Chapter 70
Kazahr moved toward Eluana, who was standing awkwardly next to an olive tree. As he approached, he sensed something off.
From a distance, Crow Yeongsik was glaring, the long-standing young lady was melting sweetly, and Eluana looked like she had given up on everything. The expressions of those around them were all different.
On top of that, Eluana had her arms crossed and was leaning on one leg. She didn’t seem to realize the posture she was striking.
“If Lady Rene saw this, she’d be in tears.”
Eluana’s plan for today was like this: appear with Duke Spes to stir the rumor that she resembled Princess Stella. While cultivating a kind and gentle image among the young ladies, Kazahr would appear to hint at a romance.
It was a setup for the rumor she planned to spread tomorrow.
Something didn’t seem to go according to plan, but Kazahr didn’t mind. With just a word from him, everything that happened before would fade into the background.
As Kazahr approached with a dazzling smile, eyes on him, gasps erupted from the crowd.
“Lady Spes.”
“Ah…”
When Kazahr called her with eyes as sweet as honey, Eluana realized she could no longer back out. The wheel had started rolling, and it was too late to retreat.
“Your Highness.”
The formal greeting she had learned by heart shone once again. From Kazahr’s lips came an unusually gentle voice.
“I heard you would be attending the tea party. I hope I’m not intruding by visiting.”
Eluana’s eyelids trembled.
It wasn’t the right moment to continue the pretense, but the water was already spilled. With an “Oh well” mindset, she decided to speak the lines she had prepared first, and think later.
“I wanted to see you as well. I haven’t properly expressed my gratitude.”
“No thanks are needed. All I need is your heart.”
Eluana closed her eyes tightly, then opened them.
Even though it was her own rehearsed line, it felt cringe-worthy. When reading similar lines in storybooks, she used to feel fluttered, but now it made her feel embarrassed.
As a result, her face flushed.
“Your Highness.”
Eluana clasped her hands together and looked at Kazahr as if moved. Unlike her embarrassment, Kazahr maintained a deep and steady gaze.
Just as she thought Kazahr’s acting was the most impressive, he extended his hand toward her.
“Lady, may I have some of your time?”
“Of course.”
Eluana took his hand and walked further into the garden. She let out a small sigh once the murmurs from behind faded.
Kazahr asked with a playful smile,
“What happened before I came?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m doomed.”
“What did you do?”
“Has there ever been a lady at a tea party who grabbed Yeongsik by the hair?”
“That could never happen. Normally…”
Kazahr drew out his words, sensing something.
“That’s right. That happened today. It was me.”
He burst out laughing at Eluana’s distressed face.
Those quietly following the pair were caught between shock and bewilderment. Soon, the first to recover scattered quickly, as if driven by the need to spread the news.
Watching the people move, Kazahr said,
“Let’s go. Duke Spes will be waiting.”
“Do you know where?”
“I received a message to go to his office. And don’t worry—the rumor will spread well.”
“I grabbed his hair?”
“No, he thinks he’s fallen for you.”
“Do you think that rumor will cover up me grabbing his hair?”
Kazahr couldn’t answer immediately, leaving Eluana disappointed again.
“I want to see Rui.”
She wanted to hold Rui and tousle his hair to calm her distress. She sighed lightly, and Kazahr asked,
“Do you want to go home? Oh, Rui’s already with Kairen?”
“He left last night. Thanks for advising him. He said it would’ve been dangerous if he hadn’t known.”
“I’m glad it was resolved. That was faster than I expected. Kairen doesn’t usually act quickly.”
They had expected Duke Spes to intervene, but the speed was impressive.
“Kairen didn’t seem as eccentric as the rumors said. In Aden, it spread that he turned a group of adventurers into chickens just for making noise near his lab.”
Eluana had imagined Kairen as a quirky old man because of that story. But, as usual, rumors were exaggerated.
“That’s slightly distorted. It was geese, not chickens.”
“Wait, that was real?”
Eluana grimaced, imagining Rui transformed into a goose, squealing, “Sister! I’ve become a goose!”
…Couldn’t speak. Maybe tightly?
“Oh, no.”
“What’s no? They weren’t causing trouble—they were thieves trying to raid his hideout.”
“Thieves?”
Eluana snapped out of her delusion.
“If it had been another wizard, they would’ve been killed instead of turned into geese.”
Since they were thieves, subduing them was necessary. Turning them into geese was better than killing, but now Eluana worried if she had sent him after someone far more dangerous than imagined.
Swallowing hard, Kazahr smiled softly.
“Rui will be fine. Besides, I heard about Prince Regis. It was at the Spes estate’s magic shop.”
“Yes, I was there too.”
“What about your guards?”
“Prince Regis told me to send them out.”
“Next time, don’t remove the guards when facing Prince Regis. You were lucky at the magic shop.”
Eluana pointed to the orb on her brooch.
“It wasn’t luck, it was the orb’s power. But we shouldn’t remove the guards. There were many eyes, and I didn’t expect the magical reagents to spill. Why did he suddenly try to turn them into pigeons?”
Perhaps,
“He didn’t want to lower your value. Maybe he even intended to propose.”
“I really hate that.”
Eluana shivered.
Strangely, Kazahr felt the same way. While a strange emotion slowly crept over him, they arrived at the Count’s office.
They entered the office, chatting lightly. Countess Lavia, delighted to see Eluana, broke into a sweat upon seeing Kazahr. He was no ordinary visitor.
A visitor who could knock you over in surprise.
Glancing at Duke Spes, Lavia quickly composed herself.
“Your Highness Kazahr, it’s an honor to have you visit my home.”
Kazahr spoke softly.
“No need to be so formal. We’re on the same boat, after all.”
They were all on the same boat—though Eluana was nearly capsizing. She quickly recounted what happened to Duke Spes.
“…Father, what should we do now?”
“I don’t know what the problem is.”
Eluana was speechless. She truly didn’t understand what the problem was.
“Yeongsik Crow was rude, that’s true. But I grabbed his hair too. I didn’t expect his neck to be so weak.”
The plan had completely failed. Duke Spes had revealed his doting father side, and Eluana’s gentle image had been shattered. Her shoulders drooped, and the orb bounced lightly on them in consolation.
“People will say it’s impolite. They may say I’m acting recklessly because I trust Father and the Prince. The rumor won’t be good.”
Despite Eluana’s explanation, Duke Spes still didn’t understand the problem.
“We decide what rumors to spread. People are easily swayed by manufactured rumors. That’s why incitement and fabrication work better than the truth.”
“But there are witnesses.”
The Duke’s lips curled lazily.
“Did you see me act politely?”
Hmm.
“No.”
At that moment, Eluana understood.
“So, I don’t need to worry much either?”
“Politeness is only needed when disadvantageous or necessary. And it’s rare that I, leading the Spes family, am ever in such a position. You’re the same.”
“Good advice.”
Countess Lavia grumbled, and Kazahr sympathized. Regardless, Duke Spes declared confidently,
“No worries. By sunset tomorrow, everything will go as you hoped.”
Kairen stared at Rui’s plump cheeks as he slept soundly. She had wanted to start lessons after lunch, but Alex insisted Rui needed a nap.
“I guess kids naturally sleep a lot.”
She didn’t know until raising a child herself. She never expected a child to enter her life—along with a knight.
Since becoming a wizard, Kairen had never shared her space with anyone. Her workspace was an open one-room layout, except for the bathroom.
Living alone, she never needed to separate spaces. But now, with a household member, she decided to restructure.
“Annoying.”
With a flick of her fingers, a wall quietly rose from the floor. Considering Rui was asleep, she used magic silently. Alex, standing at the entrance, showed a flicker of surprise, but Kairen ignored him and erected another wall in front of him.
With several walls, Kairen’s room, Rui’s sleeping area, Alex and Rui’s room, and the kitchen were all separated.
“This should do.”
Next, she moved furniture according to the new divisions. Every flick of her fingers sent furniture flying into place.
Pointing to the left room, Kairen told Alex,
“This room is for you and Rui. The right is mine—approach and I’ll turn you into a frog. Lab is off-limits. The rest you can use freely.”
“Understood.”
Alex moved to the lab where Rui slept. Watching him at the door, Kairen said,
“This area is safe.”
“It’s my duty.”
“Do as you will.”
After finishing the arrangements, Kairen entered the lab and closed the door. Rui slept peacefully despite hearing her voice.
“Cute.”
Rui was an undemanding child.
Even without magical assistance, Rui could wake, wash, dress, eat everything, and follow lessons without fuss. No crying, no tantrums.
Seemingly normal, she gently touched Rui’s soft, warm cheeks.
“Soft.”
Content, she returned to the book from Duke Spes. The soft rustle of pages intermingled with Rui shifting. Kairen hesitated, then floated the sofa like a cradle and gently rocked it. She even created a soft breeze around the sofa.
Only when Rui’s breathing steadied did Kairen resume reading.
Rustle, snore.
Rustle, snore.
Meanwhile, Alex, not allowed in the lab, stood rigidly before the wall.
