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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Karayan's Return
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***
The story of the wound on Karayan's hand began the moment Lumina left for the Imperial Palace.
As Lumina's carriage departed, Karayan watched from a distance.
He wanted to stop the carriage right then and there. But the image of her pink eyes, sparkling with anticipation, was vivid in his mind.
Lumina, on her way to meet Arabelle.
The thought alone was enough to stir a deep unease.
“This is so damn frustrating.”
*Sigh.*
With a sigh, Karayan roughly ran his hands through his hair.
But the frustration didn't subside, and he eventually started walking as if he were heading to the Imperial Palace.
“Young Master, where are you going?”
“Olivia.”
Just then, he ran into Olivia, the Duke's aide.
“Surely you're not planning to follow the young miss, are you?”
“Of course not.”
To anyone watching, it was obvious that he was.
Olivia cast a line, hoping to gauge Karayan's true intentions.
“The young miss left a while ago, didn't she? Considering the Princess's personality, she might come back in tears. The bullying among children that age is always childish yet primal, isn't it? That's what makes it so scary.”
“…”
“The young miss was so determined that I didn't stop her, but now that I think about it, I'm getting worried too.”
Those were the very words Karayan wanted to say.
“But what can you do? You can't enter the palace, Young Master. The only thing to do is wait.”
“What? Why not?”
“Surely you weren't thinking of just storming into the Imperial Palace?”
Karayan could only shut his mouth at Olivia's question.
Because if he hadn't run into Olivia, that's exactly what he would have done.
“You can go anywhere you please, Young Master. But a place like the Imperial Palace is somewhere you can only enter freely as ‘the Young Duke of Heart.’”
Since Karayan himself denied his father's existence, he never proudly identified himself as the Young Duke of Heart anywhere he went.
“If you were to declare yourself the Young Duke of Heart now, it would be like asserting your authority without fulfilling any of your duties.”
Olivia was reprimanding him, asking if he was only the Young Duke when it was convenient for him.
It was a point Karayan himself was well aware of.
He had vowed to cut ties with his father, but after his rampage, it was his father who had offered a helping hand.
And when Lumina was sick, the ducal manor was the first place that came to mind.
Karayan felt a profound sense of defeat.
“You're worried about the young miss, aren't you? That's why you're still staying here.”
“…”
“In that case, build your strength as the Young Duke of Heart.”
Olivia said, her voice low but firm.
“I don't want to rely on that man anymore.”
“What are you talking about? You should use everything you can! Don't you know that true revenge is complete only when you've sucked your enemy dry, down to their very marrow?”
Considering her superior was the Duke of Heart, it was rather inappropriate advice.
But Olivia spoke resolutely.
“I'm not telling you to feign harmony. There are plenty of families who live together despite being distant. I'm just saying you should at least do that much.”
Karayan's resolve was wavering.
He was on the verge of being convinced.
Without hesitation, Olivia delivered a powerful finishing blow.
“And the more you're away, Young Master, the more the young miss's position weakens. For now, the Duke is looking out for her, but if she were to lose his favor…”
Olivia trailed off ominously before continuing.
“According to imperial law, an immediate divorce is impossible. But wouldn't the young miss be miserable for the entire duration of her marriage?”
There was no chance of Lumina losing the Duke's favor before she came of age.
Because the Duke had brought Lumina in not for emotional reasons, but based on a rational and equal contract between them.
Knowing about their contract, Olivia played ignorant.
Karayan's eyes wavered.
Olivia, the very epitome of competence, didn't miss the opportunity and pressed her advantage.
“I was worried all the while you were away, Young Master. Even if you wear an accessory with repressive powers, it's not a perfect solution, is it?”
Olivia's gaze rested on the piercing adorning the shell of Karayan's ear.
“There hasn't been any immediate harm, but… how long do you plan to keep wandering?”
As if he had made up his mind, Karayan nodded.
*I've done a good deed as an adult!*
While Olivia was feeling proud of herself, Karayan strode quickly toward the study.
And when he opened the door—without breaking it—his eyes met Lucius's.
“…Karayan?”
As if he couldn't believe Karayan had come to see him, a note of surprise was evident in Lucius's voice.
Karayan, who had entered with hesitant, careful steps, suddenly found his gaze fixed on 'that thing' decorating the desk.
“What brings you here?”
“I knew you were out of your mind, but this proves you're completely insane.”
It was an iris.
The moment he saw the flower, so vibrant it looked as if it had just been picked, Karayan forgot his purpose for coming and flew into a rage.
“Disgusting.”
When Karayan had asked why he killed his mother, he had replied, ‘It was an accident.’
Even though Karayan knew full well he had been in his right mind at the time.
Could someone kill their beloved wife by accident?
And after killing her by accident, was it really normal behavior to place a flower with the same name as his wife where he could always see it?
Though they were both Legion, Karayan found it all utterly horrifying.
He felt pathetic for even considering staying here for a moment.
Having lost all reason, Karayan picked up the vase and threw it to the floor.
With a sharp crash, the glass vase shattered, and with that as a start, Karayan began smashing everything in sight.
Lucius did not stop his son's actions.
“Uh…”
Olivia, who had followed Karayan to the study, stared in bewilderment at the wrecked interior.
Lucius, noticing Olivia, shook his head, signaling for her to stay put.
Meanwhile, Karayan's gaze landed on a painting hanging on the wall.
Compared to its ornate and expensive frame, the painting was shabby and messy.
It looked as though a three-year-old could have done better by just scribbling.
It was also ominously black, black, and more black. It looked as if it had been possessed by a demon.
“Putting on those damn sunglasses must have finally made you go blind. To think you'd hang something that can't even be called a work of art.”
Just as Karayan was about to tear the frame off the wall, Lucius spoke.
“Lumina painted that.”
“…Of course, you can't call it a work of art. It's not a mere painting, but a treasure crafted by the gods. Now I see, your eyes are fine, but everything else about you is a mess.”
As soon as he heard Lumina had painted it, Karayan quickly changed his tune.
The comment he had clearly spat out with negative intent was transformed into praise in an instant.
Watching Karayan, who had stopped destroying things and was now just fuming, Lucius spoke slowly.
“The flower you just threw was also a gift from Lumina.”
“…You should have said so sooner!”
Karayan, who had acted like a man past his boiling point at the sight of the iris, calmed down instantly.
Having lost his will to fight, he first picked up the iris scattered on the floor.
In the process, shards of the shattered glass vase embedded themselves in his fingers, but he paid them no mind.
He didn't even let out a groan, as if he couldn't feel pain.
He simply stared at the iris in his hand.
The preserved iris was undamaged. Instead, a few drops of blood from Karayan's fingers stained it.
It looked as if the iris had sprouted thorns like a rose.
Meanwhile, Karayan's mind was a tangled mess.
*It's not like that potato would have known what she was doing.*
Lumina was an outsider.
There was no way he could blame a girl who didn't know the truth of that day.
“But why did she give it only to you?”
“Because you were out.”
A simple answer came back.
It wasn't an accusatory tone, but Karayan flinched, feeling a pang of guilt.
Only then did Karayan remember why he had come here of his own accord.
“Father.”
“…!”
“I know I can't start calling you that now, but if you don't mind…”
Karayan hesitated.
Having thrown a massive tantrum, it was awkward to get to the main point.
Was he going to say he'd live properly at home from now on?
That he wouldn't call him 'Father', but he'd act like a proper son, so please put up with him?
The situation was terrible, and on top of that, Karayan had never bowed his head to anyone before.
As a result, his pride was deeply wounded.
“Whatever you call me, this is your home. It's up to you whether you stay.”
As Karayan faltered, Lucius spoke readily, as if sensing what he wanted to say.
Then, Lucius looked over his son, who had grown so much since he'd last seen him.
His limbs had lengthened and his frame had broadened; his physical growth was prominent.
The only thing that hadn't changed were his golden eyes, filled with hatred.
*Then and now, he's still as hot-headed as ever.*
In that respect, he was the spitting image of Iris.
Lucius, who had been lost in his thoughts, suddenly felt a distracting presence.
He turned his gaze and saw Olivia by the door, gesticulating wildly, playing a silent game of charades.
Olivia had assisted Lucius for a long time.
So she trusted that the meaning of these gestures, which bordered on performance art, would be properly conveyed.
“…However, you will have to resume the studies you've neglected.”
*Nod, nod!*
Olivia nodded her head vehemently.
“You just said I could stay if I wanted. What kind of trick is this?”
Hearing Karayan's words, Olivia lamented silently.
In Olivia's opinion, Lucius's laissez-faire approach had by no means been a positive influence on Karayan.
If she let Lucius be wishy-washy about his son's affairs again, all her effort in getting Karayan here would be for nothing.
Olivia resumed her desperate performance art.
“…I'm just saying I, too, will fulfill the bare minimum of my duties as a father.”
“Now?”
“You've decided to live in this house now, so why can't I decide to do the same?”
Olivia hadn't instructed him to speak in such a chilling tone.
But as long as it got the job done, the method didn't matter.
*Phew! That's two good deeds I've done as an adult.*
Olivia, working harder than her pay grade, secretly wiped away beads of sweat, unseen by the Heart father and son.
But then, Lucius made an unexpected remark.
