Recognition

Lakeheart Town, the Lord's Manor, study.

Paul sat upright, with Laddie Setia seated beside him.

Of course, he could not immediately believe what that woman had said.

Besides Laddie, he had taken other precautions as well. A pistol lay on the table.

Lady Marianna and Nathan were shown in.

Lady Marianna glanced around every corner of the study, and a look of reminiscence appeared on her face.

"The furnishings in this castle have changed a great deal. Only this room has remained as it was."

Laddie found it somewhat strange. Had her teacher been here before?

Paul did not respond. Instead, he asked the attendant who had brought Lady Marianna in, "Where is Butler Philip? I need him to come here at once."

The attendant answered, "I'll go find him right away."

Paul added, "And Cecil and Bryce as well. I hope they can get here immediately."

"By your command!"

The attendant left.

Lady Marianna looked at Paul and smiled sweetly. "What? You still don't believe me?"

Paul gestured with his hand. "Please, sit down. Perhaps you can both moisten your throats with some water from the tea table first. We'll have... a lot to talk about later."

Laddie grew even more puzzled and asked, "What exactly is going on?"

Paul shrugged. "This woman—your teacher—says she's my mother."

"Pfft!" Nathan spat out the water he was holding.

Laddie was so shocked that she could not speak, her eyes widening to their fullest.

Nathan set down the cup and said in panic, "No, Mom, this isn't true!"

Regarding what Paul had said earlier about the two of them being brothers, Nathan had instinctively felt that his mother was not lying, yet he had not dared face it.

But if it was true, another possibility followed as well, and it had left