“Your Grace, are you really planning to entrust it to her?”
Bey, Duke Schweiss’s aide, watched his master with concern. The Duke had spent the entire day fixated on the broken eagle pendant. He’d already heard that the young lady who had visited the ducal estate some time ago had offered to repair it.
The aide found it difficult to believe. Has the ducal family not already done everything they could? They had searched for anyone skilled in magic or stone craftsmanship, not only in the Magic Tower but throughout the entire continent.
However, they all came to the same conclusion. The core of the recording stone was already damaged beyond repair, making restoration impossible. So what could that young lady possibly do to fix it?
Bey’s sigh grew heavier as he watched Duke Schweiss. Ever since that day, the Duke was unable to focus on anything else. Bey was afraid that the hope the Duke had placed in her would be crushed.
Why would someone who is so reluctant to trust others believe in her?
The aide was very confused. He was never given any explanation about Duke Schweiss’s relationship with Ceres.
“What if the pendant breaks...”
It was the last keepsake of his younger brother, something the Duke had held onto for a long time. What if it was damaged even further during the attempt to restore it?
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Pardon?”
“Even if it breaks.”
Duke Schweiss’s gaze fell back on the pendant. He’d kept it for over twenty years and never been able to let go of it. This pendant was the only thing left connecting him to his late brother.
“It might be a good opportunity.”
An opportunity to finally say goodbye to that child...
Knock. Knock.
At the sound of a knock, a servant entered the room. After bowing, he announced that a guest had arrived. Soon after, Ceres appeared in the study where Duke Schweiss was waiting.
“Welcome.”
Ceres bowed to Duke Schweiss before turning to Bey, who stood beside him. She greeted him politely as well. Bey, who had been suppressing his sighs, returned the greeting.
“Sit here.”
“Yes.”
“Would you like some tea?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
At Duke Schweiss’s nod, the maid nearby prepared the tea and brought it over.
“A magic solution?”
“Yes.”
Ceres nodded and took out a small bottle from her pocket. Just like when she had restored Princess Nailia’s bracelet, the bottle contained nothing but ordinary water.
“A friend I knew a long time ago made it for me.”
They say the more you lie, the better you get at it. Even saying things like this feels natural now.
“I see.”
Duke Schweiss removed the necklace and handed it to Ceres. Watching her accept it so calmly, Bey couldn’t hide the uneasiness in his eyes.
Why are the two of you so calm about this?
Somehow, it felt like he was the only one worried about the situation. Another long sigh escaped from his lips.
Ceres looked at Bey curiously before opening the small bottle.
Plop.
The liquid inside the bottle dripped onto the pendant. Ceres rubbed the broken eagle, spreading the liquid across the surface.
“—!”
Bey’s eyes widened. The broken, dented eagle pendant was slowly returning to its original form.
It can actually be restored?
Watching the pendant become whole again, Duke Schweiss remained speechless for quite some time.
“Here.”
Ceres handed the necklace back to him.
“......”
Various emotions crossed Duke Schweiss’s face as he took it. The memory of the child’s bright smile when he first received the gift came back so vividly, as if the twenty years that had passed meant nothing.
Duke Schweiss gently ran his fingers over the eagle’s outstretched wings.
At that moment, a light shone from the eagle’s eyes. A transparent image appeared before him.
***
“Why is that kid so quiet?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think something happened?”
The two men looked at the child curled up in the corner. Even with his hands and feet bound and his eyes covered, the child hadn’t made a sound.
It has already been six days since the child was kidnapped and brought here, but not once did the kidnappers see the child scream or cry.
The child’s mouth wasn’t even covered. The place was deep within the forest, and soundproofing magic was placed around the area. There was no need to silence him.
I heard he’s only ten years old.
Wouldn’t anyone else have been trembling in fear by now?
Is it because he’s a Schweiss?
Carrying a few pieces of bread and some water, the man approached the child with a strange sense of curiosity. He removed the blindfold covering his eyes and untied the ropes around his hands.
“Eat.”
“......”
The child’s deep black eyes turned toward him. The masked man felt uneasy under that gaze and clicked his tongue. How could a child’s eyes be so intense? It was like they could see through everything.
A chill ran down his spine.
I was told never to mess with the Schweiss family.
They say the Schweiss family repays kindness tenfold and vengeance a hundredfold. But what choice did he have? When orders came from above, all he could do was obey.
“Do you think you’ll survive?”
“...Huh?”
For the first time, the child spoke. Still staring at him without moving those dark eyes, the child smiled faintly. The uneasy feeling returned once again.
“Do you really think you’ll get away with provoking the Schweiss family?”
“...Shut up and eat.”
“You’re scared.”
“......”
“You’re scared because you know you’ll be torn apart.”
“Shut up.”
“Everyone close to you will die.”
“Shut up.”
“Not even your flesh will remain once the winds tear you apart.”
“You brat...”
“It would be a blessing if you died right now, but my father and brother won’t let you off that easily. You’ll die in agony, unable to even scream—”
Thud!
The man finally lost control and kicked the child in the stomach. The child only coughed dryly, not even letting out a groan. Seeing that, the man’s face twisted with even more disgust.
“Cough... Fine. Take out your anger while you still can.”
“Shut up! Shut up! If you say another word, I’ll tear that mouth apart...”
“They say people tend to get louder when they’re afraid.”
“You brat! Who said I’m afraid? Do you think ‘Mirror’ is an organization you can look do—”
“Oi!”
“—!”
The man, who was recklessly spewing words fueled by fear and anger, froze at his companion’s urgent shout. Only then did he realize what he had done. Revealing the organization’s name during a mission was absolutely forbidden.
“.......”
The moment the child heard the name ‘Mirror,’ he fell silent. It was as if the vicious words he’d spoken moments ago had never happened. He simply curled back up in the corner, his lips tightly shut.
“That son of a..!”
The sight only enraged the man further. He strode toward the child.
Thud! Thud!
His kicks continued without pause. A small groan finally escaped the child’s lips, but the man only kicked harder.
Clang.
Something around the child’s neck fell to the floor. It was a small eagle-shaped pendant.
“Damn it!”
Didn’t we search him properly? How did something like this get past us?
The man slammed his foot down on the pendant. For the first time, fear appeared on the child’s face. While biting his lip tightly, the child reached out and covered the pendant with his hand.
“You brat!”
The child’s reaction only seemed to anger him further, and he stomped down on the child’s hand as well.
But even as the skin on the back of his hand split open and unbearable pain shot through him, the child never let go of the pendant.
“Oi, that’s enough.”
His companion finally stopped him. The man, who had been beating the child without restraint, finally caught his breath and stepped back. However, his face was still twisted with rage.
As if trying to hide the fear he’d felt after the child’s words earlier, he continued muttering curses.
“You’re going to kill him anyway! What’s wrong with beating him a little?”
“We haven’t received any orders from above yet. If you touch him without permission, you’ll have to answer for it.”
The man glared at the child one last time, spat on the floor, and walked out.
His companion followed behind him. Looking back at the child collapsed on the floor, blood dripping from his injuries, he slowly shook his head.
What child could be this tough...
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