He showed immense precision and control at such a young age, he was a prodigy indeed. As much as Adeline would love for him to stay with them forever, he is destined to become the Arch Mage. Until then, she would cherish the moments they had together.
Holding hands they started sprinting towards the manor. However, the ground was a bit slippery, but that didn’t stop them. They giggled all the way back.
"You seem to be getting along well with everyone, well almost everyone."
The Goddess finally popped by! Adeline was pleasantly surprised, her voice sounded a bit raspy but she was glad she was here.
’Where have you been? I missed you.’ She did, she really did. Adeline was often faced with stressful situations, and this Goddess friend was her only form of relief.
"Aww, Linny missed me! Such a momentous occasion *sniffle*."
Adeline rolled her eyes and shook her head.
The Goddess coughed twice and got to the point, "The boy Benedict is in trouble again."
How could that be? She thought. She knew that the Northern Duke loved his son, how could he keep letting this happen? Benedict promised her at the banquet that he would talk to his father.
"It’s Anna."
’Of course, that b*tch again.’ Adeline scowled.
"Anna has orchestrated a scheme, she confronted the Duke as a concerned advisor about his wife’s condition. The Duke asked her how she knew of this, she said she heard from various servants, she told him... Benedict was going around telling everyone. And the people she planted testified against him."
So, the Duke punished Benedict for this... He was worried about this sensitive matter reaching the ears of outsiders but it turns out his own son was the leak...
Adeline was infuriated and worried at the same time. She needed to do something quick, she needed to wake up the crucial character involved in all of this, the Duchess.
"Because he was not good at ’keeping secrets’ he isn’t allowed to go outside or let anyone in. The estate is on total lockdown."
She was just lectured by her father for using holy power, She was in an impossible position. The right choice is in front of her, save Benedict’s mother! Saving a person’s life was a no-brainer but unfortunately, there are many consequences to that one decision.
Adeline stood outside her father’s study, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She knew what she had to do, but convincing the Marquess to let her travel to the Northern Duchy was no small task.
She didn’t want to tell him about her plan unless it was absolutely necessary. But if she didn’t act soon, Benedict’s mother might not survive, and Anna’s influence would only grow stronger.
She nervously knocked on the door.
"Father, I have something to discuss with you."
Adeline stepped inside, closing the door behind her. The Marquess sat at his desk, a stack of papers before him, but his sharp eyes were immediately on her.
She always called him ’dad’, but calling him ’Father’ meant that something was up.
"Adeline," he began, "I thought we had agreed you would stay out of public affairs after what happened at the banquet. What is it now?"
Taking a breath, she approached his desk. "Father, I need to go to the Northern Duchy."
"Why do you NEED to go the Northern Duchy?" He was laughing with anger.
Who did she think she was? Was he too lenient on her? What business did a five-year-old have at the Northern Duchy?
"Because I need to help Benedict," she said earnestly. "His mother is still in a coma, and Anna is using this opportunity to turn the Duke against him. The entire estate is in lockdown. Benedict is trapped, and if I don’t do something soon, Anna will take over everything."
The Marquess narrowed his eyes, he knew that the Northern Duchy had been closed off since Adeline had gone to that playdate. The details were kept under wraps. And now his daughter was approaching him with all this information...
"Where are you getting all this information, don’t tell me the Goddess contacted you again."
He didn’t care who it was. He especially didn’t care about this Goddess who kept pushing responsibilities onto his child!
"Would you agree if I said yes?"
She could sense that his tone was off, she didn’t want to make him angry.
"No. I would not. You are not going anywhere, Adeline. I don’t care if the Goddess appeared before me and ordered me to let you go. You are my daughter and it’s my job to protect you. If that Goddess contacts you again, refuse her."
He was on the verge of losing it. His daughter was not the Saintess... He wouldn’t accept it. This Goddess was no divine entity. A divine entity wouldn’t inadvertently bring harm to his daughter!
Adeline’s eyes felt wet and her vision got blurry. Her body was still that of a child, and she reacted like how a child would.
"I have to go! I have to save his mother!"
The Marquess stood up, his chair screeching. "Adeline, go to your room." He didn’t want to yell but the volume of his voice had been going up. His anger wasn’t meant to be directed towards Adeline... He was angry with the circumstances...
"No! Don’t you get it?"
"Adeline, I already told you that you’re forbidden from using those cursed powers!" They would bring nothing but trouble to anyone who possessed it. Children were separated from their families, and abused in the Holy Temple until they became slaves to it.
"It isn’t cursed! I have the power to save lives. Don’t you think Mother would have wanted this for me?" She was hiccupping at this point but chose to argue. "Can’t you see that the Northern Duke is in the same position as you were?"
"What-"
"His beloved wife is dying! He is drifting apart from his child just like how you did. I couldn’t save Mother, but I have to chance to help them before they turn into us."
After Adeline said all that she felt relieved, it was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She wiped her tears and looked up at her father who was staring at her with complicated emotions.