LRVP Chapter 59

Chapter 59

“You really can sense magical energy well, just as they said.”

Joseph pulled back the blackout curtains. As sunlight filled the room, the scene inside became visible.

A large crystal was displayed in the room, and swirling gray smoke inside it showed it was likely a monster core.

“Sir, would you please show us your purification ability?”

“Of course.”

Lucian nodded without complaint.

“I’ll show you the power of a gifted one.”

He seemed eager to show off his abilities.

‘Can’t help himself, really.’

While I shook my head, Lucian approached the display case with the monster core.

“It’s simple. As long as I touch it—”

Flash!

“It gets purified.”

“Oooh!”

The priests gasped as they saw white light burst from Lucian’s hand.

“Can you not purify it without touching it?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

Lucian tilted his head and held his hand about a palm’s distance away from the core.

But nothing happened. Even when he stared at it hard, there was no change.

“Looks like I’ll need to train for that.”

“Training?”

“Yes. I can’t exactly touch live monsters, so I should learn to purify from a distance.”

“I agree.”

We couldn’t risk having Lucian touch monsters directly.

“You’ll also need to train to activate purification at will.”

At Joseph’s words, the priests next to the Archbishop quickly took notes.

“Let’s see how many cores he can purify today.”

Following Joseph’s instructions, Lucian purified the monster cores one by one.

“Muahaha! This is the power of a gifted one!”

Lucian proudly showed off, but after purifying about seven cores, he started to quiet down.

“Auntie, I’m tired. My shoulders and eyelids feel heavy.”

“Alright. That’s enough.”

“Hold me, please.”

I picked up the whining Lucian in my arms.

Soon, he was fast asleep.

It seemed purifying magic took a lot of energy.

“That’s enough for today. Let’s return.”

“Yes.”

I carried the sleeping Lucian into the carriage.

I wanted to take him straight home to rest, but we had an appointment with the Emperor.

“I’ll have to wake him when we arrive.”

I gently patted Lucian’s chest as he lay across my lap.

Such a tiny thing, and yet he behaved so well before the Archbishop. I was proud.

‘The old Lucian would’ve dashed around and broken decorations.’

He was growing. I felt my efforts hadn’t been wasted.

While I was lost in thought, we arrived at the Imperial Palace.

“Lucian, wake up. Time to meet the Emperor.”

“Uuugh…”

I helped the sleepy Lucian out of the carriage.

“You have to behave perfectly in front of the Emperor, okay?”

“You already told me…”

I fixed Lucian’s clothes and followed the attendant inside.

The Emperor was waiting in the audience room.

“Lucella of Rilfray greets the Sun of the Empire.”

“Lucian of Bellomon greets the Sun of the Empire.”

The Emperor smiled as Lucian bowed politely after me.

“Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”

I brought Lucian to the seat offered by the Emperor.

Claude was already sitting there.

“Why are you here, Marquis?”

“I asked His Majesty if I could join since I was already at the palace.”

“Claude said he missed you.”

The Emperor chuckled, calling him by name, suggesting they were close friends.

“He spent all that time with you in the duchy, and now he wants to be with you here, too.”

The Emperor’s expression was strangely suggestive as he looked at us.

Why was he looking at us like that?

“Ah, youth. So full of life.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Alright, enough joking.”

He patted Claude’s shoulder and then sat properly.

“I called you and young Lucian here today because I have a favor to ask.”

The tension made me swallow hard. I had a feeling I knew what the favor was.

“I’d like your help with the monster subjugation.”

Just as I thought.

The Emperor, troubled by the monster threat, naturally wanted our abilities.

“Would you join the subjugation? I promise it won’t be dangerous.”

“I can’t decide that on my own. Lucian is still a child, so I’ll need to discuss it with his father, the Duke of Bellomon—”

“The Duke already agreed.”

“…What?”

My mind went blank at the Emperor’s words.

Claude, sitting opposite me, looked just as shocked.

“You mean… the Duke agreed to let Lucian join the monster hunt?”

“Yes. As a noble of the empire, he felt it was his duty. But it seems he didn’t discuss it with you.”

The Emperor looked at me nervously. It should’ve been an honor, but I couldn’t think that way.

‘Sending Lucian to fight monsters? That tiny little child?’

I stared at Lucian’s innocent, blinking eyes.

To throw such a small child—his own son—into danger? I trembled with anger.

“Let’s postpone the banquet.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

I didn’t care about the Emperor anymore.

I stood up and left with Lucian.

***

Meanwhile…

“Edwin!”

“Father!”

At the Duke’s call, Edwin ran into his arms.

He stroked his son’s hair. As Gillian had reported, Edwin had grown quickly.

And with each passing day, he resembled his late mother more and more.

His delicate features, his fiery red eyes, his dimples when he smiled.

Everything about him reminded the Duke of Iris.

That made him feel even more regretful. He wanted to give this child everything Iris never had.

“Dehart, I can never stand beside you. I’m just a lowly commoner.”

Like a proper status.

Since Edwin was born as Iris’s son, people would question his bloodline.

‘I just don’t want him to be hurt like Iris was.’

He didn’t want the boy to grow up scarred and leave like Iris had.

How could he protect his precious child?

A sudden idea popped into the Duke’s mind.

‘If I raise him to a position no one can question, no one will dare insult his birth.’

And in Bellomon, the highest position was that of Duke.

“Father?”

When the Duke stayed silent, Edwin tugged at his sleeve.

“Edwin.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to become the head of this house?”

“What’s that?”

“It means being the master of this family.”

“The master?”

Edwin tilted his head.

“The master can have anything he wants. No one can look down on him.”

“Even a family?”

“Yes.”

He could choose whom to marry and build the family he wanted.

“Hmm…”

Edwin put his finger to his lips, thinking hard. Then he made up his mind.

“Okay! I’ll do it!”

“Well said.”

The Duke smiled proudly.

“No matter what, I’ll make you the head of the family.”

And to do that, he had to remove the competition.

He’d give this small child everything he couldn’t give Iris.

Just as he smiled at the thought—

“Duke! I need to talk to you!”

A voice cut through the peace.