Chapter 14
Ttak.
Leonard left the room, and Illusion, who remained, looked quietly looked at Rubette’s face before raising her head.
There was another face sitting on the other side of Rubette’s bed.
Leonard may not have known, but that ‘face’ was Rubette’s spirit, who had been guarding her side the whole time.
“Mr. Wishit.”
“…”
The other party currently looked like a mere human figure, but Illusion couldn’t help but recognize him.
Wishit, who had been looking at Rubette in distress, made eye contact with Illusion.
“How have you been? It is hard to see your face in the fountain of spirits.”
“I’ve been summoned for almost 24 hours since 11 years ago to show my contractor the illusion of his wife…”
“Yes, you’re going through a lot.”
“Still, I was able to rest for the past few days. Maybe because my contractor is spending more time with this little girl.”
Illusion, who swam in the air once, looked down at Rubette with sad eyes.
“Help her.”
“Yes.”
Holding Rubette’s cheek, Illusion kissed her forehead briefly. Illusion will soon unfold like a dream.
Illusion, who was staring at Rubette, whose expression quickly became more comfortable, muttered.
“Mm… This piece of her soul certainly feels a little different. It is bold, has high self-esteem, and above all, is kind. I’m so glad she took care of my contractor’s health.”
Illusion, who was talking with a smile, added in a worried voice.
“But her mind is so unstable… Do you think she can hold out more without collapsing?”
“… Who knows?”
“This time, I hope Mr. Wishit will be free.”
“…”
“Believe. Because she’s the contractor you’ve been waiting for for so long.”
To Illusion, who smiled and uttered incomprehensible words, Wishit beckoned.
“Don’t say nonsense, go back now.”
“Yes, my king.”
At Illusion’s, who muttered with her head bowed slightly, greeting, Wishit paused and frowned.
“…”
Then he quietly lifted his index finger and placed it on top of his lips, making a shush gesture.
At the silent warning, Illusion, who smiled once with a playful expression, disappeared.
***
The Diollus Duchy.
The room of the eldest madam, Molga Diollus.
After hearing about the chattering reports from the twins, with whom she was reunited after a month, Molga shook her fingers on the table with a serious look on her face.
“She’s changed since she came back from drowning in a pond?”
“Yes, Mom. It still hurts… Hurry up and scold that girl. I need to hear an apology.”
Ricky cried as he grabbed the cheek that had been beaten by Rubette.
Since the day of the accident four days ago, Rubette has been acting crazy.
It’s surprising that she slapped Ricky on the cheek, but…
‘She visits her father on her own feet?’
Due to Molga’s repeated abuse, the sense of distance that Rubette had toward Leonard was quite large. She knew Leonard was ashamed and hated her, far from loving herself as a biological daughter.
In reality, he was just an indifferent father. Unable to afford to take care of his children after losing his wife.
‘It’s difficult. It’s very difficult.’
Even Butler Rob was fired and not in the mansion.
How could Leonard have thrown out Rob, a longtime worker who was impeccable except for condoning abuse?
‘She opened her mouth. Why all of a sudden?’
What kind of change of heart did the timid little girl, who was used to being stepped on, experience?
‘But there is no evidence.’
All the employees of the duke’s residence were bribed by her, and even the young duke Viego, believes in her.
Even if Rubette spoke that she had been abused, Leonard would not be able to interrogate her without evidence.
But.
‘He’ll start to doubt…’
Leonard, who had never been interested in the situation around the house so far, might have changed.
‘You cheeky bastard.’
Molga gritted her teeth, recalling Leonard’s face as they met on the way. That arrogant, belittling gaze as if looking at something annoying that he didn’t want to deal with.
‘You know I raised your children, you should at least pretend to be grateful.’
Molga took care of Leonard’s children like a mother in place of his wife who died early.
Of course, it wasn’t sincere parenting from the start. She just had no choice but to hide her fangs and be gentle.
Leonard was merciless towards those who offended him, his eldest son Viego was the heir to the duke, and his second son Victor was just as fiery…
“You brat.”
Molga’s sense of inferiority towards Leonard was enormous. She felt irritated every time she saw Leonard, and his children, sitting proudly on the seat that her children could never have.
So, when she found out that his youngest daughter, Rubetria, had a timid and weak personality, Molga began to abuse her by releasing her inferiority, envy, and jealousy of her own daughter.
‘I thought I had the stupid girl well trained, but this is a big problem. It will be annoying once Leonard starts to doubt the abuse…’
Molga glanced at Ricky, who was biting his nails, and said.
“First of all, be careful what you do from now on. As much as possible, never get involved with Rubette, and don’t bother her for a while. Be sure to look at her behavior in front of the employees.”
“What?”
“We have to see how Rubette has changed. Without Rob, Mom will be a little busy from now on.”
“What do you mean, Mom? What do you mean don’t get involved? She slapped me in the face, aren’t you going to scold her?”
“You idiot!”
Ricky, who had been whining, was startled when Molga shouted.
“If your mother tells you something, you will politely say yes. Why are you talking back?”
“…”
“I told you so many times. How could you have lived in this house if it weren’t for this mother?”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“Mom, calm down.”
As the twins spoke, Molga’s sharp gaze alternately scanned them.
The son, Ricky, and the daughter, Lillia, were very beautiful just like their mother, but Molga got angry whenever she saw the twins.
Because every duke and duchess of Diollus had hereditary red hair…
The appearance of the twins, who somehow resembled herself, seemed like eerie proof that they would not be accepted as members of the Diollus Duchy.
“Ricky and Lillia. Listen.”
“Mm…”
“Mm.”
Molga, on her knees, took the twins’ arms one by one and glared insidiously.
“Your 15th birthday is a little over a year away, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You said we only have to hold out for a year.”
When Lillia answered coldly, Molga smiled and nodded.
If all goes according to plan, the life of panicking under Leonard’s eyes in this family will be over.
“You didn’t forget the promise you made with your mom, right?”
“Mm, of course not…”
Ricky nodded hesitantly.
“When choosing a spirit, you must never lose sight of it. There are many spirits in the fountain of spirits, and all of their abilities are coveted.”
“…”
“Never, never be deceived. You have to sign a contract with the spirit I told you about, and bring him out. Do you understand?”
“I will find it! I will!”
Lillia’s eyes gleamed greedily.
“Fufu… Who cares which one of you gets it? One just needs to get it for everyone to be successful.”
The reason that the members of the Diollus family were treated like imperial royalty was that their bloodline was blessed by the spirits.
When they turn 15, they are eligible to enter the ‘fountain of spirits’ located on the altar managed by the imperial family and are entitled to enter into a contract with the spirits.
“But Mom, what if the spirit doesn’t choose us, like Rubette?”
Ricky asked with worried eyes.
“She’s a fool. There’s no reason why the spirits won’t choose you. Even if you don’t have red hair, you’re obviously Diollus’ blood.”
The golden eyes of the twins were an undeniable symbol of Diollus blood.
“Yes, Rubette was not chosen by the spirit…”
Molga murmured and regained her peace of mind.
‘Even if she tried to wriggle, she’s just an earthworm in the end. I don’t have to be nervous.’
Princess Rubetria, like the stain of the perfect Diollus Duchy. That child was a blessing for Molga who had a sense of inferiority.
So far, none of the members of Diollus who have entered the fountain of spirits have come out without signing a contract with the spirits…
Surprisingly, Rubette was the only fool who was not chosen by the spirits since the founding of the Empire.
“Anyway, Ricky, what did Mom say if you can find the spirit?”
“You said I could become an emperor.”
“Yes, my smart kid.”
Molga smiled contentedly and stroked his head, while Ricky clenched his fist with a sense of determination.
“But Mom, can we…”
The spirit that Molga was so obsessed with.
Appeared only once hundreds of years ago, and after the death of the contractor, it had returned to the fountain of spirits.
“…really find the spirit of wish?”
It was a spirit of wish, regarded as a legend.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶