hosnein, and I didn't even know about it until I became the Duke."

"Didn't you say before that you weren't a nobleman?" she questioned.

"Well, you asked if I was from a noble family, and I'm not, so technically, I didn't lie. I just didn't tell the whole truth," he explained.

"Now I understand why the mayor was so nervous," Ophilia said. "But why didn't you say that before?"

"Titles of nobility are just empty words when I'm outside the kingdom. Strength is what matters in this world, just like with dragons. Many kingdoms make offerings to them just to avoid being trampled," Sian said.

"That makes sense, but won't people be afraid of you?" Ophilia asked, feeling a bit concerned.

"Are you afraid of me?" Sian inquired.

"No, quite the opposite," she replied without hesitation. "You are one of the best things that ever happened in my life."

"That's enough for me. I don't need strangers to like me," Sian said with a smile. "And our little Emily, you don't hate me either, right?"

"I... don't know?" Emily answered, seemingly unsure.

"Huh?" Sian was confused by her response. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Our teacher said there was a very, very, very bad man, a Duke from Hosnein. But I don't know if Daddy is that person. She said we should stay away from bad people like that man," Emily said, hugging her doll tightly.

"Do you remember the Duke's name?" Sian asked.

"He has the same name as our dog, and his family name is... I don't remember. It was a name I've never heard," she replied, shaking the doll in her hands.

"By the way, what's the dog's name?" he inquired.

"His name is Sian, he is a very cute blue dog," Emily said.

Ignoring Ophilia's small giggle as she turned her head away, Sian replied, "That's a beautiful name. Actually, it's the same name Daddy has."

"Really?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Yep, and I'm the person your teacher spoke of. But I promise I won't hurt my precious Emily," he said, gently stroking her head, which made her tail wag with joy.

"So, you're the powerful and wicked Duke who makes neighboring kingdoms afraid?" Emily asked with twinkling eyes.

"Well, apart from the wicked part, it's me," Sian said with a hint of pride.

"Since Daddy is a Duke, are you more important than Lady Charlotte?" Emily curiously asked.

"I am, in a way, because I have a noble title, while she doesn't. However, it's different if we consider her father's position as Marquis. In another kingdom, my position has some weight, but not as much as Marquis. But if the kingdoms were allies, it would be a different matter," Sian explained.

"Yay, yay, yay!" Emily jumped for joy, holding her doll in one hand and Ophilia's hand in the other.

When she calmed down, she asked with bright eyes, "Is it true that Daddy made the Duchy change its name?"

"Not exactly. I wanted to refuse the title and said I wouldn't change my surname, so the king changed the duchy's name to Castilho," Sian clarified.

The direction of the conversation increasingly surprised Ophilia, who was just listening.

"So Daddy is really a very powerful person," Emily said, wagging her tail happily and almost jumping in joy.

"Did your teacher really say all of that about me?" Sian asked.

"Yes, in yesterday's class, the teacher talked a lot about Daddy. She said you're so powerful that even kings have to be careful around you," Emily replied, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Sian chuckled, feeling a hint of pride. "What else did your teacher talk about me?"

"She said that Daddy was unscrupulous and used force to get what Daddy wanted. Because only members of the royal family can become Dukes, but Daddy got the position of Duke even though Daddy was not of the royal family," Emily said.

Clearing his throat, Sian said, "My beautiful little daughter, let Daddy say something. The stories that circulate around are not always true. Sometimes they distort the facts."

As if she just remembered something, she added, "Oh, and she also said that Daddy was very, very bad at managing the land. She even said that Daddy was a good example of what a noble shouldn't be."

"Well..." Awkwardly, he said, "I can't deny that, apart from orphanages, I really don't care much about the rest."

Even though she looked a little hesitant, Ophilia joined the conversation. "I know this has nothing to do with me, but I think it would be unfair to the people who live in your territory. Whenever someone assumes the post of the previous nobleman, it fills people with hope for a better life."

"How come you have nothing to do with it? You are now my wife, your opinions are always welcome," he said, smiling at her. "But don't worry, I left someone administering the duchy for me."

"Really?" Ophilia asked.

"Yes," he continued in a low voice. "Although I don't know if she is doing a good job."

"I think you should at least pay a little more attention. That's a lot of lives, you know, and as you said yourself before, 'I'm a changed man after finding her. Or rather, I'm trying to change my ways,'" she said, thickening her voice and imitating the way Sian had spoken that phrase to Charlotte.

"Hearing you repeat this while mimicking me like that makes me feel a little embarrassed," he said awkwardly.

"It can't be helped." She looked at him with a beautiful smile on her face. "What you said made me very happy, you know? And since you said you want to change, I want to do my best to help you achieve your goal, so I need to do my best to help my husband."

Delighted by her smile, Sian said, "Well, I will try to pay more attention to the duchy. But first, I have to build our house here, or rather, our inn."

"Is Daddy going to build a big fancy house? I've always wanted to see one!" Emily said, bubbling with excitement.

"Almost like that. I'll build an inn and a restaurant," Sian replied.

"What's a restaurant?" Emily asked curiously.

"It's a place where you can get lots of yummy food," he explained.

"Can I eat there?" Emily's eyes widened with anticipation.

"Of course, my little princess! You can eat there anytime you want," Sian said, pinching her cheek. "And one day, I'll show you my mansion too."

"Wow, that's awesome! I can't wait to tell my friends that Daddy has a mansion!" Emily exclaimed. "Can I invite them to see it too?"

"Sure, but before that, tell me, do you like Daddy?" Sian offered her a cookie, which she eagerly grabbed and devoured.

"Yesh! *Munch Munch* I really like you, Daddy. You're always nice to me and give me the most delicious cookies!" Almost like a blur, Emily's tail wagged happily.

***

After exploring the market stalls, Sian purchased some new clothes for Ophilia and Emily. He also bought some necessary items for Ophilia and toys that caught Emily's eye.

Sian made sure to buy plenty of meat and various ingredients for the special dinner he was planning to prepare at the orphanage that evening.

With all their shopping completed, they returned to the inn. The receptionist was a little surprised to see Sian returning with a child, but he quickly accommodated them and even ordered an extra meal for Emily. When she learned she'd be having meat, that delighted the little girl to no end.