Chapter 88
Zion recalled Lea’s guiding with an expression of ecstasy. It had felt wonderful even when he’d only received it once, but once it became a regular occurrence, the world looked entirely different.
Each day was filled with vibrant energy. No longer having to fret over when his strength would be depleted, everything around him appeared more positive.
Food tasted better. Even the fresh air filled him with gratitude. And all of that blessing had been bestowed upon him by no one other than Lea.
“Lady Lea… is like the Saintess from the legends passed down in the temple. Not only does she guide, but she knows how to truly embrace Espers.”
If he could have her all to himself, he could have even offered up his heart. But if that happened, the one who would suffer would be her, not him. So instead, Zion resolved to raise her to a high position.
“Our House Grayson must be the first to support Lady Lea. She is currently in a very precarious state.”
“Whatever the case may be, if you intend to move this forward, you’ll need to reveal at least some of what lies beneath. I have no desire to pressure my retainers into obedience simply by force,” said Duke Grayson.
His words filled the retainers’ eyes with trust. It was this very quality that allowed them to follow him with confidence.
“Father. Had Lady Lea not personally revealed to me that she was a Guide, even as someone close to Her Majesty the Empress, I might still not have known. Do you understand what that means?”
“That is…”
“Yes. There’s no way Her Majesty the Empress, her birth mother, wouldn’t have known. And there’s no way His Majesty the Emperor, who surely knows everything, wouldn’t have known either.”
“……”
At Zion’s words, the air fell silent. Everyone realized just how serious the matter truly was.
“Then are you saying they intentionally chose not to reveal it?”
“Yes. Lady Lea herself admitted as much. Even now, that gentle soul is trying her best to follow the orders of Her Majesty the Empress, her birth mother, despite having been cast aside so harshly…”
That was also why Zion had stepped away from his position as one of the Empress’s close aides. The hand that wielded the whip had been merciless. It was not the behavior of someone toward their own child.
And yet, like a fool, Lea tried to obey her mother’s command, simply because it came from her. Even though she knew that if she announced she was a Guide, power would naturally gather around her.
But now, he would no longer stay still. He would not remain powerless while his Guide continued to suffer in silence.
With his crimson hair neatly brushed back, Zion’s deep blue eyes gleamed as he looked around the room.
“We must raise our Guide to a noble position. Not as the Empress, but as a new kind of Guide.”
His words made the retainers hold their breath. The phrase ‘our Guide’ resonated deeply in their hearts.
* * *
Meanwhile, Derek already knew of Zion’s plan. He’d taken it upon himself to peer into the minds of those around him. The people themselves, of course, were unaware.
Only then did he truly understand what Lea had meant. When she’d said she feared mental-type Espers.
How could a person not be terrified of an ability that could manipulate others from the shadows in such a sinister way? Especially from the perspective of those being targeted.
But Derek felt no guilt. Everyone aside from Lea—especially other Espers—were not allies to him, but enemies.
And who would show sympathy to an enemy?
It had been a long time since he’d returned to the Felitier manor. Since taking charge of the merchant guild, his wealth had grown exponentially. He had purchased a new mansion near the palace and had been living separately for quite some time.
Though he told himself it was for his own peace of mind, the real reason he had come back to the Felitier estate boiled down to one thing.
To protect Lea, what he needed wasn’t a household. It was the long-established power that the Felitier family had amassed over generations.
“…Second Young Master, it has been a while.”
As he stepped down from the carriage, the head butler ran up with a pale face and greeted him. The man couldn’t even meet his gaze properly now that Derek was no longer a disregarded bastard, but a wealthy and powerful man. Derek let out a scoff.
“Has Father and my brother returned?”
“Yes, they have.”
“Take me to them.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Derek agreed with Zion’s plan, but he had no intention of giving up the spot closest to her. To that end, he was prepared to test the limits of his abilities.
If he could erase memories through mental manipulation, then perhaps he could also directly control the mind.
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