Episode 40.7

Norma left Wazrof mansion with her father when she was 17, Kingdom Year 107. Just about ten years ago.

The impression she had on Wazrof was not at all nice. In fact it's bordering on hatred.

After all, this house split apart Norma's father and mother. No way she would bear goodwill toward them.

And also, this is one cold house.

Her father and Norma were given a nice dwelling, fancy clothes, good food and under care of excellent servants, they were also provided everything her father needed for his research, but that's all.

Whenever they saw her father's siblings or relatives in the mansion, they would greet and bow but none would initiate a conversation. Even the servants would speak only when necessary. Norma and her father were ignored. As if they didn't exist.

Norma spent 17 year long year from her infancy in this house. She couldn't bear that coldness during her emotional period. Thus her sorrow transformed into hatred toward this house. She thought the house too loathed her and her father.

However, she found out an unexpected truth from Lecan last year.

Her father and Norma were actually loved. When you think about it, that's true. Jinga is someone Norma unconditionally trusts, he's her protector and supporter, someone irreplaceable in her life. It was House of Wazrof that dispatched Jinga. They were given such an extraordinary gift. There is no doubt that is an act of strong affection.

Every time Norma would recall the previous marquis Godfrey's words, 'I shall avenge my brother.', she would be fraught with emotion. Godfrey actually thought so much about his much younger little brother.

"Godfrey was a cog in the machine that is the Marquis. However, I could feel passion in the words he spoke after your father's death."

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"Godfrey exacted revenge and sent the wand to Jinga."

"Bringing your mother's wand back to you. That wand contain Godfrey's thought toward you."

Lecan is someone who acts curtly ordinarily, but he has the power to see through someone's true nature. With Lecan's ability as an intermediary, Norma was afforded a glimpse on the previous marquis's true feeling on the matter.

After that, her hatred toward Wazrof melted away like snow. Thinking back, their treatment by Wazrof was never bad. Even her mother's confinement was done because it was the only way they knew how to protect her.

No, she had been always aware about it. Norma's sagacious brain and powers of observation clearly understood how cordially Wazrof treated them. However, she could never bring herself to admit it.

The man before him now, Manfrey may be her cousin, but they rarely ever talked. However, there was one spectacle burned in Norma's eyes with this man in the scene. When Norma and her father left this mansion ten years ago, Manfrey was standing by the gate staring at them. She couldn't believe he would go out of his way to see them off, but Norma couldn't come up with any other reason he'd be there then either. That spectacle was the sole small thing that would console her in loneliness.

As such, Norma bears no hatred toward Manfrey. In fact, he's someone nostalgic, weirdly enough for a person of this house.

"Are you making good progress with the work to publish uncle's writing?"

"Yes. Initially, I was planning to publish my father's work as they are untouched. However, I have reassessed that plan after some consultation, and we are now planning to publish what my father would have truly wanted to write down, writing new parts for each of his work."

"Hou. Won't that be a great task to undertake?"

"No. Tidying up what we have now and make them comprehensible would have been much more difficult a task. Writing new passages from nothing is much simpler and accurate, and I have also come to a realization that's what my father would have truly wanted."

"Fumu. Who is the other person in that consultation?"

"They are Sir Prado Goncourt and transcriber Rakrus-dono."

"Rakrus-dono, is it. He is said to be the most prominent transcriber in the kingdom. None is more fitting to entrust uncle's work to. And Prado-dono. I see you have found your place at House of Goncourt then."

"Yes."

"I see. I'm delighted to hear that."

A smile floated on Manfrey's face as he sipped his tea.

"Incidentally, I would like to ask you. Could you have the author's name on uncle work as Sasfrey Wazrof. I beg of you."

"Yes. I should be the one asking. I believe my father would be pleased with that as well."

"So you will. That's good. First Class Priest of Royal Capital Elex Temple, Amamir-sama once paid our mansion a visit. Father was in a great mood during dinner that day. He would constantly brag, 'He came all the way to our house for Sasfrey's work', 'The research my little brother worked on is regarded as first-rate by specialists.'"

"Yes. I heard Godfrey-sama boldly claimed that his little brother Sasfrey wrote that. He also stated that, 'Sasfrey may have passed, but you should be able to find his other work with a medic by the name of Norma at town of Vouka.'"

"Hou. I see. So that's how it went. Ah, then. I see. But that makes things easier. My late father would reprove me if I failed to put Wazrof name on uncle's work."

Manfrey quenched his throat with tea and changed the topic.

"Now then, I shall get to the topic at hand."

"Yes."

"Are you aware of <White Snow Princess (Sruvada)?"

"No. This is the first I have heard of it."

"I see. So uncle kept that a secret until the end."

Afterward Manfrey revealed a shocking detail on Norma's bloodlines.