35 - Not Your Son, But Your Father
Chapter 35
The head butler, pitying me for cursing with my face, summoned a small magic carriage.
It was a special carriage that had no horse, no coachman, and a short travel distance, but guaranteed safety.
Even the handle for opening and closing the door was enchanted.
I experienced hell while getting out of the carriage and entering the bell tower, but I managed to arrive successfully.
The neglected bell tower was cold and had an eerie atmosphere.
Still, it blocked the wind, so it wasn't as cold as outside.
Thinking that was good enough, I fastened my coat, and Edith appeared.
"You traitor..."
"Here, take this."
Edith held out something large and round.
Inside a transparent sphere that looked like a fishbowl, a small Ember was contained.
It was as light as a feather, but the effect was remarkable.
As soon as I held it, my frozen body relaxed.
"Don't throw it away when you leave."
Edith chuckled as my voice softened.
"That's obvious."
Only then did I have the energy to look around the inside of the bell tower.
The space was larger than I had guessed when I glimpsed it from the outside.
A spiral staircase led to the ceiling, which was 20 stories high, and even in the darkness where I had only the small Ember to rely on, the water droplets on the walls were clearly visible.
"Amazing. I can see very well."
"It may be the power of the Spirit at work. Or perhaps the Grand Duchess has always had good eyesight."
It was an answer that suggested he thought it was the former, but wished it were the latter.
I passed a broken angel statue and asked.
"Have you ever been to the bell tower before?"
"No."
"Weren't you curious about the Spirit?"
"Not really."
As expected, a lukewarm response followed.
I stopped walking for a moment and looked back at Edith. He was following slowly behind me so that I could go ahead.
"If we find the statue where the Spirit is Sealed, can I make a personal wish?"
"Why wouldn't you be able to? It's just an old superstition anyway."
I let out a soft laugh.
"Edith, do you dislike Spirits?"
"......"
"Should I not make a wish?"
"There's no need to go that far."
"But I don't even know which statue the Spirit is Sealed in? There are so many statues here."
I would believe it even if it were a statue warehouse, not a bell tower.
It was difficult to distinguish them properly because the statues were in terrible condition, but they all seemed to have different appearances.
"Did Rigen say that there was only one entity Sealed in the bell tower?"
Huh?
Excuse me?
I turned my head so far that my neck almost snapped.
Angel statues, demon statues, animal-shaped sculptures, and bizarre sculptures reminiscent of Magical Beasts... there was truly no end to them.
Suddenly, my vision became blurred.
"So all the statues here..."
Edith informed me that my guess was correct with a villainous smile.
"Try it yourself, Grand Duchess, whether it's a superstition or not."
Could the reason why the number of Spirits has decreased so drastically be because the first Grand Duke of Callakis collected them all?
Looking at the many statues as numerous as the stairs stretching towards the ceiling, I thought it was a reasonable suspicion.
He's really an extraordinary person. Edith gave a harsh evaluation.
Last time, he said that he met the first Grand Duke before he even became the head of the family, and that he was a fool who only went to dangerous areas with a dazed look on his face.
I understand why the past heads of the family entrusted their wishes to the Grand Duchess and didn't even come close.
It felt like the statues would come to life at any moment and demand the blood of Callakis.
Ugh, well, I'm a little nervous.
"Edith? This time, you really can't go back first."
A low chuckle was heard as I urged him once more.
I moved my feet, which had stopped, while holding the sphere containing the Ember.
Well, at least I wouldn't be making a wish to an empty statue.
I could just pick any one I wanted.
I briefly thought about going all the way up to the top where the bell was, but I soon shook my head.
Too bothersome.
It's amazing that Spirits are scattered around so much that you can trip over them. But my enthusiasm isn't overflowing.
I don't have a desperate wish that I must fulfill, and my legs will probably tremble when I come down.
I'll just make a wish to a statue that feels good and quickly go back and have some cocoa...
"Huh?"
Thud, something caught on my foot.
I didn't fall because I was walking slowly.
I stopped walking and looked down. The statue in the worst condition among those I had seen so far was lying on the stairs.
It was small enough to be held in one arm.
What had caught my foot was the part corresponding to the statue's tail.
Even though my foot had only touched it slightly, stone fragments fell off in droves.
"Just a moment."
After saying that to Edith, I crouched down and observed the statue.
I couldn't be sure because it was cracked and broken in many places, but it looked like a dragon.
The claws were also blunt, and the wings were only the size of cute decorations, but the pupils with vertically torn eyes looked as vivid as if they were alive.
"It's a Gargoyle."
Edith explained briefly.
This looks like it won't last long before it breaks.
I didn't even dare to stand the statue upright.
Unlike other statues that had been naturally corroded by time, it looked as if someone had deliberately thrown it several times.
If it receives a strong impact one more time, it will disappear without a trace and turn into powder.
"Is there a Spirit Sealed here too? What happens to the Spirit inside if the statue is completely destroyed?"
"It will disappear."
It was a chilling conclusion.
Tsk, you should have tormented people moderately.
"I'll go with this statue."
"...Are you sure?"
Edith showed a reluctant reaction.
"I'm not expecting much, so what. Can I make a wish now?"
"That's right, but."
"It looks like it will break if I stand it up straight... What should I do to show my sincerity?"
I didn't bring any money.
After rummaging through my bosom for a moment, I took out a ribbon.
I tied a pink string similar to my hair color very loosely to the Gargoyle's tail.
It's not very dignified to squat on the stairs and make a wish.
"Hello, Spirit. It must be hard for you to be Sealed in such a shabby place and even have to give blessings? But it's already been 500 years. There's a saying that starting is half the battle, so cheer up. I don't know if it's worth cheering up since the Sealed object is about to fall apart any day now... I'll especially pray that the statue lasts for another 500 years. Of course, you know that you have to give something to get something, right?"
The way to check if the Spirit really grants wishes was simple.
I just had to make a wish that couldn't be fulfilled without the Spirit's intervention.
"My wish is, um, please make me filthy rich. Not the family, me. By the way, His Grace the Grand Duke has also agreed to this."
"...You said you weren't expecting much?"
I pretended not to hear the minor protest.
"So, I'm asking you to put in just enough effort that I'll think, 'Ah, isn't this a bit too much?!'"
"......"
"Specifically, I would like you to give me gold and diamonds the size of the largest mountain in the empire. And also honor. Please make my reputation reach the other side of the continent, and I would be grateful if a religion that worships me would be created and praised forever."
"......"
"If you grant this, I will pray for the Spirit's well-being and try to repair the statue. Even if things go wrong and the Spirit no longer exists in this world, I will remember you. Wow, isn't this really a win-win situation? The Spirit has only done what it had to do, but it will live forever in my head."
Edith said with a face that seemed to be laughing and dumbfounded.
"You're too much of a con artist for me to say anything."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"You said it's a superstition anyway, right? You have to bet big when you're not sure."
Suddenly, Edith gave me a strange look.
"Eve, aren't you interested in world peace?"
"No."
"Then limit the scope to the North."
"I believe that my husband, the master of the North, will work hard."
In response to my reply that it was his job, Edith chuckled and reached out his hand to me.
The long fingers and the lines that drew the back of his hand were graceful.
I took his hand and stood up.
"You could have wished for the prosperity of the Morgana family."
Uh-huh, that's not my job either.
"That's what my parents will take care of. It would be different if they passed the Marquess title to me."
In the Ravenna Empire, it was possible for one person to hold multiple titles.
My mother was also a Marchioness, as well as a Countess, a Baroness, and the lord of Gavdos Island.
Of course, holding the position of head of the Morgana Grand Family and Grand Duchess at the same time was another matter.
It was the only Grand Duchess position in the empire's three Grand Families.
Each one had a heavy responsibility because it could directly affect the political situation.
I was still the legitimate successor to the Morgana Grand Family.
My parents announced that this child was the successor as soon as I was born.
But I was the only child of my parents, and there were plenty of young people in the collateral lines.
They insisted that the head of the Morgana family must be a man, and they very timidly argued through letters that I should just handle the marriage contract.
Now that I'm gone, they must be having a field day.
The moment I left the capital, they would have pressured my parents, saying that they should choose a new successor as if they had been waiting for it.
It was obvious that my parents wouldn't even scoff at that.
"Shall we go back now?"
Instead of letting go of Edith's hand, I changed the angle so that we could hold hands and walk side by side.
