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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: A Father and Son's Resolve
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After leaving Lellia's room, Carius calmed his reddened eyes and headed for the Duke's office.
Upon receiving permission to enter, he went inside, where the Duke regarded him with a suspicious gaze.
“What in the world happened for a man your age to be crying?”
“……”
At the Duke's words, Carius touched the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Not only are you unmarried at your age, but now you're crying in front of your niece... How am I supposed to take this?”
“Don't be so hard on me. I'll tell Lellia everything.”
“……”
At that, the Duke's eyes narrowed even further.
He'd been glaring at Lellia every day as if she were his mortal enemy, and now he was calling her by name so casually.
It seemed he had finally, truly accepted the child.
“…I apologized to Lellia. She is undoubtedly my sister's daughter.”
“You wouldn't listen no matter how many times I told you.”
“That's not what's important right now. Father, are you really not going to inform the Emperor of this?”
“If you were me, would you want to tell him?”
“……”
Honestly, no.
Carius, in particular, had seen with his own two eyes just how devotedly Emperor Perseus doted on his adopted daughter, Yuriana.
They say blood is thicker than water, and now that he knew Lellia was his niece, that fact felt deeply unpleasant.
“Emperor Perseus is completely smitten with his adopted daughter. It looks like he'd hand over the throne to her if he could.”
“That pathetic fool… I never should have sent Elizabeth to him in the first place!”
Anger and resentment filled the old Duke's eyes. Carius, too, clenched his jaw so hard it jutted out.
“You're right, Father. Emperor Perseus has no right to be her father! Not only did he fail to recognize Lellia, he drove her to run away…”
“That's what I've been saying!”
“Do you know what that child went through in the imperial palace?”
“…Did Lellia tell you?”
The Duke's brow furrowed. He knew.
He knew why Lellia didn't confide in him about the pain she had endured.
She must have been worried that her old grandfather would be so heartbroken he'd fall ill.
She was a child with a depth beyond her ten years.
And that's why it hurt. Because she had grown up too quickly, too needlessly. Because she already knew the ways of the world.
“Yes. She told me everything. But I won't tell you, Father.”
“…What?”
The Duke's expression twisted further. Carius lifted his chin smugly and said,
“Lellia told me not to tell you. She said you'd be heartbroken.”
“Then why bring it up in the first place? Are you mocking me right now?”
“I'm just saying. It seems Lellia knows, too. That I was my sister's favorite family member.”
“Why, you little…”
After thoroughly teasing his father, Carius spoke again in a serious tone.
“That's not what's important right now. Father, did you know that Lellia has a talent for alchemy?”
“…Alchemy?”
The Duke's expression grew serious.
Alchemy was widely perceived as a heretical practice, but not everyone thought that way.
Those who lacked deep faith in the Creutz religion.
In other words, those who did not believe in God viewed alchemy differently.
The Duke, who had looked into alchemy to cure his wife, was no different.
Although alchemy hadn't been able to cure his wife, his perception of it wasn't negative. In fact, it was closer to positive.
The two men began to discuss the matter with serious expressions.
If Lellia wished it, they were prepared to let her do whatever she wanted.
However, for the child's safety, they had to ensure the temple never found out.
In the midst of their long discussion about alchemy.
Carius suddenly slammed his fist on the table.
The things Lellia had suffered suddenly came to his mind again.
“The more I think about it, the angrier I get! The Emperor is one thing, but… Cedric and Damian, those boys…”
As Carius ground his teeth, the Duke narrowed his eyes and said,
“What! Don't tell me those boys bullied Lellia?”
“……”
“No, wait. They would have been more than capable of bullying her…”
The Duke felt like a fool for not having considered it sooner.
Carius hesitated before speaking.
“That's not all. Those boys are just like their father. They're completely infatuated with their new little sister… The three of them, father and sons, are making a scene like a bunch of fools.”
“……”
The two men let out a deep sigh. It was a deplorable situation.
If they were to reveal the truth—‘Lellia is actually your daughter’—just because they couldn't stand the sight of it, Emperor Perseus wouldn't just stand by.
If he found out that Elizabeth's daughter was alive…
He would stop at nothing to take Lellia back to the imperial palace.
“We can never let Lellia return to the imperial palace.”
“I agree.”
“We can't tell Cedric and Damian, either. If those boys say they're coming to visit the estate, you must stop them, Father.”
“…Alright.”
Cedric and Damian were very precious to them both. They were the sons Elizabeth had left behind.
That made Carius all the more frustrated.
He resented those boys for failing to recognize their real sibling, Lellia, and even bullying her.
*If they were in front of me, I'd knock some sense into them…*
It was then.
Suddenly, Duke Superion rapped Carius on the head. Carius clutched his forehead from the unexpected pain.
“Ow! Why did you do that, Father!”
“I've been letting it slide, but… after how you mistreated Lellia, you have the gall to say all this now!”
“Ow! Stop hitting me! What is this disgraceful behavior at your age!”
“You little brat!”
