Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 49 49 The Birth of Felicia Breitner

49 The Birth of Felicia Breitner

Regret clawed at his heart with merciless fingers. He had been given countless opportunities, time and time again, yet he had let them slip through his fingers.

By the time he realized his mistake, it was too late.

"The final record of the Sword Saint Aizen would have been this—an old man who did nothing in his twilight years before dying quietly," Aizen said, his voice resolute.

But then...

Aizen turned to William, lowering his head until his forehead touched the ground.

"You have changed that fate, Third Prince."

Silence followed his words.

"I am truly grateful," Aizen continued, his voice unwavering. "Because of you, this old man will be able to leave behind his final mark before he departs."

No one spoke.

No one dared to break the solemn moment as Aizen remained bowed, offering the deepest gratitude a Sword Saint could give.

At last, Aizen lifted himself from the ground, moving carefully as he turned his gaze toward Felicia. She still looked disoriented, her expression clouded with confusion.

"What is your name?" Aizen asked.

"F-Felicia," she stammered.

"You have no surname?"

Felicia hesitated.

"I do not ask to pry into your origins," Aizen clarified. "The steps we must take depend on your lineage. If you are a commoner... then I will take you in as my adopted daughter."

Felicia's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat.

One of the rarest paths for a commoner to ascend into nobility was adoption into an aristocratic household.

The process itself was simple, but few noble families were willing to do it. Many viewed the very notion of introducing common blood into their lineage as disgraceful.

They claimed their bloodlines were pure. So even if they had an illegitimate child, they would sooner adopt a distant relative as an heir rather than acknowledge their own flesh and blood.

William recalled countless instances of this in his past life and let out a wry smile.

Even if the child bore their blood, wasn't it natural for any human to want to pass down their legacy to their own offspring? Yet these nobles would rather hand it over to distant relatives they barely knew.

It was a logic he would never understand.

"Tell me again—do you have no surname?"

"My mother did not have one," Felicia answered hesitantly. "And... I was not given my father's."

She can see mana.

With that ability, Felicia could predict an opponent's movements before they even struck.

That explained her almost supernatural combat instincts.

More than that...

If she could perceive mana within the body, she could perfectly grasp any technique demonstrated before her.

As long as she had a master to show her the way, she would learn at a rate far beyond that of ordinary disciples.

With her innate talent and Aizen's teachings, she would undoubtedly grow into a warrior worthy of the title Sword Saint before Aizen's time was up.

For the first time, William fully understood why Aizen had bowed his head to him.

"You have my congratulations once again, Sir Aizen," Sigmund said lightly. "This has been a historic moment to witness, but I imagine you will be quite busy with your new daughter's education and formal adoption."

With that, the discussion drew to a close.

"That would be best. Once my urgent matters are settled, I will visit you with my daughter."

Grand Duke Sigmund cast a glance at William and his companions, a subtle cue for them to step outside and allow the two men a private moment.

William nodded, signaling to the others to follow. Just as he turned to leave, a voice rang out.

"My lord!"

Felicia's voice carried through the hall as she abruptly dropped to one knee.

Before she could say another word, Aizen's hand shot out, gripping her shoulder.

"Enough," he said firmly.

Felicia blinked in confusion. "What...?"

"You are no knight," Aizen stated. "You have only just become the daughter of a noble house. Swearing loyalty to a lord when you hold no title yourself is meaningless."

Her breath hitched, stunned by the weight of his words.

"Serving a lord requires qualification," Aizen continued. "A vow of loyalty is something you will give once you have become a knight in your own right."

Felicia's hands clenched, her emotions wavering between frustration and understanding.

William, watching her carefully, let out a small chuckle.

"I will wait," he said simply.

That was all it took. Felicia's eyes steadied with newfound resolve. She bowed her head deeply, accepting his words.

She did not rise from her kneeling position until William had left the room.