The world was filled with letters.
I forced my stiff neck to turn and looked at my older brothers.
Richmond was furrowing his brows at me.
“Are you okay, Erilot?”
[Divine Affinity Rate 38% -> (Temporary Change) 60%]
Balzac also wore a tense expression.
“Do you feel strange anywhere? Hmm?”
[‘Looks like she’s dazed. Should we show her to a doctor? If it’s due to divine waves, a healer... Wait, how do we bring a healer? I think permission from the local lord is needed to open the root of the Blessed Land, but this is the imperial capital, so would we need the emperor’s permission? That would be illegal. We can’t show her to a licensed healer? If the child knew it was illegal, she wouldn’t go to a healer who could get caught... Should we knock her out? Damn it! !#@[email protected] and !#[email protected]$...! I shouldn’t be this deeply involved. If the child gets hurt, whether Kainrod or Gaelrod, they’ll die by my hand...!’]
I shifted my gaze.
Ashlie was frowning and staring at me.
“Hey, young lady. Are you alright?”
[Recording magic device equipped.]
“Recording magic...?”
As I muttered, Ashlie flinched.
“Eh? What did you say?”
[‘How did she know? Is she a ghost or something!’]
What on earth was going on?
The letters didn’t only appear over people.
They appeared on trees too,
[Oak Tree, 41 years]
On insects,
[Firefly]
Even on stones,
[Rock]
Just like that, letters were visible everywhere.
I looked down at my own body with a puzzled expression.
[Erilot Astra (Yoo Hye-min)
Divine Affinity Rate 3% -> (Temporary Change) 77%]
I gasped.
‘I see!’
That Divine Affinity Rate was a numerical representation of the blessing’s strength!
Right now, my blessing was greatly enhanced, and because of that, I could see those letters.
My blessing was , which allowed me to know everything in the world.
I could read the state and thoughts not only of people but of inanimate things.
‘Then that [Recovery Complete] must mean...!’
I staggered to my feet and hurried over to the marquess’s wife.
Kainrod was calling out to his mother with a pale face.
“Mother...!!”
On Kainrod’s hand was a magical seal.
He seemed desperate to heal the marquess’s wife.
He urgently asked me,
“What’s going on? Mother isn’t breathing!”
‘She can’t be worse than this. It clearly says recovery complete.’
I sharply pulled Kainrod’s hand away as he was still pouring magic into her.
“What are you doing...!”
“Sister! Sister Selene!”
When I called, Selene hurried over.
“Please check on the Marquess Madilo’s wife.”
Ashlie, who had been trembling from the root’s aftereffects, looked at us.
“Marquess Madilo’s wife? That monster is the marquess’s wife?”
Because her whole body was covered in scales due to the magical illness, a stranger might think so.
My older brothers, Han Jihyeok, and Alexis also rushed over.
Selene rolled up her sleeves and placed her hand on the marquess’s wife’s solar plexus.
“I’m not a healer, so I can’t do proper treatment.”
“There’s no need to heal.”
“Then?”
“We just need to strengthen this wave flowing through her.”
Selene’s face was puzzled but soon she cautiously pushed divine power into her.
Then—
“...!”
“What, what is that!”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
It was no wonder— the filthy scales covering her body fell off all at once!
Selene was so surprised she stared at her own palm.
Kainrod looked at me in a daze.
“What’s going on?”
I sighed deeply and said,
“Selene’s blessing hastened the recovery time.”
“The marquess recovered from the magical illness itself, but it seems it took time for the hardened scales, caused by the corrupted magic, to shed.”
The marquess’s inability to breathe had apparently been because of those scales, as expected.
As soon as the scales fell off, her breath returned.
From the marquess’s closed lips came a faint voice.
“...In.”
“...”
“...How did your father shake you off... and bring me here...?”
The marquess, barely opening her eyes, looked at Kainrod.
“That man... must have been shouting with a thorn in his mouth...”
“...”
“Must have clawed at your chest all over...”
“Is that important...?”
Kainrod’s expression twisted painfully.
“I feel tortured just by watching... damn him.”
“...”
“If your mother didn’t contact you... why no message came...”
“...”
“How could she have wasted away like this...”
Kainrod just lowered his head silently.
I would have done the same.
Magical illness must be the most agonizing disease for a mage.
Even after screaming in agony,
Having died and come back to life, the first thing he asks about is his child’s safety.
Kainrod gritted his teeth.
I crouched beside him and looked at the marquess’s wife.
“Madam, there were so many things I wanted to say when I saw you.”
“And you are...?”
“I’m Erilot of the Astra ducal family. Chronos Astra is my grandfather, and Daymond Astra is my father.”
“Oh, yes. You’re Daymond’s...”
“Yes, madam. Because of your deep bond with my father and Kainrod, I simply consider you my aunt.”
The marquess gave a faint smile.
“How nice... if only you were a relative like that...”
“Do you know how filthy Uncle’s house is? I almost passed out when I went there.”
I rambled on.
“When I first met him, I bought all the three-colored wildflowers and he said he couldn’t get any, asking, ‘Is that how your parents raised you?’”
“Oh dear... My father talks like that too. You must have been hurt a lot...”
“Uncle is incredibly gruff. The house is filthy... and he purposely refuses your calls...!”
Kainrod looked at me flustered.
“You...!”
I smiled gently and looked at the marquess.
“When I brought you here, I thought, ‘I have to say this to madam: You must not be in pain and have tea before you.’”
Everything grew quiet.
I held the marquess’s hand and whispered,
“I’m so happy you’ve recovered.”
The marquess looked at me with kind eyes.
“You’re a kind child.”
“My people say I’m so rude.”
“No, you’re the kind child who says what Kain can’t.”
I softly stroked the marquess’s dry hand and murmured,
“I only have a grandfather, so I don’t know what kind of person my grandmother was.”
“I see.”
“But I think she must have been a warm person like you.”
“...”
“Since I arbitrarily made Uncle Kainrod my uncle, can I also arbitrarily make you my grandmother?”
The marquess burst out laughing.
Kainrod stared at me dumbfounded.
The marquess asked her son.
“She says yes. What will you do?”
“...”
“You’re still so shy. Such a pitiful uncle, Erilot.”
I laughed along with the marquess.
At that moment, Kainrod slowly stood up.
Moonlight shattered along his silhouette.
He said,
“Call me when you need.”
“Huh?”
“When you’re sick, struggling, or at any time, I’ll be there for you.”
“...”
“I swear by the name my mother gave me. I will consider you family and not hesitate to lay down my life for you.”
“...!!”
Kainrod smiled for once.
“I don’t like your father at all, though.”
. I jumped up and hugged his waist.
“It’s okay. Your nephew is cute!”
Finally, I had gained
an uncle called the Wizard of the Wasteland...!!
Ashlie clenched and unclenched her fists.
“So it was true.”
I nodded as I sipped my tea.
“It really is the land of blessings.”
“...Does the root only open with sacred power? Like Selene Astra’s immense divine power?”
Sister Selene, who was stirring iced tea with a straw beside me, spoke.
“It didn’t resonate with me. My power didn’t respond.”
“Then I guess it’s the power of the Astra count’s daughter... Tch, if the land doesn’t yield, the root won’t open anyway.”
“Right.”
“Well, looks like the Astra count family already processed the paperwork... But why are you speaking informally?”
Ashlie frowned, and Sister Selene gave her a cold glance.
“You’re the one who didn’t show proper manners first.”
“Still talking rudely?”
“You keep being rude.”
“Aren’t I older than you?”
“The Astra family’s status is much higher.”
“Does having a high family status mean you lose manners?”
“Seems like it.”
Ashlie and Sister Selene’s gazes clashed fiercely in midair.
Ashlie scowled and said,
“What’s with that woman!”
Sister Selene also said to me,
“If you hang around with people like that, your status will drop, Erilot.”
“We’re business partners.”
“This side is connected by blood.”
“The Astra people who mercilessly kill even their own blood emphasizing blood ties is funny.”
“I’d argue back, but I don’t know the Manin family. What kind of family is that? Sorry, I only remember grand noble families with similar status.”
“Damn...!”
I clapped my hands sharply.
“Enough, enough!”
Ashlie turned away with a sulky look.
Sister Selene stirred her straw more vigorously with a cold gaze.
‘They’re completely like water and oil.’
Balzac, who had been sitting crookedly across from us, said,
“This is a mess.”
“You’re not one to talk, Prince.”
“You’re not one to talk either, Balzac.”
Ashlie and Sister Selene said simultaneously.
‘Oh, they work well together when it comes to this.’
They both looked annoyed at saying the same thing.
Balzac scoffed.
“To me, they’re both the same—”
“Brother, stop.”
Balzac clicked his tongue.
“The sun is up, let’s go home, child.”
“Don’t be so quick to leave. The root opening is still ongoing.”
That’s right.
We were currently at the mansion that we took—no, legitimately purchased—from Adelric.
Even after °• N v l i g h t •° a night, an incredibly strong power still enveloped the mansion.
“Besides, the Madilo family will be making their move soon, so we need to prepare here.”
At that moment, the communication stone rang.
[Joshua]
I looked at the letters flashing on the communication stone in awe.
‘When the blessing level goes up, you can see everything, everything!’
The world was beautiful.
How much could be gained by using this?
I grinned and connected the call.
“Yeah, brother.”
[The Marquess Madilo is causing a commotion from the morning, demanding his wife back.]
True to that, the marquess’s shouting was heard from the communication stone.
[This is kidnapping—!! If you don’t return my wife, I will officially report it to the imperial palace!]
What nonsense.
I twisted my mouth and said,
“Could you tell the marquess? Before you bring the marquess’s wife to the imperial palace, he should get lost.”
[...What should we do, Marquess?]
[W-What?! Damn it...!]
[By the way, Father will be home soon.]
Balzac chuckled.
“That means that old man doesn’t have much time left.”
“They hear everything, brother.”
Balzac looked at me kindly.
“He’s telling you to listen.”
[Y-You...! I won’t forgive you! I am Marquess Madilo! One of the strongest mages selected by the imperial palace!]
Then.
“Who do you think chose you?”
[...Madam?]
The marquess’s wife was wearing a green dress, not the moldy, pus-soaked dress.
“Grandmother, is it okay to get up?”
“I’m all healed thanks to the baby. Oh, I borrowed some clothes from the wardrobe.”
“They’re not even mine. Use them as much as you want!”
That crazy Adelric sold off her mother’s belongings without a second thought.
That was also the dress of the late former Duchess Isiron.
“By the way, can I borrow the communication stone too?”
“Of course.”
“I only have sons and grandsons, so I always wanted a granddaughter like you. I don’t know how happy I am to have you now.”
The marquess laughed and rubbed her cheek against mine.
I giggled and handed the communication stone to her.
“It’s me, Marquess.”
[Re-Recovered? Then come back to the mansion quickly! His Majesty the Emperor insists on sending the imperial army...!]
“Do as you please.”
[What?]
“I’ve lived foolishly until now for being a child of a trash like you.”
[W-What do you mean by that... Catherine Madilo!]
“I didn’t kill you until now because even a bastard like you is the father of my children, Gilbert Madilo.”
[You... you...!]
“But after dying once, I realized something.”
The marquess stared at the communication stone.
“A father like you is better off not existing.”
[Hey—!]
“I’m coming to kill you soon anyway, so get ready.”
[...!]
“Don’t forget the nickname you had when you were young.”
Nickname when young?
I made a puzzled face, and Uncle Kainrod, who had followed the marquess in, whispered.
“The thug of the Tirolem Pass.”
“Thug...? But you were a noble?”
“He has a record of beating up men for being ugly, smelly, or stupid.”
“Oh...”
Truly a magnificent person.
The marquess said coldly,
“If you want to keep that filthy body of yours in this world, sign the divorce papers.”
[D-Divorce? Madam, what is that...!]
“The alimony is all my property. You will never see your children or grandchildren, including your daughter-in-law, you trash.”
[Madam—!!]
“This is your only warning. That’s all.”
After ending the call, the marquess looked at me.
“You’ll need breakfast, dear. Grandma cooks oatmeal so well. How about it?”
“That sounds great, but I have somewhere to go right now!”
Before my Divine Affinity Rate dropped, there was someone I needed to see.
‘Grimier is dead.’
I will read all that wickedness inside him.
I smirked.
The marquess tapped my cheek and smiled warmly.
“You look like someone going to kill a person. Very good. That’s how you should live in this world.”
Wahahahaha─!
The marquess laughed heartily.