# 47
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* * *
Knock knock –
“Come in.”
Lucio entered the office at the sound of a voice coming from inside.
His father, Duke Elade, was sitting at his desk with a tired face, probably after working all night.
“You came earlier than I thought.”
"Yes."
"Did you stay up all night too? You look tired."
The Duke got up from his seat and sat down on the sofa.
My son's face, which looked exactly like mine, was as exhausted as mine, as if he were looking in a mirror, and the area under his eyes was strangely dark.
“Tsk, it's been a long time since I've been home, but I haven't rested properly.”
“She fell asleep, she tossed and turned a little.”
“Are you excited to see your family for the first time in a long time?”
Perhaps because he thought it wasn't worth answering, Lucio gave him a cold look instead of answering.
And then we get straight to the point.
“So what do you want to say?”
“Boy, you are in a hurry, even for a family member you haven’t seen for a long time, he was acting so sternly, why is your personality like that?”
Although he did not want to be charming like Diana, the Duke shook his head at his rude eldest son who did not have the taste for teasing like Allen.
However, Lucio's expression did not change at all.
On the contrary, those staring eyes subtly ask: “Who do I look like?” The Duke seemed to have a vague question, so he quickly cleared his throat.
This is because Lucio resembles him, from his appearance to his personality, to the point of embarrassment.
Thinking that he had said something meaningless, the Duke also reached this point.
“As I heard, a lot has happened in the area.”
Since he was the heir to the dukedom, Lucio knew all the big and small family affairs, but since it was different for the duke to tell the story in person, he began to explain step by step what happened.
From the rescue of the missing Diana, to the expulsion of Valery's master and Count Valery's family, to the banquet held by his followers, and to the rare medicinal herbs discovered in the farm.
Among all these events, there is also a story about a child who cannot be left aside.
“So, father...”
“Leah, the baby’s name is Leah.”
“…Anyway, have you gone into such detail about your desire to take care of this child?”
“Why are you worrying so much… It’s all over, it’s a waste to keep her as just a maid, he’s smart and talented, she’ll be good at whatever she studies.”
Lucio kept his mouth shut at Duke Elad's words, who usually didn't get close to people other than his family.
I remembered the moment I met Leah for the first time yesterday.
At that time, Lucio felt an incomprehensible feeling.
The pain is as if my heart had been cut with a knife, and resentment rises from deep within me, and . …
Longing.
Even now, when I think about that child, my heart achees and I feel numb.
Lucio, who did his best to pretend not to notice this pain, slowly opened his mouth.
“Then you can support her as you wish, are you really old enough to discuss such matters with me?”
"What? That's what I mean, she wasn't naive at first. ...And it seems especially worse today. Is it because of how I'm feeling?"
Lucio closed his mouth and turned his head.
The Duke let out a laugh, but looked at his son's sideways face, which seemed more delicate and sharp than usual, as if it were true that he had difficulty sleeping, and spoke generously again.
"Why didn't I tell you? I've already been rejected."
“Care...did you refuse?”
“Yes, she said she wanted to be a maid. I asked her to tell me what she wanted, and she asked me to prepare a maid’s uniform. I was shocked.”
The Duke sighed as he thought of Leia.
“She's still young, and Diana loves her, so everyone will treat her badly. I'm worried that the little one will have a hard time because her personality is so upright, but I can't force her to study if she doesn't want to.”
“...So what do you want to tell me?”
“Hmm, I need you to take the initiative.”
Lucio looked at the Duke as if he did not know what he meant.
“Although Allen is older than Leah, he is mentally much younger. They make fun of her every day, but I don’t have the talent to talk about these issues in a subtle way. Even if we did, I don’t think Leah would listen to Allen.”
“So, you're not asking me to impress that kid, are you?”
When Lucio narrowed his eyes and asked, the Duke smiled as if wondering why not.
“Leia may not know anyone else, but she was completely destroyed by Diana. You look like Diana, and I heard that you are very popular among the misses at the academy, and the same goes for the maids.”
“Now that I'm enrolled in the academy, shouldn't I be able to speak normally? The class syllabus, or at least the facilities...”
“Diana takes care of her father, not me, but why would she do this to me when my father failed too? Plus.”
Lucio said sharply.
“She's afraid of me.”
“...She's afraid of you?”
Lucio's brow furrowed slightly at the question with a clear expression of bewilderment.
When I first saw the child trembling as if frightened, I secretly thought it was because of his father, who, as Nicholas said, was notorious.
However, during dinner last night, the child showed no signs of fear at the sight of his father.
“On the contrary, I started to be a little pleased.”
He also has a cold appearance, so most people cannot approach him easily.
But I was never as feared as my father.
'But why...'
Lucio sighed softly as he looked at the Duke, who still had a question mark on his face.
“If I say anything, it might backfire. This is a problem for others. Oh, I guess I can say, ‘I saw you yesterday and you seem to be doing well.’”
The Duke, who had been staring at Lucio with a surprised expression the whole time, asked in a puzzled voice.
“You seem kind of sad, what makes you feel so bad?”
“I didn't mean it...”
“After all, it's something to live for a long time, I can't believe I'm seeing you like this.”
“If you finish talking, I will leave.”
As the Duke's annoying remarks continued, as if he had been caught in a crime, Lucio rose from his seat.
And Lucio, who was about to leave while holding the door handle, stopped and turned around.
"but."
“If she said she wanted to be sponsored, would she leave this house?”
The Duke was startled by Lucio's question.
I never thought about this problem.
In fact, the Duke of Elad did not spare full support for those he supported, providing support for basic living expenses and even providing accommodation with a guest if desired.
But the Duke immediately shook his head and said:
"You're still young. Where do you send her? Whether she joins the Gifted Academy or learns magic, she will stay in the palace. Diana won't be able to do that without Leia."
Lucio nodded to the forceful answer that came immediately.
“Then that's it.”
With that Lucio left the office and took a natural step forward.
The palace in the capital was very familiar to him because he had lived since he was young before entering the academy.
Moreover, even after entering the dormitory, whenever he came to the Duke's residence, he always had a separate place to stay, so there was no hesitation.
At this time, Lucio, who was walking quickly, suddenly frowned and lightly squeezed and released his eyelids.
Last night, my dream was so violent that I woke up in the middle of the night, so I couldn't sleep well.
When I woke up, I couldn't remember what the dream was, but what I was sure of was that it was a dream that made me feel uncomfortable.
“It feels uncomfortable.”
In fact, it was a complex feeling that could not be simply defined, but I did not have enough time to think deeply about a dream that I could not even remember.
He had a lot to do.
* * *
"Really? Cleaning the library is in the main building and not the annex?"
Leia asked again, her voice trembling.
“Yes, are you not satisfied?”
"No no !"
On the contrary, it feels so good that I feel like jumping up and down.
“There are only precious books there, so the temperature and humidity must be managed well, it must be clean and without any dust, understand?”
"Yes yes! I will do it!"
Leia quickly nodded at the upper class maid's words and forced the corners of her mouth to rise.
I thought that if I showed that I loved him so much, they might not want to let me clean the library next time.
Although I was bitter about my situation, which was so bad that I could not express the good things as good, I was very happy to visit the library now.
‘It is not an annex library where duchy administrators or officials come and go, but a library that can only be used by the duchy’s direct descendants!’
Since it is the library of Elad, an ancient noble family, it is quite large in size, but I was very excited about the quality of the books it contains.
Rumor had it that the library contained as many ancient books as the Imperial Palace Library, and my heart was pounding at the thought of being able to read such precious books without being disturbed by others.
‘The Duke is very busy, and Allen hates books too, so there will be no one there!’
I thought Diana would have to grow up a little longer to go there, but I wondered what a windfall she had achieved.
At this time, the maids smiled brightly and encouraged Leah to go and clean up quickly.
Then they spoke in whispers behind Leia, who was walking away.
“Young Master really hates being disturbed.”
“No matter how much Madam and Young Miss protect that child, there will likely be rejection.”
Leah, who was so excited, didn't notice that the maids were laughing and smiling evilly.
The truth is that the library, which was always empty and unvisited, was actually the place where Lucio stayed longer than his room.