LRVP Chapter 60

Chapter 60

“Lady Rilfrey! Please calm down…!”

“Get out of my way!”

I shook off the maids trying to hold me back. I didn’t even know where that strength came from.

“Duke, is it true you’ve allowed Lucian to go on the monster subjugation mission?”

I looked at the Duke with trembling eyes.

No way. The emperor must have misunderstood.

He’s still his father… He couldn’t possibly do something so cruel.

But the Duke shattered even the smallest bit of hope I had left.

“It’s true.”

“…Ha.”

“It’s not just any matter—it concerns the empire’s safety. If he has the ability, he should step up.”

“Lucian can’t even protect himself, let alone the empire! How can a child like that fight monsters?”

“Who said he’s going to fight? His role is just purification.”

“Even sending that child to such a dangerous place is the problem!”

I glared at the Duke, shaking with anger. I felt so furious I could cry.

But the Duke, as always, remained indifferent.

“There’s no turning back.”

“Your Grace!”

“I’ve already discussed it with His Majesty. It’s not something for you to interfere with.”

“I’m Lucian’s guardian!”

“That was only while I was absent. Now, I’m his guardian. I make the decisions.”

“…Ha…”

I buried my face in my palms.

It’s no use.

He’s not going to change his mind.

Why?

I lowered my hands and saw Edwin looking at me in shock.

It’s because of Edwin.

To make him the heir.

That’s how it was in the original story too.

The Duke never cared about Lucian.

All he focused on was making Edwin the successor.

I thought maybe things would be different now.

Maybe I hoped, deep down, when he thanked me, that the Duke had changed.

But it was all just my wishful thinking.

In both the original and this reality, the Duke was the same.

Realizing that crushed me with helplessness.

It made me feel like no matter what I did, I could never escape the original story—and that I was too powerless to protect Lucian.

No. I can do this. I won’t fall apart. If I give up, who will protect him?

I turned away from the Duke, holding back my tears.

I missed my sister. A lot. Maybe even more than a lot.

***

Back in my room, I buried my face in a pillow. My cries were muffled into the fabric.

I cried until there were no more tears, then finally sat up from the bed.

“Right. I can’t just sit here crying.”

If it’s for Lucian, I’ll do anything.

I sat at my desk to gather my thoughts. When I opened the window, the cold winter breeze cooled my puffy eyes and heated face.

“Let’s think positively. This might actually be a chance.”

A chance for Lucian to earn merit. A chance to be acknowledged and become the next head.

Even if the Duke supported Edwin, becoming the family head required the retainers’ support.

“Claude won’t let anything bad happen to Lucian either.”

I knew better than anyone how responsible Claude was—after all, I’d read the original story.

Even the Emperor said Lucian wouldn’t face monsters directly, so I could relax a little.

“Most of all, I’ll be there.”

As long as I’m there, Lucian won’t get hurt. I’ll be his human shield if I have to.

“Alright.”

He’ll come back as a hero, full of pride!

After sorting my thoughts, I got up from the desk.

Crying so much had made me hungry.

“I need to eat something.”

I left my room, planning to call a maid to bring me food.

That’s when I kicked something by accident.

“Hm? What’s this?”

I picked up what had rolled away from my foot.

It was a pouch tied with a blue ribbon. I felt something hard inside.

I opened it—and a sweet smell wafted out.

“Chocolate?”

Inside were various kinds of chocolates: pink strawberry ones, ones with almonds, and more.

Tucked among them was a small, folded note.

I opened it.

[Dun cri. I’m sorri.]

The crooked handwriting and poor spelling made my heart drop.

Only one person in this house could’ve written this.

“Edwin…”

Lucian had neat handwriting and perfect spelling thanks to years of tutoring.

But Edwin had only started learning to read and write after coming to the Duke’s mansion. So it made sense that his writing was a mess.

I can’t believe I made a kid get involved in all this adult drama.

Just imagining Edwin writing that letter in his clumsy way, worried about me crying, made my nose sting.

The chocolates were probably for the same reason.

‘I like chocolate best.’

‘Why?’

‘It makes me feel better when I eat it.’

To cheer me up.

Having grown up in orphanages, Edwin had developed a keen sense of others’ emotions.

He must have realized the fight with the Duke was about him too.

That’s why he wrote, “I’m sorry.”

It’s not your fault, Edwin.

It’s the adults who are greedy.

The kids didn’t do anything wrong.

And yet, I cried in front of him… and even yelled…

Kids can be really affected by even small emotional changes in their guardians.

I was sure Edwin was more shocked than he let on.

“I’m the one who’s sorry, Edwin…”

I put the note in my pocket and popped an almond chocolate—his favorite—into my mouth.

The bittersweet yet sweet taste filled my mouth.

***

The next morning, I went straight to the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor wasn’t someone easy to meet, but he granted my request without much delay.

What I brought was something he was glad to hear.

“You really plan to join the monster subjugation?”

“Yes. I may not be as talented as Lucian, but my ability to sense magic will still help.”

“Thank you for making such a difficult decision. Your power will be a great asset.”

The Emperor smiled, showing his teeth.

Honestly, I wanted to punch them all out.

Truthfully, the person I resented most was the Emperor.

If he hadn’t brought up this whole subjugation mission, the Duke wouldn’t have accepted it either.

But it was too late now.

And I’d promised myself yesterday not to dwell on the past or regret things.

“Just… please remember your promise to keep Lucian safe, Your Majesty.”

“Of course.”

“A battlefield like that could deeply affect a child’s mental state.”

“I swear on the Imperial name that I’ll assign a specialist to care for that.”

His words gave me a little relief.

In the original story, the Emperor wasn’t a schemer like those in other novels.

He kept his promises. At least, that’s the Emperor I knew.

“I’m counting on you, Your Majesty.”

“No need to worry. Ah, as for the subjugation plan…”

The Emperor began explaining.

The mission would take place in a month, and a hundred people would participate, including royal knights and holy warriors.

“It would be good for young Lord Bellomon to start training now—so he can purify without getting too close to monsters. Of course, the team will do their best to avoid such encounters.”

I nodded.

Keeping Lucian far from the monsters was exactly what I wanted.

Their hideous appearance was one thing—but his safety was the priority.

“You should also focus on strengthening your magic sensing.”

“Understood.”

There was only one option now.

Push my ability to its limit and finish the subjugation as quickly as possible.

That monster mission?

I’ll wrap it up fast and return home as a hero!