Chapter 77.2

“Is that so…?”

As I rubbed my lips, Cecilia let out a sigh, as if thinking of something.

“By the way, it looks like Aster is coming back soon.”

“What?”

“He graduated at the top of the academy this time. He’s supposed to be there for more than half a year, but he performed so outstandingly that he will be here any minute.”

There was some hope in those words.

“Aster… said he loved Harris, did he?”

“Yes.”

“I see…”

“Don’t worry though. I’m sorry My Lady will be liked. He’s a bit unique, but…”

But then…

“Is she already here?”

When I turned my head to the familiar voice, the Grand Duke entered.

Unlike before, he held Harris’s hand.

At that moment, I felt something heavy in my heart.

“Yes, I was here. Daddy’s late.”

“I had to go get Harris. She asked me to pick her up today.”

Was it because she came in with the Grand Duke? Harris looked at me with a more confident expression than ever. After that, Lexit came in with the same expression.

No, on the contrary, Lexit looked at me with an openly comfortable expression.

“Cecilia, I want to go down.”

“Yes, I’ll drop you off.”

As I came down, the Grand Duke, who released Harris’s hand, came up to me.

“You must have been upset that you had to come alone.”

“No. I’m not upset. Today’s star is Harris.”

“I’ll definitely go to you next time.”

“I’m telling you, it’s fine.”

But the Grand Duke smiled sweetly and reached out to me, and I had no choice but to hold him.

“But Allen isn’t coming?”

“I told him to come at the right time, but I don’t know where he went.”

“I see…”

Allen, who would normally have been here a long time ago, or in front of my room, was nowhere to be seen.

When the Grand Duke came into the room, the nobles, who all bowed to him, opened their mouths as if they were waiting for me to be placed at the top.

“Then, how do you feel now, Grand Duke?”

“Fine. I should deal with it now. There’s nothing more to drag on.”

With those words, the Grand Duke nodded. Then, one of the attendants walked out slowly and held a round bead on a silver tray.

It looked transparent, and the large beads gave the impression of a subtle fog swaying inside.

“But Your Highness, how did you get that thing from the Imperial family?”

“Why? Is its existence very suspicious?”

“No way. It’s just amazing that the Imperial family easily gave away such a treasure.”

“I stole it because they didn’t give it to me.”

At those words, the faces of those in the meeting room darkened.

“What is that…”

“They didn’t give it because they say it’s only used to assess the bloodline of the Imperial family, but I had to steal it.”

Rather, he was so proud that he had nothing more to say.

“I see.”

This was also true for the nobles. At the unexpected answer, they just laughed and looked at each other.

“Well, first of all… I have to prove it, so Lexit and I should try it first.”

Lexit, who mumbled, came forward with a nod.

“All I need is a drop of blood.”

The servant, who brought the beads with him, slightly put something pointy on Lexit’s hand. For a moment, red drops of blood fell to the floor from Lexit’s hand.

As if waiting for it, the Grand Duke nodded, and the servant dropped drops of blood on the bead. Then, red blood disappeared in an instant as if it were absorbed into the bead.

Instead, black smoke floated inside the transparent bead.

“It’s my turn.”

Everyone watched the scene with bated breath. Then, more blood dripped to the floor than before. Only then did the Grand Duke put his hand on the beat, and in an instant, the blood was absorbed into the bead.

Then, black smoke, which looked rougher than before, fluttered in the bead, and the two black smoke fused in an instant.

“This confirms the normal operation. The two smokes have fused.”

“I see. I think it’s the royal treasure I’ve only heard of.”

“Now Harris, it’s your turn.”

The priest rubbed the beads with the cloth, and the black smoke disappeared in an instant.

“Yes! Here, hand!”

But somehow, Harris’s behavior was strange.

Obviously, I didn’t think that neither Harris nor I were the Grand Duke’s real daughter, but Harris just held out her hand confidently, as if she was trying to reveal that she really had the Grand Duke’s blood.

‘What? Strange.’