Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Kizef also picked up the topazes and emeralds and put them in Luciel’s pocket.

“Haha. Here too.”

Gillard also picked up the jewels that had fallen on the floor and brought them together. Meanwhile, Kizef quietly thought.

I don’t know what exactly happened, but there was one thing I could guess.

“Was Luciel the owl owner?”

At Kizef’s question, Gillard thought of Bell, the little owl.

“……Oh, you mean that little white owl like a pine cone?”

“Yes, that owl. It was this kid’s?”

“That’s right, your friend tied up the owl so it couldn’t fly, so I asked the dormitory manager.”

“Ah…… Maximus.”

Kizef mumbled quietly, grinding his teeth. Gillard gently patted his grandson on the shoulder and informed him.

“You don’t know how firmly Luciel was determined to find you and courageously came in here.”

To hear that this little child was trying to protect him, Kizef was grateful and something fluttered in the corner of his heart. He married with the goal to protect her, but he was the one protected by this fragile child……

“When she wakes up, say thank you.”

“……Yes.”

“Then should we go back now?”

“Probably? It’s been a pretty long adventure. I haven’t seen the Phoenix’s Rose, nor the Phoenix, though.”

Kizef had finally untangled the curiosity in his heart after having investigated the place. Then there was a loud noise from somewhere, and the Duke appeared with a slightly annoyed face.

“……What are all those things outside? It took a little while because the portal didn’t work…… You are safe, son.”

When the Duke saw Kizef he said in a nonchalant tone. In fact, the boy wasn’t even that badly injured. However, seeing Luciel fainted in Gillard’s arms, the Duke released mana with a cold face.

“……Luciel?!”

Whoosh!!

“How dare this thing hurt my daughter-in-law! A mere relic.”

The horribly distorted eyes, the killing aura that he couldn’t hide, and the rapidly falling temperature were all terrifying.

The Duke’s ice magic was strong enough to destroy these ruins at once.

“Calm down. Louivid. If it collapses here, Luciel might be really hurt.”

“Father.”

“Your Grace, please be patient.”

Gillard, Kizef, and Ellington, who followed up with the Duke, hurriedly stopped Louivid before he exploded. The remains of the altar of fire almost collapsed at the end of the day.

“Huff. This is where the damn chicken dwells?”

The Duke uttered swear words in a small voice.

“Where is the Phoenix……?”

There was something captured by his keen eyes as he looked around like a growling beast. It was a holy grail made of brass, and a door leading to the next floor. There was still a vermilion light coming out of it, so he couldn’t help but notice it.

“Is that?”

“Perhaps because Luciel possessed pure mana, she could touch the Holy Grail.”

Gillard answered.

“Is that why the door is open?”

“Yes, Luciel did it.”

“Then let’s go see.”

Gillard and Ellington caught the Duke who was about to move right away.

“It may be dangerous. Among us, only Luciel received the Holy Grail safely.”

“If you are not qualified, you may be attacked.”

Kizef, who had already been attacked by the Holy Grail, said:

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt that much.”

“Maybe something stronger will come out from downstairs.”

Gillard shook his head as if in thought.

“Kizef is right. I also have a reason to guess. We have a mixture of demon blood, so the power of this altar may be hostile to us.”

The eyes of the four people, including Ellington, naturally gathered on Luciel.

“Then this kid……” (Kizef)

“It must be an angel who came down from heaven.” (Gillard)

“It may have been a child that the Goddess secretly and mistakenly sent to the human world.” (Ellington)

“A pure white baby snow deer. Or a fairy born from flowers.” (Louivid)

“…… How does it get weirder by the minute.” (Kizef)

When Kizef opened his mouth, Gillard, Ellington, and even Louivid made silly comments. Everyone seemed to be serious, so Kizef felt like he had to stay away from them.

Louivid rubbed his chin for a moment and said to Ellington.

“We have to take Luciel to the doctor quickly. I can’t leave her like this.”

“Yes, then I will go back with the Little Madam.”

“Then the lower floor of the altar… We should leave it as it is.”

At Gillard’s words, Louivid stepped forward.

Phoenix was a mysterious and legendary being that everyone wanted. The power of fire as well as the strong vitality of immortality is something anyone would covet, and its value will be beyond imagination. No, even if they couldn’t have it, they would want to keep it in their eyes.

If there’s really the Phoenix down there.

“We will take a quick look. There may be something out there anyway, but it is dangerous to send Luciel alone.”

“Hmm…… That statement makes sense. Then I will go with you.”

“Kizef, follow Ellington and return to the castle.”

“……No, thanks. Wait, if I’m going back to the castle, what about the Academy?”

At Kizef’s question, Louivid glanced at his son with concern.

“Didn’t you say you collapsed? Rest for a few days at the castle.”

“There are no injuries……”

“You never know. Let’s get an examination. I’ll take care of contacting the academy. Leave the rest to the adults, Kizef.”

“…….”

He didn’t really have any regrets, but he remembered one thing he forgot.

Bell.

He still can’t believe that Luciel was the owner of the little owl, but today, he’s been through a lot more amazing things than that, so it didn’t really shake him much.

“Young master, come back with me first. Ah, the young master’s friends must have been taken to the academy by other mages.”

“……The owl is there.”

“Oh, I’ll tell them to find the owl too.”

“Please.”

After watching his father and grandfather go into the basement, Kizef hugged Luciel and hurried after Ellington, who headed out first.

* * *

Luciel had been sleeping for three full nights. She had a fever several times a day and was groaning. Neither the attending physician nor Cicline could diagnose the cause, so the angered Duke sentenced them to probation.

The person who stayed by Luciel’s side kept changing, but Kizef would not leave.

“Young master, go back to your room and rest.”

Bessie spoke kindly and brought in a wet towel.

“It’s okay. Leave it there.”

“Yes. But if it’s hard, you have to tell me.”

Kizef placed the towel that Bessie had left on Luciel’s round forehead.

The child took a deep breath and slept well. What if she doesn’t wake up forever? She fell asleep for such a long time that he had such a scary thought.

Kizef found letters he had sent her in the drawer of Luciel’s desk. Compared to the letters Luciel sent, they were really heartless and short letters.

Whatever it was, Luciel had it sorted by date in a box lined with lace.

‘My Little Madam always waited for the letters to come.’

Upon hearing the story, Kizef scratched his head and put on a puzzled expression on his face.

‘Why did you wait for my letter like a fool? Why are you trying to save me like a fool….?’

‘I won’t bother you.’

‘Marry me.’

He felt uncomfortable about whether Kizef had hurt an innocent child for the sake of a future clean breakup. Something small and sharp like a thorn stuck in his chest, maybe that’s why he couldn’t leave Luciel’s side.

‘It’s not because I’m being nice to her, but because I have been so bad until now….’

To himself, Luciel wrote beautiful and happy letters every once in a while. And it was true that he was comforted by the letter.

‘Actually, I was lonely.’

There were still many colorful stationery in the drawer. A smile came up, wondering if these were all letters to send to him. Kizef’s hand gently grabbed Luciel’s tiny hand. Fortunately, there was warmth.

“Little kid. Just wake up. Just open your eyes…… please.”

After Kizef prayed earnestly, he gently removed the towel and kissed her forehead. The child had a sweet smell reminiscent of milk and sugar, like a subtle vanilla scent. Just like her appearance, sweet and fluffy. Yeah, it was like cotton candy sold in high-end bakeries downtown.

From what I heard from the girls at the academy, there is no girl who hates cotton candy.

When Luciel wakes up, should I buy her cotton candy?

As he thought about it, Kizef brought a smile to his lips.

It was only late in the night that he passed through the courtyard, returned to his room, and laid himself down. It was a separate building from Luciel’s room.

Sususu.

Raven appeared after a long time. He sat down on the soft bed and smiled with satisfaction.

[As expected, this house is good to live in. “Young Master.”]

“…….”

Kizef sat deep on the couch, not caring whether Raven was there or not, and closed his eyes.

Raven glanced at Kizef and said,

[I’m sorry. I haven’t appeared since that day. Are you sad? But when I stepped on the altar, I lost my energy and couldn’t do anything. So what happened? Did you get hurt?]

As Raven talked loudly, Kizef stared at him with his reproaching eyes.

“It’s night. Be quiet.”

[I’m apologizing. Can’t I do that?]

“You don’t have to apologize. Because it was a sacred altar, it was even hostile to me and my grandfather, who have demon blood. But I wasn’t as exhausted as you were.”

At those words, Raven rolled his eyes in sympathy.

[Oh, it was. But was that a sacred altar? What was there?]

“I won’t tell you.”

[Ah, why!]

Raven whined, but Kizef bit his mouth shut. He was once again worried about Raven’s reaction when that guy found out about Luciel’s existence.