Author: rolypoly

“Are you okay? Come to your senses!”

 

Enoch ran to the fallen Selena and checked her condition.

 

“That’s, no….”

 

Holding her stomach, Selena looked at Lilith even as her consciousness faded.

 

“…” 

 

Lilith stood there blankly, just staring into one place. 

 

She couldn’t hear anything.

 

Enoch’s urgent voice and the noise of the knights who came late.

 

* * *

 

Imperial palace, villa.

 

It was late afternoon when Gerard came to the palace office that the Emperor had personally given to Cheshire. 

 

“Is it true that Marquis Ludendorff’s son is going on an expedition this time?”

 

Cheshire paused at Gerard’s surprised question. 

 

Although he hadn’t received confirmation yet, Cheshire knew it would happen soon.

 

“…Yeah.”

 

“Ah, so it’s true. The Marchioness Ludendorff came to visit the commander today.” 

 

“What? Why?”

 

“I guess it’s because of her son.” 

 

“So, why did she ask the Duke when her son is going on an expedition?” 

 

For some reason, Gerard blinked at Cheshire’s sharp reaction.

 

“Well, of course… she wonders if the commander can do something for her? Maybe that’s why she came to ask?”  

 

“….”

 

“…Because she’s Lilith’s mom.”

 

Cheshire frowned at the additional words.

 

Gerard didn’t seem to know that Lilith had a worse relationship with her biological mother than anyone else.

 

“They’re  not on terms where she could make such a request.” 

 

“Is that so?”

 

Gerard thought deeply and nodded his head.

 

“The atmosphere was bad. The Marchioness was crying and screaming uncontrollably. In that situation, which parent wouldn’t be worried sick…”

 

“Why are you looking for the Duke when you are worried sick? Rather than trying to ask for something, she might have needed someone to vent her anger to.” 

 

Gerard was puzzled by Cheshire’s low voice. For some reason, his feelings toward Selena didn’t seem to be good. 

 

“Hmm. Are they not on good terms? I thought with Lilith between them, they would at least maintain casual contact.”

 

“That woman has never visited Lilith.”

 

“…What? What does that mean?”

 

Gerard was surprised.

 

Of course, he knows that Selena started a new family while Enoch deserted.

 

But, apart from that, isn’t Lilith her own daughter?

 

“Why?”

 

“Don’t try to understand. Because I don’t understand either.”

 

“Oh my. In that case…” 

 

Gerard frowned.

 

“It’s understandable why Lilith seemed so shocked today. Suddenly, a mother who hasn’t come to see her screams at her father….”

 

“What?”

 

At that moment, Cheshire, who had been standing in front of the desk and casually flipping through files, turned around fiercely.

 

“Lilith was there?”

 

Gerard was shocked at the grim, crumpled expression on his face.

 

“O, oh, yeah. It seemed like she came to see the commander… By chance…” 

 

“Haa.”

 

Cheshire gritted his teeth and rubbed his cheek nervously. Really…

 

“I have to go and see.”

 

Cheshire picked up his coat.

 

Knock, knock.

 

“That, Sir Cheshire?”

 

At that time, an aide’s panicked voice was heard from outside the door.

 

“A guest has arrived. What should I do? It’s the Marchioness Ludendorff.” 

 

Cheshire and Gerard’s eyes met. 

 

The reason why Selena suddenly came to see him was obvious.

 

Yeah, if she originally intended to ask for something for her son, she should have approached him as the commander of this expedition, not Enoch.

 

“Wow, no.”

 

Gerard covered his mouth in surprise and looked out the window. The sunset was setting.

 

“She came right after she collapsed and didn’t even spend half a day lying down. She must really be worried about her son…” 

 

Cheshire raised an eyebrow at Gerard’s muttering.

 

“…Collapsed?”

 

“Yeah. Did you know that the Marchioness was pregnant?”

 

“No.”

 

“She collapsed right there while she was agitated. It looked really serious, the way she was clutching her stomach and groaning in pain. The commander had her rushed to the infirmary, though.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Cheshire’s eyes became strange. 

 

“If it was that serious, is the child okay? Is she able to come here after just half a day?”

 

“Yeah, it’s amazing. I heard the child is perfectly fine. I was nervous about what would happen if something went wrong…”

 

Gerard, who was speaking, stopped when he saw Cheshire smiling for some reason. 

 

“Hey, you….” 

 

Cheshire continued to laugh mockingly, then suddenly his expression turned deadly serious. 

 

“…What’s wrong?”

 

Gerard was nervous in the unusual atmosphere.

 

Cheshire threw his coat aside carelessly and slumped into his seat, addressing his aide.

 

“Ask her to come in.” 

 

* * *

 

Wizard Tower, Oscar’s office. 

 

The sunset was setting outside the window.

 

I gave up my half-day off and came back to tell Oscar everything that happened today.

 

And now…

 

I put off work and was hastily revising the report on <The plan to rescue Leon’s brother that never fails>.

 

“So, you really didn’t feel sorry for her?”

 

In response to Oscar’s question, I paused while writing down my pen.

 

“Why do you keep asking the same thing? I told you I’m not?”

 

“Come on, she even collapsed. Aren’t you feeling weak again?”

 

“It’s the opposite. My mom…” 

 

“Marquis Ludendorff.”

 

“Yes. I thought the Marchioness was too much. The poor one is Dad.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes.”

 

As I was talking, I got emotional again, so I held my pen tightly for no reason.

 

“You know, Master. The fact that my mother took me to His Majesty the Emperor is something that never happened, right?” 

 

“…” 

 

“So even though I wanted to ask why she did that and curse and argue, I couldn’t.” 

 

My mother in this life doesn’t know that I am Primera. 

 

Of course, if she had known, I would have been handed over to the emperor like in the original, but fortunately that has not happened anymore. 

 

So, what my mother did was…

 

Report a deserter.

 

That was it, and it was only disappointing for Dad and me—it was entirely legal, so there wasn’t really anyone to blame her for it. 

 

Even if it hadn’t been my mother, I would have had to return to the capital anyway.

 

“But… Hearing directly from my mother why she reported Dad made me so angry. Now, I can confront her with confidence.” 

 

Since I used my power as soon as I saw my mother from afar, I actually heard their conversation almost from the beginning.

 

“Mother expected much more than I expected, and she must have made a deal with His Majesty the Emperor.” 

 

“….”

 

“She thought I would naturally be Dos. That Dad would take up the sword instead of me.” 

 

“….”

 

“She knew the Emperor was going to send him to war… And my mother knew that my father hated such wars…”

 

I cried because I felt so wronged and felt sorry for Dad. 

 

“I guess she just closed her eyes and hoped Dad would sacrifice himself.” 

 

“Hey, don’t cry.”

 

Oscar, who had been leaning against the desk and listening silently, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tossed it to me.

 

I picked up the handkerchief that had flown onto the table and blew my nose. 

 

“Did my mother have no feelings for Dad at all…? Is it okay for Dad to feel sad and suffer from killing innocent people?” 

 

“….”

 

“Dad didn’t choose to be born strong, but everyone just wants to torment and use him. I was already fed up with the Emperor, but learning that my mother thought of him that way too… It’s just too much.” 

 

“….”

 

“I couldn’t say anything to her today because she had collapsed from the shock, but I won’t let it go. Once she wakes up, I’m going to confront her and make her explain herself.”

 

“It’s scary.”

 

Oscar added with a chuckle.

 

“So you hate her, but what about her son? He sold you out to live comfortably and is now a soldier. Do you feel any better about that?”

 

“That’s not it. You’re saying the same thing as my mother. Why do you think Dad and I would feel any relief from this? That boy probably doesn’t know anything.”

 

“Then? Are you uncomfortable with it?”

 

“Of course I’m uncomfortable. A young boy with no experience is going to the battlefield. I’d be uneasy about anyone in that situation, not just him.”

 

I picked up the pen again when I heard about my half-brother, Kyle, who just happened to come out.

 

I was already revising the <Leon Rescue Plan> because I found out that Kyle was being deployed this time.

 

“So what are you going to do? Ask your boyfriend for help? He’s the only one who can persuade the Emperor right now.”

 

Cheshire?

 

I shook my head, looking carefully at the plan I was revising.

 

“No. I have my reasons. It’s absurd for Cheshire to suddenly try to persuade His Majesty the Emperor to exempt a child he doesn’t even know from the expedition…” 

 

As I spoke, I paused.

 

‘Wait.’

 

What did Oscar say?

 

“…Ask your boyfriend for help?”

 

“M, M, Master….”

 

I was caught.

 

I had no idea that in the midst of such a serious atmosphere and procrastination, I would be able to talk to him so naturally and get caught.

 

“R, really shameful…”

 

“Puhahahaha!”

 

Oscar grabbed his stomach and burst out laughing, then suddenly hardened his face.

 

“As expected, my prediction was correct.”

 

“Please save him… Please…” 

 

“What are you saying? Am I supposed to have killed that guy? Why on earth would you hide something like that?” 

 

“….”

 

I look at Oscar. 

 

I thought the barrage of questions would start right away….

 

For some reason, he just briefly wandered around before turning back to the desk, opening a drawer, and taking something out. 

 

Scissors…?

 

“Is the child okay?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I heard she fell. I asked if the child was okay.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Why did you only mention that she collapsed from pain and conveniently leave out that the woman is pregnant? I saw her before. That woman, she’s carrying a child.” 

 

…He was asking about the baby in the mother’s belly. 

 

“Y, yes!”

 

I was taken aback for a moment, but immediately nodded.

 

“Dad quickly took me to the infirmary to check. The baby seemed to be safe. That’s, um, fortunate.”

 

“….”

 

Oscar, approaching with scissors in hand, stared at me intently.

 

“…Why? What’s bothering you? Um, it’s natural for me to hate my mother, but… The baby didn’t do anything wrong… It’s fortunate, right…?” 

 

“Yeah, that’s right.”

 

Oscar pulled a chair over and sat in front of me.

 

“The child didn’t do anything wrong, yeah.”

 

“….”

 

He held the scissors to my bangs. I just froze.

 

Sssk, sssk.

 

I swallowed hard as I heard the sound of hair being cut.

 

“Don’t flinch. It’s not that noticeable. But the bangs are a bit off.”

 

After finishing cutting with the scissors, Oscar picked up a handful of the cut hair and looked at it and said. 

 

“Did it take about three months for this? To save the baby in the stomach.”

 

“….”

 

I couldn’t say anything and just pursed my lips.

 

Oscar laughed and touched my cheek and threw the scissors on the table.

 

“Haa.”

 

He soon turned his chair around and tilted his head back as if he was tired.

 

“Really…”

 

Oscar wiped his dry face and muttered with a painfully contorted expression.

 

“…She’s never been of any help in the child’s life.”

 

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