The child's face was bright red, flustered beyond words. It was undeniably adorable.
But the maids who had reduced him to that state were another matter entirely.
It's fine when I'm the one bullying him... but I can't stand it when someone else does.
"Leave."
"Pardon?"
"I won't repeat myself. Get out while I'm still asking nicely. Now."
"Y-Yes, Lady."
Startled by the icy expression on my face and the chill in my voice, the maids hurriedly fled the drawing room.
The door shut behind them.
Silence settled over the room.
The child still sat with his head lowered, his face and ears crimson. At the end of his downcast gaze, his cream-smeared fingers fidgeted helplessly.
"...Sigh."
The moment my sigh escaped, his shoulders jerked.
Suppressing another sigh that threatened to follow, I reached a hand toward his navy-blue hair.
Flinch!
Rant squeezed his eyes shut and instantly curled into himself.
The reaction startled me more than it did him.
I withdrew my hand and simply watched.
His face was hidden behind his arms, his small body curled into a trembling ball.
There was only one explanation.
Has he been beaten?
I didn't know what kind of life Rant had lived until now.
But one thing was obvious.
It had never been a kind one.
"...This is troublesome."
Without thinking, I tapped my fingers against the table.
At the sound, he shrank even further into himself.
The image of Ttorong—my old dog, curled up and whimpering whenever he was hurt—overlapped perfectly with the child before me.
This really is troublesome...
"...Sigh."
In the end, I let the sigh out.
I hadn't intended to become deeply involved with anyone in this life.
But...
I couldn't simply pretend not to see this.
Well... keeping one child by my side isn't going to change much.
Following where my heart led me, I gently rested my hand atop Rant's head.
His trembling traveled through my palm.
Patiently, I stroked his navy hair, waiting for him to calm down.
It was softer than silk.
Pleasant to the touch.
...
I didn't know how much time had passed.
Eventually, the trembling stopped.
Leaning closer, I whispered into his ear.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Grrr...
As if it had been waiting for exactly that question, his stomach answered for him.
The tips of his ears, which had only just begun to calm, turned scarlet again.
"Will you look at me?"
I lightly tapped those rose-red ears.
Instead of lifting his head, he buried his face even deeper between his knees.
"Oh dear. I'm not used to being rejected."
I smiled teasingly.
"If you won't show me your face... I might just leave."
I paused.
"And perhaps I'll never come here again."
The instant the words left my mouth, his tightly curled body froze.
"Should I go?"
He shook his head violently.
He still refused to raise his face, but the answer couldn't have been clearer.
I'd already known he liked me.
Rant never ran over to greet me or acted openly affectionate.
But every time I visited the annex, his eyes never left me.
Those gentle dark brown eyes followed me everywhere...
Like a puppy watching its owner.
Just like my own dog.
I cupped his head with both hands and slowly lifted it.
His face obediently rose with my hands.
"Ah..."
"..."
Not understanding why, his small lips parted as mine had.
I scooped a bit of cream from his cheek with my finger and slipped it into his open mouth.
"...!"
"It's good, isn't it?"
His brown eyes widened.
Before he could recover, I pushed an entire piece of cream-covered cake into his mouth.
"...!"
His eyes remained perfectly round as he quickly covered his mouth with both hands.
"What? Is it not tasty?"
He shook his head.
"Then why are you covering your mouth?"
Instead of answering, Rant's eyes darted around nervously before he lowered his head again.
Just before he looked down, I caught him glancing toward the closed door.
As though he were afraid of someone standing behind it.
"Rant."
He looked up at my voice.
Deliberately, I licked the cream from my finger.
His face instantly turned pale.
He kept looking back and forth between me and the door, as though expecting someone to burst in and scold me at any moment.
But despite his fears...
The door remained firmly shut.
"Shall I punish them?"
"..."
"You saw it, didn't you? They were trembling just because I spoke."
Confusion filled his brown eyes.
"If you want..."
I whispered softly, almost like the devil tempting someone into sin.
"I'll punish them for you."
Rant's face crumpled.
He shook his head.
"Why?"
"They laughed at you."
He shook his head so hard it practically hummed.
"If someone does something wrong, they deserve punishment."
I smiled.
"And treating you badly in this house is a very serious mistake."
"...It... hurts."
"What?"
It was the first time I'd ever heard Rant's voice.
I already knew he wasn't mute because of what had happened in my previous life.
Still...
Since arriving here, he hadn't spoken a single word.
"...It hurts."
I quietly gathered his trembling body into my arms.
Warm tears slowly soaked into the front of my dress.
His speech was slow.
Halting.
But every word struck straight into my heart.
"I-If... they get... punished..."
His voice broke.
"They'll... hurt..."
"...I understand."
I gently patted his small back.
"If you don't want it, I won't punish them."
His tiny shoulders shook.
"Rant..."
I smiled softly.
"You're such a kind child."
The dam finally burst.
His quiet sobs became loud, heartbreaking cries.
For a moment, I heard commotion outside the drawing room.
But no one came in.
They must think I'm the one bullying Rant.
I didn't care what they thought.
Nor did I care what misunderstandings they had.
Right now...
The only thing that mattered was the child crying his heart out in my arms.
And his tears...
They filled me with anger.
It's about time I cleaned house.
The fact that they openly ignored Rant even while I was with him meant only one thing.
Everyone in this mansion looked down on him.
First things first.
I need to get everything my little puppy needs.
"Go on."
I stroked his back.
"Cry until you've let everything out..."
"My little puppy."
My...
Puppy.
For the first time in this world...
I had something that belonged to me.
The gentle sound of tea being poured echoed loudly through the suffocating silence.
"Then I shall leave you to your conversation."
With movements as flawless as those in an etiquette manual, the butler placed teacups before both the Marquis and me before quietly stepping back to his master's side.
The Marquis didn't spare me a glance.
He simply lifted his teacup.
Being handsome really does make everything look like a painting.
Even an ordinary white porcelain cup somehow looked elegant in his hand.
Its simple design matched his deep navy hair perfectly.
Then again... considering this is a marquis's household, maybe that plain-looking cup is actually priceless.
"What is it?"
I had been lost in pointless thoughts.
By the time I looked back, the Marquis had already set down his cup and was staring directly at me.
Sharp, slightly upturned eyes.
A jawline carved as if from marble.
A proud nose.
Thin, masculine lips.
They say blood never lies.
Adult Rant, as I remembered him, had looked almost exactly like the Marquis.
This time... I'm absolutely not raising him into another block of ice.
The Rant I had known had been even colder and more expressionless than his father.
Just imagining those innocent, round brown eyes turning into such lifeless ones made me frown.
"I asked what you wanted."
One of the Marquis's eyebrows rose.
I picked up my teacup and emptied it in one gulp.
The hot tea rushed down my throat and warmed my stomach.
Within moments, the chill had left my body.
Unlike the Marquis, who had quietly set down his cup without making a sound, I slammed mine onto the table.
Clack!
"I need teachers."
His eyebrow twitched again.
He glanced toward the butler standing behind him.
"Young Lady already has instructors in etiquette, culture, history, mathematics, theology, and many other subjects."
The butler wasn't wrong.
I had plenty of teachers.
The problem is that I never actually listen to them.
Although the Marquis had hired instructors for nearly every subject imaginable, he showed almost no interest in my education.
Well... it's not as though he was interested in anything about me.
No matter how distinguished the instructors were, none dared discipline the daughter of the Marquis.
Most spent their time trying to stay on my good side.
The few who had genuine passion either resigned in frustration...
Or were driven out by me.
In other words... I don't have a single real teacher.
After hearing the butler's explanation, the Marquis looked back at me.
His face remained as unreadable as ever.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
But strangely...
I didn't think he intended to refuse me.
At some point, the butler had silently refilled both our teacups.
This time, I lifted mine with perfect elegance and savored the fragrance before speaking.
"I want the best teachers in every field."
"Why?"
"To educate someone."
The Marquis froze halfway through lifting his cup.
For the first time, genuine confusion flickered in his blue eyes.
He slowly set the cup back down.
"And who would that be?"
"Rant."
The butler behind him visibly flinched.
A faint crease appeared between the Marquis's brows.
"What are you planning?"
"Exactly what I said."
I met his gaze without wavering.
"I need the finest teachers to educate Rant."
His unreadable eyes bored into mine.
I returned the stare.
"And dismiss all of my current tutors."
The crease between his brows deepened.
I quietly placed my teacup back onto its saucer without making the slightest sound.
The years I'd spent as Empress hadn't been wasted.
Even in the body of a child, every movement I made was graceful and natural, flowing like water.
"I trust you'll grant my request."
I'd said everything I needed to.
The Marquis remained silent, apparently lost in thought.
I stood and turned toward the door.
"Why?"
His voice stopped me.
I paused without turning around.
"Why are you taking an interest in that child?"
When I looked back, his blue eyes were fixed squarely on mine.
"Because..."
I smiled.
"He's mine."
"...What?"
The Marquis frowned.
Clearly, he didn't understand.
I beamed at him.
"I can't tolerate anyone looking down on my puppy."
"So I'm going to make him the very best."
"I hope you'll cooperate."
I intended to make Rant into the next Marquis Elient.
And for that...
No investment would ever be too much.
Right now, he was only a small, adorable puppy.
But one day...
My puppy would grow into a beast that no one would dare underestimate.
And House Elient...
Would become the wings that allowed that beast to soar.
Just imagining raising my puppy into such a magnificent beast sent a thrill through me.
The thought alone brought a smile to my face.
Well... since I've been given another life... surely I'm allowed to do at least one thing exactly the way I want.
The fact that the one I've chosen happens to be Rant... well, that's simply his fate.
Of course... before anything else...
I need to thoroughly brainwash him into believing one very important truth.
"Big Sister is the sky."
