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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Superion Siblings
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Superion Castle.
The conference room inside the Duke's office.
Around the round table, a place usually reserved for high-ranking vassals, sat the three Superion siblings.
And at the head of the table sat the Duke, his brow deeply furrowed.
Though a man nearing sixty, his presence was more formidable than in his youth. It was the dignity of a patriarch who had carried the House of Superion for nearly forty years.
The faces of the three siblings seated at the round table were all etched with dissatisfaction.
Zenon, the eldest at thirty-five, was Elizabeth's older brother. He was a knight who commanded the Superion Order of Knights and a father of two sons.
Carius, seated next to him, was twenty-eight and had been the closest to Elizabeth before her death.
Of the three, his expression was the most aggrieved and indignant.
Lastly, Atias, Elizabeth's younger sister, was twenty-seven.
Having spent her childhood in the capital and only returning to their domain when Elizabeth became the Crown Princess, she wasn't a particularly close sister to Elizabeth.
However, a sense of sorrow and longing for her deceased sister remained.
She, too, wore an expression full of discontent.
“Father, do you truly believe that child's words at face value?”
The reason for the siblings' discontented faces was what their father had said just moments before.
To think that the girl brought from the capital was Elizabeth's daughter.
Though they had heard the whole story, the siblings found it hard to believe. Zenon, however, seemed to think it was possible.
“Well, she certainly does seem to resemble Elizabeth in her youth.”
“Resemble her? How! What part of her looks like her besides her eye color!”
Carius retorted at his older brother Zenon's words.
“I remember Elizabeth's childhood more clearly. We must keep the possibility open. If it's really true…”
“…”
If it were really true…?
Carius's vision went bleak. If that little brat was really his dead sister's daughter…
“If it's true, you're in big trouble, Carius. Why don't you just die?”
“…Shut up, Atias.”
Carius and Atias began to bicker, exchanging harsh glares. As if accustomed to his siblings' squabbles, Zenon sighed at the sight.
“Enough.”
said the Duke, who had been silent all along.
“I had no intention of asking for your permission anyway. And I have even less intention of sending that child to the capital.”
His words meant they were to keep Lellia's existence, whom the Imperial Palace was searching for, a secret.
The Superion domain was a considerable distance from the capital anyway. And the Emperor would not suspect the Superions.
Officially, Lellia's mother, Princess Iris, was as good as an enemy to the House of Superion.
He would sooner think they had killed her than that they were protecting her.
It didn't seem as if the Emperor was searching for the child out of concern for her safety, either.
“But Father, shouldn't we at least find out if she's truly Elizabeth's daughter?”
“I will handle it.”
The Duke replied curtly to Zenon's question. After hearing the answer, Zenon pondered for a moment before asking again.
“What will you do about the vassals?”
“For now, I will announce that we have brought a child who resembles Elizabeth for the sake of my wife's illness.”
“Understood.”
“This matter must be kept strictly confidential.”
At the Duke's words, the three siblings nodded in understanding.
Having received his children's confirmation, the Duke left the conference room as if there was nothing more to discuss.
The three remaining siblings exchanged glances.
It was a look that asked if they believed their father's words.
“Well, I believe it. Do you know what Mother did the moment she saw that child?”
“What happened?”
Zenon asked in response to Atias's words. Atias spoke as if she'd been itching to tell them.
“She ran to her, crying, 'Elizabeth!' I can't tell you how surprised I was. I don't know what our sister looked like as a child, but they must really look alike. For her to react like that even with the different hair color.”
“…They don't look alike at all.”
Carius muttered while listening to Atias. At his words, Zenon let out a small laugh.
“Elizabeth was certainly a bit different when she was young compared to when she grew up. Her gaze, her expression, all of it. She was quite the little rascal as a child.”
“How big is our age gap… I remember our sister's childhood too. But…”
“You were close to Elizabeth, so you probably remember her older self more clearly.”
“…”
At Zenon's words, Carius fell into deep thought. Childhood memories could sometimes be flawed.
Carius found it difficult to fully accept that the child resembled his sister.
Even after Zenon and Atias left, Carius remained seated in his spot, lost in thought.
Then, at some point, he shot up from his seat and headed somewhere.
It was Elizabeth's room, where Lellia was staying.
