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Chapter 02: No One Said Regression Was a One-Seater

Episode 15

Marianne, beaming with satisfaction, placed a sheet of paper and a set of colored pencils in front of each of us. I quickly picked up a pencil and began coloring. Adrian stared at the paper before him with dull eyes.

"Our Young Grand Duke... have you ever done coloring before, at the Grand Ducal residence?"

"..."

"You just hold the colored pencil like this and color in the empty spaces. Just like Lady Leticia is doing."

The nanny gestured kindly toward me. Adrian's gaze followed, and I flinched for a moment, but then smiled nonchalantly and held up my coloring.

"Yike dis."

Oh, I accidentally lisped at him. But well... I'm six, so it's probably fine? Though, to be fair, even Lucia, whose birthday was later than mine, didn't lisp.

"Lady Leticia is showing you how. Shall we try it too, Young Grand Duke?"

Thankfully, Marianne redirected Adrian's attention to the drawing. The young Grand Duke furrowed his brow and grabbed a colored pencil. Then he began scratching irritably across the page. The watching nanny spoke gently.

"Young Grand Duke, the way to hold a pencil is..."

Grind. I heard his teeth clench.

"I already know."

"Oh my."

He took a deep breath, as if suppressing his anger, and brought the pencil tip to the paper. Scratch, scratch. In the quiet room, the sound of coloring spread lazily. It was some time later that Adrian brushed his hair back.

"...Ha."

"..."

"I'm going mad."

At his irritated voice, I glanced up. In the hand of the Grand Duke who commanded the North was not a sword, but a green colored pencil. His palm, resting on the paper, was already smudged with various colors. The nanny smiled knowingly and soothed him.

"Now, Young Grand Duke. Just color from the edges like Lady Leticia. That's right."

It didn't seem like he was actually struggling with the coloring itself. Adrian's jaw twitched as if he wanted to argue, but he sighed and replied.

"Given the difficulty with fine motor skills, it appears the small muscles aren't fully developed yet."

"Oh my, where did you learn such words..."

Adrian ignored the barely audible murmur and continued moving his pencil. I did the same.

'I don't want to talk...'

If I said anything, he'd latch onto it. I looked up to choose another color—and in that moment, my eyes met Adrian's.

"..."

"..."

Adrian was still looking at me with hostile eyes. Rage, contempt, and... his lips twisted upward.

"...How amusing."

"..."

"Very amusing."

His mocking words made my legs feel weak. But to the nanny's ears, they seemed to mean something else.

"Oh my, really?"

I stared dumbfounded at the beaming nanny. ...Did that really sound like he was having fun? But I was certain that, to her, he didn't look like a languid, fatalistic Grand Duke with a bloody smile—especially with his mosquito-bitten eyelid and the colored pencil smudges on his forehead.

"Then I'll bring a few more sheets. Will you do more too, my lady?"

"Uh? Mmm..."

"Then please wait just a moment. I'll be right back."

Marianne sprang up and left the room before I could stop her. Left behind in the spacious playroom were just me and the five-year-old Grand Duke of the North.

"..."

"..."

After confirming no one else was there, Adrian raised his head and looked at me. His blue eyes fixed on me—one half-covered by a red, swollen lid.

"...Finally alone."

"..."

"Leticia Belando."

His low voice was heavy and calm, unlike a five-year-old's. If an adult heard it, they might secretly laugh at how seriously the little one was trying to act tough...

'That's because they don't know who he really is!'

I swallowed dryly and secretly scanned the room. Hmm, colored pencils... not very sharp, are they? I should clear away anything that could be a weapon...

"I'll keep this short, Leticia Belando."

Adrian crossed his arms and glared at me. He said he'd keep it short, but somehow I felt he'd talk for a while...

"Turn back time. If you do, I'll keep quiet about everything that's happened so far."

Oh, that was short.

Not that we had much to say to each other anyway. If the original Leticia hadn't caused such a commotion, he probably wouldn't even know who I was.

But I couldn't just say "Yes, sir!" even if he asked. Because... I don't know how. So my only option was one response.

"Huh?"

"..."

"Tishy don't understand what Young Duke say."

Yes, I don't know. I'm six, you know? Regression? What's that?

When I spoke with wide eyes, Adrian stared at me silently. What. Why. What. I said I don't know!

"The Imperial Knights couldn't find me for thirteen years. And yet your father found me in just a few days—and you're saying that's a coincidence?"

"..."

"Are you claiming it wasn't you who coaxed your father into bringing me here?"

Perhaps because servants were waiting outside, Adrian's voice didn't rise beyond necessary. I hunched my shoulders and forced a smile.

"Hmm, wha' you talkin' 'bout?"

"..."

"I dunno..."

I trailed off and glanced at him, seeing his small fist clenched. Hmm, he's holding back his anger. But I still don't know.

'It wasn't intentional on my part either.'

Yes, this wasn't my plan. I just wanted to go back in time, get rid of Branda, restore my ruined reputation, get along with my nanny and father, grow up properly, and live independently when I came of age. I had no intention of becoming the head of the household—I just wanted to live peacefully.

"If you return everything to how it was."

Adrian paused briefly, as if about to offer some monumental compensation.

"...I'll marry you."

"Excuse me?"

At the bombshell from his small mouth, I asked in bewilderment. But the Grand Duke before me didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow.

"You were afraid of falling out of favor with His Highness the Crown Prince, weren't you?"

"..."

"If you become the Grand Duchess, His Highness won't be able to treat you lightly. And since you'll be living in the Grand Ducal residence, you won't have to cross paths with him often."

"..."

"I heard you haven't received a single marriage proposal. Do you truly think you'll find a better match than me?"

...Is he seriously trying to bribe me with this?

'I want to live happily with a kind man in a warm place.'

It was true that Leticia Belando had liked Ricardo Esteban, the male lead. But knowing her ending, I had no intention of repeating that plot. And I certainly didn't want to marry a bloodthirsty Grand Duke who was destined to die young.

Besides, even if I could truly "return everything to how it was," there was no guarantee he'd keep his promise.

'I'd be lucky if he didn't lock me up and torture me out of spite.'

No, judging by his glare, that was more likely. I took a deep breath and tilted my head.

"The Crown Prince? The Crown Prince is... older than Daddy."

"..."

"And I, um..."

Just then, a knock came. Was it the nanny? Feeling like I'd been saved, I quickly turned around. But the person entering through the slowly opening door was someone I hadn't expected.

"...Daddy?"

Our eyes met, and Father gave me an awkward smile. Father came to the playroom? The man who never showed his face except at mealtimes?

"Were you having fun playing?"

Father cleared his throat and asked quite warmly. I glanced at Adrian, then quickly jumped off my chair.

"Daddy!"

I ran and Father lifted me up. It was still awkward, but somewhat more natural than this morning.

"Oh my, my lady. You've got colored pencil on your hands..."

The nanny, who had entered behind Father, trailed off worriedly. As if planning to have us do nothing but color all week, she was carrying an armful of paper.

"...It's fine. Clothes can be changed."

Despite Father's words, Marianne wiped my hands with a damp cloth. Father held me and turned to Adrian.

"How are you finding the playtime? I heard the Young Grand Duke was enjoying the coloring very much."

"Hah."

Adrian let out a scoff as if he'd heard something absurd. He was still glaring at me sharply, but cradled in Father's arms, he didn't lunge at me like yesterday.

"But Daddy, the Young Grand Duke keeps saying weird things."

I caught Adrian's flinch. Right, you don't want to go around talking about regression either, do you?

"Weird things? Like what?"

"Hmm, I dunno. He said lotsa hard words an' then he said he wanna marry me..."

"...What?"

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