K-Eldest Daughter Possessed a Childcare Novel

‘Ah, if only she were the successor…’

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have to be racking his brains like this.

Seeing the features that seemed to be cut out from Theodore’s boyhood face, Zeppelin couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia he never thought he had.

‘If she uses a sword, will her style be similar to the Duke’s?’

Zeppelin naturally imagined Belladi wielding a sword.

‘The Duke always thrusts to the right with his first attack. Of course, such habits are meaningless in the face of overwhelming skill… but if Belladi does the same, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.’

Once he started imagining, there was no end. Before he knew it, Zeppelin was passionately teaching the imaginary Belladi swordsmanship.

Then, when the image of her red eyes intersected with his in his mind.

‘Hmm…?’

At the moment he felt her gaze unusually intense, a gunshot rang vividly in Zeppelin’s ears.

Bang-!

Only then did he snap back to reality.

“What do you think, Sir Vincent?”

It wasn’t his imagination. Belladi was indeed looking at Zeppelin.

At her confident smile, Zeppelin bit the inside of his lip slightly.

‘Zeppelin Vincent, get a grip. Stop having such pointless fantasies…!’

“… yes?”

His reply was a beat late. Fortunately, Belladi didn’t seem to mind, pointing to the left with her chin.

Following her gesture, his gaze shifted to a fox with glistening red fur lying under a tree.

That was one of the two specially released by the Emperor for this hunting competition. Belladi must have called him to show that she had caught one of them.

Guessing her intention, Zeppelin clapped stiffly.

“Remarkable, Lady Belladi.”

Was she trying to take some credit this time?

He gave her a formal compliment with that thought, but one of Belladi’s eyebrows twitched.

That was a habit Theodore often showed when something bothered him. Seeing it, Zeppelin couldn’t help but be impressed again.

‘To even resemble him in such things, truly…!’

As he thought up to that point, Zeppelin hesitated for a moment.

‘Then… does that mean she didn’t like my reaction?’

Zeppelin stopped clapping for a moment and recalled the recent events.

He was imagining teaching Belladi swordsmanship, made eye contact, heard a gunshot, and came back to his senses to see the fox had been caught.

At that moment, a hypothesis flashed through Zeppelin’s mind.

‘No way…’

His mouth slowly opened.

“Did you catch the red fox without looking?”

The red fox was different from a regular fox.

It had the blood of a demon, making it much faster than ordinary animals, and was extremely wary, making it difficult to hunt.

The Emperor had released these foxes into the forest.

‘Probably to control the difficulty of the hunt, ensuring that the nobles in the competition didn’t massacre all the other animals.’

The Red Fox naturally scored higher than other animals. Therefore, to achieve the glory of victory, one had to prioritize catching these foxes.

Especially since its skin and fur were sensitive, the less damaged they were, the higher the score…

Recalling this, Zeppelin looked at the dead fox. Its fur was completely intact, as Belladi had hit it right in the eye.

‘The gunshot rang after we made eye contact. Lady Belladi wasn’t even looking at the fox.’

Yet she had caught it so cleanly? Was that even a human skill?

Zeppelin gripped the reins tightly to steady his slightly trembling hands.

Then Belladi spoke again.

“So, what do you think, Sir Vincent?”

“What do you mean?”

“My hunting skills. You’ve been following me all this time.”

Instinctively, Zeppelin nodded at her words.

“Perfect.”

Zeppelin completely revised his evaluation of Belladi.

‘The eldest daughter of Duke Theodore Alton.’

Now he added various accolades to that description.

She had inherited Theodore’s superior genes, possessed unparalleled reflexes…

‘Most importantly… she might be the genius I’ve always dreamed of.’

Just thinking about it made his heart swell with excitement.

But…

‘What use is it.’

She was the only princess of the Empire. Someone far beyond his reach.

Moreover, he was already thinking of ways to escape from teaching his master’s son…

‘I can’t suddenly say I want to teach his daughter instead.’

It was realistically impossible.

His rising excitement settled down. Zeppelin spoke in a blunt voice, but with genuine sincerity.

“You have skills as excellent as the Duke.”

“Is it enough to be recognized not just as an ordinary knight… but as the leader of the Watchers?”

Hearing that, Zeppelin took a deep breath, trying not to show it.

‘What did I just hear?’

A word he thought would never come from Belladi’s mouth had just popped up.

The emotion he had barely suppressed surged up. Zeppelin stiffened his expression further, looking at Belladi.

As if seeing through his inner turmoil, her red eyes curved into an arch.

Zeppelin felt her gaze, similar to when she hunted, and his dry throat couldn’t swallow his saliva.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

He maintained a calm front, denying it for now.

He didn’t know how Belladi knew about the Watchers, let alone that he was their leader.

‘But I can’t just admit it outright.’

At Zeppelin’s words, Belladi tilted her head slightly.

“Hmm… really?”

Belladi did not take her eyes off Zeppelin. Her gaze made Zeppelin’s fingertips tingle.

Until now, Zeppelin had thought Belladi closely resembled Theodore, but at this moment, the difference between the two was stark.

‘The atmosphere is different from the Duke’s intimidation.’

Theodore never smiled when pressuring someone.

When he set the mood, a cold, ruthless chill would make the surroundings freeze.

But the atmosphere Belladi exuded now…

‘This is the type that tightens a person’s neck.’

It felt like if he didn’t escape soon, her aura would crush him. A bead of sweat trickled down Zeppelin’s forehead.

People often said this about the direct line of Duke Alton.

‘Monsters who strangle you with their gaze alone.’

That wasn’t wrong. Who else could silently heighten a person’s tension to its peak?

And Zeppelin loved such monsters.

‘… no, I must endure!’

He almost confessed the truth under Belladi’s charisma. Zeppelin hurriedly bit his lip.

How long had he endured Belladi’s gaze?

Soon, a horn sounded in the distance.

It signaled the end of the hunting time.

Only after hearing that sound did Belladi retract the oppressive aura that had been weighing on him.

“When is the box for my fox coming?”

“… ah.”

Zeppelin barely managed to squeeze out a voice.

“I will go get it.”

“Alright, I’ll head back first.”

‘I’m saved.’

Zeppelin heaved a deep sigh of relief.

He loved the charisma of the Alton lineage but enduring it head-on was always tough.

As Zeppelin wiped his cold sweat and turned his horse, a low voice halted his movements.

“Sir Vincent.”

“Yes.”

This time, his reply was not late. Hearing it, Belladi’s lips curved slightly as she spoke.

“Have you ever thought about teaching the direct line of the Alton family?”

Belladi had just dropped another bombshell that made his heart sink.

Zeppelin felt relieved he was on horseback. Otherwise, she might have noticed his legs had gone weak.

“I don’t understand what you mean. I’ll see you at the tent.”

Before Belladi could throw another bomb, Zeppelin bowed and left.

Urging his horse forward, he took a deep breath.

‘No way. How could I…?’

Theodore would never allow it.

There was no benefit to staying close to someone who knew the existence of the Watchers without being the head or the successor. What could he possibly teach her?

But Belladi’s proposal clung to his ears like a sticky whisper.

“Have you ever thought about teaching the direct line of the Alton family?’

After this day, Zeppelin would have to struggle deeply between instinct and reason for a while.

***

“You’re holding up better than I thought.”

I watched Zeppelin’s retreating figure without lingering attachment and urged Alexander forward.

‘As expected, being the leader of the Watchers means something.’

Ordinary people would barely be able to breathe under my gaze, but Zeppelin managed to maintain his poker face. Though he did look tense.

‘I’ve thrown the bait for now.’

I would just have to reel it in at the right time.

With that in mind, I headed towards the Emperor’s tent where everyone but Father had gathered.

As I dismounted, waiting attendants approached. They led Alexander to a spot with hay for him to rest.

Alexander grew agitated as a stranger approached.

Neigh-!

The attendants glanced at me nervously.

“Alex.”

Snort-!

Alexander ignored me, shaking his mane and pawing the ground as if ready to bolt.

Before he could dash, I grabbed his reins and pulled him towards me.

“Be quiet.”

The bastard paused at my voice.

After staring at me for a moment, Alexander snorted and calmed down. Then he obediently followed the attendants.

‘He’s just like his owner. Exactly the same.’

I thought briefly of Meldor, Alexander’s owner.

Alexander was a gift Mother had given Meldor for his 10th birthday.

Back then, he had paraded around the mansion, proudly showing off his gift from Mother.

‘… I was the one who wanted a horse for my birthday.’

For the record, that year, my birthday gift was a fancy dress adorned with sparkling jewels.

It wasn’t what I wanted, but I remember pretending to be pleased since it was a gift from Mother.