In the Rosemary Family mansion located in the center of Maple City, Roderick sat on a throne covered in gold and precious gems.
In his hand, he held a glass of wine and sipped it slowly. The unique taste of the wine spread throughout the hall where the banquet was being prepared.
“Did you get any information about them?” Roderick seemed to speak but no one answered him. As if no one heard him speak.
Only a man sitting next to him answered the question. "There isn't any. No matter where I looked, there was no information about them at all. Even the Maple Secret Society has no information regarding their whereabouts.”
“Then there is no need to search further. There's no point in looking for something that you won't even find in this world. Like their leader.” Roderick took a small sip of the wine before continuing. “We will know who they are and the identities they have right after they come here.”
“I will withdraw the investigation team I deployed.” The man took out a letter and immediately burned it.
The orders he issued were written in the letter. If it was destroyed, then the other assigned parties would immediately find out and retract the tasks they were carrying out.
“Leight… I heard you gave birth to a pair of twins. If father hears it, he will definitely be happy. Isn't that right?"
Leight who heard it didn't say anything. He only saw his older brother sitting on the throne that originally belonged to him in Maple City. Even though the throne was designed based on his preferences, it still suited Roderick perfectly.
Roderick looked like a guy who was quite burly but not overly so. His black hair matched perfectly with a small black crown that was twisted and surrounded on top of his head. What can be felt from Roderick is the aura of Authority that he has.
As one of the three great noble families in the Pendragon kingdom, the Rosemary family stands as a count who controls almost 1/3 of the Pendragon territory. Even though they don't control it directly, the influence that the Rosemary family has is very broad and very large.
In the Pendragon kingdom, apart from King Ester and his ministers, there was not a single organization that had almost the same influence as King Ester and could influence the entire Pendragon kingdom other than the Rosemary family.
The aura and authority possessed by the head of the Rosemary family could almost subdue many other organizations and nobles in the Pendragon kingdom. As Roderick's younger brother, Leight also has a few of the same characteristics.
Although not as good as his older brother's.
“My two sons and daughter are still small. I don't want to bring them into the bloody politics of the Pendragon kingdom. Apart from that, I want them to enter the royal academy and let them serve King Esther when they graduate from there."
“I'm just giving a suggestion. No need to show such an ugly face. Besides, you should have told me about my two nephews if your wife gave birth. I can bring gifts here.”
"I'm sure Father will also be happy when he hears it."
Roderick did not mention his two nephews any further. Although he was quite interested in why Leight didn't tell the core members of Rosemary's royal family, he didn't care about it.
As long as it doesn't bother him or disturb the Pendragon kingdom, there's no need to take care of other people's problems.
“No need for gifts. We don't lack anything here. It's just that, I want to ask for your help in bringing the two of them to the capital after this matter is over. With what is going to happen in Maple City, I don't want my two children to become victims and targets of many people.”
Roderick just nodded and drank the wine in his hand. He glanced at Leight's gaze which was only directed at the preparations for the upcoming banquet. Even though he tried to hide it, there was a hint of hatred beneath those black eyes
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“Do you still hate how Dad treated us both?” Roderick asked but saw no change in Leight's face.
"For the last time, I don't want to be involved anymore with how my father or grandfather ran the Rosemary family. It was a past that means nothing even if I get angry now.”
“But I can see that you still hate father.”
"Of course I hate it. Why do you think I went to Maple City if it wasn't because I was sick of seeing Father's face.” Leight said in a heavy tone and raised his voice slightly before stopping. He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly.
His mind which was surging with anger instantly calmed down. "Our father killed the mother I had just for stupid reasons like protecting my biological sister who failed to find her mate. I was so angry with our father that I wanted to kill him with my hands too.”
“But you know what? No matter how much anger I have, it always disappears when I remember that it is because of my father that I can live to this point. Every time I almost died or lost my limbs due to fighting, father was the first to take care of me and gave me a lot of medicine and potions just to ensure my safety.”
It was because of his father that he was able to live and survive until he had his two beautiful sons and daughter. Because of his father, his development was so fast even though he was not as talented as Roderick. Even though his father was criticized several times by his other brothers, he still did not cut off any help or knowledge to help him develop as a Magus.
The complicated feelings in his heart led him to leave and live in Maple City. Hatred still existed in his heart, but after experiencing so much, he could somewhat understand why his father did that.
But that doesn't excuse what he did to his mother. Even though it happened quite a long time ago, the memory of his mother's death was still etched in his head.
“He is a bad father. I know that too. It's just that you at least came and said hello. Even though he will only show a cold expression every time, at least you still show that you care about Rosemary's family."
“Don't... Don't... Just Don't. Saying it is easy. But I don't want to remember our father again." Leight immediately interrupted this conversation and immediately asked something that had made him curious for a long time.
“Rather than talk about this, I would like to ask why you refrained from finishing off Angulus when you saw him.”
“Hmm…do you really want to know?” Roderick raised the empty glass in his hand while looking at the entire hall from the reflection of the glass.
"Just say it. There's no need to beat around the bush like this.”
Roderick was silent for a moment while looking at the entire hall reflected in the glass. From there, he saw people who were so small but did not cover everything in the hall. No matter which side he looked at, there would always be a blind spot to what could be seen in the reflection of the glass.
“You could say it's like the wine that was previously in this glass. They have only one purpose, to be enjoyed by those who drink them. If the wine is delicious, then the wine will run out and lose its value. If the wine is bad, it will simply be thrown away and replaced by new wine.”
“After drinking it, the glass will be put down and no longer cared about. If the glass is good, maybe it will be kept and reused. If the glass is damaged, it is thrown away and not used again.” Roderick said with a smile on his face as he raised his glass and a handsome butler filled Roderick's glass.
The distinctive aroma of wine filled the entire hall and made several people dazed and seem drunk. Those who felt affected shook their heads and forced themselves to come to their senses.
Meanwhile, those who were not affected by the intoxicating taste of the wine were also stunned by the aroma and richness of the wine. Everyone in the hall could only see Roderick drinking wine from his lips with a smile.
Leight only thought about it for a moment before understanding the meaning of what Roderick said. “If that's the case, then whatever happens, Balak will just be a bait that can be thrown away. But that doesn't answer why you didn't finish off Angulus then.”
“At that time, a figure who was considered a member of The Forgotten One destroyed Angulus and did not make him move in the slightest. He even destroyed his arm with just one magic and withstood the combined attacks of the roses of destruction so easily.” Leight could still remember what he saw when Angulus and the black figure fought.
Honestly, he didn't expect that Angulus could be defeated so easily. What he knew was that Angulus was so crazy and uncontrollable that he almost destroyed every opponent he had.
Angulus, who was once called the genius and best product of the Betlam family, went crazy when politics was going on.
That happened in the past but his memory was still fresh regarding how fierce Angulus was, who at that time still held the title as a candidate for the successor to the Betlam family.
The Betlam family is so famous because of the excellent quality of their offspring. Everyone born in the Betlam family was a genius who was very rare to find.
Even more than his older brother who is the leader of the Rosemary family.
It's just that the members of the Betlam family are not many and quite a few. Especially when Balak and Angulus did in the previous political moment where Balak's talent was so horrifying and he took crazy steps that were unthinkable.
That person brought Vienna Hall into the politics of the Pendragon kingdom.