Chapter 7

Translator: Muffles

Editor: Pierce

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Short and well-groomed golden hair, red eyes, and a face with defined features.

It was hard to believe that he was in his 40s just by looking at his face. In addition, his manners were commendable.

Elena continued to eat as she looked at the Duke of Halos’ face. The meals in the duchy were always luxurious. Meat was always the main dish, and side dishes such as salad, pasta, and bread were usually served.

It was delicious, but she got tired of eating it quite often that Elena just spaced out.

She looked away as she put a piece of her buttered chicken into her mouth…

“Jane, eat this too.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Beside her, there was Killian, who was giving Jane loads of meat. As she looked at it, she was momentarily annoyed, but she struggled to endure and not show it.

Then she turned her gaze again and looked at the child sitting opposite to her.

Lexion was arduously chewing the meat.

She thought it would be difficult for him to sit and eat at the same table with his older brother. But since their father was with them…

It looked like it was fine.

Come to think of it, the Duke and Lexion had the same eye and hair color.

‘Will Lexion be like the Duke of Halos when he grows up? A sexy and poised Lexion…’

He was depicted to be a handsome man in the original book. Now, she felt it strange remembering Lexion.

While she was smiling happily, something suddenly caught her eyes.

‘…are you being a picky eater right now?’

On Lexion’s plate, vegetables such as spinach, carrots, and onions were gathered on one corner.

A child who needed nutrients to grow up was being such a picky eater!

“Young Master Lexion.”

Elena softly called out to Lexion. The child looked up at Elena, his eyes twinkling.

“If you eat your vegetables, you will grow quickly.”

She spoke tenderly as much as possible so as not to frighten the child.

‘But will he listen to me?’

She couldn’t help it if he didn’t listen though.

“Elena, Lexion hates vegetables.”

Duke Halos said with a smile.

‘Well, what kind of kid likes vegetables anyway?’

When Elena was already feeling regretful – that she shouldn’t have said it – Lexion suddenly started eating the vegetables he disregarded in the corner of his plate.

He took a full bite and he looked lovable that way. His cheeks were about to burst and he appeared like a hamster stashing its food.

‘Oh, gosh. It’s so cute.’

Elena felt particularly proud that she even had the urge to stroke his head. But Elena forcefully grabbed the hand that she was about to stretch out.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Halos couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

“Amazing! When my wife and I tried to convince him to eat those, we were unsuccessful…”

Duke Halos, who looked at Lexion as he muttered, looked somewhat bitter. But after a while, a satisfied smile was drawn on his lips.

***

After dinner time, which was pleasant in its way, Elena headed to the Duke’s office on the top floor of the mansion.

Duke Halos called her because he had something he wanted to tell her.

‘Is this about my future?’

“Looking at how you treat Lexion, you seemed to have adapted well.”

Sitting on the sofa, he notedly responded while crossing his long legs.

“Yes, except for the fact that the mansion is enormously spacious.”

At Elena’s words, the Duke warmly smiled.

“When spring comes, Killian and Lexion will go to the academy.”

The current season was late autumn. However, because winter was short in the country, spring has already started after only three months.

In other words, the Halos brothers would leave for the academy two months later. The academy in the imperial capital could be entered at any age. But of course – inside the academy – classes were divided by level.

Hence, most of the imperial nobles used their fame and fortune to get their children into the highest classes.

“Elena, do you want to go to the academy with my children too?”

She knew it. Elena has already expected him to ask her about this.

The Duke of Halos was sure to get her into her top class, which was taught by some of the greatest geniuses in the Empire.

‘That’s why the nobles were so eager to let their children attend the academy.’

But Elena decided that she had no intention of going to the academy.

‘Because the academy didn’t have the classes I wanted to study.’

She shook her head.

“I don’t want to go to the academy.”

“No? I’m surprised. Since you usually read a lot, I thought you would want to go there.”

“There are no classes in the academy that I want to learn.”

At Elena’s words, Duke Halos’ eyes slightly widened. He had a reason to be surprised. The academy had so many classes.

Swordsmanship, martial arts, history, economics, politics, art, etc.

But there was only one thing missing.

Elena briefly caught her breath.

She didn’t know if the Duke of Halos would allow it. But she still had something she wanted to learn.

“What I wanted to learn was magic.”

Elena’s abilities – which weren’t befitting for a supporting role – were actually remarkably outstanding. Since there was a certain phrase that gave her an idea of ​​Elena’s power.

In fact, if Elena Respell hadn’t fallen in love with Killian, she might have become a powerful magician.

That’s why this time, she intended to revive the power that was sleeping inside Elena’s body.

Once she became an adult, the Duke of Halos would surely stop supporting her. Thus, she needed the strength to be self-reliant by then. And it was Elena’s magic that would make her independent.

‘…I also longed for magic since there’s nothing like that in my previous world.’

While waiting for Duke Halos’ response, Elena was feeling nervous. If he ever said ‘no’, then it would appear like she was just talking nonsense.

‘It would be nice if Duke Halos would answer favorably.’

Glancing at his troubled face, Elena clasped her hands. And then, the Duke’s lips slowly opened.

“All right then.”

Elena’s eyes widened as she received a considerable positive reply, and her mouth went up for a smile.

“But.”

However, Duke Halos’ words didn’t end there just yet. He seriously gazed at Elena and added some words.

“If you want to take a magic class, you will have to bring a wizard. But all the wizards belong to the tower, you understand that right?”

“…Yes.”

A wizard belonged to the Magic Tower, moving them wasn’t an easy feat.

“It takes an unimaginable amount of money to attach a wizard teacher to you.”

“I know.”

“Alright, then that’s it. If you have a talent for magic, I will support your endeavor to take magic lessons. But if not…”

The Duke of Halos didn’t continue his words. Still, Elena understood his intentions very well.

‘If I don’t have the talent, he won’t provide any more support. Aside from the limited things I can enjoy right now.’

Fortunately, the Duke of Halos simply believed in her words and supported her, so it was still worth it. Elena slowly nodded her head.

“Yes, I understand.”

Then, the lips of Duke Halos rose sharply.

“Hmm, it will take a few days, but I’ll try to bring the most capable wizard.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

Afterward, the Duke of Halos then said that a tutor for Elena and Jane would also be visiting within a few days. Honestly, if Elena could learn anything, she was already fine with it. So she said yes.

Therefore, if she happened to not have a talent for magic, she won’t be able to receive the teachings anymore. Since she was the one who asked for a deal with the Duke of Halos, it was only natural that Elena would start preparing for it.

Of course, Elena hadn’t even imagined that she had no magical talent since the sentences she saw in the novel were vividly clear. Elena’s power was related to ‘spirits’.

When she thought about it, she was more assured that Elena has a talent.

‘But just in case I don’t have any talent, I think it would still be possible to enter the temple?’

Elena thought so.

After a short conversation with Duke Halos, there was a moment of silence between them.

The Duke of Halos hasn’t dismissed her yet, as he noticed that she still has something to say.

He was just looking at Elena in silence, so she cautiously opened her mouth.

“Duke.”

“Hmm? It appears you have something more to say to me.”

She was contemplating whether to speak or not, or whether her manner of speech was fairly eloquent.

‘Am I qualified to say such a thing?’

Still, Elena has to say it for Lexion.

“I learned this after living in the mansion for a month, but it seems that Killian is abusing Lexion.”

After she had spoken, Elena swallowed her saliva. Even though she was telling the truth, she was somehow nervous.

Duke Halos’ forehead slightly narrowed.

“…Abuse?”

“Yes. I didn’t certainly see Young Master Killian used violence, but he tried to harm Young Master Lexion twice in front of me.”

She immediately spitted out the words as soon as she opened her mouth.

“There were scars all over Young Master Lexion’s body. If you ask the doctors and the servants about it, I’m sure they would know. Besides, I also saw Killian verbally abusing Lexion, which doesn’t seem to be a rare occurrence.”

It was refreshing to say it all out in the open. However, the Duke was left speechless, so Elena was worried that she might have offended him.

‘Is it okay for me to say something like this, although I’m just here receiving support from them?’

No matter how exemplary the manners the Duke of Halos has, in the end, he was also one of those fickled aristocrats that placed their desires first before their children’s well-being.

Of course, the figure she saw across the table was close to an ideal father. But she didn’t know what he was like inside.

After a while, the Duke grinned as he opened his mouth.

“Elena, boys naturally fight as they grow up.”

He didn’t seem bothered when he said that.

This didn’t look good, but…

“You don’t have to worry too much. Even if they fight each other, as time goes by, they will become closer than anyone else because they’re brothers by blood.”

However, the Duke seemed to have misunderstood Elena’s words.

“Duke, what I saw wasn’t a friendly bout between brothers that you were talking about, but an apparent act of abuse.”

“Yes, yes. I get it. Thank you for taking care of Lexion. I will take good care of this matter.”

Then the Duke of Halos dismissed Elena. Reluctantly, Elena bowed her head to him and left the room.

She was at a loss for the last response she heard. Still, he, the oldest in the family, said he would deal with it accordingly.

If there had been any evidence that Killian had abused Lexion, he wouldn’t have had this kind of reaction.

So for now, Elena had no choice but to trust the Duke of Halos.