# 51
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When she confronted Matthias in the greenhouse, Elinor's only concern was to get Agares out by any means possible.
It didn't help that it was known that she had a personal relationship with the Master of the Mage Tower.
Especially since she needed to request that the child's holy power be hidden.
Fortunately, since Agares was usually out of reach, Matthias didn't recognize him.
Elinor lied, claiming that she had met him by chance and had barely succeeded in getting him out of the greenhouse.
She thought she had overcome the crisis safely.
'Why is he angry with me?'
At first, I thought Mathias' words were just ordinary reprimands and ignored him.
But the more I listened, the more I wondered why she was being subjected to this interrogation.
Originally, the reason I contacted Agaris was because of you.
Fearing that she learns that the child possesses sacred power, she exploits him like a villain.
Once she realized that Matthias was the cause of all her suffering, Elinor suddenly felt angry.
I've put up with too much for too long.
In Winston's mansion, in the countryside, and in the great estate of Hilliard.
So, her dissatisfaction with the current situation exploded in an instant.
“And what does that have to do with you, Duke?”
There was a cold silence.
Mathias raised an eyebrow quietly.
As if to ask if this is what should be said now.
Normally, she would have been careful to avoid provoking the Duke.
But today, after all her plans had been ruined, she didn't want to.
She spoke sharply.
"What? Tell me. What does it matter to you if I meet a man or not? Why are you scolding me?"
“Listen, Miss Elinor.”
Matthias sighed.
“Have you forgotten why you stay in the fiefdom now?”
“To cooperate with you to find Charlotte.”
“If you knew that-”
“Was there a condition in our cooperation that prevented me from meeting men?”
Matthias was surprised by Elinor's unexpectedly strong response.
He intended to gently warn her and ask her to be careful in the future.
But he found himf in an awkward position.
After thinking, he suddenly said.
“So, what about Tidian?”
“What about young master?”
“Didn't you say you wanted to make Tidian feel like an uncle?”
"This is correct."
“Is it permissible for someone like you to act like this?”
“Have you met anyone in front of Mr. Tidian? No. Mr. Tidian still doesn’t know anything, so what’s the problem?”
“There are rumors spreading.”
Matthias growled.
“Tidian might hear these rumors one day, shouldn’t you, as an untrue sister-in-law, maintain your dignity?”
“If you were that worried, you, Duke, should have arrested whoever started the rumors first.”
Elinor pointed out his inconsistency.
"I just learned that there were rumors going around. But it seems that you, the Duke, already knew. So, why didn't you do something about the rumors when they started?"
“I only learned about it today.”
"How can I believe it? What if you're lying, like you did when you locked me in the annex?"
“Why are you raising that issue now?”
“You prevented me from leaving the annex building.”
“Mother of the child, don’t distort the topic. If you say that you will be careful in the future, it will be over. Why are you angry?”
“I'm not the one who gets angry, you're the one who gets angry.”
Elinor frowned.
“You've been angry from the beginning. Ever since that man was here.”
“I wasn't.”
“Yes, you were.”
"I wasn't. I was worried about you. Because of the rumors about the baby's mother...!"
“Haha, worried?”
Elinor laughed out loud.
“It would have been more believable if you said you were jealous.”
She sneered at him coldly and turned her head.
He will definitely come back with another argument full of fallacies.
I will not agree.
But, contrary to her expectations, no response came from the other party.
When Matthias fell silent, Elinor became worried instead.
In the end, she slowly raised her head.
And I was surprised.
She faced Matthias, frozen as if he had received a profound shock.
* * *
Jealousy.
It is perhaps the word least associated with it in the world.
Born as the eldest son of the Grand Fief of Hilliard, Matthias has always had it all.
Even when his brothers were born one after the other, he never thought he was sharing what he had.
Aren't soldiers ultimately the property of the commander?
His parents' attention and love for his siblings was ultimately his, being the eldest brother.
Matthias was that sure of himf.
Me, jealous?
Jealousy, which is something that those who have not do?
“Haha, that's ridiculous.”
"What? Oh, you don't like the silk fabric?"
“Um… I wasn’t talking to you.”
Matthias felt embarrassed and turned his head as he walked down the hallway with his assistant, talking to himf.
Anyway, the idea that he was jealous was ridiculous.
He was just worried and wary of things that might be a hindrance in the future.
The man who was with Elinor was someone Matthias did not know.
'His behavior was arrogant, he seemed like a bad person.'
Mathias tried to find out the man's identity.
As the man Elinor had secretly met, he was on his mind.
So, he sent his followers to follow him.
“Sorry, sir. We were definitely following him, but he suddenly disappeared.”
The man disappeared like a ghost.
Although more than ten trained knights were following him.
“Red hair and yellow eyes.”
At that moment, due to confusion, he couldn't think clearly, but the Wizard Tower Master had exactly those features.
There was not much information about the Tower Master because he rarely participated in social life.
There wasn't even a normal portrait painting of him, because he had put up a spell that prevented anyone from taking his picture.
The only information available was about his appearance.
According to the Information Guild, the Tower Master was younger than thought.
Maybe he's just turned adult or just a few years older.
The man who was with Elinor looked quite young.
‘Moreover, Miss Elinor has a close relationship with the Wizards Tower.’
She had granted exclusive rights to her inventions at the academy to the tower.
Could that crazy man really be the Master of the Wizards Tower?
"my brother!"
Matthias suddenly woke up from his thoughts.
Cornelia, who was enjoying tea time in the garden, saw him and waved.
Beside her were the Grand Duchess, Lady Margaret, and Elinor, who was carrying the child.
Matthias frowned at the sight of Elinor.
He didn't want to see her face now.
He tried to ignore her and pass by, but Cornelia called out to him loudly.
“Come here!”
“Brother! Come quickly!”
Did you eat something wrong this morning? Why is it so loud?
Matthias approached them reluctantly.
The Grand Duchess welcomed him with a smile.
“Sit here. Come on, have a cup of tea with us.”
“Sorry, but I have work, so I won't be able to have tea... Cornelia.”
But Cornelia forced him to sit down.
The seat was, by coincidence, right next to Elinor.
Matthias coughed in embarrassment.
He looked at Elinor from the corner of his eye awkwardly.
The child suddenly laughed, taking it as a game of hide and seek.
"Oh, my God."
The Grand Duchess's eyes sparkled.
“He seems to have suddenly become happy.”
“Oh, Abba.”
The child extended his arms, as if he wanted to go to someone.
Matthias unconsciously extended his arm.
"no."
Matthias paused.
“Stay still.”
Elinor held the baby back so Matthias wouldn't see it.
At that moment, Matthias felt extremely humiliated.