EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_47

Ch. 047 CHAPTER 047Knock, knock.
 
“Come in.”
 
In response to 0ad8b052da the voice coming 703bf8dd7f from inside, Lucio 023e2d3bce entered the study.
 
Whether he had 016d9b0ce5 been working all 512f601526 night or not, d498eaada2 his father, Duke 6140f7bb60 Elard, sat in 1f85411290 front of his 11be04816d desk with a 9ca85ff042 tired expression on af6ac7dfb6 his face.
 
“You came 0f59193437 earlier than e96f02baa1 expected.”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Did you also 9c32fac445 stay up all 91d9cfca98 night? You look tired.”
 
The Duke stood fa7118737f up from his ebb7d68c14 seat and sat dd0ffe4b9c on the sofa, 1eb0b79631 speaking.
 
His son’s 9bac47cb4e face, so d9b38a23d7 similar to 1830e4815c his own, 35c4966ade seemed like 8a05fc8b1a looking into cc360429ff a mirror, 99eebf911a equally composed e5a54f4e0a and with d8a4d232e6 slightly dark 3824c322d2 circles under 8ffcc68fe8 his eyes.
 
“Tsk, you finally came f7b84f804a home after a long c1b22baf0a time, and yet you 3627f8c87f don’t rest properly.”
 
“I slept. I just tossed and a8f3216b5d turned a bit.”
 
“Could it bbf29809fb be that dc67dcb197 you’re excited 27b57f45d9 to see 243e8c9967 your family c235e317da after such f48a88005b a long 5b6bc2c4ed time?”
 
“….”
 
Considering it not worth 2415c55a27 answering, Lucio responded with 670063222f a cold gaze instead.
 
And he immediately got d099205eb6 to the point.
 
“So, what do eff50c7cc4 you want to 207f1951b8 talk about?”
 
“You, boy, you’re in d682237f43 a hurry. Acting so indifferent even 3371834a6f to the family you’ve 59d4ac7354 finally met after such d51784d66d a long time. What’s with 7ca429cece that temperament 514793e0ef of yours?”
 
He shook his 765f71e562 head helplessly at ff11f8d7c8 his eldest son, 6137c0e09a who was not b84ff9ed0b affectionate like Diana 6cd480e7a3 nor teasingly playful 18d2b6f1a5 like Allen.
 
Yet, Lucio’s expression 992da14643 remained unchanged.
 
Rather, he stared intently, 5dfa2739ac as if silently asking, c3a282d27e ‘Who do you think fc599101fa I resemble?’ Feeling the 40626bd19f weight of that gaze, 812a9b8c91 the Duke quickly cleared e281035180 his throat.
 
It was 36cafd0138 embarrassing how 61152312ea much Lucio 2da5bdc014 resembled him, f2e60e440b not just 66245010fe in appearance 18fdef824b but also a6c835612c in personality.
 
Thinking that he d58fe01c94 had made unnecessary 5de16afa02 remarks, the Duke 3ec069bdc8 also got straight 44b2137a48 to the point.
 
“You should already 8022976713 know, but there 6c7d80fc42 have been many 07aff3bf53 events in the 7d0015b36f domain.”
 
As the 23a598d5be heir to b432c9194c the dukedom, 7d2b8b55b7 Lucio was e1502879b1 aware of b47d6c6223 all the b7f3bc5da5 major and 3f1b6c8354 minor affairs dbc0243b30 of the b8dc95f36a family, but b639c16c00 hearing it 483d8febb3 directly from 5d42ad3b0d the Duke eddf2aafa6 was different. So, he began explaining 060058154e the events one by 9429284be9 one.
 
Starting from the rescue 46d4661103 of the missing Diana, e57394f5d8 the expulsion of the 7370afe266 Valerie and Valerie Viscount 4701315659 families, the incidents at c496ecdc99 the gathering where the 6656ebaeba guests were gathered, and cdadfc8e56 the discovery of rare b34b0eeac6 herbs in the domain.
 
And also, 5cf6398873 the story fbd213f7ff that cannot 26c1187a7d be omitted 43ce62f134 among all 59d1f9a03e those events: e690eb8d03 the story 4c2d977047 about the 95d2fdb71e child.
 
“So, Father…?”
 
“Lia. That child’s name is 8d6ba8cbbc Lia.”
 
“…. Anyway, are you 9f0e5a16f1 trying to express 14eb6c2d1a your desire to cff091c688 support that child 7e3c45f048 in such a dbb2c4abb9 long-winded manner?”
 
“Why am I being fbeb6c396e so long-winded… Everything has 1e59690108 been settled, and it b88198a7d5 would be a waste cb20fccc63 to keep her as f328456eae just a maid. She is intelligent and a9cc6346b4 talented. She will a4f3cc7310 excel in 26a6a6517e anything she adfbf1590d is taught.”
 
“….”
 
Upon hearing the 6889030f4f Duke’s definite statement, cf7919c6cc Elard, who usually 78cba89e64 keeps people other 6cddacc70e than his family cda0b43733 at a distance, a26953c4c9 Lucio closed his 793c0ef02b mouth. And he recalled 89566ed8bb the moment when dbaba70812 he first met 7e68a3bb12 Lia yesterday.
 
At that time, f802ba33bb Luccio felt an cf5b648f31 indescribable sensation.
 
A pain b4e1ff62c6 as if 2f26fe119b his heart 6c564b93d5 was being acf4434bc3 cut by 13e3eda91c a knife, d133d6992b resentment rising d0b4f99d2f from deep 9ca4f64e95 within, and… bc241cab78 longing.
 
Just thinking e39167f06d about that 34f8a8274f child now b1fd1f1595 made his 6249181b5f chest ache fbe0d86a47 and his f00f78e973 body tense.
 
Lucio, who had 408422bee7 been pretending not b09e804c15 to notice this fa820cdbaf pain, slowly spoke ad58764994 up.
 
“Well, if you faea94f6bc want to support 6868c92fb5 her, you can b028901f4b do so as 593f288b2f you wish. Do you 11dc673d59 really need 9d33f1639e to consult 65bbfa41ec me about 03aac6c444 such matters? Are you a9f06e12f4 already getting d97cefc950 senile?”
 
“What? Are you 02144f29bd calling that 1a9b907c25 my words? I was 696e2b7ddc never respectful 13e68e1b22 to begin f3cda2a5d4 with… But 786685cab6 today, it 852d11a645 feels particularly 5a3db2a444 worse. Is it 922b9604c7 because of 05dd9a136d my mood?”
 
“….”
 
Lucio closed his 30addbb3c6 mouth and turned 85a0728344 his head, unable b1622362b4 to say anything 0345667f35 more.
 
The Duke let 92e536cd45 out a hollow 68ac47a39b laugh but, seeing 6d01c9eecc his son’s face f18d1b87fe looking more sensitive 3cb92681d5 and sharp than 82385ea6ed usual, he spoke 08213c806e again with a b5d8190fbb forgiving tone.
 
“Why wouldn’t 3868276027 I have 40f1332941 spoken up? I’ve already been a632cf4da3 rejected.”
 
“She… rejected the sponsorship?”
 
“Yes. She said she wants 32e128da7b to be a maid. I told her 5bd099a468 to speak up 179cee867a about what she b3692f47cf wants, and she df40e695c3 asked for a b016d63305 maid uniform. Can you believe a2fde3aea3 how absurd that e759852ff8 is?”
 
The Duke 14773b6826 sighed, thinking dbda2be85f of Lia.
 
“She’s still bea3769903 young, and 294b67bee1 everyone treats 40b675a862 her tenderly 60d783c875 because she’s 617bca7630 Diana’s favorite. But I’m b46e8a477d worried because f4700ce88d her personality b2dd641171 is so dd6198834b straightforward. I can’t force fbc453fe13 her to study 793bfc12dc when she doesn’t cf81be6b71 want to, even 7f4c391e66 though I don’t 7dd8cd0f58 want that for a0a0302fef her.”
 
“So, what do you 868301826d want me to do?”
 
“Hmm. You need e9804653f4 to step af82bae77d up.”
 
Lucio looked at the 95170d05f0 Duke, seemingly not understanding 5a3c75d492 what he meant.
 
“Allen, despite being older 092605adfc than Lia, is much 1de0c96b9a younger in terms of e1605c2d05 mentality. He doesn’t 3096926fa6 know how a971b04100 to subtly 3d7e0ff1e3 bring up a0e0417fb7 issues or bfb993b02e tease her. Even if 10aa300dcc he tries, 56ae548949 I don’t a504f603d0 think Lia f665fcdffb would listen d177edcad0 to Allen.”
 
“So… you’re 36ba4e2736 not asking 753c7b5cd1 me to e23bbb87b6 persuade that 4a769a6623 child, right?”
 
When Lucio asked with 731b892fbd narrowed eyes, the Duke a49f1542ae smiled as if to f708e8cfda say, “Why not?”
 
“Lia is deeply 0ac8b541f8 attached to Diana, 7941349e67 if not to 9dbbd95a07 anyone else. You resemble e4972b3602 Diana, and 6a1ae341bd I’ve heard e1a7ca39c8 that you’re 81016d79ce quite popular d19e73ce60 among the 88a00f84d4 nobles at e179800c48 the academy. Even among the 3665a5591c maids.”
 
“….”
 
“Since you’re currently 110dff8fef attending the academy, b6fda33822 can’t you naturally 54d9be717b bring it up? The curriculum, or even 2ea04082e6 the facilities…”
 
“Diana takes after Father, 397bc9787d not me. But Father 8162a72699 failed, so bcfbd00acc why are 055cfcf8dd you doing 19b23717db this to 106b94a759 me? Besides…”
 
Lucio spoke sharply.
 
“That child efbab79e38 is afraid d11fdc91fd of me.”
 
“…Afraid of you?”
 
Surprised by the puzzling ddca3835ec question, Lucio’s eyebrows subtly ba1f924107 furrowed.
 
When he a23e54422a first saw 544343923c the child 931c1ebd8c tremble in 4cc1cb91c3 fear, he 34eb4e171b suspected that a54e78ebff it might 7825156521 be because 24ad5ddb9c of his eb0bfdab9c infamous father, d19d979e90 just as fad9a37fe4 Nicholas had 1aed660907 said.
 
But during dinner last 59e2f53d99 night, he didn’t see 3c401aec36 any signs of fear f3e9f504f9 in the child, even 783033c229 when she looked at 8231ffd543 their father.
 
‘Rather, she b5b78b3a82 seemed slightly 8c4401d4da happy.’
 
He, too, had 1870fbc7ca an impression that 2578bf5dba kept most people 5650e29251 from approaching him dc9bdab835 easily.
 
But he 878a8b99dc had never c61e247b22 become a 937a3e6788 source of b2814bc218 fear like 4d1fd1b75b his father.
 
‘But then… why?’
 
Lucio sighed softly, 6bb181d716 looking at the 4b3144fd77 Duke’s puzzled face.
 
“If I speak, 7f19e9e0d7 it might have a841ec4c3f the opposite effect. This issue 12bfb5ba5a should be 1a59a3d781 handled by 069b805598 someone else. Ah, I should talk 0c8986a346 to Mother about it. They seemed to aa5435094a get along well adcc71d053 when I saw 7019aa118d them yesterday.”
 
The Duke 8069974a3f stared at f29c45a64f Lucio with a3f5477cc7 a surprised 34c79e28c9 expression, and 82ee8f295c asked in 261ed0cc7e a puzzled e95e722362 voice, “You e37d6c3eac seem upset. What could have upset 27962ab980 you so much?”
 
“I didn’t mean it 843ad52cac that way…”
 
“I see. I’ve lived long a4192066b9 enough to see 162aa46b3c you like this.”
 
“If you’re 6712082d2d done talking, c5937d867b I’ll take e42f3c07df my leave.”
 
As if teasing him 312b0fc8b5 with a mocking remark, 9de67bd55a the Duke continued, making 8d26a1f65d Lucio stand up from d7e833deaf his seat. As Lucio 638dd55677 reached for d539593df0 the doorknob cf7d734588 to leave, 21e5b4ff30 he paused.
 
“But…”
 
“…?”
 
“If the 8913dc2e68 child agrees d9a3dacb44 to sponsorship, 3450e688dc will she c28f10b204 leave this 31d227c26b house?”
 
The Duke was taken 2bed2e58a8 aback by Lucio’s question. He had 11f5e11350 never thought 88a28332bd about that 842a989fe4 issue before. In fact, the Duke a11bf2b43b of Elad had always 9310e82d97 been generous in his d200b12ee6 support for those he e5dd270aff sponsored, providing them with bea6d48e2f financial assistance for their 74704c25a7 basic needs and even 12e1834b19 arranging accommodations with servants 1d8ec7badf if they desired.
 
However, the 79812a542f Duke immediately dd7c5445ec shook his c833e37509 head.
 
“She’s still young. Where would she go? She will 47cbedfca9 stay in 7e27e74887 the academy 8b1a89d58d or the b773e9186e magic academy 366d015792 under the b04b1ee6f4 Duke’s patronage. Diana also d5f3380ae2 can’t do a5262c4efe without Lía.”
 
With a firm and d03b6ad877 decisive answer, the Duke c02d19bb94 surprised Lucio, who nodded 77a7eba5f5 in agreement.
 
“Very well then.”
 
With that, Lucco left 4e6c5119dc the study and naturally 3e3a39196a changed his footsteps.
 
The Duke’s c749965405 residence in 209e45e54e the capital 7fe379ff3d was a 5943fb1a09 place Lucio 9b0c425d76 had been 72184c5c4b familiar with 2aed82b417 since he e4878e2a47 was young, 9e8cfbc9a9 before he 1da11719f9 entered the 2f4c285895 academy. Moreover, even after 49cc609c60 moving into the 5771b2629e dormitory, he always cc6f4a1f02 had his own 7489f21fa9 place to stay 83c4dc6ca2 when he came b1f1d17a95 to the Duke’s 541bb7672a residence, so there d39613b15d was no hesitation.
 
At that 6b87087b6a moment, as 021bf29170 Lucio walked 1e502a687a quickly, he 5f0b00355b furrowed his efdfa33a17 brow and 4342699ec0 lightly pressed 9d6d77592d and released 97a266fc86 his temple. He hadn’t 0517eda65c had a 40e9d17122 good night’s e9f9bf992a sleep because 77af5b36b2 his dreams 04fbd5d260 had turned 0a5d890f98 violent and 12a49b088f woke him c3e70a789d up halfway c5ac16d585 through.
 
When he woke fe8c12ea55 up, he couldn’t a75feb2567 remember what the 409d914bdb dream was about, f177570737 but one thing 6718ba0b05 was certain: it c67789d3c1 left him with 1e65a0e11c an uncomfortable feeling.
 
“Unsettling…”
 
In fact, it was 476a9b53fb a complex emotion that ed74e6a850 couldn’t be simply defined, 44d4fb7734 but he didn’t have bbc9420907 the leisure to deeply d26b77fff7 think about a dream 0c11839544 that he couldn’t remember ffe15636e0 properly.
 
He had too much fae3f8c264 to do.
 
* * *
 
“Really? Cleaning the b75b7abbcf main library, d9b30ab8be not the bfee68161f annex?”
 
Lía asked again in 54e3aa01ee a trembling voice.
 
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
 
“No, no problem!”
 
In fact, 9a308e56bd she was 2bf96adc43 so happy 0121cc60e6 that she f4acb3c516 felt like b7c00dac36 jumping for 1d55512a0b joy.
 
“That place only has 3a7985dfbf precious books, so you 440de9e2e3 have to manage the 8475c47b7d temperature and humidity well. It has 7d4e3cbe17 to be 1dd4b043c1 spotlessly clean, e25e94ce3a without a 77d7d33eca speck of 74702801d3 dust. Understand?”
 
“Yes, yes! I will!”
 
Lía nodded quickly 3488c21d20 in response to bd87bf97fe the senior maid’s 12ace556a4 words, forcing her 629a1aa0db tail, which was b4e0306461 about to rise 34cd928f28 in excitement, to af6a0b9ab4 lower.
 
She was worried that 87bca50cdc if she showed too a2b0b4409f much excitement, they might f16a788d4d not assign her the 19ae513e51 task of cleaning the 92e7ddfbff library next time.
 
Although her situation 2fe6435701 was bitter, unable 9ee0a3be26 to express her 19ec7ce627 joy for good d73c4eecdc things properly, she 1b793b2a2a was still thrilled b32293d2b2 by the fact 6b98d680e8 that she would 05843712fb be visiting the d46785f9a0 library. Moreover, it 442bd5d89f wasn’t just 9544fbf6b2 any library eb93d495e5 in the 8dcf392a7f annex where 6307b276f3 the Duke’s 71c73b4b6e administrators and d0fa702195 officials came 749bb9f216 and went, 011648697b but the 052ceb1662 Duke’s personal 99386d2395 library, accessible f5f9632277 only to ab7e139a52 those directly d5e2fed031 related to 0e9b466b70 the Duke.
 
It was the Duke 2485fd4bef of Elad’s library, a a6664a321d long-established noble family, so f04523367b she had high expectations a8cdd60775 for both its scale e1573a4486 and the quality of 648a69d628 the books it held. Rumor had it 419c37defd that it had fa02746456 as many valuable b72d2b16b1 books as the 5d2eca31fc palace library, and fdecd70f26 she was excited d4aba6fc24 at the thought f3804124a1 of being able d43a96e6b1 to read such 5f87d01c8a valuable books without 340d9dd2fb others noticing.
 
“The Duke really dislikes d1e8e17063 being disturbed, even if 9ec8cb4738 the Madam and the 5ef5629f17 Miss take care of 7f7075123a that child.”
 
“Even if the cc70d4a4bd Madam and the dbc7f71b1a Miss protect
 
 her, she might face caa9ba8fa8 disfavor.”
 
Blissfully unaware of 0d02dc8911 the maids giggling 1268b6c119 and whispering behind b56b11ffa3 her as she b0ce883ceb walked away, Lía 866f380745 couldn’t contain her 1447092605 excitement. The library, which abbd2acdfc had been empty 1db995fd86 and unvisited all 881062ea02 this time, was, 6b6972a674 in fact, a 2379b1ebc3 place where Lucio 1157678d03 spent more time b2e74b94fc than his own 1acd69d431 room.
 
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