Villainess! Your Father Wants to Marry Me!

Chapter 13: Ancient Artifact

GABRIELLA

"Hello father" I spoke "We are back"

It is nostalgic to see the person who used to play with me and pamper me has not aged. His eyes were lovingly looking at me. How funny, this was the place where we last saw each other 17 years ago, and now we met at the same place again.

The memory of our last departure was still clear in my head.

And it was not a good memory.

Father was about to take a step but..."My Lord," the man behind my father said. The man shook his head and then he glanced at me. Familiar, He is familiar! My eyes squinted as I observe that man.

AHA! ANOTHER HANDSOME MAN!

The man has fiery red hair, he is wearing familiar attire and he is more elegant than me. That face is familiar to me. I didn't notice him a while ago because of my father's youthful look, but this man is someone that I know.

Nico, Our butler.

When I was just a child, around 7 to 8 years old. I always play with Nico. F*ck I could even remember myself going to my father's office just to see Nico. I even told him that he was my crush when I was just a child!

You can't blame me, next to my father and my brother, Nico was the first handsome man I've ever seen. Up until now, I can't believe that he is still handsome and elegant! I can't even compare him to our 30-year-old neighbor when I was still Elizabeth!

It really doesn't make sense! Even Nico looks younger! Where are the wrinkles? Although he looks a little bit older than my father, it really doesn't make sense!

"We're not yet certain if they are truly your children," Nico said in a respectful yet cold manner. "Please allow me to verify it" He continued. 

His words made me mentally facepalmed. I almost forgot how our butler act in front of other people. Nico has not changed, he is always the strict and meticulous butler. 

Father stilled as he hears Nico. His eyes became lifeless as he nodded his head.

"Young man," Nico said to my brother, "Pardon me, but I am certain that you used a medallion to enter in the manor, can I take a look at it?" he asked as he meticulously fixes his white elegant gloves.

Gabriel glanced at me and I smiled at him. He knows what to do next. Brother took out the medallion, as soon as Nico saw it his eyes went wide, even my father's dulled face became surprised when he saw the medallion.

The doubt on their faces suddenly vanished. 

With the medallion on our side, I am certain that proving our bloodline won't be a hassle. I may not know what lies beneath that ancient item, but there is something that I heard about that artifact.

It only reacts to the bloodline of Velasquez. We don't need to use the medallion to make it react, just simply holding it can affect the mana in our body. If we hold it, the mana in our body will also be projected into the artifact, but if you're not a Velasquez, no matter how strong the mana in your body is, the medallion won't react.

Father and Nico can see Gabriel's mana projected in that ancient artifact. Actually, I don't know how it works but the medallion has a little jewel in the middle of it and the jewel changes its color according to how strong a Velasquez's mana is.

That jewel is currently color red, but when I touch the medallion, it turns orange. I don't know what it means and I don't really care about it.

"May I touch it?" Nico asked my brother. Brother, who also looks uninterested, gave the medallion to the butler.

As soon as Nico touches the medallion, the jewel on the medallion suddenly turned colorless.

"It was the real artifact..." Nico suddenly said. He suddenly glanced at me but returned his gaze on the medallion. He carefully handed it to the Marquis and the color of the jewel suddenly turned dark red as soon as he touched it. "There's no doubt! The young miss and the young lord--"

"Haha," The Marquis suddenly reacted "HAHAHA". The medallion fell off to the ground. The medallion made a loud 'thud!' when it reaches the ground. Nico and the other people who present in the garden were surprised.

D*mn it, I almost startled. Why are you suddenly laughing Father?! Did he lose his sanity? I thought the Ancient artifact was important? Why did you carelessly let it fall?

Well, it's not like I also handled it with care, Honestly, It fell in my care several times, I sometimes use it as a stand under my table. It's actually pretty hard and it doesn't have any scratches on it.

I can't use it nor sell it, so don't blame me for doing such things to the artifact! I don't even know that the day that we will really need it would come. Good thing that medallion doesn't have a life or else...

I am doomed.

"Nico..." Father paused. I went back to my senses as soon as I heard my Father. "Tell everyone in this Manor to ready our most comfortable rooms and serve the most delicious delicacies tonight! Do not forget to assist our most capable servants!"

"Yes, My Lord!"

••••

"How was your life, Nico?" I asked. He stopped walking. 

Nico was currently assisting us in our rooms. As we walk I could notice some changes in the manor. The manor may become more beautiful, but the atmosphere... It also changes.

"Instead of asking me that, My Lady. Why don't explain the reason you run away with your brother 17 years ago" Nico glanced at me. I gulped as I bit my lips. How am I suppose to answer that? Even Gabriel glanced at me with curiosity.

Brother, that's not how you look at me whenever I mention our family background!

I can't tell them!

"Is it because of the late Marquessa?" Nico asked me. My body stiffened when he mentioned my mother. I fell into silence. 

"No" I simply replied. "It doesn't matter why we left. The important thing is we came back"

Gabriel noticed the difference with my usual tone. He knows when I am uncomfortable. "Instead of discussing why we left. Why don't we discuss why we come back?" Brother suddenly spoke. "I believe that this is more controversial"

Nico became dumbfounded. Gabriel's statement also depicts that we are not really planning to come back here. My brother's bluntness is really unpredictable, how cute. 

Nico let out a loud but sophisticated laugh. "I almost forgot that our young master is not a cute little kid anymore. Now I noticed that the two of you grows up beautifully"

Of course, we're a grown-up already! Just wait until we reveal the reason for our agenda. How will you react if you find out that your Lord Antonio will be a grandfather?

"But..." Nico's expression suddenly changes. "What do you  mean with your words, Young Master?"

Gabriel let out a smirk. "Why don't we discuss it with Marquis Antonio?"