Chapter 10
He definitely said that.
I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but there was a time when Mom, whose complexion was growing more haggard by the day, couldn’t get out of bed for a while.
When I went to visit her with a bouquet of flowers for Mom who could only lie in bed, Dad picked me up and said let’s come back later.
‘Dad.’ ‘Yeah?’ ‘Why does Mom just keep lying down? I want to play with Mom.’ ‘Hmm… Mom is very sick right now. That’s why she doesn’t have the strength to walk. Should Ari give Mom flowers tomorrow and suggest we take a walk together?’ ‘Yeah!’
That’s when he said she was sick!
After that, Mom would often be bedridden. Each time, our family would move to a villa under the pretext of recuperation, and Dad would work traveling between the ducal castle and the villa.
“Dad said Mom was sick?”
“Yeah.”
“That man…”
“Hm?”
“Mom wasn’t physically ill.”
Mom bent one knee to meet my gaze as I sat on the bed. Eyes resembling warm amber looked at me gently.
“I had an illness of the heart.”
“The heart?”
“From self-blame and regret… that became a lump that turned into illness. But now it’s okay. It will be okay. So don’t worry.”
Mom’s touch as she ruffled my hair was affectionate. I asked while tidying my disheveled hair.
“What was there to regret so much?”
Mom sat in front of Kallius and carefully grasped both his hands tightly. Kallius kept fidgeting, as if uncomfortable with that touch.
“There were so many things to regret. I should have met Eve more often when she looked anxious. I should have looked at the constellations more carefully. Instead of collapsing in shock when I heard the news, I should have headed to the Grand Ducal house before the former emperor. I should have at least told off the former emperor who branded Lambert as a dark mage so boldly.”
Mom’s voice gradually became steeped in melancholy.
“Your uncle who took over the Grand Ducal house so brazenly as soon as Lambert died… When I saw Grand Duke Isaac, murderous intent boiled up, but there was nothing I could do.”
“…”
“There was nothing. I tried to restore Lambert’s fallen honor, but the people who handled the incident were the former emperor’s people. Nothing remained—everything burned up in the fire.”
Kallius’s head gradually lowered. I couldn’t see the child’s expression because of his shaggy hair.
“At that time, the former emperor announced that the Grand Duke, Grand Duchess, and even the Grand Duke’s son had all died. I shouldn’t have believed those words at face value.”
Mom tightly grasped Kallius’s finely trembling hands.
“My lady, may I enter?”
“Come in.”
Charlette entered the room along with a maid carrying Sier’s childhood clothes.
“Child, can you wash yourself? Or do you need help?”
“…I can do it myself.”
“Charlette, just show this child how to use the bathroom. Leave the clothes in the bathroom too.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Kallius didn’t refuse and obediently entered the bathroom. Watching that small retreating figure, I grabbed Mom and made her sit on the bed.
“Mom, so Kalif was your friend’s son?”
“That’s right. If Eve were alive, you two might have become childhood friends.”
“Who was chasing that kid?”
“Someone who wants Kallius dead… It would be Grand Duke Isaac. Kallius is the legitimate heir. He’ll try to find and eliminate him by any means.”
From the beginning of the original story, Kallius was already the Grand Duke. Grand Duke Isaac, who didn’t even appear in the original, was likely Kallius’s first target for revenge.
If I provide some help until young Kallius can become somewhat self-sufficient, couldn’t we avoid the ending where the Algenfrina ducal family gets annihilated?
Since the original story went off track the moment I met Kallius!
Mom chuckled and poked near my eyes.
“Are you worried about that child? Did you become friends already?”
“Friends my foot! Do you know how wary he is!”
Mom’s expression darkened again after hearing my words. It was probably because she could clearly see from his expression and attitude how the child had been living until now.
Mom silently smiled and stroked my hair for a moment, then suddenly shot up from her seat and looked out the window.
As if she had seen something in the sky where the sun hadn’t yet set, Mom hurriedly drew the curtains and brought her hands together.
“Look at this.”
A black night sky appeared above Mom’s palms. I had seen it when I was young.
“The prophetic night sky. You’ve seen it before, right? The pink and silver stars gathered together represent our family.”
The prophetic night sky.
It was one of the abilities contained in Mom’s unique magic. The prophecy wasn’t anything grand. It was just light prophecies like a distinguished person visiting from the west, or good financial luck this winter.
“Huh? What’s that next to it?”
Next to our family’s cluster of stars, a single red star was floating. It wasn’t a fire-red burning color, but a star that constantly alternated between black and red, giving off light.
“Were there stars that change color too?”
“Amazing, right? Eve’s husband had this kind of star.”
Mom. You really hate Kallius’s dad.
“When Kallius was born, a star of this color sparkled too.”
“Wait, so this is Kallius’s star?”
Mom nodded. Why is Kallius’s star visible in the prophetic night sky? So what is this star telling us?
“Should we run away? Is it dangerous?!”
“Child, what are you talking about? Why suddenly talk about running away?”
Ah, no. Just in case. If he turns dark, our whole family dies by his hands.
“The connection is very deep. It keeps getting deeper.”
“Connection? With our family?”
“Hmm, well? I wonder who with?”
“What?”
“Ho ho ho.”
“Why is your expression like that, Mom?”
“What’s wrong with my expression? Ho ho.”
What is that fake-looking laugh, and why do you keep looking back and forth between the bathroom and me with that pleased expression? It’s scary!
“No, Mom! Tell me more before Kalif comes out. What kind of person is Grand Duke Isaac?”
Now Mom would make a strange smile whenever I asked about Kallius. Really! I’m doing all this to save our family!
“The current Grand Duke is the uncle of Kalli—no, Kalif. Chervan Isaac. Lambert’s older brother.”
“Huh? The younger brother became the Grand Duke?”
“That can happen. Look at our ducal family now. The heir to the ducal family isn’t Reyn but Sier, right?”
That’s because Reyn absolutely refused and it passed to Sier.
But if Lambert and Isaac had been close enough brothers, Kallius would have long ago sought help from Isaac.
“But yes, Ari, your thinking is right. Lambert and Isaac had a very poor relationship.”
It was obvious from the fact that someone told Kallius not to trust anyone.
“Isaac was famous for his bad character and cruelty. In a way, it was natural that he didn’t become Grand Duke. He always harbored ill feelings toward Lambert.”
Mom’s eyes glinted coldly.
“Isaac sitting in a position that doesn’t suit him will end now too. Since the owner has returned, it should be returned to the owner.”
“Huh? Weren’t we protecting him? You’re sending him to the Grand Ducal house?”
“No!!”
“Hm?”
Mom’s eyes widened as she shot up from her seat. At the same time, with a face filled with determination, she clenched her fists as if she had made up her mind.
“I absolutely won’t send him!!”
“Huh?”
“The thought of sending that skin-and-bones child to that foul-smelling Grand Duke Isaac is horrifying! I absolutely won’t send him! If he’s Eve’s son, shouldn’t I, Rachel, naturally protect him? He probably came here while hiding from Isaac. If my recuperating here and meeting that child is fate, I’m willing to follow it gladly.”
I couldn’t close my gaping mouth.
“I don’t know who told the child about the constellation mage, but if that person is alive, I’d like to blow them a kiss!”
“Mom! C-calm down.”
I grabbed the arm of Mom, who was excited and on the verge of going wild, to calm her down.
Where did our elegant Mrs. Choi go? Of course, Mrs. Choi was also someone who couldn’t be stopped once she got excited!
“I was sincere about protecting him. So, Ariella. Kallius will need to stay at the ducal family until he becomes an adult.”
What? Not just help, but stay?!
To think that the villainous seedling Chervan Kallius would receive full support from the Algenfrina Duchess and live under the Algenfrina ducal family’s protection.
So… we’re going to live together! With the future villain!
I was spacing out, wondering if this was really something that could be decided so quickly, when I heard a clicking sound and Kallius emerged from the bathroom.
Seeing water dripping from Kallius’s hair, Charlette approached him with a towel.
“Don’t touch me!”
Why did his wariness surge again after washing up?
