CHAPTER~22
The Elder Council, the living history and true power of the Decart family, currently held immense influence within the house.
The former Dukes were the strongest of the Decart lineage, but the ones who appointed them—and controlled them—were none other than the Elders.
I was well aware of them.
That they had rendered great service in protecting the Decart family.
And that they were a deeply conservative group who refused to accept anything new and clung stubbornly to tradition.
And most importantly, they greatly disliked me.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that eight-tenths of my trauma came from them.
So when I heard they wanted to see me, I couldn’t help but turn pale.
“News of Madam’s return must have already reached the Elders.”
Fennel spoke as he walked with me.
He had first heard the news from a maid, so he looked noticeably flustered.
At least, since this schedule came out of nowhere.
I answered calmly.
“Uncle Ullrich must have called for me.
Nothing escapes his eyes.”
Truthfully, my mind was a mess on the way to see the Elders.
My hands were trembling on their own.
How fast they are.
I haven’t even unpacked properly and they call me as if they’d been waiting.
Well, it was the same five years ago.
Whenever something displeased them, they summoned me immediately.
Even when I was sick and bedridden for days.
Stay calm, stay calm.
Even if you enter a forest full of monsters, you’ll survive as long as you keep your wits.
I pretended to be unfazed and kept repeating the words to myself.
But the closer the Elder Council’s chamber came into view, the more my heart began pounding wildly as memories of that day resurfaced.
The moment I saw the wall paintings of the most influential former Elders, I felt as though I had returned to five years ago.
I unknowingly came to a halt.
While I was taking deep breaths, a warm sensation touched my hand.
“……Mela.”
“Mela is right here with you, Sister.
So don’t be too scared.
I’ll protect you.”
“……”
Mela spoke in a brave little voice and gently shook my hand as if soothing me.
“If anyone bullies you, bring them all here.
Mela will punch them for you!
Okay?”
Her fists were far too small and soft to punish anyone, but strangely, the unexpected comfort she gave washed away my fear little by little.
I found her so adorable and precious that I pinched her chubby cheeks without thinking.
“Really?
Then I should hurry and bring them.”
“Yeah!
My punch is super strong!
So from now on, Sister Evlyen can just trust me.
Ah… hmm… but then the Duke will be sad.”
Mela, who had been speaking confidently, paused and tilted her head as though troubled.
Her soft hair swayed with the motion, making me smile again.
“You can trust the Duke a little.
Not as much as me—just… like a passing pebble?”
Wasn’t that the same as saying not to trust him at all?
I burst into laughter and nodded.
After talking with Mela, the trembling in my hands and the fear completely disappeared as if it had been a lie.
“All right, all right.
But Mela is still the best to me.”
“Of course!”
“Okay then, shall we go in?
The Elders must be waiting.”
At my words, Mela happily interlocked her fingers with mine.
With much steadier steps than before, I confidently headed to the Elder Council chamber with her.
Having someone on my side when I once had no one… it was truly overwhelming.
So I thought—maybe this time, things will be all right.
All right my foot!
The instant I saw the seven Elders seated at the head, any resolve I had evaporated, and my heart shrank painfully.
“We have brought Count Evlyen Leella as requested, Elder sirs.”
The Elders said nothing while staring at me, merely sitting high above.
Since they were positioned on a raised platform, I had no choice but to look up at them.
It felt like standing before divine judgment, and even though I had done nothing wrong, I shrank back.
“Yes, it has been a while, Count Leella.
Five years, was it?”
“About that long indeed.
How curious, meeting again like this.”
The first to speak was Elder Anselmus seated on the left.
Among the seven Elders, he was one of the youngest, but as the scholar in charge of administration, he was extremely conservative and rigid.
Following his lead, the other Elders made their own remarks.
“It is an honor to see you again, Elder sirs.
I trust you have been well.”
I greeted them with as calm a voice as I could manage.
A lie so forced that even the corner of my mouth twitched.
Not that the Elders sitting above would be any different.
“Whether it is a bond or a curse, who knows.
I cannot grasp the Duke’s intentions.
Why he would make such a choice…”
“Duke Frezen must have his reasons.
He’s not one to make hasty decisions.”
“Even if it’s because of the curse, isn’t this far too reckless?
Tsk tsk…”
They brushed aside my greeting and continued talking among themselves—primarily about why the Duke had chosen me.
It had been a long time since I last felt invisible, but it wasn’t surprising.
“The one beside Count Leella… is that a child?
Ah, a girl.”
At that moment, a familiar, grating voice reached my ears.
I didn’t need to check the face to know whose it was—Ullrich Decart.
All the Elders turned their attention toward Mela.
I hid Mela behind me and bowed.
“So what is that girl’s name?
She looks four or five.”
“Don’t tell me… is this why the Duke…?”
The Elders murmured among themselves.
Mela tugged carefully at my clothes, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.
“…Her name is Mela.
And she is still young, so I ask that you refrain from calling her ‘girl’ in that way, Uncle.
Please.”
“How dare you utter the word ‘please’ to Elder Ullrich?
You still have those insolent eyes, I see.”
“Calm down, Anselms.
If the Duke hears of this, what will you do?”
Clicking tongues and scolding voices flew at me at the same time.
“So what?
The Duke is in the territory by now, so he won’t know.”
“And he rarely involves himself in trivial matters like this.
We should handle this ourselves.”
So that was why Frezen wasn’t here—he had gone to the territory.
Maybe they had planned all this while he was gone.
Not that it mattered.
Even if Frezen were here, he would not care about me.
Just like before.
Thinking that left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“I have only one question.”
Ullrich finally spoke again.
As expected of the most powerful Elder, his mere voice silenced the room.
He was also the one I feared most.
I held Mela’s hand tightly.
I would never tolerate anyone insulting her.
Through the heavy silence, Ullrich said:
“Whatever you said to convince the Duke, tell me this—Is that child truly Decart blood?
If not, there would be no reason to bring her here.”
As expected, he wasn’t easy.
I couldn’t answer easily and bit my lip.
“It is suspicious.
For someone with no news for five years to suddenly appear with a child.
If she is not Decart blood…”
Anselm chimed in irritably, and the rest nodded.
“We can check.
Whether she carries Decart blood.
Right here, right now.”
The Elder seated next to Ullrich—a rough-looking man—suddenly stood up.
‘That man is…’
Elder Barthol.
A former knight of the 2nd Order, infamous for being hot-tempered and impulsive.
“What are you doing?
Grab them!”
Meaning he acted before thinking.
“No!
Mela!”
Anticipating Barthol’s intent, I quickly embraced Mela.
The knights on both sides immediately drew their swords.
As their blades blocked our path—
Kiiiiing! Bang!
The Elder Council chamber door slammed open with enough force to break.
A killing aura swept through the room.
“So this is where you all were.”
A heavy voice struck my ears.
Everyone turned—
And Frezen Decart was standing there.
