CHAPTER 68………………..
“What? Conquer the world?”
It was an absurd thing to hear from the Tower Lord of Ivory Tower, known for his wisdom.
“Well, that’s just how the story goes. How he would use the power after contracting with the Time Divine Beast is up to him.”
“….”
“Many go mad after contracting recklessly, but no one would deny that the divine beast itself possesses great power.”
There was no greater benefit than making something that had already passed seem as if it never happened.
“I knew Margaret was interested in the Time Divine Beast, but even I don’t know exactly what she was thinking.”
Magnus shook his head.
“She sometimes thinks in ways so unpredictable it’s hard to keep up. Just a guess, so take it lightly.”
Magnus had been the tutor Margaret’s mother had followed.
Even he did not know her precise intentions.
“Why aren’t you eating? Do I, all old as I am, have to feed you for you to even touch it?”
“Of course not.”
Linaria stabbed a fork into the large piece of cake.
And—
‘Did Mother love me?’
She swallowed the question along with the cake.
“Mahikuna.”
“Gyehyo.”
With their mouths full of cake, both of them slurred their words.
At that moment, they looked at each other’s faces.
Seeing each other’s puffed-up cheeks, they both burst into laughter.
To Duke Obel,
Recently, our purchases of glowstone have increased. Thanks to this, the family’s finances have recovered to an extent incomparable to before.
I am submitting a report regarding this matter.
I also heard that you have fully recovered. That is fortunate.
Respectfully,
Ricardo
Dante set aside the letter from Ricardo.
As always, the neat handwriting contained only the necessary information.
However, the period at the very end wavered slightly, as if he had hesitated to write more.
“He could have expressed himself a bit more honestly.”
Thinking of Ricardo’s blunt face, Dante picked up a pen to reply.
Then—
Knock, knock.
A tidy knock echoed.
“Father, it’s me.”
It was his daughter.
“Come in.”
Linaria entered.
“How are you feeling?”
“I haven’t coughed at all today, so there’s nothing to worry about. But what brings you here?”
“Prince Brimstone gave me a meal voucher and said you should go out together.”
“August?”
“Yes. I think he was just worried seeing you always at home…”
Linaria glanced at Dante, gauging his mood.
“It’s probably not a good idea, right?”
He still hadn’t recovered to the level of a normal person, so suggesting dining out was risky.
“Liri.”
“If it’s too much, you can return the voucher to the prince. You don’t need to go out just for me.”
Half of her desire was to go out with her father; the other half had another purpose.
She didn’t want to force her father to overexert himself for her selfish wish.
“Now that I think about it, we’ve never really gone out properly. Let’s get some fresh air.”
But Dante, smiling kindly, stood up without hesitation.
Linaria’s lips parted slightly as she stepped back.
“W-Wait! Please, wait!”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She hadn’t expected her father to accept so readily, and her mind went blank.
“I’ll go change my clothes.”
“Alright, do that.”
Hearing her father’s soft laugh, Linaria hurried back to her room and searched her wardrobe.
‘My father hardly goes out except for my mother’s memorial day.’
It would be their first family outing.
‘And others will also realize my father is well enough to move about.’
It was time to show that he wasn’t a helpless invalid.
“Milady! What’s going on?”
While frantically searching her wardrobe, Linaria heard Anna’s voice and turned.
“Someone would think a thief broke in.”
Only then did she realize she had pulled out nearly all of her clothes to find the perfect outfit.
“I’ll help you. Wait a moment.”
“Ah… sorry, Anna.”
“No need to apologize. I overheard you coming in, saying you’d be going out with the Duke.”
“….”
“I’ve never seen you this excited. Well, it’s your first outing with the Duke, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Just for a meal and then back home.”
“Just a meal? Until recently, this was unimaginable.”
Like a child, Linaria happily changed with Anna’s help.
“Father, I’m ready.”
“In the time I was away, an angel has flown in.”
They went out together without guards to spend a peaceful time.
“This is the place.”
The restaurant August had recommended looked splendid.
As they were about to enter—
Cough.
Dante hastily brought out a handkerchief to cover his mouth.
“Liri, wait. I just remembered somewhere I need to go.”
His face had turned pale.
Linaria noticed it was an excuse, but she pretended not to know.
If she showed worry, he would feel guilty.
“I’ll be quick. But since you can’t wait outside, it’s better if you go in first. You’ll be fine alone, right?”
Perhaps because Kaas wasn’t coming, Dante seemed anxious leaving her alone like she was a child by the water.
“Yes, of course. I’m not an eight-year-old, and the restaurant is right in front. Don’t worry about me—go ahead.”
“I’m sorry.”
As he left in a hurry, a faint bloodstain showed through his handkerchief.
‘Perhaps going out is still too much.’
It had been several months since the seal on the Time Divine Beast was lifted. She believed her father’s condition was improving gradually.
Yet facing him trying to hide his pain made her uneasy.
Knowing that following him would make him uncomfortable, Linaria entered the restaurant alone.
“Isn’t that the Obel princess?”
She heard her name mentioned among the chatter of others.
“That’s her! I saw her at the banquet last time.”
From a nearby table, young ladies noticed Linaria and whispered.
“Could she be meeting Duke Ignas?”
“How shameless.”
Laughter and sneers erupted.
“She cared for Duke Ignas when he lost consciousness, and now she seems infatuated.”
“Good heavens. Did she approach him with that intention from the start?”
“Perhaps.”
“Even if a commoner proposed, it would be above her station, so it’s possible.”
Noah had collapsed, and Linaria’s nursing was meant to avoid awkwardness when he regained consciousness.
But young men and women were involved.
Not a relative like August, so scandalous rumors were inevitable.
“But this is strange. I heard she was supposed to be engaged to the Crown Prince.”
“Yes. They even danced at the banquet!”
“She’s weighing two men.”
“Oh my. How shocking.”
One young lady covered her mouth in astonishment.
No one understood that Linaria had not danced by choice.
“How vulgar.”
The leader of the group, a young lady with crimson hair, spoke.
“It’s obvious. Look at her eyes—they look so sad. You can tell she grew up unloved.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Encouraged by their consensus, she spoke even more.
“Growing up without a mother, how starved for affection must she have been? And suddenly, overreaching men cling to her…”
Plop.
The food that had been on the table moments ago fell from above.
“Ah! Sabina!”
A young lady nearby gasped and covered her mouth.
“What on earth is this?”
Sabina spun around in panic.
Linaria Obel, who had been gossiping, now stood holding an empty bowl.
“What on earth are you doing?”
“I mistook it for the trash can.”
Linaria glared coldly at Sabina.
“If you have something to say, say it to me directly. Don’t buzz behind me like flies.”
“Flies?! Did you just compare us to flies?”
“Yes. Fortunately, your hearing is fine.”
“….”
“I wondered if your eyesight was poor since you dared to speak ill right in front of me.”
Ha.
Sabina gave a helpless laugh.
Though she was a princess, she was only a pseudo-noble without a contractor.
Rumors even said she was treated poorly in her household.
Otherwise, she would have had some social experience by this age.
“There’s nothing we can’t say to your face. Did we say anything wrong?”
Shaking off the food on her head, Sabina challenged her.
“Isn’t it true you fawned over not only the Crown Prince but Duke Ignas as well? Otherwise, why suddenly nurse a collapsed Duke Ignas, citing a sickly father?”
No one would believe her denials.
Any excuse Linaria made would only fuel the rumors.
“Oh, by the way. Is Prince Brimstone included in this too?”
“I don’t know why Brimstone is suddenly brought up.”
“Don’t play innocent.”
Sabina tapped Linaria’s shoulder with a fan.
“Are they relatives? Ah, the princess’s mother passed away, so no explanation can be given. Even if she were alive, treatment of the princess likely wouldn’t change.”
“….”
“Who would think a child without a contractor is their own?”
“I don’t know what this commotion is about.”
A cold male voice cut in.
