Perdes' expression hardened seriously after hearing Gnosis's answer.
If the man Gnosis had met really had the same hair color as Adele, then he was definitely a blood relative of the Leopold family.
Because the blazing red hair was a characteristic of the Leopold Dukes, who were blessed by the Red Dragon.
Moreover, considering the period, age, and other factors, the man was most likely Adele's father, the late Duke Leopold.
Even though the circumstances fit perfectly, they can't be sure because Adele said that her father was ignorant of magic and such.
But Gnosis said that the man was well-versed in magic as well as magic circles...
“What the heck?”
“That’s what I wanted to ask.”
Adele's expression was more serious than Perdes'.
“What do you mean there’s someone with the exact same hair color as me? Where and when did you see that person? And why did you suddenly bring it up?”
“Just calm down.”
As Adele became excited and began to speak at a rapid pace, Perdes calmed her down by gently grabbing her shoulder.
Only then did Adele realize that she was excited and that there were many eyes watching her, and she took a deep breath.
“...Go to my office and talk.”
“Yes.”
“You said Gnosis? You too, follow me.”
Adele headed to the office with Perdes and Gnosis.
Aldor followed but was unable to enter the office.
“Sir Aldor, please keep an eye out to make sure no one is eavesdropping outside.”
Is it an illusion that he feels like he's being kicked out under the pretext of surveillance?
Aldor's expression became clouded.
“What is it, Sir Aldor?”
“...It’s nothing. I will do as you say, young lady.”
Anyone could tell that Aldor's condition was strange, but Adele's mind was so full of other things that she didn't notice and went into her office.
The sound of the door closing resonated loudly with a thud.
“Now, please tell me.”
Perdes chuckled slightly as he nagged Adele before she could even sit down on the sofa.
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything without you having to rush me.”
“...”
“I think this story will be long. Should we sit down first?”
Adele sat down on the sofa obediently as Perdes led her.
Perdes sat next to her, and Gnosis sat opposite them.
Even after sitting down on the sofa, Adele's gaze remained fixed on Perdes.
Perdes raised his hand to shoulder height and spoke under the hot gaze that made his face feel as if it would melt at any moment.
“Yes. I’ll tell you everything.”
Where and how should I start talking? When it came to actually talking, he was at a loss.
Perdes needed time to gather his thoughts, but he was afraid that if he made Adele wait any longer, she would explode, so he said whatever came to mind.
“What prompted this story to come out is....”
As they talked, the thread slowly began to form. This was also thanks to Gnosis chiming in with each word.
He originally had a lot to say, but since he added his thoughts, it ended up being longer than he expected.
“...That’s how it happened.”
After the long story, a heavy silence fell over the office.
“...”
Adele didn't say anything, just stared blankly at his tightly clasped hands.
She must be very embarrassed to hear such an unexpected story.
Perdes waited silently for Adele to gather her confused thoughts.
Finally, Adele opened her heavy lips, wondering if the tidying up was over.
“So... To summarize what Perdes said. About 20 years ago, the person Gnosis met at the ruins was my father?”
“If the Duke of Leopold does not have another blood relative of similar age to your father, perhaps.”
“As far as I know, no. My father, my grandfather, and all of their ancestors were only children.”
That's why there weren't even any common cousins.
Adele looked down at her clasped hands again and asked Gnosis.
“Was the person you saw at the ruins definitely the same red hair as me?”
“Yes. I remember it clearly. It’s a color I can never forget.”
“That’s true.”
It was also a characteristic of the Leopold family bloodline.
So, is the person Gnosis met really my father?
Adele's eyes shook violently.
If it had been normal, I would have simply thought that Gnosis had made a mistake and let it slide, but not now.
That couldn't be possible because I had discovered a plan for the estate that was believed to have been written by my father about 100 years ago.
What made things even more confusing was that Harness said he had never seen his father and grandfather together.
The conclusion I reached by combining all the circumstances I had seen and heard so far was confusing.
Really... are my father and grandfather the same person?
“How about checking out the portrait?”
Perdes blurted out.
“I think we can tell for sure if the man Gnosis saw is your father by looking at the portrait.”
Gnosis said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember his face very well.”
“It’s not that you don’t remember at all, but I think something will come to mind when you look at the portrait. That is if the man is really the former Duke Leopold.”
“Hmm, that could be possible. I’ll give it a try.”
“I think that’s a good idea, too... but I don’t think that’ll work.”
At the words that broke the good mood, both Perdes and Gnosis looked at Adele.
“I don’t think that will work. Is there a reason for that?”
“There is no portrait of my father.”
Nobles tended to have many portraits painted for various reasons, such as wanting to preserve their childhood or youth.
Especially, if a person was the head of a family, they would have their portrait painted to leave a record for their descendants that they were the head of the family.
“Does that make sense?”
But when he was told that there was no portrait of the former Duke Leopold, Perdes asked in bewilderment.
“I can’t believe it either, but it’s true. There is no portrait of my father.”
“Is there a reason?”
“My father was an active man and couldn’t stand sitting still in one position for hours. That’s why he hated having his portraits painted.”
“So you’re saying there aren’t any portraits?”
As Adele nodded awkwardly with a smile, Perdes smiled awkwardly and frowned.
It wasn't that he didn't understand it at all, but there were more parts that he didn't understand.
Perdes couldn't understand why the Duke would sit still around the house, especially since he didn't want to draw portraits of anyone else and just sit there for hours.
There's no way he would have stayed still unless there was some special reason...
“But there will be a portrait of my grandfather.”
Perdes tilted his head at the sudden remark.
“Why are you suddenly talking about your grandfather?”
If the man Gnosis saw resembles Adele's grandfather, then there's a greater chance that he's the former Duke Leopold, so are you asking for confirmation?
“I’ll explain that later, but first, please check my grandfather’s portrait.”
“Gnosis, can you do it?”
“Of course.”
Perdes was puzzled, but he nodded, saying that it was not difficult and that Gnosis would do it too.
“Then let’s go to the picture storage room.”
Since important items like portraits should not be moved carelessly, Adele took the two of them to the picture storage room in the annex.
There, portraits of the Dukes and Duchesses of Leopold hung along the walls.
It should definitely be hanging...
"It doesn't exist?"
The space where the portraits of my father and grandfather should have hung was completely empty.
Even if that's true for her father, there's no portrait of her grandfather either.
“How did this happen?”
Adele immediately called Harnes and asked him the whole story.
“That is... When I had been in the Suke’s household for about four years, there was a fire of unknown cause in the annex.”
"Fire?"
“Yes. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but important records, including Damien’s portrait, were lost in the fire.”
It could have been anything like that, but it bothered her that out of all the portraits, only her grandfather's was burned.
“Then why didn’t you paint the portrait again?”
“That’s because Damien’s complexion has deteriorated considerably due to his chronic illness, and he refused to have his portrait painted.”
"...Yes?"
Is it an illusion that I feel like he's trying to make up excuses to not leave his mark?
“What important records were lost at that time?”
Perdes, who had been quietly listening to the story, suddenly joined the conversation.
Harnes thought back on his memories carefully and shook his head.
“I’m sorry. At that time, I had just received my training qualifications, so I didn’t hear the details.”
“Are you sure you haven’t heard anything?”
“Yes, really.”
When Perdes asked him questioningly, Harnes nodded, slightly embarrassed.
'That's strange.'
The more I delve into the mystery, the more my questions increase instead of being resolved, which makes me feel absurd and frustrated.
The pride that I definitely want to uncover.
“There’s no portrait of my father either, right?”
“Yes. As far as I know, there isn’t.”
"Yes...?"
Adele sighed, visibly disappointed.
You want to see your father's face.
Adele said as if she suddenly remembered Harnes, who she had been looking at with pitiful eyes.
“Ah, it might be in the Lucien Duke’s house.”
“The Duke of Lucien?”
“Yes. It is said that when the chess competition was held in the past, His Excell the Duke of Lucien called in painters and had them paint the final match.”
At that time, only two people made it to the finals of the chess competition: the current Duke of Lucien and Adele's father, the former Duke Leopold.
“So, the picture might contain the image of His Excellency the Duke.”
If the man Gnosis had met really had the same hair color as Adele, then he was definitely a blood relative of the Leopold family.
Because the blazing red hair was a characteristic of the Leopold Dukes, who were blessed by the Red Dragon.
Moreover, considering the period, age, and other factors, the man was most likely Adele's father, the late Duke Leopold.
Even though the circumstances fit perfectly, they can't be sure because Adele said that her father was ignorant of magic and such.
But Gnosis said that the man was well-versed in magic as well as magic circles...
“What the heck?”
“That’s what I wanted to ask.”
Adele's expression was more serious than Perdes'.
“What do you mean there’s someone with the exact same hair color as me? Where and when did you see that person? And why did you suddenly bring it up?”
“Just calm down.”
As Adele became excited and began to speak at a rapid pace, Perdes calmed her down by gently grabbing her shoulder.
Only then did Adele realize that she was excited and that there were many eyes watching her, and she took a deep breath.
“...Go to my office and talk.”
“Yes.”
“You said Gnosis? You too, follow me.”
Adele headed to the office with Perdes and Gnosis.
Aldor followed but was unable to enter the office.
“Sir Aldor, please keep an eye out to make sure no one is eavesdropping outside.”
Is it an illusion that he feels like he's being kicked out under the pretext of surveillance?
Aldor's expression became clouded.
“What is it, Sir Aldor?”
“...It’s nothing. I will do as you say, young lady.”
Anyone could tell that Aldor's condition was strange, but Adele's mind was so full of other things that she didn't notice and went into her office.
The sound of the door closing resonated loudly with a thud.
“Now, please tell me.”
Perdes chuckled slightly as he nagged Adele before she could even sit down on the sofa.
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything without you having to rush me.”
“...”
“I think this story will be long. Should we sit down first?”
Adele sat down on the sofa obediently as Perdes led her.
Perdes sat next to her, and Gnosis sat opposite them.
Even after sitting down on the sofa, Adele's gaze remained fixed on Perdes.
Perdes raised his hand to shoulder height and spoke under the hot gaze that made his face feel as if it would melt at any moment.
“Yes. I’ll tell you everything.”
Where and how should I start talking? When it came to actually talking, he was at a loss.
Perdes needed time to gather his thoughts, but he was afraid that if he made Adele wait any longer, she would explode, so he said whatever came to mind.
“What prompted this story to come out is....”
As they talked, the thread slowly began to form. This was also thanks to Gnosis chiming in with each word.
He originally had a lot to say, but since he added his thoughts, it ended up being longer than he expected.
“...That’s how it happened.”
After the long story, a heavy silence fell over the office.
“...”
Adele didn't say anything, just stared blankly at his tightly clasped hands.
She must be very embarrassed to hear such an unexpected story.
Perdes waited silently for Adele to gather her confused thoughts.
Finally, Adele opened her heavy lips, wondering if the tidying up was over.
“So... To summarize what Perdes said. About 20 years ago, the person Gnosis met at the ruins was my father?”
“If the Duke of Leopold does not have another blood relative of similar age to your father, perhaps.”
“As far as I know, no. My father, my grandfather, and all of their ancestors were only children.”
That's why there weren't even any common cousins.
Adele looked down at her clasped hands again and asked Gnosis.
“Was the person you saw at the ruins definitely the same red hair as me?”
“Yes. I remember it clearly. It’s a color I can never forget.”
“That’s true.”
It was also a characteristic of the Leopold family bloodline.
So, is the person Gnosis met really my father?
Adele's eyes shook violently.
If it had been normal, I would have simply thought that Gnosis had made a mistake and let it slide, but not now.
That couldn't be possible because I had discovered a plan for the estate that was believed to have been written by my father about 100 years ago.
What made things even more confusing was that Harness said he had never seen his father and grandfather together.
The conclusion I reached by combining all the circumstances I had seen and heard so far was confusing.
Really... are my father and grandfather the same person?
“How about checking out the portrait?”
Perdes blurted out.
“I think we can tell for sure if the man Gnosis saw is your father by looking at the portrait.”
Gnosis said.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t remember his face very well.”
“It’s not that you don’t remember at all, but I think something will come to mind when you look at the portrait. That is if the man is really the former Duke Leopold.”
“Hmm, that could be possible. I’ll give it a try.”
“I think that’s a good idea, too... but I don’t think that’ll work.”
At the words that broke the good mood, both Perdes and Gnosis looked at Adele.
“I don’t think that will work. Is there a reason for that?”
“There is no portrait of my father.”
Nobles tended to have many portraits painted for various reasons, such as wanting to preserve their childhood or youth.
Especially, if a person was the head of a family, they would have their portrait painted to leave a record for their descendants that they were the head of the family.
“Does that make sense?”
But when he was told that there was no portrait of the former Duke Leopold, Perdes asked in bewilderment.
“I can’t believe it either, but it’s true. There is no portrait of my father.”
“Is there a reason?”
“My father was an active man and couldn’t stand sitting still in one position for hours. That’s why he hated having his portraits painted.”
“So you’re saying there aren’t any portraits?”
As Adele nodded awkwardly with a smile, Perdes smiled awkwardly and frowned.
It wasn't that he didn't understand it at all, but there were more parts that he didn't understand.
Perdes couldn't understand why the Duke would sit still around the house, especially since he didn't want to draw portraits of anyone else and just sit there for hours.
There's no way he would have stayed still unless there was some special reason...
“But there will be a portrait of my grandfather.”
Perdes tilted his head at the sudden remark.
“Why are you suddenly talking about your grandfather?”
If the man Gnosis saw resembles Adele's grandfather, then there's a greater chance that he's the former Duke Leopold, so are you asking for confirmation?
“I’ll explain that later, but first, please check my grandfather’s portrait.”
“Gnosis, can you do it?”
“Of course.”
Perdes was puzzled, but he nodded, saying that it was not difficult and that Gnosis would do it too.
“Then let’s go to the picture storage room.”
Since important items like portraits should not be moved carelessly, Adele took the two of them to the picture storage room in the annex.
There, portraits of the Dukes and Duchesses of Leopold hung along the walls.
It should definitely be hanging...
"It doesn't exist?"
The space where the portraits of my father and grandfather should have hung was completely empty.
Even if that's true for her father, there's no portrait of her grandfather either.
“How did this happen?”
Adele immediately called Harnes and asked him the whole story.
“That is... When I had been in the Suke’s household for about four years, there was a fire of unknown cause in the annex.”
"Fire?"
“Yes. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but important records, including Damien’s portrait, were lost in the fire.”
It could have been anything like that, but it bothered her that out of all the portraits, only her grandfather's was burned.
“Then why didn’t you paint the portrait again?”
“That’s because Damien’s complexion has deteriorated considerably due to his chronic illness, and he refused to have his portrait painted.”
"...Yes?"
Is it an illusion that I feel like he's trying to make up excuses to not leave his mark?
“What important records were lost at that time?”
Perdes, who had been quietly listening to the story, suddenly joined the conversation.
Harnes thought back on his memories carefully and shook his head.
“I’m sorry. At that time, I had just received my training qualifications, so I didn’t hear the details.”
“Are you sure you haven’t heard anything?”
“Yes, really.”
When Perdes asked him questioningly, Harnes nodded, slightly embarrassed.
'That's strange.'
The more I delve into the mystery, the more my questions increase instead of being resolved, which makes me feel absurd and frustrated.
The pride that I definitely want to uncover.
“There’s no portrait of my father either, right?”
“Yes. As far as I know, there isn’t.”
"Yes...?"
Adele sighed, visibly disappointed.
You want to see your father's face.
Adele said as if she suddenly remembered Harnes, who she had been looking at with pitiful eyes.
“Ah, it might be in the Lucien Duke’s house.”
“The Duke of Lucien?”
“Yes. It is said that when the chess competition was held in the past, His Excell the Duke of Lucien called in painters and had them paint the final match.”
At that time, only two people made it to the finals of the chess competition: the current Duke of Lucien and Adele's father, the former Duke Leopold.
“So, the picture might contain the image of His Excellency the Duke.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment