Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 46
The two hurriedly ran into the forest, following the children. They soon heard the faint, intermittent groans of a young child.
Upon reaching the source of the sound, they found a young boy lying on the ground. It appeared that a large rock had rolled down from the slope and trapped one of the boy’s legs beneath it.
“We tried to, hic, pull Tommy out, but, wahh, the rock wouldn’t move…!”
“Uwaaah! Tommy’s leg, his leg….”
The injured boy’s face was extremely pale, and the leg trapped under the rock looked severely injured at first glance. Without hesitation, Richard lifted the large rock with ease and moved it aside. As he picked up the unconscious boy, the other children looked at him with wide, amazed eyes.
Hurrying back to the castle, while the doctor treated the boy, Louise comforted his crying siblings with gentle reassurances.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.”
“Hic, yes, it was! I… I wasn’t watching my brother properly, wahh.”
“But you’re still just a child yourself. Are your mom and dad at work?”
“Yes, so we came to play in the forest, hic….”
Shortly after, the castle’s physician, who had gone inside with Richard, came out.
“If the treatment had been delayed even a little, it would have been very serious.”
As expected, the boy’s leg was severely injured. It would take quite some time for the broken bones to heal, but fortunately, the doctor assured them that there would be no long-term complications.
“Thank you so much, my lord!”
“If you give us some time, we’ll find a way to pay for the treatment….”
The children’s parents, who had rushed over after hearing the news, repeatedly bowed their heads in tears. Richard not only refused the treatment fee but also ordered the head servant to escort the family home with the castle’s carriage.
“It seems the children had an accident while their parents were at work during the day.”
“It’s heartbreaking that young children are left unattended, but it’s a reality we can’t change immediately. If they don’t work all day, it’s hard to make a living….”
“I see.”
Nodding in agreement with Louise’s words, Richard understood the situation. Thanks to the mandatory education system introduced by Emperor Leonhart, even commoner children attended school, improving education levels. However, the issue of children being left unattended after school remained a significant challenge.
There were still frequent accidents involving children left without supervision after school.
“This land has many barren areas, making it hard to sustain a livelihood with farming alone. Job opportunities are limited as well. I’m considering using the castle’s budget to create new job opportunities for now.”
“That would be wonderful!”
“While it’s challenging to solve the problem of unattended children immediately, I’m thinking of creating a place where they can be looked after school. We might utilize some of the unused space within the castle.”
“Inside the castle for the children?”
“Yes. The budget for this year has already been allocated, so I plan to use my own funds for now. This is something I’ve been preparing for since I arrived in Evron, so we should see some progress by early next month.”
Louise looked up at him in admiration, hearing something she hadn’t expected.
“You are truly a good person, my lord. Many nobles openly disdain commoners.”
“It’s not as noble as you think. I’m not as good as you believe.”
“…I disagree.”
“Children are the future of the empire, so regardless of their background, they must grow into proper adults for the country to prosper. My territory will thrive as well. I’m simply investing in the future as a noble of this country and the lord of Evron.”
“…….”
But Louise sensed there was more to his blunt words than he let on. Though she hadn’t spent a long time with Richard, she had come to know him as a warm and caring person.
Suddenly, she found herself wondering why he didn’t want to marry. She had previously misunderstood it as a problem with his reproductive capabilities, but that clearly wasn’t the case…. For nobles and royalty, having heirs is crucial, so why would he insist on remaining single despite the misunderstandings?
“My lord, may I ask you something personal?”
“Go ahead.”
“Is there a particular reason why you don’t wish to marry?”
“Well, I’ve never really thought about why I should.”
“But most people want to start a family, to have someone to rely on during tough times….”
“That’s not always the case. Sometimes, family can be more trouble than it’s worth.”
“Oh, I agree with that.”
Louise laughed a little, thinking of Helio, and Richard, who was walking slightly ahead, suddenly turned to look at her.
“…What about you? Is your family a source of support for you?”
“Pardon?”
“What does family mean to you? May I ask?”
It was as if he wanted to delve into her innermost thoughts. He intently studied her wide green eyes.
“Oh, well….”
His gaze lingered on her small, hesitant lips as she carefully chose her words.
“My family is… my reason for living.”
The only person Louise thought of when she heard the word ‘family’ was Mildred. There were days when her circumstances felt too overwhelming, and she wanted to escape. But she couldn’t because she loved Mildred so much.
At times, her sick sister felt like a burden, but Mildred also provided much comfort.
Even on days when the weight of life made her want to collapse, thinking of Mildred gave her the strength to get back up and the motivation to keep going. That’s what family meant to her.
“If my family weren’t by my side, I wouldn’t have been able to endure. My family is the only one I want to protect, even if it means sacrificing everything. My love for…”
Louise was talking about Mildred, but Richard thought she was referring to her husband. That was the underlying reason for his question in the first place.
Her words cut deeper than any blade he had faced on the battlefield, slicing through his heart with an agony that surpassed all others. When she spoke of her beloved, Richard felt as if his heart had plummeted into an abyss, left to roll along the ground.
