“Oh my goodness! Young master Lysian!”
“My lady! I’m so glad you’re okay!”
The servants and the knights waiting outside the building greeted the two with cheers. However, they all fell silent when they heard Gerard’s cold voice.
“Halo.”
He seemed to be waiting for the explanation of what happened in the mansion.
Butler Halo immediately bowed in front of Gerard as he explained the whole story. From Lestia’s uncle visiting the mansion to Lestia returning to the mansion with the mana stone ring and the magic book after the fire broke out.
‘Because of me… because of uncle…’
Lestia wriggled her fingers nervously as she listened to the organized report. She had been distracted by the fact that Lysian was left in the fire. But now that she had come to her senses, she realized that the scenery of the burnt Verchester Mansion looked strangely unfamiliar.
The huge Verchester Mansion was colorful and beautiful. It was that kind of place but… it had now turned to ashes because of her. Lestia’s heart turned heavy as she waited for Gerard to scold her.
However, Gerard was looking at Lestia’s knights with an unreadable expression.
“Then, where is that uncle now?”
Franker, a quick-witted knight who had been acting slick all the time, replied in a tense voice.
“Ah. That… I’m sorry. We prioritized evacuating the young lady… that…”
“You lost him.”
Gerard turned away from them as if he was done listening to their excuses. Then, he slowly moved in front of Lestia.
Lestia squeezed her eyes tightly thinking that it was finally time. She was sure that he would definitely tell her that he wouldn’t be able to accept the niece of the man who had made such a huge mess in his mansion and his younger brother. Her thoughts were filled with such thoughts.
“Lestia Verchester.”
His low tone of voice struck her ears like the pitter patter of the rain. Contrary to Lestia’s worries, Gerard’s voice was devoid of anger. However, his words remained cold and cruel.
“I don’t know any mercy or forgiveness. I believe that one should get rid of everything that threatens my family.”
Lestia looked at him blankly. She could not understand why Gerard was saying this to her. But when she heard the end of his words, she realized what his intentions were.
“But I will give you a choice this time. What do you want to do with your uncle?”
He wanted her to choose whether she would forgive her uncle or not.
Lestia clenched her fist tightly as she looked up at Gerard. Without any hesitation, she asked the question that she had ever since she came to Verchester Mansion.
“Duke, am I really the child of the Verchester Duchy?”
Gerard narrowed his eyes as he stared at Lestia.
“Why do you ask that?”
“I don’t have the right to answer the Duke’s question unless I know that I’m really a Verchester.”
Gerard looked at Lestia for a moment before answering her calmly.
“I can guarantee that you are my father’s daughter.”
“Then… “
Lestia was only barely able to spit out the words that were stuck in her throat.
“Then…! Please catch my uncle!”
Anyone who heard her voice could feel the emotions hidden beneath her words.
“Uncle… my uncle should be punished. I can’t just forgive him like that.”
The sin that his uncle had committed was too great. Lysian almost lost his life because of the suspicious box that he said was her mother’s memento. No, she didn’t even know what would have happened to the mansion if Lysian wasn’t there. Lestia felt angry when she thought about the servants and the knights that treated her kindly getting injured or dying.
This was their first time seeing Lestia becoming angry so everyone turned to look at her with bated breath. Lysian was also a bit surprised when he saw Lestia becoming angry.
Gerard quietly turned his head and looked at Lestia’s escorts. He did not say a word but they could understand what he wanted to say. He was ordering them to make up for their mistakes.
“We won’t let you down.”
The three escort knights disappeared in front of Gerard’s eyes.
✢✢✢✢✢
Meanwhile, Lestia’s uncle, who managed to escape from Verchester Mansion with his body filled with stab wounds, staggered away.
“Heook… Eeek…!”
Blood spurted out of his wounds with his every move. And his body trembled whenever that happened as if he was deeply afraid of the wound.
Because he was Lestia’s uncle, the escort knights had avoided his vital points and made sure not to cut him too deeply. However, Lestia’s uncle kept on swearing in his head. This was the first time that he had been hurt by somebody so he couldn’t help but blame her.
‘This is all because of that bxtch. I fed her for ten years… how dare … how dare you act cxcky in front of me?’
Bxtch. You went to Verchester Duchy to eat well and live well all by yourself. You don’t even know your place.
But that did not matter anymore.
“Fu… Fuhaha…!”
He smiled as if he won.
To him, Lestia was truly a lucrative bxtch. The money that her mother had given him before her death was quite hefty.
Well, I used that up quickly.
He raised her until she could walk and talk. He found her to be useful when she made money by selling flowers and begging. So he felt a bit disappointed when she disappeared and was taken to the duchy. He only felt a bit disappointed since he received a lot of money to give up her custody. But he quickly spent that money on leisure.
But this time, she brought to him plenty of precious guests. They were even part of the Imperial Family. They said that they would give him money if he sold information about Lestia.
Was there any reason for him not to sell it? Her uncle even handed all of the information that he knew about her in an instant.
―Your niece can’t use any magic?
―Yes! I’m telling the truth! She’s a child who can’t even read or write anything.
―I’ll give you a simple mission then. Give this box to your niece as a gift. If she says that she doesn’t accept it, all you need to do is open it.
The Imperial Family’s errand boy threw a bag and a box in front of him as he said so.
―What’s this?
―It’s an object that amplifies mana. This is none of your business. I’ll give you twice the money in the money bag once you finish this mission.
The money bag was filled with jewels that he did not dare touch.
―Do… double! Is there any reason for me not to do it!
Thus, Lestia’s uncle took the box and came to see her. He successfully completed his mission. He was quite surprised that an explosion had occurred but thanks to the chaos, he was able to escape. Now, all he needed to do was to collect twice the amount of money that he had previously received.
“Fufufufu!”
The pain that he was feeling was nonexistent in front of money. He was even humming happily.
Slam!
However, he was forced to drop on the floor by a force that slammed on his thighs.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
Her uncle couldn’t understand what happened. But he quickly covered his head with his arms as he turned to look at the person who hit him.
“Yo… You!”
The people in front of him were the knights that stabbed him in Verchester Mansion.
Slam, slam!
When they noticed that he had recognized them, the knights began to punch and slap Lestia’s uncle. The power packed in the well-trained knights’ punches and slaps were incomparable to ordinary people. Her uncle’s bones and muscles felt like they were about to burst.
“Ouch!! Please spare me, sir!”
Lestia’s uncle clung to Uiel, the knight who looked the nicest, after being beaten continuously. However, Uiel did not hesitate to smack him with his elbows.
“Keuaack!”
Her uncle rolled around the floor as he grabbed his nose.
The knights grabbed him by the collar with a stiff and cold expression on their faces.
“We want to end you right here, right now… but our kind princess just asked us to catch you.”
✢✢✢✢✢
Lestia’s uncle had no choice but to return to Verchester Mansion on his own two feet. If the pace of his walk turned just a bit slower or if he tried to run away and moved in a different direction, the three knights would immediately take turns kicking him.
Thanks to that, he was in a far greater mess than his image when he escaped from Verchester Mansion.
“Hiik! Didn’t I walk properly just like you said? Stop… Stop hitting me…!”
Lestia looked at her uncle’s swollen face as he collapsed in fear after being dragged back here.
“…Uncle.”
This was her first time seeing her uncle in this appearance so she had no choice but to have complicated emotions. But she tried to hide her emotions as best as she could. She couldn’t be weak-willed. This was a person that had to be punished.
This person almost killed Lysian.
She felt suffocated when she recalled the despair that she felt when she thought that she wouldn’t see Lysian ever again.
Lysian was a person who had become important to Lestia. So, she should never be weak-willed.
Lestia clenched her fists as she shouted at her uncle.
“Because of uncle, someone almost died. What was the box that you threw at me?!”
But her uncle did not even look at Lestia. His eyes were trained at… Gerard Verchester. Lestia did not realize it at first. But the fear that was coloring his face was not because of her. Her uncle was afraid of Gerard Verchester, who was sitting behind Lestia with his bored and cold expression.
“Sir…! Please give me a chance to explain. I just came here to deliver my niece’s mother’s belonging.”
His uncle crawled on all fours and lay flat under Gerard’s feet without even looking at Lestia as he began to waggle his tongue.
“I don’t know why the box exploded. More than that, I have something to tell you. My lord is being fooled. How can that bxtch be my lord’s precious younger sister?”
“Oh my goodness! Young master Lysian!”
“My lady! I’m so glad you’re okay!”
The servants and the knights waiting outside the building greeted the two with cheers. However, they all fell silent when they heard Gerard’s cold voice.
“Halo.”
He seemed to be waiting for the explanation of what happened in the mansion.
Butler Halo immediately bowed in front of Gerard as he explained the whole story. From Lestia’s uncle visiting the mansion to Lestia returning to the mansion with the mana stone ring and the magic book after the fire broke out.
‘Because of me… because of uncle…’
Lestia wriggled her fingers nervously as she listened to the organized report. She had been distracted by the fact that Lysian was left in the fire. But now that she had come to her senses, she realized that the scenery of the burnt Verchester Mansion looked strangely unfamiliar.
The huge Verchester Mansion was colorful and beautiful. It was that kind of place but… it had now turned to ashes because of her. Lestia’s heart turned heavy as she waited for Gerard to scold her.
However, Gerard was looking at Lestia’s knights with an unreadable expression.
“Then, where is that uncle now?”
Franker, a quick-witted knight who had been acting slick all the time, replied in a tense voice.
“Ah. That… I’m sorry. We prioritized evacuating the young lady… that…”
“You lost him.”
Gerard turned away from them as if he was done listening to their excuses. Then, he slowly moved in front of Lestia.
Lestia squeezed her eyes tightly thinking that it was finally time. She was sure that he would definitely tell her that he wouldn’t be able to accept the niece of the man who had made such a huge mess in his mansion and his younger brother. Her thoughts were filled with such thoughts.
“Lestia Verchester.”
His low tone of voice struck her ears like the pitter patter of the rain. Contrary to Lestia’s worries, Gerard’s voice was devoid of anger. However, his words remained cold and cruel.
“I don’t know any mercy or forgiveness. I believe that one should get rid of everything that threatens my family.”
Lestia looked at him blankly. She could not understand why Gerard was saying this to her. But when she heard the end of his words, she realized what his intentions were.
“But I will give you a choice this time. What do you want to do with your uncle?”
He wanted her to choose whether she would forgive her uncle or not.
Lestia clenched her fist tightly as she looked up at Gerard. Without any hesitation, she asked the question that she had ever since she came to Verchester Mansion.
“Duke, am I really the child of the Verchester Duchy?”
Gerard narrowed his eyes as he stared at Lestia.
“Why do you ask that?”
“I don’t have the right to answer the Duke’s question unless I know that I’m really a Verchester.”
Gerard looked at Lestia for a moment before answering her calmly.
“I can guarantee that you are my father’s daughter.”
“Then… “
Lestia was only barely able to spit out the words that were stuck in her throat.
“Then…! Please catch my uncle!”
Anyone who heard her voice could feel the emotions hidden beneath her words.
“Uncle… my uncle should be punished. I can’t just forgive him like that.”
The sin that his uncle had committed was too great. Lysian almost lost his life because of the suspicious box that he said was her mother’s memento. No, she didn’t even know what would have happened to the mansion if Lysian wasn’t there. Lestia felt angry when she thought about the servants and the knights that treated her kindly getting injured or dying.
This was their first time seeing Lestia becoming angry so everyone turned to look at her with bated breath. Lysian was also a bit surprised when he saw Lestia becoming angry.
Gerard quietly turned his head and looked at Lestia’s escorts. He did not say a word but they could understand what he wanted to say. He was ordering them to make up for their mistakes.
“We won’t let you down.”
The three escort knights disappeared in front of Gerard’s eyes.
✢✢✢✢✢
Meanwhile, Lestia’s uncle, who managed to escape from Verchester Mansion with his body filled with stab wounds, staggered away.
“Heook… Eeek…!”
Blood spurted out of his wounds with his every move. And his body trembled whenever that happened as if he was deeply afraid of the wound.
Because he was Lestia’s uncle, the escort knights had avoided his vital points and made sure not to cut him too deeply. However, Lestia’s uncle kept on swearing in his head. This was the first time that he had been hurt by somebody so he couldn’t help but blame her.
‘This is all because of that bxtch. I fed her for ten years… how dare … how dare you act cxcky in front of me?’
Bxtch. You went to Verchester Duchy to eat well and live well all by yourself. You don’t even know your place.
But that did not matter anymore.
“Fu… Fuhaha…!”
He smiled as if he won.
To him, Lestia was truly a lucrative bxtch. The money that her mother had given him before her death was quite hefty.
Well, I used that up quickly.
He raised her until she could walk and talk. He found her to be useful when she made money by selling flowers and begging. So he felt a bit disappointed when she disappeared and was taken to the duchy. He only felt a bit disappointed since he received a lot of money to give up her custody. But he quickly spent that money on leisure.
But this time, she brought to him plenty of precious guests. They were even part of the Imperial Family. They said that they would give him money if he sold information about Lestia.
Was there any reason for him not to sell it? Her uncle even handed all of the information that he knew about her in an instant.
―Your niece can’t use any magic?
―Yes! I’m telling the truth! She’s a child who can’t even read or write anything.
―I’ll give you a simple mission then. Give this box to your niece as a gift. If she says that she doesn’t accept it, all you need to do is open it.
The Imperial Family’s errand boy threw a bag and a box in front of him as he said so.
―What’s this?
―It’s an object that amplifies mana. This is none of your business. I’ll give you twice the money in the money bag once you finish this mission.
The money bag was filled with jewels that he did not dare touch.
―Do… double! Is there any reason for me not to do it!
Thus, Lestia’s uncle took the box and came to see her. He successfully completed his mission. He was quite surprised that an explosion had occurred but thanks to the chaos, he was able to escape. Now, all he needed to do was to collect twice the amount of money that he had previously received.
“Fufufufu!”
The pain that he was feeling was nonexistent in front of money. He was even humming happily.
Slam!
However, he was forced to drop on the floor by a force that slammed on his thighs.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
Her uncle couldn’t understand what happened. But he quickly covered his head with his arms as he turned to look at the person who hit him.
“Yo… You!”
The people in front of him were the knights that stabbed him in Verchester Mansion.
Slam, slam!
When they noticed that he had recognized them, the knights began to punch and slap Lestia’s uncle. The power packed in the well-trained knights’ punches and slaps were incomparable to ordinary people. Her uncle’s bones and muscles felt like they were about to burst.
“Ouch!! Please spare me, sir!”
Lestia’s uncle clung to Uiel, the knight who looked the nicest, after being beaten continuously. However, Uiel did not hesitate to smack him with his elbows.
“Keuaack!”
Her uncle rolled around the floor as he grabbed his nose.
The knights grabbed him by the collar with a stiff and cold expression on their faces.
“We want to end you right here, right now… but our kind princess just asked us to catch you.”
✢✢✢✢✢
Lestia’s uncle had no choice but to return to Verchester Mansion on his own two feet. If the pace of his walk turned just a bit slower or if he tried to run away and moved in a different direction, the three knights would immediately take turns kicking him.
Thanks to that, he was in a far greater mess than his image when he escaped from Verchester Mansion.
“Hiik! Didn’t I walk properly just like you said? Stop… Stop hitting me…!”
Lestia looked at her uncle’s swollen face as he collapsed in fear after being dragged back here.
“…Uncle.”
This was her first time seeing her uncle in this appearance so she had no choice but to have complicated emotions. But she tried to hide her emotions as best as she could. She couldn’t be weak-willed. This was a person that had to be punished.
This person almost killed Lysian.
She felt suffocated when she recalled the despair that she felt when she thought that she wouldn’t see Lysian ever again.
Lysian was a person who had become important to Lestia. So, she should never be weak-willed.
Lestia clenched her fists as she shouted at her uncle.
“Because of uncle, someone almost died. What was the box that you threw at me?!”
But her uncle did not even look at Lestia. His eyes were trained at… Gerard Verchester. Lestia did not realize it at first. But the fear that was coloring his face was not because of her. Her uncle was afraid of Gerard Verchester, who was sitting behind Lestia with his bored and cold expression.
“Sir…! Please give me a chance to explain. I just came here to deliver my niece’s mother’s belonging.”
His uncle crawled on all fours and lay flat under Gerard’s feet without even looking at Lestia as he began to waggle his tongue.
“I don’t know why the box exploded. More than that, I have something to tell you. My lord is being fooled. How can that bxtch be my lord’s precious younger sister?”
