Chapter 20

(Duke Astor Estonia Schulz Pov)

The halls of Lombardy were as rich as people gossiped about with high end ceilings chandeliers hanging hoisting in the late evening sunlight large glass windows and thousands of hard wooden doors there must have been about one thousand rooms in this mansion every place was spec and span with maids hurrying down the corridors to reach their destinations.

The large green fields seemed to shimmer in the sunlight yet for some reason the place seemed grim.

My eight year old niece Rossetti.

I've never witnessed something like it the way she had passed out just by holding a magic crystal. Alone with the fact the crystal shone bright red a colour I've never seen before. Since I was the master of the magic tower I decided to stay in the Lombardy mansion along with that annoying priestess while we tried to figure out the problem.

I was never close to family or family history by the look on Fathers face not even he had a clue what was going on. Doctor after doctor along with me and the Priestess combined couldn't figure it out.

I sighed running my hands through my thick blond hair.

That child the last time her family came to the Schulz Mansion for a few days. If i remembered correctly she was three and a half and probably the brightest kid I've ever met and the only kid who ran up to me and called me Uncle without flinching most kids were scared of me usually because the mana I had was over powering or maybe because I was taller then most people.

"Uncle!" A bright voice seemed to call I had been practicing a new spell a kid who reached up to my knee the least ran up to me Ruby red eyes sparkling in the light a huge grin on her "Uncle! uncle look what I caught" the kid tugged at the hem of my white shirt I looked down at her debating wether to say anything or not if I spoke I might scare this little thing off if I didn't she might keep bothering me.

"What did you catch" the words came out unconsciously the kid opened her hands as a white butterfly flew out of her hands.

"Bye bye butterfly" she waved to the thing I looked at the short kid beside me who was waving to a butterfly... unconsciously once again I patted the ruffled strands of blond hair that was sticking out.

'Fluffy' I thought the kid turned to look up at me for a second and I yoinked my hand back 'What the hell is wrong with me!?' "I heard Uncle can do magic!" The kid suddenly exclaimed "y-yea I can" I replied not once in the twenty years I've lived have I stuttered! I was the heir to the Mage tower! I had more Mana than my father! And a kid here! Asked a random question who waved to butterflies! Made me stutter!

I snapped out of my train of thoughts

"Uncle show me some magic please!" The kid exclaimed I looked down at the bright thing and sighed "what's your favourite animal?" I asked "hmmmm Cats!" The kid exclaimed I nodded opening my hands casting a simple illusion spell a bright crystal clear cat and butterflies along with a few other things the kid gasped in amazement "shiny" she whispered reaching out to touch a butterfly as it faded underneath her touch I smiled then paused

'wait what was I doing!?'

I whisked the illusion away and coughed "that's enough for today-" I paused looking at the kid to see if she was listening "I have work to do-" but the kid cut me off "Uncle is so cool he made butterflies and a cat that sparkled out of thin air!" The kid exclaimed I was taken aback this kid was to bright for her own good were kids always this bright?Her older brothers when I had first met them just looked up at me frowned and said 'Boooorrrriiingg'

why was this kid so- so energetic!

I coughed to compose myself "thank you-"

but when I looked beside me the kid was gone where I had no clue and of course I panicked! Because somehow the kid had latched herself onto a tree and tried to climb up! I grabbed the kid pulling her away "That's dangerous!" I exclaimed The kid struggled in my hands.

Before I could scold the child my brother rushed over "oh you found her! She ran off I've been looking all over she's a fast one" my older Brother was panting he was clearly out of breath "I see you were playing with your uncle weren't you Rossetti?" My brother took his daughter from my hands "yea! Yea! Uncle is very cool he can do magic!" Rossetti exclaimed "ok now wave bye to uncle let's go find your mother"

The kid turned to me waving bye and I just stood there trying to process what had happened.

I chuckled at the memory realising I had stopped walking I stood there looking out the window I hoped the kid would wake up soon it would be a shame for her to lose such brightness.

"Lord Astor!" A maid said running towards me I turned and sighed my head hurting with everything that was going on "Lady Rossetti has woken up!" The maid exclaimed reaching me I froze at the news "and she's in a lot of pain!" The maid said panting from how far and fast she had run she didn't have to say twice.

I made my way quickly to my nieces room the priestess just arriving her long black hair well braided and plain white cloths "the lady-" she began "I know!" I cut her of opening the bedroom door.