Chapter 149

Laura von Adelheit walked with a dissatisfied expression. Beside her were Chloe and Elin, who usually didn’t walk together with her.

“Hmm… Is this the place?”

“…It’s a bit somber.”

Given the location, the normally lively voices of Chloe and Elin were reduced to hushed whispers. Laura’s dissatisfaction was not solely because of that.

“…Father.”

“…Hmm?”

At Laura’s curt call, Maximilian von Adelheit, Laura’s father who had been walking ahead, turned his head to look back.

“What’s the matter, Laura?”

“Why did you suddenly bring us to a place like this? And why are these two with us…?”

The humid air of the late summer combined with the drizzling monsoon rain made the weather even more undesirable for walking outside.

Although all the classes scheduled for today had been canceled, leaving her with no particular plans… that didn’t mean she wanted to step outside through the damp rain.

Moreover, the man who had brought her out, the Duke of Adelheit, who had been cold towards her until recently and still didn’t evoke much warmth in her feelings, was hardly a reason to want to be outside.

– Drip, drop.

“Haah… Seriously…”

At the sound of the heavy raindrops hitting the umbrella, Laura unbeknownst to herself narrowed her brows. Growing up with strict education, she tried her best not to show her low spirits, but she wasn’t mature enough to hide her expressions.

Whether he found her awkward demeanor adorable or not, even though the Duke of Adelheit was still in a cold standoff with Laura, he subtly smiled at her.

“Well… isn’t it okay? We met those two on the way, so having them accompany us isn’t bad.”

“…In truth, you’re interested in Chloe’s magic, aren’t you?”

“Ha ha… Was it that obvious?”

“Do I even need to say it?”

As Laura snorted and turned her head away, the Duke of Adelheit swallowed a bitter smile. Despite the weight of his accumulated karma, seeing Laura’s attitude still pained him.

“Laura. Still, make sure to get along with Chloe. She’s a child with remarkable magical talent.”

“Is that something you should say in front of a daughter who dreams of becoming a wizard?”

“Oh ho… Of course, she’s not better than our Laura. Ahem.”

“…I feel like I’m just being stomped on. Don’t talk to me. I feel worse.”

“Laura. Don’t just filter my advice out; listen to it carefully.”

As the Duke of Adelheit turned to look back, Laura followed suit. With a curious glint in her eyes, Chloe was looking around.

“She’s a pure child. In other words, she’s a child with pure, untainted magical energy.”

“…”

“Laura. I think of your future first and worry about it. So… this time, I can’t only tell you what you want to hear.”

The Duke’s expression was infinitely serious. It was the demeanor of a rational archmage, not a caring father.

“That child’s talent is real. Laura, your talent is sufficiently developed, but… what is complete and what is perfect is fundamentally different.”

“…What does that mean?”

“They say inspiration is transmitted from the divine. The most important thing in magic is inspiration that blends unlimited creativity with brilliant cleverness.”

In other words, it could be called the realm of talent.

Laura’s brows furrowed further at the Duke of Adelheit’s mutterings.

“That child has a mix of untainted purity and inspiration. It will still take time to refine that raw gem…”

“…”

“If she only blossoms with that magical talent, Laura… she might become a wizard ‘just slightly’ above your level.”

“Please stop with that ambiguous praise. It only makes me feel worse.”

“Oh ho… Don’t you understand a father’s heart trying not to let his daughter feel small?”

“I already feel small.”

With those words, the two members of the Adelheit family fell silent for a moment. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground and the umbrella sounded particularly loud.

“Haah…”

Eventually, it was Laura who broke the awkward silence.

“Alright. I’ll admit it. Last time, during the grade-by-grade duel, if Chloe hadn’t fainted, my defeat would’ve been correct.”

“Exactly. Keep striving, Laura. If you have any questions, feel free to ask anytime.”

“…I’ll handle it myself.”

Despite the Duke of Adelheit’s efforts to approach her more warmly, Laura still maintained her frigid demeanor. No matter how doting the Duke was towards his daughter, at this point, he would inevitably feel hurt.

“…Laura. Are you still angry?”

“Father. I won’t treat you like I used to until you atone for what you’ve done.”

“Indeed. That’s why I brought you here.”

At the Duke’s words, Laura looked around with a cold gaze. Grave markers surrounded them, with nothing but gravestones in sight.

“Father. That doesn’t answer the question I initially asked.”

“Didn’t you ask why we came here? My answer is, ‘to atone.’”

“…To visit the Imperial Royal Cemetery?”

The Duke of Adelheit nodded. It was still an answer shrouded in mystery.

To Laura, the Duke explained his reason in a low tone.

“This place is where the patriotic spirits who sacrificed their lives for the Empire rest.”

“…Patriotic spirits?”

“Correct. It is the resting place of the brave who risked their lives to protect the people of this country, this land, and this place.”

The Duke of Adelheit’s eyes sparkled. In that gaze, there was no trace of the cold, distant Duke he had once been.

Even a cold-blooded, extreme utilitarian like the Duke found his core shaken by the words that appealed to him with the life of the family he cherished the most.

“Soldiers who perished in the great war… are also buried here.”

“…”

“Yes. They are buried here…”

The Duke of Adelheit’s complexion darkened. Regret that comes too late is always painful, and it becomes increasingly so the later it arrives.

For some reason, the Duke’s appearance didn’t seem insincere to Laura.

The Duke of Adelheit opened his mouth.

“I thought I must visit here at least once before it’s too late. I will come often from now on.”

“…That’s a lie.”

“It is no lie. Moreover, if we’re remembering the precious lives that fell for the Empire, Laura, wouldn’t it be good for you to come along too?”

“…You should have come with Professor Antorelli instead.”

“I intended to do so, but… for some reason, Professor Antorelli is absent today. Didn’t you visit the professor’s office together?”

Laura lost her words. She could have given a heads-up by meeting Professor Antorelli beforehand, but considering how it was only the day before yesterday that it was the weekend, it wouldn’t have been polite to visit so soon.

Laura couldn’t imagine that Professor Antorelli wouldn’t come to work today. Was he dealing with something that required attention, given how focused he usually was on academics?

Laura suddenly felt a desire to uncover every detail of Professor Antorelli’s movements.

‘What am I thinking…’

That thought faded quickly, but the fact that she had entertained it was already offensive. Shaking her head, she opened her mouth again with a curt expression.

“Everything is fine, but why today?”

“Lately, I’ve been very busy, and it hasn’t been easy to set aside time. Today too, I barely cleared my schedule… Is there a problem?”

“…It’s raining.”

“Ha ha… What a surprise for you to say that.”

The Duke of Adelheit chuckled and looked up at the overcast sky above, beyond the umbrella.

“Laura. A rainy day has a certain charm.”

“…”

“When it rains and the sky is dark and gloomy, with humidity creating fog… that atmosphere is something you can’t feel with any other kind of weather.”

“Charm? What charm?”

“Ha ha…”

Even Laura’s still curt demeanor seemed endearing in the Duke of Adelheit’s eyes. The two fell silent again, but the awkward atmosphere that had lingered before was no longer there.

“Oh! A statue!”

“Huh? Where?”

Spotting something, Chloe lit up with curiosity and pointed in the direction she was looking, while Elin turned to follow her finger. Laura’s gaze unconsciously followed theirs.

“That is…”

“Ah, they said they recently finished installing a statue, so it seems they placed it there.”

The Duke of Adelheit spoke casually. He had started mentioning the term ‘statue’ often recently, and it seemed that this statue referred to that.

As they walked closer, the distance between the four of them and the statue gradually shrank. The gravestones they had seen earlier were for others interred here, while it seemed the archway where the statue stood was designated to commemorate those lost in the great war.

“Oh…”

“Hmm…”

As they approached the statue, the meticulousness of its craftsmanship became even more apparent. Laura stole a glance at the statue and then quickly distanced herself from it.

“Let’s go.”

“No, we could at least look for a bit…”

“…That’s enough, let’s go. Hurry up.”

Though Chloe and Elin seemed eager to look more closely, Laura had no intention of paying them any mind.

Faced with Laura’s resolute demeanor, the Duke of Adelheit ultimately turned around. Chloe and Elin followed them, looking somewhat disappointed.

“I wanted to see a bit more… I couldn’t read what was written on the sign at all.”

“We can look again when we leave later.”

After walking for a while, the Duke of Adelheit appeared unhesitant in his steps, as if he had visited this place before.

“It seems you’ve been here before.”

“Yes. On the day the end of the war was declared, a funeral was held under the Imperial sponsorship. I remember coming here.”

Laura glanced over the neatly aligned gravestones passing by her feet. The gravestones, each engraved with different names, made her feel light-headed.

“This is just….”

“…Too many.”

Laura trailed off, and the Duke of Adelheit picked up the end of her sentence. As he said, the number of gravestones existing here was beyond imagination. It seemed endless.

At the Duke’s words, Chloe and Elin, who had been walking behind them, fell silent too. The four of them walked quietly through the downpour, surrounded by silence.

After walking for some time, suddenly—

– Priest Antorelli! Respond—!!

“…Huh?”

Laura’s head snapped up. If she hadn’t misheard, she was certain she had just heard the name ‘Priest Antorelli.’

“Did I just hear that right? Did they call Professor Antorelli’s name?”

“I heard it too.”

As if confirming that what Laura had heard was not simply a misperception, both Chloe and Elin reacted. Laura and the Duke of Adelheit locked eyes.

‘It’s not a misunderstanding.’

The two hurried their steps. Even as raindrops splashed against their pants, they increased their pace.

And at the very end of where they had walked…

“…Maybe I shouldn’t have met you after all.”

For some reason, a familiar face was kneeling in the rain, seemingly looking toward Laura.

“Pro-Professor…?”

Yes, it was Professor Antorelli.

“…Cough!”

With a violent cough, blood gushed onto the wet grass.

It was a dark crimson color, appearing sticky and difficult to wash away with rainwater.