The illusion magic couldn’t create actual wind.
Liria raised her head and examined the second floor of the banquet hall.
She spotted a man wearing a hood.
It seemed that whenever Natasha’s bluebird flapped its wings, that man used wind magic instead.
Viscount Jade’s shoulders were raised high as his children’s abilities seemed to be recognized. He stroked his beard and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha. Our children have been diligently practicing magic lately, and the results have been good.”
However, Malcolm, the second son, remained dejected without even demonstrating his magic.
Belita muttered as if thoroughly bored.
“…We didn’t come here to watch children’s performances.”
“That’s right. Since when did family meetings become like this?”
Benjamin also expressed his dissatisfaction while observing the eldest son, Osdel’s demeanor.
He was sitting there tapping his shoe, with something clearly pleasant occupying his mind.
Osdel had various plans in his head.
The family meeting was essentially an opportunity to secure funding for new business ventures.
If his aide prepared and submitted a business plan, the Duke would provide support.
Funds needed to circulate quickly to accelerate the establishment of experiments and research facilities.
The foolish Viscount Jade and his children had willingly jumped into the fire pit in pursuit of magical achievements.
They had become test subjects for his black magic research.
Though in an incomplete state, he had at least satisfied them outwardly.
But this experiment made him realize even more. It was beyond his ability to handle Adrian’s Eternal awakened ones by himself.
After the family meeting ended, he planned to return directly to the imperial capital and visit the academy.
Since capable talents were not easy to find.
At that moment, there was a commotion around them.
Natasha boldly stepped closer to Liria, pouting her lips and provoking her first.
“Isn’t it time to see that amazing, magical ability of yours? Though it must be several levels below mine…”
Natasha looked down at Liria with contempt. She was intoxicated with a sense of superiority.
It seemed like now was the time.
Emmett would reveal Viscount Jade’s crimes, but Natasha and Dimitri’s fake magic was deceiving everyone.
Liria, clenching her fist, looked straight at Natasha and said.
“No, there’s something more important. Natasha and Dimitri’s magic is fake!”
“…!”
Everyone stirred at Liria’s bombshell statement. Flustered, Natasha glared at Liria and quickly went before the Duke, blurting out rapidly.
“Th-that’s absurd slander! She’s just jealous because my magic is superior… Your Grace, hasn’t there never been an heir child with such excellent and rare talent as mine? Please grant me the authority to enter and exit the main castle and give me a separate palace too.”
“…What?”
Deep inside those words was a strong expression that she was superior to the direct line.
As the Duke narrowed his eyes in disbelief, Natasha pointed at Liria.
“Isn’t my power more beautiful and impressive than her mere piece of metal key? Since you gave Liria a separate palace, you must give one to me too.”
At this, Viscount Jade and Dimitri, startled by Liria’s words, also came forward and prostrated themselves before the Duke, appealing with wronged expressions.
“Your Grace, Miss Liria is making unfounded accusations. After all, isn’t she just a young child who cannot yet distinguish right from wrong?”
The Duke’s eyebrows twitched before he struck the armrest with a bang and rebuked them with an angry face.
“Enough! Viscount Jade and his children, hold your tongues!”
Then the Duke coldly asked Liria, who was sitting beside him.
“Liria, can you take responsibility for what you just said?”
Liria bowed her head and first pointed to the second floor.
“Of course. I can prove it here and now. But first, could you have that hooded man on the second floor watched?”
At Liria’s words, the hooded man tried to escape, but guards who had appeared suddenly restrained both his arms.
“Now, please ask Natasha to summon the bird and create wind!”
Cornered, Natasha snapped at Liria.
“You! How dare you try to manipulate the Duke so impudently?”
The Duke, who had been watching this, looked at Natasha with cold eyes and said.
“What are you waiting for? Do the same magic you showed earlier.”
“…Y-Your Grace. I-I’ve already consumed too much mana…”
Natasha made excuses while crying. But the Duke was not convinced.
“If you don’t show your magic, you’re essentially admitting it’s fake. Do you want to receive punishment immediately?”
With no choice, Natasha gathered mana and summoned the bluebird.
As before, the bluebird flew around the hall, but despite its wing flapping, no wind came.
“There’s really no wind?”
Viscount Jade, with a pale face, waved his hands trying to smooth things over, and Natasha, while sniffling, nodded at her father’s words.
“W-wind is not created every time… But didn’t I clearly summon the bird? This magic is real!”
At that moment, Liria moved from her seat and reached out her hand toward the bluebird.
Liria’s hand passed right through the bluebird.
“See? It’s an illusion with no substance. Natasha originally manifested water attribute magic, so there’s no way she could suddenly manifest wind attribute!”
People murmured, and the Duke grew suspicious.
“This kind of illusion… it’s not the orthodox magic I know. Speak. Who exactly! By what method was this fake magic manipulated?”
His fierce gaze was bloodshot, ready to emit k*lling intent at any moment.
Liria thought to herself.
‘Grandfather seems to have noticed something.’
“Please look at the backs of Natasha and Dimitri’s hands.”
At Liria’s words, the Duke removed the glove from Natasha’s hand. As the magic had been manifested not long ago, a black mark was engraved. Checking Dimitri, it was the same.
The Duke exclaimed with shocked eyes.
“…You dare use black magic within Roberg to create fake magic?”
Viscount Jade stepped forward in front of Natasha and Dimitri, shielding the children and kneeling.
“Y-Y-Your Grace. They are still children. They made an immature judgment. Please forgive them!”
Superintendent Suleiman stood up and shook his head regretfully.
“Your Grace, this matter cannot be dismissed as simply something the heir children did. Moreover, magical ability is an important and noble criterion for selecting Roberg’s heir, isn’t it? This shakes the very foundation of Roberg, the prestigious magic family.”
‘Now would be perfect to implicate Viscount Jade too… where did Emmett go?’
Liria looked around diligently.
Since Emmett had all the detailed inspection evidence, it would be more credible if he presented it.
‘Let me stall for time until he returns.’
Fortunately, she had brought the documents Emmett had given her in her bag.
Liria stared at Viscount Jade and said.
“While those children should rightfully be punished for deceiving everyone with fake magic, the place where black magic occurred was in Jade’s territory. Wouldn’t Viscount Jade know best about this? And I don’t think Viscount Jade is qualified to be a lord, would you look at this?”
As Liria opened her bag, took out a document, and showed it to the Duke, Viscount Jade turned pale and his eyes rolled back.
“This cursed girl! What nonsense are you babbling… Kuhek?!”
As he tried to touch Liria, Viscount Jade’s arm was twisted and he collapsed.
Classid, who had been sitting in the direct family’s section, moved before the guards could intervene.
The Duke’s eyes grew colder as he read through the document.
“…You truly were not a human being, but worse than a beast.”