Delaney smiled wryly, crossing herself coldly, crossing one leg over the other as she looked at Deidrick with a stern look.
The spoiled son of the Duke and Amelia, who inherited their best qualities and was raised with love. Delaney had not forgotten the recent insult she had suffered, and found comfort in taking revenge on the duke-like Daedric.
“Did you receive the souvenir?”
“……”
“I had no intention of giving it to you anyway...”
Delaney ground her teeth in anger. Gemma, who was standing near him, walked up to Deidrick and whispered in his ear:
“Isn't your pride too high, young man?”
She was indicating that he should kneel, but Daedric struggled to remain standing despite his shaky legs. These were the last threads of his dignity. Jemma put her hand on his shoulder and pressed, her sharp nails digging into his skin.
"Yes!"
Daedric clenched his teeth, enduring the pain, but refused to kneel. The Duchess let out a low laugh.
“Ah, so that's why Somerset talked about you that way.”
“If you have something to say—”
Daedric's voice wavered as he tried to speak in a cold tone, while fear gripped him. The event that had occurred that day loomed over him like a giant shadow, ready to swallow him up.
“Do you dare open your mouth in front of me?”
The Duchess continued her speech without turning to Deedric, who looked pale.
"Who could it be? Who else?"
“……”
“Was it the Black Falcon Knight who treated you? It seems that you went to meet him early this morning.”
“……”
"Should I deal with him myself as punishment for cheating on you? He may be a Black Falcon Knight, but poor thing he can't even summon his aura. It won't be hard to get rid of him."
As the threats continued, Daedric's body was trembling ceaselessly, as if he was falling into a deep, dark pit.
'I'm afraid...'
At the moment when he felt like he might suffocate—
'Didi!'
A girl's voice echoed in his mind. It was as if a thin ray of gray light pierced the darkness of the cave.
'I hope Didi finds happiness.'
A bright smile appeared in his mind, and with it a small surge of courage. Although he was still trembling, Daedric spoke his heart.
“D-Duchess, with all due respect… You were the one who allowed me to learn the sword arts if someone was willing to teach me.”
“……”
The Duchess was silent for a moment.
In the past, Delaney had been spreading dirty rumors within the Knights to prevent Daedric from learning the sword arts—that he was arrogant and ungrateful, and treated everyone with disdain. The rumors were effective; None of the Black Falcon Knights wanted to teach him, nor did the White Falcon Knights under her leadership even consider it.
She never expected to be exposed by her own words.
“…Well, like I said, I won’t contradict myself.”
The Duchess stepped back, confident that she could control this little boy whenever she wanted.
She motioned to Jemma, who finally removed her hand from Deidrick's shoulder.
“Where were you last night?”
The sudden question left Daedric confused, but he answered truthfully.
“I was in my room.”
“Axel fell out of bed last night and said he got hit by someone.”
“……”
“He says it was you.”
"… What?"
Daedric's expression was one of genuine bewilderment, his innocence evident. Delaney had not thought he was guilty either.
She knew that Axel and Somerset always blamed Deedric when something bad happened. She was just checking her suspicions.
'As I expected.'
Delaney frowned slightly, annoyed by Axel's constant pleading.
"And Axel's servant released a scorpion into your room. Strangely enough, that scorpion was later found dead in the servants' quarters."
"… What?"
A careful study of Daedric revealed to her that he was so frightened, that he couldn't even hide his expression. His stunned face was proof that he wasn't the one who did it.
'It must be the servant who tried to take revenge on Axel.'
How stupid.
Delaney clicked her tongue, while Deidrick shuddered. Since this matter did not concern her, she quickly changed the subject.
“The Second Prince will visit the Duchy soon. Stay in your room unless I give you permission to go out.”
"……"
"Did you understand?"
"… Yes."
“Okay. You can go.”
Deedric ran from the room like someone running for his life. As she watched his face walk away, Gemma closed the door and approached the Duchess.
“Madame, why did you let him go? Aren’t we supposed to stop him?”
Although Daedric's changes and desire to learn sword arts were obvious, the Duchess decided to ignore them.
“Leave him. He will have to experience the despair of failure if he continues to exert his efforts without achieving results.”
The Duchess looked at the Herpa Academy book on the table with her cold eyes.
“Herpa Academy, right...”
The Duchess smiled wickedly.
—
Finally, I found Daedric.
Unlike Delaney's room, there was no closet in the living room, so I couldn't hide. I walked nervously near the door, unsure of what to do.
Suddenly, the door opened violently, and Deedric ran out, his head lowered, as if he had not noticed my presence.
He ran down the corridor, and I started to chase him from a distance.
'I have to get to his room first!'
But Didi runs fast!
After his meeting with the Duchess, he might not want to show me.
I had to get to the room before he arrived...
How did you run so fast?!
I was panting from exhaustion, and I was relieved when he went straight into the bathroom.
I took advantage, hid in the closet, closed the door, waited and took a deep breath.
“Huh, huh...”
“Ugh... too fast...”
Why didn't I think of hiding in the nearest closet earlier?
After my heartbeat calmed down, I realized that he had spent a long time in the bathroom.
'Is he crying?'
She opened the door carefully and whispered.
“Didi, are you there?”
“……”
"Do you need some time alone? I can go somewhere else if you want."
He didn't answer, so I went back to the closet, but stopped when the bathroom door opened slightly.
His wet black hair was dripping on the floor, his shoulders were hunched, and his head was tilted down.
He tried to smile, but it made his face look even more disfigured.
She took a towel and gently pressed it against his hair, then took his hand.
He shuddered but didn't pull his hand away.
“Let's hide in the closet!”
"… What?"
"quickly!"
You led him to the closet and closed the door. We sat facing each other inside.
“How is it?”
“……”
“You can't hear any noise from outside, right?”
"… Yes."
“Since we're just here together, we can share physical heat. It's warm in here too. The closet is big enough for us to lie down together comfortably, right?”
He laughed a little as he watched me excitedly show off from the closet.
“It's quiet, and it's just between us. You can relax without worrying. No one will see us here.”
“……”
“...So...if it's appropriate, may I give you a hug?”
He hesitated, remaining silent, so I gently wrapped my arms around his head. After a moment, he held my waist tightly, burying his face in my shoulder.
I patted his back softly while he cried silently.
I knew how mentally exhausted he was after he met the Duchess.
Then there's Gemma.
They locked Daedric's mother in the tower, caused her death, and even stole her mementos. Didric had nothing left.
It must have been unbearable for him to share the same space with those who took everything from him in an instant.
More than anything else, Diddy is still very young.
Even adults will find it difficult to bear this burden alone.
“From now on, if something happens, come here to the closet so we can sit together.”
“...together?”
"together."
“…But this locker belongs to you.”
“It only exists because of you. It is our secret hideout.”
Deedric smiled warmly and rubbed his face against mine.
Like a cat.
I stroked his still wet hair.
In the quiet silence that seemed to soothe the soul, Daedric whispered.
“Aren't you going to ask what happened?”
"Yes."
"why not?"
“Because rumors will spread anyway, and I'll hear about it eventually.”
________________________________________
The class brought me pain, my son Dedrick, come and hug you 🫂
Tears of tears, the hero deserves happiness
I don't blame his father for hating his mother because his mother is just a mistress and she is the first wife, but what is his fault for not taking blame? A young child is not to blame for the belittlements of adults, basically on any basis that they treat him in this way, despise him, and humiliate him.
My beloved, Dedrick, deserves the biggest hug in the world 😞
“Pfft…”