Episode 28
Camilla’s words didn’t come out quickly, so I was surprised for a moment, but then I had an idea.
“Oh, I see what you mean…”
“Without any respect! What would the servants say!”
“No, that’s not it.”
It looked like Camilla wasn’t paying attention to me anymore.
“In addition to that!”
Camilla spoke while shaking, as if just thinking about it gave her chills.
“What would you have done if Amoide had been bit!”
At the end of the talk, it was only normal for her to worry about her son.
‘Ah, yes.’
I stayed tamed and didn’t say anything.
Even when I told her in detail that the snake had attacked me first and that my clothes were torn because the snake had crawled into them, she didn’t seem to understand.
“What would you have done if Amoide had been stung by the fangs and passed out?”
‘What if I had been stung?’ was not a question I could ask. I was afraid of what she would say.
“It was a mistake, mother. I didn’t foresee it…”
I quickly said I was sorry, but Camilla still didn’t hear me.
“Stop with the silly walks! What are you doing, walking around and getting bitten by snakes?””
The more I listened, the more a feeling in my heart started to rise.
<After all those years of visits from the master, he never gave you a scratch…>
The words of Rona that came to my mind all of a sudden hit me hard.
“What can I do when his energy has changed so much?”
“What did you say?”
I sighed very loudly and looked very upset.
“Take a look. It’s a mark your son made.”
“Amoide did that?”
Camilla’s eyes were wide as she looked at the deep scar on my chest.
“Yes. He had never talked to me except on the days we met. But now…”
<It looks like all your hard work is paying off.>
I heard Rona’s voice again. Before, it was very embarrassing, but now it seemed like I had a very powerful tool.
“Isn’t it because of the sudden rush of energy that didn’t exist before?”
I kept talking and put my hand over my chest for effect, like an actress in a play.
“But even though he is weak, he is so strong! Even though I was worried about his health, he made me go! Oh? I was thrown against the wall! Pushed!”
“…Pushed?”
Camilla put her hand over her mouth and looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it.
“I’ve never taught my son to do that.”
Camilla’s eyes showed that she was having trouble keeping her cool.
“You’re right.”
I gave a strong nod to show that I agreed.
“Of course, you wouldn’t have taught such a simple way to get to know someone.”
“Simple…?”
“But why did this happen so quickly? Isn’t it all because of how I’ve been feeding him and getting him to work out?”
I didn’t let Camilla talk this time.
I talked without taking a breath, and by the end, I was a little out of breath.
“Who brought out a man who won’t leave his room after he passes out?”
I kept going with my speed.
“Who changed his tasteless meals so that he always ate them all?”
I looked at Camilla very hard.
“It’s all because of what I’ve done.”
I stressed every word.
“Getting such obvious benefits in such a short amount of time. It’s not fair to put me in a corner like this over something that came up out of the blue and couldn’t have been planned for, let alone not praise me for it.”
I looked at Camilla and begged her as if it were a very unfair situation.
Camilla seemed a little thrown off by my words, which I said all at once.
Just like when I told her not long ago that Amoide’s ‘skills’ were getting worse.
It was the second time I had talked more than Camilla in this room.
After saying a lot, I looked into Camilla’s eyes and slowed my quick breathing.
“All of this is for your dear son, right? If you were going to tell me to quit after one or two problems, you should have never given me responsibility for Amoide’s health to begin with. I’m disappointed that you don’t have as much support as you say you do.”
“Disappointed..?”
For a moment, I was sorry I had seen her angry face.
‘Did I go too far?’
At this point, it seemed like I needed to fix the harm.
“…I don’t think that’s what you want, of course.”
I spoke again in a calm, soft voice.
“You must have been shook up by someone.”
No matter how I looked at it, the time it took Camilla to call me was too short.
The news came fast, just in time for me to take a shower and get dressed when I got back.
Camilla is said to know everything that goes on in the mansion, but given how big the duke’s home is, there should have been some time difference.
Also, Amoide and I went for a walk in a place that was a long way from the building where Camilla was.
Unless someone was always watching what I and Amoide did and told them right away.
“…”
“Isn’t it?”
I spoke with my hand on my chest and with sincerity.
Thump thump.
Where my hand touched, I could feel my heart beating fast.
It was a sign that pushing Camilla with words was already putting me under enough stress.
If this keeps up, I might not live long.
People say that long-term worry can eat away at your life.
“Someone shook me up?”
Camilla gave me a funny look like I was crazy.
“Who dares to?”
I didn’t answer, but instead I thought quietly about the possible possibilities.There weren’t only one or two.
There were many eyes, hands, and ears on Camilla in the duke’s house.
The workers and maids would follow Camilla’s orders, so they could watch my every move whenever they wanted.
How come?
Since I could hurt her son? It was something that made no sense.
“It is possible if Mother sent someone to tail me.”
“I did wha—”
I saw Camilla hold on tight to the chair’s handle.
“Right, you wouldn’t do something so rude, of course not.”
I smiled and nodded when I saw Camilla grip the chair handle even tighter when she heard the word ‘rude’.
“An elegant and cultured lady wouldn’t do something like assigning surveillance.”
I sat up straight and put my hands in my lap.
“Of course, I trust you. So I hope you will also trust me.”
Before going on, I took a deep breath.
“What happened today was a normal mistake. We’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again next time.”
“I’m worried about what happened today. I don’t know if it’s okay to leave you all day with Amoide.”
“Are you afraid that Amoide could attack me at any moment?”
Camilla’s face hardened when I said something casual.
“The psychic and Raymond decide when you will get together. If you do as you please…”
“Of course. Don’t be afraid. I’m well aware.”
“Are you?”
“Of course. My job is to make sure that Amoide stays healthy until the exchange. So, it will be possible to make the next one quickly. A very cute and healthy boy.”
“…”
Camilla’s corner of her mouth went up, as if she were moved just by what she was hearing.
“It has to be a son.”
Camilla said, her eyes sparkling.
“In fact, I’m not so sure about that…”
I didn’t. Not a chance. It doesn’t matter if you have a son or daughter, because you can’t have one.
Bang.
When Camilla hit the table, it gave me a jolt.
“You said you would have a son. Ratuz’s words have never been wrong.”
The astrologer’s name was Ratuz.
“He said that a couple will definitely have a son if they make love on the day when Jupiter’s power is the strongest.”
“…Yes.”
“You must save up your energy for that day.”
“Of course.”
I quickly said, “Yes.” It was because Camilla’s eyes had a strange light in them.
‘She doesn’t know how I’m lying.’
We’ve never slept together. Not now, and not in the future.
I was afraid that Camilla would kill me if she found out that we hadn’t even slept together yet. Camilla, who was looking forward to a new successor more than anyone else, could I still keep my neck after I lied to her?
“Are you cold?”
Camilla asked when she saw that I was shaking a little.
“No.”
I quickly picked up my mug, but my mind was elsewhere. At least one thing was clear from what we talked about today. Someone didn’t like that I was looking out for Amoide’s health. Camilla almost didn’t let me take care of her son’s health. It did take some lying, playing, and making things up, though. It was about who would be the next leader of the Ifrit family, so Camilla gave her approval. Someone with enough power to make Camilla change her mind. I only remember Camilla holding on tight to the chair’s handle.
“Could it be…?”
After a lot of thought, one face stood out the most.
* * *
A few days later, in the afternoon, Rona opened the door carefully and went inside.
“Madame.”
Rona walked into the room after putting her head in.
“It’s time to take your pills. Greta, brought it.”
“I see.”
Behind Rona, a maid with a tray and a medicine bottle came out, and Greta came out in front of her.
“Leave it alone and go.”
“The Madame said that I must see you take it.”
Greta’s voice was haughty and flat when she spoke. I slowly turned my head up to look at her. This handmaid, who was closest to Camilla, was always nice, but sometimes she got on my nerves. If the other girls ignored me behind my back, this one was nice and kind both in front of me and behind my back. The trouble was that she couldn’t hide the strange confidence that was behind it all. Because she probably trusts Camilla.
“What gives?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
I picked up the medicine bottle that Greta had brought with a slight feeling of unease.
