“I am so grateful to you, Jared. I don’t know how to thank you enough just for healing my illness, but you’ve also given me this mansion and guards… Baron Daum also visits to check on me from time to time. I can’t express how thankful I am.”
“Please don’t worry about it. Since you are Luzer’s benefactor’s mother, you are like a mother to me as well.”
“Those are very kind words. I only feel indebted to you, Jared-sama…”
He couldn’t keep Rosina standing forever, so he offered her a chair as she bowed her head.
Although Rosina had recovered her health after her illness was cured, she was still weakened from being sick for so many years, and he worried about her.
“Every time I visit, I hope to have some good news, but I still haven’t found any trace of Luzer. I feel so sorry for my lack of ability.”
“I am speechless that you, a Court Mage, are apologizing. Please don’t feel the need to do so. You are taking time out of your busy schedule to search for my son, and I am already immensely grateful.”
“Without Luzer, I wouldn’t be here today. I promise to find Luzer and reunite you both.”
Jared carried a burden of guilt, having been saved by Luzer yet unable to save him in return.
As long as he hadn’t confirmed Luzer’s death, he didn’t want to believe he was gone. Sometimes, he worried he was giving Rosina too much hope by not giving up, but he felt it was better than letting her despair.
However, the only thing he feared was giving her false hope.
“I believe in you, Jared-sama. And, well, you can laugh at it, but it’s a mother’s intuition—no, a mother’s wish—but I feel like I’ll be reunited with Luzer someday.”
“Then, until that day comes, I will protect you in Luzer’s stead.”
“But… you healed me, so if I continue to be a burden to you, wouldn’t it trouble you, Jared-sama, as well as the Daum Baronial Family?”
He understood why Rosina was concerned.
She had once served the Viscount’s family as a maid. Rosina fell in love with Viscount Philip, who had inherited the family’s title at a young age, and later gave birth to Luzer.
However, it went without saying that his only wife, the Main, was not pleased with the fact that a Commoner had received the head of the family’s favor and given birth to his eldest son.
What started as harassment escalated, and eventually, her life was even targeted.
Although such stories were common in noble society, they were unforgivable.
Rosina fled with Luzer, but she heard that the Viscount was furious because it appeared she had been driven out by the Main.
Because of that, Rosina’s hardships continued even after leaving the mansion. Still, she was happy just to be with her son, but then her son was effectively kidnapped and sent to a Containment Facility.
After leaving the mansion and starting a life with her son, Rosina fell ill and couldn’t afford treatment. She couldn’t search for her son and continued to live, holding onto the belief that they would be reunited someday, despite her illness.
It seemed the Viscount’s wife had kept an eye on her, so her life wasn’t directly threatened, but the harassment continued. By the time Jared found and protected her, her illness had worsened considerably. Doctors said that if she hadn’t received treatment promptly, she would have died.
Although it was an illness that would have been easily cured with proper medical care, Rosina, who could only find low-paying work due to the Main’s harassment, couldn’t afford proper meals or live in hygienic conditions, leaving her unable to overcome the illness.
It was only natural that Jared regretted not protecting Rosina sooner. Regarding Luzer’s case and now this, Jared’s actions were always too late.
“You don’t need to worry. Not only I, but my Grandparents as well are aware of the situation. I apologize that my movements are restricted due to Viscount Philip’s actions, but please allow me to continue repaying Luzer’s kindness.”
“…Thank you. If I may be so bold to say, I think of you as another son, Jared-sama.”
“I don’t have a mother, so I’m happy to hear you say that.”
Afterward, Jared continued to make small talk with Rosina.
He spoke of his Fiancé, Olivier, and his Cousin Yeny, who was decided to become a Consort.
He also recounted the story of how he met Luzer, a story he had heard many times.
As they continued their conversation, Jared wondered where Luzer was now and what he was doing.
Given how worried he was about his mother, there was no way he wouldn’t be searching for her. However, Jared had found and protected her first.
There were no reports of any significant incidents at Viscount Philip’s estate.
This also caused him to fear that Luzer might not be alive after all.
However, Jared continued his search for Luzer, clinging to a sliver of hope. He had been operating in the shadows, concerned about Rosina’s information being leaked, but asking Duke Alway to search for Luzer was also an option.
To do that, he first had to speak with her about Rosina’s situation. However, he knew there was a limit to how long he could keep this hidden.
He was doing his best to conceal Rosina and protect her from the Viscount’s family, fully aware that it wasn’t foolproof.
He had his anxieties and his worries.
Only a limited number of people knew of her existence, but anyone who had known her before would certainly notice her disappearance. And perhaps the Main of Viscount Philip’s family, who had continued to harass her, was desperately searching for her as well.
Or, if she was conveniently thought to be dead, he would be grateful for that.
Until now, Rosina’s safety had been his top priority. However, now that her illness had healed and her health had been restored, it was time to move on to the next stage.
Jared decided to enlist Olivier’s help to find Luzer as soon as possible.
