"They are truly lovely, My Lord. I have two cousins, Ericka and Elijah. Ericka is just five years old, and I have taken care of her since she was five months old. Elijah is fourteen, and he's a bit of a temperamental and mischievous child—you know, puberty."
I told him how I ended up staying with my Aunt because of my Mother's Illness.
I shared some stories with him about the two children.
"Hearing your stories, I couldn't help but think about when my son is still a child, he is such a mischievous kid compared to his older brother. Yet, his mother loved him with all her heart, him and his older brother, of course. There are even times that I would be envious of all the attention they receive from my wife."
I couldn't help but chuckle at what the Duke has said.
Their family must have been such a lovely one.
"Why don't you go home Lady Rose?" I felt my lips get stiff when I heard his question and I simply shook my head.
"I can't go back yet My Lord," I had to find out how to go back to my world first, "I have to earn so I can go back, and I have a contract with Bare Elegance that I have to offer my performances for 4 months before being allowed to leave." I explained and the next words that I heard made my withered heart sprang up to bloom.
"Why don't I buy your contract? So you can go home to your family."
I felt my heart drop.
The thought that there will always be someone kind enough to help me flashed in my head and I couldn't help but tear up once again.
However, I refused his offer because even without the contract I still can't go back to my family.
"Thank you My Lord, but I still have to earn money to give them a good life."
My hands trembled as I heard him say, "You don't need to worry about that. You can only perform a piece for me occasionally in my manor and I'll give you amount of money enough for you to live a decent life for tens of years."
Isn't this too good to be true?
But even with all that money, I would still not be able to bring those money back in my world so it will all be useless. I shook my head once again, "I'm sorry My Lord, I'm really thankful for your thoughtful offer but it's best that I stay here. I would still love to perform some songs for you though."
I heard him sigh which made me smile a little.
Isn't this old man such a thoughtful person?
"I understand, if ever you've changed your mind, here is something I have for you." I felt something in my hand.
When I realized what it was I gasped.
It's some sort of an emblem or an insignia.
A cognizance.
"You can just come in my ducal territory and present that to any knights, and they will escort you to me."
"Thank you." I mumbled once again in a small voice as I felt my eyes getting warm again.
"Thank you, My Lord, I am indebted to you."
""Just think of it as a gift. You are not in any way indebted to me, child. It is my choice to help you."
This time I couldn't help the tears from rolling from my eyes once again.
There are still kind people in this world.
Although I know this is just a world novel, Now I don't want anything to happen in this Kingdom.
It might be an unfamiliar and strange place to me but some people here had given me warmth more than I could ever receive in my own world.
I nodded with tears still streaming down my face.
Who would have thought I 'd receive a gift from a Duke?
"What do you want me to perform for you My Lord?" I asked once after I'd stabilized my emotions.
"It's alright. I can see that you've been emotionally weary from all the crying that you did. That performance is enough for me today." He said with a bit of laughter and I couldn't help but agree.
I couldn't even remember when I last cried in my world.
"Lady Rose," He called with much seriousness in his voice now, "I want you to perform an original song for the wedding, when my second son weds the woman he's looking for. That would be wonderful as you've always made any song such an emotional piece." I couldn't help but hesitate before agreeing, because there might be a chance that I'd be back to my world by the time his son marries.
"I would still pay you Lady Rose if that's what you're hesitating about." I immediately shook my head at his words.
"That is not the reason My Lord, I would even do anything for you without any price. It's just that I might not be here anymore because I might be with my family at that time... and it's quiet far from this kingdom."
"You don't need to worry about that. I'll just send some people to fetch you." I couldn't help but laugh with his statement and eventually nodded.
Maybe I'd still be here.
I just hope his son finds the woman he's looking for so he can immediately get married.
Thinking of his son, I couldn't help but ask, "What's the name of your son My Lord?"
"Oh you might not know that he is my son. He adopted his mother's last name because no one will inherit her grandfather's status as a Viscount. But his name is Allerick Rousselle. He stayed in the capital together with his brother, Alistair Stewart, when he was a child."
"Allerick Rousselle?"
That name sounds familiar.
Suddenly, flashes of images of the novel's pages with his name on them appeared in my mind.
Isn't Allerick Rousselle another character in the novel?
Remembering the scenes where he appeared, I felt my soul left my body when I realized his role.
He was a cannon fodder who fell in love with Elivette Hirsch as she had previously saved him from an accident, and since then had been a shadow of her.
Then is it me that the Duke's son, Allerick Rousselle, had been trying to find all this time?