Chapter 65
A Flower Blooming in Early Winter (2)
“Ugh.”
Just sitting up made my head spin.
I felt like I’d rather die once and get a new body.
Of course, I didn’t say this out loud because Ethan was sitting next to me with his eyes wide open.
After getting up and composing myself, I received a brief explanation.
Apparently, I had been unconscious for four whole nights.
I don’t know what happened after I fainted there.
However, among the people of Crowell Castle, a story was circulating that Ethan and Therion, my academy friends, had carried me out of the well and broken the curse buried in it.
Therion’s memory had been manipulated to make it seem like he had entered Crowell Castle with me and Ethan from the beginning. Not only that, but the content of the brainwashing was also distorted with words like “brainwashing that rejects outsiders” or “a curse passed down from ancient times.”
In truth, that wasn’t important. What mattered most to me was confirming whether Mother, Father, and Diana had changed after the brainwashing was removed.
“-so, we’re truly sorry for getting you involved in this as soon as you returned.”
“You know we always support and cheer for you. Make sure to rest well before you go back.”
“…Yes.”
I got the chance to confirm immediately after regaining consciousness.
I had a very long conversation with my parents who had been waiting for me.
The rough sensation of my father’s hand rubbing mine for hours on end would probably stay with me for a long time.
After telling me to rest well, my parents left the room first. Then Ethan and Therion entered in turns.
“Lady Edith~”
“…Hmm?”
“No, it’s not.”
Contrary to my words, tears were welling up in my eyes. A tear fell from my bowed head without me realizing it.
It was because I felt from the conversation that Mother and Father loved me unchangingly, no different from before.
My family’s affection for me wasn’t because of brainwashing.
Even without brainwashing, my family loves me.
“You’re crying.”
“…I don’t usually cry. I don’t know why I’m doing this.”
I quickly wiped away my tears, pressing the back of my hand against my eyes. They were reflexive tears that flowed as my emotions intensified.
“Well…”
Just as Ethan was about to say something, the closed door burst open again. A small figure scurried into the room. It was Diana.
“Sister!”
Diana ran straight to the bed and thrust a bouquet into my arms. A cool floral scent wafted over me.
Diana had shoved the bouquet at me first, then startled when she saw me crying.
“The flowers you like… Are, are you crying?!”
Her shocked little hands frantically rubbed my face.
“……”
The clumsy touch rubbing my face was just the same. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Woah!”
I pulled Diana up onto the bed and hugged her tightly.
“I’m just so happy.”
“…Hmph. Even if you’re that happy…”
Diana’s arrow, which she had fired primly, soon flew in another direction.
“Could it be… Did the young lord do this?!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m asking if you made our sister cry!”
“Me?”
“Who else but Young Lord Behemoth!”
Ethan calmly nodded towards Therion.
“There’s Therion too.”
“That person looks like an angel. So the only one left is Young Lord Behemoth!”
“……”
Diana, aren’t you being too explicitly lookist?
Still, it looks interesting, so should I let it continue for a bit…
“If you’re trying to toy with our sister with that handsome face…”
“Ahem.”
Who’s toying with whom? I coughed in surprise.
How old was Diana again? This wasn’t the vocabulary of a young child. I was caught in the crossfire of Diana’s bomb.
Finally, I stepped in and spoke.
“Could you not fight with my friend…”
Only then did Diana finally quiet down.
Only Therion leisurely picked up a fruit from the bowl and held it to my mouth.
“Did you hear? Lady Diana said I look like an angel.”
As I chewed on the fruit, I asked.
“Are you pleased?”
“Of course.”
Therion smiled, his eyes crinkling.
With that face saying such things, it seemed almost true.
But I know his true nature. …I just hope Diana doesn’t like Therion. What if she likes him because he looks like an angel?
Unaware of my worries, Diana patted the bed and said,
“Hmph. But Sister.”
“Yes?”
“About that brainwashing, you said it resolved. My head feels quite fuzzy and my memories are blurry, but… I don’t think it was such a bad feeling.”
A servant who had followed Diana in wiped away fake tears and added a comment.
“We had a bit of a hard time…”
“What? Why!”
Diana widened her eyes. Is the brainwashing really undone?
The servants must have had a tough time. There were probably only about twenty servants, and they would have tried to sweep and clean this entire castle with that small number.
The actually used area of Crowell Castle is only about 1/8 of the total. But if the cleaning area increased by about 8 times…
Well…
Anyway, I’m glad it’s resolved.
Knock knock.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me, Lady Edith.”
The one who opened the door and entered was the butler I hadn’t seen in a long time.
I was just happy to see the servants freed from brainwashing. I greeted the butler who bowed politely, while holding Diana in my arms.
“It’s the butler. It’s been a while.”
“Lady Edith, are you feeling alright? The doctor said there’s no major issue, but you seem to have a slight cold.”
“Ah, a cold…”
I did feel a bit chilly. But why…?
Only then did I notice the warm tea in his hand.
…I wonder if that will taste like the tea Camilla gave me?
Deliberately avoiding the tea, I nodded.
“…But I’m fine. I think I don’t need to drink any more tea now.”
“Still, you should drink it for faster recovery.”
“…I’m really fine…”
“Please drink it.”
“Okay.”
I shuddered, wondering if maybe the brainwashing wasn’t completely undone yet.
As I reluctantly took the teapot and put it down on the bedside table, the butler continued speaking.
“I took care of Lady Diana while you were away, Lady Edith. So I can tell you in detail about all the mischief Lady Diana has been up to…”
Diana squeezed her eyes shut and cut off the butler’s words.
“You promised not to tell!!”
“Did I?”
Diana’s chattering voice filled the room again.
Hazy winter sunlight seeped through the half-open window.
‘Ah… this is peaceful…’
Except for this terrible-tasting tea in my hand.
In the end, Diana and the butler’s argument only ended when Diana stormed out of the room, huffing that she would bring me more flowers and just wait and see.
I’m not sure what the connection is between being a proper lady and bringing me flowers.
‘Well… that’s what makes her cute.’
I turned my gaze to the butler.
“So… what’s the matter? Are you really just worried about my health?”
“That too, but there seems to be an issue you need to resolve that came up while you were unconscious.”
What kind of issue?
As I tilted my head towards the butler, he calmly said,
“I heard you agreed to an engagement with Lord Ethan Behemoth.”
“……”
My mouth fell open. I almost dropped the teacup I was holding. Ah, I should have dropped it.
The butler looked at me with concern.
“Um, Lady Edith. Your jaw looks like it’s about to drop. If it’s incorrect information…”
“Ah… No, it’s…”
I barely managed to close my mouth. So this is when you use the expression ‘too shocked to speak’.
“……”
“Lady Edith…?”
Was that still a valid topic? I had hoped it would be naturally forgotten, but why?
I turned my head towards Ethan, who had been sitting quietly by my side all along. Ethan was sitting with his lips tightly pressed, and only reacted awkwardly after feeling my gaze.
“Ah.”
“Say something, please.”
When I whispered, almost scolding him, with my molars clenched, Ethan shrugged.
“I’ll visit you soon.”
“You mean you’ll visit to cancel it, right?”
“……”
“……”
Even though I knew this engagement wouldn’t happen without my consent anyway, Ethan Behemoth’s stubborn and reckless attitude really irritated me.
I must be the only person kicking away the best marriage prospect in the Empire like this. Conversely, why is the Empire’s best marriage prospect acting like this towards me?
Please, please, I’m begging you to stop drawing attention to me.
Silence lingered in the room for a while.
Only Diana, after reading the atmosphere, cheerfully exclaimed.
“I actually like this magician more than the young lord.”
“Oh my. The Crowell has good taste.”
Rimos Therion smiled brightly. I was dumbfounded.
…Do you like him?
🥀
Thank you for reading! ♡
