After I informed Serpens about the existence of his possible child, he frowned.

«Lady, you've probably made a mistake.»

— Hmm?

— This just can't be.

— Why are you so sure? I was surprised.

— Such an incident took place only once, and then I don't remember it well… — the man coughed, — It is impossible that since then I have had a child.

Apparently Serpens was one hundred percent sure of this. Although there was no doubt on my part about the theory. Serpence Strange was too much like a love interest for it to be just an accident.

Apart from the obvious external similarity, their habits and demeanor were also identical. Any woman could envy their grace. Both exuded a pleasant floral fragrance of cologne, and the clothes always corresponded to the latest fashion trends. In the end, they even have the same hairstyle. Serpens collected his hair in the same ponytail as Lionel in his adult version!

Only a blind man could have missed it.

And since I knew for sure that Lionel had no brothers or any other male relatives, there was only one option. This is his father.

Although Serpens himself refused to believe it and took my words for nonsense. It seemed strange to him why I even started such a conversation.

«So you don't admit it?»

— Of course not! Serpens proudly declared, «I am a man of noble upbringing. I would never have had illegitimate children.

— Noble, you say? But you only recently suggested that I make a coup…

I casually reminded it, while Serpens was confused.

— T-this… This is different!

— Really?

«To dethrone an ignoble man from the throne is a worthy deed!»

— «Ignoble»?

I was surprised. After all, the current emperor was the father of the main character — so it was a surprise to me that someone could dislike him. When Serpens spoke about the emperor, his expression darkened. It was the same last time.

Since we were talking about the personal, I thought now was the right time to ask about it.

— Did something happen between you? I suggested cautiously.

The man sighed heavily.

— You could say that.

«Come to think of it, I haven't asked you about this before,» I remarked, «Why did you start working for my father?»

To be honest, Serpens seemed to me the most unusual candidate for this position from the very beginning. He was well-mannered, educated and probably came from an intelligent family. But for some reason, he contacted the villains' family and became the deputy of the dark Legion.

— It's a long story… the man looked away.

«Nothing,» I said, «we have a lot of time.

He sighed and looked at me.

— Do you really want to know…?

— No, of course, I just asked…

Serpens did not pay attention to the irony in my voice, and stared into the distance with a thoughtful look. As if returning to old memories.

«It happened twelve years ago,» he began reluctantly, «when I had just finished my studies and returned home. He was going to become an heir to continue his father's business…

The man got up and began to walk around the room.

«Our family has been engaged in art and kept paintings for a long time,» he continued, «And we have always been loyal to the emperor. But at that moment… An aristocrat set us up to steal our family's treasures for himself. His position was higher than ours, and the emperor sided with him. My father and I were going to jail on false charges of fraud…

When Serpens recalled those events, his eyes filled with anger again.

«The man to whom my father was most devoted has turned his back on us. Only Duke Weinstein unexpectedly stood up and saved,» the man smiled bitterly, «Isn't it ironic? At the very last moment, not the light of the empire, but the devil gave us a helping hand.

I paused. For me, such an act of the Duke also came as a surprise. As it turned out, he could do not only evil deeds.

«I'll never forget it. Since then, I have renounced the current government, and swore that I would serve the Weinstein family until the end of my days.»

— That's how… — I coughed, — And what about that «incident»? How did it happen?

Serpens seemed even more reluctant to talk about it.

— The day we were released, I got so drunk for the first time in a bar. Some woman took me away… And then I woke up in an unfamiliar bed.

The man recalled the incident as a stain of shame on an impeccable reputation.

I was surprised.

«And what did you do?»

— Of course he escaped as soon as possible! «I don't even remember her face.»

Everything happened much more unpredictably than I thought. The secret of Lionel's real father was not revealed until the very end. Therefore, it was assumed that his father was one of the clients of the brothel where his mother worked. However, as it turned out, the blood of a commoner was flowing in the guy's body, as he always believed, but an aristocrat. Probably, the woman was flattered by Serpens' beautiful appearance and did not even take money from him.

I met Lionel's real father quite by accident. Moreover, they were both unaware of each other's existence…

According to the plot of the game, the boy's adoptive father will be the old Count Ferder. This will happen in a couple of years, when Lionel turns fourteen. The count accidentally discovers Lionel in a brothel and will be shocked by his incredible appearance and abilities. A man could not have his own children because of pathological infertility, but still had to leave an heir. In the end, his choice fell on the son of a prostitute.

The count will buy the boy from his mother, and Lionel will study at the count's estate for about six years. At the age of twenty, he will enter the palace as an assistant to the Minister of Culture. And later he will become an imperial mentor… His career will develop very rapidly.

Lionel was devoted to the emperor all his life. And therefore I would probably be shocked to learn about the true state of things. If he knew the truth that his real family had lost everything because of the emperor, would he also remain loyal to him?

To be honest, a childish curiosity began to play in me. Was it worth bringing these two together or not? Now that I knew everything, the temptation to destroy the original plot of the game was very great.

— But why did you bring it up so suddenly? — Serpens frowned, — What does my child have to do with it?

However, it is also dangerous to throw away such important information. I have not decided whether to touch on this topic before Serpens or not. At least my own suspicions were confirmed.

— Just like that, — I smiled casually, — I just happened to meet a boy who looks like you.