C163: The Lumos Family (3)
"The excitement has gone down."
Caiden Lumos said so, then turned and walked away.
"Ah, father!"
His son and daughter, Kamal Lumos and Katrina Lumos, rushed after Caiden. Katrina Lumos glared at Rudger and Flora standing behind him with a vicious stare before leaving.
The nobles who followed Lumos also left with Caiden and the atmosphere that had been filled with tension was relieved as many people left.
The spectators dispersed one by one and only Rudger, Flora, and Heibaek remained.
Flora had been unable to make eye contact with Rudger for a while. She had no idea how to deal with Rudger now.
"Are you all right?"
"……."
Flora could not answer. Originally, it was right to say thank you here. But what was she thankful for? That he protected her from her abusive family or from her father who doesn't recognize her?
If she said thank you here it was tantamount to admitting that she was treated as an abandoned child in her family.
Flora bit her lip.
'The teacher knows. There's no way he doesn't know how I am.'
She knew that Rudger understood her situation.
'But I'm…….'
Nevertheless, it is different from saying it out directly with her own mouth because she had nothing left to protect except her pride.
That was the only thing she held was a work made of very small and beautiful glass and she held it in her hand because it was so precious but the glass cracked and cracked at some point. What she had now in her hand could no longer be found in its old form.
It was broken and the glass shards dug into her palm and even wounded her. Nevertheless, she couldn't let go. She had no choice but to grab stronger so as not to lose what she had.
She hurt herself and made her palms bloody because this is the only 'real' thing left to a girl who is not recognized by her family. So Flora couldn't say thank you or sorry.
All she could do was to desperately put up with the overwhelming sadness. Then Rudger's soft voice rang in Flora's ears.
"Go ahead."
Towards Flora, who raised his head in surprise, Rudger turned his head and stared at one side.
"Your friend is waiting."
He was considerate of others even in this situation, and treats them as usual.
At the end of that gaze stood Cheryl Wagner, her old childhood friend.
"Flora…"
Cheryl didn't have her usual bright smile on her face as if she knew it had already happened. She came up to Flora and examined her complexion.
"Flora, are you okay?"
"Yes…"
"……Let's go back."
"Yes."
At Flora's seemingly powerless voice, Cheryl bit her lip slightly, and bowed her head while glancing at Rudger. It meant thank you for helping her friend Flora.
Soon after, he watched the two people moving away, and Heibaek, who was next to him, lamented as if he was sorry.
"It's a pity. No matter which family you were born into, that talent would be a blessing but she was born in Lumos who believed in Lumensism and was treated like that."
"Duke Caiden, contrary to his appearance, must be a very devout believer."
"He's so reverent that it's more like madness. But the better thing for that child is that she wasn't branded."
Rudger frowned at the remark and Heibaek nodded as if he understood.
"Lumensism brands an unclean child when he or she is born and the brand that won't disappear during their lifetime. It's a barbaric act of doing something terrible to a child."
"And even justifying it by wrapping it up as God's will."
"But that child is not branded. If it was a guy like Caiden, it wouldn't have been strange to have her branded."
There was only one reason for that.
"The child's mother, she desperately protected her."
"Flora's mother……."
"Unfortunately, she left this world."
After all, Flora Lumos lost her mother early and was not recognized by her father.
'For that matter, her evaluation within the academy wasn't that bad.'
Since she was the child of a concubine, it would be no wonder that some noble students would confront Flora but since no one did it meant that her position in the family has not yet been revealed to others.
'The Lumos family hid it.'
The fact that she didn't get branded meant that they intended to use her for the benefit of the family. It was judged that Flora's value alone would be sufficient for a political marriage with another family. That's why there were no rumors in Theon.
'Fortunately these rumors will not spread among the students.'
Of course, looking at Katrina's actions, it wouldn't be surprising if she spread rumors in Theon right away.
'Duke Caiden won't let her.'
Even though they exchanged glances a few times Rudger figured out what kind of person he was at once. Caiden Lumos is a man who will suck the marrow of his opponent if he is useful.
According to his personality, he would never say bad things about Flora. Not because he's worried about his daughter but because he doesn't want the value of the tool he will use to be damaged.
'Is that Flora's father?'
For Rudger, even the memory of his father was now blurred but one thing he can be sure of is that his father was definitely a good man, a person who can be a reliable support when he had a hard time.
However, Caiden Lumos showed no goodwill toward the daughter he gave birth to, he doesn't even treat her as his child.
'Someone like that can't be a father.'
The existence of parents is more important than anything else to a child. Rudger knew better than anyone else what could happen to a child who lost his mother or father. It was for that reason that he was overly emotional. He was angry, that's why he came forward.
"Are you all right?"
Did he show his emotions with his expression?
"I'm fine."
Rudger, who changed his expression immediately, replied casually.
* * *
"Dad, are you really going to leave that arrogant teacher like this?"
Kamal argued with Caiden, huffing and puffing to see if his anger had been relieved by what had just happened.
"That fallen aristocrat insulted my father and my sister in front of everyone."
"Right! Even in front of Flora!"
Katrina also helped.
Caiden, who was walking in the lead, stopped. He turned his head slowly and looked back at his children.
"So, what do you want?"
Katrina closed her mouth at his voice full of irritation. However, even though Kamal was intimidated, he continued talking.
"We have to formally protest against Theon and bring Flora back into the family……."
"Kamal. What do we gain from doing that?"
"What? That's the prestige of our family……."
"Stupid fool."
Caiden frowned as he stared at Kamal.
"Do you think Lumos' prestige will be destroyed by just a few words from a teacher? Or do you want to say that Lumos is only worth that much?"
"No!"
"Then what is it? Did you want to bury that teacher there? All you can get from that is a low satisfaction that puts out the feeling of anger for a moment."
Caiden dismissed the feelings of his son and daughter with those words.
"Of course, his behavior is obviously arrogant but as you saw, the insidious old man was with him."
"Well, that's…."
"And you guys don't know, but Theon president was also watching the situation."
"She was?"
"Yes."
They didn't know because everyone was looking at Rudger, but Caiden could tell that Elisa Willow, Theon president, was watching them from a little distance.
"And if I tried to move, she would have interrupted me."
"No way."
Kamal muttered in disbelief. He was surprised that Theon president was there, but what was more surprising was Caiden's eye. In that situation, Caiden looked around from a wide perspective and calculated everything that was going to happen.
"Ha, but why is the president……."
"It means that the fallen aristocrat teacher is more trusted by the president than it seems."
"Then, do you mean you're going to forget this?"
Normally, Kamal would have been convinced and given up here. However, he asked his father what he would do.
"Kamal. What did I teach you? As a man of the family, remember the words I told you."
"……Lumos does not necessarily forget his enemies."
"And?"
"Even if it takes 10 years, we will surely repay them…."
"Yes, that's it."
Caiden nodded, trying to grab his son's shoulder with his hand.
"Our Lumos family has not forgotten our grudges, so we were able to come up to this point. I'm leaving now, but I will never forget this. Do you understand?"
"……Yes."
"If you know, that's fine."
"Father, what about Flora?"
Katrina, who was listening, couldn't hold back and asked. She was humiliated in front of Flora and it was unbearable for her.
"Leave Flora alone."
"Why? We should let them know right away that the failure is the daughter of a concubine……."
"Then won't her value drop?"
From his words, the two siblings could clearly feel how Caiden viewed Flora. He did not see Flora Lumos as his own flesh and blood, just a good tool to use. That was all.
Flora wouldn't have even been treated like this if she wasn't talented in magic. Knowing her father's personality well, Katrina didn't argue any more.
"……I see."
"If you know, that's fine."
Caiden said so and took the lead again but Kamal and Katrina looked at their father's back with respect. Still there was one thing Caiden Lumos didn't say to his children.
'The teacher.'
Caiden, who recalled Rudger staring at him, slightly opened his hand. His palms were covered with cold sweat.
'It's a dangerous guy.'
The reason Caiden didn't provoke Rudger was because of his instinctive intuition. The various experiences he had while ascending to the role of family leader and the sensibility and instinctive senses accumulated as a result told him not to fight Rudger so he left. Rudger had a sense of pressure that could only be felt from a king.
'But Lumos never forgets his grudge.'
A grudge must be repaid. Because it was the history of Lumos and the driving force that brought the family to this point. He, the leader of the family, felt the fact more keenly than anyone else.
* * *
"Really. He almost got into trouble again."
Elisa shook her head as she watched Caiden Lumos stepping down from afar with an opera glass. However, a smile lingered around her mouth, considering that she actually said so.
"As expected, you're quick-witted because you're going."
Elisa put the opera glasses on the table. Wilford, who was pouring tea next to her, asked.
"Did he?"
"Duke Caiden stepped down after learning that I was watching. He realized at once that it's not good for him to be emotional."
"But considering his personality, he won't forget it easily. I think he'll keep it in mind for a long time."
"I suppose so. The Lumos claim to be a noble eagle, but they are narrower than a snake."
The Lumos family was one of the masters of magic, but it was their poison and obsession that made the name of the Lumos more known. The most representative example was the conflict with the Deville family.
The Deville family was once a vassal of Lumos. However, after some kind of incident, they went under Kadushan.
Lumos was constantly putting pressure on the Deville family to stop using the eagle emblem for 100 years. However, Veronica Deville, the current leader of the Deville family, did not respond.
Veronica, the deputy leader of Cold Steel, used the eagle emblem openly as if she was laughing at Lumos' demands.
"There is no way that duke Lumos, who is so tough, will give up easily, right?"
"You look quite happy."
"Of course. I'm confident in Mr. Rudger."
"Are you sure?"
"I knew for sure when I saw his attitude of standing up to the Duke for his student. I can trust him properly."
Elisa has suspected Rudger several times before. In fact, it was not only Rudger, but also other people. However, Rudger seemed particularly extraordinary, so she only kept her doubts of him for a short time.
However, considering the various actions Rudger has made so far, he has never been a bad man. Of course, she is still concerned that this was an act in order to gain her trust.
'No way.'
No one would share a new magic with his students in order to gain her trust. And a person who acts to ingratiate himself is bound to be obvious but Rudger had no explicit appeal to others for his good deeds.
'Of course, he's a person who hides a lot of things.'
Wouldn't that make him more attractive?
Elisha was sure that Rudger will be the center of action against the noble faction in Theon.
"So, please take care of me from now on Mr. Rudger.'
* * *
'What?'
Rudger suddenly shivered from the chill running down his spine.