Time Healer Ceres

He looked exactly like what Duke Schweiss would look like with a few more wrinkles and a little more gray in his hair.

Unable to stand the heavy atmosphere any longer, Duchess Elkein jabbed her friend in the ribs.

“Haha, Uncle. It’s been four years.”

“......”

Duke Nora tried his best to lighten the mood and start a conversation, but only silence answered him. Harua glanced at Duke Nora and Duchess Elkein and let out a long sigh. At last, he slowly spoke.

“You two haven’t changed a bit.”

“Haha, we’re still the same as ever.”

“Still no plans to get married, I take it.”

“.....”

At the mention of marriage, Duke Nora and Duchess Elkein both lowered their heads.

Ah, this is exactly why I wanted to pack up and leave. Every time we meet, it’s the same lecture.

“You’re not worried about an heir—”

“Is that really all you have to say after four years?”

“......”

Duke Schweiss cut him off. At his son’s cold stare, Harua’s expression hardened as well.

“Don’t you care about your families? You’re supposed to be the heads of ducal houses.”

“We’ll take care of it ourselves.”

“And how exactly? You’re all old enough to be married, yet you have neither a spouse nor a child. What do you expect to happen?”

The three dukes sighed in unison, thinking, Not this again.

Harua had been giving them the same lecture every time they met. Somehow, not a single word of it had changed since their last meeting four years ago. That was actually impressive.

“We can just adopt a son or daughter as our heir.”

“...Adopt?”

Harua’s brow furrowed. He had expected this sooner or later.

After watching them refuse to marry for so long, he’d known the subject of adoption would eventually come up. It was the only way to keep the ducal houses going.

In the end, he could only let out a long, resigned sigh.

Still, I suppose that’s better than nothing. The vassals used to bring up adoption, but the dukes wouldn’t even listen.

“So, is there already a child you have in mind?”

As far as Harua knew, there were no children in the direct line suitable for adoption. Would they have to look into the collateral branches instead? Who was there again?

They couldn’t choose someone from a branch that was too distant. The elemental powers passed down exclusively to the head of the family might not be inherited properly. To pass those powers down in full, the child needed to share enough of the family’s blood.

Of course, none of them were likely to care about any of that...

“Yes, I do.”

“I have someone in mind.”

“There’s a child who’s perfect.”

Harua’s eyes narrowed as the three of them nodded with unusual confidence. Whenever they looked like that, they were usually up to something.

“I see. Who is it? Someone I know?”

Harua tried to suppress his growing unease. They were old enough now. Surely, they wouldn’t do something as reckless as they used to.

“This child.”

“My Ceres.”

“This one.”

He had to take that thought back immediately.

“...That child?”

Once again, Harua was reminded that getting older hadn’t changed these three in the slightest.

“...Me?”

Ceres, who had been quietly sipping her tea, looked up to find all three of them pointing at her. Her eyes widened.

The three dukes looked just as confused, each giving the others a look that said, Why are you pointing at Ceres?

When Ceres mentioned that she planned to leave the headship of House Drow to her younger brother, Antonian, the three of them had all reached the same conclusion.

Then Ceres should be my heir.

That was what they had been thinking.

“What are you three doing?”

Harua sighed heavily.

“How can one person inherit three ducal houses? Are you seriously thinking of merging them?”

Harua clicked his tongue, looking very exasperated.

The three dukes, who had been glaring at one another just moments ago, suddenly exchanged a look.

...Merge the three ducal houses?

...And give them to Ceres?

...Not a bad idea.

“We’ll have to convince the vassals first.”

“Right.”

“We should come up with a good reason to merge the three houses, too.”

Instead of taking Harua’s words as a scolding, the three dukes took them seriously and soon had their heads together, already working out how to make it happen.

“......”

Harua watched them and pressed his brow, as though a headache were coming on.

These three really are getting younger with age.

Fools.

Do they think the ducal houses are toys? They can’t just merge them and hand them over!

For the first time, Harua found himself envying his old friends, the former dukes who had passed away without ever having to see this.

***

“So, you’re from House Drow.”

“Yes.”

After sending the three troublemakers outside, Harua had Ceres stay behind. There was something he wanted to talk to her about.

Tsk.

The three were still lingering outside the drawing room, apparently worried about what he might say. Sensing their presence, Harua quietly shook his head.

I should’ve kicked those three out of the ducal houses ages ago.

But plenty of people actually trust and follow them. That’s the only reason he couldn’t.

“I’ve heard about you.”

Harua studied Ceres more closely as she sat before him. Her deep, calm violet eyes were strikingly mature for someone who had yet to reach twenty. He was impressed.

What were her parents like again?

He had met them only once, a long time ago. They had come with those three and said they were friends from the Academy...

...They were carefree.

Yes, carefree. He still remembered how they had smiled so innocently and brightly, even among those three eccentric personalities. It had left quite an impression on him.

“So, you repaired the pendant.”

The last keepsake Ren left behind. Harua had done everything he could to have it repaired, but in the end, he had gotten nowhere.

But this girl managed to fix it.

When Harua first heard that news, along with the fact that he could finally see the recording inside the pendant, he felt all the strength drain from his body. It was what he had wanted for so long...

And yet, now that it had finally been restored, he couldn’t bring himself to rush over and watch it.

I just... couldn’t.

His jaw tightened.

Although he hadn’t seen the recording yet, he already knew who was behind the child’s death.

Marquis Merial. The child was kidnapped and killed on his orders...

“Haa...”

Harua slowly unclenched his fists and looked at Ceres again.

“Thank you.”

That was why he had asked to speak with her alone. He lowered his head. It was the first time he had ever bowed to anyone other than the Emperor.

“I’ll repay you. I promise.”

She had achieved what the family had longed for. He would repay her no matter what it took, even if he had to give her everything he had.

But...

“As for inheriting the ducal house...”

That was different. He could give her the family’s entire fortune, but handing over House Schweiss wasn’t something he could decide lightly.

From the way those three had acted earlier, they weren’t joking. They really intended to adopt Ceres and hand the ducal house over to her.

House Schweiss was one of the Empire’s guardian families. It couldn’t simply be handed over because of a personal connection.

“Of course, it’s ultimately up to the current head, but—”

“I don’t want it.”

“Hmm?”

“I have no intention of inheriting it.”

I wouldn’t take it even if they paid me.

Ceres had said nothing during the three dukes’ conversation earlier, but only because she had been too stunned to speak.

Why would I inherit a ducal house?

She didn’t even want to inherit the barony. That’s why she was working so hard to raise her little brother. And now they wanted her to take a duchy?

Are they kidding me?

Why would she take on something twice as troublesome as a barony?

“.....”

Harua was speechless for a moment at Ceres’s firm refusal.

I mean, I’m glad she understands, but...

...Why does this feel so strange?

It feels like my ducal house just got rejected...

Ceres shot him a look that made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the ducal house. Harua was left completely speechless.

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