"Penelois, if you believe in me, leave it to me. I know Aunt's most terrifying secret." "......I'll believe you."
Penelois knew how cruel Eleon could be when he had those eyes. It was at this time that she realized that Eleon was indeed a member of the Imperial family.
"Then I'll do it right. Don't ever let our Elexa talk about it again." "Yes, leave it to me. I can do a really good job."
Eleon blushed and nodded his head as if he had never laughed in silence. Penelois patted his cheek like a lady encouraging a knight on the verge of battle. Then Eleon rubbed his cheek on her palm and made an enraptured look.
"And I have to thank Countess Millen-nim too......"
Penelois looked at the video crystal ball that Eleon was watching and said.
"We got a lot of help from her." "That's right."
Eleon recalled Sarah Millen and Claude from the Ambrosia mansion. The warm and friendly atmosphere he felt at that time was something he wanted to make Elexa feel someday, even though he couldn't do that. When he realized the reality, he silently swore it in his mouth.
"I didn't know she was a magician, though."
Eleon could now understand why the Emperor paid so much attention to Countess Millen. This was the reason why even though the Second Prince and the Third Prince were almost seriously injured at a party hosted by the Imperial family, it was quietly passed over by Countess Millen and Ambrosia. The Emperor knew that Sarah Millen was a magician.
'I don't think Brother Ilior knows......'
A pleasant smile formed on Eleon's lips. He had already finished talking to Duke Ambrosia. Let's make Claude and Elexa friends. He couldn't believe that Claude's nanny was a magician. There would be many hardships before Elexa was recognized as a member of the royal family, but the existence of Claude and Sarah Millen would be of great help to Elexa. Of course, it would have helped the Third Prince, Eleon himself.
"Thanks to Elexa, I made a good kite." "If you know it now, let's be friends with her from now on. She's my benefactor, but she's someone who can be of great help to you before that."
"That’s true."
Eleon put his hands together as if he had been touched by Penelois, who was worried about his future.
"I'll do whatever you tell me to do."
* * *
"Ahaha! Claude-nim! Wait!" "Nanny did it first!"
The clear laughter of Claude and Sarah echoed outside the window. Today, transparent and clear water droplets were floating in the air in large chunks throughout the garden. Sarah and Claude were catching the water droplets and tossing them at each other.
"Aargh! I’m all wet!" "You can dry it again!" "Sarah-nim, please dry me too!" "Where!"
Among them were May and Ronda. May was heavily attacked by Ronda, and then hurriedly hid behind Sarah.
"Oh my, do you think you could hide from me?"
Sarah, who was sorry for her, grabbed May by the shoulders and pushed her in front of Ronda.
"Heok, Sarah-nim. Wait, argh!"
A chunk of water droplets thrown by Ronda hit May's face and exploded.
"Ahaha! May is all wet!"
Then Claude smiled brightly and approached May, who looked like a wet mouse. He squeezed her drooping skirt, and the water dripped down. In the midst of all this, May clasped her heart as she saw Claude trying to knit her clothes with his little hands.
"Thank you......, Claude-nim."
May, with her face dripping with water, was tormented with a sense of remorse. As she watched it, Sarah snapped her fingers and dried her in one breath so that May could be dry.
"I'm still going to play a little more."
Then when she flicked her fingers again, azure magic spread through the air. Everyone stared blankly at the sight of the sparkling and mysterious magic gathering in a circle and becoming transparent droplets of water.
"Now, then. Are you ready to play again, Claude-nim?" "Eung!"
Claude nodded his head broadly with his eyes shining, and Sarah smiled like the sunlight as she looked at Claude.
"......"
It was now a habit that Ethan looked into the garden through the office window to see that face. Jade approached Ethan, who was looking out the window with a subtle smile on his lips, and said,
"They're having a good time today, Countess Millen-nim and Claude-nim." "They always are." "Is it okay to use magic like that?" "Sarah said it was okay, so we have to believe it, what can we do?"
Ethan let out a small sigh and looked back to the window. He was relieved to see Sarah playing under his gaze. Sarah was very faithful to her promise to Ethan. Because she always enjoyed walking with Claude in the garden overlooking his office.
"It's good to see her like this though."
One day, she brought a table and had tea time, and another day, she sat on the lawn with Claude and fell asleep while reading a book together. One day, she called in her disciples and nagged them, and another day, she embodied mysterious magic and taught them magic. Even now, looking down through the office window, he could easily make eye contact with Sarah, who was looking up at him.
"Ack, Duke-nim!"
Feeling Ethan's gaze, Sarah sometimes waved at him like this, and each time his mood skyrocketed.
"......"
His mouth relaxed and a gentle smile formed. As he waved a little to Sarah, she smiled brightly and grabbed Claude in a flashy embrace. Then she whispered something to Claude, and the child looked at Ethan and waved his hands broadly.
"Haha."
Eventually, a small laugh escaped between his lips. Sarah smiled proudly as if she had heard it. Jade, who was looking out the window together behind Ethan, murmured blankly.
"......Really a beautiful person." "Sir." "Yes?" "Let’s work." "Ack, yes."
Jade, who had been absent-minded for a moment, was startled by Ethan's hoarse voice and returned to his place. He just realized that he was unknowingly sneaking forward and looking out the window side by side with Ethan.
"......Fu."
Ethan sighed a little and looked out the window one last time. Sarah and Claude still looked this way, and stretched out their necks as if they were waiting for Ethan to see them. Then when they met Ethan's eyes, Sarah and Claude stamped their feet as if they liked it.
"Duke-nim! Can you see us well?" "Father! I'm having fun!" "Ask him to play with you, Claude-nim." "Play with me! It's fun!"
Even though he asked Jade to work, Ethan could hardly take his eyes off the window. He waved to Sarah and Claude, then opened the window and talked, and struggled to refuse to play with him before he could see Jade again.
"......Did you like it?" "I did indeed."
Jade's voice smeared with a very slight resentment, but Ethan lightly ignored it.
"Let's listen to what we heard earlier." "Do you remember what I reported to you the other day that there was an unknown veil in the Alton Estate where the First Prince was staying? The informant who was dispatched posted the report." "What did you say?" "It seems that humans cannot come out from the inside as well as come in from the outside. All nearby plants died, and the animals that touched the veil also died in agony. It has been confirmed that only monsters can come and go freely in the veil." "......" "It is said that the sky is dark and the weather is gloomy. The residents of the neighboring estates are trembling in fear."
As Jade continued to report, Ethan's face gradually hardened.
"My Lord, this is probably...…, magic." "I suppose so."
There was only one person that came to mind when he heard of this situation. His head was throbbing at the thought of telling Sarah this fact. If she looked at the disciple who was doing something that she couldn't protect now, no matter how strong Sarah was, she would eventually get hurt.
"And it seems that we can no longer stop the news from going to the Imperial family. It is only a matter of time before the Emperor finds out, as the news of the First Prince and the nobles who were expelled to Alton Estate have been cut off." "Surely the Emperor will find Sarah. Severe everything that could be a link between him and Sarah." "Yes, I'll take care of it right away."
Ethan tapped the desk with his finger for a moment, pondering. When this incident spread to the nobles as well as the Imperial family, it was difficult for the Emperor to start looking for Sarah. He had to cut off all possible connections between Alton Estate and Sarah. One way or another, the Emperor would try to put Sarah in her debt and covet her power.
"Tell the Second Prince and the Third Prince. Without a good cause, Ambrosia can't give up Sarah Millen." "Yes. And what about the invitations the Second Prince sent to Countess Millen-nim?"
A fishy smile formed on Ethan's lips at Jade's question. Then he replied with a firm voice as if he didn't need to worry.