CHAPTER 049
The Duke spoke casually, as if throwing out the words lightly, and Lewis's eyes widened in surprise.
"Your father was a mage belonging to the imperial palace. Someone must have recognized his talent as a mage," the Duke said nonchalantly.
A mage? His father was a mage?
This was something Lewis had never even considered. He had never seen his father use magic.
"Why didn't you tell me until now?"
"Because you never asked. When have you ever asked about your father?"
Lewis had never felt the need to ask anyone about his father until now. He thought no one knew his father better than he did.
Well, if his father were truly an ordinary person, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fall in love with the Duke's daughter.
"Even as a commoner, if he were a mage, he would have been treated as a quasi-noble. Why did they leave the capital and live elsewhere?"
"The answer is in your question. Because he was a commoner."
The Duke paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Your grandfather opposed their marriage, citing your father's status."
"So they eloped?"
"Yes."
That part Lewis had expected. He already knew that his mother came from the Duke's family and his father was a commoner. The only new information was that his father was a court mage.
"I intended to call them back once I became the Duke... but by then, it was too late."
Lewis knew this as well. It was only he who came to the capital under the new Duke's guardianship after both his father and mother had passed away.
At least now he seemed to understand the source of the noise.
"So, my chronic illness is because of my father."
"What?"
"It seems my father had the same symptoms as I do."
"What? Peter had the same symptoms?"
The Duke's voice grew louder, indicating she hadn't known this. Lewis smirked.
"Looks like I've heard everything I need from you."
Now he knew as much as the Duke did. The serious conversation had lightened up.
Lewis gave a cheeky smile.
"I'll take my leave. I didn't come to hear about my parents' love story."
"Hey, Lewis!"
"I'll let you know when I feel like it. About my father's symptoms."
He said simply and left the Duke's office.
'Father was a court mage? That’s new, but not shocking.'
Though he felt he knew too little about his father, understanding the cause of the noise made him feel clearer. How to get rid of the noise was a separate issue.
"I’ve heard everything I need to hear."
The Duke's voice echoed outside the door.
It seemed her throat was in good shape today.
"You know my personality."
Lewis muttered without a hint of guilt and started walking away, his steps much lighter than when he entered the office.
* * *
Hearing what Lewis said after meeting the Duke was truly surprising.
Father was a mage!
So, the noise was indeed due to magic. It was hereditary!
After telling me this, Lewis strangely hurried away from the mansion.
'I think my aunt is probably quite upset because of me.'
He looked rather cheerful for someone talking about someone being upset.
A little later, the Duke came down, trembling with anger while talking about Lewis.
"He acts as if he’ll never come back! But he’s always in and out of here like it’s his own home."
What did he say to the Duke?
It seemed even the Duke couldn’t escape Lewis's habit of enjoying other people's frustration.
"Looks like Lewis really got on Mother's nerves this time. He’s so arrogant," said Bella, who was two years younger than Lewis.
"Bella, he’s still your cousin..."
"Lewis is just Lewis. Not my brother!"
I tried to defuse the situation with a smile, but it was no use. Was it because it involved Lewis?
As I hesitated to join the conversation between mother and daughter, the Duke looked at me.
The Duke’s angry face suddenly softened into a smile.
"No matter how coldly he left, I know he’ll come back to see you, Selina."
"And that’s exactly why I dislike it more!"
That was, of course, Bella speaking.
"I should ban him from coming here for a while. So annoying."
"Mother, I agree. Let’s not let him see Selina at all!"
In an instant, the mother and daughter teamed up.
Why was it turning out this way because of Lewis?
I couldn’t keep up with their thoughts, as usual.
I shook my head silently.
* * *
After Lewis left, he really didn't visit the Duke’s mansion.
Did he say something that made the Duke truly angry?
Considering he anticipated the Duke would be upset, it seemed likely.
Even though he was banned from the mansion, it didn’t mean we couldn’t meet.
'-What are you doing?'
He contacted me through the communicator, and a few days ago, we met outside.
'You think not letting me into the mansion means I can’t see you?'
The way he laughed lightly at the Duke and Bella!
Meanwhile, the Empire was approaching another grand event.
"The Founding Festival is coming up soon!"
The holiday to celebrate the founding of the Ravens Empire was approaching.
During the Founding Festival, the entire Empire held events to commemorate the day.
When I met Charlotte with Bella, I brought it up.
"Shall we go see it together?"
Charlotte smiled and replied.
"As long as it's not the first day. I have to go to the temple that day."
"The temple?"
"Yes. There's a special event at the temple on the first day. I have to attend, so the first day is difficult."
"I see. Then let's meet on another day!"
I quickly responded.
It's a festival. Street parades would be much more fun than the temple.
Just as I was about to wrap up the conversation with a casual suggestion to visit the temple alone, Charlotte made an unexpected proposal.
"Would you like to join me that day?"
"Where?"
"The temple."
Charlotte suggested out of the blue.
"Ah..."
Together? On the first day of the Founding Festival?
Charlotte passionately pitched the temple visit to us.
"We can enjoy the festivities on the other days. Let's go together for a meaningful experience!"
The festival lasted three days.
The royal family’s procession through the streets was on the second day, while the first and third days were for people to freely relax and enjoy.
Surprisingly, Bella was enthusiastic about the idea.
"Let's go together, Selina."
"To the temple?"
Bella would never suggest something like this. She usually found such places boring.
But with both of them urging me, it was hard to refuse.
"Then, shall we go together?"
"Good choice, Miss!"
I agreed to go to the temple with Charlotte.
On the first day of the festival, on the way to the temple in a carriage, Bella made an unexpected confession.
"Actually, I find temples a bit stifling."
"Huh?"
She was the one who suggested going.
"I felt it slightly before, but it feels a bit suffocating."
"Because of the magic?"
"Yeah, probably."
Magic and divine power were opposite forces.
Michael or Lewis might feel it more intensely.
"Then why did you suggest going?"
"It’s tolerable. And it’s a place where Lewis won’t come, right? That's why I'm going."
"Because the Marquess won't be there?"
"Yes. It’s a clean zone free of Lewis."
With Lewis around, it’s a contaminated zone...
"So today, just hang out with me."
Bella chose to go to the temple to avoid Lewis.
"By the way, what’s the event at the temple about?"
"Yeah, what is it?"
We found out after entering the temple with Charlotte.
The event was about learning the history of the temple and enjoying a meal together—a very educational affair.
As soon as we entered the temple, a priest who recognized Charlotte approached us.
"Lady Yanils, you have arrived."
Charlotte introduced us to the priest.
"These are the ladies I brought last time. Miss Croft and Miss Elsner."
"Of course, I remember. We conducted the holy power test, didn’t we?"
Ah, the holy power test?
I remembered it was a test where nothing changed for Charlotte, leaving us quite puzzled...
While I was briefly lost in thought, the priest spoke to us kindly.
"May I guide the young ladies around the temple?"
It seemed this priest would be our guide for the day.
Charlotte, Bella, and I followed the priest.
The temple tour involved walking around while the priest explained the murals and sacred objects.
I noticed other groups also being guided around by individual priests.
"This building was constructed before the main hall of the temple and has many unused rooms."
"Is it because it's too old?"
The only voices in the temple were the priest's and Charlotte's.
Bella and I followed behind them-
"Why am I so sleepy?"
I expected this.
Bella was struggling to stay awake, uninterested in this sort of thing.
"If at least it were cool here."
Bella whispered to me.
It was indeed stuffy inside the temple.
Though we hadn’t been inside for long, Bella was already exhausted, walking with weak, wobbly steps.
Then suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.
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