Instead of My Stepsister, I Have Become Engaged to the Son of a Marquis, Who Is Said to Only Have a Year Left to Live - Chapter 24

Chapter 24
Inherited Bloodline

　Eugenie looked down at the cup of tea in her hand before continuing.

“When I saw how Lionel’s health had suddenly deteriorated, I could easily imagine that it would be difficult for him to recover without the help of magic. It was a dream come true, as it was said that there were very few people who could use magic these days, but there was a family of extremely talented white magicians who were said to have many descendants who inherited magical powers. I pinned my hopes on that family and decided to focus my search solely on that family.”

　When Edith nodded at Eugenie’s words, she looked up and asked Edith,

“In particular, it seems that women born into this family often inherited strong magical powers, and in the past, many of them even came to be known as saints… Lady Edith, do you know of any stories about such saints?”
“No. I have never heard of such a thing.”
“I see… As the number of people who could use magic gradually decreased, the female heir to the family who could use precious healing magic suddenly disappeared one day. It happened a long time ago, so I don’t know the details, but it seems that she grew tired of having her powers used by those in power. In any era, those with special powers tend to be used, whether they want to or not.”

　Eugenie paused and looked at Edith again.

“Fortunately, I was able to find some clues about this woman, and I had the Marquis’s information network trace her footsteps. To my surprise, I found that she had been living among the commoners. She had left the aristocratic society that was smothered in money and power and seemed to have ended her life peacefully while rescuing those close to her who were in trouble. You could say that she lived a life worthy of a saint… And I finally traced her back to her descendant several generations later.”
“So, have you found a woman who could potentially inherit that powerful magical power?”

　Edith leaned forward and asked Eugenie.

“Yes. I found out that she and her husband ran a small pharmacy in a local town…. Apparently the medicines she made were well-known for being very effective, so it’s likely that she also had the ability to use healing magic, and although I don’t know if she was aware of her own powers, she must have infused them into her medicines. However, by the time I finally tracked her down, unfortunately, she had already passed away along with her husband in an unfortunate accident. However, she had one daughter.”
“…!”

　Edith gasped, not expecting that to be the case, and Eugenie quietly nodded.

“By the time I left for that town, she had already been adopted by a noble relative… As you’ve probably noticed, that person was you, Lady Edith. I only recently tracked down her whereabouts, but when I saw the investigation report, I couldn’t believe my eyes. By that time, Lady Edith had already become engaged to Lord Lionel and was living with the Marquis of Granvelle.”

　Eugenie looked at Edith, who was at a loss for words, with slightly lowered eyebrows and a concerned look.

“You must have been very sad to lose your parents so suddenly. I can only imagine how you must have felt. But I never imagined that Edith was already with you, Lionel… For the first time in my life, I thought that maybe God really does exist.”

　Edith blinked a few times and then looked into Eugenie’s eyes.

“Um, is it really true? That my mother had such a special bloodline? It was such a sudden story that it still doesn’t feel real. And even if it were true, I don’t know if I, her daughter, would have that kind of magical power…”
“As for your mother, she is certainly the descendant of a distinguished family of white magicians that has produced many saints. And although Lady Edith does not seem to be aware of her own magical powers, I believe she certainly has them. The other day, when I visited the Marquis of Granvelle to announce my engagement to Lord Craig, I quietly kept an eye on Lionel, wondering how he was doing. He looked much better, and appeared to be on the road to recovery. I was relieved to see that, and I was convinced of Lady Edith’s powers.”

(I wonder if Mother could use magic. Can I use magic too…?)

　The image of her mother, a kind person who was loved by her patients, came to Edith’s mind. Though there was no way for her to confirm it now, Edith also remembered feeling a warmth from seeing her mother make medicine with all her heart.

　Eugenie bowed deeply to Edith.

“Dear Edith, please support Lord Lionel. I’m sure there is no one else who can cure him but you. I know I have no right to say this, having abandoned Lord Lionel, and I know you may think I’m being selfish, but I just wanted to tell you that, which is why I invited you here today.”
“Of course. I will do my best to support him, Lionel, as much as I can.”

　Eugenie smiled with relief at Edith’s words, and Edith returned a gentle smile in return.