'Her lips were swollen, too.'
The lips, puffed up as if about to burst, bore clear signs of abuse.
The owner of the distinct teeth marks must undoubtedly be Lucia herself.
People usually bit their lips to that extent when trying to endure something.
Ligrin's gaze toward the Duke grew heavy.
'Just how much venom did you spew to make her like that?'
Looking at the Duke of Ego Rodebel's face, with its indifferent, sunken gaze, tightly closed lips, and not a trace of human warmth, it seemed entirely possible he could unleash a torrent of venom upon the gaunt child.
'His Grace doesn't see that child as his own.'
But was Ego Rodebel the only one?
Including himself, no one regarded Lucia as a member of Rodebel.
He didn't suddenly feel sympathy for it.
This world was far too cold for such sentiment.
However...
'I can't fathom what you're thinking.'
If he hated her that much, why insist on keeping her in this mansion?
And then, turn a blind eye as all manner of scorn and contempt lacerated her?
Ligrin recalled the moment he had placed his hand on Lucia's head.
Only for a moment, but Lucia's demeanor had changed slightly.
It was clearly...
'A reaction born of fear.'
A fear response elicited by a hand on her head required no further speculation.
'Violence must have occurred out of sight as well.'
All of it had transpired under the Duke's neglect.
He was a lord he served with loyalty, but he couldn't understand it at all.
There was something else he couldn't understand either.
'What is family to her?'
Even as she was being ignored to such an extent, Lucia, still calling them family and clinging to the Duke, was equally incomprehensible to him.
'Pathetic.'
The sight was so pathetic in Ligrin's eyes.
Was she incapable of learning?
Did she have no sense at all?
If it were him, he wouldn't even glance at a family that didn't acknowledge him.
'Is she pure, or just plain stupid?'
He had thought. But...
'...Her aura seemed a little different.'
From yesterday until bringing her here today.
Lucia exuded a subtle, peculiar aura.
She smiled innocently, but there was no vulnerability.
Her red eyes seemed to pierce right through his mind.
'Luring me here as well...'
Of course, he knew it was absurd.
Until recently, Lucia had just smiled vacantly at the Rodebel family, who ignored her.
Even when Banshees tormented her, even when the Duke disregarded her, she would just laugh like a fool, saying it was okay, but there was no way she could change overnight.
The fact that he had been ensnared by Lucia's scheme and brought her here with his own hands was just his imagination.
"..."
But was it really just his imagination?
The way she looked him straight in the eye and said her name was 'Lucia', was that really his delusion?
'Maybe she was hiding her true self.'
If that was really the case, why reveal her true colors now?
He had been so sure he understood Lucia completely, but now he realized he knew nothing about her.
Just as he was thinking that,
"Ligrin."
"...!"
Ligrin snapped back to attention at the sudden sound of his name and looked forward.
The Duke had been staring at him for some time now.
'Damn it...'
To be lost in thought in front of the Duke.
A mistake he would never make in his usual state.
'I've become an idiot myself.'
Mentally berating himself, Ligrin quickly responded.
"Yes, Master."
The Duke, who had been silently observing him, said quietly.
"She asked to be disowned."
Although there was no subject, he knew immediately who had said it.
Ligrin asked back with wide eyes.
"Disowned... you say?"
"Yes."
The Duke nodded indifferently.
The gesture was so casual that Ligrin almost doubted he had heard correctly.
"What do you think?"
However, Ligrin confirmed that he had not misheard with the following question.
'What do I think? Well...'
"..."
Ligrin, who had always provided swift and clear answers, found it difficult to give an immediate answer this time.
Disowned?
The word didn't suit Lucia, who yearned for family affection more than anyone.
But if she had uttered 'disowned' despite that, it meant...
"She has given up on... living here, I believe."
Exhausted. Worn down.
Ligrin couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
Because the person who had exhausted and worn her down was right in front of him.
In fact, he was worried about his own answer.
It could be interpreted as criticizing the Duke.
But.
"I see."
The Duke nodded indifferently, without any sign of displeasure.
As if he hadn't really asked because he was curious.
As if he just needed confirmation.
Ligrin waited for the Duke to say more, but after several minutes, the Duke said nothing.
Since there was no order to leave, Ligrin merely stood silently before him.
After a long while.
"Move Lucia's room."
Ligrin looked at him in surprise at the unexpected order.
However, the Duke was not looking at Ligrin at all.
His gaze had been fixed on the documents since earlier.
Or, was it?
'Is it just my imagination?'
It seemed like he had been looking at the same page for quite some time.
But Ligrin decided not to dwell on it too deeply.
It wasn't his place to do so.
"Where shall we move it to?"
Ligrin asked cautiously.
Lucia's current room was the attic of the main building.
It had been chosen because the Rodebel brothers couldn't bear to share the same space as Lucia, so they had selected an attic where their eyes and feet couldn't reach.
'Surely he's not going to send her to the detached house?'
He might be resentful that she had dared to ask to be disowned and was going to banish her to the detached house.
If that was the case, Ligrin wondered what to do.
That was because.
'The detached house in winter is hell.'
The Rodebel mansion had more than ten detached houses in addition to the main building.
It was a serious waste to keep all the detached houses warm throughout the winter, so buildings that were not frequently used were closed when the weather turned cold.
The main building was kept warm throughout using magic, so the attic was not cold, but if she were banished to the detached house, she would likely freeze to death.
No, she would die.
They couldn't keep an entire building warm just for Lucia.
'If he really intends to send her to the detached house...'
He couldn't question the Duke's decision, but he could express his concern.
Even he wouldn't want Lucia to die.
However-
"Move her to a room on the third floor."
The answer that came back completely deviated from his concerns.
"The third floor... you say?"
"Yes."
The Duke affirmed nonchalantly.
However, his statement was definitely not as nonchalant as it seemed now.
'To give her a room on the third floor...'
The main building of the Rodebel mansion had a total of four floors.
The building was so large and spacious that there was no need to build it any higher.
The first floor contained common areas such as the dining room, hall, and reception room.
The second floor contained private spaces such as the head of the family's office and the Rodebel family's bedrooms.
And the third floor had guest rooms where visitors stayed.
Above that were the storerooms and the servants' quarters.
But now the Duke was telling them to give Lucia a guest room on the third floor.
'They're just called guest rooms, but...'
The guests who could stay at Rodebel were dignitaries such as royalty or foreign nobles.
Because those were the kind of people who stayed there, the rooms on the third floor were as spacious and luxurious as the rooms on the second floor.
But the Duke's orders didn't end there.
"Furthermore, from this moment on, if anyone speaks carelessly about Lucia."
Clack.
The Duke put down his pen and gave Ligrin a firm order.
"They will be punished in the name of Rodebel. Notify all the mansion's servants immediately."
A series of inexplicable orders followed. But one thing was clear.
Lucia had changed something in this room.
What on earth had she done to make the Duke's attitude change so much?
Filled with questions, Ligrin bowed to the Duke.
"I will obey your command."
And immediately left the room.
Even after he left, the Duke's documents remained untouched for a long time.
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