"That will suffice," the female Mage said with a slight nod. "As it happens, the family has a group of children of the right age."
Catherine could no longer hold back. "Grand-aunt, are you just going to ignore Lilith? You used to dote on her, too."
The female Mage smiled faintly. "This is a domestic affair between you and Saintess Adina. It would be improper for us to interfere. We are already quite relieved that Her Highness the Saintess hasn’t come to despise and cast aside the Edmonds family because of this."
"Yes, this is already the best possible outcome," the white-haired elder sighed. "However, to appease the Saintess’s past resentment, I propose we hold an election for the Family Head as soon as possible."
Catherine was on the edge of her seat. Her daughter Lilith was important, of course, but if this meant her husband would lose his position as Family Head, that was something she could never accept.
"Grand-uncle, please reconsider! Dumont has managed the family’s affairs diligently all these years... To suddenly replace him, isn’t that terribly unfair?"
The elder let out a long sigh. "It’s not that we want to replace him. The family needs to pick a side. On one hand, we have a seven-star Dark Saintess and the rapidly rising Dark Divine Hall. On the other, a two-star Mage of Light and the declining Divine Hall of Light behind her. You tell me, which side should the family choose?"
Catherine bit her lip. "But when Lilith became the Saintess of Light, everyone supported her wholeheartedly. How can you all change your minds so suddenly?"
"To think you’re the Lady of the House and you can’t even see that," the female Mage said, a touch of disappointment in her voice. "The family doesn’t side with a person. It sides with a faction."
"Between the rising Dark Divine Hall and the fading Divine Hall of Light, everyone knows which to choose. It’s simply a matter of siding with the winner. Hedging our bets is the greatest taboo. While it might mitigate risk, it would give the world the impression that we are nothing but fence-sitters."
A short-tempered old Mage spoke more bluntly. "It’s still uncertain if Lilith can even hold on to her position as Saintess of Light. You’re coming to us in tears now hoping the family will antagonize the Dark Divine Hall, all to help Lilith recover what she’s lost."
With her intentions laid bare by the elders, Catherine was left speechless. She understood now that the family’s decision-makers would never side with her and Lilith. ’But what about my Lilith? What’s going to happen to her?’
Lilith had become completely hysterical. "She turned my life into a mess, and now she says we’re even? As if it’s that easy! I just made a tiny mistake when I was little, and she’s completely ruined my future for it!"
Dennis, in contrast, was perfectly calm. "That ’tiny mistake’ of yours left Adina bedridden for years. What did the Priest say back then? That if she didn’t rest properly, she might not live past fifty. And you call that a ’tiny mistake’?"
Lilith stared at Dennis in disbelief. "I’m your sister! How can you take her side?"
Dennis held his hands out. "I’m not taking anyone’s side. I’m just looking at the facts. On the way back, I couldn’t stop thinking. She’s your own sister, and your daughter. Why don’t any of you show her the slightest bit of care or affection?"
"I have no right to talk. I wasn’t any better. I never looked out for her when she was still with the family." Dennis gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Now I completely agree with what she said: if you didn’t share in the hardship, you have no right to share in the glory."
"We lived glamorous lives in the Imperial City while she was out there, bleeding and fighting for her life. Now that she has a bright future, I don’t have the face to try and get close to her. Lilith, you resent me for not taking your side, but let me ask you: in all these years, did you ever think about her, even once?"
"I didn’t think so. You were too busy having fun with your friends, and you’d long since forgotten all about her. You never gave a second thought to the harm you caused, and you went on living with a clear conscience."
"And when I think about the shops and manors Mother gave us, my stomach just churns. How is that any different from blood money?"
"Honored elders, I will be retiring to my room now."
Dennis left. Danit glanced back and forth, then ultimately took his place by Dumont’s side.
The female Mage sighed. "Dennis is quite a fine young man. It’s a shame he’s your son."
Dumont’s shoulders slumped in defeat. "Elder, I never imagined it would come to this. It’s as if the world turned upside down overnight. I remember she was just a tiny thing, lying there in her bed..."
The elders sighed as well. "What’s done is done. There’s no point in saying anything more. Call a family meeting for tomorrow. Over the years, your performance has been... adequate. You understand why."
"I understand," Dumont said through gritted teeth. "Even if she weren’t the Saintess of the Dark Divine Hall, I could never be the Family Head as long as my daughters belong to opposing factions."
"It’s good that you understand. If you had all just shown her a little more compassion back then, would things have ever gotten this bad?" The old Mage tapped his staff. "Sometimes, you take one wrong step, and there’s no going back."
The family’s decision-makers filed out, leaving only Dumont, Catherine, Lilith, and Danit in the front hall. Catherine was in a state of panic. Her worst fears were coming true.
Once Dumont stepped down as Family Head, how would she maintain her standing in the high society of the Imperial City? She would be ostracized, pushed to the fringes. She had seen this coming, but she had no way to stop it.
"Let’s go. Time to go back." Dumont finally stood up, but he staggered after just two steps. Danit rushed to steady him.
"Father, are you alright?"
"I’m fine." Dumont stood up straight. "I’m fine. I’m going back to my room."
Shoving away Catherine’s attempt to help him, Dumont shuffled toward the bedroom, one step at a time. ’Who was to blame for all of this? Catherine, for her favoritism? Lilith, for her jealousy?’
’But the one he should blame most was himself. He was the one who hadn’t treated them equally. If he had only raised his children without bias, then even after Adina’s talent for the Undead was discovered, he would have found a way to protect her.’
’She wouldn’t have needed to fend for herself at such a young age.’
Perhaps out of concern for Dumont, Catherine only picked at her dinner before returning to their bedroom. But when she pushed the door open, she found he wasn’t there. A surge of anxiety washed over her.
After searching all over, she finally found him on the third-floor terrace, sitting across from Dennis. Catherine didn’t go up, instead listening quietly to their conversation from below.
"Father, you should drink a little less. It won’t look good if the elders see you reeking of alcohol tomorrow," Dennis advised. He knew his father was miserable—then again, no one in the entire family was feeling at ease.