Chapter 94

They had a lot of expectations while coming on the long-distance journey. However, the delusions of the Marquis couple had already crashed.

It was terribly disrespectful to invite someone by mistake, but no one dared to say anything about the unruly Bellstein.

Everyone knew clearly that Marquis Cavill was out of sight.

‘The damned Duke of Bellstein…!’

Besides, the eyes of the Bellstein Princess were not jewel-like, so he ate a whole bucket of dirty water in vain.

The Marquis barely suppressed the rage that was boiling inside him. He drank the wine on the table like water, then roughly grabbed his wife and went out into the corridor to ask.

“You said you saw her that day, didn’t you?”

“What? What do you mean?”

After a little bit of frustration and irritation came up alternately, he wanted to make a sound and stomped his foot violently.

“The eyes of the Bellstein Princess! Didn’t you say that that day you saw her in the boutique? You said she had sparkling jewel-like eyes…”

“That…I can’t remember that well. Is it important?”

“Argh, done. This boring person. Don’t talk to me anymore! Where did Penelope go?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Go find her right away. I’ll return to the carriage for now.”

Seeing the violent sparks in the Marquis Cavill’s eyes, the Marquise hurried to find a maidservant and ordered her to bring Penelope and Maximus.

Luciel, who remained in the banquet hall and watched the Marquis of Cavill from a distance, reflected in her mind.

‘Marquis Cavill, nothing will go your way.’

Luciel had almost completed the document about the illegal business of the Marquis, which she had been organizing since the last time. Now, based on that, she will naturally give clues to her father-in-law and break down every shady business the Marquis had.

What he did under the name of these ‘business’ was by no means unforgivable.

In addition, there was another reason why the Marquis should not be allowed to raise funds. In the past, the Crown Prince had collaborated with the Marquis to raise money. For a safer future, the sprouts should be razed in advance so that the two cannot hold hands.

Luciel turned her gaze away from the Marquis and soon followed in the footsteps of the Duke and Kizef.

People were parting on both sides, like splitting water in the sea on the way they were going.

The Duke glanced behind and said to Luciel.

“Child, are you okay?”

At the question filled with many meanings, Luciel nodded her head.

A few days ago she visited the Duke before she fell asleep. She had heard from Eva that the Marquis was on the invitation list. She concluded that to protect herself from him, she had to confide in the Duke that she was a ‘Crystal Fairy’.

Because what the Marquis wanted was a ‘Crystal Fairy’.

“Father-in-Law, I have something to tell you.”

The Duke’s eyes, who was sitting at his office desk until late at night, widened.

“Luciel, isn’t it time to sleep? What’s going on?”

Luciel had made up her mind, but her lips did not fall off easily. She was afraid. She wondered if the way he treated her would change…

‘No. I can believe it. My father-in-law isn’t the type to covet my jewelry…’

Luciel knew that but rolled her eyes. Seeing the hesitant attitude of the child, the Duke reached out to Luciel to come over. As Luciel approached, the Duke stroked her soft silver hair and placed her on his lap.

“Are you worried about something? I’ll be waiting for you, so think about it slowly.”

Having said that, he opened the drawer and took out a glass bottle of fruit-shaped candy.

Luciel took out a candy and rolled it around in her mouth while thinking. As the sweet pineapple flavor bursts in her mouth, Luciel relaxed at the Duke’s consideration.

“…My father-in-law is really like a father to me. More than my real dad.”

“Well, I don’t want to be compared to that guy.”

Luciel’s clear and transparent eyes immediately grew bigger and then curved nicely.

“Why don’t you just think of me as a father? An adult who cares and loves you as much as I do……There are already many that come to mind.”

At the words of the Duke who coughed loudly, Luciel felt warmth.

“I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, and I have something to tell you.”

“What do you want to say?”

Luciel’s heart waved with gratitude and love for the Duke. She couldn’t contain her emotions and began to collect mana with her heart.

Paat.

Tong-!

It was to directly show the Duke. It would be better to show it once than to say it with difficulty while using words.

The Duke’s red eyes immediately flickered.

“Luciel, just…Did you just made a jewel?”

“Yes. I am a Crystal Fairy. When I feel strong emotions, I make jewels.”

“What?”

“Actually, I wasn’t the Count’s illegitimate child, but a slave he bought together with my Sister…Sorry for deceiving you. Not just about the Crystal Fairy, but also about my status.”

If it was the bloodline of a fairy that made jewels, he had also heard from Gillard. Greedy people often caught and enslaved unique races.

The Duke felt even more sorry that he was the one who found the child after she run away. Even in such a situation, she struggled to survive.

“That’s definitely a surprising story. But it’s okay, because whatever your identity is, it doesn’t matter now. So… that’s why you have such unique eyes. And, that person is looking for you for…….”

“He’s trying to lock me up in a glass vault to make me a jewelry-making slave for the rest of my life….my sister suffered the same way.”

Luciel said, shaking her head. The Duke gently stroked Luciel’s cheek and then clenched his fist.

“You mean that’s what that poor excuse of a human being had in mind from the begging?”

Luciel nodded her head with watery eyes.

The Duke clenched his teeth. He couldn’t express his anger because he was in front of the child, but his blood seemed to boil inside his body. He knew that Luciel’s biological father was a bad guy, but it was worse than he had imagined, let alone a biological father, he was worse than filth.

Count Orbia, who was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Castle, was engulfed in a cell cold enough to not die and was suffering from being attacked by the demonic beasts. But now that he knew all his sins, a stronger punishment was needed.

‘I must increase the intensity of the pain I inflict on him.’

“I will never forgive him. I will kill him with my own hands.”

“…If you want revenge, tell me anytime, Luciel.”

“Yes…”

Luciel, who had bowed her head heavily, raised her head again.

“But even though I’m a crystal pair, is it okay….?”

“I also have a mixture of dragon and demon blood, so it doesn’t matter. It won’t change the fact that you’re Bellstein’s precious treasure. But I’ll have to double your escort.”

“Thank you, Father-in-law.”

As Luciel hugged the Duke who said that, she created a Topaz again. The Duke also smiled softly and patted Luciel’s tender back for a while.

“Well. During all this time, you had a lot of trouble hiding and suffering alone. Thanks for letting me know in advance.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner. But I haven’t trusted people for a long time.”

The Duke held Luciel in his arms and gently shook it like a cradle and spoke softly.

“No, it was the best defense you could have. That’s a good thing.”

Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, his eyes narrowed for an instant.

“Wait, I heard that the crystal fairy’s characteristics are jewelry-like eyes.”

“Yes, that is correct. Why?”

The Duke recalled the report from Ellington. The recent deeds of the Marquis of Cavill.

He said he was looking for a girl with eyes that shone like jewels. He goes everywhere from slave ships to ghettos.

“I heard someone is looking for a girl with jewel-like eyes. Marquis Cavill.”

“Ah…Young Lady Cavill may have looked into my eyes and told the Marquis about it.”

The Duke lightly nodded his head.

“Don’t worry, just trust this Dad.”

“But since an invitation was already sent, he will definitely approach me, and maybe even try to kidnap me. May I ask why you invited the Marquis?”

“They dared to……engaged in illegal usury business in my Duchy. I’m trying to check how he moves and how he behaves. If there’s nothing much, I’ll just humiliate him.”

Luciel lightly heard from Ellington but nodded again after she heard the whole story.

“He must have used Bellstein’s vassal to get information about me.”

“I wondered what the purpose of approaching Bellstein was, and it was our Child. Did he lose his fear?…. Should I just kill and bury him right away?”

His gleaming red eyes looked like a growling beast. Luciel stopped the excited Duke.

“Ah, father-in-law. Calm down and be patient…Still, if you harm a high-ranking noble……. There must be another way.”

Luciel only said that for now.

‘Not yet. Wait a little more, please.’

As Luciel thought to herself, she placed one of the topaz she had made in the Duke’s large palm.

“Why are you giving me this?”

“It’s a gift. Because my father-in-law made me so happy that I made it.”

“Well, that’s the natural thing to do, I can’t take it.”

The Duke returned the jewel back to Luciel.

“Ah, but…”

“It’s time for kids to sleep. Sleep well, Luciel.”

The Duke smiled and lowered Luciel to the floor.

She clasped the topaz he had rejected in her hand and moved on with a trembling heart.

The Duke did not covet her jewels to the extent that the time she was nervous before speaking was wasted worries. On the contrary, her heart was filled with warmth once again and her desire to protect Bellstein burned stronger.

‘Thank you.’

* * *

While the Duke was meeting and discussing with the other nobles, Ellington brought a man in front of Luciel.

As soon as she saw the man with the strong impression he had brought, Luciel widened her eyes.

“Little Madam. This is the architect, Count Gallius.”

He was a middle-aged man dressed in dark green, gold eyeglasses, and a gray suit, and had the impression of being tough and strict. Unlike other people at the banquet, who showed favorability on her as soon as they saw Luciel, he had a cold attitude towards her.

He glanced down at Luciel and cut directly to the point.

“…I hate wasting time the most. Other meetings will also be delayed. I have no time, so what’s the matter?”

Seeing him blatantly showing off his hatred, Luciel showed confidence.

“Give me just ten minutes. You will not regret it.”

Ellington said politely at Gallius’s stern attitude.

“She’s the Duchy’s little Madam, so please treat her with respect.”

“…If it’s a child who has yet to get rid of the smell of milk, I show no respect even for the royal family.”

“Ellington, I feel more comfortable talking informally.”

“Well, then it doesn’t matter.”

In fact, it was for this blunt man’s own safety, but Ellington decided to keep those words for himself. If the Duke had caught sight of this, he might have grabbed Gallius by the collar and shook him.

The only thing that matters right now is how the Little Madam will capture the heart of that nutcase and stubborn Gallius.

On the other hand, the place where Luciel took Gallius was very familiar to him.

“……This is…”