I’m The Male Lead’s Biological Daughter, But I Want To Live With The Second Male Lead! - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 29
After a thorough scolding, Mabel returned to her room and asked Ella about something that had puzzled her earlier.
“By the way, Ella — can only Beastmen use Artifacts?”
“Yes~ Now that Magic has disappeared, Artifacts can be used by drawing on the Mana in Mana Stones~ but only Beastmen can do that~”
Ella answered while fetching water for her to wash her hands.
Mabel removed the tattered Hood that Kellic had given her and rinsed her hands in the lukewarm water.
“But that puppet show was clearly telling Beastmen to apply the Subjugation Mark. They said a Recording Artifact was used — so why would a Beastman perform such a show?”
“Probably because they were ordered to speak that way~ There are more people than you’d think who make money like that, by having Beastmen do their bidding~”
Mabel dried her hands on the towel Ella offered, her mind growing heavier.
No matter how much Magic has vanished, she couldn’t believe the rights of Beastmen could fall so low.
“Ah, but~ there is one exception~”
“An exception?”
“Yes~ If you use that method, humans could use Artifacts too~”
The problem was that the method required a Fantasy Species — something that hadn’t existed for over a hundred years.
It was said that Fantasy Species were powerful beings who encompassed both Legendary Species and Beast Species.
When such beings took a mate, they would carve the Binding Mark upon them, which shared their life force and power — a Magic that only Fantasy Species could perform.
“Huh? The Binding Mark?”
“Yes~ Doesn’t it sound familiar~?”
“Could it be related to the Subjugation Mark…?”
“Exactly~ You really are clever~ The truth is, the Subjugation Mark is Magic derived from the Binding Mark~”
A Fantasy Species who shared their life force and power with a mate through the Binding Mark became that much stronger.
For this reason, Fantasy Species would typically choose another Fantasy Species as their mate.
But very rarely, if there existed a human with a pure soul, they would take that human as their mate instead.
A human who became the mate of a Fantasy Species was called a Seer, and they were said to have left great deeds recorded throughout history together with their Fantasy Species partner.
“But as you know, my lady~ humans don’t have the same abilities as Beastmen, do they~? Yet when the Binding Mark is shared, humans gain the same abilities as the Fantasy Species, you see~”
“Really? Then the Seer could use Artifacts thanks to the Fantasy Species?”
“Exactly~ that’s it~”
“I see……”
Somehow, it was thrilling to hear such a legend.
“But wouldn’t a Fantasy Species who takes a human mate become weaker than other Fantasy Species? No matter how pure the soul, taking a mate with no abilities at all seems strange.”
As a young girl, Mabel couldn’t quite grasp what it meant for a soul to be pure.
What could it possibly mean, that the strongest of all Beastmen — those classified as Fantasy Species — would choose a human?
Ella let out a soft laugh at Mabel’s fascination with the Fantasy Species.
“Well~ according to some books, a Seer’s blood is an Elixir to the Fantasy Species~”
“An Elixir?”
“Yes~ a universal cure-all that heals any wound or illness~”
The Elixir was also among the highest goals pursued by alchemists, alongside the Philosopher’s Stone.
In pursuit of immortality.
“The very first Seer to bond with a Fantasy Species supposedly shed blood while helping a wounded one~ The Fantasy Species drank it by chance and discovered their wound was healed~”
So in essence, she had meant to heal what she thought was a wounded beast, only to end up married to it.
Mabel’s eyes grew even brighter.
“Of course~ the tale of the Seer is merely a very rare story~ And besides, now that Magic has vanished, even Beastmen descended from Fantasy Species have all become ordinary Beastmen~”
“Wait? So the Fantasy Species didn’t go extinct?”
At Mabel’s question, Ella tilted her head, hand to her cheek.
“Well~? Should we call it extinction~ if we can no longer see the form of the Fantasy Species? Or should we say they still exist, since their bloodline continues~?”
At the ambiguous explanation, Mabel tilted her head just as Ella had.
“Still, Beastmen descended from Fantasy Species have a very distinctive appearance even now~”
The White Lion Clan was a prime example.
“The White Lion Clan…!”
Mabel’s eyes widened at Ella’s words.
Imagining a white lion, Ella giggled at the bright shine in Mabel’s eyes.
“Yes~ the ancestor of the Empress Consort, who belongs to the White Lion Clan, was a Fantasy Species — a winged lion of grace~”
Mabel went still upon hearing Ella’s words.
She had never known the Empress Consort was a Beastman.
How could there be a Beastman in the imperial family of the Greenhurst Empire?
‘While persecuting Beastmen so?’
Curious about the imperial family, Mabel wanted to ask, but a knock at the door interrupted her.
When Mabel answered, Sheila poked her head in.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you while you rest. It’s just — could I borrow Ella for a moment?”
“Me~?”
When Ella asked as if taken aback, Sheila groaned as though her head was splitting.
“The head steward heard that Kellic used an Artifact, and he’s absolutely furious. Everyone thinks he’ll only calm down once you arrive, so…”
Hearing Sheila’s words, Ella hesitated before turning to Mabel.
“What should I do, Miss? I’m afraid I need to step away for a moment.”
“Oh! It’s fine. Go ahead!”
“I’m truly sorry.”
“My apologies, Miss.”
As Ella and Sheila apologized repeatedly, Mabel waved them off, insisting it was really no trouble.
After all, it was I who’d been out playing with Kellic until just a moment ago.
Mabel felt oddly relieved as she saw Ella off.
‘How a Beastman ever became Empress Consort is… something I’ll ask about another time, I suppose.’
It wasn’t exactly urgent, after all.
With that thought, Mabel threw herself into reading the Alchemy Book that Ella had left behind.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the Hermetic State.
Siegmund emerged from the presentation hall and roughly loosened his cravat.
His expression was so radiant that one could feel the warmth simply by drawing near.
“You’ve come out, Your Grace!”
Dane, who had been waiting for him outside, beamed and handed over a Water Bucket.
Siegmund walked briskly down the corridor, gulping down cool water, with Dane hurrying close behind.
“How was this presentation? From what I gathered, the excitement was quite extraordinary!”
Siegmund, who had drained half the Water Bucket in an instant, wiped his mouth and replied.
“It was truly remarkable.”
As he recalled the presentation hall from moments before, a satisfied smile played across Siegmund’s lips.
“Everyone was astounded when they saw this Summoning Circle that Mabel discovered. They immediately wanted to verify it on the spot.”
As a result, the presentation had transformed into a verification session.
“And so? What were the results of the verification?”
As Dane asked without bothering to hide his excitement, Siegmund’s stride suddenly halted.
Dane barely managed to stop himself before colliding with Siegmund’s back, and Siegmund turned to face him.
“You already know everything—why are you asking?”
As Siegmund raised an eyebrow with playful mockery, Dane’s eyes widened considerably.
“That means…!”
“Yes.”
Seeing Dane’s eyes grow even larger, Siegmund laughed softly and answered with unmistakable pride.
“Success.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Dane let out a cry of pure joy.
They had finally completed the Horned Spirit Summoning Circle.
With this Summoning Circle, Horned Spirits—which could previously only be harvested in small quantities from nature—could now be produced whenever needed!
“And if we mass-produce this…”
Dane began to enumerate everything that could now be done with an abundance of Horned Spirits.
Even counting on all ten fingers wasn’t enough.
“This is a revolution, a revolution indeed!”
Like an excited child, Dane bounded after Siegmund, who was heading toward the guest quarters.
Once back in his room, Siegmund immediately collapsed onto the plush sofa.
“Ahh…”
The exhaustion had caught up with him at last.
After tilting his head back for a moment, Siegmund asked a question.
“By the way, how long have I been here in the Hermetic State now?”
“Ah, yes. As of today, exactly twelve days, sir.”
“What? I spent a whole week in that presentation hall?”
Siegmund lifted his head abruptly in surprise.
“Yes. I considered mentioning it midway, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself so much that I simply waited.”
Dane answered matter-of-factly, as though it were an ordinary occurrence.
“Ah… the children must be worried.”
Siegmund’s head tilted back again.
There was only one thing weighing on Siegmund’s mind as he covered his eyes.
“I wonder if Mabel is all right.”
In the end, he had left without introducing Aselt and Kellic.
Dane delivered startling news to Siegmund, who was muttering his worries.
“Ah, do not worry yourself about the young masters and the young lady. It seems they have decided to become family.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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