The Duke's Secrets

Chapter 15 - Summoner's Surprise

In what seemed as quick as turning a page, about a month flew by for Elizabeth. Unlike her challenging initial month at the Duke's castle, where she grappled with the ill effects of Blake wood while confined to a bed, her second month was filled with a whirlwind of activities.

From the moment the rays of the Sun woke her till the glow of the moon and stars helped her to sleep, Elizabeth found herself—living.

In response to Leah's request, Elizabeth visited the second floor. Initially, she expected very little—a typical orphanage or perhaps a slightly more refined one, given its location was still within the Duke's castle. That was why her amazement was so profound when she finally saw the reality of the second floor.

Ten children to a room, max—not due to a lack of space, far from it, but because the children chose to be together. The rooms were all decorated with vibrant colors, devoid of darkness or cold. Even at nighttime, dim torches illuminated the hallways. The food surpassed all expectations, tasting better than anything Elizabeth had experienced thus far.

The second floor also ran a school for the younger kids, a hospital where Doc attended to the children or taught them how to care for themselves, and an indoor garden that explained the exceptional freshness of the food Elizabeth was served.

But even more remarkable was the quasi-government run by the older children. Alongside a few adults, they ensured the smooth functioning of the entire floor as if it were a village—and given the significant number of residents, it seemed that the second floor was a genuine village.

Elizabeth was so amazed that she asked if she could talk to the head—the chief, as they called them—only for the boys to push Leah in front of Elizabeth as she raised her hand and awkwardly smiled. Unsurprising no one, Leah was instantly showered with military-grade praise to the point she nearly passed. But it was all well deserved as Leah didn't merely create a lively atmosphere but—home.

When Elizabeth wasn't wandering around admiring the sound floor, praising Leah for her remarkable ability to manage an entire village, or meeting with other similarly gifted children Leah was friends with—she was learning to dance along with Celestia.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth discovered her talent in dancing, especially after learning to slow down and synchronize her movements with others. She even taught a move or two to Celestia in secret when the Duke stepped out, who planned to showcase them at an upcoming party later that year.

To unwind, Elizabeth often accepted Lilith's invitation for tea. However, per the Duke's orders, she always brought Leah or Celestia along to ensure Lilith was less prone to attack. And though it could be just because they were there, as the Duke said, Lilith never tried anything as rash as she did the first time they met.

Instead, Lilith behaved more like an older sister to Leah, playfully teasing her about her blossoming loveliness. Or she acted like a mother to Celestia—always keeping her on her lap, hugging her relentlessly, and feeding her like a baby as she failed to win any of her protests.

In addition to their tea sessions, Lilith would shower Elizabeth with various gifts. Elizabeth initially declined, but Leah's request to take the items, as her closet was overflowing with Lilith's gifts, led Elizabeth to accept. She would even occasionally showcase these gifts to them in impromptu fashion shows.

However, much like the fate that befell Leah's closet, Elizabeth's closet transformed from bare to overflowing within a month—and despite all of Elizabeth's attempts to resist the in-pour of gifts, it kept pouring.

That was why it wasn't rare to find Elizabeth, Lilith, and Leah enjoying a cup of tea in Lilith's room, a testament to their growing bond. However, what was uncommon was witnessing Leah, usually the most composed among them, spill her tea on herself due to her trembling hands.