TPOVF 24

Chapter 24

The sun was setting, painting the entire sky in deep red hues.

After finishing her lessons with Kyle, Yurenia moved busily.

She was looking for Enzo.

Recently, Kyle had been very excited about sending a letter to his mother for her birthday.

Watching the child prepare so earnestly made her want to help him as much as she could.

Letters typically took two to three days to arrive.

In the worst case, they could take up to four days.

Yurenia wanted to make sure the child’s birthday gift arrived on time.

So she planned to ask Enzo in advance—since her aide frequently sent correspondence for work.

‘Hm?’

But.

Enzo’s office was empty.

Normally, he worked in the aide’s office right next to the Duke’s study. So this was where she always came to find him.

It was the same logic as easily finding Kiernan at the training ground.

Knock, knock.

Yurenia knocked on the Duke’s study door just in case. But as expected, there was no answer.

The Duke seemed to be out as well.

‘Did the two of them go out together?’

Yurenia tilted her head and turned away. And just as she was looking for someone she could ask about his whereabouts—

She saw something unbelievable.

“Out of the way! Move aside!”

Branson, the always dignified and aloof butler, was crossing the lobby while shouting loudly.

“Duke! Where is the Duke!”

Branson came up the stairs quickly, grabbed a maid, and asked urgently. When she shrugged her shoulders, he looked up at the second floor with a flustered expression.

At that moment, his gaze met Yurenia’s, who was standing in the corridor.

“Teacher Yurenia!”

Branson rushed up the stairs in one breath and panted.

“Do you know where the Duke is? Or even Enzo!”

“Neither of them are in their seats.”

“Oh, why of all times…!”

“What are you looking for me for?”

Just as Branson was lamenting, a deep voice came from the entrance of the mansion.

It was Duke Chester.

“Quite noisy. Not like you.”

“Duke!”

Branson spotted Chester and hurriedly came down the stairs. Then he handed him the paper he was holding.

“Mar, Marchioness Maeve has sent a telegram!”

“Sister-in-law?”

At Branson’s words, Chester’s face hardened. He quickly took the telegram and began reading it.

At that moment.

Poof!

A small firecracker sound came from where Branson was standing, and smoke billowed up.

Then he disappeared, and in his place appeared a very small ball of fluff.

“Wh…?”

What was that?

Yurenia was flustered by the sudden event and came down to the lobby. She looked at the spot where Branson had been.

“Squeak, squeak!”

What appeared in Branson’s place wasn’t a ball of fluff but a tiny hamster.

The hamster flailed its tiny paws and squeaked incessantly.

“Um. Just now, Branson…”

Yurenia looked around in confusion.

Even though Branson had disappeared, everyone seemed unfazed.

Chester was reading the telegram with a stern face, and Enzo was also looking at it from behind him with a serious expression.

The servants waiting in the lobby were also calm.

‘Surely this isn’t something only I can see?’

Yurenia felt confused and lowered her head. Just as she was about to examine the hamster closely—

Poof!

Smoke billowed again, and the hamster disappeared. This time, Branson reappeared in its place.

“…I have shown an undignified display.”

Branson straightened his cravat unnecessarily and spoke, as if nothing unusual had happened.

But this was an enormously unusual event!

A person had turned into a hamster.

More explanation was needed. Much more detailed explanation.

“An undignified display?”

Yurenia stared at him and quietly demanded an explanation. Branson looked embarrassed and said.

“I have a magical ability that briefly transforms me into a small animal when I get excited.”

“Branson turns into a rat all the time, so just take it as it is.”

When Yurenia stood dumbfounded even after Branson’s explanation, Enzo added. Branson bristled and corrected him.

“It’s not a rat, it’s a hamster.”

“It’s a rat.”

“Hamster, I said…! Anyway, that’s how it is.”

Branson, who had been shouting with veins bulging in his neck, composed himself and spoke calmly, mindful of Chester.

“I’m sorry for startling you, Teacher.”

“It’s alright. That’s a very… unique ability.”

Yurenia nodded slowly.

She knew that people in this world could each perform at least one type of magic.

But she had never seen anyone transform into an animal like this before. Though there were various kinds of magic, it was still surprising to witness.

‘So that’s why Enzo made that face when he saw Branson last time.’

Suddenly, she remembered the day she first came to Valerio.

Back then, Enzo, who had been guiding her through the mansion, had passed by Branson with a look that said he had much to say.

She hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

So this was why.

Then again, it was indeed hard to keep a straight face knowing that the solemn butler could transform into a cute hamster.

“Branson.”

While Branson and Enzo were bickering, Chester, who had been quiet, raised his head.

The two immediately straightened their postures and listened to the Duke.

With just one call from Chester, the light, floating atmosphere of the lobby instantly grew heavy and settled.

His expression was grim.

The telegram seemed to contain bad news.

Come to think of it, Branson had lost his composure because of the telegram too.

What news could be written in that telegram?

“Give your orders, Duke.”

Branson, having returned to his usual dignified butler self, stepped forward. Chester gave the order with a grave face.

“Go pack your things and prepare to leave immediately. We’re going to Lillian.”

“Yes, sir!”

Branson answered promptly and withdrew swiftly. As he disappeared, Chester gave instructions to Enzo.

“Go and tell Kiernan to assemble the escort personnel. We leave as soon as preparations are complete.”

“Yes, Duke.”

As Enzo withdrew, Chester let out a deep sigh. Then he shifted his gaze to Yurenia. She swallowed dryly under his stare.

A moment later, her eyes widened at the words that came out of Chester’s mouth.

“You pack Kyle’s things and prepare as well. You need to say your final farewell to Lillian.”

“Final farewell?”

Yurenia’s voice trembled. Her heart began to race.

A final farewell.

If that was the case, then perhaps…

Yurenia clasped her hands together. Chester held up the telegram and said.

“I received a telegram from my sister-in-law saying Lillian is in critical condition. If we’re unlucky, she may not make it through tonight.”

…Just as she feared.

Yurenia bit her lip.

Her ominous premonition had come true.

‘Too fast.’

A chill ran down her spine. Lillian was already in critical condition. She hadn’t even found a way to cure her illness yet.

Was Lillian going to die like this, and the story would proceed as in the original?

Kyle had only just begun to smile like a child his age.

Would the Valerio family fall into darkness, making all of Kyle’s positive changes meaningless?

‘I wish Lillian could hold on a little longer.’

Yurenia prayed earnestly.

If only she could endure at least until they found Lex.

Then perhaps she could find some way.

But even the Emperor hadn’t been able to locate Lex.

‘If only my constitution weren’t like this.’

It was frustrating. If she didn’t have the rare constitution of negative mana, she could have taken magic classes at the Academy.

Then she could have conducted medical research too.

Not that it would have been anything more than average Academy-level research anyway, but at least she wouldn’t have felt so helpless.

“Anyway. Explain it well to Kyle so he doesn’t get too startled.”

Chester said, rubbing his brow.

“No. Rather than scaring him for no reason, it’s better to just say we’re going to see his mother and younger sibling.”

“…Yes.”

Yurenia answered with a heavy heart. Chester gazed at her quietly and added.

“I’d like you to stay by Kyle’s side. Can you come with us?”

“Of course. I’ll prepare as well.”

“There’s no time. We must leave immediately.”

“I’ll hurry.”

Yurenia answered Chester and headed toward Kyle’s room.

With each step she took, her mind grew increasingly tangled and complicated.