Chapter 94
After hearing that Aria would be visiting, Evelia began decorating the mansion.
The mansion was maintained by a butler and head maid. But there were signs that the house had been without a hostess for a long time.
“Mom.”
It was time for Evelia to give instructions to the head maid. Ruth, who had been excitedly following her behind, hesitated.
“Why?”
“You know.”
“Yes.”
Evelia calmly waited until Ruth spoke first. After waiting for a while, the child wiggled his fingers and asked.
“Isn’t there a portrait of Aunt Julia here?”
“Ah…”
Evelia immediately understood the child’s question.
‘Now that I think about it, all traces of Julia have been removed from this mansion as well.’
Evelia held the child’s hand.
“Shall we go find Aunt Julia’s portrait?”
“Yes!”
Evelia decided to ask the butler and find traces of Julia. The butler, who had devoted himself to the Adelhard family for a long time, also knew about Ruth’s birth.
He freaked out as soon as the name ‘Julia’ came out. However, he skillfully hid his expression and spoke.
“I must speak to the master first.”
Ruth asked like a puppy with its tail hanging sullenly.
“Can’t you?”
Evelia patted the child on the back and said.
“Cassis gave permission.”
“Still, I need to confirm.”
The butler has his own reasons. In particular, since this was a sensitive matter, it had to be handled with caution.
Evelia understood him and decided to take a step back.
“All right. Then ask Cassis first and let me know.”
And the next day, the butler came to Evelia with a more polite attitude, as if he had heard what Cassis had said.
“I’m sorry, madam. I was rude yesterday.”
“No, you were only doing your duty as a butler.”
“Then let me show you the way.”
Evelia took Ruth and followed the butler. The place the butler guided us to was a warehouse.
“I have gathered Miss Julia’s things here. If there is anything you want, I will take it out for you.”
“I’ll let you know once I see it.”
“Yes, then, please enjoy.”
Evelia went inside with Ruth, whose eyes were sparkling.
“Can I really see it?”
“Yes.”
“Wow!”
Ruth rushed over and looked for Julia’s portrait. The first thing the child discovered was a portrait of Julia, who looked to be about seven or eight years old.
“Mom, look at this! Aunt is really young!”
“That’s right!”
“It’s amazing! Did mother ever have a childhood like this?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Does mom have a portrait too?”
“Hmm.”
Evelia looked back at her memories. But unfortunately, Count Venion had not painted a portrait of her. It had only been painted after she came of age to put her on the marriage market.
“I don’t think there is one.”
“Huh.”
Ruth’s shoulders slumped in disappointment, but he soon wandered around the spacious warehouse to go on a treasure hunt again.
‘He’s very excited.’
Evelia smiled once and also looked into the warehouse. There were many things in the warehouse, not just portraits.
Clothes that Julia wore when she was alive, accessories, writing instruments, etc. Meanwhile, Evelia discovered something unusual.
‘What is this? It looks like something a child could use.’
There was a box on the dressing table that looked relatively new. Evelia picked it up and opened the lid.
A cheerful music box sound was heard, and the ballerina in the very center of the box spun around.
She stroked the ballerina’s face wistfully, and a drawer popped out from the bottom of the box.
Inside was a silver necklace.
Evelia saw that Ruth was preoccupied with the portrait and lifted the necklace. On the back of the necklace was written ‘To my little jewel.’
Probably what Julia would have said to the child in her stomach.
Evelia carefully opened the necklace. Inside was a portrait of a man.
A man with bright blonde hair and red eyes. A man whose smiling eyes strangely resemble Ruth.
Evelia recognized who he was at a glance.
‘Lionel Cesia.’
He was Ruth’s biological father.
“Mom!”
At that moment, Evelia suddenly heard a voice calling her and put the necklace into her pocket.
“Wha-what’s wrong?”
“This picture! Can I hang it in my room?”
What Ruth pointed to was a portrait of Cassis and Julia together.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll have them do it.”
“Wow!”
“And Ruth.”
Evelia handed the music box she had seen a moment ago into Ruth’s hand.
“This looks like a gift from Aunt Julia to Ruth.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Mom knows everything.”
“Wow, mom, you’re the best!”
Evelia laughed along with the brightly smiling child.
For some reason, her pocket with the necklace felt heavy.
*****
“What kind of necklace is this?”
Cassis, uncharacteristically, showed interest in the necklace Evelia had placed on the nightstand. It was the same necklace I found in the warehouse earlier.
“Oh, that.”
Evelia handed the necklace to Cassis.
Cassis adjusted the necklace with a puzzled look and opened the necklace. His face hardened as he looked at the portrait.
“This man… Who is he?”
“… Yes?”
“Why do you have a portrait of a stranger?”
Evelia just blinked, not knowing what Cassis was talking about. Then, I realized it late and burst out laughing.
‘Are you even jealous right now?’
When I thought about it that way, this big man just seemed cute.
“Wife.”
Cassis pressed for an answer. However, Evelia was unable to answer properly because she was laughing.
Only after seeing Cassis’ expression become even more determined did she stop laughing.
Actually, it wasn’t something to laugh about.
She held Cassis’ hand carefully.
“Today, Ruth and I went to the warehouse where Julia’s things were kept.”
“I heard about that.”
“That’s where I found it.”
“……”
Cassis looked down at the portrait with a very different expression this time. The expression on his face was anger.
Evelia gently rubbed the back of his hand to calm him down.
“Probably Prince Lionel Cesia.”
“…….”
“Looking at the text written on the back, it looks like Julia prepared it to give it to Ruth.”
But she couldn’t give it. Because Ruth still has only one father, Cassis.
Evelia respected Cassis’ opinion. I think Ruth should know the truth someday, but she would wait until Cassis tells her himself.
But when I saw Lionel’s portrait today, something came to mind.
“Have you found out anything about the curse of the Kingdom of Cesia?”
Why didn’t Lionel come back? What is the curse coming down on him?
Ultimately, what is the way to cure Ruth?
“Logan is looking into it.”
“I see.”
“And this, I’ll keep it.”
“Yes.”
“I have some business to run today, so I’ll go out.”
Cassis put the necklace in his pocket and walked past Evelia.
He turned back to her as he felt an indescribable sense of regret. He kissed the back of her hand, deeply.
“I hope you have a nice dream.”
*****
Cassis went to the office and called Logan.
“Have you done any research on Lionel Cesia?”
“Yes.”
Logan began reporting on what he had been investigating.
“I didn’t find out anything about the curse, but there is something a little unusual.”
“Something unusual?”
“Yes. Seven years ago, there was a severe drought in the southern region of Cesia.”
“And?”
Cassis cut him off. A drought in a country was a serious thing, but it wasn’t that unusual.
It wasn’t something to report as unusual, but there had to be a reason Logan was saying it. Cassis gestured for him to continue.
“It is said that around that time, Prince Lionel, who had been confined to the kingdom, headed to the southern region.”
“And?”
“After that, the drought in the southern region was resolved….”
“What is the conclusion?”
“Could it be that Prince Lionel had something to do with the drought being resolved?”
“Nonsense.”
Cassis cut him off.
Thanks for the chapter
I hope the Prince isn’t a bad person and tries to take away Ruth, he is finally happy with his family and the situation in the Prince’s kingdom isn’t exactly stable, if I recall correctly.