Chapter 27: Heilon (1)
It took several months to finish some tasks before leaving Heilon, and the day had finally arrived. The luggage I packed was minimal, considering I had lived here for five years. I wasn’t someone who accumulated many belongings or had a strong attachment to them. I simply gave away or threw out anything I considered unnecessary, so I didn’t have much to take with me. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Since my argument with Sigren, there had been some awkwardness between us. Many people came to see me off, but he was not among them. Even Abel commented as he approached me.
“Where’s Sigren?”
“He was very upset when I told him I was leaving.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“He said he’d follow me.”
“That’s just like him.” Abel grinned widely, which made me nervous.
Then Abel took a letter from his inside pocket and handed it to me.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a letter of introduction. Use it if you want to stay at the Heilon mansion in the capital.”
I nodded calmly. In addition to having a castle in the northern territory, Heilon also had a family-owned mansion in the capital.
“The big bonus for the last one.”
Abel then responded gently, “I don’t know if it will be the last or not.”
What a scary thought.
Instead of responding to his words, I simply took the letter and placed it in my luggage.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Okay.” Abel’s response was as clear as always.
As soon as I got into the carriage, the door closed. The wheels began to roll slowly, and I heard the horse neighing. When I met Abel’s eyes, I gently waved my hand. He looked at me for a moment and then said something, his mouth moving. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Unfortunately, I understood the meaning right away and sat quietly in my seat. If I wasn’t mistaken, what Abel said was…
“Fiona, we’ll meet again.”
I blinked as I watched the scenery pass by more and more quickly as the carriage picked up speed. I didn’t know why everyone said similar things when I mentioned I wanted to take a rest.
***
Recently, the house of Count Green had been very noisy. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“As the eldest son, it is natural for me to be the head of this family, and I should be the one to decide the issue of inheritance.”
“Brother, tell me, which law in this country states that only the firstborn can be the head of the family unconditionally? There. Is. None! Besides, we are the Green family, a mage family! The only natural thing is for the head of the family to be the most talented magician among us!”
The head of the house, Count Green, had collapsed without warning. Moreover, the healers had advised them to prepare for the worst, as it was unlikely he would regain consciousness. Since the Count collapsed before he could write a formal will, his siblings were, of course, fighting over the inheritance.
“Are you saying that you’re better at magic than I am?” Caindel glared at his youngest brother, Jen.
“Isn’t that obvious? If you say you can use magic, isn’t it only at the level of making a fire the size of a bonfire?” Jen stared at Caindel without hesitation.
Caindel gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at Jen. Those words were like pouring salt on his wound. His lack of talent as a mage was his only inferiority complex. Despite being the eldest son of a long-established mage family, his magical talent was abysmal. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“How dare you speak to me, your older brother, like that without understanding my struggles! Get out of this house right now!”
“Why should I leave this house? The one who should leave is you, brother, because you’ve tarnished the Green Family—a magician family!” Jen didn’t even blink at Caindel’s shouting.
“You… you…!”
Caindel stared at Jen with sharp eyes, unable to respond to Jen’s words. Despite his reluctance to accept it, Jen’s words contained some truth. Of the three siblings—himself, Jane, and Jen—Jen had the most magical talent. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Jane, the second child, was out of the running for the position of head of the family since she was married. However, his youngest brother, Jen, was a significant problem. If Jen, whose magical skills were superior to his own, managed to sway public opinion, Caindel, the eldest son, might truly be removed from his position as successor.
‘If only he didn’t exist…’
“Stop it.”
The Countess entered the drawing room where the brothers were fighting. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I can’t believe you two are fighting over this. Did you know there are rumors about this family because of your quarrel? People are constantly talking about us! I’m extremely ashamed.”
“Mother, look at what Jen did to me! Say something to him!”
Jen didn’t relent and fought back.
“Isn’t it better than watching an incompetent older brother greedily try to claim everything for himself?”
“WHAT?!”
“STOP!”
At the Countess’s command, Caindel clenched his teeth in silence. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I can’t keep my eyes open anymore seeing you brothers fighting so frivolously. The inheritance issues will be handled by me. You two shouldn’t argue about the inheritance of this family any longer.”
“Even Mother has no right to do that,” Jen retorted.
“What?”
“Mother must have thought we wouldn’t notice that you have a lover,” Caindel continued. “In fact, we know that Mother has been giving a lot of money to that blue-eyed kid lately. I apologize, but we definitely can’t leave the inheritance issue to you. Who knows, maybe this family fortune would end up going to that person.”
The Countess, flushed with anger, cried out in a hoarse voice, “How could you speak to your mother like this?”
“Don’t be so upset. We don’t care who you meet, but if such rumors spread in society, I’m worried about how they might affect our noble family.” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“….”
The Countess quietly glared at both of her sons. ‘Impudent kids. Threatening the mother who raised them…’
Then, suddenly, there was a knock on the closed drawing-room door. “What’s going on?”
The servant, frightened by the Countess’s scream, spoke cautiously. “Ma’am, my lord, a guest has arrived, and I think you should come and see.”
“Who the hell is it?”
“That… lady Fiona Green, who left for Heilon five years ago, is back.”
At the servant’s words, the three people in the drawing room exchanged bewildered glances. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I can’t believe it. She’s still alive?”
“It must be a mistake. It doesn’t make sense that a thirteen-year-old girl is still alive on the northern battlefield. She doesn’t even know how to use basic magic.”
All three remembered Fiona—the illegitimate child Count Green had brought. The child they had locked up in the attic because she was deemed useless. However, when the imperial order came requiring them to send a family member to the north, they found a use for her. They united to push her away so they could avoid fulfilling the imperial order.
Of course, none of them felt guilty about it.
“Get rid of her right away. It’s a fake, no matter—”
Before the Countess’s words could finish, the door to the drawing room swung open, and a voice as smooth as silk resounded. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“That’s too much.”
A girl in her late teens with wavy silver hair walked in, ignoring the servants trying to restrain her.
“I just came back like this.”
She approached slowly and spoke, “I received your letter well.”
Of course, her intention was sarcastic since the letter had asked for her death certificate. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“But rather than giving you my death certificate, I wanted to show my face in person—no, I think you’d prefer it this way. Am I right?”
Fiona scanned the three stunned figures. Then she clapped lightly, as if to break the frozen atmosphere.
“Since this cute youngest member is back after a long time, I’m sure you’ll welcome me, right?”
She smiled brightly. Her lips, unusually red against her extremely pale skin, curved into a deeper smile. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“I’m glad my family hasn’t changed.”
She added with a final, gentle tone, “Sincerely.”
Check out my Patreon to read advanced chapters!
