Astra Estate.

The Astra bloodline gathered in the great conference hall.

The fourth son, Balderic, looked at the window and then at his father’s back.

‘Damn it.’

He had no idea what his father was thinking.

On the day of the Fertility Festival, Erilot’s monster transformed into a dragon.

A steel raven turning into a dragon. Something unheard of, unseen.

Opinions on this were divided.

— The steel raven turning into a dragon was a coincidence.

— The mysterious power of the Fertility Festival transformed the steel raven into a dragon.

— Erilot Astra transformed the monster into a dragon.

The last opinion was the most serious.

The hot-tempered fifth son, Sylvain, shouted.

“With something this big happening, how can you just stand there, Father!”

Sylvain slammed the table roughly and continued.

“It’s not just anything — it’s a dragon. A dragon!”

What kind of creature was a dragon?

A monster humans couldn’t defeat.

A being close to the realm of gods.

A rare creature, only three remaining worldwide.

And now a new dragon appeared. Tamed by a human...!

Sylvain frowned.

“What does Brother Daymond say? Huh? With all this chaos, why hasn’t he even shown his face?”

Balderic twisted his mouth.

“He went to see the estate in the capital. With his— that impressive daughter.”

“Crazy. Father! You must call Daymond back at once. You can’t just let Erilot wander like that.”

Balderic and Sylvain, in sync, raised their voices.

“What if a child with power as great as Erilot’s is left outside and taken away?”

“More importantly, why is Daymond still the one keeping Erilot? With that much power, the family should own her—”

Vasilie, Dionera’s mother, frowned.

“How can you treat a person like property...”

“That’s not the point, sister. I agree with Balderic and Deconz. Honestly...”

Hernan, the youngest son of the Duke, frowned.

“Daymond’s intentions are suspicious, aren’t they? He should have brought Erilot to Father first and bowed his head, saying ‘This power should be managed by Father.’”

Most of the second generation shouted that Erilot should be taken away from Daymond.

Such power — what kind of power was it?

While Balderic and Sylvain grumbled, someone spoke up.

“Wow, Erilot’s status is completely different from before. Those who’ve fallen out of her favor are going to have a hard time.”

Ha ha ha!

They laughed at the joke.

The faces of the second generation nobles who had ignored Erilot turned pale.

‘Wait, wait...’

What if Erilot bore a grudge?

Balderic, who called her a thief.

Sylvain, who blamed her during the late princess incident.

And those who dismissed her as filthy blood — their complexions went ghostly pale.

They all simultaneously recalled.

Erilot growing like a mountain, roaring “Kraaaaah!” and breathing fire.

‘Hic!’

Deconz swallowed dryly.

“When Erilot pushed Liantin at age three, I got mad... but now they’re friends! She won’t do anything to me, right?”

.

.

The meeting ended, and the second generation hurried off.

Some grabbed communication stones and shouted.

[What are you saying?]

“So, is Roneina not close with Erilot? Tell her to get along. No, send her to the capital right now!”

[What on earth...]

In the meeting room, Marquis Debussy, who stayed behind to watch, shook his head.

“A dragon? Feels like I’m dreaming. Duke. What will you do now—”

He looked at the Duke.

Then,

“Khahahaha!”

— He laughed with an expression the Duke had never seen before.

“Duke?”

“I thought he’d do at least one thing right! Fine, fine! Isn’t he my blood!”

The Duke’s communication stone was lit up.

Those who had been weighing between the Emperor and him started to prostrate themselves.

Of course, all because they were desperate to see Erilot at least once.

Daymond’s mansion in the capital.

[...So the meeting ended inconclusively.]

I heard everything about the Astra Estate’s situation from Conrad.

“Hah!”

I couldn’t help but snort.

I had expected the blood relatives to have such discussions about me.

Those greedy bastards would never just leave the dragon alone.

That’s why we came to the islands as if running away.

‘The bloodline might try to “own” me as family property.’

Han Ji-hyuk, who was listening beside me, frowned with displeasure.

“Why don’t you just wipe all those bastards out with Lagon?”

Could that be done?

I looked at Han Ji-hyuk with a dull gaze.

Conrad probably heard that too, sighing over the communication stone.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s not that easy.”

I clicked my tongue.

Fight the family with the dragon’s power?

Fine, that’s all good.

But then?

‘Everyone in the world will fear me.’

The royal family too.

Other noble houses.

Fear would subtly make me a public enemy.

‘The ending is obvious.’

So, dismiss it.

I crossed my arms ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ and asked Conrad.

“So who claimed that I should be owned by the family?”

[Balderic, Sylvain, Hernan, and Bastina too...!]

Conrad rattled off the names like a snitch.

He must have been so frustrated listening to those claims at the factory.

‘Well, even I got a headache just hearing about it.’

Conrad must have been even worse, having to listen directly.

[They made a whole lot of nonsense speeches.]

“Alright, alright. Thanks for listening.”

I comforted Conrad and thought.

‘Balderic, Sylvain, Hernan, and Bastina, huh?’

Not a surprising list.

I memorized them firmly in my head.

How dare they even think that.

‘They’re all dead.’

“Ah, nothing from Grandpa’s side?”

[No.]

Okay. That’s enough for now.

“Got it. Keep me updated.”

[Understood.]

With that, I ended the communication.

Han Ji-hyuk, who had been waiting for me to finish, tapped the table.

On the table, invitations were piled high like a mountain.

“They’re all yours.”

Ugh.

Nobles must respond to invitations.

Whether they go to the garden or not, replying is proper etiquette.

‘Usually that’s the nanny’s job.’

A noble’s nanny takes care of the child’s affairs until they’re seventeen.

But I have no nanny right now.

That means?

I have to write replies to all these invitations myself.

“When am I supposed to finish all this...”

“Cheer up.”

Han Ji-hyuk’s words sounded like comfort, but his lips curled in a smirk.

How spiteful.

I pouted and pressed my cheek against the table.

‘I really need someone to do this for me.’

It wasn’t important work, just simple labor, so it felt like a waste of my time.

And the invitations would only increase, never decrease.

‘Right, I should find a nanny.’

I snapped my head up.

I couldn’t find a nanny immediately, and I had to send replies quickly.

By the time I finished responding, it was pitch dark outside.

Night had fallen without me noticing.

Dad and my brothers returned to the mansion, looking exhausted.

They’d been harassed nonstop since arriving in the capital.

Well, would nobles just leave them alone?

It was like a golden leash was wrapped around them.

They’d try anything to catch them.

“It was easier at the estate.”

Balzac flopped onto the sofa, sighing.

When we were at the Astra Estate, we rarely got invitations like these.

After all, what cadet branch would invite the main branch?

It was like Liantin inviting the Empress Dowager to her party.

‘The direct lines exchanged invitations among themselves... we weren’t involved.’

Daymond’s territory nobles were rude and didn’t invite us to parties.

Thanks to that, it was really comfortable.

“Why are there so many club invitations? Do capital nobles just eat and go to clubs?”

Balzac complained, lifting the pile of invitations begrudgingly.

Girls usually played at salons; boys mostly hung out at clubs.

He started reading the club names on the envelopes one by one.

“Horseback riding club, billiards club, poker club, fencing club... ‘A club for warmly watching rabbits’? Are you crazy?”

Balzac exploded with anger and tossed the invitations aside.

Joshua’s situation was no different.

“Reading club, transcription club, magic research club... ‘A club for advancing the rights of second sons’?”

Joshua’s face twisted.

“I’m not a second son, so why do I get invitations like this?”

Watching him mutter in disbelief made me laugh.

And Rishmond...

He quickly hid an invitation behind his back when our eyes met.

Balzac didn’t miss that.

“What’s this? Some weird club?”

He snatched the invitation from Rishmond’s hand.

And quickly read the writing on the envelope.

“‘Catherine J. who wants to be your baby kitten?’”

“......”

“What? That wasn’t a club invitation?”

“Give it here.”

Rishmond frowned and warned, but Balzac grinned like it was hilarious.

“No way~”

Balzac started running away.

“Hey!”

Rishmond chased after Balzac, but Joshua subtly blocked Rishmond.

Meanwhile, Balzac opened the letter and began reading.

“When I saw you near Everitt Street, I felt destiny’s call. Ah, those ruby eyes. I knew it at first sight.”

“Shut up!”

“You, hurt by the world, closing your heart... with a fragile heart like a baby kitten—Bro, baby kitten?”

Balzac snickered.

“Give it back!”

Swish, snap!

In an instant, Rishmond disappeared and reappeared in front of Balzac.

“Uh?”

Rishmond grabbed the letter from Balzac.

Then.

Shred, shred!

He tore it into pieces beyond recognition and threw it into the fireplace.

The letter instantly turned to ashes and disappeared.

Joshua chuckled softly at the scene.

“Baby kitten.”

Rishmond glared irritably at Balzac, the culprit of this mess.

Balzac just shrugged with a smirk.

“You, come to the training grounds.”

“Oh, scary. Such a scary baby kitten~”

“...Do you want to die?”

Rishmond and Balzac started bickering.

These guys were no joke with their strength, so it was chaos.

Dad, sitting at the head seat, frowned.

“Stop making noise and sit down.”

Balzac shrugged and sat.

Dad looked at Rishmond.

“You too. Baby kitten.”

“......”

Gnash.

‘Wow... his teeth are going to fall out.’

The grinding was so fierce I worried about Rishmond’s dental health.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen Rishmond like this.’

Apparently everyone felt the same because Michelan, who was attending nearby, chuckled quietly.

Glancing around, the other servants Michelan had hired were silently smiling as well.

Rishmond seemed aware of this and blushed.

I clapped my hands to settle the situation.

“You shouldn’t tease your brother, Balzac, Joshua.”

“I wasn’t teasing...”

At my rebuke, Balzac stammered, trying to explain.

“If not teasing?”

“Uh, um... just playing, just playing.”

Unlike Balzac, Joshua smiled softly, looking apologetic.

“Yeah. Sorry.”

The twins, called the crazy colts of the Astra Estate, were very quiet around me.

I nodded at Joshua’s apology.

Then looked at Dad.

“You too, Dad.”

“Sorry, Rishmond.”

Dad apologized to Rishmond without hesitation.

In the end, Rishmond reluctantly sat down.

And gave me a smile. A very gentle, warm smile.

“Thank you, Erilot.”

“This is nothing. Baby kitten.”

“......”

Pft. Heh. Pfft!

Suppressed laughter burst out here and there.

Rishmond sighed, resigned, saying nothing.

Sorry.

But it was just too funny!

Thinking it better to change the subject, Rishmond said to Dad.

“Don’t you think Erilot needs a nanny?”

“A nanny?”

“Yes. She’ll start social activities, and we don’t have a lady of the house.”

I had been thinking the same today.

‘I don’t want to spend the whole day just writing replies.’

My wrist still hurt from writing so much.

Dad seemed to agree, nodding.

“Hmm... Michelan, find a suitable nanny for the young lady.”

Michelan bowed at Dad’s order.

“I was going to report on this anyway, Duke. A lady was recommended as a nanny for the young lady.”

“By Father?”

“Yes. I checked, and she’s a former palace maid, a well-known lady among the nobles.”

Oh, if she’s that kind of person, she’ll definitely be helpful.

She’d know the royal court well, the noble factions, and have excellent etiquette — perfect.

Dad seemed to think the same, nodding.

“That sounds good. Then you go meet her.”

“Yes.”

“Her name?”

“Lady Asha.”

“What?!”