Chapter 09-The Unwelcomed Person

It was dinner time at the Duke's Household.

The first wife, Madam Alysson, and the second wife, Madam Garcy, Kale, and Anishina, were gathered.

The Duke waited until the dinner was served before he started to speak.

"I have an announcement to make."

Everyone looks at him. The news of the triumphant return of the Duke from the Mystical Forest spread like wildfire in the kingdom. It's the first in history that a non-mage returned alive after entering the man-eating jungle. Even mages of the empire don't dare to enter the place without prior preparation.

The Duke's entry to the forest because of his ill daughter became a heartwarming story, and it travels to every corner of the kingdom.

Everyone in the family knew about the news of the Duke, including what he brought to their household.

They all paid attention to the Duke and waited for him to continue.

"As you all know, I just came out from the Mystical Forest to look for the Arcan Plant, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to find it. Though I'm pretty sure that all of you already knows that I had brought with me a girl, and I'm planning to have her become my official adopted daughter."

Madam Garcy, who was quietly listening, smiled then looked at Anishina, signaling her to speak. The latter then opens her mouth to speak.

"Father, we all know that you have a good heart and like helping out everyone who needs help but isn't it too much to give her so much. I heard that you even allowed her to stay at the Moon Palace. I hope that you can reconsider."

"My Lord," Madam Garcy followed. "You only meet her for a short period. I suggest that you do a thorough background check on her."

The first wife, Madam Alysson, just listened silently and waited for the Duke to speak.

Gerald smiled at them and answered."I do understand all your concerns, and I also need to clarify something. I am not that girl's benefactor. It was her that helped me out. So, I'm just returning the favor."

"She helped you out?" Madam Garcy asks with some puzzlement. "How did she help you? I'm sure that we can return the favor through other means, right?"

"That is something that you don't need to concern yourself."

Madam Garcy's face stiffened when she heard the Duke's response.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"And I already made my decision."

Kale suddenly frowns. But keep his silence. Anishina, on the other hand, voiced out her complaint.

"Father, let's just say that she became your adopted daughter and become part of Harrington but isn't she a bit unfilial? It's our dinner time, and we're supposed to meet her, but she's not even around."

Gerald smirked as he drank his wine."You don't need to meet her. And with regards to her background, I already had it checked, and she is just an ordinary lady." He lied through his mouth with a straight face.

He then added.

"Also, I'm not asking for your permission; I'm just letting you know."

The dinner falls into silence after hearing this. Madam Garcy was silently gritting her teeth, and a sinister look flashed through her eyes.

She was tired of getting the Duke's attention from his first wife and ill daughter alone. And now there was an additional one with a dark background. She was really infuriated.

Unknown to them, a small bird outside the window was quietly listening to their conversion. Then, a while later, it silently flew away.

The next day.

Louise was silently eating her fill while Gerald was observing her. Finally, after a brief silence, he started a conversation.

"You are the first person that I have to bring and serve food; even my wives don't have that kind of privilege."

Louise drank her wine first before she answered him.

"Thank you for the honor, old man."

"Father," he corrected her.

Louise silently rolled her eyes. She finished the last piece of her food before she casually spoke.

"Seems like your second family doesn't like an additional baggage in your residence."

Duke Gerald looks up at her but is seemingly not too shocked that she knows the hostility of his second family towards her.

"You have to expect it. I suddenly brought a girl with an unknown background to my house and gave her the privilege they can't even have. So tell me, should they be welcoming you?" He responded.

"That make's sense, but that's not the case for your first wife, I presume. In addition, you already told them that I only have an ordinary background," she responded.

The Duke sighed, "This is an ordinary occurrence in my household. I know that you don't want to be bothered, but I can't assure you that you will not be inflicted."

Louise just shrugged her shoulder.

"As I have mentioned before, it is not my business to deal with your family matter. That is something that you have to handle. But I will give you a heads up that I will not be forgiving if they mess with me. Okay?"

"Got it." Gerald simply nodded.

Then she saw him pull out something from his sleeves and push it towards her. She noticed that it was a black medallion with a symbol of the Duke on it.

She grabbed it and asked him, "This is?"

Cough.

"Now that you are part of my family, as my adopted daughter, at least you have to have your own allowance. This medallion has no spending limit, but I know you are a miser, so I trust you can use it wisely."

She played it on her hands before keeping it and looked up to the Duke with a beaming smile.

"Thank you for your generosity, Father."

The Duke twitch his mouth.

"And about my daughter..."

"Oh, that, of course. I'm a person with a word. I'll take care of it." she smiled.

The Duke nodded. Louise saw that Gerald stood up and turned to leave. He was about to reach the door when he suddenly paused and turned his head towards her.

"May I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"The Mage who inflicted the curse magic to my daughter, do you think you can easily lift it?"

She looked at him and placed one of her hands on her cheek, and answered.

"The Mage who can be on par with me is but a few, and in the Green Kingdom, the number of those Mages is close to zero. ", She said confidently. "So you can rest assured, I'll definitely cure your daughter."