My Family is Obsessed with Me

be out of reach!”

“There will be no monster attacks inside the territory.
Both the situation with the stairs and the books can be solved by you being accompanied by a maid.
Do you need a nanny, no, a babysitter?”

“A babysitter or a nanny? No, I’m not that young.”

The Duke engulfed my entire body in a hug. 

“Yes, I’d rather a maid accompany you because she’s smart.”

“I’m a commoner, so I don’t need a maid.”

“You are too young.
Commoner or not, you’re at an age where you need someone to take care of you.”

“I can eat well without spilling food.
I know how to wash by myself.
I also brush my teeth well.”

“You barely got on that couch and you’re telling me you don’t need to be taken care of?”

“A-anyway, I managed to s-sit by myself, didn’t I!”

“It took time.”

“It didn’t take long!”

“Yes.
Let’s say it did take time, but you could eventually sit down alone.
How about getting a book out of a high place?”

“I can do it with magic!”

“I told you! You can’t use magic because you’re too young!”

Unknowingly, my eyes narrowed as I looked at the Duke. 

The Duke glared at me too.

“…My Lord.”

Gallio called out to the Duke. 

The Duke cleared her throat, perhaps realizing that she had been arguing with a child. 

“A maid will be assigned to take care of you.”

“But…”

“Listen, I’m the adult here.”

‘If you count my past life, I’m older! Well, is that really so?’

I died at the age of 18 in my previous life, and now I’m seven. 

In total, I’d be 25 years old, and the Duke now was in her mid-30s.

‘I’m younger.’

I finally agreed. 

“Okay.”

“Good.
Don’t go anywhere without your maid and don’t use magic.”

“I can’t promise to not use magic.
There might be cases where I can’t avoid it.”

The Duke looked like she was boiling mad, but nodded anyway as if she couldn’t help it.

“Fine.
I’ll let it slide if you can’t avoid it.
But any other time is unacceptable.
Got it? Answer me.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t even think of getting a job anymore.
Not until you’re thirteen.”

“How will I make money then?”

“Tell me if you need money.
I’ll give you as much as you want.”

“I don’t want to be in debt.”

The Duke’s eyes were re-energized. 

“Why collect debt from a five-year-old? It’s pocket money, pocket money!”

“What’s pocket money?”

It was the first time I had heard of it.

“Well, it’s… Gallio, explain.”

“Yes, pocket money is a small amount of money that an adult gives to a child at no cost.
Children who get pocket money are free to spend it as they wish.”

“I see.
But why does the Duke give me pocket money?”

“Because you’re a child and our guest.
I won’t charge for things like rent, meals, clothes, etc.
It’s the rule that nobles provide food, clothing, and shelter to their guests.
Besides, I’m a Duke.
A high-ranking noble like me should treat guests with more care than others.
Pocket money is part of that.
So take it.
Got it?”

The Duke spoke with a strained look on her face. 

I nodded because it was logical. 

“Okay.”

The Duke seemed relieved at last, but she continued, not letting go of the tension. 

“Go to the daycare center starting tomorrow.
Participate only in the morning classes and get separate lessons from the Duchy in the afternoon.
Tomorrow will be your first day at the daycare center so you’ll be tired.
The separate lessons will start the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes, but lessons? Which kind?”

“Things like etiquette.”

I was appalled by the word etiquette. 

“Not manners, but etiquette? I’m a commoner!”

“Even a commoner should learn basic etiquette.”

“How about I study something else?”

“You can.”

Before I could smile brightly, the Duke said, “Learn both etiquette and the lessons you want.
Two in a day will be hard, so take turns every other day.”

“No etiquette.”

“Not possible.”

“I don’t want to learn etiquette!”

“If you don’t learn, there will be no more desserts in the future.”

“…That’s too much.”

“It’s not too much.”

“It’s too much!”

“It’s not too much!”

“…My Lord.”

At Gallio’s words, the Duke sobered up again and cleared her throat with a cough. 

“Listen to me.”

“…”

“Answer.”

“Yes.”

“Come on, come here.”

I jumped off the sofa and walked around the central table to the Duke’s front. 

The Duke smiled and stared at me for a moment.
It was a look of emotion that I couldn’t understand. 

Soon, the Duke smiled again and held out her right hand to me. 

“Let’s get along well from now on.”

“Yes! Please take care of me!”

I bent down a little and held the Duke’s right hand with both hands.

Like Big Bear, her palm was hard yet very warm. 

***

After Dia left, Obdolisa, Duke of Leocardia, looked down at her right hand.
There was a warm and itchy sensation left on the spot the small child held with her hands just now. 

“Whoo…”

Her mind was so tangled that she couldn’t help but sigh. 

Her third came to mind.

The child she had lost before she could even see her face.

‘I never imagined it would become like this…’

Twelve years ago, Obdolisa gave birth to Marciana and Juliano.
The children were quite big not only because they were twins, but also because of the characteristics of the Leocardia family. 

She was forced to give birth through open surgery* when Obdolisa’s life was in danger. 

Obdolisa, who wanted a big family, originally intended to have two more.
However, when she experienced danger during childbirth, Helladius opposed having a next child. 

Obdolisa was only able to have a third child after persuading her husband for five straight years, and fortunately, she was in good health throughout her pregnancy.

As she entered her last month of pregnancy, they ended up having to go up to the Capital’s Imperial City.
A few days after Helladius’ hurried departure as the Lord’s deputy, Obdolisa’s third week before her due date arrived. 

Obdolisa was then left in the Hwajeon Village outside the territory. 

It was there she had heard some shocking news.