Chapter 178
I looked at the nameplate again.
“Valer Shirun Halbern.”
So it really was my father’s library.
But what was with this overwhelming size?
A huge space greeted me as if I’d walked into a completely different building. Shelves packed with books filled it from floor to ceiling.
I stood there stunned, looking around, and thought:
Is it possible for one person to have produced this many stories?
“Is this a bug?”
“I don’t know!”
“Is it normal to have this many books?”
“Of course it’s not! It’s abnormal!”
“Yeah, it sure looks that way.”
What on earth had Dad done to collect so many books? And why did the place look like a ruin?
I could see why Mac had heart-pounding excitement — the sight made sense now.
“The weirdest thing here is the books themselves.”
“Why the books?”
Mac handed me a book that supposedly contained Dad’s life, as if telling me to look myself.
“Uh…”
Pages that had been blacked out as if someone had intentionally scribbled over them.
“Why is this like this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Even Dad doesn’t know the reason?”
“The current head of the house doesn’t seem interested in his own library.”
Mac said that Dad rarely came in, and when he did, he only looked for the information he wanted and left.
“If I start talking, he chases me out right away!” he added, then, as if a dam broke, the little elephant who’d been venting his indignation suddenly burst into tears.
“That bastard, who knows what he’s been doing outside — now his power rank is higher than mine, so I can’t even chase him out whenever I want! Waaah.”
“Dad’s power rank is higher than yours?”
“That’s why I thought he was starving to death, but you’re the same. Waaah.”
“Don’t cry, baby elephant.”
“I’m not a baby elephant!”
“Okay, don’t cry. Dream sprite. Want more chocolate?”
Snort. “Yeah…”
Mac only stopped crying after accepting the chocolate.
Could Dad’s power rank really be higher than this immortal-born creature’s? Was that even possible…?
“But what information was Dad looking for?”
“I don’t know. Last time he came in he was searching for something like a singularity or whatever.”
“A singularity?”
For a moment I thought of the [Spec■■(?)] in my status window. Could it be related?
‘No way… probably not.’
Anyway — with so many books, there was nothing I could read.
Somehow it felt like the reason Dad turned dark in the novel must be hidden somewhere among all these volumes…
“A picture-perfect tease,” I muttered. I’d thought coming here would let me find out more about Dad, so it was disappointing.
“Hm?”
At that moment, a book in one corner of my vision caught my eye because it was shining more than the rest.
“What is that?”
Dad’s books were either intact or had blackened covers and lay scattered on the floor, but I’d never seen one that glowed. Curious, I pulled it out and opened it.
Whoosh.
Something came out of the book and was absorbed into my body.
Valer suddenly realized — anew — how much public attention he attracted, how famous he was.
“It’s been a while, Duke Halbern.”
“I never expected to run into the royal guard here.”
Having people watching his every move was exhausting.
“Does His Majesty also have business at the Tower?” Valer asked.
The royal guards, who’d caught his gaze, shuddered.
“His Majesty respectfully ordered his presence to be requested.”
“Respectfully…”
Valer snorted.
“So there’s also a less respectful way, huh?”
A tense silence fell between them. The royal guards swallowed dryly as they braced for a possible situation, and Valer swept his bangs back with his hand.
To Arelin and Mehen he’d often seemed like an immature man who smiled and joked, but Valer’s weight and intimidating presence always made him someone hard for others to approach.
He felt a sudden distaste for the family name “Halbern.”
He had the urge to rip the name off and throw it away.
He wanted, just then, to ignore the royal knights, ignore the emperor, and bark orders at the mages of the Sky Tower…
But he shouldn’t.
‘I can’t put your daughter in an awkward position.’
No matter what, Valer wanted to be a normal father in front of Arelin — someone respectable and kind. The more he soaked in the peace and happiness she gave him, the more he entertained such unbefitting thoughts.
So he had to avoid causing trouble.
“Alright, lead the way.”
The murderous aura that had been so suffocating vanished. The pale, shaken royal guards stared at Valer as if he were a monster.
The inner audience chamber of the Imperial Palace.
Emperor Edward clicked his tongue when he saw the person brought in.
“You should’ve come quietly when called.”
“I’ve reported everything in writing.”
“I ordered a personal report.”
“There was nothing worth reporting in person.”
Edward’s smile faded at the man’s brazen tone.
“Do you even know how much of an upheaval your actions caused the capital?!”
Because of sudden military movements and nearly a month of heightened tension on the southern front, the price of grain — a major import for the Southern Empire — spiked. Edward felt like he had been in dire straits preparing reserves for an anticipated war.
But the person responsible for all this produced only a peaceful “situation resolved” report without any war, and hadn’t shown his face!
“Are you sure there won’t be a war?” Edward demanded.
Valer shrugged.
Edward visibly relaxed as if reassured.
“Phew. Please, let there be peace and no incidents, Duke. My lifelong dream is to live a peaceful, happy life with my Azeni sister. Preferably, I’d quit being emperor.”
“Ed, do you really think your wise empress will let you laze about?” Valer teased.
“…Damn.” Edward knew he’d reformed after marrying well and had no counterargument.
“Why do I love such a perfect woman…?” Edward went on, half-serious, half-embarrassed, wanting someone to understand the warm, awkward feelings he had about his harmonious life.
Valer ignored Edward’s mock-serious face and cut off the long story that would have gone on for a week.
“Get to the point.”
“Aww, won’t you listen just a little?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to finish the audience and go see your ‘sister’?” Valer said, sourly but spot-on.
Edward reluctantly nodded.
“Regent.”
So the business was about him.
Edward fixed his sharp gaze on Valer.
“I thought I might have to kill him on sight, but apparently he’s taken up residence at the Halbern estate as a houseguest. Has the relationship improved?”
“Improved? I still want to kill him.”
“Then why haven’t you?” Edward asked.
Valer cocked his head.
“Hmm. Why haven’t I killed him?”
Even now, although Valer still felt murderous rage, he had no intention of actually killing him.
“Is it because of his daughter…?” Edward guessed.
“What?”
“My daughter is quite kind, you know.”
Edward raised a suspicious eyebrow at that.
“So you built a whole town for that kind daughter?” Edward scoffed, referring to El Sionel — the town that, with all the mages mobilized, had already begun to look impressive — and Valer shrugged.
“El Sionel, huh.”
Edward blinked; the report must be true. Could it be that Arelin really was Sione’s…
“I really don’t like Sione,” Valer suddenly declared.
“Are you talking badly about your sister in front of me?” Edward snapped.
“I know who made you into that state. Why would I praise her?” Valer replied.
“She did nothing wrong.”
“Hmph.”
Valer couldn’t bear the person who’d made his beloved sister and Azeni feel pushed aside — someone who, whenever they met, had looked at him as if to say “don’t live your life that way.”
He’d silently cursed that person in the past, thinking they’d someday regret their reckless life. When he’d chased after Azeni, he’d grumbled, “Why did you tell my sister to marry the person you like?”
Edward shivered at the memory of those reckless days.
If anyone discovered that Arelin was Sione’s daughter, he couldn’t predict how beloved Empress Azeni would react.
‘No — I think she already has a suspicion.’
That was why Edward had dragged Valer here today.
“What will you do?” Edward asked, locking eyes with Valer.
“Will you reveal it? That Arelin is Sione’s daughter?”
