Chapter 27

The incident at the embroidery meeting was quietly conveyed to Dismaya Elgrandark, who was working in the legal department of the palace. She received a handwritten note from the queen, passed to her by a passing maid, which read, "Since it was our child's fault to begin with, there are no plans to reprimand them. Please don't be too angry."

Dismaya told her subordinate that she had an urgent matter and hurried home. After hearing the details from Elise, Dismaya had a rather serious look on her face.

"Really, that much?"

"Since Il came, Di has been letting Il play with him, so I thought he might be a bit more independent... But when did he learn to use magic? Cain."

"Unlike Di, he doesn't come to show off when he can do something. I'll make sure to check his progress with the tutors next time."

"That would be good... I might have neglected him too much, thinking he was a well-behaved and capable child."

While being told by Elise to properly reprimand him, Dismaya visited Cain's room and knocked on the door. After waiting for a while and getting no response, she knocked again, but still no answer.

Reluctantly, she called out, "I'm coming in," and opened the door. Cain was there, sitting on the sofa in the clothes he had worn when he returned from the palace, his head hanging down, and his hands slightly open, with his fingers occasionally twitching.

"Cain?" she called out, but he didn't respond or lift his head.

Elise had thought Cain would be studying, reading, or playing the violin in his room. Apart from playing, eating, or sleeping with Diana, Cain was always busy with studies or training. Even if he was confined to his room, there were plenty of things he could do. She had thought he wouldn't reflect on his actions, given how he had laughed mockingly on the way back in the carriage, suggesting he be disinherited.

That's why she thought Dismaya needed to be strict with him.

Dismaya entered the room, moved the low table, and knelt in front of Cain, who was sitting on the sofa. She gently tapped his face with the back of her hand.

"Cain, Cain. First, respond to me."

His shoulders twitched, and his head lifted slightly.

"Father."

"Yep. I'm back."

"Welcome back, Father."

Realizing she could communicate with Cain, Dismaya put her hand under his arm and lifted him up, then stood up and carried him.

"Wow. You've gotten so heavy. I might not have carried you since you were a baby."

After lifting him once, she readjusted her hold, supporting his buttocks and back. Cain, being carried, rested his head on Dismaya's shoulder.

Dismaya, still holding him, started walking around the room, patting his back gently.

"If you use fire magic on your temples, your brain could burn and you might die. Healing mages find it difficult to revive burned internal organs. If you cause an injury that can't be healed by a healing mage, Diana won't be in the same condition anymore."

"..."

"Do you know that I work in the legal department?"

Cain, with his head on Dismaya's shoulder, nodded.

"Please don't let me, as a father, judge my son's crimes."

"..."

"Do you understand, Cain? I'm telling you to handle it well."

"Father..."

"Ah, you finally lifted your head."

Cain raised his head to look at his father. Since he was being carried, he was looking down at Dismaya, who winked at him from below.

"Father, if you disinherit me, please hire me in this house afterward. As an apprentice to the gardener, a gate guard trainee, a laundry maid trainee, or a kitchen helper. I'll work hard to learn. When I become a capable person, please make me Diana's attendant."

"That's a convenient request."

Dismaya chuckled. He had already heard from Elise about the plan to prevent Diana from marrying into the royal family by disinheriting Cain.

"Cain, you don't want Diana to be the prince's fiancée, do you?"

"Yes..."

"Most likely, this incident will be officially overlooked."

"Is that so?"

"Rather, because Cain made such a big deal out of it, they might say something like, 'Take responsibility for the injury and marry her.'"

"Such!?"

Cain, panicking, gripped Dismaya's shoulder tightly. His eyes darted around as he tried to think of a way to avoid that possibility.

"Cain, I won't hesitate to punish you, even if you are my son, if you break the law. I won't cover up or protect you. Please, don't let it come to such a sad end."

"Father..."

"I'll say it again. Cain, handle it well."

With that, she put Cain down on the sofa and ruffled his hair roughly.

Cain, holding his messy head, could only look up at his father in a daze.

"Until the palace makes a decision, Cain will be confined to his room. Since his tutors are on break, he will eat alone in his room, not in the dining hall."

Pointing a finger at Cain, she said this and then turned to walk down the corridor. As she left the room with Elise, she turned back once more.

"Also, no meetings with Diana."

"Father!?"

Cain, receiving the harshest punishment at the last moment, let out a cry of despair.