My Will Did Not Mean This

Juan wiped the sweat from his forehead and recalled the crown prince’s request.

“He said the same thing as the second prince. Save the princess at all costs…”

Juan was a laborer working at a small chemical dye factory on the outskirts of the continent. He discovered by chance that dried rose-colored dye had a strange effect.

A wild animal that picked up the dye that fell on the ground and ate it ran around tirelessly for several days before dying, foaming at the mouth.

That day, Juan stole the recipe for the dye and ran away.

He continued to pretend to be a doctor from another continent, and his fame spread throughout the empire in no time as he even made terminally ill patients who were dying full of energy. Fortunately, people lasted much longer than animals, so his fraud was not discovered.

Juan, who had acquired wealth in the blink of an eye, was thinking about playing in bigger waters when he got in touch with the crown prince of the empire.

He even offered him the position of imperial physician, promising that if he could cure someone, he would be guaranteed lifelong wealth and power.

‘There is someone very important to me. A woman I definitely want to keep by my side.’

He couldn’t miss this golden opportunity. Moreover, the crown prince in front of him seemed very kind and gentle. He even forgave his younger brother who was looking down on him, and his first impression was exactly as rumored.

‘He said he did his best but failed to cure him. What can I do then? If there were unconditional cures in medicine, even noble nobles would live for thousands of years!’

He thought that would be the case…

Juan returned to reality and stared blankly at the sight before his eyes. The iron shelf, as thick as his forearm, folded in half like a piece of paper.

Just because the 2nd prince grabbed him once.

“I heard that you’re engaged but your relationship is bad, why did the hyenas of the empire come out?”

No matter how much he thought about it, all he could say was “Damn it.”

Just because the 2nd prince looked at me, a pressure that made it hard to breathe weighed on my shoulders. Just thinking about that time made me shiver. If he make one wrong move, he wouldn’t survive. Juan had always had sharp intuition.

“If others are doing well but the princess is the only one who doesn’t, I’ll definitely be suspicious.”

He guessed he would have to change his plan. He would make a killing and then get out at the right time.

“I’ll give this medicine to the princess too…”

Juan grabbed the medicine envelopes scattered around under the collapsed shelf with a hardened face.

＊ ＊ ＊

Meanwhile, Vivian’s back was soaked with cold sweat.

She had never met Marquis Bastian in person, but she saw the painting hanging in the hall when she was invited to a tea party the other day.

‘What kind of gentleman did he say?’

She thought the chamberlain said it, but she let it slide because she was so focused on Celia Bastian’s information.

“Princess Eleonora?”

“Oh, I greet Marquis Bastian.”

After a long while of no response from Vivian, the Marquis called her again.

She suddenly came to her senses and bowed to the Marquis. The Marquis bowed to her in return.

“Is the lady currently receiving treatment?”

“Yes.”

“You must be having a hard time in many ways.”

“No.”

“…”

An awkward silence fell between the two. Normally, they would have made some small talk and then parted ways naturally. But Vivian would kick the blanket away in embarrassment whenever she remembered the commotion at the Marquis’ residence.

Even now, she was so anxious about running away before the Marquis showed up that she wasn’t in a position to have small talk. And the Marquis…

‘He must be desperate to get me to blame for bringing scandal to his mansion!’

First of all, he looked so strict that it seemed like not even a needle would go in.

“My wife said her vision got much brighter after taking the medicine. How is the princess?”

“Yes? Oh, not yet.”

It was a good thing that the Marquis had seen the effects of the eye medicine. But more than that, Vivian’s nerves were on edge across the hallway. She was anxious that Celia Bastian might show up at any moment.

“I heard from my wife that the princess liked our doctor’s cough medicine.”

“Yes, I really don’t know what to say to the lady…”

Vivian, who was being swept away by the rapids of consciousness, suddenly came to her senses.

“…No, I am truly grateful for the kindness you showed me that day.”

“No. Actually, my wife was waiting to give the medicine to the princess herself, but unfortunately, our timing was different.”

“Thank you for just saying that.”

“This.”

Only then did Vivian notice the women’s handbag that the Marquis had been holding. Even looking at it as it rolled by, it was the Marquis’s bag, and he took out a bag of medicine, each carefully wrapped with a ribbon, and handed it to her.

Vivian, who thought it was a polite remark, felt a little taken aback.

“I am sorry to suddenly bring this up, but I have a favor to ask of you, the princess. My wife is a bit timid, so I cannot tell you in person.”

The Marquis circled around.

“I heard that the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony is next month. We’ll need a bridesmaid to help with the preparations…”

“Yes?”

It was a topic that the Marquis never expected to come out of his mouth.

In the Empire, a coming-of-age ceremony was a once-in-a-lifetime event, comparable to a wedding. Since many guests were invited and it was a good opportunity to show off one’s connections, the main character of the coming-of-age ceremony would ask high-ranking people around him to be bridesmaids. However, Vivian had become ill with tuberculosis and stopped going to social circles.

Since there were no bridesmaids or guests, he had only asked his half-sister Iris to be bridesmaid.

“I would like the princess to suggest a bridesmaid to my wife.”

Vivian blinked blankly, wondering what was going on.

The Marquis continued, wondering how he interpreted her reaction.

“I know that I, a man, made a rude request. However, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen my wife so excited. It must be thanks to the princess.”

“…”

“If you make Celia your coming-of-age ceremony attendant, I will also put my family’s name on the line and repay you without any regrets.”

This side had money and power. Their honor was in the mud, but that was enough to live comfortably.

Nevertheless, Vivian nodded obediently.

That day, the image of Celia Bastian running from the Marquis’ residence with cough medicine strangely lingered in her mind.

“I will send someone to you soon. However, the reason I accepted the Marquis’ request was not because I needed a favor.”

“I know the princess’s stubborn nature that cannot tolerate injustice. So, please think of it as my personal thanks, regardless of the attendant work.”

She didn’t know what the Marquis meant by reward, but she had nothing to lose by accepting anything.

She nodded, and the Marquis left with an unknown message that the northern issue would be resolved soon.

In this way, Vivian had solved another problem of Aslan without even realizing it.

＊ ＊ ＊

A few days later, Vivian wrote a letter to the Marquis Bastian, half in doubt.

She couldn’t hide her uneasy expression as she put the completed letter in an envelope.

“Is this really okay?”

She wrote it because the Marquis asked her to, but she couldn’t believe that the Marquis really wanted to be a guest.

When she couldn’t control her anger at the Marquis’s residence and made people kneel, the Marquis stared at her with her eyes wide open like a startled rabbit.

To anyone who saw it, she looked like a frightened herbivore in front of a wild beast.

“Yes, it’s not my responsibility. The Marquis asked me to do this. If you’re not satisfied, go to your husband…”

After sealing the envelope with wax, Vivian slammed the table and stood up as if she was really done.

“Honestly, I wonder what the reward that Marquis Bastian mentioned is.”

He said it wasn’t necessary, but isn’t that how people think? Judging from the fact that he even mentioned the family’s name, the Marquis must have prepared something very extravagant for the coming-of-age ceremony gift. For example, something like expensive jewelry.

‘Welcome money that comes and prevent money that goes away is my motto.’

She nodded happily, and just then Aslan came in from outside.

He was holding a tray and water in his hands.

“Is it medicine? Why bother making it yourself instead of having the maids do it?”

“If you just leave it out, it won’t taste good and you won’t eat it.”

“Huh, when did I?”

Vivian blinked as if it was the first time she had heard this. Her conscience had long since passed away.

Aslan found her cute lie cute, so he snickered and sat down across the table. Then he stopped himself from opening the medicine bag himself.

“The color is unusual.”

“Right?”

The quack began prescribing the problematic medicine to himself, wondering what his intentions were.

Fortunately, there was still a lot of eye nutrients left from the previous preparation, so Vivian left them with Emma and hid the real medicine under the drawer instead.

“Don’t worry. I showed the medicine to my doctor.”

“I heard. They said it was the first time they had seen it.”

“Juan is from another continent. Don’t bother your doctors too much.”

On the other hand, he gave the real medicine to the Grand Duke’s doctor. They would have figured out the ingredients in the supplement right away, so it would have been difficult if they had been caught.

On the other hand, he warned them several times not to take it because it would be fatal if eaten by someone who was not sick. This is what Juan actually said to his patients.

“Ugh, it tastes bad!”

“That’s right.”

Vivian poured out the medicine and water Aslan had given her. As she shivered, Aslan put a small piece of chocolate on her lips.

He stared at her lips, which were as soft as ripe fruit, as if he were entranced.

“I said I was going to get a dress for my coming-of-age ceremony today. Should we go together?”

“My sister would be uncomfortable.”

“We’ll soon become a family, so we need to get to know each other.”

“It’s partly because of my sister, but… The truth is, I don’t want Aslan to see me in a dress.”

“Why?”

Aslan’s eyes, which had been as warm as the midsummer sun, froze dangerously.

 

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Translator Note: