“… By the way, Klaus… how is your father?”

The Duke lowered his gaze as he asked.

Throughout our conversation, there had been moments when he seemed on the verge of asking something, and it was clear that my father’s well-being had been on his mind.

“….”

It had been over twenty years since he’d heard anything about him. His curiosity was understandable.

But I wasn’t sure how to answer.

Should I tell him that Father was happily living with the woman who had kidnapped him? It felt… complicated.

I hesitated, and the Duke’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression darkening.

“Speak honestly. It’s alright.”

Ah, so he misunderstood.

He probably thought I was reluctant to answer because Father’s situation wasn’t good. If that’s where his concern was coming from, it might be better to tell the truth.

“Father is doing well. Life in the forest isn’t exactly noble, but he has everything he needs and faces no hardships. Mother and Father… well, they live like a perfectly ordinary couple.”

“… An ordinary couple…?”

The Duke’s expression twisted into something difficult to describe.

I could understand his reaction.

When I first heard about my parents’ circumstances after leaving the forest, I must have looked much the same.

While the nuances of our thoughts might differ, the core disbelief was likely the same.

“Before I left the forest, I thought my parents might have eloped out of love. Even as a child, it was obvious how much Mother adored Father. But over time, I’ve realized that Father also cares deeply for her. They’re really just an ordinary married couple.”

“… Klaus… cares for… that woman?”

The Duke’s face contorted into an expression so indescribable that I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of amusement.

Considering my mother’s appearance, his reaction was entirely reasonable.

I didn’t think much of it since they were my parents, but imagining someone with my mother’s face as my spouse? Yeah, no. There’s no way I could have lived a normal married life.

Sorry, Mother. That’s a hard no.

While I firmly believe people should be valued for their character rather than their appearance, I draw the line at marrying someone who looks like me.

Really, I’m sorry, Mom. I still prefer beauty.

Tatiana’s natural smile whenever she looked at me reminded me how rare and precious she was. I resolved never to let her go.

With that thought in mind, I shared a few anecdotes about my parents’ life.

I recounted how Father had pricked his finger trying to mend a torn shirt, as Mother’s sewing skills were lacking, and how she’d turned pale with worry.

Then there was the time she made an enormous fur coat to protect Father during an especially harsh winter. It was so thick and heavy that Father looked like a walking fur monster. The coat was so cumbersome that it ended up in storage after just one day.

And the time Mother hunted down a rare magical beast and brought it home, beaming with pride after Father praised her for it. That praise spurred her on to the point where the house became so crowded with carcasses that the only place left to stand was the bed. It wasn’t until then that she realized she might have gone overboard, much to Father’s amusement.

“Life in the forest doesn’t offer much in the way of entertainment,” I said. “So Father has his ways of keeping things lively.”

The Duke, who had been listening intently, seemed to relax as his expression softened into a gentle smile. Lines formed at the corners of his eyes, and I thought I caught a faint shimmer, as though they had moistened slightly.

“Klaus, doing things like that… It feels like I’m hearing about someone entirely different. Tell me more,” he said with a chuckle.

But before I could continue, a clear, ringing chime echoed from somewhere nearby.

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“It seems our time is up,” the Duke said, sighing softly. “There’s still so much I want to ask and tell you…”

He clasped my hand firmly across the table, his gaze steady.

“Child, everything we’ve spoken of today, and even our meeting, must remain a secret. Speak of it to no one—not even your companion.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

The Duke rose, placed a brief kiss on my forehead, and smiled warmly.

This was… embarrassing.

At my age and size, receiving a kiss from my grandfather felt awkward, even if it was a normal gesture in this country. My face flushed red, which only made the Duke laugh as he pulled his hood back over his head.

“Next time, let’s meet at the Ducal Estate. I look forward to seeing you again.”

As he prepared to leave, I caught a glimpse of Tatiana in the doorway connecting the garden to the house.

She must have just finished her bath, her hair still damp and shining. A maid said something to her, and she turned her head slightly, oblivious to the Duke’s presence.

The Duke paused briefly, his gaze lingering on her before silently turning away.

He departed the way he had come, crossing the garden with long strides.

Unlike his arrival, where the wind had swirled with each step, he left in silence.

He said it was because of uncontrolled emotions, I recalled.

From his demeanor, it was clear he wasn’t treating me as the son of an enemy.

He was simply… happy.

It was evident from our conversation that the Duke—my grandfather—was genuinely glad to meet his grandson.

I had expected animosity but was instead met with something resembling a normal grandparent-grandchild relationship.

It left me feeling… strange.

I watched until his figure completely disappeared.

He’s fast, I thought, marveling at his speed. He didn’t seem to be using wind magic the way I did, so he must have his own methods.

“But what about this mess?”

The garden, ravaged by the Duke’s wind, was in shambles.

“Surely they won’t expect me to pay for it…”

The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. It’s not my fault.

“Wow, what happened here? Did a typhoon hit just this part of the garden?” Tatiana exclaimed as she stepped outside, her eyes wide.

She must not have seen the Duke, as she’d been stopped by the maid just moments before.

“Who knows?” I replied with a shrug, walking past her.

“What took you so long? What were you up to?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

Tatiana’s face lit up. “Oh, the bath here is amazing! They use water with flower petals floating in it. And they even applied scented oil to my hair! Smell it!”

She leaned in, offering her head.

Even without getting closer, I could already catch the faint, pleasant fragrance. My nose twitched involuntarily.

Her skin seemed smoother and more radiant than usual, and her overall appearance was positively enchanting.

“….”

Despite my efforts to remain composed, Tatiana was dazzling. Her scent, her glow—it was overwhelming.

I felt myself teetering on the edge of self-control.

Seeing my lack of response, she assumed I hadn’t caught the scent and leaned in even closer, shaking her hair slightly.

“Can you smell it now?” she asked, her white neck peeking out from beneath her tied-back hair.

A primal instinct surged within me.

Half of me was already a beast.

No, Rafa. You’re human, not an animal.

With a herculean effort, I took a step back, forcing myself to breathe.

“Yeah, it smells great. But aren’t you hungry?” I asked, gesturing to the table.

Her eyes lit up like a child’s as she bounded toward the spread.

Haa… That was close. Too close.

“It’s amazing! This food is incredible!” she exclaimed between bites.

While Tatiana indulged in the feast, the client arrived—a polite man who received the phoenix feather with gratitude, handing over a pouch of gold coins in return.

During our brief conversation, I got the sense that he had no idea I’d just met the Duke.

It seemed even he and the merchant guild were only aware that I was to meet someone important here, but not the specifics.

The secrecy surrounding it all made me realize how justified my initial fears had been about the ducal family treating me as an enemy.

“A spirit in human form…”

I recalled something my father had said when I was young:

[Grow strong, Rafa. Stronger than your mother, the greatest warrior. Be far stronger than her.]

When he said those words, what had been going through his mind?

Unlike me, who had the confidence to face any situation, Father couldn’t rely on his own strength alone.

Perhaps he had lived every day haunted by the fear of being imprisoned and forced into a life of servitude, producing heirs endlessly.

Having lived as a poor, powerless human in my previous life, I understood all too well how crushing it was to face a reality you couldn’t change.

Born into privilege and power, the Duke might never understand that.

Maybe Father only truly found peace and laughter after living with Mother in the forest.

For a fleeting moment, I missed them both terribly.

***

In his private room, the head butler quietly prepared a drink.

Without a word, he poured the Duke his preferred liquor.

Taking a sip, the Duke leaned back and stared at the ceiling, his grandson’s face vividly imprinted in his mind.

“He looks just like Helga. But his nature… it was unexpected.”

“Did he not meet your expectations?” the butler asked softly.

The Duke chuckled at the deliberate misunderstanding.

“Far from it.”

He thought of Rafa, a being surrounded by spirits. For some reason, Klaus had been unable to communicate with his own spirits, and the strength of his lineage seemed to have passed entirely to his son.

“Klaus didn’t raise him to be a duke,” the Duke said.

The butler’s eyes widened slightly.

“Klaus was the perfect successor,” the Duke continued. “He was decisive, ruthless when necessary, and carried himself with impeccable grace. But Rafa… he’s different.”

He paused, recalling his impression of Rafa.

“It’s as if he was raised to live two lives—one as a duke and the other as a warrior of Enorthos. He could thrive in either role.”

“That can’t be,” the butler murmured, visibly unsettled.

The Duke nodded, understanding his disbelief. Klaus, who understood better than anyone the significance of the purple eyes, had deliberately avoided raising Rafa as a traditional heir.

Klaus’s warning was clear, the Duke thought. Don’t treat Rafa as a mere pawn of the ducal family.

“Hold off on the candidate list for potential matches,” the Duke instructed. “Instead, investigate if there are any princesses in the Duchy of Saramoons.”

The butler frowned slightly. “The Duchy has no eligible princesses. The ones available are either married or under ten years old.”

“I know. But today, I saw a young woman with water magic who looks just like their queen.”

“….”

The butler bowed. “I’ll look into it immediately.”

The Duke nodded. Better to secure an alliance through marriage before the royal family made any moves.