Chapter 4: Alarm the Duke

“Isn’t it a bit strange, the way Miss Aresia has been behaving lately?”

Aresia couldn’t escape the watchful eyes of those around her, even if she tried to pretend like she didn’t notice. The servants who were in close contact with her couldn’t help but start discussing her recent actions and her unusual behavior.

The real Aresia’s dislike for magic classes was well-known among her servants. Like other noble ladies her age, she was indulging in social gatherings and parties, she didn’t prefer spending time in the library or the laboratory, with the rare exception of buying magic-related items.

Furthermore, the Miss was known for her love of beautiful and extravagant clothing and jewelry. However, recently, she had been dressing remarkably simply and barely wore any jewelry. Ironically, this simple style seemed to suit her better, giving her a certain elegance, but her sudden change in style was truly confusing.

One of the servants spoke up, turning to Luna, Aresia’s personal attendant, who was quite familiar with Aresia’s personality.

Luna chose to remain silent and turned away, knowing better than to engage in discussions about her Miss’s actions. She served diligently by Aresia’s side as an ordinary servant should, not only because she was meticulous in her duties but also because she never questioned her miss’s choices, no matter how unusual they seemed.

Furthermore, the changes in the Miss’s behavior were under close scrutiny, and if there were any issues, it was the responsibility of the Duke and Duchess to address them, not something for the servants to meddle in.

One of the servants tried to approach Luna to voice their concerns but was stopped by others.

Luna warned the servant, fearing that they might report her actions, “Don’t speak further. It’s not our place to discuss our miss’s behavior, and if it’s heard by the management, we’ll be in trouble.”

No matter how unusual the Miss’s recent behavior was, it was not the business of the servants to discuss.

The servants saw that the others had fallen silent and chose to keep their opinions to themselves, leaving the area.

However, as they turned a corner, they unexpectedly encountered the stern gaze of the overseer, which left them pale with fear.

The overseer scolded them and imposed penalties on the servants who had been the first to discuss the matter before allowing them to leave.

Once the servants had hurriedly departed, the overseer furrowed her brow and returned to her room to write a letter, instructing one of the servants to deliver it to the Duke and Duchess.

Though the servants were not allowed to privately discuss their Miss’s actions, the overseer recognized that there was something indeed unusual about Miss Aresia’s recent behavior and felt it necessary to inform the Duke and Duchess.

Unbeknownst to Aresia, she was already under the overseer’s watchful eye as she concentrated on brewing a potion in her crucible.

Some of the potion ingredients Aresia had purchased were intended for making magic spider silk, a rather straightforward process. The magic spider silk had arrived, but there was no rush to work on it just yet. Aresia was fully engrossed in the creation of a soul elixir.

Soul-related potions were considered advanced magic, requiring a long brewing time and an extremely complex process. Any slight misstep in the procedure would necessitate starting over. Even with Aresia’s high-level potion-making skills and careful approach, she had to devote her full attention to ensure success.

As the evening’s sunlight cast its lingering glow through the window, Aresia’s personal attendant, Luna, knocked gently on the laboratory door.

“Miss, the Duke has returned, and he requests your presence,” she said.

Luna, as Aresia’s personal maid, was one of the few who had noticed the changes in Aresia’s behavior. She had been summoned by the Duke Rogenst, after receiving a letter from the overseer to inquire about Aresia’s recent actions.

Luna genuinely didn’t know how to respond to the Duke’s questions regarding Aresia’s sudden transformation. She couldn’t help but wonder whether Aresia had undergone some profound change, though it was not something that most people would readily discern.

Aresia’s very essence remained unchanged, as the merging of two generations of soul memories had left some habits intact. While her personality wasn’t as extravagant as a typical Miss, she exuded the pride of a seasoned mage, and her body was still in its original form. Luna knew her mistress’s body so well that she could even point out the location of a particular mole, making her absolutely certain that this was indeed their Miss and not someone else in her stead.

Luna couldn’t help but wonder if something had triggered the change in their Miss’s behavior.

Aricia, fully absorbed in her work over the crucible, had momentarily forgotten who the Duke was and replied casually, “I’m busy; tell him to wait.”

“…,” Luna was at a loss for words with this response, but she was already on the brink of utter shock.

Aresia, who had always been somewhat wary of the Duke, was now telling him to wait. Something was definitely not right.

As Aresia remained engrossed in her work in the laboratory, Luna didn’t dare to intrude. Instead, she sent someone to inform the Duke and waited outside, her heart pounding.

In the meantime, as Aresia didn’t keep the Duke waiting for too long, the soul elixir was successfully completed. She turned off the fire, bottled the elixir, and despite the pot being full at the start, it had condensed into less than a hundred milliliters of a pale golden liquid. The liquid gently swirled in the potion bottle, and without waiting for it to cool completely, Aresia drank it in one gulp.

The elixir worked quickly, soothing her damaged soul. It felt as if her torn soul fragments were reuniting, reducing the pain she had been experiencing.

Luna noticed that Aresia’s complexion had not only changed but had grown even paler.

This was a common occurrence. Aresia’s soul was far stronger than the average noble body it inhabited. The body was typical of a young noble, delicate and lacking physical conditioning.

This fragile body was now carrying a soul equivalent to that of a demigod. If it weren’t for the soul being genuinely original and severely damaged, there was a risk that the body might have collapsed when Aresia’s soul transitioned into it from the previous generation.

Mages didn’t necessarily require a robust physique. While they typically didn’t engage in physical training, during their moments of deep meditation, magic elements would naturally enhance the mage’s physique, allowing it to better accommodate a strengthening soul. This was a gradual and subtle transformation. Aresia’s body hadn’t gone through this transformation, and as her soul grew stronger, there were some residual effects.

However, this situation wasn’t permanent. As Aresia’s soul continued to recover, her body would gradually become stronger as it attracted magical elements from its surroundings to remodel itself.

If Aresia were willing to engage in some physical training, her body would recover even faster.

For a mage who had a passion for research, what harm would there be in a bit of exercise? After all, it was just a matter of time until her body was back in top form.

As her soul continued to recover, Aresia’s physical discomfort gradually subsided, and her complexion began to regain some of its natural color.

When the door was opened, Luna was met with the sight of Aresia who appeared quite troubled.

Luna immediately inquired, “Miss, your complexion seems rather off. Should I fetch a doctor?”

Aresia waved her concern away, saying, “I’m fine. Isn’t my father waiting for me? Take me to him.”

Reluctantly, Luna complied, keeping a watchful eye on Aresia throughout the journey to ensure that there were no other issues apart from her pale complexion.

Duke Rogest was a well-seasoned, charismatic man and a military commander. His aura carried a strong military presence, and he had a commanding presence. He rarely displayed a sense of humor and appeared quite serious. As he was often away, Aresia had limited interactions with him, which made her somewhat apprehensive about her father. Whenever she saw her father’s composed demeanor, she would adopt a meek and obedient attitude.

Infrequent meetings didn’t mean that the Duke didn’t care for his daughter. As soon as he received the overseer’s letter, he rushed back with his Gryphon Legion.

While the formalities usually took place in more traditional settings like the study, Aresia found herself being led to her father at the head of the dining table in this instance.

Duke Rogest’s distinguishing feature was his golden-blue eyes, a characteristic even shared by the Duchess. It was hard not to assume that this was taken into account when the Duke chose his wife.

Furthermore, not only did they both have a unique eye color, but Arecia also inherited a significant portion of her facial features from her father. While her mother’s influence softened some of Arecia’s features, it was evident that they were related by just a glance.

This remarkable-looking couple had produced an even more striking child. In terms of physical appearance, Aresia’s older brother had undoubtedly inherited the best from both their parents.

Regrettably, the Duchess’s intelligence didn’t seem to have been inherited, as she had engaged in several irrational and imprudent actions.

However, at present, none of this mattered.

Duke Rogest cast a concerned glance at his daughter, who looked quite pale, especially in contrast to her usual vibrant appearance. Aresia, who was fond of dressing up and displaying herself, was now wearing a simple plain dress with no accessories. The simplicity of her attire accentuated her pale complexion, making it seem as if she had recently fallen ill.

The Duke furrowed his brows, wondering why no one had informed him of her condition. He turned his displeased gaze toward the overseer, showing a mixture of annoyance and surprise. They had only seen each other this morning, and at that time, Aresia had seemed perfectly fine.

Aresia’s unnatural complexion caught the overseer’s attention, and she quickly responded, “I will immediately have Deiman, the priest, come over.”

Aresia tried to stop her, realizing that her father’s concern might not be justified.

Taking her seat at the designated place, Aresia could see that the dinner table had not been set, even though it was past the usual dinner time, and her father had been waiting for her.

Duke Rogest’s furrowed brows deepened, and he inquired, “You’ve forgotten to eat lunch? Aren’t you about to have dinner now?”

The Duke had always emphasized the importance of health over extreme dieting, which was prevalent among nobility. His concern grew as he believed that skipping meals could lead to illness. He further added, “You’re already quite slender, there’s no need for any weight loss. Starving oneself is not the way to health. Eat your meals regularly, understand?”

Aresia nodded in agreement, “I understand.”

Whether she would actually adhere to this was uncertain, as she often got engrossed in her magical research and easily forgot to eat.

The Duke finally nodded in approval, signaling to the overseer, who promptly had the dinner served.

With Duke Rogest’s return, the dinner spread was more luxurious than usual. The Duke began to cut into a perfectly medium-rare, tender cut of meat, observing his daughter whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.