Chapter 126
“Honey, stop it.”
The duchess, unable to watch any longer, shook her head and grabbed her husband’s arm, only to flinch in shock.
The duke was trembling all over, as if having a seizure.
“Are you really that shocked that Lia is the grand princess? I mean, I was surprised too, but…”
This wasn’t something that warranted such an extreme reaction.
If anything, it was a touching and joyous occasion. A long-lost child reunited with her grieving parents, it was a miracle.
“I know. I do, but…”
Duke Elard pressed his fingers to his forehead, furrowing his brows.
Though he’d improved over the years after gaining a daughter and growing older, there was a time when he absolutely despised the color pink, to the point of it being a trauma.
And today, seeing Lia looking exactly like a young Stella had sent chills down his spine.
“Haah, it really is good news… I truly wished for Stella to find her daughter.”
The duke let out a deep sigh, his voice filled with mixed emotions.
“But it’s Lia. That kind, quiet girl… how did this happen…?”
He couldn’t even finish his sentence.
Naturally, his mind drifted back to the first time he met Stella, the Grand Duchess and former Marchioness of Diapel.
His father, the former duke, had despised Dominique, believing that he had ‘killed his mother by being born.’
Despite being the only direct heir, Dominique was locked away in an annex, ignored completely.
His father’s incompetence ruined business after business, and eventually, he drowned himself in debauchery, leaving the family affairs to the elder council.
The elders treated Dominique harshly, wanting to mold him into someone as easily manipulated as the former duke.
As a result, despite being the precious young master of the prestigious House Elard, Dominique had no one by his side.
Then one day, Stella appeared.
The naïve young lady from the house next door had lost her ball while playing with her younger sibling and barged into the ducal estate to retrieve it. From that day on, she visited Dominique every single day.
The elder council was wary of her, but they feared the Marquis of Diapel too much to intervene.
At that time, Dominique thought Stella was only visiting him out of pity.
It didn’t take him long to realize how mistaken he was.
“Just thinking about the time she threw a dagger at my face for ‘ambush training’ makes my hair stand on end!”
Rubbing his forehead as if he could still feel the pain, the duke grumbled in frustration.
“And those ridiculous bets!”
As a result of his one-sided duels with Stella, Dominique had to write his name with his butt, eat unbearably spicy food, and even dress as a woman. It was pure torment.
Compared to those humiliations, signing a childish scrawl promising their future children’s engagement had seemed like nothing.
Becoming in-laws with Stella was unsettling, but at the time, young Dominique had been dead set on never marrying or having children. He was convinced he’d be the last of House Elard.
Of course, he hadn’t foreseen falling head over heels for Edel a few years later.
“Even the day before our wedding, Stella teased me, ‘Weren’t you supposed to stay single forever?'”
As he recalled it, his expression darkened.
Watching her husband’s sulky face, the duchess struggled to suppress her laughter.
“But she’s your only friend. If not for Her Grace, you wouldn’t have picked up a sword or even thought about going to war.”
Without Stella, he might still be aimlessly drifting, controlled by the elder council, living a meaningless life.
And given how cold and ruthless he remained toward others even now, it was terrifying to imagine what he would have become without her influence.
…Though to him, those memories seem more like pure suffering.
The duchess thought for a moment, then spoke to comfort her husband.
“Maybe Lia takes after His Highness the Grand Duke? The Grand Prince is also incredibly gentle and kind, just like his father.”
“Hmm… You might be right.”
The duke, considering her words, gave a small nod.
The duchess felt uneasy, as if she were badmouthing the Grand Duchess. But she didn’t let it show.
She recalled the time she had once called Stella ‘cool,’ only for her husband to jump up in horror.
Then, suddenly remembering something, her face darkened.
“But honey, that’s not the real issue right now.”
The duke looked at her in horror, as if to say, What could possibly be worse than this?
The duchess sighed, her expression bitter.
“Lia will be leaving House Elard soon.”
“What? Why?”
“She’s the Grand Princess of Belus. It’s only natural for her to return to the Grand Duchy.”
“Ah…”
Only then did the duke realize the inevitable truth, leaving him speechless.
***
After taking medicine and sleeping in a warm bed, I felt much lighter than the day before. A refreshing sense of energy filled me.
I had such a wonderful dream last night that I couldn’t help but smile.
Still smiling with my eyes closed, I suddenly felt a chill down my spine.
Someone was staring at me.
‘They don’t seem to have any ill intent…’
Feeling wary, I slowly opened my eyes.
“Aagh!”
“Gasp! Are you okay? Did I scare you?”
Barely managing to calm my racing heart, I looked at Ascart in shock.
His face was even paler than yesterday as he anxiously examined me.
“Did I startle you? I’m so sorry.”
There was no way I could say I wasn’t startled.
I had never expected him to be kneeling by my bedside, his face mere inches from mine.
Unable to speak, I just clutched my chest. Seeing this, Ascart’s eyes quickly filled with tears.
“I’m sorry. The moment I woke up, I panicked, thinking everything from yesterday was just a dream. Then I heard you were in Mother’s room… But when I came in and saw you sleeping, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up… I didn’t mean to startle you. Still, I’m sorry.”
“I was a little surprised, but it’s okay. So please don’t cry.”
Seeing the tears already spilling down his cheeks, I gently wiped them away. Ascart sniffled and grabbed my fingers.
“That was the important thing you were trying to tell me yesterday, right? That you’re my…”
He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
I nodded in response, and he let out a bitter sigh.
“I have something else to apologize for. I’m sorry for yelling yesterday. I just… I couldn’t believe what you were saying.”
“…”
“Honestly, even I… I couldn’t trust your words, just like Mother…”
“It’s understandable!”
I quickly interrupted him before he could start blaming himself.
“It was a difficult story to believe. So, really, it’s okay.”
Hearing that, Ascart pouted again.
“You’re too kind…”
His words made me feel a little embarrassed, so I scrunched my nose and laughed sheepishly. But then, Ascart suddenly let out a deep sigh.
“If only I hadn’t gone looking for snowflowers with Father, I wouldn’t have lost you.”
“Snowflowers?”
I tilted my head in curiosity, as Ascart spoke with a melancholy expression.
“They’re rare flowers that only bloom in the snowy mountains at the edge of the continent. There’s a creepy legend that says they first bloomed where someone died from a mana explosion long ago… But they have incredible mana-stabilizing effects. Just having one nearby helps prevent mana from running wild.”
“Mana explosion?”
Ascart nodded and explained further.
When the Grand Duchess was pregnant with me, my mana was so overwhelming that it made her movements difficult. There was even a risk that I might have a mana surge the moment I was born.
“My mana was that strong?”
I was skeptical, but Ascart continued speaking.
“I should’ve stayed in the castle instead of being stubborn. I shouldn’t have followed Father out there…”
I could almost see a young Ascart wandering through the snowstorm, hoping to find a precious gift for his soon-to-be-born sibling.
Ascart didn’t seem to notice the pity in my eyes. His own were beginning to well up again.
“Luckily, we found the snowflower right away… but when we returned to the castle, it was already…”
He bit his lip, remembering the sight of the grand duchy in chaos after the newborn grand princess had been kidnapped.
But he quickly shook his head, as if realizing he was in front of me, and forced a bright smile.
“Oh! That snowflower—I still have it! I’m sure you’ll love it. Its petals are transparent silver, and as you get closer to the center, they turn a deep blue. It’s really beautiful.”
“Wow, really?”
Silver and blue… For some reason, the colors reminded me of Diana.
“Yeah! I’ll show it to you once we return to the Grand Duchy.”
“…Ah.”
For a moment, I froze at Ascart’s words. In the excitement of finding my family, I hadn’t even thought that far ahead.
“W-Wait, you’re not planning on staying here, are you?”
“Here…?”
Right. My home is the Grand Duchy of Belus now.
The realization hit me, leaving me momentarily speechless.
“Why? Did I say something wrong? Or… are you still upset because of Mother?”
Suddenly, Ascart’s face twisted like a child’s, and tears started falling again.
“Come with me. I promise I’ll be really good to you. No…, if you want to stay in the Empire, then I won’t go either! I’ll just stay at the marquis’ estate—”
“Stop!”
“Huh…?”
“Stop crying.”
I let out a deep sigh.
‘He’s the same age as Lucio, isn’t he?’
Unlike Lucio, who was mature and composed, Ascart felt like a child I needed to protect.
I gave him a teasing glare and said playfully,
“If you cry again, I’ll start calling you ‘crybaby oppa.'”
“Gasp!”
At my words, Ascart clamped a hand over his mouth.
“O-oppa? That sounds amazing!”
“Even with ‘crybaby’ in front of it?”
“Yes! Even if you call me an idiot, a fool… even worse names, I wouldn’t mind!”
With tears still clinging to his lashes, Ascart beamed with the brightest smile I’d ever seen.
Thank you Jean, Arwendolyn and WhiteKirby for the Ko-fis. You all made me so proud and happy!
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