Chapter 54
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Chapter 54
Within the Bellomen Mansion, I had become nothing more than a trembling mouse.
After all, I was living under someone else's roof, and I couldn't help but be acutely aware of the gazes around me. Inevitably, I found myself shrinking inward. The fact that I had no one to lean on only made me feel smaller still.
But I had never been the type to simply endure.
Especially not before my Uncle.
I made no effort to hide my contempt for him.
He had not only welcomed my parents' death more eagerly than anyone else, but had gone so far as to abuse my Sister and me.
Moreover, when my parents passed away, my Sister was already old enough to understand, but I was not. I was in the throes of adolescence—that turbulent, tempestuous period.
My rage toward him erupted during those teenage years, and as a result, I clashed with him frequently.
My Uncle always tried to suppress me, and I refused to yield to him in the slightest.
From my Sister's perspective, she had every reason to worry about me. He possessed power, and I possessed nothing.
She must have decided that keeping me with her, even if it meant enduring awkwardness, was better than letting me stand alone against my Uncle and risk disappearing without a trace.
"Ha!"
My Uncle let out a derisive snort as he watched me meet his gaze without flinching.
"How bold you've become. Living in the Duke's Mansion now, do you really think the Duke himself has become your backing?"
"I wouldn't say it seems entirely unlikely."
"What?"
I lifted my teacup with my right hand—the hand bearing the ring the Duke of Bellomen had given me.
"That is...!"
My Uncle's eyes widened as he recognized the symbol.
"It seems I've come to hold an important position within House of Bellomen."
"You... how did you...?"
"Perhaps not a backer, but if conflict arose, wouldn't he take my side?"
After all, I am his retainer.
I added this with a smile.
"..."
My Uncle said nothing in response. He seemed genuinely shocked by the fact that I had risen to a position as a retainer of House of Bellomen.
'I wasn't trying to boast. It seems even the Duke has his uses.'
For the first time, I felt a glimmer of gratitude toward the Duke.
Of course, not much—only the tiniest amount.
"So you came here making a fuss over just that? Because you saved Marquis Agris's life, do you think you've become someone of importance?"
Word of my saving Claude had already spread this far, it seemed.
"I don't think that way like others do. I simply came to confirm something."
"Confirm? This is my house. You can't confirm anything without my permission."
I knew he would respond exactly like this.
"You'll need to grant it, won't you? Unless you want to see Jake conscripted into monster subjugation."
Jake was my Uncle's son.
"What?"
As expected, the moment I mentioned Jake, my Uncle's expression changed.
"What are you talking about? Monster subjugation?"
My Uncle seemed reluctant about his son venturing into dangerous territory, so he asked me urgently.
"When were we ever on such friendly terms that we'd share information?"
I rose from my seat without hesitation.
It had always been psychological warfare. From now on, only the desperate would be forced to cling to me.
And my Uncle...
"I don't know what you're trying to confirm, but I'll let you do as you wish. Just tell me."
He was remarkably weak when it came to his only son.
"Well, it's nothing much, just something I happened to hear about..."
I produced the words I'd prepared, feigning benevolence.
"House of Rilprey has another name—the Guardian House, doesn't it? You produced the First Pope."
"That's right."
"To subjugate demons, you need people who can sense demonic energy. Unfortunately, it seems there aren't many Holy Knights or priests capable of detecting it."
My Uncle nodded as if urging me to continue.
"So they're looking for ordinary people who can keenly sense demonic energy. But you can't just grab anyone and ask them to try sensing it, can you? It would be faster to start by confirming those with higher probability."
House of Rilprey had produced the First Pope. And the First Pope was known as someone who detected demonic energy more keenly than anyone else.
"After all, such things are passed down through blood."
"That's absurd!"
My Uncle shouted before I could even finish.
"The Guardian House? The First Pope died hundreds of years ago! There's no way such power would still remain!"
When he spoke of the honored Guardian House of Rilprey, it was always with reverence.
"You never know for certain."
"Never know what! If such power existed, we would have discovered it long ago! I've lived over fifty years and never heard of anyone in our family possessing such an ability. It seems you're trying to use our precious Rilprey resources under the pretext of some ridiculous excuse..."
Now I was certain.
'My Uncle doesn't know.'
About the ability to sense demonic energy and the power of purification.
'I fabricated this well.'
Everything I told my Uncle was a lie. Naturally, it was something I'd constructed within manageable bounds.
I had taught Lucian that lying was wrong, but... there were exceptions depending on the circumstances.
"Then I'll go see to the work."
I left the Reception Room, leaving my Uncle trembling like a rabid dog behind me.
Now that I had permission, I intended to seriously investigate the power of purification.
"The Library should be this way?"
I drew upon my childhood memories and headed toward the Library. There was no better means of gathering old information than books.
Upon arriving at the Library entrance, I pushed open the door with effort.
"Cough, what is all this?"
The stiff door was the least of it. The Library was thick with dust—clearly it hadn't been maintained in ages. The musty, stuffy smell peculiar to moldy books was an added bonus.
"This person really can't do anything properly."
With the Mansion in this state, I could easily imagine how chaotic the Territory management must be.
I shook my head and walked deeper into the Library.
"A book on the history of House of Rilprey... here it is."
I immediately began searching through the bookshelves where the ancient texts were kept. From the Empire's history to the founding of House of Rilprey and the achievements of my ancestors, the books contained a wealth of diverse information.
It was about an hour into my search through the library when I finally found what I was looking for.
In the historical record documenting the First Pope's achievements, his abilities were described in meticulous detail.
[...As a result, the heirs of Rilprey are occasionally born with the rare ability to sense mana and the power to purify it. However, in modern times, this has nearly vanished.]
"Claude's conjecture was correct."
The power that Lucian and I possessed was indeed due to the influence of the First Pope.
"But why didn't it appear in the original story?"
After searching further through the books, I discovered the answer.
[...The power awakens more rapidly when people of similar disposition remain together.]
"So the ability manifests faster when members of House of Rilprey stay close to one another?"
Just as fire requires kindling to burn brightly, this power too seemed to manifest more swiftly when someone of similar nature was present.
'Then the reason the original Lucian had no power was....'
Because Lucella had run away.
Without another member of House of Rilprey nearby to awaken his power, Lucian would have lived his entire life unaware he possessed such an ability.
Lucella, too, never appeared in the original story, so she would never have known whether her abilities had awakened or not.
'This is a power I discovered precisely because reality diverged from the original story.'
I turned the pages of the book, reflecting on the changes I had made. Fortunately, the ability seemed to demand no price.
'I was worried I'd return empty-handed. I'm relieved to have gained something.'
I tore out the pages containing the crucial information, tucked them into my inner pocket, and left the library.
* * *
When I finished my business and departed from Rilprey Count's Residence, it was late evening. Rather than rest, I boarded the carriage immediately.
By the time I returned to Bellomen Duchy, dawn was breaking.
I conveyed everything I had learned at Rilprey Count's Residence directly to Claude.
"So it truly is a power inherited through bloodline, as I suspected."
"Yes. Since it manifests so rarely, it will be difficult to find anyone else with this ability besides us."
We already have Lucian and myself, after all.
"I see."
Claude's expression as he spoke was tinged with considerable disappointment.
Well, I couldn't very well take a child who had only just turned seven on monster subjugation expeditions.
"If I may be so bold, would it be acceptable to report this to the Imperial Court? Such a remarkable ability would surely please those in power."
"Hmm...."
I deliberated.
The purification ability was truly extraordinary. It might even change Lucian's circumstances, which had grown precarious with Edwin's emergence.
Perhaps he might even be recognized for his ability and ascend to the position of family head.
'But I cannot dismiss the possibility that he would be drawn into monster subjugation.'
With Lucian present, the tedious battles against monsters could finally be brought to an end.
'It would be honorable, but I have no desire to subject my child to such grueling work.'
Selfish as it may be, I could not help it. My goal from the beginning was to ensure Lucian lived a very long life.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org