The Exiled Slave Becomes the Master

“Let me explain the situation briefly.”

“I’m listening carefully, Your Grace.”

It still felt awkward to call him father, so I called him Your Grace.

“First, in the current Kingdom of Frank, women cannot inherit titles and territories, and I currently only have two daughters.”

“Second, my health is not very good right now, so there’s a high possibility that I won’t have time to wait until I have a son.”

“Third, even if I were to have a son right away, if I die before my son turns 15 and becomes an adult, there would be no one to protect the family and territory from the pack of wolves out there.”

“In other words, I am like an insurance policy.”

In response to my answer, the Duke smiled bitterly and said:

“That’s right. Even if I don’t have any more sons and die, you will only be the nominal heir, and all actual authority will go to my eldest daughter.”

In short, in this ducal family, I would have nothing except the title of heir.

“How do you feel? After hearing what I’ve said, do you feel that you have nothing to gain and perhaps regret coming with me now?”

“…To be honest, I don’t particularly feel bad about it.”

“You don’t need to say things just to please me. I’ve told you everything without hiding anything, so I’m curious about your honest thoughts.”

In truth, I really don’t think it’s a loss for me; rather, it’s a gain.

For an orphan with nothing, being connected to a ducal family and escaping commoner status to become a noble or at least be treated like a quasi-noble is an enormous benefit.

Moreover, as someone who was obsessed with games like Crusader Kings 3 in my past life, I could empathize with the Duke’s thinking in many ways.

If I were in the Duke’s position, I might have done even more, certainly not less.

“As an orphan, even if I have magical talent, it would be almost impossible to properly develop that talent without a foundation. And the fact that you’ve explained all this to me suggests that you don’t intend to coldly discard me later, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Though I wonder if I’m really conversing with a 12-year-old child. Well, I don’t care what’s inside your head.”

The Duke shrugged, and I could almost hear the unspoken words, “As long as you don’t harbor ulterior motives or become greedy.”

“That’s a relief then.”

“Of course, the conversation we’re having now is a secret between you and me. Publicly, I will definitely raise you as my heir, but because of that, you will have to bear the pressure from those who check and envy you.”

“I understand, Your Grace.”

After talking with my newly acquired father for a while, we finally arrived at the mansion.

“It will soon be lunchtime, so I will introduce you to the family and household members then. Follow Alfred and wait for a while.”

“Yes.”

“Alfred, guide Leon to his room and have him prepared before the meal.”

“As you wish, Master Leon, please follow me.”

While walking through the mansion following Butler Alfred, I made eye contact with someone who was watching me from a second-floor window.

Red hair and what appeared to be luxurious attire, white skin that seemed to testify to her noble status, and a contemptuous look and expression as if she were looking at something dirty.

I didn’t know who she was, but I could clearly tell she was someone who didn’t like me.

‘If she’s an adult woman of noble status who doesn’t like me, she’s probably the Duchess.’

I deliberately avoided her gaze and briefly bowed my head to greet her.

Shortly after, we arrived at a room located in a corner among the many rooms on the second floor of the mansion.

“This is the room where Master Leon will stay from now on. A maid will soon visit with clothes and necessary items, so please rest.”

The room felt somewhat desolate with only essential furniture, but it had a luxurious atmosphere.

Lying on the soft bed and closing my eyes, I could feel a softness and fragrance I had never experienced at the orphanage.

Knock, knock, knock…

“Young Master, I’ve brought your clothes. May I come in?”

A maid’s voice was heard from the door, but I was a bit uncertain whether I should speak formally or informally.

After a brief consideration, based on my past life experience, I thought it would be better to be respectful even to those of lower status.

“Please come in.”

“…Excuse me. The Duke has sent clothes for you to wear.”

The maid showed me the clothes with a somewhat anxious look.

It appeared to be quite a luxurious formal suit at first glance.

“I will help you change.”

“Yes, well… I’ll be in your care.”

Having someone else dress me felt awkward, but I wasn’t confident about properly putting on such luxurious clothes I’d never seen before, and it might be normal for a maid to help with dressing, so I accepted.

The maid began to skillfully dress me in no time.

Squeeze…

“Ugh…”

“I’m sorry, but this part needs to be tightened for proper fitting. Please bear with it a little.”

After finishing putting on the uncomfortably tight clothes, another maid came with scissors to trim my messy hair and applied fragrant oil to neatly style it.

“…It’s done. Please check your appearance in the mirror.”

Looking in the mirror, I saw a rather noble-looking young gentleman staring back at me.

A boy with black hair and dark eyes with a slightly reddish tint, looking awkward as he stared at me.

‘Good heavens, it’s “watashi” in the mirror… Ahem… Sometimes these sudden memories from my past life pop up unexpectedly, which is a bit troublesome.’

Anyway, I looked better than I had expected.

This should be enough to make a fairly good first impression on others.

“Now that preparations are complete, I will guide you to the dining area.”

“Yes.”

“Young Master, please speak down to us. Others might look down on you otherwise.”

“Hmm… It’s still awkward for me, but I’ll try.”

“This level is quite sufficient.”

Following the maid out of the room, we arrived at the dining hall where everyone else had already arrived and was seated in their places.

The Duke sat at the head of the table, with the Duchess sitting expressionlessly on his right, and an empty seat on his left.

That empty seat to the left of the Duke must be mine.

The seating arrangement reflected his intention to treat me as his heir.

Finally, next to the Duchess sat two young girls with red hair similar to hers, looking at me with complex expressions that mixed curiosity and hostility.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

As I took my seat according to the Duke’s instruction, only then did I notice the appetizing food in front of me.

Seeing foods I had never even glimpsed during my time at the orphanage spread out before me, my nostrils flared involuntarily.

Additionally, my adolescent body in full growth began to stimulate my salivary glands like crazy just from smelling the food, and my mouth filled with saliva.

“Gulp…”

I ended up swallowing my drool without realizing it.

Everyone seated probably heard it.

“…You probably haven’t had a proper meal before, so let’s eat first. You can learn dining etiquette and other manners starting tomorrow. For now, just eat comfortably.”

“Thank you.”

With a face flushed from embarrassment, I expressed my gratitude for the Duke’s consideration and began eating as the Duke took the first spoonful of soup.

I wasn’t sure about medieval dining etiquette, but I followed the order in which the other family members used their utensils.

‘Oh, this is really delicious.’

Unlike the watery soup and hard bread at the orphanage, the rich soup full of creamy milk flavors and the soft white bread were so delicious that I could cry.

After emptying the soup bowl completely in an instant, I cut a luscious chunk of steak into bite-sized pieces and put it in my mouth. The savory taste of the meat, the salty tang, and the slowly rising aroma of spices shook my senses.

I worried that I might be eating too voraciously, but the steak I was tasting for the first time was too delicious to care about such things.

Lifting my head slightly to look around, I saw the two girls watching with interest as I wolfed down the food, and beside them, the Duchess was examining me with a gaze as if looking at something dirty and unclean.

‘The Duchess has already decided not to accept me. She doesn’t need to be so guarded; I won’t become the ducal heir anyway…’

Well, if I were in her position and didn’t know the circumstances, I’d also be indignant and angry if an adopted child who wasn’t my own suddenly appeared and became the Duke’s heir.

I had expected not to be welcomed, but facing actual hostility made me realize that life here wouldn’t be easy.

Since it’s virtually impossible to get help with human relationships from the Duke of Normann, I’ll have to somehow make an ally or two within the ducal household.

For now, I should think about how to get along with those two girls who are watching me with interest.

As everyone finished their meal, the Duke focused everyone’s attention and spoke:

“Everyone probably already knows to some extent, but I will make it clear once again: I have adopted Leon as my son and will make him my heir.”

“From this moment on, Leon has been given the surname of Normann and has become Leon de Normann. If I die, he will lead the Normann duchy as the successor to the ducal family.”

“…”

As the Duke finished speaking, the Duchess glared at me with even more anger-filled eyes, then erased her expression and returned to a blank face.

Bang!

“Father! This is strange! He’s not part of our family!”

“That’s right! His hair color is different from ours, and he has a different mother!”

“Tania, Serena, be quiet. From now on, Leon is also part of our family, so don’t show such an attitude.”

“No!”

The girl who appeared to be the second daughter screamed shrilly and stormed out of the dining hall.

“…Tania, go and comfort Serena.”

“…Yes.”

Tania reluctantly answered, still with a very sulky expression.

“…Darling, both Tania and Serena must be in shock, so I’ll go with them.”

“Please do so. Leon, I’ll assign Alfred and a maid to you, so come to my office a little later.”

“Yes, I understand, Fa… Father.”

At my mention of “father,” the Duchess’s eyebrow twitched.

‘Hmm… I should avoid calling him father in front of the Duchess from now on. She looks like she’s about to drown someone.’

Is this how brother Gildong felt when he couldn’t call his father “father”?