Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 127

Once outside, I headed toward the servants’ quarters.

 

Kobel probably thinks it’s over just because he silenced Gale. But I still had evidence to tie Kobel to the conspiracy.

 

“Milady, you’re here.”

 

Mizulin opened the door to the storage room in the servants’ quarters.

 

“Mmph! Mmmph!”

 

Inside, Paterson was tightly bound and locked up. He had been captured while trying to escape.

 

Kobel, there’s still evidence linking you to the treason farming incident. This will be what drags him down.

 

* * *

The news that Gale Blanche had gone mad reached Hubert’s ears as well.

 

“Ugh… Guh… Ugh…”

 

Hubert coldly looked down at Gale, who was writhing in pain, his body twisted unnaturally.

 

“Shut down this underground prison.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

Hubert gave the order with an icy tone and left the underground prison with Benjamin. Gale’s desperate eyes followed his departing father, but it was futile. All that remained for him now was an endless, eternal darkness.

 

* * *

“Running a household is so hard.” Mom, who had been learning how to manage things from me, sighed.

 

I sat close beside her, smiling. “Did you think it would be easy? Only someone like me can handle all this work.”

 

“I’ve only ever studied or learned swordsmanship. I’ve never done anything like this.”

 

“Mom, you learned swordsmanship?” I asked in surprise.

 

“How else do you think I managed to take down the emperor’s captain of the imperial guard?”

 

“Wow…”

 

“A woman should always be skilled in swordsmanship. I’ll teach you later too.” Mom, who had been speaking with a smile, suddenly frowned.

 

“Mom, is it the headache again?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

She panted heavily, and it took her a while to regain her composure. It was a headache even her primary doctor couldn’t figure out. Not even my elixir worked on it.

 

Could it be a side effect of the curse? Come to think of it, something felt off when we went to see the phoenix today. I thought Mom was finally free from the curse, but the phoenix still didn’t recognize her. Mom couldn’t connect with the phoenix at all, unlike before she lost her memories. For some reason, part of the curse might have been lifted, but she’s not completely free from it.

 

At that moment, Mom pulled something out of her arms. I was startled when I saw it. It was the unicorn’s egg.

 

“Mom, why do you have that?”

 

“The crown prince gave it to me. He told me to make sure I recover my memories.”

 

“His Highness?”

 

I suddenly remembered when Ludwig had secretly visited not long ago. Was that when he gave this to Mom? But this egg is a symbol that Ludwig is the successor chosen by the divine beast. He shouldn’t part with it for even a moment. Even knowing that, Ludwig gave the unicorn’s egg to Mom. Whenever she had it, her condition seemed to improve.

 

Why would Ludwig go this far…? I felt grateful, but at the same time, a question arose in my mind.

 

“Now, we should return this.” Mom said.

 

I thought the same. Keeping this any longer might help cure Mom’s headaches, but it wasn’t the right thing to do. We’ve already received so much help.

 

“But how do we return it?” Mom said, her face clouded with worry.

 

It wasn’t a good time for someone from the Blanche family to request an audience with the crown prince. If anything, it might arouse the emperor’s suspicion and put Ludwig in a difficult position.

 

“Ppii?”

 

A familiar cry came from somewhere. Ppinix, who had been sleeping soundly in the corner, poked its head out with a refreshed look on its face.

 

* * *

Crash!

 

“More wine, bring me more wine!”

 

It was the emperor’s bedchamber. The servants moved busily, dodging the shattered remains of a wine bottle.

 

Ignasio sat slumped sideways in his chair, his face red with drunkenness, muttering endlessly, “Wine, wine…” It was as if only alcohol could erase the humiliation he had suffered.

 

Amidst the chaos, someone walked in with a calm and deliberate stride, as if he had been waiting for this very moment. The man knelt on one knee before the slumped Ignasio, looking up at the emperor with reverence.

 

“Your Majesty, why are you suffering alone like this?”

 

“What? Who are…” Ignasio’s voice, raised in irritation, faltered as his eyes widened in surprise. “Claude?”

 

The man kneeling before the emperor was none other than his illegitimate son, Duke Claude Clementi. Claude looked up at the emperor, who had drowned himself in drink after his crushing defeat against Blanche, as though he were the greatest saint in the world. Meeting that gaze, Ignasio instinctively straightened his posture and sat upright.

 

“What is it?”

 

Every word Ignacio spoke reeked of alcohol. Claude resisted the urge to grimace, forcing a smile as he replied. “I heard that Your Majesty has been deeply distressed, so I came running. How could I, as a loyal subject of this empire, stand idly by?”

 

The affectionate and loyal tone in Claude’s voice made Ignasio’s chest tighten with emotion. Even his own vassals mocked him, and even Ludwig had turned against him!

 

“Aah, it’s only you. Claude!” In his drunken state, Ignasio pulled Claude into a tight embrace.

 

The emperor, weakened after his defeat by Blanche and the loss of his imperial guards, was at his lowest point. Now was the perfect time for Claude and his mother, Violet, who had fallen out of favor, to make their move.

 

“I heard that Your Majesty ordered the crown prince to attack Blanche,” Claude whispered.

 

Ignasio’s eyes then flared with anger. “That b*stard didn’t listen to me! How dare he! After all the care I’ve shown him as the crown prince!”

 

“It seems the crown prince failed to grasp the deep intentions of Your Majesty.”

 

“If only I had ordered you, instead of Ludwig, to attack Blanche! It wouldn’t have failed! I wouldn’t have lost my precious guards!” Ignacio trembled with rage, unable to contain his fury.

 

Now was the moment. Claude leaned in and whispered gently to him. “Please try to understand the crown prince. He hasn’t even managed to hatch the egg of the divine beast yet. It must be difficult for him to comprehend the will of Your Majesty, the master of the divine beast.”

 

At those words, Ignasio shot up from his seat. “Right, the egg of the divine beast! What has Ludwig been doing all this time without even hatching it?”

 

Consumed by anger, Ignasio needed an outlet for his wrath. The son who defied his orders and refused to obey was the perfect target.

 

“Bring Ludwig here immediately! Tell him to bring the egg of the divine beast with him!”

 

Claude’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Lately, no one had seen Ludwig with the egg of the divine beast. There was undoubtedly a problem. Even if there isn’t, the fact that he hasn’t hatched it yet is enough for the emperor to find fault with him.

 

Soon, Crown Prince Ludwig arrived at the emperor’s chambers. As Claude had predicted, he came empty-handed. Ludwig ignored Claude, who stood close to Ignasio, and bowed his head to the emperor. Claude bit his lip at the blatant disregard.

 

“Father, you summoned me.”

 

“Didn’t I clearly order you to bring the divine beast’s egg? Why have you come empty-handed!” Ignasio’s voice was filled with anger.

 

Ludwig raised his head and responded. “Father, I don’t have the divine beast’s egg.”

 

“You… don’t have the egg?” Ignasio asked again, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

 

Ludwig replied calmly. “Yes. I no longer have the divine beast’s egg.”

 

“What on earth did you do with such a precious thing!”

 

The fact that the egg was completely gone was shocking. Even Claude hadn’t anticipated this turn of events. The crown prince was already out of favor with the emperor, and now he had even lost the divine beast’s egg. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for me. Claude smirked inwardly at the thought.

 

“But I brought something else instead.” Ludwig turned around.

 

Through the open door, something walked in. It was a small foal. However, it was no ordinary horse. On its forehead was a blue horn. It was the avatar of the unicorn.

 

“…!”

 

As Ignacio and Claude stared in shock, Ludwig smiled at them.

 

“Father, the divine beast’s avatar has finally hatched.”