~Chapter 52~
Marriage? No—it turned out Dame Lana had come to the capital because she’d heard her second son had a daughter.
And the child being mistaken for his daughter was Shiz…
Aaaah! Only then did I realize just how serious this situation was. I jumped to my feet.
“S-So you explained it properly, right? You cleared up the misunderstanding? Everything’s fine now?”
“I explained it. I did, but…”
Felix’s tangled, conflicted gaze shifted toward me.
“She wants to meet you. She wants to hear the truth from the person involved.”
“Eh…?”
He rubbed his large hand down his troubled face.
“Mage.”
“….”
“You said before you’d repay me. Is that offer still valid?”
***
Earlier – before Felix came to my lab
A gray-haired woman looked out over the palace grounds with deep, thoughtful eyes.
The capital, after so many years away, felt both familiar and changed. Especially the outer palace gardens—they were completely different now.
So much has changed.
But that wasn’t what weighed on Lana Guifero’s mind. What unsettled her far more was the news about her younger son.
A child… He has a child without even being married?
The unbelievable contents of her eldest son Oscul’s letter still echoed in her mind. The letter claimed that Felix had a hidden young daughter.
Oscul tends to jump to conclusions… but he doesn’t outright make things up.
If what he’d written was true, then that would mean Lana suddenly had a granddaughter. The thought was overwhelming and confusing.
Just then, a low voice came from behind. Felix stepped through the door, bowing his head with a conflicted expression.
“…It’s been a while, Mother.”
“Yes. It has.”
An awkward air filled the space between mother and son.
“I received a letter.”
Just that single line was enough to make Felix’s face burn red.
***
“I told Mom everything. Why would you hide something like this? That’s just hurtful.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb. I know.”
“Know what?!”
“That you have a cute little daughter.”
When Felix saw his brother for the first time in ages, he thought he was just babbling nonsense.
But the longer they talked, the clearer it became—Oscul genuinely believed it.
***
“Wait, so she’s not your daughter?!”
“Of course not!”
“But why did she call you Dad then?”
“She never did!”
“Oh, I see!”
“‘Oh, I see’ doesn’t fix this mess!!”
Felix had tried to send another letter to clear things up, but by then Lana had already departed for the capital.
Now, with a pounding headache, he squeezed his eyes shut.
“It’s all a misunderstanding. From start to finish. I can explain everything.”
“Then explain.”
So he carefully told her the story. That he had simply looked after a lost child for a short time, and while returning her to her guardian, the misunderstanding arose.
“…Really?”
“Yes. That’s it. We don’t even look alike, so I don’t understand why Oscul thought that way.”
“I see… Oscul, honestly…”
A cool breeze rustled the leaves around them.
“If you meet the child yourself, you’ll see it’s an impossible misunderstanding. That little one looks exactly like her mother.”
At that moment, Lana’s intuition sharpened.
Something about the way Felix spoke felt off. His gaze shifted uneasily, and he seemed strangely hesitant—as if even mentioning the child’s mother was difficult.
“…Do you perhaps know the girl’s mother personally?”
“Huh?”
“From how you talk, it doesn’t sound like a stranger. Could it be someone here in the palace?”
Felix fell silent. Lana’s eyes sparkled—she’d been guessing, but now she was sure.
“Could I meet her?”
***
The Outer Palace Garden
The garden was lush with summer greenery.
Following Felix further inside, I saw a charismatic middle-aged woman seated upright in a gazebo.
“…Mother.”
Lana Guifero.
Felix’s mother—and the reason the entire palace had been in a stir with her sudden return.
“Hello, Dame Lana.”
“Oh? And this is…?”
Her ash-gray hair shone under the sunlight.
On the way here, Felix had explained the absurd misunderstanding.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Relshiz Baltain, Chief Magician of the Royal Magic Bureau.”
“Magic Bureau? You’re a magician?”
“Yes.”
Lana looked genuinely surprised. It must have been hard to believe that her son—who hated mages—had brought one here.
To avoid any further confusion, I stated clearly:
“I’m sure you’ve already heard the explanation, but the child who was with Investigator Guifero that day is my daughter. She has nothing to do with him.”
Lana glanced between our faces, then fixed her eyes on me.
“Are you truly saying she isn’t Felix’s child?”
She looked like she was testing whether I was lying. So I put on the most sincere expression I could manage.
“I swear on everything I have.”
Finally, Lana let out a small sigh. Though she looked calm, I could tell she had been worried.
“When I received Oscul’s letter, I was so shocked. I feared Felix might have done something terrible…”
“No matter how reckless I am, I’d never do something like that. Especially not with this mage!”
The way he spat that out made my blood boil. What, am I not good enough?!
But Lana just watched the two of us with curious eyes.
“My apologies for the misunderstanding, Lady Relshiz. You must have been troubled because of Felix and Oscul. Allow me to apologize in their place.”
“N-No, not at all.”
To my surprise, Dame Lana even spoke politely to me, someone the same age as her son.
Her knightly manners were so ingrained that it left me flustered.
After blinking slowly, Lana smiled faintly.
“It was a ridiculous misunderstanding, but at least it brought me back to the capital. I thought I’d never set foot here again.”
I noticed Felix twitch beside me.
“Are you… leaving right away?”
For once, he looked so polite, his usual roughness nowhere in sight.
I was stunned. So he did know how to show respect.
“Until a moment ago, I was planning to. I don’t like staying in one place for long.”
But then she smiled mischievously—and the resemblance to Felix was striking.
“But I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ll stay here for a while.”
I felt Felix stiffen in surprise beside me.
“My own house… well, I don’t think I can go back there. I suppose I’ll have to find an inn.”
As she spoke, her gaze slid toward me.
“Or perhaps… would Lady Relshiz happen to have a spare room in her home?”
Suddenly the spotlight was on me.
“Eh? A s-spare room?”
Well, yes, there were plenty. It was a mansion, after all.
“But why…?”
Her voice turned careful.
“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble…”
***
Later, at Relshiz’s mansion
“My, we have our very first guest. Welcome!”
Philippa’s eyes gleamed with determination when she heard the guest would be staying for a while. Clearly, she saw this as a chance to prove her abilities.
And of course, the guest was none other than Dame Lana Guifero.
“W-Welcome.”
“Thank you for allowing me to stay, Lady Relshiz. I’ll never forget this kindness.”
“No, it’s nothing. I’m honored to have you here. While you’re staying, please use the room at the end of the upstairs hall. Philippa will give you a full tour later.”
Even as I showed her in, I couldn’t shake my doubts.
Didn’t she say this was her first time back in the capital in over ten years?
That meant she hadn’t seen her son in ages. Then why wasn’t she staying with him, and instead at my house?
While I stood there lost in thought, Shiz suddenly came running down the hallway.
She half-hid behind my legs, glaring cautiously at Dame Lana.
