Chapter 30
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Chapter 30
'Do say hello to our Lucian as well.'
Even if he wasn't as well-mannered as Amelia, he was still your son—your blood ran through his veins.
I was about to interject into the conversation, propriety be damned.
"How are you settling in?"
"Yes. The mansion was so vast that I was overwhelmed at first, but thanks to Lucian's help, I was able to find my way to my room without getting lost."
Amelia smoothly steered the conversation toward Lucian.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. When I'm with Lucian, time just flies by."
The Duke of Bellomen's gaze finally turned toward Lucian. He appeared taken aback by the unexpected mention of his name.
I gently pushed Lucian forward from where he'd been hiding behind my skirts. He opened his mouth, his face taut with tension.
"Oh, it's been a long time, Father."
Lucian's voice trembled. He even stumbled over his words—a rare occurrence.
'Is talking to Father really this difficult?'
I gently took Lucian's pale hand. Then, summoning the brightest smile I could muster, I spoke.
"It's truly wonderful to see you again. Your journey must have been quite arduous—you're not too tired, are you?"
If Lucian couldn't do it, then I would have to be the one to charm the Duke. For our Lucian's sake.
"I've prepared a restorative tea for you. Please, have some and recover from your travels."
My forced smile trembled at the corners.
My pride was wounded.
Wasn't it common sense and courtesy to greet one's family first upon returning home?
No matter how little interest the Duke had in Lucian, Lucian was still his family.
Yet he spoke first to Claude and Amelia, not to Lucian.
Even a mere glance would have been better than this—it wouldn't have stung nearly as much.
Despite standing right beside Claude, the Duke hadn't spared Lucian a single look.
At least maintain some dignity in front of guests. What will Claude and Amelia think of Lucian now?
'They'll think he's a figurehead prince.'
I didn't care what others thought of me. From the moment I decided to live as a parasite in my brother-in-law's household, I'd already abandoned my pride and reputation.
But our Lucian was different, wasn't he?
Lucian was the legitimate heir of House of Bellomen. He was barely six years old.
Why would a father gnaw away at his own child's flesh like this?
"Very well then."
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, the Duke nodded placidly.
"Marquis, would you care to join me for tea, as it's been so long?"
"...Very well."
Claude hesitated briefly at the Duke's invitation before nodding. For just a moment, his gaze touched mine before returning to its proper place.
'Why are you looking at me?'
I wasn't even part of this anyway.
I watched the two men's retreating figures as they entered the room, then turned my head away.
"Lucian, let's go inside now."
"Mm."
I had to ease the tension from Lucian, who had gone rigid with anxiety.
* * *
"I've heard the explanation. You plan to stay at the Bellomen Mansion until your injuries heal, is that correct?"
"Shamefully, yes. Once I'm able to move about, I intend to return to Agris Territory."
"Your wounds may reopen. Rather than that, please rest until your body has fully recovered."
The Duke of Bellomen and Claude's voices echoed through the spacious Reception Room. Like all nobles, their conversation was utterly predictable.
"Then... I shall impose upon your hospitality for a time."
Despite his sincere reply, Claude's mind was occupied with entirely different thoughts.
'I'll be able to see Miss Rilprey more often.'
He had no intention of lingering uncomfortably in another's home. But if Lucella was there, everything changed.
The longer I remained at the Duke's Mansion, the more time I could spend with Lucella.
Though he feigned indifference, Claude was secretly delighted by the Duke of Bellomen's invitation.
That said, it didn't mean he approved of the Duke's behavior.
Claude recalled the Duke of Bellomen from moments ago, approaching him without sparing a glance for his own family.
He knew the Duke of Bellomen didn't particularly favor his own son.
Yet the man valued propriety and authority. Considering that Amelia and Claude were watching, he should have gone directly to Lucian.
That was courtesy, and that was family.
Even if mere pretense, he should have shown that family came first in others' eyes.
Instead, he chose to approach Claude first, rather than acknowledge his own son.
It was easy to see what kind of treatment Lucella and Lucian received from the Duke.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Lucella's complexion had darkened noticeably, with blue veins even standing out on the back of her hand.
She had no reason to feel pleased after being so openly disrespected before an outsider.
I was grateful that perceptive Amelia had opportunely changed the subject.
'I heard she's living off her brother-in-law's charity and eating humble pie. Let's bring her to our house and treat her well.'
Amelia's words suddenly came back to me.
I had thought it unlikely, but that unlikely scenario was actually real.
'Perhaps I should follow Amelia's suggestion.'
Marriage wasn't something to be undertaken lightly, as I had told Amelia.
But if Lucella was being treated so poorly at the Duke's Mansion, wouldn't it be better to take her to the Marquis's estate instead?
"...I was worried Miss Rilprey might have made some mistake with the Marquis."
I had been conversing without much spirit, but the sudden mention of Lucella's name made my eyes regain their gleam.
"A mistake? On the contrary, thanks to Miss Rilprey, I was able to adapt to this place quickly. She also took careful care of my nephew."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Of course. Without Lucella, there would be no reason to stay here any longer.
"Miss Rilprey is my benefactor who saved my life. I am forever grateful to her. Had it not been for her, I would have ended my days buried in the earth without ever meeting my nephew."
Claude deliberately emphasized Lucella's contributions.
Lucella was certainly not someone deserving of such disrespect. The Duke needed to understand how beautiful and remarkable she was.
"I've heard. Lucella personally stepped in to save the Marquis."
"Yes. She lost consciousness immediately after saving me. It's quite extraordinary for someone to prioritize another's welfare over their own."
Speaking the words aloud, I suddenly grasped the true magnitude of what she had accomplished.
A noblewoman of her standing—one who had never soiled her hands with menial labor—had personally taken up a shovel. Moreover, she had demonstrated remarkable ingenuity by unleashing hunting dogs to track me down. She was a woman of exceptional wisdom and decisive action.
"That is not all. Thanks to Miss Rilprey, I was able to reunite with the nephew I had been searching for so desperately."
"How did Lucella discover Amelia's whereabouts? The girl couldn't have known the Marquis was searching for her."
"Are you aware that Miss Rilprey volunteers at the Orphanage?"
"Well, I've heard something about it."
The Duke's expression grew listless. He clearly disapproved of Lucella engaging in such frivolous pursuits.
It seemed necessary to demonstrate that Lucella's work was far from useless.
"Miss Rilprey has cared for those children with genuine devotion. Through her warmth and sincerity, my nephew opened his heart to her."
"Opened his heart...?"
"He revealed his identity to her and asked her to help him find his uncle."
At Claude's words, the Duke of Bellomen's eyes widened, his previously impassive face shifting with surprise.
"Amelia is a clever and cautious child. Knowing that revealing my identity would invite complications, I deliberately kept it hidden from him."
Yet this same guarded child had voluntarily asked her to find his uncle.
"Can you imagine how tenderly Miss Rilprey must have treated Amelia for this to occur?"
Such a feat required nothing short of extraordinary dedication.
"It would have been easy to dismiss a child's words as mere fancy. But Miss Rilprey did not overlook them. She listened carefully to every word and acted upon them immediately."
It was precisely because of her that I was able to be reunited with Amelia.
Claude's voice grew firm as he spoke these final words.
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