IVFV 09

Chapter 09

A stiff, awkward tension hung thick in the air.

The servants carrying the dishes barely dared to breathe, afraid they might make a mistake.

The dining hall of the Langshus Count’s estate.

Seated at the head of the table was a man whose presence felt entirely out of place.

It was Lucius.

Lumina, seated near him, glanced subtly around the room.

The dining hall, lively for the first time in a while, was packed with relatives whose faces she barely recognized.

Unlike the rigid, nervous servants, the relatives chattered nonstop.

Among them were her aunt, Teresa Valles, and her maternal uncle, Joseph.

“Does the food suit your palate? The head chef in charge of the Langshus main house once worked at the imperial palace. His skills are exceptional. Even I sometimes can’t forget the taste of the dishes here—”

“Lumina.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“How is it?”

Lucius cut Joseph off mid-sentence and addressed Lumina instead.

Cough.

The spoonful of soup she had just taken nearly caught in her throat.

Barely managing to recover, Lumina beamed brightly.

“It’s delicious! Very much so.”

In truth, she couldn’t tell what it tasted like.

“And does it suit your taste, Your Grace?”

“It’s passable.”

Passable—didn’t that basically mean it wasn’t good?

Not only Lumina but the relatives seemed to think the same. Their faces paled as they quickly signaled the servants to change the dishes.

As the storm in the silence swept by, Lucius remarked indifferently,

“You’re not eating well.”

“Pardon? I am! Look.”

Lumina demonstrated by taking three consecutive spoonfuls of soup.

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

It went down like water.

At first glance, she looked like she was eating enthusiastically—but Lucius was right.

Until he had spoken to her, she had been stirring the soup with a silver spoon, wondering if someone had slipped something into it.

After experiencing death, Lumina had grown reluctant to eat at all.

When? Who? How?

There was no one in this house on her side.

Which meant she had to protect herself. She had no choice but to remain constantly vigilant.

Surely they wouldn’t poison Endymion.

With that thought, she had eaten a few of the gift cookies Endymion received.

Those cookies counted as the most she had eaten in a single meal recently.

They had been unbearably sweet and not to her taste, but still.

While hiding these circumstances and diligently eating, the bottom of her bowl soon began to show.

“By the way, Lumina, how did you come to know the Duke?”

“Was he acquainted with your birth mother?”

Finding Lucius difficult to breach, the relatives shifted their target.

To Lumina.

They had subtly avoided her until now, but things were different if the Duke of Hart was involved.

Their eyes gleamed red with ambition, eager to coax the naïve child and somehow forge a connection with the ducal house.

Glance.

Fully aware of this, Lumina subtly checked Lucius’s expression.

Then the previously impassive Lucius spoke.

“I am her guardian.”

“Is that truly so?!”

Joseph’s voice rose sharply.

He seemed to sense something was going awry.

He wasn’t the only one. Lumina’s aunt Teresa stepped forward.

“A guardian so suddenly? We heard nothing of this from the late Count and Countess.”

A faint edge colored her tone.

It seemed she hadn’t yet decided whether the Duke of Hart’s appearance would be a blessing or a disaster.

In contrast, Lucius remained composed.

“She is a child who could become my ward at any time, in any manner. She’s so clever that, given permission, I’d even consider marrying her to my son.”

…Excuse me?

What about your son’s opinion?

No, before that—what about mine?

No one consulted me?

The completely unannounced declaration nearly made Lumina drop her spoon.

Clang—

The sound of cutlery striking marble rang loudly.

‘Don’t tell me… was that me?’

No.

A relative she didn’t recognize had dropped theirs, their grip apparently loosening.

Most likely, they felt much the same as Lumina.

“Hoho, our Lumina is indeed such a lovely child. So polite and well-mannered.”

Trying to salvage the situation quickly, Teresa forced a smile—though calling Lumina “well-mannered” seemed to strain her teeth.

‘At this rate she’ll crack a molar. I almost hope she does.’

It was only a fleeting moment.

But Lumina didn’t miss it and indulged the thought.

“She’s strong, persistent, and without a single flaw.”

Her cheek must have hurt quite a bit from being struck earlier. It still did.

Words rarely used to praise a child slipped out as Teresa’s true feelings.

“I fully understand why such a bright child would catch Your Grace’s interest. However, Lumina has only recently lost her parents.”

Since when had she become “our Lumina”?

Lumina found Teresa’s repeated use of the phrase irritating.

“Given the circumstances, as relatives we must approach this cautiously—”

“Since when has the House of Hart become a family swayed by a few words from outsiders?”

Lucius elegantly drove his fork into the table.

Crack—

He hadn’t seemed to exert much force, yet the fork embedded itself cleanly.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned vicious.

“Do I appear to belong to such a despicable house that I would take in a young child to do her harm?”

“T-That’s not what I meant!”

Realizing her slip of the tongue, Teresa hastily denied it.

The woman who had been cruel beyond measure before Lumina had no choice but to soften before the Duke of Hart.

Fortunately, Lucius quickly lost interest in Teresa. There was another matter to address.

“As her guardian, it is my duty to learn what kind of environment my ward has grown up in. After the meal, may I be shown around?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“For tea afterward, I would prefer it be held in your room.”

Flinch.

Most of the relatives, who knew exactly how Lumina had grown up, stiffened.

“Touring the bedroom of a young girl—particularly one so young—is rather…”

“I don’t mind!”

Lumina seized the opportunity.

“Though it may seem quite shabby to Your Grace. If you don’t find that uncomfortable, I have no objections.”

She smiled brightly—so brightly that no trace of abuse could be seen.

“If there’s anything lacking, it’s entirely my fault. So there’s nothing to be ashamed of!”

“So she says.”

Lucius agreed in a tone that brooked no opposition.

‘Lumina, that cunning little…!’

Gnash.

Teresa ground her teeth softly.

She did not like Lumina.

One reason was that Lumina closely resembled her birth mother.

Her birth mother had adored Teresa’s younger brother to a degree that watching her had sent chills down Teresa’s spine.

Though Lumina merely resembled her in appearance, Teresa’s evaluation of her had grown harsh.

‘No. Not just her looks—her temperament resembles her mother’s as well.’

She had been a child who, upon her parents’ death, uttered words like serves them right.

Teresa could not possibly view her kindly.

‘And that Joseph—coming belatedly and daring to eye the Langshus estate. I don’t like that either.’

Though the funeral had long since ended, Teresa remained firmly planted at the estate for one reason: to manipulate the Langshus house through Endymion.

‘I’ve been short on money lately and had my eye on a new business venture. The timing couldn’t be better.’

Since Endymion’s maternal family were commoners, they wouldn’t have the audacity to demand a share of the fortune.

Having calculated everything, Teresa believed all that remained was persuading Endymion.

But as matters progressed, Lumina’s presence became a major obstacle.

Joseph seemed to think similarly, attempting to persuade Lumina as well.

As factions subtly formed, Teresa found the situation increasingly troublesome.

‘That bloodline only gets in the way. They should just take some money and disappear.’

The Duke of Hart suddenly declaring himself Lumina’s guardian was no different.

It would have been perfect if the meeting ended with him becoming a favorable connection.

But there was a problem.

‘If that girl reports the abuse to the Duke…’

The one who had directly abused Lumina was her now-deceased stepmother.

But Teresa had known everything and turned a blind eye.

Worried the blame might fall on her, Teresa decided to act personally.

After the meal, Lucius took a walk around the Langshus estate.

Naturally, the relatives trailed behind him like fish following their keeper.

They were still desperate to strike up a conversation, but his defenses were impenetrable.

Thanks to that, Lumina walked beside Lucius, chatting lightly as the relatives served as little more than background scenery.

Their final destination was Lumina’s attic room.

“Is this a dressing room? Or perhaps a playroom?”

“No. It’s my bedroom.”

Upon hearing her answer, Lucius failed to hide his displeasure.

“The estate is hardly small. Is there truly no proper room for a child as tiny as you?”

“Oh my, Lumina.”

The very situation Teresa had feared unfolded.

Before Lumina could speak, Teresa stepped forward.

“Your Grace, as I understand it, this is a room for punishment. She has a separate bedroom.”

“A punishment room?”

“When a child fails to behave, you see. It’s a place she’s sent to briefly.”

“……”

“I understand she’s excited that the Duke of Hart has offered to become her guardian, but lying that this is her room just to gain attention—now that’s not right, Lumina.”

With the same excuse the stepmother had once used, Teresa gently scolded her.

‘So in the end, it’s my fault again.’

Naturally shifting all blame onto Lumina.

When Lumina remained silent, Teresa smiled in satisfaction.

“Where is the dressing room?”

“The dressing room is, of course—”

Once again, Teresa was about to answer.

“Pfft.”

A short burst of laughter echoed through the room.