Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Luciel stuck closer to the vase where the Phoenix’s rose was placed.
“Hello.”
When Luciel carefully greeted it, a voice mixed with laughter was heard.
―You’re still cute. I had a hard time because I was suffocating with the dragon’s mana.
How can the Phoenix’s voice, which should be at the altar of fire, be heard from the rose?
Luciel asked with round startled eyes.
“What happened?”
―Some of the fragments of my soul are contained in the Phoenix Rose, so we can have a conversation like this.
As Luciel nodded her head the Phoenix continued.
―Can you help me resurrect?
“How can I do it?”
―Move the Phoenix’s Rose to the soil.
At the Phoenix’s request, Luciel immediately thought of the greenhouse garden.
“There happens to be a greenhouse garden.”
―Great. Please, guide me there.
For some reason, feeling like Phoenix had become coy, she took the rose and headed to the greenhouse. She dug with a golden shovel, planted the Phoenix’s rose from the stem, and then watered it with a golden sprinkler.
Fortunately, it seemed to fit the taste of the picky Phoenix.
―Um, the water tastes good. To have such a state-of-the-art facility…….
When she heard Phoenix’s satisfying voice, Luciel thought she was lucky.
“Are you okay now?”
―Lastly, I need sunlight.
Luciel pushed the switch and opened the window to let the sunlight come inside in abundance. The rose petals trembled, enjoying the sunlight coming in.
― Luciel, won’t you share a sip of your mana?
Luciel squatted down and thought for a moment. Somehow, it felt like I would need to take care of the Phoenix more often. Then wouldn’t this be a good opportunity? Since Phoenix is a powerful being with the power to be coveted by anyone, there would be nothing bad about being friends.
Whether Phoenix felt Luciel hesitation for a moment, it said.
―If you help me resurrect, I will grant your wish. I like you quite a bit.
A wish in return for helping Phoenix revive wasn’t a bad deal. Phoenix is a phoenix. That meant that it had the power of fire and the power of resurrection.
Luciel smiled softly.
“……All right. I will give you a sip of my mana every day for Phoenix’s resurrection.”
―What is your wish?
Luciel did not readily answer Phoenix’s question. She got only one wish, but Luciel wanted two things from Phoenix. To get both, she didn’t know how to make a complicated wish.
“I will tell you about that later. After you are fully resurrected.”
After answering that, Luciel touched the leaves of the Phoenix’s Rose, gathered mana and let it flow.
When Luciel’s mana was absorbed, an amazing thing happened. The green stem of the rose gradually grew thicker and extended its roots into the ground. Thanks to this, the soil in the flower bed was slightly lifted. There was no major change in the upper part of the stem or the flower buds, but the voice came back stronger.
―The roots have been properly settled down. Thank you.
When Luciel, who had left the greenhouse, came back to the East Wing, the atmosphere of the castle was completely different from the previous day. All the servants were busy moving from early morning.
“Is it true that the Madame returned to the castle?”
“……Yes.”
“Then you should have contacted his Grace right away. How long has he been looking for…….”
Eva and Ellington were also talking. For some reason, the two of them seemed to raise their voices, so Luciel tried to pass quietly, but Ellington’s eyes met hers. Soon after, the two stopped talking and bowed politely.
“Little Madam, did you wake up this early?”
“Yes, I went to the greenhouse for a while. Seeing that Ellington is here, is father-in-law back?”
“Yes, we just arrived. He also told us to prepare dinner for the whole family for his return, so you will see him later.”
“Yes…….”
That meant not to go to my father-in-law now. she couldn’t go to meet him and Luciel decided to go back to her room. She was just about to pass by Soliaphe’s room, where she was staying in the East Wing.
The Duke was seen standing in front of the door with a cold stiff face. He didn’t even change his clothes, and he was still wearing a thick coat and armor.
The Duke banged on the door.
“Let’s talk. You must have a lot to say to me.”
“……Go back. What are you doing now?”
For the first time in my life, I saw the Duke’s face filled with anger and frustration.
Luciel, thought that it would be impossible to meddle in the couple’s fight and crept past like a cat. When she barely climbed the stairs and arrived at her room, Bessie was waiting for her.
“Little Madam, where are you coming from?”
“Huh? Oh, I went to the greenhouse.”
“Aren’t you hungry? I’ll bring you breakfast…….”
As Bessie was about to go outside, Luciel hugged her skirt.
“N-no. I am not hungry.”
“What? Little Madam? Why are you like this all of a sudden?”
“Just. I wanted to sleep more.”
“Are you still going to sleep?”
Bessie smiled and patted Luciel on the back.
“Yes. Anyway, I’m not hungry, so don’t ever go downstairs. Understand?”
“Why?”
Because right now, the atmosphere downstairs is no joke.
Unable to speak so frankly, Luciel just smiled awkwardly. It was the first time she had seen her father-in-law so angry. I’m sure something happened with Soliaphe……she kept hiding away, so she was hard to figure out.
That evening, her family gathered at the dinner hall. The atmosphere in the room was still cold and frozen as if a misunderstanding had not yet been resolved between Louivid and Soliaphe.
It was like walking on thin ice, so I thought I would get indigestion during the meal.
“Father-in-law, I’m glad you came home safely. I heard it is very cold in the northern snowfield, are you okay?”
“……It was fine.”
Normally, if Luciel spoke to him, Louivid would have accepted the conversation with a happy face, but today he gave short answers back. Soliaphe, who had been silent the whole time, not giving him a single glance, finally got up and said.
“I’m not feeling well, so I’ll go up first.”
“…….”
The Duke’s gaze fell straight to her, but Soliaphe left without any regrets.
“…It hasn’t changed a bit even after a long time.”
The Duke mumbled in a small voice and Evelyn said.
“Go after her.”
“…Soliaphe doesn’t seem to want to talk to me.”
“…I will go.”
Just because Luciel went, it didn’t seem like Soliaphe would change, but Louivid nodded his head to do so. Luciel followed Soliaphe with quick steps.
Soliaphe, who was running away in a frenzy, entered the greenhouse. She then paused for a moment, and started to cough loudly. She pulled out a handkerchief and covered her mouth. Once again coughing was heard, and Soliaphe secretly threw away her handkerchief and began to burn it.
Luciel doubted her eyes.
‘That’s…….’
It was a handkerchief stained with blood.
‘It was as I guessed. Soliaphe got seriously ill, so she hid the disease all this time…….it was a serious disease that may kill her.’
Seeing that she is hiding like this, is it already in an irreversible state?
Luciel was surprised and at the same time heartbroken at such a sad fate. The mana gathered in her heart fluctuated greatly, and she started making sapphires. She quickly hid her body behind bushes. While catching the falling sapphires with her hand, Luciel chased after her Soliaphe.
She approached from behind and called out her name.
“Madam Soliaphe.”
Soliaphe remained frozen without looking back.
“Luciel? What are you doing?”
Both her voice and eyelashes trembled.
“What happened? That bloody handkerchief…… Are you sick?”
“……It’s nothing. Please go back to the dinner hall.”
Soliaphe spoke dryly, but Luciel took her hand and continued.
“Are you seriously ill? That’s why you have been away from Bellstein for all these years while hiding it from the rest of the family?”
“……It has nothing to do with you.”
“Yes, I don’t know Madam Soliaphe well, and it’s clear that you also don’t know me well. But it doesn’t matter. Now I am also a member of Bellstein’s family.”
If left as it is, Soliaphe’s death might lead to the other three people going crazy. I couldn’t let go of the Bellstein family, which I had been working hard to protect, like that.
Above all else, Bellstein was like a new family, a new home for Luciel.
I couldn’t just wait around and see the three of them going wrong. We had only known each other for a while, but I also wanted to happily get along with Soliaphe.
‘If I can, I should stop it. Is there any way to cure her illness?’
Phoenix had strong vitality, so it would not be an impossible story.
Not knowing that Luciel had been in deep thoughts for a moment, Soliaphe said while exhaling her breath.
“……Please pretend not to know.”
Luciel nodded her head.
“I will. Instead, please be honest with me, and accept my help.”
Luciel appealed with clear eyes. Soliaphe couldn’t figure out why this little girl was doing this to her.
“The only way you can help me is to let go and go back to the dining hall.”
“Madam Soliaphe, then, please listen to me first.”
Luciel grabbed her hand and gave a desperate look.
“Now that I know one of your secrets, I will tell you one of my secrets. As you may have heard, I can see the future in my dreams. So I definitely remember a lot of things.”
Luciel said calmly and Soliaphe just stared blankly at the child. Because it was hard to believe.
“……The later Soliaphe’s illness is revealed, the greater the impact will be on father-in-law, Kizef, and Leoni. It’s going to be very bad.”
“…….”