At this point, Levi shook his head and smiled, saying...
"I'm so sorry for my rudeness, Mr. Victor."
"But I do appreciate the encouragement you gave Erica just now."
He knew in his heart that Viktor's words were probably just a polite remark.
After all, how did he reach the level of Viktor becoming a 25-year-old fourth-tier mage?
If his daughter can become a third-tier mage before the age of twenty-five, Rivi should be extremely grateful.
But Viktor remained remarkably calm, responding simply with:
"It's nothing. Your daughter is still young and has many possibilities."
"I really think highly of her future."
However, after saying this, he frowned slightly, looked in the direction Erica had left, and remained silent for a while.
It's not so much that people are confused because they haven't figured out why he confessed his feelings to Erica in the past.
Instead... he had just been observing Erica closely.
But they discovered that something was missing from the other person.
He did not sense the inheritance of 'nature' in Erica.
...
Soon, Erica's birthday party officially began, announced by Erica herself.
The ensemble music came to a perfect end.
After the last note faded, the spotlight shone on Erica, making her look like the leading lady on a stage.
People stopped talking and focused their attention on the star-studded, genius girl.
Even when facing a large group of nobles, Erica showed no signs of nervousness.
She moved with elegance, her expression was calm, her demeanor was composed, and her manners were impeccable. She bowed to all the nobles present.
Standing in the spotlight, Erica displayed the qualities and upbringing befitting a duke's daughter.
Despite being only seventeen years old, she has already displayed remarkable elegance and maturity.
“I am Erica du Chloe, and it is a great honor for you all to be here for my seventeenth birthday party.”
"Thank you all for coming. It is a great honor for me, and I am deeply grateful."
Her words were well-organized, and her mature and composed demeanor almost made people forget that she was only a seventeen-year-old girl.
Observing Erica's demeanor, many nobles below nodded slightly, secretly admiring the young woman's composure and elegance.
He also began to feel frustrated and disappointed in his own children of the same age.
"Then, please enjoy the banquet tonight."
After her speech, Erica officially announced the start of the banquet.
There was no birthday banquet, just plenty of eating and drinking, followed by a ball for the young nobles.
Viktor did not participate, nor was he interested in participating.
Moreover, Erica never came looking for him again.
Perhaps she was too shy to approach him again, or perhaps the difference in their social status made Erica feel it was difficult to get close to him.
From the moment he first met Erica, the admiration and respect she displayed made Victor realize that...
A pitiful, thick barrier has already separated them.
He simply sat down in a corner, ate and drank to his heart's content, and then prepared to leave.
But once again, Reeves noticed him.
He walked slowly towards Victor, holding two glasses of wine in his hand.
"Mr. Victor, would you like to have a drink with me?"
Victor looked at the two glasses of wine in Reeves' hand, pondered for a moment, and finally uttered those words:
"No, I don't drink and drive."
"...?"
This left Levi completely bewildered. Didn't you come by carriage?
Other nobles have servants to drive their carriages, so why are you suddenly afraid of being caught driving under the influence?
Oh right, Victor's carriage didn't have horses; he really drove it all the way here himself.
Thinking of this, Levi stopped insisting, placed both glasses of wine on the table, and turned his gaze to the other person.
"I've noticed you've been distracted for a while now... Is there something you'd like to ask?"
"Hmm... there is indeed something that I'm curious about."
Victor watched the young people dancing in the banquet hall, especially Erica surrounded by a crowd, and he suddenly asked:
"I don't think I've seen Erica's mother yet... I wonder about your wife?"
Upon hearing this, Levi couldn't help but give a wry smile and slowly said:
"Actually, my wife passed away a long time ago."
...
Sitting in the carriage, Victor's thoughts returned to what Levi had just said.
"She died in childbirth after giving birth to Erica, but I never told Erica about it."
"I also hope you can keep this a secret for me and not let Erica know."
Erica's mother died long ago.
But that's not right.
Her mother should be a nature goddess.
Why did her mother die in childbirth?
But seeing the undisguised pain and sincerity in Levi's eyes, he knew that the other man was not lying.
Victor sat in the carriage, glancing sideways at the quiet street passing by outside the window.
An indescribable melancholy flowed in his deep eyes.
...
The next morning,
Victor saw Gwen off as usual, and Gwen, as usual, asked him for a kiss.
That morning, Viktor began to prepare meticulously.
He meticulously tidied his clothes and even used magic to thoroughly clean the entire study.
Then he gave the servants a special warning.
Today, do not disturb whoever comes to visit.
Unless he shows up in person,
Otherwise, no one is allowed to enter the study.
This includes his sister Leah and his wife Gwen.
Finally, sitting in his familiar study, Viktor opened the window beforehand.
He sat down at his desk in the most ordinary of postures.
I picked up a book at random and started flipping through it.
Despite the unease he felt, he couldn't bring himself to read the book.
But Viktor persisted in reading.
until……
The first book, the second book.
The third book.
The morning has passed.
Noon has passed.
The afternoon has passed.
The books on the desk grew higher and higher, and the wind blowing through the window grew increasingly desolate.
Until the sun set and night replaced the sky,
And the sound of cicadas chirping could be heard outside the window.
And so, a day passed.
Two days have passed.
Three days have passed.
Apart from the wind in my ears, everything seemed so empty and vast.
Not even a single bird feather could drift into the window.
Finally, Viktor put down the last book in his hand.
He was neither surprised nor confused.
Some things are simply taken for granted and expected.
Yes.
Vega.
They never came back.
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