Chapter 177
“What exactly do you mean?”
“Perhaps he’s troubled by how he used Your Highness’s biological father.”
Nepheli’s biological father?
“Wasn’t he said to be missing?”
“Correct. Duke Morris and Duke Equus exploited that fact.”
“How do you use a missing person?”
“Well, Duke Equus resembled Lord Viel Luth.”
Viel Luth?
The name felt familiar, like something I’d heard long ago, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t place the face. Who was that again?
Ding!
[<System> New character information has been registered.]
[<System> Character ‘Viel Luth’ has been added to “Lublin’s Nobility and Major Aristocratic Families: Character Information”]
The timely system message gave me a clue.
‘Ah, Nepheli’s father.’
While I now knew Viel Luth’s identity, many questions remained. Without realizing it, I began rapid-firing questions at Killis.
“What exactly do you mean by Duke Equus resembling my father? How was that exploited?”
“Her Majesty Evgenia’s affection for Lord Viel was well-known. She even made him First State Secretary over Duke Morris, her original fiancé.”
“…….”
“And Duke Equus bore a striking resemblance to Lord Viel. After Lord Viel disappeared, Duke Morris personally presented Duke Equus to Her Majesty.”
“Are you saying they used him……?”
“Unlike Duke Morris, Duke Equus’s family was insignificant. Normally, they wouldn’t have even caught Her Majesty’s attention.”
His words confirmed my suspicions. If family status didn’t matter, then it was purely about the person.
“Some speculate this similarity to Lord Viel played a role. But only Her Majesty knows the truth.”
“I see…….”
“…….”
“If true, that’s unexpected.”
The confirmation of what I’d only vaguely suspected left me bewildered. Considering what I knew of Evgenia, it was even more surprising.
“She doesn’t seem the type to favor someone just for resemblance.”
“Love is both the most foolish blessing and curse a living being can experience.”
“…….”
“Even Her Majesty couldn’t help it.”
A shadow of loneliness passed over Killis’s face. Though it vanished quickly, I caught every flicker of emotion.
Suddenly, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. The relationship between Evgenia and Morris Futurum reminded me of… us.
Perhaps Killis felt the same, hence that expression. Unintentionally, I’d touched a wound again.
But there was no need to drag out something so ambiguous. Killis didn’t seem eager to continue either, so I pretended not to notice.
‘After all…….’
Once I became Evgenia through the quest and obtained my wish, this world would end. What happened after didn’t concern me.
‘I’ll be going home.’
This world would disappear then anyway.
Afterward, Killis conducted our usual lessons before leaving. Though he’d become my guardian, he couldn’t behave like a typical one.
This was only natural. Having accepted his circumstances, I had no complaints.
Truthfully, what occupied my mind wasn’t Killis’s behavior but the system message and Nepheli’s father from our conversation.
‘Just how alike were they for such rumors to spread openly?’
I recalled the character guide included portraits. I should be able to see Viel Luth’s face.
[<Guide> Lublin’s Nobility and Major Aristocratic Families: Character Information]
[Next Page]
Flipping quickly through the pages, I soon found the new entry.
‘Ah, here.’
[<Character> Viel Luth
―Affection: ― / 100
(※Affection cannot be measured for this character.)
―Biological father of Lublin’s First Princess “Nepheli Leta Anesis.”
Eldest son of House Luth. Once Evgenia’s most favored guardian before his disappearance.]
Seeing the character portrait accompanying the brief description, I gasped.
‘Wow…….’
They looked identical.
Duke Equus Cecil and Viel Luth shared the same face—like identical twins. If not for that, one might believe they were the same person reborn.
Both had delicate, beautiful features, with identical hair and eye colors.
No wonder rumors spread about Evgenia favoring a man who resembled her lost love over her high-born fiancé.
Still… could you really love someone just for their face? Being drawn to them was one thing, but…
‘Not that I’m one to talk.’
I’d been favoring Cirilla precisely because she reminded me of Jiyu, despite them not even looking alike.
Yet here I was, pouring affection on Cirilla. Case closed.
Just as old, complicated feelings began resurfacing—
‘This is what happens with too much free time.’ If I were busy, I wouldn’t have leisure for such thoughts.
“I wish the new quest would start already…….”
I muttered, staring at the unchanged “rewards being calculated” message.
* * *
But days passed without my wish coming true. The quest message remained unchanged, and no related news arrived.
The prolonged silence eroded my patience. Despite trying to remain calm, anxiety crept in.
‘Why? Is it because I made Killis my guardian through an unconventional method?’
The uncertainty gnawed at me. No matter how I tried to hide it, my distress showed.
For example—
“Your form is correct, but many arrows missed the target.”
Reno’s comment made me flinch. I’d already noticed my unusually poor performance today.
My efforts proved futile—the results were disastrously bad. At this rate, I might as well announce that something’s wrong.
If it was obvious to me, others would notice too. Reno cautiously asked:
“Are you unwell?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Then… is something troubling you?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just…….”
Though he’d hit the mark, I feigned nonchalance.
“My hands just feel weak today.”
“Truly? Nothing at all is bothering you?”
“Really. Nothing.”
I set down my bow and arrows. Though it was earlier than usual, continuing would only worsen my mood.
Just as I was about to suggest returning—
“Is it… because of me?”
“Huh?”
The sudden question caught me off guard.
“What do you mean, because of you?”
“Well…… Never mind. I must be mistaken.”
Reno’s lips twitched before pressing shut. Normally, I’d assume he didn’t want to elaborate and let it go.
But coming from Reno, about this topic—I couldn’t ignore it.
“Tell me. Why would you think that?”
“I thought you might still be uneasy about… that matter.”
“……?”
“Your reaction suggests otherwise, which relieves me, but…….”
That matter?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Reno quietly supplied the answer:
“When I said I wished to serve you… days ago.”
Ah.
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