Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Soliaphe came from one of the most prestigious families of the Empire, the Marquis of Rembert.
Marquis Rembert, had produced an empress in the distant past.
However, in the present, he was pushed by other families and no longer had enough influence to produce another empress. Soliaphe’s younger brother, Euris, had been appointed as an imperial knight, continuing a thin string-like relationship with the imperial family, while her sister Lariet was only socializing.
There were many sayings that even one breath of the Marquis of Hills, who had produced three empresses, would shake Rembert.
Soliaphe’s parents also wanted her to become the Empress. Everything was for the revival of the family.
From an early age she was forced to undergo rigorous education, under the name of Empress Classes. Soliaphe never wanted it. She had even participated in contests for the Crown Princess seat, but she could not stand the suffocating atmosphere of the imperial family and decided to give up on herself halfway through.
From then on, she decided to follow the path of the sword, which she had secretly admired all her life.
For her, the Duke of Bellstein was the best match.
She did not have to force herself to participate in the social world, and it was ideal in terms of union between families. When she became Duchess of Bellstein, Soliaphe was delighted, completely free from her parents’ interference.
It started out as a marriage out of affection, but the two became closer as they learned swordsmanship and magic together. It was a relationship similar to friendship, and after having Kizef, it turned into love.
After she gave birth to Leoni, and when the child was just starting to walk, the doctor told Soliaphe that she was ill.
It was an unbelievable fact for a woman who had trained her body more firmly than anyone else. She didn’t want to destroy the happiness she barely attained. She didn’t tell anyone and paid a large sum of money for fear that the words would leak from the doctor’s mouth.
Soliaphe didn’t want Louivid to know this.
Someone knocked on her door as Soliaphe was burying her face in the pillow, while recalling her past.
She sang a lullaby and after putting Leoni to sleep by herself and came back straight to her room. She didn’t want to meet anyone else.
She still couldn’t admit that she was dying of illness.
‘It is truly an incurable disease. Existing remedies and healing magic will be of no use. Slowly prepare your heart.’
The doctor’s words came to mind again.
While she participated in the subjugation of monsters in the North, she did everything she could. She ate all the medicines she could find, and even received healing magic from a priest, who was her subjugation teammate, but to no avail.
I was thinking about asking Evelyn who was a half dragon for help, but…….
When she founded the Bellstein House with Gillard a long time ago, she had lost part of her powers while using excessive magic to bestow the Dragon’s protection upon the land of the Duchy.
If there was no way of finding a cure even after consulting with Evelyn. It would only hurt her family, they would all grieve while she was slowly dying. She didn’t want something like that.
If she’s going to die anyway, she’ll do so quietly without anyone knowing. She wanted to die like that.
* * *
Luciel stood at the door and waited for a while, but Soliaphe didn’t answer and the door didn’t open, so she decided to just go back.
Maybe it’s because it’s late at night.
For some reason, I felt frustrated.
‘Why does my chest feels so tight?’
Bessie, passing by, gave Luciel a blanket with bear ears, covering her from head to toe. There was a hole in the blanket, as if it was wrapped around like a cape.
“My Little Madam. The Elder Madam told me to bring you to the terrace for a while. She has something to give you.”
“Something to give me?”
Luciel went to the terrace from where Bell usually came, wrapped in a cozy blanket.
Wearing a comfortable pink dress, Evelyn was looking at the stars in the night sky. She waved to Luciel, who rushed towards Evelyn.
Her granddaughter-in-law, whose eyes twinkled with delight, was cute, so Evelyn stroked Luciel’s white cheek.
“You haven’t slept yet?”
“Well……I have so many thoughts that I can’t sleep yet. Besides, I can’t sleep more than four hours because the human way of sleeping is mismatched with my body.”
“……Oh, what do you do when you’re tired?”
“It doesn’t happen. This grandmother has accumulated a lot of energy over the years. In fact, it would not change anything even if I didn’t sleep.”
“I see.”
Luciel thought to herself that dragons were great.
“Well, you are going to get sleepy soon, so I need to start doing business.”
“……No, I’m not sleepy.”
When Luciel shook her head, her braided silver hair shook gently.
“Are you staying up late at night? Children need a lot of sleep to grow up taller, don’t they?”
At Evelyn’s affectionate nagging, Luciel gave a quiet smile.
“Come to think of it, all the Bellstein men are gone these days.”
“I know, right. But since Grandma Evelyn and Madam Soliaphe are there, the castle doesn’t feel empty.”
“Yes. I didn’t expect Soliaphe to suddenly return, but it’s a good thing anyway.”
Luciel suddenly thought of Louivid. He would be the happiest out of everyone, with Soliaphe’s return.
“Is father-in-law doing well?”
“Don’t worry. We say it’s an inspection, but it’s probably a long term hunting for monsters. Maybe he’ll come back by now.”
“Aha, Madam Soliaphe is here, so I hope the two can meet soon. It’s a bit lonely because Father-in-Law isn’t here.”
It’s only been three days since the Duke left the castle, but Evelyn was proud of Luciel who cared for him like that.
‘Louivid took good care of his daughter-in-law.’
Except for Luciel, no one in Bellstein paid much attention when he left for a territorial inspection. Even though they had the same last name, there were times when they didn’t see each other for about a month.
From a young age, Louivid was a child who gets further the more you try to approach. A child slipping away like sand between your fingers.
Louivid did not inherit the dragon’s powers, but the blood was strongly manifested, and he possessed outstanding magical talents and a strong body. In fact, Evelyn still wanted to bring her child to her hometown, Dracan, the land of dragons. To make the dragon’s powers flowing through his blood awaken.
But she always remembered her son’s words.
‘Mother, if possible, I would like to live a normal life.’
It wasn’t that he explicitly rejected the dragon’s bloodline, but it meant he didn’t want to be incorporated into the world of dragons. Just wanting to live a normal life showed the intention in itself. She herself was not in a position where she could live a normal life in the first place.
Evelyn let go of her thoughts for a moment and returned to reality. She pushed the white box on the table towards Luciel.
“Luciel. I think you’d better have this.”
“What is this, Grandma?”
“Open it.”
Luciel’s eyes twinkled as she opened the box. A bright red rose sprinkled with golden powder came out. It was the very same <Rose of the Phoenix> that Luciel had obtained to wake Evelyn up.
“Grandma, why are you giving this to me?”
“Since you have worked hard to find it, I think you deserve to have it. Now that I am fully awake from my sleep, I have no more use for it anyway.”
“Ah…….”
“If I fall asleep again, use it then.”
Evelyn said jokingly.
“Thank you, Grandma Evelyn.”
Luciel took the Rose of the Phoenix with a serious attitude.
“It’s me who has to thank you. By the way, isn’t it your birthday at the same time as the wedding? What would you like to have as a birthday present?”
“You always take good care of me, so I don’t need anything.”
“Really? I know that our little Luciel loves sweets. Do you like cute dolls too?”
“……I do, but it’s okay.”
“Are you sure? There’s still time, so think about it. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“Sleep well, Luciel.”
As Evelyn smiled and raised her hand, a glimmer of light scattered like stardust above Luciel’s head. Feeling the dragon mana for a moment, Luciel widened her eyes.
“Is it magic?”
“Yes. It’s a Dragon’s Blessing. It will defeat any nightmare.”
“There is such a thing. That’s great. Thank you, Grandma.”
“Have nice dreams and sleep soundly.”
Evelyn murmured anxiously as she watched Luciel. Clear and pure mana instinctively attracted all types of beings. Even now, invisible lesser spirits flew around her.
‘It may be because her mana is very pure, but there are so many things that are needlessly attached to this child.’
Luciel returned to her room and opened a red notebook in which she had made her plans. There she added new items to the list.
Find a place to hide your jewels.
Learn teleport magic.
Find the mage Erika.
As she awakened the power of the jewel, her new to-dos increased a lot. She enjoyed creating jewels more than she thought, but she wanted to quickly discover the power of the elements hidden in them.
If that happens, her magic skills will be even stronger.
‘I have to be strong. I have to gain strength.’
Luciel’s eyes shone like stars.
She asked Bessie to put the Rose of the Phoenix in a pretty vase, and a glimmer of golden powder lit up Luciel’s room.
Was it because she received the dragon’s blessing from her Grandma Evelyn?
Luciel really had a comfortable night without dreaming, and in the next morning, a clear and transparent voice echoed in her head.
– Fairy’s child. Wake up.
“Unh…….”
-Child. It’s me, Phoenix.
Luciel awoke in a second at those words.
“Ph-Phoenix……? Are you really a Phoenix? How are you……?!”
Luciel got up from the bed in surprise and looked around.
– Here. The Phoenix’s Rose you received yesterday.
“……Ah!”
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