𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐈𝐛𝐦𝐥𝐚𝐝)

Chapter 14

When the night come, Phileo and Leonia was resting in front the fire pit to getting their body warm. Phileo lay down at the couch while Leonia sit in front the fire and read some book. 

"Aren't you even a bit curious about your parents?" Phileo suddenly asked her make she turned at him. 

"Well, should I start crying over people that I can't even remember?" Leonia said shrugging it off. 

"I don't wanna think much about the past. I'm just going to focus on the future." Leonia said continued read the book at her hands. 

Phileo shifted slightly and stare at her. He suddenly patted her head make she surprised. "... What?" Leonia asked him when he rubbed her head. 

"In that sense, you're more like me than Regina." Phileo said to her. Leonia blushed when he said that. 

"That's a relief, since that means I have some sense~" Leonia said make Phileo chuckled at her. 

"But... I wanna see Miss Connie and my friends from the orphanage." Leonia said turned at him. 

"They're living at an orphanage in the Boleoti territory. I'll take you there once the weather gets better." Phileo said to her.

"Really? That's a promise, Mister!" Leonia happily said to him make he smiled. 

"But..." Leonia stare at him. 

"Mister, aren't you busy?" Leonia asked him when she saw the relaxed form at him like he is not busy as the Duke at all.

"It doesn't seems like you've been working at all~" Leonia said. "Worry about yourself. And try not to spill things while you're eating." Phileo quickly said to her. 

"How much do you spill to need an apron like that?" Phileo said pointed at Leonia's current outfit that she was wearing. 

"It's just an outfit! It's the part of the set!" Leonia angrily yelled at him. 

"You were getting crumbs everywhere while you were eating snacks. Your saliva as well." Phileo said ignored her yelling. "That was just one time?!" Leonia said in anger. "I can eat without spilling everything. Even if I'm missing a tooth." Phileo said. 

"Mister, let's stop the fight for a second. I've been think about this but where's Lady?" Leonia suddenly asked Phileo make he flinched a little. She is confuse why Luciana is not with them like always she did.

"Since the breakfast, I didn't saw her. Even during dinner, she didn't come to eat together." Leonia said to him. Phileo stare at the ceiling as he remembers about earlier. 

"Leonia will become my successor and Duchess of Boleoti from now on."

".... I understand."

"... She's need some time. Just give her space. She will come around later." Phileo said as he sit up. Leonia titled her head in confusion when he said that. 

"What do you mean by that?" Leonia asked him. Phileo pull the ribbon out of his hair that she put on him and turned at her. 

"Leonia, give Lucy some times because I announced something to her earlier and make her feel a little upset." Phileo said style Leonia's hair using the ribbon. 

"... What announcement?" Leonia asked him. Phileo stare at her for a while. 

"... Leonia, you will become my successor from now on." Phileo said make everyone in the room surprised. Leonia looked at him in wide eyes. 

"... What? Aren't.. Lady Lucy is your successor?" Leonia asked him in disbelief. "She was but now you're here." Phileo lsaid. 

"You are the real Boleoti. You have the beast fang and Boleoti's appearance." Phileo said. Leonia still stare at him in shock. 

"... Is that why... Lady Lucy need time?" Leonia slowly asked him. Phileo nodded at her. 

"Yes... Lucy is a little upset about it but she'll be fine if we give her time." Phileo said to her. 

"... No. There's no way that she's a little upset!" Leonia thought. 

Meanwhile. 

"My Lady! Please! I'm begging you!" Mina said loudly to the room and knocked the door. Manuce and a few servants also helping her. 

"Lady! You didn't eat anything since breakfast! Please! Open the door!" Mina continued knocked the door loudly. 

Inside the room, there was such a mess everywhere. Luciana ignored the yelling and hide herself with the blanket at the corner of the room. 

She is in messy appearances but she don't care about it. The dried tears stain her face that she cried for hours. There was some injuries around her hands when she throw the glasses around. 

"Wait. Let me do it." Manuce said to Mina when they didn't heard any response. Mina gave him space. 

"... Lady, it's me." Manuce said as Luciana slowly turned at the big door. 

"... I'll not tell this to His Grace about this but please open the door. You need to eat." Manuce gently said to her. 

Luciana's eyes slowly teary at his voice. She let out a few sniffles before said something to him. 

"... Come in." Luciana said as she knows that Manuce has her room keys. He has the key but he still respect her decision. 

Manuce takes out the key and slowly open it. "Only Miss Mina can come. I'll ask your help later." Manuce said to others servants before enter the room along with Mina. 

Mina and Manuce knows that the room will become messy since they knew about Luciana's personality when she is in mental breakdown. 

"My Lady!" Mina said quickly avoided the broken glasses and walked towards Luciana. 

Mina pulls the blanket away from her face and stare at her. "... It's finally happen, Mina." Luciana slowly said to her. 

"Yes?" Mina said in confusion. Luciana held her head up and stare at her with teary eyes. 

"... I'm not the successor anymore. I'm not the Lady of Boleoti anymore. I'm... Not someone special at here anymore..." Luciana said crying on her. 

Manuce and Mina shocked when she said that. Of course, they also know that Luciana's place inside the household might be change because of Leonia's sudden appearance. They didn't expect it will be now.

"I don't know what to do anymore... Just what should I do? Can I... Continue call him 'Father'?" Luciana said while crying inside her arms. For the time like this, she's completely like a child than usual.

Manuce and Mina looked at each other before looked at Luciana in sympathy. Luciana cried in Mina's embrace as Mina patted her back and comfort her.