Translator: Cinder Translations
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Seeing his mother and the stranger—now claiming to be his brother—embrace, Nathan felt a surge of anger.
"Stop joking!"
He yelled, "I don't have some absurd brother!"
He stormed forward and pulled Marianne away.
"Mother, you're lying to them, aren't you? You made up this story to escape their pursuit!"
"My child…"
Marianne gazed at him with pity and held him close.
"I'm sorry I kept your true identity hidden for so many years, but what I said is the truth."
"No!"
Before Nathan could argue further, a knock came at the door.
Marianne blinked, her voice calm. "I suppose it's Cecil and Bryce, correct?"
The door opened, and the two entered.
"Oh my God! How can someone look so alike!"
The pair froze as they stepped in, their faces full of astonishment.
"Ahem!" Butler Philip cleared his throat and said sternly, "It's not just resemblance. She is our lady. You should show her respect!"
Marianne smiled warmly. "It's been a long time, Bryce, Cecil."
"What… is going on?" Bryce couldn't help but ask.
Philip explained the situation in detail.
The two were even more shocked. But since the truth was undeniable, they both bowed respectfully to Marianne.
"Lady Marianne, this is unbelievable. We witnessed your burial ourselves. But, of course, we're overjoyed you're alive."
Philip explained with a smile, "The coffin was filled with wood."
Bryce, irritated, exclaimed, "You old rascal! You've known this all along? You kept us in the dark for years!"
Philip shrugged helplessly. "It was the master's decision to keep it a secret. Even our current lord didn't know. Oh, and by the way, Lady Marianne later became Miss Ladia's teacher. Fate is truly strange."
"Indeed," Paul confirmed, "I just found out myself and called you here to verify it."
"Now, gentlemen," Marianne said, her tone soft yet firm, "and Miss Ladia. I'd like some time alone with Paul. I hope you'll grant me this small request."
To the others, this seemed reasonable—after all, mother and son had been separated for years and likely had much to discuss.
Paul, however, felt his mother's intentions might not be as simple as they appeared.
"Of course," Philip said. "This is your right. Everyone, let's leave."
He turned to Nathan. "Young master Nathan, please come with me. Let your mother and brother have their time. I'm sure you'd be interested in touring the castle passed down by your ancestors. Oh, poor Nathan—you were forced to leave this place as a baby."
Nathan, dazed and overwhelmed, allowed Philip to lead him away. Bryce and Cecil's confirmation had utterly shaken him.
The others rose to leave as well.
Paul suddenly said, "I wonder… shouldn't Ladia stay as well? She is your student, after all."
Marianne glanced at Ladia and said, "No, I'll speak with her privately later."
"I'll step out then," Ladia said, her face tinged with disappointment. Before her teacher, she seemed unexpectedly meek.
The room emptied, the door shut, leaving Paul and Marianne alone.
Once the footsteps outside faded, Marianne turned a sharp, stern gaze on Paul, startling him.
It was as if a long-suppressed memory had been awakened.
"Explain why you have a witch by your side!"
"Huh?" Paul was dumbfounded by the sudden question.
Marianne frowned. "Don't you know? Witches are dangerous individuals."
Her expression became increasingly grave. "Heaven above, don't tell me you've been… enchanted by Ladia?"
Paul quipped, "Given your identity, hearing this from you is rather ironic."
"I'm still your mother. Isn't it normal for me to worry?"
Paul chuckled. "Didn't the other Earl Grayman keep a witch by his side and even have two sons with her?"
Marianne's cheeks flushed. "Your father and I were an exception. You can't use that as a general rule."
"My dear mother," Paul said with certainty, "You can rest assured. Your student is loyal, trustworthy, capable, and of impeccable character. She has solved countless problems for me. The relationship between Ladia Setia and me is strictly that of a lord and his subject."
"Really?" Marianne's tone was skeptical. "The more perfect you make her sound, the more suspicious I become. Are you sure there's nothing between you two?"
"Fine, I admit it." Paul raised his hands in mock surrender. "There's a bit of a… platonic connection between us—a mutual intellectual attraction. After all, Ladia is a very charming woman, and your son is not too shabby himself. But that's it. Besides, I'm already engaged."
"Engaged? To whom?" Marianne asked urgently.
Paul smirked. "You might not believe it, but it's to Princess Catherine Rodney of the royal family."
"Princess Catherine?" Marianne was visibly stunned. "How could a lord from the Northwest Bay become engaged to her?"
Her face fell as a thought struck her. "Wait… are you… marrying into the royal family? From what I know, Princess Catherine plays a significant role in kingdom politics. The royal family has every reason to keep her within the Rodney lineage."
The more Marianne considered it, the more convinced she became of this grim possibility. Her son was about to change his surname!
Fury rose in her. "This cannot happen! Paul, you're the eldest son of the Grayman family, responsible for continuing its bloodline!"
"Hey, hey, let me correct you," Paul said, amused. "It was His Majesty himself who begged me to marry his sister." He exaggerated a little.
"Is that true?"
Marianne found it hard to believe.
"You'll see when the time comes—assuming you stay here."
"Oh, Paul…" Marianne's expression softened, a tender note in her voice. She hesitated, then admitted, "I have… very important matters to attend to."
"Important matters?" Paul probed. "Is it related to the Arcane Order?"
"How do you know?" Marianne was startled, but quickly pieced it together. Her face darkened. "It was that Derson, wasn't it? That traitor! I should have dealt with him long ago."
"Uh… you figured it out?"
"Ha! Using magic in public and claiming it was an accident? What a poor excuse!" Marianne's expression hardened. "All right, my son."
She sat down at the desk, her tone softening again. "Yes, I'm currently a member of the Arcane Order."
"So, what Derson said was true?"
"What did he tell you?"
"Everything," Paul replied. "All he knew."
"The ancient legends, mysterious celestial phenomena, cryptic prophecies, your alliance with the Scholar's Tower, and the events behind the scenes in the Gabella Empire…"
TLN: I find it weird that MC hasn't figured out that the prophecy clearly points to himself. But MC's failure to recognize the prophecy about himself could stem from psychological biases like cognitive dissonance, where he avoids associating with an uncomfortable truth, or normalcy bias, where he underestimates the significance of extraordinary events applying to him. Even highly intelligent individuals can overlook personal relevance due to subconscious emotional barriers or a lack of self-awareness.
Or maybe it's just lazy writing and a plot hole.
(End of the Chapter)
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