Chapter 53
The two men who had been kicked out sat blankly downstairs in the inn’s tavern.
They couldn’t go back up until Cassia and the nanny were finished with their bath, so they needed somewhere to kill time. Out of courtesy, they had ordered a few drinks and snacks.
Willace sipped his beer while sneaking glances at the young master. Edmund looked… unsettled.
Well, of course. We’ve only just escaped their grasp, and we’re still not completely safe. No wonder he looks anxious.
But Edmund’s troubled face had nothing to do with danger.
The problem was the words that kept echoing in his head, over and over.
“I can take my clothes off myself, nanny! Kyaa!”
Followed by a loud splash!
To a teenage boy, the sounds were far too vivid, far too stimulating for his imagination.
And Edmund wanted to bury his face in his hands.
How shameful. Am I really this filthy-minded?!
His chest felt tight, his mouth unbearably dry. He grabbed his ginger ale and downed it in one gulp.
Willace, of course, knew nothing of this inner torment. He just assumed the boy was brooding about their situation, and tried to gently steer the conversation elsewhere.
“After we reach the Lamberto territory, young master, what do you plan to do?”
Edmund blinked, then noticed Willace had cast a soundproofing spell around them. That explained it—no risk of eavesdropping. His expression eased.
“I’ll rely on my grandfather’s help and start preparing to reclaim the dukedom.”
It was the obvious answer, but he quickly added the reality.
“Not right away, though. If it becomes known I’ve escaped and gone to Lamberto, the Zenovia Empire will only tighten their surveillance on him.”
When the Falz royal family had been wiped out, the two great houses of the kingdom had also been struck hard.
The Cohen duke and duchess died mysteriously. Their only heir, Edmund, fell into his uncle’s clutches.
Meanwhile, Duke Lamberto lost both of his children and was left alone to guard the borderlands.
If not for the monsters at the frontier, Grandfather might not have survived either.
That duty was a curse chaining him down, but also a shield keeping Zenovia from striking him directly.
Willace nodded.
“But the journey to the duchy will be long and perilous. And once it’s known you survived, everyone will be hunting you.”
“I know,” Edmund said evenly. “So where do you think I should go?”
“The Magic Kingdom,” Willace suggested. “I could serve as your guardian, forge a new identity. You’d study there under the finest masters. It’s the safest option.”
It wasn’t a bad idea.
The Magic Kingdom was a nation built by the greatest sorcerers across the continent. It drew in every prodigy, every mind of genius.
Edmund, with his natural gift, would thrive there. He could also recruit allies.
But Edmund shook his head firmly.
“You’re not wrong, but I won’t change my mind. I’m going to Lamberto.”
“Because he’s your only blood relative left?”
“That’s part of it,” Edmund admitted. “But Willace… I’m not just the Cohen heir. I’m also the heir to Lamberto.”
He was right.
The duke of Lamberto had lost all other heirs. Edmund alone carried the bloodline. His silver hair—dyed black for now—was the family’s unmistakable mark.
“So you mean to inherit both houses?”
Edmund’s lips curved into a confident smile. For a moment, he wasn’t a fugitive in a shabby inn—he was a born ruler.
“It’s both my right and my duty. However heavy the burden, I won’t abandon it. And I won’t surrender my claim.”
The words fit him perfectly. Willace felt a surge of pride.
“As your late mother’s friend, I regret the hardships ahead. But as a magician… I admire your resolve.”
“What do you mean?” Edmund asked.
“It’s a shame this place is so shabby. Swearing loyalty to you here doesn’t feel worthy of the moment.”
Willace inclined his head in a gesture of respect.
Edmund just smiled faintly in response.
They spoke for a long while—plans big and small. Inevitably, the conversation turned to someone.
“And as head of House Cohen,” Edmund said, “I have family to protect now.”
“Family?” Willace raised an eyebrow.
Surely he didn’t mean the current duke, duchess, and Petric. Nor was Lamberto technically part of Cohen.
That left only one answer.
“You mean Lady Cassia, don’t you?”
The words hit true. The proud young ruler instantly turned red, looking like nothing more than a flustered boy.
Willace sighed inwardly. So it’s that serious, then.
And who could blame him? Willace had watched Cassia closely too. He knew how she treated Edmund.
So he spoke frankly.
“Lady Cassia is kind and clever. She’ll be an asset when you reclaim your title.”
Edmund recovered, putting back on his mask of confidence.
“I know. She’s more than capable.”
They both left unsaid the rest: capable of being duchess.
Still, Willace raised a caution.
“Her origins will be a problem. A daughter cast out by House Florence will not be easily accepted.”
“Who would dare question her?” Edmund’s eyes narrowed.
“Your grandfather might,” Willace replied evenly. “He may see her only as the lackey of those who killed his daughter. And after you reclaim the duchy… the opposition will be fierce.”
Edmund fell silent. He couldn’t deny it.
But then he said, stubbornly, “By then, I’ll be duke. Who will dare defy me if I recognize her as my wife?”
His face flamed again at the word.
Wife.
It was legally true, but saying it out loud made him squirm. Still, he couldn’t say he disliked the sound of it.
Willace chuckled.
“Then you’ve already made up your mind.”
“I have.”
“Just like your parents—strong-willed to the end.”
“I’ll be no different.”
Once more, Willace bowed deeply.
“I believe she has both the heart and the ability to be duchess. I’ll give my full support.”
For the first time, Edmund murmured something he had never said to Willace before.
“…Thank you.”
Willace blinked, then smiled wryly. Edmund had never thanked him, not even when he had risked his life to save him. Not when he handed over the antidote.
But for Cassia’s sake, he could say the words.
And Willace, who had once gambled everything for the sake of a woman he loved, felt a quiet satisfaction in supporting this boy now.
Of course, he couldn’t resist adding one last jab.
“Still, it’s a shame I can’t take Lady Cassia to the Magic Kingdom. Her talent belongs there.”
The touching mood shattered instantly.
“Don’t you dare try to steal my future duchess away.”
And so the two spent the rest of their time bickering.
***
By now, enough time had passed.
Calmer again, Edmund climbed the stairs and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“You can come in,” Cassia’s voice called.
Edmund couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his lips as he opened the door.
And then he froze, jaw dropping in shock at the sight before him.
