IBDFSML Chapter 32

“...!”

I abruptly sat up and dove straight into Sion’s collar.

My sudden change in behavior, after having been quietly purring just moments ago, left both Sion and Genevia momentarily dumbfounded.

A little while later—

“So this is where you were, Young Lord.”

The Grand Duchess and her clingy attendants stood before Sion.

She had maintained a beautiful and elegant smile throughout the coming-of-age ceremony.

But those present here knew better than to be fooled—the mood behind her smiling face was twisted beyond recognition.

“I greet the Grand Duchess.”

Sion gave her a perfect bow, adhering strictly to etiquette.

It was a stark contrast to the open hostility they had shown each other just days ago.

From today, with the coming-of-age ceremony as the turning point, the two had officially become no different from parent and child.

Neither Sion nor the Grand Duchess were foolish enough to ignore the laws and formalities of the North at such an important public event.

“So the day has finally come.”

“From now on, the atmosphere in the castle is going to be even more tense.”

“Feels like I can’t even breathe properly anymore with all this tension.”

The surrounding vassals and nobles whispered to one another, exchanging subtle glances as they observed the unfolding situation.

“Once again, congratulations on safely reaching adulthood, Young Lord.”

Hiding her twisted intentions, the Grand Duchess smiled even more sweetly.

“I must admit, I may have been negligent toward you until now. But from now on, as your elder, I shall give you the attention you deserve.”

It was a thinly veiled threat.

Essentially, she was saying, 'You managed to survive despite everything I did to you—so now I’ll make sure to crush you properly.'

“That’s too generous of you. Thanks to your unseen concern, I was able to make it here. As your son, I too will do my utmost to serve and honor you from now on, Grand Duchess.”

Sion’s response, utterly unfazed, caused the Grand Duchess’s smile to freeze ever so slightly.

Everyone watching the tense exchange between the two showed shifting expressions in their eyes.

“Oho… impressive.”

“I heard the young lord was weak and sickly…”

“He’s more than I expected…”

Just then, the ever-clueless advisor Luman, who had been lingering behind the Grand Duchess, stepped forward.

Clad in extravagant clothes with his hair slicked back and stiff with grease, he glanced between the Grand Duchess and Sion as he spoke.

“Ahem, hem! Well now, doesn’t the sight of the Grand Duchess and Young Lord look ever so heartwarming!”

Luman, completely misreading the room, wore a look of deep emotion all by himself.

As usual, he had once again completely failed to read the mood.

“Well then, Grand Duchess, Young Lord… If I may be candid in this setting, I must say—your relationship until now has been rather strained. It’s been extremely difficult, especially for someone like me stuck in the middle, constantly walking on eggshells.”

“……”

“But now, with the young lord—no, with Lord Sion safely reaching adulthood, and the Grand Duchess embracing him with warmth, I am truly overjoyed as a loyal subject!”

Everyone stared at Luman in stunned silence.

Somewhere in the hall, someone muttered, “He’s completely lost it…”

From across the room came a sigh: “To think such a fool is the Grand Duchess’s second cousin…”

At that moment, everyone understood just how Luman had managed to survive this long.

“Well then! Let me now present a special gift, prepared by none other than the Grand Duchess herself, in celebration of the young lord’s coming-of-age ceremony!”

Luman, clearly puffed up from the attention, snapped his chubby fingers with flair.

Right on cue, a group of servants appeared from afar.

They were leading a striking ash-grey horse—its presence immediately drew gasps from the crowd.

A noble and majestic beast, the horse stood out starkly in the middle of the banquet hall.

With a proud voice, Luman announced.

“This is Enoch, a descendant of Ellanac, the finest bloodline of the North, reserved only for members of the House of Luxior!”

Gasps and murmurs of astonishment spread through the crowd.

“Did he say Ellanac bloodline?!”

“She’s really giving such a rare horse to the young lord of the annex?”

“Could it be the Grand Duchess has truly had a change of heart?”

The ash-grey horse presented before Sion was as majestic and magnificent as its lineage would suggest.

“What’s this about? She’s definitely scheming something.”

As I eyed the Grand Duchess with suspicion, she suddenly gave a smile that sent chills down my spine and said.

“Lord Sion, this is my gift to you. As you know, the late Grand Duke rode a steed of the Ellanac bloodline up until his very last breath on the battlefield. Is it not a great honor?”

“…I thank the Grand Duchess for her graciousness.”

Sion responded with proper etiquette.

Then, the Grand Duchess’s violet eyes glinted coldly as she added.

“However, there is one thing. My stablemasters told me that while the horse is indeed of Ellanac descent, it was born from a dam of uncertain origin—a mixed-blood mare, they say.”

The murmurs around them abruptly died out, as if someone had poured cold water over the crowd.

“Normally, only a foal born from a certified purebred dam is recognized as a proper noble steed. But since I had to prepare something in time for your coming-of-age ceremony, I was left with no choice but to bring in such a… half-blood.”

“That bloodline would never befit the dignity of House Luxior.”

“…….”

“I’ll make sure to get you a proper purebred in due time. Until then, even if this one doesn’t satisfy you, try to tame it anyway.”

“…….”

With a radiant smile, the Grand Duchess finished her statement as if she had said something pleasant.

No one said a word.

The tension was suffocating.

What she had just said was clearly and deliberately mocking Sion’s birth—being the son of a commoner mother.

Even Luman, the usually oblivious advisor, realized how serious the atmosphere was and began to quietly back away with a pale face.

Meanwhile, hidden inside Sion’s collar, I trembled with rage as I watched the situation unfold.

'What…? A half-blooded lineage…??'

How dare she spit such nonsense about my Sion!

'Should I just rush out there and rip those blood-red lips of hers to shreds!?'

Boiling with fury, I glanced up at Sion.

His face was cold and expressionless, not showing a hint of emotion.

“…….”

But I could tell.

He was trying very hard not to show how angry he was.

Sion could endure any insult directed at himself. But if someone dared to insult his mother… that, he might not be able to forgive.

In other words, he might fall right into the Grand Duchess’s trap.

“Sion.”

I called him softly.

If he lost his temper here and disrespected or harmed the Grand Duchess, it would only give her the excuse she was clearly fishing for.

And then—

“If you don’t want that horse, mind giving it to me instead?”

A rough, casual voice rang out from the crowd.

Everyone’s gaze—Sion’s, the Grand Duchess’s, and the entire hall’s—turned toward the voice.

Pushing through the crowd came a tall, solidly built red-haired man.

It was Ulrich Thurman, the Deputy Commander of the Northern Knights.

“It’s confirmed to be of Ellanac lineage, right?”

Ulrich gave Enoch a once-over and continued nonchalantly.

“Then it’ll definitely serve its purpose. The one who’s been training under the Knight Commander for ten years now has similar mixed blood, and even after taking an arrow to the rump, it still ran for three days and nights straight.”

Ulrich appraised the horse with complete indifference to the tension in the air, as though he were at a casual auction.

“That horse—it’s the same kind the late Grand Duke once gifted to the Knight Commander, his close friend. I’ve always had my eye on one like it. What do you say, Young Lord? Mind if I take this one instead?”

“……”

For a brief moment, Sion’s cold, anger-hardened gaze returned to calm.

He closed his eyes slowly, then opened them and said.

“…I must decline. You and I aren’t acquainted closely enough to be exchanging horses, Deputy Commander Thurman.”

“Tch, what a shame.”

Ulrich clicked his tongue, seemingly disappointed, then finally turned to the Grand Duchess and offered a belated apology.

“Forgive my rudeness in butting into the conversation, Your Grace.”

The Grand Duchess responded coldly, her irritation barely veiled.

“Deputy Commander Thurman. You’re usually quick to vanish the moment you’re summoned to one of these events. I hadn’t expected you to still be here.”

“Yes, well… I still have business to attend to.”

“Business?”

Ulrich scanned the hall briefly and nodded toward someone.