The aide bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground, and reported the newly learned information.

“It was as you said, madam. There seems to be a secret inheritance left by the ancestors at the academy. And it’s said to be time for the inheritance to be passed down soon.”

“As expected……”

A secret inheritance left by the ancestors. It sounded special just hearing about it.

Lady Briar curled up the corners of her mouth.

‘I was wondering why Diana Periway was suddenly spreading strange rumors, but it seems something went wrong in the process of receiving the inheritance.’

Lady Briar, who realized that there was another meaning to the marriage she had thought was simply a rebellion against parents, smiled with satisfaction.

Indeed, her son had never disappointed her.

‘That boy. If there’s something to gain, he should just say so honestly.’

It was just then.

“My lady, it’s terrible!”

A maid came running in hurriedly and shouted at Lady Briar.

“The vassals are lined up at the door demanding to see the Duke!”

“What?”

When she went outside, the vassals supporting Grisha were gathered in a crowd.

“You must have heard the rumors circulating, Duchess?”

“What rumors are you talking about?”

“That the young master is not showing his wife, who has fallen into a comatose state, even to his only family?”

“So?”

“As we heard that story, we also became suspicious. Coincidentally, aren’t you, Duchess, behaving the same way as the young master?”

Duke Granite had also been bedridden for years now, not meeting anyone.

Are you deliberately hiding him? That’s what they were asking.

‘Diana Periway, because of that girl.’

Lady Briar gritted her teeth.

How many troublesome things have happened because of the false rumors spread by that impertinent girl!

‘I won’t let this go.’

She had already been pressuring her subordinates to find a way to teach her a lesson.

Vowing again and again that she would never let this slide, Lady Briar put on a slight smile.

“Are you saying that I’m deliberately hiding the Duke now? What benefit could I gain by concealing the Duke’s condition that you all come rushing here to intimidate me like this?”

“Well, that……”

“Do you think I’m confining a perfectly healthy Duke to his room and stealing his seal? Or are you suggesting that the Duke has already passed away and I’m hiding it?”

“H-How could you say such things!”

Lady Briar lowered her head with a sorrowful expression. Then, she continued speaking with a plaintive sob.

“Refusing visitors was entirely the Duke’s own will. To accuse me of being a villainess when I merely respected his wishes……”

Apart from her tough temperament, her appearance was very delicate, so when she lowered her head like this, it often made the other party close their mouth.

But today, as if they had come prepared and determined, the vassals did not easily back down.

“Is there any proof of that? We are not condemning you, Duchess. We simply wish to see the Duke in person.”

“We heard that even Grisha, who returned home after a long time, was not allowed to see the Duke.”

They didn’t make a peep when Grisha failed to become a magician, but now they’re acting all high and mighty.

Lady Briar found them contemptible, but outwardly she did not reveal her true feelings.

“I didn’t want to show his emaciated appearance to others, but it can’t be helped now.”

It was about time to wrap up this situation anyway.

“In a week’s time, let’s all see the Duke together. Cedar, Grisha, and all of you as well.”

The vassals were satisfied with those words and withdrew.

After they had all left, the aide timidly said to Lady Briar.

“Madam, the young master is currently in another region due to the subjugation campaign……”

“Send an urgent message. If you say that His Grace is critically ill, even Cedar will come running immediately.”

Then Lady Briar turned around abruptly and ordered in a cold voice.

“And bring me all the information on Baron Periway, that insolent thing.”

Diana Periway. She would make her pay dearly for daring to climb onto a tiger without knowing its ferocity.

Until Cedar said he wanted to ask for my opinion, I had been thinking something like this:

‘Has he finally realized that I’m a great magician? Is that why he wants to seek my advice?’

Would it be about magical beasts, or about magic?

I listened to Cedar’s words with anticipation, but soon became dumbfounded.

What Cedar brought up was none other than Lady Briar’s misdeeds, and the relationship between Grisha and Cedar.

‘So Lady Briar really did poison Grisha’s mother. And the Duke was in on it too?’

What a love story of the century.

No, but if he loved her so much that he would help commit a crime, shouldn’t he have divorced Grisha’s mother first?

‘How irresponsible, even after having Grisha.’

But that was just my opinion, and I couldn’t judge whether it was appropriate to voice it.

It was the first time I had ever had such a conversation with someone else.

‘What was Cedar’s intention in suddenly bringing up this story?’

Was it for comfort, or just venting? No, but he said he wanted my opinion.

‘If I listen to the end of the story, there will probably be a part where my opinion is needed?’

I listened to Cedar’s words, waiting for something related to my expertise as a great magician to come up.

But Cedar’s story finally ended like this:

“But an urgent message came saying that father is gravely ill. He’s been bedridden for so long, he might really pass away this time.”

“I see.”

After that, there was nothing to say. What should I say? That it’s really unfortunate?

‘No matter how I think about it, Duke Granite is a person hard to respect as a human being. I can’t come up with anything nice to say.’

In the end, I just closed my mouth without saying anything. There was nothing else I could say.

“……”

As I was blankly thinking things like ‘Where am I? Who am I?’, Cedar frowned and smiled.

Then, pressing his fingers against my brow, he said.

“Why are you making that expression like a pigeon who’s lost its country? When someone tells you their story, you should say something in response.”

A pigeon who’s lost its country.

“Do pigeons have countries? They seem to live in groups, but I don’t think they have a sense of community.”

“That’s not the important point here.”

So Cedar wants me to react to his story?

I tilted my head slightly and answered.

“I never imagined I’d hear such a personal story.”

“And?”

“It’s like a novel.”

“What else?”

“No wonder the relationship between brothers is bad.”

After listening to everything I said, Cedar crossed his arms and gave a hollow laugh as if he found it ridiculous.

“……Is that all you have to say?”

“If there’s a set answer, why don’t you just tell me? I’m a genius when it comes to magic, but everything else is difficult for me.”

At my words, Cedar slowly nodded. Then he answered with a self-deprecating smile.

“Am I not a coward?”

Throughout the story, I had cursed Duke Granite immensely, but I didn’t have any particular thoughts about Cedar. I blinked and asked back.

“Why you?”

“In the end, I couldn’t reveal the truth, nor could I stand up for Grisha……”

“It wasn’t on purpose, you had no choice. I think you were brave enough. If you hadn’t gone looking for the maid, we might never have known the Duke was involved.”

“Still.”

Even though I said that, Cedar seemed to have a hard time accepting it and kept fidgeting with his fingers without continuing. I shrugged.

“Even if you had found evidence, it would have been difficult to reveal it. You were just a very young child then.”

“……I suppose so.”

“So stop beating yourself up. It doesn’t suit you. And while we’re at it, let’s put aside this kind of counseling too. I’m really not good at dealing with people’s hearts.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cedar finally regained his usual calm expression.

“I’m glad you listened to my story so plainly. Even if you had tried to comfort me forcefully, I wouldn’t have liked it, to be honest.”

“It’s the same for you, isn’t it? When you heard about Diana and me, you didn’t say much either.”

“Well, that……”

At my answer, Cedar trailed off. I let out a sigh of relief.

‘I’m glad he’s not going to stay depressed for long. I’m really not good at comforting people.’

If Cedar had continued to be consumed by self-loathing and taken an attitude that he needed to hear my criticism to feel better, the conversation would have gone on endlessly.

“Oh, but shouldn’t you go home right away since the Duke is critically ill? Even if the subjugation campaign is important, I think they would understand if you said you were returning to be by your father’s deathbed.”

Even if he’s a problematic father, he’s still a father.

Putting myself in his shoes, it seemed obvious. Even though I dislike Diana, if she were suddenly struck with a fatal illness, I would go to see her. Because I would never be able to see her again.

But contrary to expectations, Cedar firmly shook his head.

“I don’t intend to return home now. The dukedom will naturally pass to Grisha.”

And looking at me with serious eyes, he asked.

“Is that alright with you?”

I opened my eyes wide.

‘So he’s going to give up the dukedom to Grisha to repay his past debt of heart? And he won’t even go to the deathbed to avoid any possible disputes.’

He was asking for my opinion now.

He was going to give up the dukedom, and was asking if it was okay.

‘He’s asking for my opinion.’

For some reason, a corner of my heart fluttered. After chewing on my lip for a moment, I cautiously asked back.

“What happens if I say it’s not okay?”

“We’ll have a long conversation. Either you’ll persuade me, or I’ll persuade you.”

“Is my opinion important?”

To my question, Cedar answered with an unaffected smile.

“Of course. You’re my wife.”

It was a more ticklish statement than a confession of love.