“Let’s wrap up the preparations and head out slowly. Tell Edit not to prepare anything, but to rest more.”

Balter swiftly put on meticulously polished shoes and walked quickly. Casius followed him, secretly marveling.

Just a moment ago, Balter had clearly looked like a messy stable boy. However, with the help of the attendants, he neatly combed his hair, dressed himself, and in an instant, he transformed into a noble figure.

“Your tidy appearance ensures that you’ll handle improvisation without any problems.”

Instead of denying it, Balter smiled at Casius. More precisely, his gaze was fixed on the thick report he was holding.

“Have those who were sent to Portrion and the monastery already returned?”

While putting Edit, who must have been tense due to the recent emotional turmoil, to a deep sleep, he had also asked Casius to handle something for him.

‘It bothers me how Nicholas Portrion knew about the method to recover my memories.’

So, Balter had sent people to the monastery where Sofia and Head Steward Whitman were, and to the Portrion mansion where traces left by Nicholas might remain.

Before entering the reception room where the Emperor and the Duke were seated, Balter quickly scanned through the report, and it was just as he expected.

“It seems Mother was the one who informed me of the method to recover my memories through a magical outburst.”

His voice lowered in anger. Casius answered with a slight nod.

“As you expected. Lady Leah seemed to have lingered for some time after being attacked by the sorcerers. The sorcerers must have died on the spot.”

“…….”

“Thanks to your recall of the locations in question, we were able to investigate. Lady Helen also cooperated. The memoirs of Sofia and Whitman also mention that Nicholas instructed Lady Leah to inexplicably plant a tree at the place she passed away.”

“The monastery seems to squeeze information out of people quite effectively. Memoirs, huh.”

Balter’s mood wasn’t very good, with a faint smile hanging around his lips.

“They probably recorded it in their memoirs without realizing how Nicholas would approach Mother and ask her how to help the child, using the excuse of being concerned for me. Deep down, thinking about making a profit using my lineage.”

“The fellow was sharp in that regard, well……”

Leah, unknowing of what kind of person he was, probably imprinted something related to worrying about her son unconsciously due to her maternal instincts.

Nicholas, that stupid guy, would have interpreted it as burning the items that might have been left deep in the subconscious with the flames of magic.

Having experienced a magical outburst, Balter knew that even if Nicholas had done some emergency treatment in that situation, Mother would not have survived.

However, he should have looked at the note he left before losing his memory and at least contacted Lexion to let them know that his bloodline was here.
“It might be a good thing that Nicholas Portrion was killed. Should I show mercy to Patricia’s group not with a hanging sentence but with beheading?”

The fact that my tragedy and the lonely times Edit went through began because of such scum is astonishing.

As Balter reached the reception room where the Emperor and the Duke were enjoying a drink, he casually smoothed out his wrinkled forehead.

“I apologize for being late, Your Majesty. My wife, who was taking care of my inadequate self, found it difficult to leave my side as she suffered from fatigue.”

At Balter’s shameless lie to give Edit some rest, Casius was taken aback.

‘Why is the Madam exhausted…….’

Duke Lexion and the Emperor were both famous for not being easygoing in the empire. However, for some reason, their expressions softened when Edit’s story came out.

“Balter must have been greatly surprised, being attacked and experiencing a magical outburst. Your Majesty, please understand.”

Duke Lexion also defended Edit without blinking an eye. The Emperor, too, raised his eyebrows lightly in agreement.

“The Duke seems to think of me as a ruthless person who doesn’t care about his daughter-in-law. There shouldn’t be any problem since the Duke’s daughter-in-law seems healthy, as far as I’ve heard.”

Emperor, who still casually used the title ‘daughter-in-law,’ which Duke Lexion had not officially used yet.

‘… Everyone seems friendly to the Madam, so there’s no need to worry. It even seems like they’re more fond of her than Balter.’

Casius quietly withdrew, thinking that there had been a similar situation several times.

Not that, the Emperor and the Duke were discussing Edit in the silent and fragrant reception room.

A woman who brought joy to Leia and Balter, emitting a single beam of light with a tremendous impact on Duke Lexion and the imperial family.

At this moment, the reason the three men could sit together and have tea was because Edit had not completely handed over her memories with Balter as mere old memories.

The Emperor sat upright and looked at Balter, who raised his teacup.