Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Why do you have to act so stupid? Why?!”

“I’m sorry.”

The boy said, his voice wavering, on the verge of tears.

“Don’t ever take anything from anyone again! Never!”

“Okay…….”

The boy nodded emphatically. The woman, her face deeply creased with a scowl, turned sharply away from Theo. She went to the bed, lay down, and wouldn’t look at him anymore.

Theo sniffled softly, then crawled into the wardrobe. He closed the door and curled himself into a small ball. Something bumped against his belly. It was the wooden lion he’d brought, tucked inside his clothes. He took it out and felt its surface with his fingertips. The wood was smooth, and warm. Theo fidgeted with the lion for a long while, then tucked it back against his chest.

A wave of heat woke him. His whole body was soaked, damp through. Each breath felt like it scraped his throat, stinging. Something was wrong. Theo pressed his eye to the crack in the door to see outside.

Bang—

With a loud crash, his mother’s face filled his view. She seemed to be trying to open the wardrobe door. But something blocked it; the door only opened a hand’s span.

Bang. Bang. Bang!

She grabbed the handle and shook the door violently. When it wouldn’t open any further, she shoved her arm inside the wardrobe.

“Theo! My baby!”

The woman flailed her arm, calling for her child. But the boy shrank back into the corner, evading her fingertips.

“Baby. Come out now! You have to come out!”

The woman screamed. But Theo only curled up tighter, refusing to obey.

“Hot. Why is it hot? Why is Mother angry? Why is she screaming?”

A sudden sting bit at his eyes. The searing sensation forced tears to stream down his cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Hot… so hot…”

His mind was drifting. Sleep came crashing over him. Theo clutched the wooden lion tight against his chest and sank into a deep slumber.

Hot… What?!

The sensation of falling jolted his eyes open. Something warm pressed against his face, and he realized he was leaning into it. Lifting his head, the Duke’s face filled his vision — looking down at him with a baffled expression.

What the—

Reality took its time returning. He turned his head, surveying his surroundings. It seemed he’d fallen out of the wardrobe and ended up on the floor, with the Duke having caught him.

Huff!

Startled, he jerked back. That warmth he’d been leaning against had apparently been the Duke’s chest.

Embarrassed, he tried to scramble to his feet, but his left wrist was yanked — he collapsed back down. The Duke had a firm grip on it.

“Are you crying?”

“Ah…”

Only after hearing the Duke’s words did he realize he was weeping. While possessed, watching Theo’s memories, he’d become one with the boy’s emotions. Wiping his face with his right hand, he looked down at the wrist the Duke held.

“Excuse me, Your Grace.”

“…….”

The Duke hesitated, then let go. Rubbing his numbed wrist, the boy glanced at the priest beside him. The man stood there, watching them — his face just as flustered. Then the boy locked eyes with the Duke again.

“Was it you, Your Grace, who broke my possession?”

It seemed likely. The priest had just been standing at a distance; the Duke was the one grabbing him.

“Did I…?”

He merely posed the question back at the boy.

“It was you, Your Grace.”

The priest answered from beside him. From what he explained, while possessed, the boy had suddenly burst into tears. Seeing this, the Duke had caught his wrist and pulled him out — and with that motion, the possession ended.

“It appears Your Grace also possesses divine power.”

The priest continued speaking.

“It’s a faint trace — too faint even for me to see clearly — but it’s definitely there. Still, not everyone with divine power can touch souls. Your Grace seems to have that ability.”

Ah. So that’s why.

That must be how he could expel the wayward soul that had entered him.

“……Well… after going this far, I trust you’ve really found that better method you spoke of?”

The Duke looked at me and asked.

“More or less.”

“Even if you found a way, don’t do it again.”

The priest cut in. Then he turned toward the wardrobe. I followed his gaze. Theo was curled up on top of it, knees drawn to his chest. The priest reached a hand in the child’s direction.

“The murky energy has settled. But even if it’s not a malevolent spirit, there are plenty of souls that covet a living body. It could be dangerous, so don’t use this method again.”

“……”

“Answer me.”

“……Yes.”

Even after my affirmation, the priest let out a dubious sigh. Then he earnestly urged me to call for him again if ascending the ghost proved difficult, and returned to the temple. I headed to the study with the Duke.

“Did you find out who the young master the child spoke of is?”

The Duke looked at me and asked.

“Looking into the child’s memories, he seemed to be an illegitimate child of a fairly wealthy noble family. My guess is the ‘young master’ he mentioned is his older brother, born of the legal wife. He had the same light brown hair and green eyes as Theo. Oh, and the child’s father had the same coloring.”

“……”

“And it seems their house caught fire once, and Theo was caught in it and died.”

“……”

He didn’t answer. I looked up at him, puzzled. After a moment of silence, the Duke slowly spoke again.

“It seems I might know the house.”

* * *

I descended from the carriage with the Duke’s escort. I had never once been escorted by anyone like this before. Feeling incredibly awkward, I lightly placed my hand on his palm. He gently tightened his grip and pulled me forward.

Outside the carriage, a magnificent mansion stood tall. It was the House of Marquis Karsen, distant relatives of House Cuvershaiden. The two houses had frequented each other until just a few years ago. It was because the Marquis of Karsen’s only son was the same age as the Duke. I’d heard they grew up together as friends of the same age.

“It’s been so long. How many years has it been?”

As we entered the mansion, a noblewoman greeted us warmly. Then, a middle-aged gentleman standing behind her stepped forward.

“You’re always so busy, but it’s good to see your face even like this.”

I glanced at the gentleman. Brown hair, green eyes. And a cold impression. He looked a bit older than in Theo’s memory, but he was definitely the man who had given the child a cookie.

“But who is this young lady?”

“She’s my secretary.”

“Really? You came with just a secretary? Not intending to introduce her?”

The noblewoman said with a laugh.

“I had business, so she came along.”

The Duke answered flatly.

“Is that so? I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady.”

“Good afternoon, ma’am. I’m Laura Highen.”

At the lady’s warm greeting, I quickly bent my knees slightly in a polite curtsy.

“Benat should be training. Would you like to see him?”

“Yes. I’ll go meet him.”

The Duke answered her, then turned to look at me.

“You’re coming along.”

“Yes.”

I followed him as he stepped out of the manor. He walked down the long gravel path in the garden, and I trailed behind. After a while, we reached a wide clearing — a training ground set up for swordsmanship. Inside, a young man was practicing with a blade.

A strange sense of familiarity washed over me. This was the place from Theo’s memories. And if my guess was right, that man was definitely the young master Theo had spoken of.

The Duke walked closer to him. The young man spotted us and waved cheerfully.

“Elize! Long time no see.”

Huh? Elize? Who? Wait — the Duke? His name is Elize Cuvershaiden?

Without thinking, I whipped my head to stare at the Duke. He bit his lower lip, as if holding back irritation, then opened his mouth.

“Ha… I told you not to call me that.”

“Sorry, Illiaje. What’s up? You never come to me first.”

Ah… Illiaje. That explains it.

Elize was usually a woman’s name. Illiaje was also common for women, but not as much as Elize.

*Playing jokes with his name — they must be pretty close.*

If you read Illiaje in Krentis, it became Elize. But who would bother reading it that way? He wasn’t even Krentish.

“So who’s this young lady? You bring a woman along and something’s up? Don’t tell me you got married?”

“She’s my secretary.”

“Marrying your secretary?”

“…No.”

“Ah. For a second I thought you’d stolen my fiancée. Hello, young lady. I’m Benat Karsen.”

He bent one arm forward in a genteel gesture, greeting me with a touch of affectation. He didn’t bow his head, but met my eyes instead. A slight smile spread across his face, and his green irises half-disappeared beneath his eyelids.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

The Duke blocked him with one arm.

“I have something to discuss. Spare me some time.”

Then he grabbed his shoulder and continued.

“Okay. I think I need to wash up first — will you wait in the drawing room? Or my room?”

“I’ll wait in the drawing room.”

“Got it~”

With that brief exchange, the Duke turned around and headed back to the manor. I followed him. Then, on a whim, I glanced back, and my eyes met the young marquis’s.

“Young lady. I’ll see you in a bit.”

The man who must be Theo’s brother waved broadly. I gave a small bow in greeting, then followed the duke back into the manor.