He wondered if doing so would hurt the princess of a small country barely mentioned anywhere

Of course, if she grew up and couldn’t wear the clothes she brought from the kingdom, he would be able to recommend new clothes a little more easily.

Anyway, it was a little difficult now.

However, her clothes were too shabby to leave as it is. They didn’t even look properly sized. Presumably, the clothes weren’t specially tailored to her.

Now that the princess only stayed inside, she could wear anything comfortably. However, in a little more time, she would have to go outside as well.

He thought they would probably have to schedule soon….

When it came to that, the kind of clothes she wore was very important.

The aristocrats judge many things shallowly.

He didn’t want Rieta, his responsibility, to be viewed negatively.

“I shall return.”

The Duke was forced to stand up.

Since Rieta wasn’t here at the moment, she wouldn’t be able to order clothes.

“It’s okay, so please come back anytime. I couldn’t be happier if you invite me.”

“I’ll try.”

He said so but wasn’t really confident. He didn’t know how to talk to Rieta about her clothes, and he realized that it was difficult to judge how far he could get involved with Rieta’s life.

He was Rieta Liz’s guardian.

But he was not her father.

The distance between a guardian and a father was farther than he thought, so he was forever mindful of the gap.

‘It isn’t simple.’

Thinking so, he returned to the mansion, but the usually quiet hallways were noisy today. Even though the Duke returned, servants and maids were running around the hall.

Soon, a servant came up and reported the situation urgently.

“Princess Rieta and Master Noel were injured.”

“Hurt? Where are they now?”

“Eastern living room.”

The Duke immediately walked to the eastern living room.

“How did you get hurt?”

“Well, that’s…”

The servant hesitated for a moment, answering with difficulty.

“Young Master Noel asked her to climb a tree with him.”

Climbing a tree?

Well, it was good for children to climb trees.

Aristocrat or not, it was decent exercise.

But that was the case when one wore proper clothing and shoes that fit well.

In the Rieta’s case, it was quite dangerous to do such activities.

Her shoes were old and loose, and her clothes were rather long.

“…He’s too careless.”

The Duke naturally was a bit frustrated with Noel.

If he had looked at Rieta’s clothes at all, shouldn’t he have refrained from asking for her to do such a dangerous thing?

When he arrived at the drawing room pondering about it, he saw two children sitting on a big sofa.

Noel seemed to have a nosebleed, as his nostrils were stuffed with cotton. The doctor carefully touched Noel’s nose.

“Ah, Duke, you’re here.”

“What do you think?”

“Fortunately, Young Master’s handsome nose is fine.”

“I’m glad you didn’t get hurt.”

The Duke’s answer was sincere. When the nosebleed stopped and the situation calmed, he would punish him.

“You must have gotten hurt because you cushioned the girl’s fall.”

The Duke nodded slightly at the doctor’s explanation.

It was a good thing to protect a falling person.

The duke gave his son points for that. Even so, Noel received many more bad scores.

“Princess, are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

Rieta answered bravely in slightly stilted Imperial.

Given that there were no signs of treatment, it seemed that she was not hurt.

The Duke answered, ‘Thank God,’ taking the leaves and grass that remained in her hair.

Anyways, this time he needed to talk to Noel.

Strictly.

“….I’m.”

However, Rieta carefully added another word.

She awkwardly tugged at the hem of her clothes.

“I’m not okay…”

From where she was pointing, the ‘clothes of the kingdom’ were seriously torn.

It seemed to have been torn when she fell from the tree.

“…..!”

The Duke looked at her clothes for a long time and jumped up from his seat, startled.

“That’s a big problem!”

Rieta asked back, “Pardon?”

She was just asking for a needle and thread.

But the Duke didn’t give her time to say anything else.

“I’ll have to get someone to solve this problem right away!”

He ordered the servant right behind him.

“Let Madame Emily come! Right now!

Being so rash was curiously exhilarating.

******