That night, the chairman came to see me.

“I heard you had a nightmare. And you’re crying.”

“Yes.”

“Is it because of me?”

The chairman’s eyes were a little moist.

I blew on my cocoa and answered the chairman.

“I’m a bad guy. I’m to blame, and..”

“…….”

“I should have said it softly.”

“Thewe’s one thing you can do for me.”

At my words, the chairman coughed in vain and muttered,

“What?….Why does it connect to that?”

As if my words are absurd, I smiled cutely for him.

The chairman paused and sighed.

“…….just say it.”

“Get a doll and make it a fake identity”

“If it’s a doll… Do you mean a ball jointed doll?”

The ball jointed doll is a magic tool.

It can be used as a substitute of a person by injecting magic or divine power to a doll that looks just like a real human being.

“Commoner, age in their late 20s, the doll will be the one to lead the top of hope.”

“It’s going to cost a fortune. There’s only one type of such magician in the Empire, and it’s hard to find even with Dubbled’s power.”

“I have some mwoney left for defecting.”

“How are you going to defect if you use it?”

“I won’t.”

I stood up and ran over the chairman.

“I’m going to live here now.”

“You’re not going to defect?”

I grinned and said,

“I’m gwoing to make the Dubbled independent from the empire. Where we won’t get the interference of the church and the imperial fwamily.”

“……!”

The chairman’s face hardened.

“It’s not possible. It’s something that everyone, from the first duke to the present duke, aimed for, but no one achieved it. It’s just a meaningless dream.”

“Why is your mouth quivering when you say it’s a dweam?”

He let out a burst of laughter.

“It’s funny to be excited at the word independence even at this age.”

“Isn’t that too hwonest of you?”

The chairman’s eyes glistened as I held the cocoa glass with both hands.

“People who have served in Dubbled are honest but they have a desire of their own. It’s just hypocrites of the empire that call us villains.”

“The doll is going to be a stand in for me until I’m big enwough. Go get it.”

“It seems like my birthday gift from Louis is not a spinel, but you, the little miss.”

The chairman and I looked at each other and laughed like a villain…

***

There was a lot of work to do for my new goal. Fortunately, there were some things that I had completed while preparing for defect.

Funding the top of hope.

a powerful helper…

‘The only thing left is the guard.’

Although Dubbled’s military prowess is excellent, it still lacks the power to counter the imperial family or church in case of emergency.

So I called in Andy.

Upon entering the room, the boy opened his mouth in an overwhelmed expression.

“What kind of room is this…”

I handed out a basket of cookies to him, who muttered in excitement.

“Eat this.”

Andy, who picked up the cookies, glanced at me.

“But what did you call me for…”

“Andy, do you want to lwive here?”

When I asked so, Andy dropped a cookie.

Andy, with his palm outstretched, swallowed several times.

“Wa,wa,wait.”

“Huh?”

“Since when?”

“Since when did you like me? Is it from the moment you gave me bread?”

“What?”

“I, I’m in trouble. She’s cute, but she’s four and I’m thirteen. There’s too much age difference. I’m the scumbag who sees a child as a woman.”

“……”

“You’re really cute, and honestly, I’ve never seen a cute kid like you, but I’m not a pervert–”

…What is he talking about.

“You should be my knwight.”

When I looked at him, Andy, whose face was red as a tomato, asked back, “Huh?”

I won’t cancel the plan to find Zachary. However, it was the second best plan.

‘Even if I find Zachary, he might not be loyal to me.’

But Andy clearly had good feelings for me…

Though weaker than Zachary, his ability was strong enough…

He lead a group of four or five years old, and has driven much stronger adult men.

The strategy he used at that time.

The boldness.

The courage to be in the lead.

I gave him a very high score on all of that.

“I don’t have the money to buy horses and weapons. Who will accepts me as a disciple?”

To be a knight, you need to be more than just being strong.

Horses are very expensive, and it was a very heavy burden for commoners to buy. In addition, they have to buy a usable weapon, and practice it for years as a disciple under a knight.

It must have been a difficult dream for Andy.

“I have a lot of money!”

I showed him the gems such as amber and diamonds that Isaac gave me last time in both hands.

“Are you really going to use me as a knight?”

“Yes, the Dubbled is gwoing to raise you if you become my knwight.”

“Master.”

He shifted his attitude instantly.

‘Well, it’s a good thing. His petty attitude suits the Dubbleds.’

I nodded with satisfaction, and Andy said with a determined look….

“This is when you swear loyalty, right? I know it all.”

It would be the third time someone pledge allegiance to me, which was burdensome at first.

“Andy greets to the lord—“

He suddenly stop and frown. Then he murmured, “Isn’t that too common a name for a knight?”

“Okay, I’ll change my name like a knight from today on.”

He put his knees on the floor and stared at me….

“The knight Zachary greets the lord.”

“…What?”

I looked at him…

“What was that just now?”

“Zachary, isn’t that name just like a knight?”

I looked at Andy, or now Zachary, with a puzzled look on my face…

‘Really?”

Is he really Zachary?

But Andy is so weak! If Andy’s a real Zachary, why couldn’t he fight back at all?

“Why didn’t you stawnd up to my maids last time?”

“Because I can’t hit a woman.”

“You cwied.”

“The situation fits.”

Was it all a ploy?

It’s really amazing…

I was so sad when I couldn’t find Zachary, but Andy is Zachary!

However, it was not Zachary’s fault, so I pressed down on my forehead to calm down my resentment.

I called in Lea.

“Lea, tweach Zachary the sword.”

“Is that child’s name Zachary?”

“Yes, he chwanged it.”

“I see.”

Lea, who nodded, hit Zachary and looked at him.

“Follow me. I’ll teach you the sword.”

Zachary seemed to wonder that why a maid taught the sword, but he followed her.

And that day, Zachary really cried.

***

“It’s better to teach Zachary spears than swords. He have the talent.”

“Okay…”

“Haha, he’s a funny kid. He have big fantasy about how a knight should act in front of others.”

Lea, who has taught Zachary for the past week, laughed, saying,

“Every day has been a series of surprises.”

I looked at Zachary swinging the spear with the commander.

For some reason, I was angry, but I tried to think positively.

‘I have two of the four best knights in my house.’

Isaac and Zachary.

As a joke, they said that if the four people gathered, half of the empire’s power would be helpless.

‘I’ll work hard to grow and use Zachary.’

I made up my mind.

To be the best knight, it seemed like it would take years to raise him properly.

So I asked Seria to make a deal with the mercenaries. Danju was a godly mercenary who was running errands in my past life as a beggar.

‘First of all, I have to raise him.’

The more money, the better, and there was a need for funds that could be used inconspicuously.

‘And until I grow up to some extent, there will be a lot of time left before I can take over, so I should get along well with my family.’

After deciding not to build a wall for the people of Dubbled, it turned out that the people of Dubbled were ordinary father and brothers.

Just an ordinary family who wants to spend time with their daughter and tries to take good care of her.

‘I finally have a family that doesn’t hate me.’

My heart was pounding with joy when I thought so.

I was covering my cheek when I heard a knock.

“The master is looking for you.”

‘Dad?’

I nodded yes and followed the maid.

As I reached the room, I saw Isaac, who is on the sofa, and Henry who is reading a book.

Henry smiled at me and said,

“Good morning.”

Isaac also waved.

“Did you sleep well?”

I also said, “Hi,” and sat between Henry and Isaac.

“Did the dyuke call you too?”

Isaac nodded.

Only

“Yes.”

At that time, Dad came into the living room with Nos.

There were three small boxes in Nos’s hand.

When Dad sat down, Nos put three boxes on the table.

“Open it.”

The three of us opened the box with a curious look.

Click here to be a supporter and get to read 10 chapters ahead of time.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep