NOVPUBLudger kept a close eye on Flora.
Though she was trying hard to appear strong, his sharp perception saw through her instantly—she was mentally shaken.
Her steps were clearly unsteady.
She hesitated just like this the last time she came to see her father.
It was only after hearing Duke Heibach’s comment that Ludger understood the reason behind Flora’s reaction.
Flora Lumos was Cayden’s daughter—but a daughter born of a concubine.
Among the nobility, the discrimination against children born to concubines was impossible to describe with words.
Even so, with talent as extraordinary as Flora’s, the family would have no choice but to grudgingly acknowledge her.
Which made her reaction all the more senseless.
Unless—
The Lumenis Church.
House Lumos was the most devout follower of the Lumenis Church among the Empire’s three ducal houses.
And the Lumenis Church did not recognize the children of concubines.
The Church, which worshipped the monotheistic god Lumenis, followed a doctrine intended solely for humans.
Its long and well-known history of oppressing other races stemmed from this principle.
But their arrows did not aim only at demi-humans.
The Lumenis Church was not a religion of human equality—it was a religion of hierarchy.
The superiority of humans over demi-humans.
The superiority of upper citizens over lower citizens.
The superiority of legitimate children over illegitimate ones.
House Lumos fervently adhered to that doctrine.
Which meant...
No matter how talented Flora was, as a concubine’s child, she would never be acknowledged by her family.
And yet she still approaches her father?
Even as she feared the man who would never see her as his child, Flora desperately wanted to be recognized by him.
Even in a situation so fragile it felt like her mask could shatter at any moment—
She did not stop walking.
It was at that moment that a girl beside Duke Cayden Lumos called out to Flora.
A girl with long, dark blue hair, the same color as Flora’s.
She was too far to hear the words, but the sneer on her face made it clear—whatever she was saying, it wasn’t kind.
She looked to be two or three years younger than Flora, but her behavior plainly revealed her status.
She was clearly a child of legitimate lineage.
And she wasn’t the only one picking a fight with Flora.
That’s Kamal Lumos, the next head of House Lumos.
He, too, showed open disdain toward Flora.
Kamal Lumos and Katrina Lumos.
By age, they were her older brother and younger sister, but neither ever acknowledged Flora as family.
Hearing their cruel words, Flora shrank back—completely unlike her usual self.
Eventually, Cayden Lumos, head of the house, looked at Flora.
His gaze was like looking at something that had never been needed to begin with.
No emotion existed in his eyes—not even the slightest affection for his own daughter.
The moment Ludger saw that—
Before he even realized it, he pushed back his chair and strode forward.
“Ah, hey—Professor!”
Duke Heibach tried to stop him, but it was too late.
“Is there a problem with my student?”
Ludger inserted himself directly into the group from House Lumos as he spoke.
Cayden’s gaze, which had been directed at Flora, shifted toward Ludger.
Their eyes locked in midair.
Sensing ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the shift in atmosphere, Duke Heibach quickly stepped up beside Ludger.
Then, Cayden Lumos finally spoke.
“This is a family matter. You’d best stay out of it.”
His cold, firm tone was utterly devoid of warmth.
But Ludger did not step back.
“This involves a student from my class. As her teacher, I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“So you’re saying a teacher is going to meddle in family affairs?”
“I didn’t see it as a family matter.”
Though spoken indirectly, Ludger’s meaning was clear as day.
He might as well have said: Are you sure what you’re doing right now even qualifies as ‘family matters’?
......!
Gasps rippled from the nobles who had been listening.
Yet Cayden’s expression didn’t change at all.
Rather, it was Duke Heibach—standing beside Ludger—who found himself watching cautiously, unusually nervous.
What’s gotten into this teacher all of a sudden?
He had assumed Ludger hated getting caught up in troublesome affairs. And now here he was, openly confronting the head of House Lumos?
Is it because of the student?
Ludger, who had stayed quiet until now, stepped forward as if to shield Flora Lumos.
Flora was one of the top students in his class—and currently the highest-ranking in his subject.
That was more than enough justification for Ludger to intervene.
It was definitely enough.
Even so, standing so blatantly against Duke Lumos... That’s insane.
The man he was up against was a duke—a high noble by any standard.
If Ludger made an enemy of him, he’d face consequences even as a Seorn professor.
That was why even Heibach, also a duke, never crossed certain lines when teasing Cayden.
And yet, Ludger Cherish stood tall in front of Cayden without hesitation.
Heibach’s eyes narrowed, his expression calming.
So beneath that cold surface, he really does care for his students.
He burns hot.
Kadatushan remembered the moment Ludger had warned even him without flinching.
This was a man who would not bend no matter who stood before him.
Even when speaking to a duke, Ludger had never hidden his words.
The nobles who had come here to forge ties with House Lumos were just as startled.
Flora was the black sheep of the Lumos family—so disregarded that even mentioning her name was taboo.
No—was she even seen as family at all?
To those who knew anything about House Lumos, it was common knowledge.
Is he really planning to make enemies of the Lumos family?
Tsk. Just because people have been praising him, he must think he’s someone important.
Most of the nobles clicked their tongues inwardly.
Ludger might have earned a recent reputation, but at the end of the day, he was still a fallen noble.
His power couldn’t even begin to compare to Cayden Lumos.
Gulp.
A thick silence descended, so heavy that the sound of someone swallowing was audible.
Ludger Cherish and Cayden Lumos.
Neither man averted his gaze—they simply stared at each other.
Had they held swords, it would have turned into a duel right then and there.
That was when the second daughter, Katrina, stepped forward.
“Wow! Hello there!”
With a bright, beaming face, Katrina cheerfully greeted Ludger.
She looked up at him with a subtle glint in her eyes.
“You’re Professor Ludger Cherish, right? I saw your duel yesterday. You were amazing! You shot spells so fast, and even used light magic!”
“You are...”
“Oh dear, I forgot to introduce myself. Pleased to meet you! I’m Katrina Lumos, the legitimate successor of House Lumos.”
Katrina lifted the hem of her dress slightly with both hands and curtsied with perfect grace.
While doing so, she emphasized the word legitimate and shot a sidelong glance at Flora behind Ludger.
Her behavior was foxlike.
“But really, Mr. Ludger—are you truly that Flora’s teacher?”
Katrina immediately dropped her friendly façade.
Her crescent-shaped eyes narrowed toward Flora.
And an uncontrollable smirk curled her lips.
“How surprising. To think Flora, who was abandoned by the family and could never do anything, is now being treated as a top student here. I guess you never know what life brings? Well, she was born with some magic talent, I’ll give her that. Oh—did you not know? Flora’s only considered half-blood in our family.”
Katrina covered her mouth and giggled.
Flora, hearing those words, didn’t even try to argue—she just hung her head low.
He knows.
He had heard that she wasn’t properly treated by her family. Flora wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
More than anything, what hurt the most was that it was Ludger who had heard it.
I shouldn’t have come.
She had thought it would be okay.
She didn’t expect anything anymore. Just hearing a simple “how have you been?” would have been enough.
Was that really so much to hope for?
Even if not warmth—was it really such a sin to want to be treated at least like a person?
Tears she had tried so hard to suppress now welled up again.
She had thought she’d shed them all long ago, but they were still there.
I’m an idiot.
She thought her father would acknowledge her because of her talent.
What a foolish hope that had been.
I...
“Pardon me.”
Ludger’s voice erased all of Flora’s spiraling thoughts.
He didn’t echo Katrina’s mockery, nor did he so much as glance to check Flora’s condition.
He simply—
With his usual impassive face, staring at others with his unreadable gaze—
Spoke with a voice that never once wavered.
“Young Lady Katrina, are you by any chance interested in Seorn Academy?”
Because she was not a student, Ludger addressed Katrina formally.
At his words, Katrina nodded with a bright smile.
“Yes, of course. I’m preparing to enroll next year—as the top student, no less. Just look at this.”
With a confident flourish, she raised her palm and conjured a Second-Circle spell.
A shard of ice instantly formed in the air above her hand.
[Ice Shard], a Second-Circle ice spell.
The casting speed and density of mana were certainly impressive for her age.
In fact, Katrina already considered it a given that she would be top of her class next year.
“An excellent spell.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. This sort of thing is easy for me.”
“As a teacher at Seorn, may I offer an evaluation of your performance?”
“Yes, of course.”
Confident that she’d only receive praise, Katrina agreed without hesitation.
But the moment Ludger nodded in acknowledgment, his entire demeanor shifted.
“Katrina Lumos. Conduct demerit—10 points.”
“...Pardon?”
The smile she had worn so confidently cracked.
“Below standard casting speed—5 points. Incomplete spell structure—10 points. Frivolous attitude toward magic—10 points.”
“W-wait! What are you saying?!”
“One question. Just now, you demonstrated the spell [Ice Shard], a Second-Circle spell. It consists of four components. Do you know which structure is responsible for expanding its power?”
“That’s...”
“You don’t even understand the structure of the spell you’re using? You just memorized and repeated it like you were taught? And you were proud of that? Add another 20 points for lack of magical understanding.”
“......”
Pressed by Ludger’s presence, Katrina couldn’t mount any rebuttal.
The demerits were stacking up so fast, she felt dizzy. 𝑛𝘰𝘷𝑝𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝘮
Has anyone... ever treated me like this?
No.
Not once. Never.
Because she was from one of the Empire’s Three Ducal Houses.
Everyone always praised her, said what she wanted to hear, flattered her endlessly.
That was how it had always been—and how it was supposed to stay.
But now—
“Did you take Seorn lightly? With that level of skill, you wouldn’t even make the top half of the class, let alone rank first.”
Ludger’s face was cast in shadow as he glared down at Katrina.
He was a man who didn’t care who he was speaking to.
Watching Katrina clench her jaw and fists in frustration, Ludger turned his gaze toward Cayden Lumos.
“Duke Cayden Lumos.”
For the first time, emotion flickered in Cayden’s eyes as he looked at Ludger.
Ludger met that gaze and spoke coldly.
“If you intend to send her to Seorn, you’ll need to reeducate her first.”
A wave of shock spread through the onlookers.
Duke Kadatushan’s jaw dropped. Flora, standing behind Ludger, widened her eyes in disbelief.
The stunned reactions of the Lumos followers nearby went without saying.
He’d done it.
Ludger had just insulted Cayden Lumos in front of everyone.
“Y-You!”
One noble, hand trembling, pointed at Ludger.
“How dare you speak such blasphemy in front of him!”
“Have you lost your mind just because people started praising you for being a Seorn professor?!”
“A fallen noble dares to act so arrogant!”
Those hoping to curry favor with Cayden exploded in anger on his behalf.
But Ludger looked at them with a serene gaze—calm as a lake at dawn—and spoke slowly.
“Young Lady Katrina requested an evaluation. I merely gave one as a professor at Seorn.”
“You’ve got some nerve running your mouth like that—!”
“That’s quite enough.”
The noble, who had been about to charge forward, froze in place at the voice of the old man who stepped in.
Gone was the light, teasing tone he used with Ludger earlier. Now Heibach Kadatushan exuded a depth and force that overwhelmed the entire gathering.
He smiled gently as he spoke.
“It seems the heat of the moment caused some tempers to flare. It’s a pleasant occasion—why not calm down a little? Ludger, my boy, your words were a bit harsh.”
“I’ll take care.”
“And the rest of you as well. Why are you all so angry when no one even insulted you directly?”
“...But!”
A middle-aged noble tried to protest, but he was cut short.
It wasn’t Heibach who silenced him—it was Cayden Lumos himself, who raised his hand.
“That’s enough.”
His voice, deep and commanding, echoed like the roar of a mountain god.
The volcanic tension about to erupt was extinguished instantly, as though the air itself had frozen.
Everyone turned to look at Cayden.
Waiting to see what he would do next.
“You’re Ludger Cherish, yes?”
Cayden’s tone was composed.
As if he were completely unaffected.
“My daughter is still inexperienced. She spoke rudely. As the adult here, I ask you to forgive her.”
But facing him directly, Ludger could feel it.
The fury blazing behind Cayden’s composed eyes was scorching—intense enough to incinerate him on the spot.
Even so, Ludger nodded without the slightest flinch.
“Of course. How could a child be at fault?”
“......”
For the first time, a wrinkle formed on Cayden Lumos’s brow.
