Chapter 66
Natalie tilted her head at her father’s hesitant words. When she looked at him:
“See? That’s why you need to get better quickly… Today, you just woke up, so take it easy and rest. We’ll think about it again tomorrow, alright?”
“Yes, that’s true… You…”
“Y-Yes…?”
Although she still had doubts, Natalie decided to follow her parents’ advice. It seemed wise to spend the day resting, so she chose to rest quietly.
As her parents left Natalie’s room, she noticed her mother casting a worried, somber glance at her… She wanted to respond, but having decided to rest, she couldn’t bring herself to ask—…
◆◇◆
By noon, the sun had risen again.
Natalie felt no lingering fatigue; her body was in near-perfect condition. She could almost say she was completely well.
(I need to ask His Excellency… about the magical outburst, and about before he died—back then…)
Questions about what she had seen in the underground crypt didn’t end. The peculiar circumstances of the duke’s family aside—more importantly, even back when he was married before dying—was it possible he had been suffering from a magical outburst? Had he truly had no capacity to care for Natalie at the time?
—And if his body was fine back then, why is it like this now…?
Because such questions wouldn’t leave her alone, Natalie decided she wanted to thank Julius. She would go to her father’s room to prepare for a visit to the royal castle.
“Father… may I come in…?”
“Ah, of course! Natalie, is your body feeling alright?”
She knocked softly and spoke, and her father’s worried voice replied. As she quietly opened the door and entered, the warm room welcomed her.
“My health has completely recovered… As you said yesterday… shall we go greet His Excellency right away?”
“Uh, ah, well… but… just to be safe…”
“Really…? Father, you worry too much. Ah! Could it be that he is busy now? If so, I can go alone…”
“No, that’s not—”
Her father, standing before her, spoke hesitantly, just like yesterday. Seeing him struggle for words, Natalie prepared to ask why—but at that moment:
“Hu… Husband!!!”
With loud, hurried footsteps, the door to her father’s room was flung open by an unrestrained hand. There, as expected, was…
“Oh…? Mina?”
“Ah! My lady, you’re here too! Perfect timing!”
“Perfect… timing?”
“Yes! Uh…”
Flustered, Mina quickly glanced at Natalie and her father, then pulled out the paper she had been holding—a newspaper. She opened it so they could see clearly.
“The duke… the duke’s family… has been dissolved in an allied country!”
“…What?”
Natalie’s mind couldn’t process Mina’s words. Her thoughts froze—after all, the Fangrey family was a major ducal house. They held honored positions as the Black Knights… For such a house to be dissolved in such a short time seemed impossible.
Yet, as if to overturn Natalie’s disbelief, the newspaper Mina showed bore a large headline:
—The House of the War God, the Dukes of Fangrey, Tainted by Conspiracy!? Our King Moves to Dissolve Them Amid Rising Rumors!
It detailed the internal affairs of the allied nation, Saint Schwarz. Apparently, the king of Saint Schwarz had personally announced the dissolution of the Fangrey family, claiming they had conducted suspicious experiments in the underground crypt.
(No… His Excellency didn’t cooperate with any experiments…!)
As Natalie stared at the newspaper in disbelief, her father spoke:
“I see… hmm… Mina.”
“I came as quickly as I could to inform you, as per your instructions, regarding the newspaper about the duke… but… hmm?”
“I thought I told you to bring it here quietly yesterday…”
Her father sighed and held his head—but more than that…
“Father… why quietly…?”
“….”
“Why do you look more resigned than surprised…?”
“D-d-that’s because…”
“His Excellency is at the royal castle… receiving luxurious treatment there, right?”
At Natalie’s words, her father fell completely silent. Seeing this, Natalie’s temper began to flare.
“Father! Please, tell me the truth! His Excellency…”
What she imagined and what the newspaper described were completely different. Natalie pressed her father for the truth:
“The duke… will not return.”
“Eh…?”
“I heard the royal family would do everything they could for his treatment—but according to what I heard from His Highness, if his magical power ran amok and caused harm…”
Her father hesitated, looking down for a moment, then lifted his face, resolved:
“They will deal with the duke using the royal family’s magic.”
“…W-what…?”
Natalie, and even Mina standing nearby, forgot to breathe as if time had stopped—so overwhelming was the shock.
“That is the agreement between the allied country, Saint Schwarz, and our country, Flickstein.”
“Th-that…”
“Since the allied nation moved to dissolve the ducal house, the royal family could not do more. So… the duke… is beyond saving.”
“…But! The incident with the chancellor was recent. The newspaper was just published today! If I… if I use magic, maybe…”
Immediately speaking her thoughts aloud, Natalie continued:
“So, I will go to the royal castle…! I must go, please prepare a carriage…!”
Her words, pleading with her father, met only his stern face.
“No, I will not send a carriage.”
The heavy, grim voice left no room for negotiation. From his expression and tone, the father who always indulged Natalie was nowhere to be seen.
