The head maid brushed Minerva's hair after she changed her clothes. She behavily let them do what they wanted as she subtly observed them."Was Daddy with Uncle Khalil?""No, Your Highness. His Majesty was apparently too busy now.""Oh."Lies. Daddy was with Uncle Khalil. They were in Uncle Khalil's study together with Aunt Leticia, Chancellor Percy, Brother Kendrick, and Chancellor Percy's daughter, Brigitte Montmorency. That was what Harika told her.But of course, Minerva appeared to believe her."Were you looking forward to meeting His Grace, Your Highness?" The Head Maid inquired, her gaze fixed on Minerva in the mirror. She returned her smile and did the same to her."Yes! I'm looking forward to meeting him." I'm curious to see what you've been up to.She wanted to know what the Head Maid and the other maids wanted from her and who was behind this.Minerva was aware that her Uncle Khalil had personally chosen these
"What happened?"Uncle Khalil's voice reverberated on the room as soon as her father went inside with her in his arms.Minerva quietly laid her head on her father's neck as she sniffed a little. She just curled herself on his embrace as she gripped his clothes tightly."Why was her eyes red and puffy? Did she cry?"Uncle Khalil stood up from his seat and went on their direction. He took her on her father's arms as he gently caressed her back and asked."What's wrong? Did your father bullied you? Just tell Uncle and I'd punch your father's face and kick his butt."As Minerva wasn't in the mood, she just shook her head and quietly rested her head on her Uncle Khalil's shoulder. It seemed that he felt that she wasn't in the mood hence he just sat on his seat with her in his arms."What happened?" Her Uncle Khalil asked."The maids th
"Commander!"Brigitte nodded her head to her subordinates when they greeted her as soon as she returned to the South. She saw that the knights were about to say something when a blue light shone and her Master, Duke Ysmael Santi de Ivrea, appeared.The knights stiffened as they froze on where they stood. Santi, however, just crossed his arms and looked at Giovanni and Brigitte."This was your base?" He asked as he looked at Brigitte."Yes, Your Grace.""Your Grace! What a surprise!" A tall middle-aged nobleman smiled widely. "Welcome to the South! If I knew that you would grace us with your presence, we should have greeted you sooner."Santi smiled brightly as well. When Brigitte saw her Master's smile, the corner of her eye twitched subtly. Even Giovanni sighed."Were you the one that ruled over the South?" Santi asked with a smile still plastered on his face."Yes, Your Grace." The nobleman said.Brigitte just pursed h
"H-hello, Your Highness."Minerva turned her attention where the voice came from. It was a child whose age, if she guessed, was about eight years old?"W-wow! Jeweled eyes!" She exclaimed as she gawked at her eyes with her shimmering eyes.Minerva subconsciously touched her eyelids. Afterward, she glanced at the little girl in front of her.She wore an unkempt clothes that looked extremely worn out. Her shoes were already too broken. Her hair was messy and looked stiff due to not showering. Overall, she looked filthy like a beggar.How did she got in here? Minerva heard that this feast was exclusively for the knights that fought against the vicious beasts. It was located in an enclosed area and nobody could ever gatecrash unless they were invited.Furthermore…Minerva looked around. The knights around them didn't seem like they noticed this
"W-what...?"Minerva trembled as she stared at the seat she had previously occupied. She clutched her father's clothes tightly, her stomach churning at the possibility of being almost devoured by the explosion.Who... who was it that was after her? Was this the same person who almost kidnapped her?Giovanni was already a few steps away, holding the terrified little girl in his arms, she noticed as she looked around."These bastards," Minerva overheard her father say.When she looked up, she noticed her father's expression was so dark that even Minerva was terrified.As each second passed, her father's expression became more ferocious. It got so bad that everyone, except Minerva, couldn't breathe properly."Sora." Her father called Harika in a murderous voice."If you can't give me the pathetic lives of those who did this, then I don't need you anymore.""D-dad–"Minerva couldn't finish what she was about to
A blue light shone inside the chamber, revealing Minerva and her father. Despite being inside the chamber in the Toen's Imperial Palace, she felt fear in her heart.When Minerva sensed her father was about to place her on the bed, she hugged his neck even tighter and refused to let go.Her father sighed and patted her on the back. "I need to speak with your Uncle Khalil about what happened, baby. If you don't want to be alone, why don't you stay with Uncle Lorenzo for the time being?"Minerva remained silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. Both of them were engulfed in blue light in the blink of an eye. When the light faded, they found themselves in an unfamiliar location."It was a great honor for the esteemed Blue Saint Archmage to pay a visit to my humble abode. What brought the illustrious and powerful Duke of Ivrea here?"Minerva cast a glance at her Uncle Lorenzo, who appeared lethargic and domesticated in his home clothes. When the
Minerva cast a sidelong glance at Marcus when he sighed as soon as Uncle Lorenzo left the saloon. She sat across him as she buried herself in the tiger plushie in her arms."I'm sorry about my father." He helplessly said. He sat upright with both of his hands on his lap. Minerva snuck a glance at him and slowly nodded her head. She suddenly felt awkward when Marcus smiled at her."My father said that you were a lively child but were just shy when faced with unfamiliar people."Minerva pursed her lips. Seriously, Uncle Lorenzo was too gossipy! She even became their topic of conversation!But seriously though, she didn't expect that Marcus would talk to her. After all, they had met occasionally before and this was the first time that they talked formally. Of course, it excluded the time when they first met."I... heard from your father about your circumstanc
Marcus smiled when he saw that Minerva was too immersed as he unconsciously told her about his life as Leno.He didn't expect that he would share his experiences to someone other than his father. Maybe someday, he'd tell his mother about what happened. But to others except for his family? He didn't think so.But with Minerva, he unknowingly spilled the past that he deeply hidden on his heart. Perhaps the reason for this was that she, herself, was also reborn just like him? Therefore, although he didn't know her past, he could somehow feel a connection with her.Just like the connection that he felt when he first met his father, Lorenzo.××××"Your Excellency!" Marcus greeted in surprise when he saw the first ever Saint Archmage. He stayed in Santi's estate for a while yet he never glimpse even the shadow of Lorenzo.It was we