The Villainous Noble Lady Turned Into a Child, and Her Cold Duke Husband Became Kind - 8 - A Complicated Relationship (1.2)

After the tea party with the duke and Julius, my daily life changed a little.

Before, I always ate in my room. But ever since then, I’ve been eating in the dining room.

In the morning, after I get dressed, Julius comes to get me, and we go to the dining room together.

“Good morning, Sia.”

“Good morning, Julius.”

He holds my little hand and walks slowly at my pace.

“Today, the tailor is coming. Father and I will be with you, so let’s pick a dress together.”

“A dress?”

“Yes. You don’t want to wear my clothes forever, do you?”

When he asked, I shook my head.

“Nope! I like your clothes. They’re easy to move in!”

“True, but… I want to see you in a cute dress, Sia.”

When he said that, I couldn’t say no.

At the dining room, the duke was already seated. Julius and I sat across from him.

Once the food arrived, the duke spoke.

“This afternoon, the tailor is coming. Don’t make any other plans.”

“Okay.”

“Yup!”

It was funny that the duke also mentioned the tailor, and I smiled.

At first, he didn’t seem to care about me, but since the tea party, he talks to me more.

…It feels more like a daughter than a wife, though.

But somehow, I can tell he’s trying to get closer.

Not to the poisonous woman Elicia Vander—but to the little girl named Sia.

“What kind of dress do you want, Sia?”

“I want one that’s easy to move in so I can play tag with Julius!”

“Hehe, even in a dress, you probably won’t stay still.”

Julius patted my head.

“Do you like jewelry?” the duke asked.

I tilted my head.

“Jewelry?”

“…Shiny things, like gems.”

He explained in a way I could understand. He seemed a little unsure if it worked.

“I know shiny things! But I don’t want them!”

“You don’t?”

“I like cake more than shiny stuff!”

The duke blinked, surprised, then let out a soft laugh.

“I see. What kind of cake do you like?”

“The kind with lots of fruit, yellow cream, and it’s a little hard!”

“Hmm… A fruit tart, I suppose.”

“Yup! A fruit tart!”

The duke smiled again and said, “Alright. I’ll have one made. Let’s eat it together after we pick your dress.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. But only if you’re a good girl and listen to the tailor and to us.”

“I’ll be a good girl!”

I clenched both fists, and Julius and the duke smiled gently.

…It’s much better than being an unwanted wife.

Even if this family is fake, I want to stay like this a little longer.

After breakfast, I returned to my room to practice writing letters by myself.

Julius also studies in the morning with his tutor, Governess.

The “Wish Coupon” I gave Julius the other day made him really happy, so I want to write more neatly. He hasn’t used the coupon yet, though.

Compared to the beginning, I’ve improved a lot. But with small hands, it’s hard to control the pen, and sometimes the ink smudges or the pen tip breaks.

I practiced until noon, then had lunch with Julius.

The duke usually eats lightly in his study so he can focus on work.

After lunch and tea, we moved to a different room.

“Where are we going?”

Julius held my hand and walked slowly.

“We have some time before the tailor arrives, so let’s visit the gallery.”

“Gallery?”

“There are portraits of past dukes there.”

The room was long and wide. Portraits hung on the walls, including one of the current duke and the former duchess.

…The former duchess looked delicate and beautiful.

She was the opposite of the poisonous Elicia—silver hair and pale golden eyes. Julius noticed me looking.

“She’s the mother who gave birth to me.”

“She’s so pretty.”

“Yeah, she is.”

We slowly walked deeper into the gallery.

Most of the past dukes had black hair and red eyes, with sharp features and cold expressions.

…They fought in wars as the country’s sword, so that’s natural.

They learned black magic and worked hard for the country and its people—yet people still feared and hated them. It’s not fair.

When I squeezed the hand that was holding mine, Julius noticed right away.

“Shia, is something wrong?”

“…The old duke is scary.”

“Ah, yeah… he might be, to you. It’s about time. Shall we go to the drawing room?”

Julius picked me up and walked toward the door.

…Even though I married the duke—

A painting of Elicia Vander will never be displayed in this room.

While holding me, Julius left the gallery and headed to the drawing room.

When we arrived, Julius set me down and knocked on the door.

The duke’s voice came from inside.

“Excuse us.”

When Julius opened the door, the large drawing room was filled with many children’s dresses.

“‘Scuse us…”

I copied Julius and stepped into the room.

Julius sat beside the duke, and as I was wondering where I should sit, the duke gestured for me to come over.

When I got close, the duke picked me up and sat me between him and Julius.

“This is Shia. From now on, as long as she stays here, treat her as one of our family.”

“Understood.”

The female tailor bowed.

“It’s nice to meet you, miss. May I take your measurements right away?”

“…She needs to measure your body size and the length of your arms and legs to make the dress.”

Julius whispered to me.

The duke set me down from the sofa, and I moved behind the screen set up in the corner of the room.

While the tailor talked with Julius and the duke, the seamstresses quickly measured me.

They seemed used to it, and the measurements were done in no time.

When I stepped out from behind the screen, Julius waved me over this time.

He lifted me onto the sofa, but the table was far away, so I couldn’t see well…

“Wah?”