TSMMT Ch 12

The Gift Trade

Dianna expected him to stare like a wild beast and show aggression just like their first meeting, but he remained completely still.

She stared at her monster. Under the pale blue moonlight of early morning, the girl lowered her head like a mask. She stepped closer to him.

His gaze, fixed on her from his battered face, remained entirely clear and calm.

She reached toward the restraint around his thin neck. Magic formed the slave's collar. Only the heads of each house held the key to unlock it. She toyed with the blue bell hanging from the leash, which looked like a tiny bell, for a long time.

The cruel magic triggered whenever a slave showed aggression toward a master or when a master wished to punish them. It was utterly horrific. The young Dianna of the past and the Dianna of the present shared this exact thought.

She wanted to unlock it this instant, but unfortunately, her father always carried the key. Her past success in freeing him had been a stroke of pure luck; her father had left the mansion without the key for the first time in years.

[Dianna] "It must have hurt a lot."

My monster. Your revenge succeeded. After all, I now understand a tiny fraction of the suffering you endured.

You made me experience the misery of wearing a collar rather than the physical pain of a beating. That is why I pity your current self so deeply.

Guiscard raised his head and locked eyes with her at her words. The round-cheeked girl kept her eyes cast down, continuously stroking the neck of the boy who grew taller than her.

[Guiscard] "What do you know?"

Those were the first words to escape his lips after a long silence.

[Dianna] "You're right. Even pretending to understand is a deception to you."

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "Even so, despite everything, I want to walk the righteous path."

A harsh crack fractured his expression. A foolish girl uttering righteous words despite being the oppressor—that was undoubtedly how she appeared to him. Yet she absolutely wanted to tell him this.

[Dianna] "Because right now, you have done nothing wrong."

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "Just remember that."

Guiscard maintained a confused expression at her words. It was a complete riddle to him.

---

To speak of her father, Duke Brienne, he was a typical political noble.

However, his life had not been smooth either. Due to the mistakes of generations of previous family heads, the house hovered on the brink of bankruptcy. Consequently, he swallowed his family pride and barely restored his fortune by marrying the daughter of a wealthy merchant who bought a low-ranking noble title.

Only honor remained. The Duke did everything within his power to win the trust of the royal family. Ultimately, he became the political mentor to the King of Panborough and established his house as one of the most prominent ducal families.

Although he married a merchant's daughter to save his family from ruin, they had three children together. He never expressed affection openly, yet he deeply cherished his family.

When his wife fell ill, he panicked and brought her every premium medicine he could find, remaining by her side until her final breath. In her memories, despite his blunt nature, he occasionally placed a hand on her head to praise her.

The only love he knew how to give his children was by providing them with the absolute best. A luxurious mansion, the finest education, clothes tailored from premium fabrics, and a bed filled with soft goose feathers—he provided everything.

Yet Duke Brienne wanted his children to appear as extraordinary as his brilliant family line. Dianna understood this completely. He educated her severely, commanding her to hide her grief and live like true nobility. She knew his harshness stemmed from a desire to protect her from any contempt for being a merchant's daughter.

A man more aristocratic than anyone, yet occasionally simple; a man who opposed slavery, yet brought home the very slave who would destroy his lineage. Her father was always such a contradictory man.

[Duke] "Dianna, are you listening to me?"

Why did Father, who possessed such a gentle side, bring Guiscard home that day?

Even if the King granted him as a slave, why did he leave Guiscard in such a horrific state.......

[Duke] "Dianna."

[Dianna] "Yes, Father."

Despite her polite response, a deep frown lined his brow.

[Duke] "Daydreaming won't solve anything. Focus."

[Dianna] "I am sorry."

[Duke] "Didn't you tell me with your own mouth to throw that slave away?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Duke] "Yet now you bring that slave into your bedroom? It is a blessing that you are still young, but I refuse to imagine what scandalous rumors might spread."

[Dianna] "I will order the household servants to keep their mouths shut."

[Duke] "Dianna! How dare you!"

[Dianna] "You always told Brother that we must face what we fear and crush it. I intend to follow that teaching. I want to rid myself of this uneasy feeling."

An exaggerated, bright smile crossed her face.

Staring at her face that demanded immediate praise, Duke Brienne fell silent.

[Dianna] "You have yet to give me my twelfth birthday present, Father."

[Duke] "……."

[Dianna] "Give me that slave."

[Duke] "I am sorry, Dianna, but I intend to use that slave for your brother. I planned to use him as a whipping boy. He is not your toy."

She lowered her gaze.

Duke Brienne remained resolute. Besides, a whipping boy? Her brother Emil was an incredibly poor student. She dismissed the thought.

[Dianna] "I will do my best to fulfill Mother's role as well."

[Duke] "……."

[Dianna] "I will manage everything perfectly so you won't feel her absence."

[Duke] "……."

[Dianna] "I own nothing of my own."

[Duke] "I was unaware that the clothes you wear don't belong to you."

[Dianna] "Father!"

[Duke] "Don't act like a spoiled child! Furthermore, fulfilling your mother's duties is your natural obligation."

[Dianna] "I will attend Her Highness the Princess' birthday party."

The Duke's expression shifted to complete confusion at her words, his face demanding to know how she discovered the news.

It made perfect sense. Around this exact time in her past life, her father had proposed visiting the palace once more for this very matter. Of course, Dianna had refused back then because the Queen had ridiculed her.

The Princess felt uncomfortable around men. To be precise, she feared them. She had nearly lost her life to a male assassin once. Consequently, the King faced a dilemma, unable to present gifts or speak with her directly.

[Duke] "You…… you will do this?"

[Dianna] "Yes."

[Duke] "Well, I never……"

Confusion clouded Duke Brienne's face. After all, his only options were to bring a noblewoman as his partner or a trustworthy woman from his vassals, but both choices would spark scandalous rumors of remarriage.

In the past, Mirva had accompanied him. Although her family had faced complete ruin, she was still a noblewoman.

That must have been how Mirva won his trust.

Dianna let out a heavy sigh.

[Dianna] "Please trust me, Father."

She pleaded with desperation. Duke Brienne stared at her for a long time before a smile finally broke across his face.

[Duke] "Very well, then."

She refused to remain idle simply because she was twelve and lacked power. If she lacked the authority to free Guiscard, she needed to grasp that authority as quickly as possible. She absolutely had to prove to her father that she was no ordinary twelve-year-old. Only then could she seize control of the mansion.

---

[Mirva] "This is insane!"

Mirva fumed, her face flushing crimson. Glaring venomously at the maid who delivered the news, she hurled her teacup.

Crash!

The snow-white cup shattered into pieces.

[Mirva] "What are you doing? Clean this up immediately!"

The maid quickly turned away at her sharp command.

[Mirva] "That timid girl is going to attend? Seriously?!"

[Maid] "Yes……."

The maid stopped cleaning and nodded. At that sight, murderous intent flooded Mirva's face. A sharp crunch echoed, followed by a spray of blood.

[Maid] "Agh! Ahhh!"

The maid screamed. Mirva stomped directly on the hand holding the broken glass shards. The intense pain left the maid speechless. One wrong move, and she would face a brutal whipping in the punishment room.

The expensive teacups belonging to the ducal house and the precious tea leaves all belonged to Mirva. In the absence of a proper mistress, Mirva reigned as the queen of the Brienne mansion. The true mistress, the young lady, remained young and powerless. Furthermore, Mirva was……

[Mirva] "I knew she was getting on my nerves lately!"

She shrieked. No maid dared to challenge Mirva's absolute authority. Even when the young lady grew up, Mirva had no intention of sitting idly by.

Mirva gritted her teeth. Dianna Brienne was a timid girl who lacked assertiveness. Controlling a child like her was child's play. Mirva expected that showing maternal warmth to the girl grieving her mother would make her obedient.

She lifted her foot from the maid's hand.

[Mirva] "Oh dear, my apologies."

[Maid] "……."

[Mirva] "Make sure you clean up that blood properly."

She sat down, watching the whimpering maid.

She knew all about the Princess' situation. Because of it, she expected to be the one traveling to the royal palace. It was her golden opportunity. Yet, in the end, that brat snatched her chance away.

[Mirva] "Unlucky brat, just like her mother."

Dianna's mother and Dianna were identical in their irritating nature, casually stealing her opportunities.

What on earth was the Duke thinking? She had urged him to punish the girl over the slave matter, yet he granted her permission to attend the party instead.

[Mirva] "Ah, I just had a wonderful idea."

She nodded. The maid looked up at her with anxious eyes.

[Mirva] "We must dress our young lady in her absolute finest for the royal palace. It will be best to use that accessory."

A sinister smile spread across her face.

---

Requested by one of our lovely readers, I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please consider supporting the author on Naver Series and Kakaopage.