ESL Chapter 54

Lea posed the one question that had remained most unresolved as she investigated Luciel. She could roughly understand the other circumstances. But what she couldn’t understand was why he had stood by and done nothing, even when it was plain as day to her that his uncle was trying to steal his position — something that was ultimately connected to his very life.

At her question, Luciel slowly turned his body and looked at her. Two beautiful pairs of eyes met in the air between them. And in his clear, emerald-colored eyes, Lea read his answer.

“…You didn’t care, did you? Whatever he did, however he treated you. You’re an idiot, aren’t you?”

As Lea’s crimson eyes flickered like flames, as if she were angry, Luciel smiled bitterly and opened his mouth.

“…Until recently, that was true. I was bound by something like a curse. I couldn’t do anything. Like an idiot, just as you said.”

“And now?”

“Now…..”

With an enigmatic smile playing on his lips, Luciel straightened up from where he’d been leaning and slowly approached Lea. He knelt down on one knee before her, gently took her right hand in both of his, and gazed up at her. His two eyes, set with emerald irises that called to mind the blue sea, were smiling softly up at her. His face was so breathtakingly beautiful that Lea found herself staring at him as though bewitched.

“The curse has been broken. By a princess’s kiss.”

He murmured softly and bowed his head, lightly pressing his lips to the back of her hand.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa — he’s seducing her. My lord is seducing Miss Lea!!! And with his looks, no less!!’

Berchel, who had been watching from nearby, was stunned. Who was Luciel Lucan Mihael? He was the legitimate heir of the Mihael Ducal House of the Kingdom of Teor — a man who lacked for nothing. On top of that, his appearance was so striking that people said the gods themselves had blessed him, which meant he was constantly on the receiving end of affections from countless women. And yet, despite that soft and beautiful face, he had a cold personality and was indifferent to others — hadn’t he wounded the hearts of so many noblewomen who had tried to get close to him?

‘He’s really gone and fallen all the way.’

Berchel was shaking his head, marveling that you never know with people, when he perked his ears up at Lea’s next words.

“Hmm… let’s be precise about this.”

Precise about what, exactly?

Luciel lifted his gaze to look at her. He hadn’t expected her to fall for it completely, but he’d thought she might waver just a little. But her eyes weren’t wavering — if anything, they were laughing, as if she found this amusing.

“I didn’t kiss you — you kissed me. I’m the victim. You’re the perpetrator. ‘A princess’s kiss,’ my foot.”

Watching Luciel’s expression crumple in an instant, Berchel couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. He could feel his lord’s glare burning into him, but there was simply no containing the laughter that was erupting out of him. He was practically rolling with it. Luciel shot him a murderous look, then stood up.

“You seem to have plenty of composure if you’re making jokes. Have you thought of something?”

Luciel smiled ruefully as he looked at Lea, who was still gazing at him with an utterly serene expression on her face, apparently not even having realized she’d been subjected to a seduction attempt.

Was she just oblivious… or had that particular sense simply gone dead in her?

‘Well. I suppose it doesn’t matter… If she’s oblivious, I’ll make her sensitive. If it’s gone dead, I’ll bring it back to life.’

Concealing his true thoughts and wrapping his dangerous smile in the packaging of a charming one, he looked at Lea and said gently:

“Whatever it may look like, I am the legitimate heir of the Mihael Ducal House. My uncle may think he has the dukedom in his grip, but that’s not necessarily so.”

“That’s right, my lady. While my lord refrained from fighting that man and stayed in the Kingdom of Hamel, there are still many within the House of Mihael who are devoted to him.”

Berchel, who just moments ago had been laughing and rolling around the room as if he intended to dust every corner of it, was now standing at Luciel’s side with a composed expression, as if nothing had happened at all. He could feel Luciel’s gaze trying to burn him alive, but Berchel maintained his most innocent face. It was the coping mechanism that years of experience had taught him — the only way to survive.

“So what are you going to do about the false charges? You’ll need to clear those first before you can move freely.”

Rape and murder. Just hearing the words made her feel sick. The fact that he’d pinned those words on his own nephew. Lea was thinking she’d like to land a proper punch on that man if she ever met him, when a knock came at the door.

“Miss Lea. It is Razen. May I come in?”

“Yes. Please enter.”

At Lea’s permission, the door opened and Razen and Ian came in. Ian bowed to Lea and then went straight to stand behind her, while Razen also greeted Lea first before turning his eyes to Luciel, who was standing beside her.

“You are awake. Young Lord Mihael. I am Razeor Pete, the Teor branch chief of the Kaien Ducal House’s Intelligence Division. Please call me Razen.”

Razen bowed his head in the noble courtesy, and Luciel nodded to receive it.

“I am Luciel Lucan Mihael. I am in your debt.”

“Any guest of my lady is a guest of ours. Please make yourself at ease.”

Razen straightened and turned his gaze back to Lea. And he spoke.

“My lady. Two new pieces of information have come in.”

“What is it?”

“First — it is said that next week, a council of elders will convene at the Mihael Ducal House. It appears that the agenda will likely include the matter of the Young Lord’s punishment and the stripping of his right of succession.”

As he spoke, Razen’s gaze briefly flicked to Luciel. Given the gravity of the matter, he was curious how he would react. But true to his reputation as the young lord with walls of iron, nothing could be read from his expression or his eyes. The one who reacted was, rather, Lea.

“Is it possible to strip the right of succession? As far as I know, there is no other legitimate heir to the Mihael Ducal House aside from Luciel.”

“That is correct. The Young Lord Mihael is the only legitimate heir. However, if the council of elders determines that the heir is incapable of continuing the family line, they may strip him of his right of succession and instead continue the house through a proxy heir — then transfer the succession rights to a child born of the legitimate heir once that child comes of age. This is the Mihael Ducal House’s established custom.”

“I see. So that’s why that man drugged Luciel with an aphrodisiac… In that case, the search will grow more intense now. He’ll need to get his hands on Luciel before the council of elders convenes, by any means necessary.”

“Precisely, my lady.”

Razen smiled with satisfaction at Lea’s words and bowed his head to her. He had come to genuinely like this beautiful and sharp-minded young lady as a future lord. Having watched her during the few days she’d spent here nursing Luciel, he could see that she was quick-minded and intelligent as befitting the heir of the Kaien Ducal House, and that her judgment and decisiveness were outstanding as well. She was not arrogant about her status, and she knew how to respect others as human beings regardless of their rank. Blood runs true, he thought, as Razen brought out the second piece of information.

“One more thing — there are others searching for Luciel besides Cheor Lucan Mihael.”

“Others searching… meaning it’s not just one person. Who are they?”

When Luciel’s previously closed lips parted and a question slowly emerged, Razen smiled as if he’d expected as much and answered.

“One is His Highness Crown Prince Lanster of the Kingdom of Teor, and the other is the Young Lord’s former aunt by marriage, Madam Goth. Is there anyone you need to meet?”

His former aunt? Luciel fell briefly into thought upon hearing the information Razen had delivered. He’d expected Lester to search for him, but his aunt was someone he’d never anticipated. A full year had passed since his aunt had divorced his uncle and left the dukedom, and yet not once in that time had she returned to the Ducal House or made any contact — despite how much Rosia had waited for her.

What reason could she possibly have for seeking him out now? Luciel’s mind turned rapidly. Knowing his uncle’s personality, if the man learned that his former wife was looking for Luciel at a time like this, he would never leave her be. And she surely knew that full well herself. Even so, the fact that she was willing to risk the danger and seek him out meant that there was something she absolutely had to tell him. And the probability was high that it was related to Rosia.

“I need to meet her.”

At Luciel’s quiet words, Lea’s gaze sitting beside him turned toward him.

“Who?”

“My aunt.”

Razen had been waiting for Luciel’s decision, and at his words — that he intended to meet Arhvina Norman Goth — Razen smiled and replied:

“In that case, it would be best to go quickly. It has been confirmed that this information was also obtained by the House of Mihael’s own intelligence division. By now, it has likely reached the ears of the acting Duke Mihael as well.”

“We must hurry, then.”

Luciel’s eyes cooled and settled like cold water. If his aunt knew anything at all, his uncle would never let her live. And he had no intention of standing by and letting his uncle kill anyone connected to him any longer. It was time, now, to reclaim his own place.

“Berchel — I need to meet Zender Kman of the Black Kavan. Pass the word: the priority is protecting the former Duchess, Arhvina Norman Goth, until I make contact.”

“Yes, my lord. They will move gladly.”

At the words Black Kavan, Berchel’s eyes sharpened with a keen light.