Chapter – 39….
Aspen asked,
“Is she the daughter of a wealthy man?”
“No.”
“Then the daughter of a lawyer?”
“Not that either.”
“Then who exactly is she?”
Aspen’s mouth went dry.
“She doesn’t have any material wealth.”
Meaning, she had no fortune.
“She has no family to support her either.”
An orphan, then.
“But she’s clever. She doesn’t hesitate to learn new things, and she’s fast. And…”
At that moment, Lucas, who had been staring out the window, faintly smiled. Curious, Aspen followed his gaze and saw a woman’s back.
The woman, her brown hair elegantly pinned up, was walking in the garden with two children. Judging by her rather high-quality dress, this might be Adele.
“She’s warm.”
Aspen didn’t understand what he meant. He rubbed his furrowed brow unconsciously.
“And?”
“What more could be necessary?”
Lucas had already erased his smile and was looking straight at Aspen.
‘Necessary, yes, it’s necessary.’
Since he had sent invitations to Rockten as well, it was clear he wanted the engagement news to reach even the imperial capital.
Once the rumor spread and everyone knew who this Adele was, she would surely suffer.
Lucas must have known that too, yet he still spread it. That meant he had some ulterior motive—but what it was, Aspen couldn’t figure out.
‘Have the years apart been too long?’
Aspen thought.
“There’s going to be a lot of trouble.”
“I know. I’ll handle it properly.”
“Even so, she will be hurt.”
“I know that too. Still, she’s a strong person.”
She had stood against a terrifying bear to protect her child. Even when injured, she always worried about the children first.
‘Unlike someone else.’
That was why Lucas trusted she would be okay.
“…I really don’t know what you’re thinking.”
Aspen raised both hands and leaned back. Seeing him speak so, it was clear Lucas had prepared something.
Deciding this was no longer his concern, Aspen changed the topic.
“But two children? Who are they?”
“The blonde one is Leon. My disciple.”
“You even took on a disciple in the meantime.”
“It happened somehow.”
During a stormy night, Lucas couldn’t ignore a child with a desperate, vengeful gaze. Even knowing the child carried a burning desire for revenge, he had taken him in.
Originally, he had planned to send the child away once he grew older.
‘But now… I’m not sure.’
Leon had become precious to Lucas, so he didn’t think he could let him go easily.
“And the red-haired child?”
“Adele’s son.”
“Oh… a son?!”
Aspen jumped up from the sofa.
“You have a son?”
“Yes, he just turned seven. There’s a two-year difference between him and Leon.”
“He’s small for his age… No, that’s not it! Lucas, are you sane?”
A commoner—and now a child as well? Seven years old?
Aspen felt he must meet this Adele. Perhaps this innocent friend of his had been handed over to a scheming woman.
“Does the child’s father know?”
“He does.”
“Dead, I assume?”
“He’s alive.”
The story only tangled further. If the father was alive, that meant she was an ex-wife.
“Lucas, you’re serious about this engagement, right?”
“Of course.”
Lucas answered nonchalantly, but Aspen could not.
Even though he was currently in seclusion, Lucas lacked nothing.
He had inherited immense wealth from his grandmother, held a title—the Emperor had granted him the rank of Count for becoming a Swordmaster—and was handsome.
The Emperor also favored Lucas greatly, so he could return at any time if he wished.
Yet such a perfect man wanted to get engaged to a flawed woman. Aspen could not stand idly by.
After parting with Lucas, Aspen, guided to his room, quickly unpacked and immediately went outside, wandering the estate aimlessly.
He could have asked the servants where Adele was, but he chose not to.
When Lucas had been in the capital, he strictly managed his servants. Any information told to them would certainly reach Lucas.
Even though Lucas had relaxed slightly over the years, Aspen could not know for sure. He would have to search on his own.
While wandering the garden, he spotted a small child crouched by a flower bed in the distance.
Judging by the red hair, it must be Adele’s son.
“Ahem.”
He coughed unnecessarily as he approached, and the child turned around.
The child’s polished red eyes seemed oddly familiar, though Aspen couldn’t recall exactly where he had seen them.
“Hello?”
Aspen waved lightly, but the child turned back and continued picking flowers with care.
“Hello?”
He spoke again, thinking perhaps the child hadn’t heard, but there was no reaction. It felt as though he were a ghost.
As Aspen hesitated, another child approached at a brisk pace. This one was taller.
“You’re Leon, right?”
Leon eyed him cautiously but greeted him.
“Hello. Are you a guest?”
“Yes, I’m a friend of Lucas. Haven’t you heard of me?”
“No.”
Hearing the firm reply stung a bit. After all, they had known each other for some time, yet there had been no mention.
‘Such a cold kid.’
Aspen cursed Lucas in his mind but spoke again.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was making a bouquet.”
“A bouquet?”
“Yes, if it looks nice, we’ll use it for the engagement. Right, Ronschka?”
Madeline had told him so, which made Leon enthusiastic. Ronschka, however, remained sullen.
Although she had allowed the engagement, she seemed irritated. Her way of picking flowers was careless.
‘A reserved child?’
No, it wasn’t that. She seemed colder, more aloof.
‘I feel like I’ve seen a child like this before… where?’
Aspen searched his memory and recalled.
‘My name is Heirn de Weatherfield, a great Weatherfield family spirit user.’
The mischievous child who had spoken so arrogantly at first—Ronschka resembled him.
‘No, no… that can’t be.’
The situation was already complicated enough. He didn’t want to imagine any further complications.
‘But they look so much alike…’
Aspen quietly crouched beside Ronschka. Though uncomfortable with his large frame, now was not the time to mind that.
“Ronschka, shall I help?”
He wanted to ask who her father was, but that would have to wait until they were closer.
Ronschka’s response was cold.
“No need.”
“Ronschka!”
Leon called her by name in casual speech.
“…No need.”
She wasn’t accustomed to honorifics.
She placed the torn flowers into the basket Leon had brought.
“Why are the flowers like this? You need to pick them nicely. We’re giving them to Adele-sama.”
Leon spoke gently, and Ronschka sat down again, this time picking flowers more carefully. Beside her, Leon also continued picking.
Aspen wanted to join, but Leon looked uncomfortable and refused.
“We want to make the bouquet ourselves.”
There was nothing more he could do, so Aspen sat on a nearby garden bench, watching the children.
Warm sunlight shone from above, a cool breeze drifted by, and two small heads busily roamed the garden. Both were cute, making the scene pleasant to watch.
‘I wish there were no worries at all.’
In the distance, a large carriage passed through the main gate. A second guest had arrived.
Aspen stood and walked inside.
This guest was Rockten of the Montpel family.
“Long time no see!”
The cheerful blond youth expressed his excitement excessively. Beside him was a brown-haired youth with a serious expression; judging by his tall, solid build, he seemed to be a knight.
‘Wait a moment.’
The uniform he wore looked very familiar—it was the uniform of the Frederick family’s knights.
