Chapter 216: Long-Awaited Letter

Doron peeked over the letter in his sister’s hand, "Do you have any idea why Gareth sent a letter when we’ve already arrived? Isn’t it strange?"

"What do you mean strange?" Glorietta glanced at him as she unfolded the letter, "He must’ve missed me so much to the point that he couldn’t wait another second to talk to me."

"If that’s the case, why didn’t he just wait for you at the gate?"

"Why can’t you just shut up!?"

Glorietta snapped back, making Doron chuckle as he made faces.

’But it’s really strange...’

She thought as she began reading the letter out loud.

Dear Glorietta, my beloved wife,

I am pleased to hear that you will be visiting the duchy. I’ve missed you deeply during these months apart, and I cannot express how much I look forward to seeing you again amidst all this chaos.

Forgive me, my love, for being unable to welcome you at the duchy gates myself. I would have given anything to be the first to greet you, but a pressing matter has demanded my full attention.

Yesterday, I received a letter from Harmonia’s Midas Merchant Organization, sent by someone named Regis.

What caught my attention most was the medallion attached to it—a piece bearing the Grava Familia’s emblem. Its presence is what alarmed me more than the letter itself.

I haven’t opened it. While we’ve confirmed that it came from Harmonia, we can’t ignore the possibility of a curse or other hidden threat. The risk may be small, but given the emblem’s involvement, we must remain cautious.

Since receiving the letter, the elders, key officials, and I have convened in the Ducal Hall to discuss its possible implications.

Unfortunately, we’ve reached a standstill. We lack direct contacts in Harmonia, and our messenger pigeons are unable to make the round trip to and from the region.

What’s more perplexing is that the letter appears to be addressed to someone named Dahlia.

As far as I know, there is no one by that name in our family. I’ve confirmed this with the elders, our extended kin, and even among our vassals—no one recognizes the name. And yet, the presence of our family’s emblem on the medallion cannot be dismissed.

If you are with Doron, as you mentioned in your letter from five days ago, feel free to share this with him.

My love, if you know anything about this matter—anything at all—please come to the Ducal Hall as soon as you can.

Yours always,

Gareth Grava

"Strange..."

Glorietta muttered with a frown as she lowered the letter in her hands, "Who’s this Regis? As far as I know, there’s no one in the Midas Merchant Organization with this name..."

"To think that someone would cause one of Harmonia’s sponsors to deliver a letter for them..."

She then felt Doron’s hand on her shoulder, making her turn towards him, "Why the hell are you touching me—"

But upon noticing the serious expression on his face, she realized something.

"Regis..."

’Regis... that name sounds familiar...’

’Where have I heard it fro—?’

Glorietta’s thoughts came to a halt as her eyes wandered over Dahlia.

In that moment, Dahlia’s face froze, her expression suspended in disbelief—as if the weight of what she’d just heard refused to settle in.

And that was indeed the case.

Two silent streams of tears slid down from her pale pink eyes, glistening with emotion as a soft, joyful smile formed on her lips.

"Hic..."

A quiet sob slipped from Dahlia’s lips.

Words eluded her as a wave of overwhelming happiness surged through her chest, leaving her breathless.

It was as if the mere mention of that name had unraveled her completely, robbing her of speech, of thought, of everything but emotion.

Her reaction alone was enough for Glorietta to remember who Regis exactly was as she facepalmed.

"If only I had mentioned Dahlia’s name and introduced her when exchanging letters with my husband... none of this would have happened."

From the side, Doron smirked and teased, "That’s because you always act like a teenager, getting caught up in your feelings whenever you write to Gareth."

Glorietta wanted to rebut, but she could not find the words to say.

In the long time that she had known Dahlia, not once had she mentioned her name to her husband.

In her mind, she thought it would be better for them to meet in person since that way, she could introduce them properly.

Glorietta could not help but blame herself for being the cause of the unnecessary panic that he had caused her husband and the others.

"Mom..."

At this moment, Gustave whispered to her in a low voice as he glanced at Dahlia, "Why is she acting like that?"

He had always seen Dahlia as a confident girl.

Thus, he had never expected her to make that kind of expression.

Before she could respond to her son, a sudden tug on the sleeve of her dress stopped her.

Dahlia had risen swiftly, her small hands gripping both Doron and Glorietta’s sleeves with a quiet urgency.

"P... ca... w... g... t... ...er?"

Unable to hear her clearly, the two immediately leaned in closer, bringing their faces near hers.

"Hic... Please... can we... get there... faster?"

Dahlia managed to utter in between her sobs, prompting Glorietta to immediately order the coachman to speed up.

Just like that, the luxurious white carriage sped swiftly through the streets of the Grava Duchy.

After five minutes or so of nearly hitting some stalls and pedestrians, the carriage finally arrived before the grand Ducal Hall, where the officials and important figures of the duchy conducted their affairs.

Thud—!

The carriage doors slammed open as a little girl darted forward to enter, her shell pink hair streaming behind her in the wind.

Just as the guard was about to block her, Glorietta, who had just gotten off the carriage, gave them a signal.

Thus, Dahlia, who was accompanied by Doron, was able to smoothly enter the Ducal Hall.

***

At this moment, inside a grand meeting chamber...

A magnificent chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a soft yet brilliant light that bathed the entire room in a warm glow.

The chamber’s walls were adorned with fine paintings, while intricate gold-accented engravings traced along the borders, lending an air of noble elegance to the space.

The centerpiece of the room was an impressively long wooden table, its surface carved with elaborate patterns.

Draped over it was a regal tablecloth embroidered with the emblem of the Grava Familia—a shield crossed with a hammer.

Seated around the table were the key officials and dignitaries of the duchy, each wearing a solemn expression.

At the head of the table sat a dignified man with long, lion-like brown hair.

His deep brown eyes gleamed with intelligence, and his presence exuded both authority and quiet strength.

His attire—fitting for a duke—was tailored and refined, reflecting his status.

At that moment, his gaze was fixed on the objects resting at the center of the table: a sealed scroll and a heavy medallion engraved with the family’s emblem.

The rest of the officials murmured among themselves, speculating in hushed tones about the nature and meaning of the items laid before them.

THUD!

The chamber doors burst open.

A little girl with puffy pale pink eyes and long shell-pink hair rushed inside, her eyes locked on the scroll at the center of the table.

Upon seeing the strange girl, one of the officials stood up, "Little girl, I think you’re in the wrong pla—"

However, the man at the head of the table raised his hand.

"But Duke Gareth—"

The man at the head of the table, Gareth, shot a sharp glare at the official, prompting him to fall silent and sink back into his seat.

At this moment, another figure entered the meeting chamber, just a step behind the little girl.

The officials’ expressions shifted in surprise the moment they laid eyes on him.

Although their memory of him differed somewhat from what they were seeing now, his features remained unmistakably familiar.

As if to confirm their suspicions, a smile bloomed on Gareth’s face as he stood up.

"Long time no see, Doron."

The figure behind the girl, Doron, smiled in return, "Long time no see."

They shared a brief hug, a quiet yet genuine display of the bond between them.

Gareth gave him a once-over, raising an eyebrow. "I didn’t expect you to cut your hair... Why’d you go bald?"

Doron chuckled. "Still as blunt as ever, huh?"

"It kept getting in the way while I was fighting those damned demonic humans, so I shaved it all off. Besides, don’t I look cooler like this?"

Gareth tilted his head with a smirk. "Is that so... Though, if I recall correctly, didn’t you say you wouldn’t return until every last one of them was wiped off the map? What brings you back so soon? Still—"

His expression then softened as he continued, "—it’s been years. I’m glad you’re finally home."

"Well, I’m glad to be home too."

Doron said with a light smile, then turned slightly, gesturing toward the girl beside him, "But more importantly—I’ve brought the person you’ve all been trying so hard to find."

His words attracted the attention of the official, as even Gareth had a confused expression on his face.

"What do you mean?’

"Aren’t you all looking for Dahlia? Here she is!"

Doron’s words caused everyone in the room to become speechless as they wordlessly stared at the little girl before them.