Side Story 12: Mother (8)
The basis of creation magic is imagination. In order to create something intricate and hard to control, detailed imagination is necessary, and as a result, sometimes it would take more than a whole year.
But Roxa Tribolt had managed to make ‘the thing’ within an hour. This was thanks Calten’s report being refined with detailed, flawless equations.
While the Louvremont family was being troubled by Serena’s shocking talk, Roxa was preparing himself to sneak out of the castle.
Very discreetly, with something large hidden in his robe.
‘Gotta give dis a test run…’
Based on Calten’s perfect report, he did create ‘the magical artifact of biological relations confirmation,’ but there wasn’t anyone to test this on within the castle. Since he would have to present this after being certain that it was working correctly, He couldn’t be asking Hades and Abel either…
In the end, he was thinking of asking for help from the townspeople outside the castle.
“Hm? Wot could dat be?”
Roxa halted as he put on his robe and was about to walk on.
A woman and a man were quarreling with a knight guarding the dark gate at night, lit up by a torch.
“This woman is dead set on ruining my life! There’s no time to wait for the trial, I need to get married!”
“And who says you can’t get married? I have no intention of clinging onto someone irresponsible as you either. I didn’t even know you were preparing to get married. I wouldn’t have come looking for you if I knew.”
“Shut up! What do you mean you didn’t know! You came with that exact intention, you crazy woman! Who knows you’ve been rolling with until now, and you call that my child? All that’s left for you is to be punished by His Grace. Who do you think you’re fooling here?”
Between the quarreling woman and man, the knight stood looking tired.
Roxa could get a rough idea of what was going on from their conversation.
Roxa rubbed his hands with his brows raised, muttering in a satisfied voice.
“Me days… looks like I’ve bumped inter jus’ da right specimen!”
* * *
I trust Hades.
But aside from that, Serena’s shocking words were enough to make me wonder ‘maybe…?’ nonstop.
Although he was kinder than before, he was the Duke Louvremont. His infamy was high up in the skies that I considered myself dead the first time I met him.
Rumors of aristocrats who are not in good terms with him disappearing, rumors of the heads of assassins sent from here and there threatening the heir, Abel’s life being hung on the castle gates, rumors of how he burnt his enemies falling back in war into ash so that even their bodies couldn’t be reclaimed later…
Ah, the last was not a rumor. Only Hades, who awakened his final fire element ability, could have done such a thing.
Anyways, how many would dare to lie before Duke Louvremont, who is known to ‘kill if things go south?’
And thus, Abel and I were in a situation where we had no choice but to suspect Hades. Unless Serena was out of her mind, she wouldn’t outright tell Hades ‘it was me who did the do with you 15 years ago!’ before Abel.
“Honey…”
“Father, please answer us.”
Hades kept his silence throughout the meal and stepped out of the dining room sharply after. Abel and I chased at his wake.
“S-she… was lying, right?” Abel asked with a shaking voice.
When I thought about it, it made sense. Abel didn’t have any memories of times before he was 5 years old, so Serena could trick us if she really dared. And most of all, Abel looked too much alike Hades for them to not be related, and it was odd how Hades was insistent in having him as his heir without any reason.
So, what my poor son was going through was… wondering if he was ‘really father’s son by blood.’
Like chicks chasing after the mother hen, we were following Hades and flinched when he suddenly stopped walking and turned back to look at us.
Creeek-
“Hie…”
The sound of Hades gnashing his teeth was so terrifying that I clasped my hands over my mouth in surprise.
From his reaction, Serena’s words must be lies.
“Would you be able to believe me anyway… regardless of what I say?”
“…”
“You are asking for an answer in the first place because you believe what that woman said.”
“Could I… resemble you this much, if I wasn’t yours by blood?”
“A-Abel, calm down a little.”
I tried to hold Abel back as I stood between them, but he kept urging Hades, seemingly wanting to hear the truth.
“To be honest I get surprised every time I look in the mirror. It’s weird if you come to think about it. How would I, a kid from who knows where, become your son and heir to Louvremont house?”
“…”
“The vassals always hated me, but they have never doubted my relations to you. Things would have been so much easier if they tried to kick me out by claiming there is no evidence in whether I am your son by blood. Yet no one dared to use that method.”
Because his appearance was the evidence itself.
Nobody doubted if Abel was Hades’ son by blood. Because they looked so much alike.
He looked similar even when he was little, but having grown to 14, Abel looked like an exact replica of Hades.
“If what she says is true, I would be disappointed in you, father. Because that would make you who had discarded her in the first place and it would be you who had deceived mother.”
“Abel, why are you doing this? Why would you say such a thing?”
“I’ve always wished that I was your son by blood, but now… I’m not so sure anymore. At this point, I’d rather not be. I mean to say, I hope it wasn’t you who threw me away and deceived mother who didn’t know anything.”
“Honey. he has too much on his mind and doesn’t know what effect his words have right now. Please don’t mind him.”
Hades merely stared at Abel. Though his expression was indifferent, I could read the bitterness beyond his eyes. He was clearly hurt.
“Honey!” Feeling sad for him. I held Hades tight and spoke, “I trust you. I trust in you. So don’t worry.”
“Agh, really…”
Hades was about to hug me, then stopped. Instead, he covered his eyes with those hands and gave out a frustrated sigh.
“The magician must have gone crazy! If he brings this to His Grace, we are all dead!”
“He is in his study right now, right? Let’s hurry and…”
Just then, two knights who were going up and down the central stairs as they talked at rapid speed found us and froze on the spot.
Though I didn’t know what it was, it seemed like they had got themselves in trouble.
“Why the fuss?”
“Y-Y-Your Grace…”
“I said, what’s the fuss.”
“B-beg your pardon. The magician had brought an outsider into the castle, b-but we were trying to stop him…”
“Roxa? He has another death wish it seems. And I told him to not get into trouble and keep low.”
“Honey!”
Hades pulled me away and walked away at once.
Though our issues were of higher priority no matter what kind of trouble Roxa caused, it seemed like Hades wanted to escape this situation.
“Father! Wait!”
“Abel, please…”
Abel tormented Hades relentlessly and I held him back.
I could see that knowing the truth was what was most important for Abel, but Hades must be so baffled and confused himself.
We followed at Hades’ wake like chicks chasing after the hen once again and behind us followed guarding knights, looking terrified.
Looking like some comical game of trains. We arrived at Roxa’s study soon.
Boom-!
As if he was venting his anger on the door, Hades kicked open the study.
“What in the world are you really?”
There stood Roxa, flinching in surprise alongside an unfamiliar man and a woman with a baby in swaddling clothes.
“Y-Your Grace! I have looked forward to meeting you! I am Simon Brown. a man of house Louvremont. I wanted to meet Your Grace in person to prove my innocence…”
“Hey now, uncle. Let me advise ye, ye gotta watch wot ye say unless ye really are innocent.” Roxa tried to hold back the man crying as he held onto Hades’ ankle.
Hades glared at Roxa with annoyance in his eyes. “What is the meaning of all this? You brought in an outsider into the castle on your own accord? Do you wish to die?”
“Keep calm, Ye Grace. I have actually created a revolutionary magical artifact, an’ I really needed someone ter test it on.” Roxa pointed at the woman holding a baby.
There was something other than the baby within the swaddling clothes.
It was a clear crystal ball.
Below it, it had a wooden stand and the size of it was quite large. About the side of an ostrich egg.
The crystal ball was shining blue, but it lost its gleam and turned transparent when the woman handed it to Roxa.
“Supported by my dear disciple Calten Rohas! Created by me, Roxa Tribolt! A masterpiece of the century!” Roxa added with a smile, looking proud. “Based on the mana distinctive to Crescentians, we have converted the genetic traits and biological relations, and based on that, made it possible to display it in a visible state. A true revolutionary masterpiece!”
Though his expression and his tone sounded as if he was about to get us into some pyramid scheme, Roxa really was an amazing magician.
I trembled in my instinctive nervousness.
No way…
“I call it, ‘the magical artifact of biological relations confirmation’!”
“My days.”
I clasped my hands over my mouth in surprise.
A magical artifact that lets one confirm biological offsprings.
If I understood correctly, this was some advanced technology that could only be attempted in the other world where the level of science was high.
“An’ I finished checking if dis works correctly jus’ now. Ye saw dat da thing wos glowing blue, aye? It reacts so when tis affected by mana o’ two Crenscentians who are biologically related.”
“R-Roxa, why did you suddenly decide on making this…”
What kind of timing is this?
A magical artifact that checks biological relations at this point? What kind of absurd situation is this?
“Now, Childe. if ye put ye hand here and apply ye mana in it…”
Roxa grabbed Abel’s hand in his and laid it on the magical artifact, applying Mana.
The colorless, transparent magical artifact showed no reaction.
“But if ye place Ye Grace’s hand here…”
Roxa held Hades’ hand thoughtlessly and tried to land it on the magical artifact.
Because he didn’t know that they were not related by blood, he must have thought that the magical artifact would naturally give a reaction.
Surprised, Hades flinched and shook off Roxa’s hand.
“Ye Grace?”
Not knowing better, Roxa tilted his head and Abel seemed to grow suspicious from Hades’ reaction and lit up his eyes.
“Give me your hand, Father!”
“Abel, stop. There are others looking.”
Though I tried to stop Abel, He was persistent.
I believe in Hades. The magical artifact should show no reaction.
But if they are found to be not related by blood because of the magical artifact showing no response right on this spot would bring another problem.
“Calm down and we can do this later…”
Just then, Abel stuck the magical artifact at Hades almost looking like he was shoving it into Hades’ arms, and applied his mana in an instant.
“Abel, you…!”
This was more of a chaos than a warfield.
And amidst all that…
I saw.
The magical artifact immediately emitting blue light in response.
“Ah…”
Heavy silence surrounded us at once and much later, Roxa’s clapping broke it.
“Ain’t it g-reat?! A masterpiece o’ history by Roxa Tribolt!”
Not knowing what was going through our heads… he continued to clap with a giddy voice.
Fear.
Shock.
Abel’s hurt looking expression.
Hades standing there staring at the magical artifact glowing blue.
And…
-I trust you. I trust in you. So don’t worry.
…There was me, who was going to trust Hades even if the sky splits in half.
‘How could…’
How could this be?
‘How is Abel his son by blood…?’
That was the first time I’ve experienced that shock could stop my eyes from working properly.
My body stumbled on its own accord and I must have fainted.
“Aisha!”
The last thing in my gaze was Hades’ surprised face.