EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_47

Ch. 047 CHAPTER de2ab6b412 047Knock, knock.
 
“Come in.”
 
In response bd7265a813 to the 6b88b6de42 voice coming 24fa8f7b12 from inside, 289e101b70 Lucio entered 82b07da034 the study.
 
Whether he had been 6da6d1fed2 working all night or 2856816a60 not, his father, Duke ea1529a1d4 Elard, sat in front 7070042d65 of his desk with 734335e4de a tired expression on 048ad2e702 his face.
 
“You came 8430514814 earlier than b6a1be7645 expected.”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Did you also 8b82a8fded stay up all 53ed922676 night? You look tired.”
 
The Duke stood up 46b47a16c0 from his seat and cf7831c0f8 sat on the sofa, 131db6d436 speaking.
 
His son’s face, so fbed7c2181 similar to his own, 1dec621f83 seemed like looking into c207965e9b a mirror, equally composed ae3d2ddc16 and with slightly dark f728c18963 circles under his eyes.
 
“Tsk, you finally came 221d6ea196 home after a long 0ddff8535b time, and yet you 37000eb2da don’t rest properly.”
 
“I slept. I just 4d9fd450c3 tossed and 8a2454d3d0 turned a 59d4564b35 bit.”
 
“Could it be 11276f9043 that you’re excited f2e03ab212 to see your 23639fe539 family after such 7ff4bde702 a long time?”
 
“….”
 
Considering it d824f30407 not worth a3fbd94edb answering, Lucio 348386e45d responded with 8b6bfde29e a cold 27b1f3ba20 gaze instead.
 
And he 99f888c103 immediately got ba61e5ddbd to the dd158edcce point.
 
“So, what 06ca99822d do you 2dcedf1386 want to b899da2fbe talk about?”
 
“You, boy, you’re in 4333cadcd1 a hurry. Acting so 498c178cfc indifferent even 43da912bed to the 8989440bb3 family you’ve 5db44d8fc2 finally met 564614890b after such beaefb14af a long 0f0e49301c time. What’s with that temperament b01d226dc5 of yours?”
 
He shook his 9ac2ae36f6 head helplessly at c56773ba38 his eldest son, 8903d1d211 who was not 276c633a8e affectionate like Diana d40c7f749e nor teasingly playful 282db14feb like Allen.
 
Yet, Lucio’s 014285a350 expression remained e3f057849b unchanged.
 
Rather, he a812acdc74 stared intently, b8a4ec4aa9 as if c6e050dcfa silently asking, 249c3db394 ‘Who do 76bb3799fc you think d7a3f2c02d I resemble?’ c43d682d5a Feeling the d5d5e914df weight of 411071ef9c that gaze, 9b84262ca7 the Duke b772dae862 quickly cleared 8a4dd94150 his throat.
 
It was 536281bc2c embarrassing how 2f404b7957 much Lucio 4cd34ebcbc resembled him, db104b7ae4 not just 7b9d73e321 in appearance 8a94649b55 but also 82321a72fd in personality.
 
Thinking that he had 9bda288afd made unnecessary remarks, the 8d9ce544b0 Duke also got straight 831bf7e04a to the point.
 
“You should c6c1588b1e already know, 4b13c840c7 but there 3ef26184cb have been 182d073dba many events 7c537db1d4 in the 70c1b744fd domain.”
 
As the heir to dfc0dada38 the dukedom, Lucio was af67b293dc aware of all the 8d6bc1569e major and minor affairs 8a087d8590 of the family, but 9edab9dda9 hearing it directly from 43dcff2a65 the Duke was different. So, he began fb0ab7f37a explaining the events 0a9f5c800e one by one.
 
Starting from the 09751d85fc rescue of the fdd1e5e1c7 missing Diana, the c05505c345 expulsion of the cc29b5dac2 Valerie and Valerie 4e728b5040 Viscount families, the 52b1a77165 incidents at the d30d5666b9 gathering where the 46d05da85b guests were gathered, 14ed1c19aa and the discovery fa8759d803 of rare herbs 9610f12a69 in the domain.
 
And also, 003566e0df the story 1c3d46f243 that cannot 8b938c1149 be omitted cd481afef5 among all 0fe1f4c337 those events: b1de182bde the story 0432ebe7cc about the 7dd93b5e89 child.
 
“So, Father…?”
 
“Lia. That child’s name is 9e06108d8d Lia.”
 
“…. Anyway, are you trying b7836f78e5 to express your desire cc74532410 to support that child 23e0b05db6 in such a long-winded c5c5894ef5 manner?”
 
“Why am I 3466f6f044 being so long-winded… 7a3e06de7a Everything has been 80d5c7c245 settled, and it eabb594b69 would be a 978c9f82fc waste to keep a95c967332 her as just 1eded784da a maid. She is 009d61bd7b intelligent and b3c4725f0d talented. She will excel in d26a338826 anything she is taught.”
 
“….”
 
Upon hearing the Duke’s ac5c650d54 definite statement, Elard, who c96819e57a usually keeps people other e74f7e8e59 than his family at b6eefe6f25 a distance, Lucio closed a45254857e his mouth. And he 0f83ec31a4 recalled the 8811f4608f moment when f678ad3b01 he first f73471b903 met Lia 4cf5ed545b yesterday.
 
At that time, 744a7ecbd1 Luccio felt an de0da2c32d indescribable sensation.
 
A pain as 656b218ea3 if his heart e803bc9cb4 was being cut e95351e0a1 by a knife, 51cba49dff resentment rising from 4854dbb01c deep within, and… a3cedc73ec longing.
 
Just thinking 0e7f4c7975 about that 1e313c8343 child now 269eb9ad8f made his d8b4bdaa02 chest ache e7a0f56d86 and his a57d178a7f body tense.
 
Lucio, who had 1779440466 been pretending not a5ed5266dd to notice this 3a74741b73 pain, slowly spoke e392f8298c up.
 
“Well, if 48a0e311ec you want 95657e6d76 to support b0e7e4754b her, you 5e35699c79 can do 3556f09250 so as 4da06c98e0 you wish. Do you a32947ede3 really need a26af04926 to consult 298f216121 me about 7e89e6de91 such matters? Are you already 77b0ad2109 getting senile?”
 
“What? Are you calling that f8918f5d1a my words? I was never respectful 07e4d1d92e to begin with… But a216dd608c today, it feels particularly 20d9972e91 worse. Is it because of 340823976c my mood?”
 
“….”
 
Lucio closed 5c4684216c his mouth 3041f82059 and turned ce68f39490 his head, 3713f8df7a unable to ff3fe6f579 say anything 79c82e7e74 more.
 
The Duke 37f68ac569 let out bd8cc13591 a hollow 7016940e23 laugh but, e29b1035e5 seeing his 3cb1389f46 son’s face 58ba886a8a looking more 91ad2dcf09 sensitive and 7f38a6122d sharp than b96e77cf35 usual, he 7baa83028c spoke again 03d461e2d5 with a 77d37c8ff8 forgiving tone.
 
“Why wouldn’t I 67dee30462 have spoken up? I’ve already been rejected.”
 
“She… rejected the 0f33913286 sponsorship?”
 
“Yes. She said 17f426e955 she wants 2854f56fbb to be 59276fc2c9 a maid. I told her to f9b3b5c155 speak up about what 9db62762e6 she wants, and she db854d8aac asked for a maid 75a3dcbcc3 uniform. Can you believe how 287da0e1bb absurd that is?”
 
The Duke sighed, thinking 02c577e958 of Lia.
 
“She’s still 1d1d390bca young, and 96cc1fdeb5 everyone treats b939368662 her tenderly 16741cfbe5 because she’s 9ec06bbf41 Diana’s favorite. But I’m worried 515763dcfc because her personality c19f825833 is so straightforward. I can’t force her 66534b43a4 to study when she e39aef73a2 doesn’t want to, even 5ff6c358fc though I don’t want 8bd2fe1ec0 that for her.”
 
“So, what 3f84d80516 do you a008a7af41 want me 9154cd485e to do?”
 
“Hmm. You need to 188583336f step up.”
 
Lucio looked 63786690f9 at the 00d9a5222c Duke, seemingly 4cf5fe3d01 not understanding 89fda59264 what he 9982b2e2e8 meant.
 
“Allen, despite being 6b1899b193 older than Lia, bccd0bdcbe is much younger 99a0ca3a6b in terms of d039eda211 mentality. He doesn’t know ae9ecc1f19 how to subtly b6556b8058 bring up issues f8c4a0bfe5 or tease her. Even if he tries, 4893e270fa I don’t think Lia ae50e706b8 would listen to Allen.”
 
“So… you’re not 34fc3c46ba asking me to c95c2af0af persuade that child, 10d0d4da0a right?”
 
When Lucio asked with 808de4b52b narrowed eyes, the Duke d1a0f2db5c smiled as if to 98f50aafe6 say, “Why not?”
 
“Lia is 6aefcc6a8a deeply attached 0762c727ad to Diana, f269e55881 if not 8836d37167 to anyone 4b4f0cdce7 else. You resemble Diana, and 9b1bd5bdc1 I’ve heard that you’re 89aef125a5 quite popular among the b687ea246f nobles at the academy. Even among the 210d328c9e maids.”
 
“….”
 
“Since you’re currently attending 51e8f1de41 the academy, can’t you 8dfa58075d naturally bring it up? The curriculum, or 8fba8cee90 even the facilities…”
 
“Diana takes after eeac53dbfe Father, not me. But Father failed, so 3cd7f750f5 why are you doing fa7c97ee56 this to me? Besides…”
 
Lucio spoke sharply.
 
“That child is 43b8b38db9 afraid of me.”
 
“…Afraid of you?”
 
Surprised by a1af88dd1a the puzzling c09f549d45 question, Lucio’s b1ed46aa29 eyebrows subtly 329724ef80 furrowed.
 
When he first 78232ed7f4 saw the child 453e434d2c tremble in fear, 42c2382d52 he suspected that bd8e6c7a60 it might be aaced214d9 because of his 47f155474a infamous father, just a91d14b4f5 as Nicholas had 6ae958b134 said.
 
But during dinner last 60317669fa night, he didn’t see 31f242e95c any signs of fear 1074cd94d8 in the child, even b406bc9a00 when she looked at f1a468a0ea their father.
 
‘Rather, she seemed c77e9037dc slightly happy.’
 
He, too, 4200d83619 had an cc64664be7 impression that eefeaeff4b kept most ade8d44374 people from 79e3ac6e07 approaching him 05333a2df0 easily.
 
But he 40d13d68e7 had never bb776fdfb9 become a 00cd83e94f source of 6b799ae8c4 fear like aada1ea25d his father.
 
‘But then… why?’
 
Lucio sighed softly, looking 4f2ebbb9b0 at the Duke’s puzzled 18ef8917a1 face.
 
“If I speak, d9cd20c8c3 it might have b6b726069f the opposite effect. This issue should be a139cf87bb handled by someone else. Ah, I 04546f8e62 should talk 48f8ac9450 to Mother a48ae1aab6 about it. They seemed 7d6a5330a1 to get 11e5965195 along well 027f7f0716 when I 9c5b82b2b4 saw them ebadb53d42 yesterday.”
 
The Duke bd7c0cdfb0 stared at 3301f02767 Lucio with 9f7d90e1da a surprised 4d7cd966fb expression, and 7744dd223a asked in 5279ba73d7 a puzzled 63c8e19081 voice, “You 91bdea6772 seem upset. What could have upset 44fd8f94da you so much?”
 
“I didn’t mean 1a4d5fa50e it that way…”
 
“I see. I’ve lived long enough 09c31f4b7d to see you like b0d226d6ed this.”
 
“If you’re done talking, 5e29a719a8 I’ll take my leave.”
 
As if teasing him e8a7cf81f5 with a mocking remark, c5627202c3 the Duke continued, making a534cf55e6 Lucio stand up from 3ab06642b2 his seat. As Lucio reached for abccb5e3b8 the doorknob to leave, 1a9cf53177 he paused.
 
“But…”
 
“…?”
 
“If the child agrees b3ec4c089b to sponsorship, will she b4b713ef5b leave this house?”
 
The Duke was taken 045507db2d aback by Lucio’s question. He had a5554b2a08 never thought f2f40d277f about that 318cd4b0a0 issue before. In fact, 57f2931572 the Duke a82708bcee of Elad 63ebc6d6e5 had always ba6dfb551d been generous 643f57801d in his 96da68de21 support for a9b9ae3558 those he 7e47cc1162 sponsored, providing eec46f13b1 them with c304bd7e0a financial assistance 25af481069 for their 364af08d27 basic needs b634f9288e and even 32c5ba7b6a arranging accommodations 71ebca1395 with servants a03315bdaa if they 1ab3b7bc81 desired.
 
However, the aa8e3d8a1f Duke immediately 05fe8a609b shook his 4d56bbd9fb head.
 
“She’s still young. Where would she 6c8b7d38a4 go? She will stay in d71b2203f6 the academy or the 5252409f88 magic academy under the 69a52bc381 Duke’s patronage. Diana also can’t do 247032486e without Lía.”
 
With a firm and 44a4655e7e decisive answer, the Duke d8b64b6a18 surprised Lucio, who nodded 2a7f85a04a in agreement.
 
“Very well then.”
 
With that, Lucco b4948cfa83 left the study f0788214d6 and naturally changed d6e2d193aa his footsteps.
 
The Duke’s residence 0f4e1bdbcc in the capital f188acb8a4 was a place c9fd732254 Lucio had been 394f09f5cc familiar with since 50396eff3c he was young, f8dcf22321 before he entered 6c9f024a58 the academy. Moreover, even after b519aca6a1 moving into the efc47b27f6 dormitory, he always 02afa5e1a2 had his own c374e763cf place to stay 9b4c7df4b7 when he came f3ec76ea76 to the Duke’s 038b002be9 residence, so there 3a45fea445 was no hesitation.
 
At that moment, as 1e0bc7dcf2 Lucio walked quickly, he 4844e8023c furrowed his brow and c8ec3a465c lightly pressed and released 93dde12393 his temple. He hadn’t had a 076c3b2210 good night’s sleep because fb9e0c79ee his dreams had turned 429f51a1d0 violent and woke him 92d5f405ac up halfway through.
 
When he 7de47c2a6d woke up, 442027c447 he couldn’t c8e1a36a6c remember what 418382ee08 the dream 7113458fc2 was about, 287ab45047 but one b91e08c898 thing was e8c5b4f919 certain: it a9072f3575 left him 0a9af90c67 with an b923b8e9d6 uncomfortable feeling.
 
“Unsettling…”
 
In fact, it acacb972e6 was a complex b2e6122185 emotion that couldn’t 2babf024f0 be simply defined, 11dc5bcaf3 but he didn’t 31618f448b have the leisure b0ab1fd631 to deeply think c97489f05f about a dream 1a781f8766 that he couldn’t 30886da180 remember properly.
 
He had 4108c45f50 too much c03a6fba8f to do.
 
* * *
 
“Really? Cleaning the main library, ac897697ad not the annex?”
 
Lía asked again e72ee2be73 in a trembling 510fed1b3d voice.
 
“Yes. Is there a 48bcb8dc29 problem?”
 
“No, no problem!”
 
In fact, 10ec440c3e she was 5b76856b31 so happy edcfceb6dd that she d42ef389cb felt like 5aacaecf8e jumping for e5e3507341 joy.
 
“That place d7e29d9150 only has 8713fc844b precious books, 601c599bd5 so you 305d7d6b88 have to ef6604b5d1 manage the 607fd69716 temperature and c9980f08ae humidity well. It has 152dd2fdb1 to be ce04d823bc spotlessly clean, c765bca642 without a 5d68695852 speck of 9f2791ae23 dust. Understand?”
 
“Yes, yes! I will!”
 
Lía nodded quickly 5c9d7da5ff in response to c497c9a1f3 the senior maid’s 1e18eff009 words, forcing her 8b1a24592d tail, which was 533c57c67d about to rise beb0ed8f03 in excitement, to ff0ffa1c69 lower.
 
She was worried that a2429b3bf7 if she showed too 0baad2add9 much excitement, they might b18201885c not assign her the 807bca20ff task of cleaning the 7035886086 library next time.
 
Although her situation was 619562ca27 bitter, unable to express 93365de338 her joy for good df72cc809f things properly, she was 4234879579 still thrilled by the 97041e9085 fact that she would e63d993a6f be visiting the library. Moreover, it wasn’t just e9a3edf30c any library in the 8275cdb9f8 annex where the Duke’s 9b29e92567 administrators and officials came 027fcd22ee and went, but the 17828591ce Duke’s personal library, accessible df7dc6bc42 only to those directly 9284506fd6 related to the Duke.
 
It was the Duke 0a65c8c142 of Elad’s library, a b4a55dbd75 long-established noble family, so e063eae8f1 she had high expectations 85031491d3 for both its scale 3b0d0395e2 and the quality of cb39362737 the books it held. Rumor had it that 88f4b1ebd4 it had as many 83bbc91fc8 valuable books as the 7cafbaf445 palace library, and she dccbfbca8c was excited at the 106d8359e6 thought of being able aa1666e12c to read such valuable 10b0e604bf books without others noticing.
 
“The Duke 0fd82d5c0c really dislikes 854e4c3442 being disturbed, 32398f7f66 even if 879a8c8e0f the Madam dc7b22b6ef and the 12ed9aeb89 Miss take a1ba4139c4 care of bf3c0218d3 that child.”
 
“Even if the ea34158e85 Madam and the 0b583de20b Miss protect
 
 her, she might face 30c9c41230 disfavor.”
 
Blissfully unaware of the 44157abfa2 maids giggling and whispering 6168e38a6b behind her as she 44f2720e6b walked away, Lía couldn’t f5f5df9030 contain her excitement. The library, b9f34d151b which had ab6bdf8e9e been empty 8b4444fb09 and unvisited 00248dc837 all this 58fb803f3b time, was, ce573bb850 in fact, fde45ec329 a place f5b60bfab4 where Lucio 31c317c056 spent more 04d6405051 time than 09a7afc43d his own acb710daf0 room.
 
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