CH 89

“!”

It was what Keira had been waiting for. Did Erez find out anything about time regression?

Keira stopped and looked back.

Keira: “So where’s the guest? Did he just go back? Did he leave a note?”

Robert: “Well, His Excellency is with him.”

Keira: “…His Excellency?”

‘Why would that person?’

He wasn’t one to welcome guests visiting the Grand Duchy. So, Keira couldn’t believe he was dealing with a guest whose purpose wasn’t to see him but his daughter.

But the surprise didn’t stop there.

Robert: “Was there any unpleasant friction between him and His Excellency?”

Keira: “Not that I know of. I’m not sure if they know each other.”

Robert: “Then it’s strange. His Excellency looked… he looked so brutal that’s why I waited for your Ladyship, wondering if a duel would happen.”

Keira: “A duel?”

Robert: “Yes. If there’s a fight, please stop it.”

Keira didn’t exactly know what happened, but if the calm Robert was nervous, it meant that the atmosphere at that time was hostile.

Keira rushed to the drawing room.

‘Who am I? Where am I?’

Erez looked around with blank eyes. It was a room surrounded on three sides by ivory-colored wallpaper clad in gold leaf patterns.

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On one side was a large window, clean enough that he was sure he wouldn’t see a single speck of dust. The window frame was so delicately crafted that he wondered if it was necessary to make it that way.

And at a glance, expensive furniture filled the room.

‘Didn’t they say that this family is the epitome of integrity? How can a drawing room be this fancy?’

He had so many questions, but none he could say out loud. 

It was because of the man in front of him. 

‘…Why do I have to be here?’

What sin did he commit to receive the sharp glare of a man he met for the first time?

With cold sweat dripping down his back, he avoided his gaze.

It was then that the man in front of him, Ludwig, opened his mouth.

Ludwig: “Do you have any titles?”

Erez: “Yes?”

Ludwig: “I asked if you have a title.”

Erez: “Uh, well, I haven’t received it yet, but the current Magician of the Magic Tower…”

Ludwig cut him off.

Ludwig: “It doesn’t exist at the moment, and it may not exist in the future.”

“…”

No, it wasn’t completely wrong, but… why did he feel strange?

If one rose to a fairly high position in the tower, one would be given a title worthy of it. Even if it is just one stroke of luck, the situation is completely different.

But Erez didn’t feel the need to bother to climb to a higher position.

He just liked to sit in the lab and experiment. If he didn’t have enough research funds, he would just have to sell magic items to nobles at a high price. 

Ludwig: “What does your father do?”

Erez: “H-he’s recuperating in the countryside. He’s not feeling well.”

So, an unemployed man who received living expenses from his brother.

Ludwig: “And your mother?”

Erez: “She takes care of Father.”

So, just as unemployed as the husband.

Actually, it’s been a while since he’d seen his parents, so he wasn’t sure what was going on.

Ludwig: “I know you’re twenty-six this year, but strangely, you’re not even engaged.”

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Erez: “Yes, well, I’m too focused on my research on magic… No, wait. How does His Excellency know that?” 

It was suspicious that he knew the age and relationship status of a guest he wasn’t even expecting.

Moreover, although Erez answered his questions without hesitation, it was strange of the Grand Duke to ask about his parents like that.

‘What did I do wrong?!’

What’s even more unfair was that the Grand Duke looked displeased despite his sincere answers. 

Smack–! A pile of paper hit the face of the frustrated Erez.

“?!”

Ludwig: “Read it.”

When Eren looked at the paper, he was relieved to see it was the newspaper on the table a while ago.

‘I-I thought I was getting a duel request.’

Judging from the older man’s expression and words, Erez wouldn’t have been surprised if he had drawn his sword. 

Erez hastily picked up the newspaper.

Erez: “Oh?”

He groaned. This was…

Erez: “Is this me?” 

His face was on one side of the paper. Even the size was huge.

Because of his lack of interest in the world outside the tower and his research, he had no idea his face was in the newspaper.

When he looked closer, it was a picture taken on the terrace of a banquet hall.

The only way one would be able to take a photo at this angle was if they hung from a wall. Crazy journalists. 

But the structure of the terrace looked familiar. 

Every time he came to the capital, he often stayed on the terrace of his family’s house, so of course, he was familiar with it. 

He continued to analyze the picture. 

He didn’t pay attention to it before because it was covered by a mosaic, but there was a woman standing next to him.

He had a rough idea when this photo was taken.

‘It was then.’

The time they were talking about time regression.

Even though their conversation had nothing to do with romance, the article made wild guesses about their relationship.

What’s more absurd was the woman’s identity and face were hidden while his face and real name were all exposed. 

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Was the Grand Duchy too scary while he wasn’t?

If they were going to write about it, they should have revealed both, right? How absurd. 

Ludwig: “Explain.”

Erez: “Yes? No, I think I’m also a victim of this…”

Ludwig: “I don’t want the name of the Grand Duchy to be dragged into this kind of thing.”

If anyone heard what he said, they would think the family must have been insulted. 

Erez: “Look carefully, Your Excellency. The name of the Grand Duchy or the name of Her Ladyship wasn’t listed here! Rather, it’s my name that’s dragged in the mud! Before that, do you even believe this rumor?”

Don’t they have any sense of morality? If they wanted to write an article like this, they should have at least used pseudonyms!

Erez screamed quite a bit in his heart.

But Ludwig didn’t seem to care about his feelings.

Ludwig: “Then why did you come here today?”

Erez: “To meet Her Ladyship…”

He felt the heat of the Grand Duke’s glare before he could even finish his sentence. 

Ludwig: “I’m very curious about why you have to meet my daughter.”

Erez: “Uh, so that’s…”

He couldn’t possibly tell the truth.

The longer his silence, the colder the atmosphere.

He tried to look around to ask for help, but the employees had their heads bowed. 

But an unexpected helping hand came from outside.

Bang–!

“Your Excellency!”

The door to the drawing room slammed open without warning, and the window sill shook from the impact.

Ludwig: “Keira? It’s not like you to come in without knocking…”

Keira: “I was in a rush because I didn’t think it was polite to leave my guest for a long time. I’m sorry.”

As she approached the table, they could hear her labored breathing as if she had run in a hurry.

Keira: “Thank you for entertaining my guest.”

Ludwig: “It’s nothing.”

Keira: “Shall we? Don’t bother Your Excellency anymore.”

Erez suddenly got up from his seat and said.

Erez: “Let’s.”

As he walked out of the drawing room, he felt a stinging gaze on the back of his head. He shivered.

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Click–.

The door closed behind him.

Erez: “Wow, Your Ladyship, your father is terrifying. Aigoo, I’m trembling.”

Even though there were employees in the hallway, he spoke informally to her. Keira frowned and said.

Keira: “He’s usually a bit cold-hearted.”

Erez: “No, it’s a bit different from ‘cold-hearted’…”

Recalling what he had just witnessed, he shivered.

Keira didn’t want to keep talking about her father, so she quickly changed the topic.

Keira: “So, what’s the purpose of your visit?”

Erez: “I came here because I was worried that the mean fake daughter might be bullying you.”

He looked at Keira as he said so. 

Just when Keira started feeling uncomfortable by his gaze, he continued.

Erez: “…Looking at your face, I’m glad that you seem to be doing well. I think the father likes you more.”

“?”

It took Keira a while to understand the second sentence. For a moment, she thought Erez was referring to his father, not Ludwig.[1]

She almost asked, ‘When did your father see me for him to say he likes me?’

After pondering on it for a long time, she asked, her expression curious. 

Keira: “The Grand Duke, to me?”

[1] Erez said ‘아버지도 당신을 더 좋아하는 것 같고,’ and the ‘아버지’ (father) did not indicate whether he was talking about his father or Keira’s father. Thus, the confusion.