Chapter 105
She recalled the moment in the forest cabin when he had held her hand. But instead of her heart dropping like before, her chest felt heavy and suffocated.
“I know well the longing and resentment you feel. Leave it to me.”
“That’s not something you can take lightly. Daniel is generally kind and pure, but once he turns stubborn… he can be quite…”
She couldn’t even make a sound. Ella was drawn into his embrace as Caldrix pulled her closer.
As he held her and parted her lips, she quietly wrapped her arms around his neck. The familiar warmth clouded her mind instantly.
Amid their ragged breaths, she asked several times in her heart:
“Your Excellency, I am neither the former Duchess nor the herbalist Ella now. The two women you expected may both be gone. Are you still alright with this?”
He answered without a moment’s hesitation:
“That is exactly what I’ve been waiting for, Ella. The chance to start anew with you, from the very beginning.”
After the traitor’s head was displayed across the northern regions, the brief unrest quickly settled. Rumors spread that the disappearance of Duke Philoche had been a strategy to lure out the rebels.
There were also whispers about the return of a son who bore a striking resemblance to the Duke and Duchess, but most northerners, aside from the residents of Philoche Castle, dismissed it as nonsense.
This was because, except for Caldrix, the northern people had long believed she was dead.
Even the previous Duke and Duchess could not ignore the rumors. When news reached them at their summer villa, they disregarded Caldrix’s warning and returned to Philoche Castle.
As soon as they stepped out of their carriage, they were shocked to see Daniel passing by. The former Duke pointed at Daniel, lips trembling, while the former Duchess simply collapsed.
“Oh… he’s just like Caldrix when he was a child!”
“This is impossible! I heard Ella got herself involved with a mage—they must be conspiring together. Philoche is in crisis!”
“Right? There’s no doubt about it, darling!”
At that moment, Terran, who had come to fetch Daniel for skipping a lesson at the tutor’s request, locked eyes with the former Duke.
“Terran!”
“Your Excellency, the former Duke.”
“Is… is that child…?”
“As you can see… Young Master, greet your grandparents.”
“Young Master? Who gave you the right! Terran, are you mad too?”
The former Duchess shouted, and Terran covered Daniel’s ears with his hands, but of course, Daniel could still hear everything.
Terran urgently said:
“Why did you come without notice? Your Excellency will be furious.”
“I am coming to my own house! What’s the problem? Terran, take the child and follow me!”
When they arrived at the Duke’s office, the former Duke and Duchess gaped in astonishment.
Amid the crisis of the Philoche bloodline being threatened, Caldrix and Ella sat on the sofa, calmly drinking tea.
Seeing the former Duke and Duchess, Ella put down her cup and smiled warmly.
“Oh my, you’ve come?”
“Oh, ‘you’ve come’?”
While the former Duchess gasped in outrage, Caldrix set down his cup and let out a low, gravelly groan.
Both the former Duke and Terran understood that this was anger directed at their defiance, and their expressions hardened.
But the former Duchess paid no mind.
“Careful with the tea! Don’t spill it!”
Ella glanced at Daniel, who was pouting beside Terran, and said:
“You ran away from class again? Is that how the heir of Philoche behaves?”
“Literature class is boring!”
“I spent so much to bring that teacher here… Hmph. Can’t you understand? Classes are supposed to be boring. If studying was always fun, it would be suspicious.”
“Teacher Nadriel made it fun!”
“See? It was fun because a suspicious person was teaching it.”
“Tch.”
Daniel twisted his mouth, knowing he could not win against his mother in words.
Even his antics—running away from studies, sulking—mirrored his father’s childhood, making the former Duchess sigh to calm herself.
The former Duke flared his nostrils in agitation.
“The heir of Philoche? Who even recognizes that!”
“I thought you might say that.”
Caldrix suddenly stood and shouted, “Summon the mage!”
The summoned mage was a long-known wizard from the Sun Tower, Nadriel’s master. With no reason to deceive him, the former Duke said, glaring:
“Check his parentage with magic immediately. Let Caldrix know the truth!”
The mage glanced at Caldrix to confirm, and Caldrix said:
“I’ll pay generously.”
A stream of light emanated from the mage, connecting Daniel and Caldrix, then extended to Ella.
“Me? Why me?”
The mage, withdrawing his magic, said with slight irritation:
“I also confirmed that she is the true Duchess.”
“Ha! So what?”
“So there’s no issue.”
“So you used magic without permission just because I looked suspicious? Is the Sun Tower really allowed to do that?”
Ella raised her voice sharply, and the mage dragged out the end of his words:
“Magic… sometimes acts unintentionally…”
Seeing Ella start to get upset as when a herb trade went wrong, Caldrix subtly signaled Daniel. He did not want to aggravate the mages due to sensitive relations.
Daniel snapped at Ella:
“Mom, come on!”
“Hmph!”
Ella stopped, exasperated, turning to glare at the wall to suppress herself.
“So, what’s the result?”
At Caldrix’s urging, the mage spoke hesitantly to the former Duke and Duchess:
“It is certain that the two are father and son… astonishing, but undeniable.”
“This can’t be!”
“No, the mage must have been bribed! Just like with my son, he’s deceiving us!”
“Oh, Mother, please watch your words in front of the grandchild.”
The former Duchess was flustered at Ella retorting with wide eyes.
“Grandchild? Who are you calling my grandchild?”
“Well, would this mage be my son otherwise?”
The former Duchess’ jaw dropped at Caldrix’s irritation. She collapsed into a chair, tears streaming.
“Did I give birth to him just to see this? Hmph! He left home without permission, and now—grandchild? Ah, God!”
“That’s enough!”
The former Duke stood angrily, and the former Duchess alternated glaring at Caldrix and her husband, then left following her husband.
“Darling, where are you going?”
“Where else, the villa! I can’t bear this any longer!”
With their voices fading, Ella glanced at Caldrix and spoke softly:
“Oh my, shouldn’t you take some tea with you…”
Meanwhile, the mage left, clearly displeased, and the father and son remaining ignored Ella’s polite words.
When Daniel plopped onto the sofa, Caldrix chuckled, the sound resonating from his chest.
Ella marveled at how his face remained still while he laughed from his chest, finding it both astonishing and slightly thrilling.
Caldrix lifted his tea cup again, arrogantly saying:
“As you’ve heard, you are my son, Daniel.”
“Ahhh!”
Daniel covered his ears, squirming.
“Why again? We already did the parentage test in front of everyone last time! How long will this go on?”
Ella lightly smacked Daniel’s thigh.
“Sit properly. A Philoche heir must maintain his posture.”
Caldrix said calmly:
“I only said the test would anger your grandparents. The house should be quiet for now.”
Daniel was displeased with everything about this suddenly-appeared father.
Especially his appearance, the way his mother melted at him, and the solemn tone in which he spoke nonsense—it all annoyed Daniel.
But no matter how much he whined or resisted, it seemed Caldrix Philoche remained unaffected. The cabin had been different.
That part was unbearable for Daniel.
“I hate Mom too!”
Ella hugged Daniel tightly.
“What? I think my son is the best in the world! …Ah.”
Seeing Caldrix glaring at her, she corrected herself:
“As much as my husband.”
Caldrix finally relaxed his expression and called Terran.
“Check if they returned to the villa, and have Lionel plan an operation to eradicate bandits in the central mountains. This time, eliminate them completely.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Daniel tried to slip away while Caldrix was distracted but got caught.
“Where are you going, Daniel?”
“It’s time for math class now.”
“Hmph, Nadriel has been expelled, so magic is forbidden. Even Zola can’t help.”
“No way!”
Daniel dashed off.
Nadriel, even a teacher who once hated him, acknowledged Daniel’s math skills. People could not understand why the Duke of Philoche took Gaison’s son as the tutor for the heir, yet no one dared to question it openly.
The negotiation with Nadriel was simple:
“Do you still dream of revenge?”
“Then what?”
“Die now.”
“Ha… what if not?”
“I heard you have thoughts about my wife.”
Ella quickly interjected:
“Nadriel is perfect as a tutor! He’s no longer a mage anyway.”
And so Nadriel became Daniel’s math teacher. Slowly, Daniel began adjusting to his new life in the enemy family, healing both his wounds and weakened body.
“Tch.”
Once Daniel left, Caldrix clicked his tongue in displeasure.
“Your Excellency?”
Ella looked surprised, meeting his gaze, and blushed.
His look was unmistakable:
“Come here!”
“Oh my, still daytime, really…”
Ella reluctantly dusted off her skirt and went to sit beside him.
Before her hips even touched the sofa, Caldrix pulled her onto his lap.
She pretended to look elsewhere, but her face flushed as she felt his firm thigh beneath her.
“You said you were busy…”
“Tch!”
Caldrix clicked his tongue again, pulling her chin toward him. Their familiar lips met, and her heart raced from the start.
The afternoon in the office, now imbued with the spirit of a newlywed after nine years, passed slowly.
-The End-
