Despite Being an Extra, I'm the Villain's Childhood Friend - Chapter 51.2
Chapter 51.2
…What was this?
It wasn’t even an option but an outright command.
Izeline regretted her past complacency. To be honest, when Robert worried about her going to the castle, she secretly thought his concerns were premature. And rightly so. Why would they take an eight-year-old child, barely seven now, to Ernon?
But the son knew his father better.
“There is still much for me to learn here.”
Remembering Robert’s words from an ordinary summer day, she spoke. If she wanted to stay at the castle, to stay by Robert’s side, she had to say something. However, Brioche, as if seeing through her, let out a leisurely sigh and said curtly.
“You have no talent for swordsmanship anyway.”
“….”
She was speechless.
Her skills had been exposed long ago.
Brioche tilted his chin slightly and looked down at her as if she were a chess piece in his hand. He was asking if she would continue to insist on learning even though she had no talent.
“It’s something that you never know when it might be useful.”
“Indeed. That’s why I taught you.”
Izeline’s eyes widened in surprise at Brioche’s calm reply. It was something she had been wondering about all this time.
Why had he continued to pay for her lessons when she was so inadequate to protect Robert…
“Since you seem capable of defending yourself, that’s enough swordsmanship.”
So, protecting Robert was just an excuse, and he had actually made her learn for her own sake?
Izeline’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer. It was exactly as Robert had said. Brioche had been preparing her to be his person all along… since the first time they met.
“Go to Ernon and build connections.”
“….”
“Your lack of status as a commoner will be more than compensated for by the fact that you’re my person.”
“….”
This was strange.
So, did Brioche accept the proposal not for Robert’s lifespan but to have her by his side in the first place?
She wanted to confirm it.
Even though he was his father… no, even if he wasn’t a humane father, she had no doubt that he would be struggling to save Robert, if only for the sake of the family…
“Your Excellency.”
“….”
A look of surprise spread across Brioche’s usually relaxed face. He twitched one eyebrow as if to say, go on.
“Do you truly consider the Young Master to be the successor of Armaty?”
It was a bold question, to say the least.
Even Robert, who was standing by the door, seemed to tense up.
Brioche stared at her silently. He had no intention of turning a blind eye to her crossing the line, even if it meant investing and showing favor.
“What do you mean?”
Izeline gulped at the chilling voice that sank. Although it was rude to ask who would be the successor, it was a different story to offer to wholeheartedly assist the child you considered to be the successor.
“Even if the Young Master is over eight years old, he’s far too young to inherit the dukedom.”
“So?”
“Until he becomes an adult, I’ll be by his side…”
“Ah, that’s enough.”
Brioche waved his hand as if he had heard enough.
Izeline was bewildered. She had naturally thought it would be a welcome offer… at least if Brioche considered Robert as his successor…
“You no longer need to assist him.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Whether it’s good luck or a psychological factor, you’ve done your part.”
Brioche glanced at the doorway. The sound of footsteps approaching from beyond the open door could be heard.
“Don’t worry about my son, as I have someone more reliable by my side.”
Izeline’s head naturally turned towards the doorway. Robert was already looking at the person approaching from down the hallway. He was narrowing his eyes, his face confused as to what was happening.
“Geez.”
A grumbling voice echoed through the air.
“I’m not the kind of person who comes and goes as I please.”
“I am well aware of that.”
Brioche said as he watched Gerald enter the drawing-room.
“It took you three years to come here after raising your price so high.”
Despite the outrageous rudeness, there was a reason why the Duke had been patient for three years. It was because Gerald was a genius.
“Gerald Leblanc, the master of Krug research.”
Brioche asked in a solemn voice as if clinging to a thread of hope.
“How is my son’s condition?”
Duke Brioche had no choice but to overlook the tutor’s tardiness.
The excuse he had given for not coming down as a teacher right away, despite having taken a lot of money in the name of tuition fees, was none other than ‘Krug research.’ As a father whose goal was his son’s complete recovery, he had no choice but to back down.
“Ah, so that’s why you called me.”
Gerald glanced at Robert’s heart and replied nonchalantly.
“Not only will he live past adulthood, but he’ll probably live to be as old as Your Excellency, if nothing goes wrong.”
However, the impact of the lightly thrown words wasn’t small.
The average life expectancy of a Krug patient was within five years of onset, but Gerald was saying with a voice full of conviction that Robert would easily live for forty years.
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