CH 17

Soon, the Crown Prince bursted into laughter.

“Duke, the youngest son of the Duke is truly a serious person.”

“He is a child who thinks that much about the imperial daughter.”

The Duke of Elheim answered.

The underage engagement was fragile, but the adult engagement with the royal family was accepted as a definite wedding.

“You scared me, Lian.”

Danterion giggled and struck Lianrius on his back.

“If someone saw you, they would have thought that you were really going to break the engagement.”

“You’re asking me to get engaged when I’m an adult.”

Princess Ninian hugged Lianrius with joy.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

However, Lianrius’s gaze was glued on Michael’s back, who was leisurely leaving the banquet hall.

Elheim was a family that completely decided the next Duke by their power of water.

The order of birth had nothing to do with it.

The strongest awakener at the moment was Lianrius.

So when he reaches adulthood, Lianrius would become the successor to the Duke of Elheim.

The Next Duke.

After he reaches adulthood, he would be able to hold on to Liarte as much as he pleases.

‘I will never let Birce visit again.’

The night of the banquet was filled with twisted thoughts.

* * *

After midnight, the prince returned with the princess.

Having checked Michael’s eyes, there was no reason to be at the banquet anymore.

The Elheim household, who did not know of it, were simply relieved that the royal family hadn’t stayed for long.

In the deep night, the Duke and the sons of Elheim gathered in front of the room of the First Owner.

“If we count the dates, it’s still only two days.”

Danterion seemed to have come to his senses by that time.

“You never know. Oh, it’s open.”

Aynias was seen pushing the door carefully.

The Duke of Elheim felt a cold sweat starting to flow from the tension.

When Danterion first talked about the Spirit King, the Duke tried to end the conversation, saying that it was nonsense.

However, he had no choice but to believe in the existence of the Spirit King because it was said that theSpirit King of Water would be born from that spirit stone.

The Duke swallowed his dry saliva again.

‘It didn’t appear in the family history.’

Like the families of the Awakened, Elheim’s history books were divided into political affairs and Ancient powers.

Most of the time, political affairs were ordinary, and Ancient powers were more of a myth.

And in the ancient books, it was clearly written that all the abilities of the Awakened came from the Spirit King.

It was the first time he had seen an ancient power in person as he was always angry at that part.

“The door is open, so I will go in first, Father.”

Aynias took the lead and first entered the room.

After that, Danterion and Hwi-Amin entered.

The Duke breathed deeply as he entered the room of the First Owner of Elheim.

It was said that the Spirit King of Water was friends with the first Owner, Jurien.

When the gates of the spirit world closed and humans and spirits could no longer interact, only the Spirit King of Water remained on the ground along with the Jurien.

That one part was what caught his eyes.

‘He was more like an evil god.’

It was said that the Spirit King of Water did not pay any attention to humans.

He had a very different attitude from other spirit kings who loved humans.

It was unbelievable that the angry Spirit King of Water swept away the imperial palace and the capital.

It was like a violent natural disaster that humans couldn’t handle.

Most of the ancient books expressed the Spirit King of Water that way.

“Lian. When I say it’s safe, follow me in.”

“Okay.”

He was the one who had awakened the Spirit King and was the one whom he sought, but even after he brought Lianrius, the Spirit King was still asleep.

“Are you asleep? See I told you. Tomorrow is the third day, and today is still the second day.”

Listening to Danterion’s words, the Duke looked at the spirit stone. A different type of energy than usual filled the room.

Like a prey thrown in front of an upper predator, his strength had suddenly drained.

He was so blinded by fear that he couldn’t run away.

“Father?”

The pressure felt by the Duke was several times higher than that of his children because he had a higher proficiency with the water ability.

A cold sweat ran down his face.

He barely looked up and saw the boy who was asleep on the Spirit Stone.

A creature with clear watery hair and body.

On the other hand, he was in awe because it was so mysterious.

The room was full of water.

However, it did not spill out of the open door but instead, it wrapped around the Spirit King.

“Lian, do you feel anything?”

Lianrius looked up.

It felt very familiar. It was the same strong energy as he had always experienced.

“Maybe.”

Sadly, the boy didn’t open his eyes. However, the Duke and his sons were relieved that they could step inside.

Hwi-Amin couldn’t even look at the Spirit King of Water and had a white face.

The Duke of Elheim said.

“It really is the Spirit King. As you and Danterion said. At first, I felt hopeless and distant.”

Aynias understood the Duke’s feeling.

“That existence couldn’t be explained except by saying that it was a Spirit King.”

“I can’t believe that Lian has to deal with such an entity.”

Duke Elheim was worried.

After much consideration, the Duke finally came to his conclusion.

“We should announce Lian as our successor at the coming-of-age ceremony. I think it’s better to confirm him as the next Duke.”

From the moment Lianrius was born, the three brothers didn’t think they were going to be dukes.

So Aynias could only nod his head.

“It would be better.”

Aynias and Hwi-Amin had to help the family for Lianrius.

“Because I can no longer hide Lianrius’s abilities.”

“Yes, it’s Lianrius who’s going to be dealing with the Spirit of Water.”

The Duke out came out of the room after their agreement.

If the Spirit King woke up tomorrow, he would bring Lian.

It was the moment when the real owner was about to be born, as per Jurien’s will.

Just imagining the supreme Spirit King tied to Elheim was thrilling.

The duke was sure that he would have good dreams tonight.

But before that, the Duke of Elheim had to go to find his daughter.

* * *

‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here.’

The building which Liarte used was mainly a warehouse that was rarely used.

The gray room was the discipline room.

The locked door next to the room was where Liarte was trapped in.

It was a place that was usually opened when the Duke punished Liarte.

Liarte had forgotten this place.

A few old chairs and a piano.

It was said that it was the place where the dead Duchess of Elheim played the piano for her three sons.

It was also said that even the Duke sang together with her at that time.

The place, which used to be a music room before becoming a discipline room, was closed after the death of the Duchess.

The Duke’s purpose for placing Liarte in this place was to blame her for breaking the harmony of the family.

Liarte sat on the chair.

Soon after, the Duke entered the room. He had a slightly distorted expression.

‘I’ll give you some advice about the dinner party.’

Dancing with Birce.

She was supposed to be an innocent person who should not be noticed by others.

In fact, he thought that his daughter, in the dress Lian had given her, resembled the dead duchess.

‘Honey.’

A lady with medium-length braided hair.

For a moment, he looked at Liarte and tried to ignore the fact that he felt something towards her.

He didn’t want to think of her as someone who shared the same blood as his beloved wife.

“Liarte.”

The Duke’s voice coldly said Liarte’s name.

“I saw that you had contact with Birce this evening. Do you have any excuses for this?”

It was an obvious question, as Liarte had expected.

Even if she hadn’t danced with Michael, the Duke would still have found fault with her.

He was only forced to accept Lianrius’s request.

Originally, the Duke could not withstand Liarte, who was unable to awaken the power of water, to come and go to family events.

“Do I look like I have something to say?”

It was an emotionless voice.

After Liarte’s return, she acted as she wished.

She only had to hide about the fact that she was an awakened person as she was planning to leave this overly hindering family and about the fact that she awakened the spirit stone.

She had no intention of suppressing her words and actions because of Elheim.

“How dare you dance with Birce’s successor?”

“But I did it.”

She could only tolerate him up to a certain point.

“I danced with him. Do you have a problem?”

Every word from Liarte was monotonous.

Duke Elheim felt that his daughter had changed a lot from before.

The lake-like eyes were dry, and she didn’t obey him anymore.

There was only one person who didn’t obey the duke.

Liarte resembled the dead duchess exceptionally today.

Even more so because she was sitting upright instead of slouching and hiding.

“Obviously, because you knew I hated Birce, you did it to rebel.”

But the Duke thought it was a trick to attract attention.

She was just acting in a new way to be loved.

“ A foolish attack indeed.”

The Duke tried to suppress Liarte by using abusive language as he usually did.

“I don’t care what you do with Birce.”

He’s always thought of her as a hindrance.

“Don’t be mistaken.”

He then spat out the words Liarte was most afraid of, the words that made her pale with fright.

“You are never my daughter. You’ll never be able to become an Elheim in your life.”

But it was different this time.

“That’s great.”

A heartless voice was heard.

Liarte sat with a perfectly fine face.

“Because I don’t see you as my father either.”

The Duke became doubtful of his ears.