Episode 150. People Like Gifts
“It’s Seira Oswald.”
Isabelle nodded at the report of the Knight Commander.
“I understand.”
It is said that the body of a blonde woman was found in the rubble while cleaning up the Oswald family’s explosion. And just a little while ago, there was news that it was confirmed that it was Seira Oswald.
‘How shameful. You were so greedy for so many things...’
Isabelle laughed self-deprecatingly.
That wasn’t just Seira.
She looked around.
The images of her grandfather, father, mother, and younger siblings flashed before her eyes like a vision.
The place she was now in was the office of the Duke of Rodwell.
The books lined up high up to the ceiling created a solemn yet majestic atmosphere.
This is where she grew up watching her grandfather and father. She also learned what kind of authority and duties she had to have as a high-ranking noble.
However, at some point, she only chased authority and forgot her duties and responsibilities.
She went to the window and looked outside.
The Emperor's soldiers surrounded the vast garden and the walls, both inside and outside.
It might have been the Emperor's consideration to both confine and protect her.
After all, an angry crowd had gathered beyond the walls.
It had been revealed that the bazaar incident was the work of the rebel priest and Isabelle.
Related documents and people involved appeared one after another, and even her son, Rustis, admitted her guilt. He had to abandon his mother to survive.
Isabelle understood.
That was why the angry citizens had come to the Rordwell House.
They were ready to drag Isabelle out and stone her to death.
Knock knock.
There was a knock.
Before Isabelle could answer, Mark opened the door and came in.
He was holding a tray with a beautiful teacup on it.
"You are an unexpected guest."
"I brought a gift to repay your kindness."
Mark set the teacup down on the table in the middle of the office.
There was only one teacup.
Isabelle's expression seemed to have realized the meaning.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t participate in harming someone?”
“Not participating. I’m just giving back to the person who harmed my son.”
Isabelle smiled bitterly and sat on the sofa in front of the table.
“How funny. The gift that was supposed to be sent to the Emperor came back to me.”
Mark said coldly.
“If you’re still alive in 30 minutes, I’ll take the same tea to the King.”
Isabelle’s eyebrows shook.
“That child, Rustis... Leave him alone.”
He was the son who abandoned his mother to survive. However, Isabelle didn’t seem to want him to die.
“What a great motherly love. Then I believe you’ll understand my feelings as a father. Then.”
Mark quietly bowed his head and left the office.
Isabelle stared at the teacup on the table.
It was her favorite red teacup. It was densely decorated with gorgeous rose patterns, and the rim and handle were gilded.
Her mother gave her a present on her 18th birthday.
“Well, it’s not so bad.”
Isabelle muttered to herself.
“Yeah, it’s better than being dragged away by that angry mob and torn to pieces.”
Mark felt his breath stop for a moment.
He had been prepared for him to leave him someday, but he wasn’t ready yet.
He couldn’t let him go like this. Not like this!
Adele quickly followed Mark, who was running with a stern face, and continued.
“Jade’s awake! He’s looking for his father!”
“What?”
He paused again, his breath suddenly stopping.
“Jade opened his eyes?”
He asked again in disbelief, and Pauline quickly added.
“Yes, it’s been about ten minutes. As soon as he woke up, he asked his father...!”
Mark ran to Jade’s room before Pauline could finish her words.
Boom!
He opened the door in a hurry and went in, and the child leaning against the bed slowly turned his head.
Although he had become haggard and had hollow bags under his eyes in the past few days, his sparkling blue eyes were still the same.
“Father...”
He ran over and hugged the child.
“Ah! Ah! Jade! Jade! Jade!!”
“It’s Seira Oswald.”
Isabelle nodded at the report of the Knight Commander.
“I understand.”
It is said that the body of a blonde woman was found in the rubble while cleaning up the Oswald family’s explosion. And just a little while ago, there was news that it was confirmed that it was Seira Oswald.
‘How shameful. You were so greedy for so many things...’
Isabelle laughed self-deprecatingly.
That wasn’t just Seira.
She looked around.
The images of her grandfather, father, mother, and younger siblings flashed before her eyes like a vision.
The place she was now in was the office of the Duke of Rodwell.
The books lined up high up to the ceiling created a solemn yet majestic atmosphere.
This is where she grew up watching her grandfather and father. She also learned what kind of authority and duties she had to have as a high-ranking noble.
However, at some point, she only chased authority and forgot her duties and responsibilities.
She went to the window and looked outside.
The Emperor's soldiers surrounded the vast garden and the walls, both inside and outside.
It might have been the Emperor's consideration to both confine and protect her.
After all, an angry crowd had gathered beyond the walls.
It had been revealed that the bazaar incident was the work of the rebel priest and Isabelle.
Related documents and people involved appeared one after another, and even her son, Rustis, admitted her guilt. He had to abandon his mother to survive.
Isabelle understood.
That was why the angry citizens had come to the Rordwell House.
They were ready to drag Isabelle out and stone her to death.
Knock knock.
There was a knock.
Before Isabelle could answer, Mark opened the door and came in.
He was holding a tray with a beautiful teacup on it.
"You are an unexpected guest."
"I brought a gift to repay your kindness."
Mark set the teacup down on the table in the middle of the office.
There was only one teacup.
Isabelle's expression seemed to have realized the meaning.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t participate in harming someone?”
“Not participating. I’m just giving back to the person who harmed my son.”
Isabelle smiled bitterly and sat on the sofa in front of the table.
“How funny. The gift that was supposed to be sent to the Emperor came back to me.”
Mark said coldly.
“If you’re still alive in 30 minutes, I’ll take the same tea to the King.”
Isabelle’s eyebrows shook.
“That child, Rustis... Leave him alone.”
He was the son who abandoned his mother to survive. However, Isabelle didn’t seem to want him to die.
“What a great motherly love. Then I believe you’ll understand my feelings as a father. Then.”
Mark quietly bowed his head and left the office.
Isabelle stared at the teacup on the table.
It was her favorite red teacup. It was densely decorated with gorgeous rose patterns, and the rim and handle were gilded.
Her mother gave her a present on her 18th birthday.
“Well, it’s not so bad.”
Isabelle muttered to herself.
“Yeah, it’s better than being dragged away by that angry mob and torn to pieces.”
She would be able to maintain her last dignity as the head of the Rodwell family.
“A gift is a gift.”
She emptied her teacup elegantly as she quietly muttered.
Mark returned to the Castler mansion as the day grew dark.
“Mark! Mark!”
As he got out of the carriage, Adele and Pauline came running in a hurry.
“What’s going on?”
Adele sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Jade... our Jade...”
“A gift is a gift.”
She emptied her teacup elegantly as she quietly muttered.
***
Mark returned to the Castler mansion as the day grew dark.
“Mark! Mark!”
As he got out of the carriage, Adele and Pauline came running in a hurry.
“What’s going on?”
Adele sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Jade... our Jade...”
Mark felt his breath stop for a moment.
He had been prepared for him to leave him someday, but he wasn’t ready yet.
He couldn’t let him go like this. Not like this!
Adele quickly followed Mark, who was running with a stern face, and continued.
“Jade’s awake! He’s looking for his father!”
“What?”
He paused again, his breath suddenly stopping.
“Jade opened his eyes?”
He asked again in disbelief, and Pauline quickly added.
“Yes, it’s been about ten minutes. As soon as he woke up, he asked his father...!”
Mark ran to Jade’s room before Pauline could finish her words.
Boom!
He opened the door in a hurry and went in, and the child leaning against the bed slowly turned his head.
Although he had become haggard and had hollow bags under his eyes in the past few days, his sparkling blue eyes were still the same.
“Father...”
He ran over and hugged the child.
“Ah! Ah! Jade! Jade! Jade!!”
He called the name over and over again. Now that the child who would answer that name had returned.
How much he had prayed that he would do anything if Jade would answer this call just once.
The big man hugged the warm child deep into his chest and cried loudly.
He wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed. Since Jade had returned like this, nothing else mattered.
Pauline and Aaron also hugged each other and started crying.
“Oh, men...”
Adele and Tanya were laughing behind him, but their eyes were also swollen.
Marvel Palace.
At night, Christine took a walk along the lakeside.
He would not be coming here for a while.
Zimmer approached him from behind.
“I just heard that Lady Isabelle committed suicide by drinking poison.”
He nodded heavily, as he had already expected it.
“Understood. We will leave tomorrow morning, so proceed without a hitch.”
He decided to return to Bahamart tomorrow.
The rebel priests were cleared out, and Isabelle committed suicide.
And King Rustis gave all authority to the Emperor in exchange for his own life.
“But... are you really not going to take the Countess and Aaron with you?”
Zimmer asked cautiously.
“I made a promise with Aaron. If he wants to continue living with the Castlers, then so be it. In return, if he visits me occasionally, that will be enough. Adele should stay by Aaron’s side. Well, we chose the best path for both of us to be happy.”
“Is that really enough? He will be living with Count Castlers again... Are you really okay with that?”
Christine's expression became increasingly fierce.
"Would you be okay?"
On the outside, he looked so calm, but right now, Christine was in a state of chaos.
He wanted to just drag Adele and Aaron away.
Finally, he made up his mind and said,
"So, look for a house near Adele's mansion."
"A house?"
"I think I'll be coming here often, unofficially. I can already see you two. Damn it!"
Zimmer was dumbfounded.
"Would it be possible unofficially? It would take five days to go back and forth from here to Bahamart with teleportation magic."
Teleporting a long distance required a lot of mana. Each wizard had a limit to the amount of mana they could use.
"What if it was a wizard like Miss Leana..."
Zimmer, who had been mumbling without realizing it, flinched when he realized his mistake.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
"No. I also miss Leana in everything."
The Oswald family's explosion that day left only rubble in the huge mansion.
Leana was lying unconscious in the rubble.
The ancient script that covered her body was gone, and she was found in the ashes, completely unscathed.
Everyone praised her, saying that it was thanks to her magic shield and that the great wizard was different.
However, Leana did not say anything even after regaining consciousness.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I can no longer use magic. And I plan to leave Your Majesty for the time being.”
A day later, she only said that with a sad face. She did not say anything about what happened to Maurice or how the ancient script covering her body disappeared.
Christine told her to do so. He did not know what had happened to Maurice that day, but she seemed to need time now.
He said that he would wait for her to return at any time.
The next day, Leana suddenly disappeared.
However, Christine believed that she would return someday. Because she was family.
He turned his head at the familiar scent while lost in Leana’s thoughts.
Adele and Aaron were approaching from afar.
He smiled without realizing it, but when he saw Mark behind him, he felt strange.
He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable seeing the three of them together like a family.
"Your Majesty!"
But Aaron’s cheerful voice made him laugh again.
He quickly picked up the child who was running towards him.
It smelled like Adele’s scent, but a little sweeter.
“We can greet each other tomorrow morning.”
He said, pretending to be polite, even though he was glad to see her.
Adele smiled brightly.
“Jade woke up a little while ago. I wanted to tell you about it quickly.”
“That’s really great. Yes, it’s great.”
Christine’s expression brightened noticeably as he muttered softly.
The thing that bothered him the most as he left Greenhill was Jade.
It was also true that he felt guilty toward Mark, even though it wasn’t his fault.
“I’d like to talk to you for a moment, Your Majesty.”
Mark came closer and asked for a private conversation.
Christine and Mark sat on the wooden bench in front of the lake.
“I’m so glad Jade woke up.”
“It’s thanks to Your Majesty sending the wizards.”
Even though he had been busy dealing with the bazaar incident for the past few days, he had sent wizards to Jade.
Whenever the child’s life was in danger, the wizards continued to give him energy.
He also opened a clinic staffed with wizards to treat those who had been injured at the bazaar.
“No. Your earnest desire created a miracle. Someone said that strong wishes can create gods. Perhaps the god helped.”
Just as Christine’s wish for Adele had become a miracle that lifted the curse.
Mark took a deep breath and stared at the lake bathed in moonlight.
“Adele and Aaron were like gifts that I had kept for a while. I kept them for so long that at some point, I became greedy. If no one came to claim them, they would be mine. I even hoped that person would die on some battlefield.”
“...”
“That’s why I was angry at Your Majesty for appearing again. But... when I thought I might lose Jade, I had many thoughts. Adele and Aaron must be so precious to you. I wondered if I was being punished for being so selfish and greedy.”
Christine threw a stone toward the lake.
The moonlight shook with small ripples.
“Don’t think about that. I and Adele are truly grateful.”
Mark hesitated for a moment, then made up his mind.
“So, I think it’s right for Adele and Aaron to stay with Your Majesty.”
“Of course I think so too... Oh, sorry.”
Mark laughed quietly as he watched Christine’s sincerity come out.
“I talked to Adele. I said, Let’s give Jade a few days to recover and for the guys to accept the breakup. Then the two of them should leave for Bahamart. Adele agreed, of course.”
“Really... Really?”
Christine looked back at Adele standing on the lakeside.
As if they could hear his question, Adele and Aaron waved their hands and smiled brightly.
The cherry blossoms had all fallen, but soon the season of roses would return.
How much he had prayed that he would do anything if Jade would answer this call just once.
The big man hugged the warm child deep into his chest and cried loudly.
He wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed. Since Jade had returned like this, nothing else mattered.
Pauline and Aaron also hugged each other and started crying.
“Oh, men...”
Adele and Tanya were laughing behind him, but their eyes were also swollen.
***
Marvel Palace.
At night, Christine took a walk along the lakeside.
He would not be coming here for a while.
Zimmer approached him from behind.
“I just heard that Lady Isabelle committed suicide by drinking poison.”
He nodded heavily, as he had already expected it.
“Understood. We will leave tomorrow morning, so proceed without a hitch.”
He decided to return to Bahamart tomorrow.
The rebel priests were cleared out, and Isabelle committed suicide.
And King Rustis gave all authority to the Emperor in exchange for his own life.
“But... are you really not going to take the Countess and Aaron with you?”
Zimmer asked cautiously.
“I made a promise with Aaron. If he wants to continue living with the Castlers, then so be it. In return, if he visits me occasionally, that will be enough. Adele should stay by Aaron’s side. Well, we chose the best path for both of us to be happy.”
“Is that really enough? He will be living with Count Castlers again... Are you really okay with that?”
Christine's expression became increasingly fierce.
"Would you be okay?"
On the outside, he looked so calm, but right now, Christine was in a state of chaos.
He wanted to just drag Adele and Aaron away.
Finally, he made up his mind and said,
"So, look for a house near Adele's mansion."
"A house?"
"I think I'll be coming here often, unofficially. I can already see you two. Damn it!"
Zimmer was dumbfounded.
"Would it be possible unofficially? It would take five days to go back and forth from here to Bahamart with teleportation magic."
Teleporting a long distance required a lot of mana. Each wizard had a limit to the amount of mana they could use.
"What if it was a wizard like Miss Leana..."
Zimmer, who had been mumbling without realizing it, flinched when he realized his mistake.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."
"No. I also miss Leana in everything."
The Oswald family's explosion that day left only rubble in the huge mansion.
Leana was lying unconscious in the rubble.
The ancient script that covered her body was gone, and she was found in the ashes, completely unscathed.
Everyone praised her, saying that it was thanks to her magic shield and that the great wizard was different.
However, Leana did not say anything even after regaining consciousness.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. I can no longer use magic. And I plan to leave Your Majesty for the time being.”
A day later, she only said that with a sad face. She did not say anything about what happened to Maurice or how the ancient script covering her body disappeared.
Christine told her to do so. He did not know what had happened to Maurice that day, but she seemed to need time now.
He said that he would wait for her to return at any time.
The next day, Leana suddenly disappeared.
However, Christine believed that she would return someday. Because she was family.
He turned his head at the familiar scent while lost in Leana’s thoughts.
Adele and Aaron were approaching from afar.
He smiled without realizing it, but when he saw Mark behind him, he felt strange.
He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable seeing the three of them together like a family.
"Your Majesty!"
But Aaron’s cheerful voice made him laugh again.
He quickly picked up the child who was running towards him.
It smelled like Adele’s scent, but a little sweeter.
“We can greet each other tomorrow morning.”
He said, pretending to be polite, even though he was glad to see her.
Adele smiled brightly.
“Jade woke up a little while ago. I wanted to tell you about it quickly.”
“That’s really great. Yes, it’s great.”
Christine’s expression brightened noticeably as he muttered softly.
The thing that bothered him the most as he left Greenhill was Jade.
It was also true that he felt guilty toward Mark, even though it wasn’t his fault.
“I’d like to talk to you for a moment, Your Majesty.”
Mark came closer and asked for a private conversation.
Christine and Mark sat on the wooden bench in front of the lake.
“I’m so glad Jade woke up.”
“It’s thanks to Your Majesty sending the wizards.”
Even though he had been busy dealing with the bazaar incident for the past few days, he had sent wizards to Jade.
Whenever the child’s life was in danger, the wizards continued to give him energy.
He also opened a clinic staffed with wizards to treat those who had been injured at the bazaar.
“No. Your earnest desire created a miracle. Someone said that strong wishes can create gods. Perhaps the god helped.”
Just as Christine’s wish for Adele had become a miracle that lifted the curse.
Mark took a deep breath and stared at the lake bathed in moonlight.
“Adele and Aaron were like gifts that I had kept for a while. I kept them for so long that at some point, I became greedy. If no one came to claim them, they would be mine. I even hoped that person would die on some battlefield.”
“...”
“That’s why I was angry at Your Majesty for appearing again. But... when I thought I might lose Jade, I had many thoughts. Adele and Aaron must be so precious to you. I wondered if I was being punished for being so selfish and greedy.”
Christine threw a stone toward the lake.
The moonlight shook with small ripples.
“Don’t think about that. I and Adele are truly grateful.”
Mark hesitated for a moment, then made up his mind.
“So, I think it’s right for Adele and Aaron to stay with Your Majesty.”
“Of course I think so too... Oh, sorry.”
Mark laughed quietly as he watched Christine’s sincerity come out.
“I talked to Adele. I said, Let’s give Jade a few days to recover and for the guys to accept the breakup. Then the two of them should leave for Bahamart. Adele agreed, of course.”
“Really... Really?”
Christine looked back at Adele standing on the lakeside.
As if they could hear his question, Adele and Aaron waved their hands and smiled brightly.
The cherry blossoms had all fallen, but soon the season of roses would return.
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