4. Cornelius Von Rozen

"Please, right this way," Francis ushered me to my grandfather's study room.

It's been a long time since I stood in front of these large doors. I remembered looking up at my short child's body. My neck would be stiff sometimes.

Coming all the way here, nothing has changed here

Francis knocked on the door twice and announced my arrival. "Grand Duke. Lady Evangeline has arrived," he opened the door. "Please."

I nodded my head as Zayn, and I entered the room. Francis bows and closes the door.

I stood frozen as the man with a strong aura of authority was right in front of me. The person who may seem cold on the outside, but I've seen him smile beneath that poker face expression with a long scar across his right eye.

Cornelius Von Rozen.

One of the four powerful dukes of Withhold. Four dukes serve and protect the kingdom. The Von Cornelius decorative war hero is also called the Black Knight. He was ruthless against his enemies and never showed any mercy. You must run whenever enemies see a knight in black armor, with his large black blade and riding a black horse.

I glanced at his shiny black armor next to him. Grandpa told me the reason for having his armor in black is because when he killed his enemy, blood would stain. He doesn't like to be covered in blood all over as it would frighten others.

Cornelius looked up from reading documents on his desk, and the first thing he did was shot right up, leaving his desk and surprisingly pulling me in his arms.

I can feel the warmth and affection aura coming off him, but there's a hint of sadness. Being a witch, I can also read emotions from people. And right now, Cornelius is giving off mixed feelings of auras.

He loves Alice.

But sadly, I'm not her. I'm someone who occupied the real Alice. But after waking up in this body and being given a second chance, I promised to get revenge on those who wronged her.

"Alice," he whispers. "My little rabbit. You've come home."

"Glad to be here," I honestly said.

It feels good to be welcomed and greeted like this. But I shouldn't get too emotional. As much as I trust Grandfather, other people want to harm me.

Cornelius pulls apart, putting on a smile. "Come, you must be tired from your journey here."

He leads me to a comforting resting area in his office. He calls for Francis to bring the tea as we start to chat. The head butler brought some tea and a few snacks to calm the mood. He and Zayn left the room to give us privacy. Although with Zayn's advance hearing, he will hear everything we say behind those doors.

"The travel here is nothing to worried about," I claim as I elegant sip on my tea.

"That's good," Grandfather chuckles, then pauses. I look at him as his eyes land on the door where Zayn and Francis are guarding the entrance preventing anyone from entering. "My spies told me you have taken in a beastman. I didn't want to believe but seeing one in front of me was believable. Humans don't usually tame beastman, but unexpectedly you made one into your servant."

"I saved Zayn five years ago from traffickers," I state. "Besides, he chooses to stay with me.'

"Ah, yes," Grandfather took a sip from his tea. "I got a report about a massacre depth in the woods nearby. My men reported that the bodies were mauled, with dismembered limbs and crushed bones as the body looked like corpses. It's as if their life has been sucked."

Grandfather seems to figure out that I was the one who killed those thugs and had sucked their life to increase my magic. That night I was lost in thought of a broken heart and betrayal. I vent my anger on those thugs. Half of the time, I didn't know what I was doing.

Reborn in this body had seemed to unleash the magic.

I sip again on my tea. "Those men deserve to die. Kidnapping beastmen and selling them off in the black market to noble with sick minds. You don't think that's wrong, right grandfather?"

Grandfather stays quiet and sips on his tea.

I figure much he didn't like the idea of me murdering people to please me. But I had no choice, and I was in depression. I don't care if he's disappointed in me. Those thugs got what they deserved.

"Alice," Grandfather put his teacup down. "I'm not mad that you killed twenty kidnappers and released the captured victims, but you should never use your magic just for entertainment."

"So, you know about my ability?"

Grandfather leaned back in his seat. "I knew about them when you were ten years old."

"Ten years old?" I asked, puzzled.

I don't see anything in this Alice's memory.

"I don't understand," still confused. "My magic was already unleashed at that age?"

"Yes."

"But how? And do you know anything about my birth?" I finally asked. "Francis told me I look like Evangeline, but I look nothing like her."

Grandfather sighed. "It's best if you come with me."

He rose from his chair and approached his bookcase. He pulled out a blue book and opened a secret door. "All the answers that you seek are inside here."

"You have a secret base?"

I know my grandfather can be secretive, but having a secret room is different, and he did not like to have one. But never judge a book by its cover.

"Please follow me and watch your steps." He tried to light a candle, but I summoned a light orb which is more manageable. "Thank you."

I followed Grandfather down the steps to a dark and eerie place with only an orb of light as we descended until we reached a room with more books and other decorative items that screamed rare objects that Grandfather collected.

While studying these rooms and unusual items, Grandfather went to a desk and grabbed a book. "Here."

I take it from him and arch my brow. "What is this?"

"You're grandmother's book."

"Grandma Evangeline?"

He shakes his head. "No, that book belongs to the love of my life."

The love of his life?

Shouldn't that be Evangeline?

Grandfather and Evangeline had a political marriage, but they respected each other as partners. I heard from the other maids how the Grand Duke loves his wife, but it turns out it was all a fake lie.

"Evangeline and I never had that relationship," Grandfather explains. "I only married her because of our family arrangement. But my heart will always be with one woman."

He walked over to the same desk, grabbed the book, and pulled another. He hands me a miniature painting. I looked at it and, to my shock, couldn't believe the woman in the portrait. This woman has the same red hair but she looks more angelic looking and pure. She poses in an elegant position and has a beautiful smile.

Why does this woman look like me?