BDKHC 31

~Chapter 31~

“Fill the annex with furniture!”

“Is that really okay?”

Denver’s lips curled into a smile. His eyes sparkled—he must have a lot he wanted to do.

“Yes. But where have you been getting all these secondhand pieces of furniture?”

“Ah…”

Denver smiled faintly.

“I got them from the Information Guild. The Guild Leader’s furniture is all handmade by craftsmen, so the quality is excellent.”

“…Don’t tell me, other things too?”

“Yes, the Guild Leader has quite a good eye and only uses the best.”

I was at a loss for words.

Then what exactly does that Guild Leader do for work?

I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

‘I shouldn’t get on his bad side.’

The thought that he might one day take my chests of gold and jewels and leave to find a new master made my back go cold.

“Oh, um, okay…”

Esther glanced at Denver and turned toward the library.

“…What on earth is that? What kind of education raises a child like that? How did you raise her?”

“I didn’t raise her.”

Kaelos Egbert answered calmly.

“What?”

“Mother, are you really going to keep that girl as the successor?! It’s too much of a waste to give it to such an idiot—!”

Nigel Egbert whined as he ran up beside her, and Mari Egbert smacked him on the head with her fan.

“Ah! Why are you hitting me?!”

“Your mother just woke up, and you didn’t even ask if she was okay. Is the successor’s seat more important to you?”

At those piercing words, Nigel Egbert closed his mouth tight.

“How is it that none of my children ask if I’m alright? In that sense, Kaelos’s daughter, who I’ve never even met before, is better—she at least asked how her grandmother was doing.”

“That’s… Mother…”

“The successor matter has already been decided by Ern and reported to the imperial family. For one year, even I can’t touch it. Now leave; I have something to discuss with Kaelos.”

“But…!”

“I told you to leave. Must I say it twice?”

Mari Egbert’s presence made Nigel shrink back without a word.

Even those gathered in the drawing room to watch, seeing the direct descendant retreat, left without complaint.

When the room was empty, only two people remained. In the quiet, they faced each other.

“So, if you’ve chosen to stake your life on some woman instead of me, you should be happy—but you look like death.”

“….”

“What do you mean you didn’t raise the child? Did the woman raise her?”

Kaelos looked at his mother, who was even thinner and frailer than the last time he saw her—hard to believe she was the one who once commanded and dominated the family.

“She and the child will be sent back to her hometown soon.”

“What?”

“I didn’t raise the child so I wouldn’t get attached. I only received periodic reports…”

“What?”

The fan in her hand flew and smacked Kaelos on the head before dropping to the floor.

“You ignored me, caused me endless trouble, and now this is what you say?”

“She is in poor health. She can’t live in this empire where divine power overflows. The child likely can’t either.”

“So you abandoned that baby? Is that what you’re telling your mother, who’s been asleep for five years because of your sins?”

“….”

Mari Egbert’s scolding silenced him.

“I won’t say you did well…”

“Foolish boy. I didn’t know my son was this pathetic.”

She clicked her tongue.

She’d rather deal with that little brat who talked back than this.

“…They say no one knows what your illness is. Father seemed to know, but wouldn’t tell me. Was it really the child who woke you?”

“That’s right. So are you saying you’re unhappy I woke up?”

“…Of course not.”

Kaelos was simply worried.

He knew better than anyone what it meant to be born with special abilities in this family.

“In any case, I’ll send the child back to her hometown soon…”

“Is that something both she and the child agreed to? Or is it just your decision?”

“That’s the best way.”

“I asked if everyone agreed. Has your comprehension gotten worse while I was gone?”

Mari pressed the subject he wanted to avoid without changing her expression.

“…It’s my decision.”

“Click… Fool. How did something this stupid come from me?”

“….”

“…Bring the woman here. I want to see for myself how great she is.”

“She’s too frail for that.”

“Why is she frail?”

“She’s someone who would find it hard to live in this country. She’d be unhappy by my side.”

Mari’s brow furrowed deeper.

“Can’t live here? Does she have demon blood? Or is she a criminal? No… if that were the case, you would have handled it.”

“….”

She had hit the mark. Mari had always been smart—able to grasp the whole picture from just one clue.

“If she has demon blood, that would be difficult. Where is she from?”

“…She’s royalty from the Kingdom of Surt.”

Knowing she would find out soon anyway, Kaelos answered honestly.

“Surt… So that bloodline survived. I thought they’d been massacred long ago.”

“By chance, they escaped.”

Mari nodded.

“But for that, the child seemed quite healthy.”

“She’s still young, that’s why.”

Mari exhaled sharply.

“Have you studied anything for the sake of those two? You should know love doesn’t excuse everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Who gets sick more easily, a child or an adult?”

“Of course, a child…”

“It’s the same. The Kingdom of Surt wasn’t big, but it was powerful. One of their unique traditions was never letting a child leave the kingdom before coming of age.”

“Do you know why?” she asked, looking straight at him.

“…Don’t tell me.”

“That’s right. It was to prevent them from growing weak. Surt was closed to all races except demons. It was ancient and full of useless secrets—most of which were likely lost in war.”

“But that child… yes, she was often sick when young…”

Was that certain? Kaelos only had the regular reports to go by: Healthy, fine, well, but disobedient and causing trouble.

“You’re unfit to be a parent. Fine, do as you say—send her back quickly. I’ll also send word to the imperial family to reconsider putting her on the family register.”

“….”

“Don’t put your name down as her father. Be nothing to her. Let her completely forget you.”

Her words made Kaelos clench his fist. Even knowing she said it to provoke him, it still cut deep.

“Oh, and where is the child’s mother? It’d be better to take care of this quickly. I probably know more about the two of them than you do, so give me her location and I’ll handle it. You can forget and start a new life. I’ll even find you a new match.”

“….”

“Why are you glaring? You don’t like that?”

Kaelos couldn’t answer. She clicked her tongue and stood.

“To say you don’t like it would hurt your pride, but to say you do would mean being forgotten completely—that’s worse than a child.”

She turned away.

“If you couldn’t take responsibility to the end, you shouldn’t have started. Do you think standing beside someone despite opposition is easy? That’s why this will be done my way—”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“….”

“I’ll decide after I think it through.”

Mari lowered her lashes slowly, then spoke after a pause.

“…Do you think opportunities come whenever you want? Did your woman not stop you? Did the child never reach out to you?”

“….”

“That unwillingness to consider it might already be too late—that’s arrogance.”

She stepped out of the room.