章 10: A Letter from the Marquis

"What has that foolish son of mine done?!"

Lucas Evern's voice roared through the walls of his study, the sound echoing like thunder. Papers on his desk trembled as he slammed his fist down, sending a stack of documents sprawling onto the floor. His face was red with fury, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts.

Cedric, his son and heir, had committed an unforgivable blunder. Not only had he endangered the daughters of the Rosemary Marquis family—Viola and Primula—but he had nearly caused their deaths in the forest. It was sheer luck, or perhaps divine intervention, that the situation hadn't escalated further.

"I told him—no, I explicitly told him—to treat those girls with the utmost respect!" Lucas shouted, pacing back and forth. "And yet… he puts their lives at risk. Do you have any idea what this means?!"

"Darling," Lisa Evern, his wife, interjected, her tone impatient. "Why are you so worried about those girls? Cedric was injured! Our son is what matters right now."

Lucas stopped mid-stride and turned to her, his expression a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. "Lisa, this isn't about Cedric's injuries! This is about our family's status—our very existence as nobles!"

"Our status?" Lisa tilted her head, her confusion evident. "What are you talking about? Cedric is fine, and the girls weren't seriously hurt. Surely this will all blow over."

Lucas's hands clenched into fists, his frustration boiling over. "You truly don't understand, do you? Let me spell it out for you, Lisa. Viola and Primula are the daughters of the Marquis of Rosemary! He's not just another noble—he's my direct superior as head court magician!"

Lisa's eyes widened as realization began to dawn, but Lucas wasn't finished.

"Our title as honorary viscount is tied to my position," he continued, his tone sharp. "We're already looked down upon as 'pseudo-nobles.' If the Marquis decides to act against us, he can have me removed from my post with a single word. If that happens, our noble status will vanish overnight. Do you understand now?"

Lisa paled. "But surely the Marquis wouldn't… I mean, Cedric is still a child. It was an accident!"

Lucas's laugh was bitter and humorless. "An accident? You call nearly getting the daughters of one of the most influential nobles in the kingdom killed an accident? Lisa, this isn't something we can brush aside. If the Marquis is angry enough, we'll be stripped of everything—our title, our estate, our reputation. We'll be reduced to commoners!"

The words hung heavy in the air, and Lisa sank into the nearest chair, her face ashen.

"No… that can't be. We were so close," she whispered. "So close to securing Cedric's future. If he became the third court magician in the family, we'd have been granted permanent noble status. We'd have been real viscounts, not honorary ones…"

"That was the plan," Lucas said bitterly. "But Cedric ruined it. If only he'd shown some restraint, some caution… Instead, he dragged those girls into danger, all because he wanted to impress them. And now? The Marquis won't even let me in the door to apologize!"

He slammed his fist on the desk again, the wood creaking under the force.

"I told Cedric to win them over, to treat them like royalty. If he had managed to marry one of them, we could have secured a powerful alliance. We might have even risen to the rank of earl. And instead—"

"Instead," Lisa cut in, her voice trembling, "he's ruined everything."

The room fell into a heavy silence. The air seemed thicker, weighed down by the magnitude of Cedric's blunder. For the first time, Lisa began to understand just how dire their situation truly was.

"If only Cedric weren't so… impulsive," she murmured. "He's always been such a kind boy. I never thought he'd put someone in danger like this."

"Kind?" Lucas snapped, his patience fraying. "You call what he did kind? Cedric has been spoiled rotten! We praised him for every little thing, overlooked every flaw, and now we're paying the price for it. He's selfish, arrogant, and reckless, Lisa. And worst of all, he thinks the world revolves around him."

Lucas leaned heavily against his desk, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his fury. "I thought Cedric would be different. Better. I thought he'd prove himself worthy of our family's future. But now… now I'm not so sure."

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the tense moment.

"Come in," Lucas barked.

The butler stepped inside, his expression composed but tinged with unease. "Master, a letter has arrived from the Rosemary Marquis family."

Lucas straightened immediately. "Give it here!"

The butler handed over the letter, and Lucas tore it open with shaking hands. The wax seal broke with a satisfying snap, and he unfolded the parchment, his eyes scanning the neat, elegant script.

As he read, his face shifted from confusion to shock and finally to disbelief.

"What does it say?" Lisa demanded, rising from her chair. "Is it… is it a formal complaint? Are we ruined?"

Lucas said nothing for a long moment. When he finally looked up, his expression was unreadable.

"They want to invite…" He hesitated, as though struggling to find the right words. "They want to invite Rest to the Marquis's estate."

Lisa blinked, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "What? Rest? That failure?"

"Yes," Lucas said, his voice low and disbelieving. "Not me. Not you. Not Cedric. Just Rest."

Lisa staggered back, her hand clutching at her chest. "Why? Why would they want him? He's—he's nothing! He's just…"

Lucas didn't reply. His grip tightened around the letter as his mind raced.

What had happened in that forest? Why would the Marquis show any interest in Rest, the illegitimate son Lucas had worked so hard to hide from the world?

And more importantly, what would this mean for their precarious future?

Unbeknownst to Rest, the ripple effects of his actions in the forest were beginning to reshape the world around him.

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