Chapter 36

***

Ten years ago, when Duke Kredel beheaded the leader of the rebels, the summoner who had summoned the rebel’s leader spoke while coughing up blood.

“Those who share the beginning and the end with me will never forget today.”

The old summoner pulled out his own fingernails and threw them at the duke.

It was a sign of the curse that even if he died, other summoners would continue to resist.

“I curse the fruition of peace born from you, until it withers before fully blossoming!”

He laughed maniacally until his head flew off.

The hero who heard the curse with a heavy heart at that moment, and the current duchess, Fluvia, said,

“The meaning of those words might be to bring chaos back into the world, but…”

With a troubled face, she hesitated before continuing,

“It seems there will be a great upheaval before the baby the duchess is carrying becomes an adult.”

“…It won’t happen like that.”

“I also hope that my interpretation is wrong.”

However, in that year, the duchess passed away while giving birth to Ophelia.

From that moment, Ophelia, who became a symbol of peace as predicted, began to be called the “Child of Peace.”

Everything was unfolding as Fluvia had anticipated.

“There are still remnants posing as ordinary people in various parts of the empire. To make Ophelia a symbol of peace.”

The reason for such actions was clear.

To activate the curse on her, making her a symbol of peace, and spreading it throughout the world. To prove that even the Child of Peace in Blue Moon Family couldn’t protect herself.

It was to turn the world, which had lost peace, into a realm of fear, despair, and sorrow, just like the time when monsters rampaged.

After that, there were several incidents where Ophelia was almost kidnapped by summoners.

‘Until she becomes an adult, she should stay inside the castle.’

Naturally, going out was forbidden.

Unlike in the past when summoners openly revealed themselves, they now mingled among ordinary people, hiding their identities. It was impossible to distinguish them, and everyone had to be suspicious of each other.

So, the only way to protect Ophelia was to impose such restrictions.

Ophelia was frustrated, but she didn’t complain much. She knew her position.

Even so, everyone loved the Child of Peace with one heart.

They gave her anything she wanted, and even if she didn’t want it, she dedicated all the precious things in the world to her.

“I’m bored…”

Perhaps a life where everything could be easily obtained was more boring. The seven-year-old girl always carried the complaint that life was boring.

Playing with a new toy was only for a moment, and she quickly got bored and pestered the two martial artists to play with her.

“Brother, play with me.”

“Are you busy today too?”

“Salvador is busy holding a sword, and Angelus is busy holding a pen…”

Ophelia often grumbled.

But every time, she couldn’t do everything the way she wanted.

Angelus, who had to uphold the family’s prestige, was so busy that he couldn’t take a moment’s rest. He thought of protecting the family as a duty he had to fulfill for his younger sister as well, and he dedicated himself to studying day and night.

The child was particularly fond of flowers. Perhaps it was because there were few types of flowers that could withstand the northern weather.

Buying seeds of flowers to plant in the greenhouse from a merchant was her hobby, and she even searched plant dictionaries to find flowers that couldn’t be brought into the north.

“Brother, have you heard of the Moonflower? They say it’s a flower found only in the southern forest.”

“Moonflower…”

“It’s really, really beautiful. Do you want to see a picture?”

The illustration Ophelia showed from the book was indeed beautiful, just as she described.

Even Angelus, who had no interest in flowers, couldn’t help but admit that they were pretty.

“Do you like it too?”

He shouldn’t have said that.

“But it blooms at night and withers before dawn. I wish I could see it in person someday.”

“You can. Where on this continent can’t you go?”

“Really? Can I leave the north?”

“Just wait until you’re an adult.”

“Ugh…”

He shouldn’t have said that…

He thought that as long as she stayed inside the castle, he could protect her.

He never imagined that the child would venture outside the castle to bring back Moonflowers as a birthday present.

He didn’t know that a wandering sorcerer disguised as a magician would lure the child away and take her.

“Brother, are you busy today too?”

He told Ophelia he was busy every day.

While he neglected her, the sorcerer built trust with Ophelia, contacting her frequently.

Thinking that the castle was safe, he didn’t pay much attention to what she was doing or who she was meeting.

He shouldn’t have sent Ophelia, who was fidgeting around since morning, back to the study with the words “Let’s talk later.”

If he had postponed all his schedules to find out what she was thinking, would things have been different?

Angelus regretted every day since then. But…

The same thing happened again.

Angelus tried to forget that day every night, but ultimately, it was because of that day.

He was still turning in circles, unable to escape the past, feeling powerless.

He had placed his trust in a bracelet, thinking that…

‘Please let me out of the castle.’

Come to think of it, he had said that. But at the time, he didn’t even consider the possibility of Bunny running away.

No matter how much Bunny begged to be let out of the castle, there was no way she would leave.

That’s what he thought. Foolishly.

‘If she went out on her own, has she escaped forever?’

If wandering sorcerers, or worse, sorcerers who approached Bunny, were lurking, waiting for an opportunity, and if both children were in danger…

He would lose Ophelia, Bunny, the symbolic meaning of the child of peace, and Kredel’s mandate.

If that happened, would he be able to endure it? His life would become meaningless…

“Summon all the sorcerers immediately for tracking.”

After Antonio quickly responded to Angelus’s command and left the room, Angelus let out a sigh and covered his eyes.

* * *

This news reached Salvador immediately.

“Ah.”

He looked like he knew when he heard that Bunny was missing.

“I knew it. She seemed too quiet lately.”

Salvador thought Bunny might be rummaging around secret passages again.

It was natural for him to think that way. Bunny hiding after making a mistake was a common occurrence.

Once, she stole Ophelia’s cherished dress and accidentally tore it, hiding somewhere and not coming out.

Salvador recalled that time. He remembered being so angry that he threatened to tear apart anything belonging to Ophelia if she touched it again.

‘What kind of trouble did she get into this time?’

But something was strange.

He wasn’t as angry as before. Instead, he became curious about what she would say.

“No, my lord. It’s not like that.”

Salvador scratched the back of his head with the hilt of his sword and said.

“She didn’t hide, she disappeared. Completely outside the territory.”

Salvador chuckled.

“It wouldn’t be fun if it were a lie.”

“Why would I lie about something like this? You know how valuable my life is. First, the Lord sent a messenger to the Duke.”

Salvador thought it was impossible, but the other person seemed serious.

‘Bunny…ran away?’

Completely disappeared? It was beyond imagination, something he had never even considered.

Perhaps because it was so unreal, Salvador didn’t react immediately.

Emotions bubbled up first, then his mind followed.

‘Then Ophelia…’

No, no. The curse wouldn’t have an immediate effect.

He knew. Yet, Salvador immediately thought of Ophelia.

Hearing that Bunny had left, worrying that something might happen to her, that she might face some kind of danger.

That should have been the reason.

Worries about Bunny going out on her own, whether she would dig up dirt again or tear up weeds.

Such concerns shouldn’t have existed.

* * *

“Your Lordship, have some water.”

“….”

Damian struggled to lift his heavy eyelids.

Long, dark lashes cast shadows.

He blinked for a while, then raised his hand to his forehead.

A damp towel lay quietly on his forehead.

“It’s wet.”

“It’s a wet towel.”

“Why is it on my forehead?”

“You have a fever.”

If he had a fever, why would he put a damp towel on his forehead? Damian couldn’t understand it at all.

With a face flushed from the fever, Damian sent a silent questioning gaze.

“Oh.”

It was only then that Doha realized the intention behind the question.

“When you have a fever, you use a wet towel to cool it down.”

“Does that even make sense?”

“Well, would Your Lordship like me to prove that it makes sense?”

With a blank expression, Doha looked at Damian, who kept touching his forehead.

So…

“You’ve never had medical care before, have you?”